Second Acts

by Teri Emory

Overview

The interwoven tales of three women unfold in the voices of Sarah, Miriam, and Beth, whose unshakable friendship takes root in a Buffalo college dorm in the late 1960s. Fueled by the optimism and bravado of that era, they charge into adulthood with high expectations and lofty ideas. They were, as Beth would later observe, “the first generation of women to feel entitled to interesting lives.”

At times, they find themselves living long distances from each other as each of them seeks new directions and new locales—midtown Manhattan, a Florida suburb, coastal Savannah, the hills of Rome. Nonetheless, they remain deeply connected in the decades after college, sharing their joys and shepherding each other through heartache. With emotional courage and wry humor, they come to terms with a disconcerting postscript to the Age of Aquarius: Life—inevitably, unsparingly, repeatedly—demands compromise. 

In the year leading up to 9/11, the three women, now middle aged, are tested by unwelcome drama at home, unforeseen challenges at work, and unresolved conflicts about decisions made long ago. Sustained by their abiding friendship, Sarah, Miriam and Beth confront hard truths about themselves and the choices they have made. They must let go of past regrets and make peace with present circumstances as they begin the second acts of their lives.

Second Acts is a story of love, loss, and renewal, and a testament to the enduring power of female friendship.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781944995317
Publisher:	Chicago Review Press, Incorporated
Publication date:	09/26/2017
Pages:	342
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Teri Emory is living proof that majoring in French as an undergraduate and studying psycholinguistics in graduate school do not necessarily lead to rack and ruin. To wit: She has taught writing and literature at the University of North Florida, Hunter College, Yeshiva University, and Fordham University and is a grateful survivor of a fifteen-year tour of duty as a corporate writer. Her essays, articles, and poems have appeared in consumer, online, and academic publications, and she has edited essays and book-length manuscripts on absurdly esoteric topics.

She grew up in and around New York City and has lived and worked in Berkeley, Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Manhattan, and Rome (Italy). A devoted mother and besotted grandmother, she now resides in Las Vegas.

Editorial Reviews

"Emory's unhurried prose braids the complex personal stories of these three women as they come to grips with loss, choices and compromise. All the while their bond of friendship flourishes in a changing world."

Shelf Awareness

"I absolutely loved this book. I was instantly drawn in. I became very involved in the lives of the three protagonists. The writing is clear and involving and rich and layered. It's a book about relationships and transformation, and those are qualities that I absolutely adore in stories. I truly started missing the three main characters as soon as I finished the novel. I can't WAIT for a sequel!" - Heidi Mastrogiovanni, author of Lala Pettibone's Act Two

Heidi Mastrogiovanni

"Teri Emory has fashioned a debut novel with the perspective and intelligence of a more seasoned writer—a “second act” in and of itself. This engaging story of three lifelong friends whose lives are intertwined is imbued with a warm tone and a witty narrative grounded in the 1960s and moving through contemporary culture with wry observations, heartfelt discoveries, and the celebration of friendship and unconditional love. Emory writes as if she is sitting next to you, spinning out the tale, bringing characters to life, crafting a story you will savor, chapter by chapter."— Marie Speed, Editor-in-Chief,Boca Ratonmagazine

Marie Speed

"In this affecting and insightful novel, Teri Emory skillfully braids three lives into a unified narrative.Second Actsis an often-painful yet humorous depiction of middle-aged life and offers us an essential reminder that we need to share our joy and with those we love. InAmerican lives one can live many acts: it’s never too late to begin again and again."-Michael Thomas, award-winning author ofMan Gone Down

Michael Thomas

"Second Acts, by Teri Emory, is a smart, heartfelt glimpse at love, loss, and surprises in the lives of threelongtime friends who are navigating unfamiliar emotional terrain amid personal and professional change... Intelligent, witty, and filled with true feeling, Second Acts is a meditation on resilience, second chances, andthe unfaltering strength of women’s friendships."

Foreword Reviews