Empty Arms: A Novel – Erika Liodice

Catharine Chase’s entire life is built on a secret. In 1972, at the tender age of sixteen, she got pregnant. An embarrassment to her parents, Catharine was exiled to a maternity home to carry out her pregnancy far away from the watchful eyes of their tight-knit community. What they didn’t tell her is that she wouldn’t be allowed to keep her baby.

With her daughter’s screams still echoing in her ears, the medical staff told Catharine she’d move on with her life and have more children, they promised she’d forget. But they were wrong. Catharine never forgot Emily. And when she and her husband, Paul, learn that they can’t have children, she risks her job, her marriage, and her family’s reputation in a desperate attempt to find the daughter she never wanted to give away and reclaim her only chance to be a mother.

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"Empty Arms beautifully illustrates the powerful bond between a mother and a child, under even the most challenging circumstances."

Lehigh Valley Style
“Erika Liodice’s Empty Arms is a compelling novel about haunting secrets, risk and consequence, and one woman’s journey to build a future out of the scattered ashes of her past. A beautiful debut.”

THERESE WALSH, author of The Moon Sisters and co-founder of Writer Unboxed
"One of the best books I've read all year."

BRIANNA SOLOSKI, book reviewer at Girl Seeks Place READ THE FULL REVIEW
"Erika has shown incredible depth and maturity for a debut novel by writing characters who we could expect to meet at our neighborhood diner or a high school reunion. This is what Women’s Fiction can be when placed in the hands of a capable and thoughtful writer who is willing to tackle difficult topics without resorting to pat answers. If this debut novel is any indication, I believe Erika has a long and happy writing career ahead of her."

SUZANNE ANDERSON, author of Mrs. Tuesday's Departure and book reviewer at Reader Unboxed READ THE FULL REVIEW
"The author has the extraordinary ability to bring you to tears and then mend your broken heart."

DONNA MCBROOM-THERIOT, book reviewer at My Life. One Story at a Time. READ THE FULL REVIEW
"This will be the best book you have ever read and I must say, there are not many books like this."

ASHLEY PRINCE, book blogger at The Bibliophile's Corner READ THE FULL REVIEW
"Erika Liodice has a gift for bringing characters to life. The true-to-life tension, frustration of years gone by, and the love/hate interaction between the characters was remarkable. There are real women who have lived Catharine's life and I feel that Erika Liodice has honored those women with this story."

STACEY DONALDSON, book reviewer at The Write to Make a Living READ THE FULL REVIEW
"I read Empty Arms in one weekend cover to cover and normally I do not have the attention span for that. I found myself drawn into the story and the characters. I love love loved it."

JEN CARL, book reviewer at Lehigh Valley Momma READ THE FULL REVIEW
"You'll be spellbound by this story."

ANNE HOLMES, book reviewer for the National Association of Baby Boomer Women (NABBW) READ THE FULL REVIEW

Local Author, Erika Liodice on Lehigh Valley Momma

Take 5 Interview on Writer Unboxed

How A Story Became Her Novel on Women’s Fiction Writers

Interview with Erika Liodice on The Write to Make a Living

1. You like my writing. If you’ve enjoyed my blog and/or articles over the past 3 years…why not check out my fiction writing?

2. Adoption, parenthood, or infertility has touched your life. Empty Arms explores these subjects while shedding light on the experiences of an entire generation of women who were forced to surrender their babies for adoption.

3. It’s cheaper than going to the movies. Priced at $2.99, the Empty Arms e-book is a low-cost, high-reward entertainment proposition.

4. You want to support my dream. If I’ve inspired, motivated, or encouraged you to follow your dream, and you want to do the same for me, this would be a great way to help me make my dream a reality.

5. You need a book for your book club. Every copy of Empty Arms includes a Reader’s Club Guide. Plus, I’m available to attend your book club meeting (via phone, Skype, or, depending on your location, in-person) for a lively discussion. (Please send your book club request to: bookclub@erikaliodice.com)

6. It’s for a good cause. I’ll be donating 10% of the proceeds to Save the Children, because at the heart of every adoption story is a child. Sadly, there are millions of children around the world who don’t have a family to love them, clothes to keep them warm, food to nourish their growing bodies, a safe place to sleep, medicine to keep them healthy, or a decent education so they can thrive in this world. I’m proud to be supporting this fine charity through the sales of my novel, Empty Arms. Together we can help save the children.