Meet Alonzo: The Flavor & Flaire Department
If this story needs someone to lighten the mood—or season it just right—it’s Alonzo.
He’s bold and funny, with a laugh that carries and a knack for saying exactly what everyone else is thinking (even when they wish he wouldn’t). He brings joy with him, usually on a platter. His food is as memorable as his presence, and he has a way of pulling people out of their shells without even trying.
Alonzo is everyone’s best friend. The one you call when you need to laugh, when you need to eat, when you need to feel seen. But he also has dreams bigger than this small Midwestern town.
There’s a little restaurant in Digby called Fickle—his restaurant — stunning, sophisticated, with a menu that changes every week. To Alonzo, it sometimes feels like it doesn’t belong in this town… and maybe he feels the same way about himself. He talks sometimes about opening a place in Chicago, almost wistfully, as though the city could finally match what he has to offer.
Alonzo isn’t perfect, but he doesn’t pretend to be. He reminds everyone how much warmth a little light and a little spice can bring.
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If this were a movie and I got to pick the cast: Titus Burgess would play Alonzo. I actually pictured him before I even begain writing Alonzo’s character!
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This is just one of the people you’ll meet in my upcoming novel, a story about found family and second chances. Come back next week to meet someone new!
I’m still editing and shaping this story, working to bring it into the world. But if you’d like updates, sneak peeks, and behind-the-scenes notes along the way, join my newsletter!
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“You are only free when you realize you belong no place — you belong every place.”
