Once Upon a Lie
by Michael R. French

“Girl. Boy. White. Black. Two-parent family. Orphan. Rich. Desperately poor… The rights and privileges we claim for ourselves, we cannot deny to others unless we would be hypocrites.”
—LuAnn Braley, Blogger, Black Porchervation

“I couldn’t get enough, each page pulled me deeper into their story. I really enjoyed the alternating chapters, it made the book more complex…There were many surprises that shocked me. They were hidden perfectly and jumped out at the right moment. Once Upon a Lie is great! Five stars!”
—Emily C, Blogger, The Book Adventures of Emily

“Once Upon a Lie debunks the theory that you are a product of your environment. In this literary fiction novel, we have two characters who are absolute polar opposites. From their race, family dynamics, to the stability level of their homes… If you want a thought-provoking & intellectual read about love and the struggle of real life, pick this book up!”
—Bradley Knox, Blogger, Hogwash

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.

Once Upon a Lie is about two strangers who become unlikely friends, only to unintentionally put each others 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.