Need Help Finding a Book Author

[officerripley]

I could have sworn the author was Lynn Austin but have searched all her books and it's not her. I've also done searches for authors like her but none are ringing a bell. And of course, I can't remember the titles of the 2 books I read that I like so much.

Anyway, the author (who I'm almost positive is female) writes Christian fiction. One of her books is about a non-religious gal (I'm almost positive her name is Margaret) who had a bad childhood--her stepfather m*lested her--and for some reason when she's an adult moves to the South and becomes friends with some Christian people and it changes her life for the better. The author's novel which I liked even more was about an elderly Northern lady (also non-religious) who had never married or had kids and has no nieces or nephews. Now that she's elderly, she'd like to spend time with family before she has to go into skilled nursing so writes letters to 2nd cousins asking if she can live with them, she'll pay room and board and when it's time for her to go into nursing, she's got that covered too, would just like to be in a family home setting before. So a male 2nd cousin and his wife (same age as her kids would've been if she'd had any) take her in; they live in the South and are Christian and at first she's skeptical that she'll like living there, is worried she'll be irritated by their religiousity, etc. But the cousin's wife is just a dear. I remember one scene where the old lady is in the house while cuz & his wife are entertaining people at a bbq outside and the old lady overhears one of the snotty guests say, "OMG, you have to have his old cousin living with you?! Poor you!" And cuz's wife responds honestly, "But we love having her here!" and really warmed to old lady's heart.

Anyway, any ideas who the author might be? (I could have just sworn it was Lynn Austin but isn't.) Thanks for any help

 

[Gaer]

Contact the publisher. My publisher forwards any fan mail.

 

[Jace]

Hi!
Call your loçal library...they are a wealth of knowledge!
And, have been helpful to me...whenever I've called.

Good Luck!

 

[MountainRa]

The first book you mention reminds me of Lulu’s Cafe by T.I. Lowe.

 

[officerripley]

The first book you mention reminds me of Lulu’s Cafe by T.I. Lowe.

Thanks, Ra; it's close but that isn't it; the book I'm looking for deals more with Margaret's [or whatever her name is, lol] friendship with another woman who with her faith helps Margaret's heart to heal from her horrible childhood.

 

[WheatenLover]

Can you recall what Margaret did all day? Did she work? Do you know what state she lived in? City?

Same for the second book re the elderly woman. How elderly was she?

Were these books contemporary? Historic?

Do you recall what the covers looked like?

 

[officerripley]

No I don't remember about Margaret's job or anything, just that she moved from the North (New York state maybe) to the South (maybe one of the Carolinas?). And all I remember about the elderly woman was that she had been a career woman and I think in her 70s (maybe?) when the book opens. And the more I think about it, maybe it wasn't a cousin and his wife she moved in with, it might've been a nephew and his wife? Maybe?

And both books were contemporary, not historic. And the more I think about it, both books were published way back in the 90s. So I know, unless something becomes a best-seller, it can make it hard to find later on.

I was thinking about going in to the local Christian bookstore and asking if they knew who the author was but I discovered they've closed up.

Well, thanks for all the help, everybody; I'll keep looking. There's one other site I can post a help-me-find-a book/author-post on; I'll try and get up the gumption to do that.