An abundance of thanks goes to my husband, Will, who, after sixteen years and all that we have endured, still remains the love of my life. My brothers, Willie Jr. and Michael Stapleton; my stepson and daughter-in-law, Trenod and LaTasha Vines-Roby, for loving me and supporting everything I do. To my step-grandchildren, Lamont and Trenod Jr.; my nieces and nephews, Michael Jamaal, Malik, Ja’Mya, Ja’Mel, and Alanna, for loving me as much as I love you. To my cousin Patricia Haley (Jeffrey) Glass for always remembering Jr., Mike, and me on Mother’s Day—it means more than you’ll ever know—and Patricia, know that my prayers are with you as you continue your journey in ministry.
To my aunts and uncles, Cliff and Vernell Tennin, Ben Tennin, Ada Tennin, Fannie (Haley) and Earl Rome, Mary and Charlie Beasley, Luther Tennin, and Robert Thomas; and my cousins, MacArthur and Leona Tennin, Katie Jordan, Lynn Beasley, Dr. L. C. and Julia (San) Tennin, Fred Haley, Willie Beasley, Alphonso Beasley, Darlene Patterson and Greg, Celei Patterson, Jenia Tennin, Michelle Tennin, Ryan Alexander, Dora Lee Tennin and Marlene, Donald Tennin, and Treva Tennin for, after nine books, still attending my local booksigning events and/or calling to check on me to make sure things are going well both personally and professionally. My schedule is sometimes a bit overloaded, and I don’t call or visit as much as I would like, but I hope you know that I am always here for each of you if you need me.
To my second family for taking the time to attend all of my booksigning events and for letting me know regularly that you are proud of what I do for a living. My mother-in-law, Lillie Roby; my brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Ronald Roby, Robert and Tammy Roby, Terry Roby, Gloria Roby; and my little niece Bianca who I can’t believe is already in high school!
Then I must give special mention and acknowledgment to my wonderful friend Kelli Tunson Bullard as we celebrate thirty-five years of friendship (in 2006). I also want to acknowledge you for being such an amazing mother to your daughters Kiara, Kaprisha, and KaSondra. I am so, so proud of you for the way you are raising all three of them and it is the reason you saw me shed so many tears of happiness during KaSondra’s high school graduation weekend. You remind me of my mother when she was raising my brothers and me (you’re always there for them) and you certainly deserve to be commended. Not to mention, since we have been friends for such a long period of time, your girls are nothing less than real nieces to me. I am so thankful that God placed you in my life and that you have always made me feel comfortable enough to confide in you just about everything I can think of. Is there anything at all that you don’t know about me?
To my wonderful friend Lori Whitaker Thurman, as we celebrate twenty years of friendship (in 2006) and for being the most loyal and dependable person anyone could ever pray for. I’ve tried to recall a time when you weren’t there for me over the last twenty years and can you believe I simply can’t think of one? Needless to say, I thank God for you and for making you the kind of friend you are. And of course, I have to congratulate you on your new business, Book Connections, which actually isn’t so new anymore! It is so very needed in the publishing industry, and I’m glad you finally made the decision to go for it. I am so proud of you for taking that entrepreneurial leap, and I look forward to seeing your business grow leaps and bounds now and in the future. But most of all, thank you for being the wonderfully compassionate person you are.
To my wonderful friend and cousin Janell Francine Green. I LOVE your new body products, and I’m happy to know that Drippinnectar.com will be up and running real soon so that the rest of the world can see just what they have been missing! Words cannot express how proud I am of you and how much I appreciate the way you never change. Your bubbly and caring personality is always a true breath of fresh air and it has proven to be a great blessing to me.
To four of my other childhood friends who I don’t see or talk to as much as I’d like to but who always let me know that our friendship is still very special, Venita Sockwell Owens, Tanya Marks Hand, Aileen Blacknell, and Veronda Johnson Harris. To my friend and e-mail buddy Pamela Charles, who resides in Dallas, Texas, for making me laugh just about every single day. To Sonya Pearson Francis, my friend whom I grew up with in church here at home and who, like Pamela, always comes out to see me whenever I’m signing in Dallas.
To my wonderful friend and fellow author Victoria Christopher Murray, for all of our e-mail exchanges and phone conversations that always end up lasting longer than we plan for and for always being so optimistic about everything I’m involved in. I am so proud of you and your awesome writing talent.
To Janet (Jai Lynn) Salter, my hairstylist and friend who has no problem doing my hair, sometimes as early as 6:00 A.M., just to accommodate my travel or event schedule. Of course, I must admit I’ll be sad to see you leave once you have that huge gospel music recording contract (which is coming), but happy that you’ll finally, on a new level, be able to use the amazing voice God has so generously given you.
To my agent, Elaine Koster; my editor, Carolyn Marino; my publisher, Lisa Gallagher; my publicist, Pam Jaffee; and all the other wonderful people at HarperCollins/William Morrow who work hard at elevating my career. Thank you for everything.
My website designer, Pamela Walker-Williams at Pageturner.net, and my national book-club packager, Lori Thurman of Book Connections ([email protected]), for all that both of you do to promote my work.
Dr. Betty Price at Crenshaw Christian Center for consistently encouraging and supporting what I do as a writer. Visiting with you and speaking to your Women Who Care program attendees is always the highlight of my year.
Donna Fontana, Kristi Widmar, Jennifer Mitchell, Lisa Craig, Holly Garman, and everyone else at Weight Watchers for supporting Changing Faces and for allowing me the opportunity to share my amazing Weight Watchers experience with women all over the country.
To all of the bookstores who sell my books, every person in the media who publicizes them, and all of the FABULOUS book clubs and individual readers who read my stories. Know that I will never, ever forget you.
Much love and God bless you always,
Kimberla Lawson Roby
About the Author
KIMBERLA LAWSON ROBY is the author of the acclaimed novels Changing Faces, The Best-Kept Secret, Too Much of a Good Thing, A Taste of Reality, Behind Closed Doors, Here and Now, Casting the First Stone, and It’s a Thin Line. She lives with her husband in Illinois.
www.kimroby.com
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ALSO BY KIMBERLA LAWSON ROBY
Changing Faces
The Best-Kept Secret
Too Much of a Good Thing
A Taste of Reality
It’s a Thin Line
Casting the First Stone
Here and Now
Behind Closed Doors
Credits
Jacket design by Ervin Serrano
Jacket photographs by Titus Kana
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
LOVE AND LIES. Copyright © 2007 by Kimberla Lawson Roby. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition © JANUARY 2007 ISBN: 9780061851933
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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