Finding Eliza

"It’s just a little family history. What could go wrong?" When Lizzie Clydell agreed to join her grandmother at the church’s genealogy group meeting she expected nothing more than lemon squares and a few stories. Instead, an old diary leads Lizzie down a dusty road of lies, hidden family secrets, and a lynching that nearly destroyed her family. Still strug­gling with the loss of her parents two decades ear­lier, Lizzie must con­front a painful past that others hoped was forgotten. Her journey becomes even more difficult as she realizes those around her may not be as they seem. Can Lizzie make peace with the past or will it destroy the relationships she holds most dear? Joining her is a group of lifelong friends known to Lizzie as The Gals. Headed up by her own grandmother, the group of women guide her through the past with humor, encouragement, and tough love as she learns about grace and forgiveness. Set in small town Georgia, Finding Eliza is a contemporary story with flashes of his­tor­i­cal fic­tion as Lizzie digs into the 1930s of segregation, illegal interracial relationships, and fear of the KKK.

Stephanie Pitcher Fishman is the author of fiction and nonfiction, including seven family history research guides in the Legacy QuickGuide series on topics including religious records, census records, and state-specific research techniques. She has also written articles and blog posts for organizations such as Archives.com, Home School Enrichment Magazine, and others. Her first novel, Finding Eliza, combines everything that she loves: family history, historical fiction, and strong female characters. Stephanie is dedicated to literacy and writes children's books that her own kids will like. Stephanie also writes about life at WriterBloggerMom.com.