Excerpt from the Dayton Daily News
Erin Flanagan is persistent. Flanagan, a professor of English language and literatures at Wright State University, received 66 rejections for her first novel, “Deer Season,” before she finally found a publisher, University of Nebraska Press, on her 67th try. That book went on to win a prestigious Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Writer.
Flanagan just published her third novel, “Come With Me,” and most of the story takes place in Dayton. This is the convoluted tale of the friendship between two women, Gwen, and Nicola. Early on in the story, Gwen is having dinner with her husband Todd at a restaurant in Boulder, Colorado. Everything appears normal. Then Todd collapses and dies.
Gwen’s world implodes. She has a young daughter, Whitney, and zero comprehension of family finances and other crucial issues. Her late husband took care of those things. After she gets a grip on their situation she realizes Todd was concealing a lot of stuff from her.
Todd’s software business was failing and to Gwen’s shock and dismay she finds out they have massive debts. Gwen has been out of the job market for a decade and now she needs to generate some income, pronto. Her last job was an internship at an advertising agency in Dayton.
Through some internet sleuthing she determines that Nicola, a woman who once interned with her, is presently the COO of that agency. She calls Nicola, hoping to obtain a reference. Nicola is delighted to hear from her and suggests Gwen come back to Dayton to interview for a job at the agency.
