Elizabeth Flock Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Elizabeth Flock is an American author that is best known for novels like ‘But Inside I’m Screaming’ and ‘Me & Emma’. People sometimes confuse this Elizabeth Flock with another American Elizabeth Flock.

That other Flock is a journalist whose literary star began to rise when she wrote her debut novel which explored arranged marriages in India.

It is easy to see why some people would confuse the two. After all, this Elizabeth Flock was also a journalist. She once wrote for People and Time Magazines. She also spent some time as a television reporter.

In fact, some people might recognize her from her work as an anchor in San Francisco and her stint as an on-air correspondent for CBS news. It was her job at CBS to manage local and international breaking news, and she did a pretty decent job.

Her portfolio includes the reporting she did in Cuba when Fidel Castro and Pope John Paul II met during the Holy Man’s visit. Flock was also on the ground in London when Prince Diana died, this on top of making an appearance in Hong Kong when the territory was officially handed over to the Chinese by the British.

It was only in 2003 that Elizabeth Flock finally put her mind to the task of fiction writing, proceeding to produce and publish ‘But Inside I’m Screaming’, her debut novel. Published by MIRA books, the novel, which explored the efforts of a fictional journalist to maintain her sanity, was praised by critics for its riveting and insightful take on the field of journalism.

The book was also a financial success and it gave Flock all the encouragement she needed to write ‘Me & Emma’ in 2005. The novel spent several weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list and ultimately cemented Flock’s place as the burgeoning fiction author to watch.

Elizabeth Flock’s books are normally grounded. She writes about real people struggling with real issues and she isn’t afraid to tackle difficult subjects.

+But Inside I’m Screaming
Isabel Murphy has it all, or so it seems. Her chance to report on the death of Princess Diana should have been the highlight of her career. But then, with the eyes of the entire world on her, Murphy froze live on air.

To her viewers, this was a revelation that there was more going on behind the scenes than they realized. The television network wasn’t quite as understanding. And with their fury hounding her and the knowledge that she had let everyone down haunting her every step, Isabel did the only thing she thought she could do.

She tried to commit suicide. The act landed her in a psychiatric hospital people called the nut hut. There she will undertake a journey of recovery that will bring to the surface every demon she has been hiding.

But if she wants to find true healing, Isabel must accept her new status in life. She must realize that she is just as broken and unhinged as the patients that share her halls.

‘But Inside I’m Screaming’ is Elizabeth Flock’s debut novel and it delves into her own journalistic experiences to bring to the table the harrowing story of a reporter struggling to retain her sanity.

Isabel, the heroine of the story, is supposed to be the perfect wife, daughter, and journalist. But then she suffers a mental break that begins with Isabel freezing live on air and ends with her attempted suicide.

When she wakes up at the Three Breezes psychiatric hospital, Isabel refuses to acknowledge her new reality. She cannot seem to fathom why anyone would think it necessary to confine her at the facility.

Her fellow patients are truly crazy. She, on the other hand, just wants to go home so that she can kill herself.

The author jumps back and forth through time, exploring her protagonist’s life both before her mental break in the past and her time at the Psychiatric Institute at the present.

Flock tries to explain the events that led Isabel to a place where she is so determined to die. Flock also explains why Isabel is so fervent in her attempts at fighting her treatments. The woman does not want to get better. If anything, she doesn’t believe that there’s anything wrong with her.

+Me and Emma
Carrie Parker is a raven-haired eight-year-old girl who sometimes stands out because of her timid and introverted personality. Like most kids, she has a vivid imagination and loves playing make-believe, typically because the game allows her to visit faraway places.

But Carrie’s imagination is often little more than a temporary escape from the hardships of her home life. Unlike Carrie, Emma is fearless. She is a powerhouse who isn’t afraid to speak her mind.

Unfortunately, both Carrie and Emma have been largely neglected all their lives by their unstable mother. And things did not improve when Richard, their new stepfather joined their family.

Richard was already abusive before he came into their lives. And his marriage to their mother did nothing to improve his temper. The man beats them on a daily basis.

For a little while, Carrie thought she could keep her little sister Emma safe even within the confines of their home. But then it became clear to her that Emma would never be safe until she was removed from Richard’s immediate vicinity.

So Emma and Carrie made plans to run away from home, plans that went horribly wrong, further upending their world and exposing them to a slew of threats.

‘Me and Emma’ deals with the delicate subject of child abuse. The book is narrated by Carrie who manifests the whimsy of a child and the maturity of an adult. Carrie spends this novel trying to find a way to keep her young sister safe.

They cannot afford to rely on their mother who is struggling with her own problems. And when they attempt to run away and actually succeed in doing so, a neighbor recognizes them and drags them back home.

With all their options largely exhausted, Carrie and Emma realize that they won’t be safe until they kill Richard. So they begin planning his murder.