THIRTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD JULIA Daniel doesn't really feel at home any-where. Her life in L.A. is lonely, and her career as a food stylist for a struggling gourmet magazine falls well short of her desire to be a photographer. Although she liked growing up in Kentucky , ever since her mother's death and her father's remarriage, her birthplace hasn't felt like the right fit either.

After the tragic deaths of her father and step-mother in a plane crash, Julia's true odyssey begins. Orphaned and adrift, she to find her way in the world while fending off a crazy boss, a pilfering stepsister, and a looming depression.

Though Julia is shored up by two good friends and an excellent psychologist who helps her work through her grief, it is an unexpected-and comically disastrous-trip to Sedona for the maga-zine that finally enables her to move forward. Returning to L.A. , she searches for the strength to strike out on her own, take a chance on love, and seek a tentative peace with her wayward stepsister.

Both humorous and heartbreaking, Blue Plate Special serves up an uplifting exploration of the courage it takes to embrace life after loss.

Frances Norris is a teacher and writer whose work has appeared in The Atlantic Monthly and other magazines. She was raised in Kentucky and currently lives in Los Angeles , where she teaches English and creative writing at the Harvard-Westlake School.