Michael French, author of Once Upon a Lie, on tour May 2016

About Once Upon a Lie

Paperback: 388 pages
Publisher: Terra Nova Books (March 15, 2016)

Once Upon a Lie is about two strangers who become unlikely friends, only to unintentionally put each other’s life in jeopardy. Jaleel Robeson, a gifted, eighteen year-old black man, falsely accused of murdering his father in a small Texas town, is on the run. He assumes a new identity in 1980s Los Angeles as a successful student on his way to college. Alexandra Baten, a restless sixteen year old white girl, lives in a privileged Toluca Lake family but feels trapped by her parents’ values. One weekend, she rides her bike into a run down neighborhood, meeting a young black man selling lemonade. Thus begins a friendship between opposites, at least on the surface, but they learn they have more in common than they imagine. Told from each character’s point of view in alternating chapters, we become involved in a gripping tale of two Americas where discontent and violence always lurk under the surface. When they erupt, no one is safe. Once Upon a Lie is both a family drama and a crime drama, as well as an exploration of interracial love, mother-daughter relationships, and redemption through courage.

Connect with the characters

Alex on Facebook | Alex on Twitter

Jaleel on Facebook | Jaleel on Twitter

“French shows a skillful hand with characters’ voices and dialogue, effectively capturing very different perspectives in both third and first person. The scenes of tension and suspense work well.”– Kirkus Review of Once Upon a Lie

“Michael French’s writing manages to hook you immediately as he takes you on a magnificently layered journey that keeps you captivated all the way to the end.”–D.G Domenici, Amazon Review of The Reconstruction of Wilson Ryder

“[French] truly excels in storytelling by creating intricate, subtly complex relationships revealed through excellent dialogue. He has a firm understanding of a real conversation between two human beings and a refreshingly poignant approach toward the inner dialogue one has with oneself. You get the feeling that French has been there before, sympathizing not only with the reader but the characters as well.”–D. Weber, Amazon Review of The Reconstruction of Wilson Ryder

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million

About Michael French

Michael R. French graduated from Stanford University where he was an English major, focusing on creative writing, and studied under Wallace Stegner. He received a Master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University. He later served in the United States Army before marrying Patricia Goodkind, an educator and entrepreneur, and starting a family. In addition to publishing over twenty titles, including award-winning young adult fiction, adult fiction, biographies ad self-help books, he has written or co-written a half-dozen screenplays, including Intersection, which has won awards in over twenty film festivals. He has also had a long business career in real estate, living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His passions include travel, collecting rare books, and hanging with friends and family. He describes his worst traits as impatience and saying “no” too quickly; his best are curiosity, taking risks, and learning from failure.