Kimberly Nixon

ABOUT THE BOOK

Some people inherit a family. Lila Young has to build one from scratch.

When twenty-year-old Lila arrives in a small Midwestern town, hoping for a fresh start with her older brother, she discovers she’s more alone than ever. Determined to make a life of her own, she opens Cutie Pies by the Slice, where neighbors gather over coffee and strangers slowly become the family she’s always longed for.

As the pie shop flourishes, so does Lila’s confidence. Agnes and Maggie become the sisters she never had, and Vern—a quiet, dependable man who faithfully carries her daily bank deposits—becomes someone she learns to trust.

Then Lila uncovers a devastating secret: without her knowledge, her thriving business has become entangled in organized crime. As hidden loyalties surface and those she loves are drawn into dangerous choices, she must decide whether broken trust can be rebuilt—and whether forgiveness is worth the risk.

Set during Prohibition and the Great Depression, Cutie Pies by the Slice is a heartfelt novel of resilience, redemption, and chosen family. Filled with unforgettable characters, small-town charm, and the comforting aroma of fresh-baked pie, it celebrates the quiet courage of ordinary people who discover that the sweetest things in life aren’t inherited—they’re earned.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kimberly Nixon believes every family has stories worth telling. Drawn to forgotten histories, resilient women, and the ties that bind generations, she writes historical fiction inspired by the

remarkable lives of ordinary people. Her award-winning novels, Rock Bottom, Tennessee and Rock Bottom Rising, grew from the true story of her grandmother’s felony conviction in 1925

Tennessee. Her children’s book, A Visit from Grandypants, celebrates the joy of family across generations. Kimberly lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Paul, and is always searching for the next story hidden in her family’s past.

TALKING POINTS

• What makes a family: blood relationships versus the family we choose
• How Kimberly’s own family history has inspired her historical fiction
• How opening Cutie Pies by the Slice helps Lila discover her independence and confidence
• How food, recipes, and shared meals connect people
• The importance of gathering places in creating strong communities
• Why Kimberly is drawn to telling the overlooked stories of ordinary women
• What Lila learns about forgiveness
• Why letting go of how she thinks life should be becomes essential to Lila’s growth
• Balancing historical accuracy with compelling fiction when writing about ordinary lives

TIMELY TIE-INS

August

• Women’s Equality Day – 26
  
  

September

• National Read a Book Day – 6
• National Grandparents Day – 13
• National Women’s Friendship Day – 20

October

• National Family History Month
• National Women’s Small Business Month 
• National Book Month
• National Dessert Day – 14

November

• National Novel Writing Month
• National Author’s Day – 1
• Thanksgiving – 26