Perish Small Town, U.S.A. was not only about the adults who lived there, but a handful of girls that observed more than they would ever tell, heard things no one else wanted to hear and never forgot the important things. Th e problem was important to whom? No one kept score of the missing people. Th e adults said, those reports that appeared through the year were mere fabrications. But when you are ten and eleven years old and you fear something might jump out of your closet at night, you begin to wonder, are those stories true? When Lily died they were sad and unsettled, not to mention scared and they felt they had to fi nd who was responsible. It seemed the only person knowing how to comfort them was Mrs. Delang. Sometimes she just asks them to sit quietly and let their inner peace take hold while she plays the piano. Lily used to sit beside her playing those songs; that's why I'll be loving you always, stuck in their minds.

About the Author

Betty Lowrey draws from an educational background that dealt with literature and the love of words and life. She began writing fi rst person articles of interest for a newspaper and branched into hosting a weekly column that featured area writers and poets. She studied with the late author and illustrator David Melton and has been published in numerous magazines and newspapers. While writing is an important outlet, she is also an artist, a life group leader, and has an interest in an area agricultural endeavor.