Notes from Beale Street - by Phyllis R Dixon (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

When their family matriarch dies in 1980s Memphis, two very different sisters battle over her legacy--only to discover her long-hidden history in 1940s Tupelo and an unexpected connection to Graceland.

Readers of Tara M. Stringfellow, Brandy Colbert, Nancy Crochiere, ReShonda Tate, and Sadeqa Johnson will be captivated by this powerful story of mothers and daughters, family bonds and forgiveness, and generational sacrifice.

For the Dawkins sisters, an ocean between them is still not enough. Free-spirited Suzanne has been at odds with her conservative, church-going sister, Paula, since childhood. Their mother, Lillie, blames her divorce during their teens and an unexplained tragedy, and has spent her life trying to bring them together. Still, Suzanne chases her dream of musical stardom and ends up in Paris as a cabaret singer. Paula stayed in Memphis, becoming a devoted family woman and pillar of the community--but never forgave her sister's absence, believing it stifled her own dreams.

When their mother dies, Suzanne and Paula discover a surprising inheritance: secret tapes of Lillie's time working for Elvis Presley at Graceland. A publisher hoping to dig up secrets about her famous employer wants to turn them into a book. But Lillie had secrets of her own and the sisters disagree about exposing them. However, both desperately need money. Paula financed her childcare center with loans from the wrong people and the debt has come due. Suzanne is reaching for what may be her last chance at a big-time singing career.

Forced to delve into their family's past is a higher stakes undertaking than either sister imagined, including a startling revelation. Yet in discovering the truth together, perhaps they can fulfill Lillie's true legacy of healing and forgiveness . . .

Review Quotes

Praise for Phyllis R. Dixon:

"Dixon has created a solid story exploring family relationships, filled with flawed, yet relatable characters and peppered with historical references, as in the novels of Mary Monroe." --Library Journal on A Taste for More

"A fun, sexy read." --Ebony on Intermission

"Dixon gives her characters distinctive voices, exploring their inner lives and motivations, and her conversational style gives readers a front-row seat to the Diamonds' sparkling reunion. Fans of Kimberla Lawson Roby and ReShonda Tate Billingsley will be enthralled." --Booklist on Intermission

"If you were a fan of girl music groups from the 1990s, you'll love this story about the fictional girl group the Diamonds." --AARP's Sisters Newsletter on Intermission

"A glamorous, nostalgic '90s story begins in this fun novel following four women." --Woman's World, Book Club Pick, on Intermission

"There's a whole lotta of shakin' going on in this book! Ms. Dixon produced a rich drama with all the ingredients to hold our attention." --Dwight Fryer, Author and NAACP Image Award Nominee on Down Home Blues

"A riveting Southern family drama. Down Home Blues delves into many serious issues that affect our families and our community." --Evelyn Palfrey, Essence Magazine bestselling author on Down Home Blues

"Down Home Blues does a fantastic job of exploring how individuals and families interrelate and how their choices influence wider events in the greater world, making it a recommendation for novel readers who want their action driven by strong characters and their views of life's winding directions tempered by a better understanding of psychological motivation." --Midwest Book Review on Down Home Blues

"Educational, thought provoking and captivating. Forty Acres will inspire you." --RAWSISTAZ Reviews on Forty Acres

About the Author

Phyllis R. Dixon is the acclaimed author of Intermission, Forty Acres, and Down Home Blues, which was shortlisted for the Lariat Adult Fiction Reading List by the Texas Library Association. She also is a contributor to the New Tri-State Defender book review column and to Chicken Soup for the African American Woman's Soul. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she is a former independent bookstore owner, previously worked for the U.S. Treasury Department, and currently serves on several nonprofit boards. She currently lives in Memphis, Tennessee, and can be found online at PhyllisRDixon.com.