Book Title: THE PRICE OF TRUTH by Michele Clarizio
Category: YA Adult Fiction (18 +), 397 pages
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Romance
Publisher: Michele Clarizio
Release date: June 18, 2025
Content Rating: PG-13 + M: Language, implied rape scene, kidnapping, violence and a character's dad committed suicide, but it's only reference since it happened in the past.
Seventeen-year-old Karis Russo is no stranger to pain. Still reeling from her father’s death, she’s weighted down by grief she can’t seem to outrun. But nothing prepares her for the night that upends her life once again.
After attending the grand opening of The Aragon Luxury Resort and Spa, Karis wakes up bloody and bruised with no memory of what happened. Determined to find the truth, she embarks on a relentless quest for answers.
Her investigation takes a surprising turn when she learns Mason Whitman, practically Duncan High “royalty”, has harbored a crush on her for years. His charm and their undeniable chemistry throw her into a tailspin. Caught between piecing together the night she lost and embracing the possibility of love she never saw coming, Karis convinces herself she can juggle both worlds.
But the deeper she digs into the mystery of that fateful night, the darker the truth becomes. As shocking betrayals surface and long-buried secrets claw their way to the light, Karis realizes the price of truth may cost more than she’s willing to pay.
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The Price of Truth is Michele Clarizio’s first book in the Chasing Peace series. Michele is a near-native of Denver, Colorado, where she’s fortunate to have her adult children, Mackenzie and Matthew, nearby.
For more information and to stay informed about the next Chasing Peace novel, please visit MicheleClarizio.com and be sure to join her email list.
Do you write every day?
At the beginning of each day, writing is always on my to-do list, but it sometimes gets pushed aside due to other life obligations. The danger for me is that missing one day makes it much easier to let the next one slide. Before I know it, a whole week has gone by. Coming back to writing then feels like returning from a vacation—I'm less motivated and more disconnected.
Through experience, I've learned that I need to write at least once a day, even if it's just for an hour. Maintaining that daily habit keeps the process flowing more naturally, helps me stay in rhythm, and fuels my creativity
Where do you write?
I love writing in coffee shops. I'm great at tuning out white noise, and there's something about the energy of people around me that helps me focus. The steady hum of conversation, clinking cups, and the occasional hiss of the espresso machine—it all becomes part of the background rhythm that keeps me grounded in the work. One of my favorite rituals is Saturday brunch with my laptop. It’s a weekly reset that blends comfort, routine, and creativity.
Have you even written parts of your books on paper?
I don’t usually write full sections by hand, but I’ve definitely scribbled down parts of my books on paper—though not always on an actual sheet of paper. When I have a lightbulb moment—an idea for a scene, a line of dialogue, or just the right way to phrase something—I’ll grab whatever’s nearby. Scraps of paper, napkins, receipts… anything I can find. It’s all about capturing the moment before it slips away.
Do you outline your chapters before you begin?
As I’m answering this, I’m chuckling—absolutely not. The closest I get is doing a quick mind dump onto a handful of sticky notes, maybe ten or so, just to sketch out a few ideas. But honestly, my writing almost never follows a straight line. More often than not, what I end up typing veers way off from what I originally thought I was going to write. I’ve learned to trust the detours—they usually lead to something better.
Did you have beta readers?
Honestly, no. Like most authors, I edited the manuscript so many times that by the end, I felt like if I had given it to beta readers, I would’ve spoiled the whole book for them. I’m also an extreme perfectionist, so I wanted their first encounter with the story to be the most polished version possible.
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