The Safety of Secrets Available May, 27, 2008 "Now we're just alike." So begins Fiona and Patricia's friendship that warm Autumn morning in first grade in Lake Charles, Louisiana, a friendship made as close as sisters by Fiona's abusive mother and Patricia's neglectful one, and by the fantasies that the two girls share. Fiona and Patricia's relationship is a source of continuity and strength through their move to LA to become actresses; through Fiona's marriage and not-yet-famous career; and through Patricia's ups-and-downs with men and rise to fame. Then when their husbands' needs and the pressures of Hollywood begin to exact a toll, the women are forced to wonder if their friendship can survive. But the true test of their devotion is just beginning. When a dark secret from their past begins to emerge, it threatens to destroy not only the bond the women have shared, but all they've worked for as well. What happens when your most treasured friendship suddenly seems broken beyond repair? Humorous and poignant, The Safety of Secrets is a beautifully written exploration of the bonds forged in childhood and challenged decades later, of the fulfillment of dreams and the damage they sometimes cause, and of secrets being uncovered and the truth that we find inside. Order from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or BookSense.   Book Excerpt Q&A with Mark Sarvas of The Elegant Variation Readers Group Guide Cover Shoot Video DeLauné Reading Video Jill Davis’ Q&A with DeLauné 1 2 3 4 "Written with tremendous narrative velocity, The Safety of Secrets is almost impossible to put down. DeLauné Michel has crafted a story that manages to be several things at once: a hilarious inside look at the fascinating fringes of Hollywood, a nuanced portrait of a friendship and its secrets, and a moving testament to the powerful effects of a destructive mother."    —Dani Shapiro, award-winning, best-selling writer "Black and White" "Funny and touching, this is a tale of childhood—and how it never ends"    —Cathleen Schine, New York Times best-selling writer "The New Yorkers" "DeLauné Michel has written a terrifically funny book with a very tender heart. It manages to be wonderfully confessional and psychologically mysterious. The Safety of Secrets is the perfect curl-up-on-the-couch-and-read-all-day-long kind of book. It stays with you."    —Jill A. Davis, New York Times best-selling writer "Ask Again Later" "DeLauné Michel's debut novel, Aftermath of Dreaming was remarkably assured and compelling. At once funny, moving, and richly evocative of contemporary Los Angeles, The Safety of Secrets more than confirms its promise."    —Peter Biskind, best-selling author "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood" "The Safety of Secrets is a beautifully written book that takes you into the mind of a woman attempting the impossible; trying to make marriage, motherhood, friendship and a career as an actress all work in the gladiatorial ring of present day Los Angeles. DeLauné Michel writes with the precision and insight of an x-ray."    —Merrill Markoe, New York Times best-selling writer "Turning in Circles Before Lying Down" "Michel is deeply attuned to the subtleties in women’s friendships, the little nuances that indicate a slight or an attempt at making up for one, and she pays tribute to them with this layered, fluid novel."    —Booklist "The Safety of Secrets is a funny, keenly observed, deeply moving story of coming of age too soon. DeLauné Michel's elegantly structured novel jumps back and forth between an imperfect childhood in Louisiana, and a complicated adulthood in Los Angeles. The novel shifts effortlessly from parental betrayal, to celebrity friendship; from long buried secrets to the peculiar stress of L.A. life near the fast lane. She captures both worlds with perfect pitch."    —Warren Leight, Tony award-winning playwright "Side Man"