General-Literary-Historical-Womens Fiction

There’s something hidden behind the walls of the hurricane damaged house Jolie bought in her New Jersey beach town. Something someone seems willing to kill for. After Jolie and Scoobie find a small sack of jewelry as they do a mold attack on her bungalow, Jolie is pursued by a purse thief and a burglar. But the guy she’s most worried about is the one who left an elderly auctioneer dead on her porch swing. Are they willing to kill again to get to the hidden riches? Her friends and local police warn her to butt out, but that’s just encouragement for a woman who likes to get to the bottom of things. Jolie wrestles with fear as she tries to get her cat, Jazz, to feel at home in the new house. Maybe an unexpected visitor can be a substitute for Aunt Madge’s golden retrievers. And then there’s her love life.

Fourteen-year-old Swift loves the study of medicine. His interest is almost a match to his fascination for sea myths—particularly for the Star of Atlantis, a lost relic from Welsh pirate history. In struggling to “grow up,” Swift sets his sights on competing for a seat in a highly selective internship, for young students aspiring to someday read medicine, until… Swift’s former best friend, Ash, discovers a centuries-old Norse pirate treasure. And on sickening interviews, Ash reveals that his discovery contains a clue to the whereabouts of a treasure far greater: the legendary Star of Atlantis. To chase his oldest dream and lay his hands on the Star of Atlantis, Swift must cobble together the few leads that hint where it might rest. If he’s to beat Ash to the treasure, he must put his sailing skills to the test, contending with treacherous Welsh sea coves and caverns. And he must size up his own fortitude, his own capabilities, or lack thereof—for the search for the Star of Atlantis might mean lost friendships, lost dreams, and even lost life.

"...a page turning, international, sensually romantic, rags to riches, grape to wine saga." –A Woman's Write From author Linda Sheehan, who's part of a Napa wine family, comes a story of grapes, wine, first crushes, and juicy redemption. Dreading the desk job that awaits her after high school, eighteen-year-old Vivian Goodyear takes off for pre-World War II Paris, where she supports herself as an artist's model. Flash forward to modern day Manhattan where, inspired by Vivian's courage, her grand-niece Samantha leaves her pressure cooker career to work the grape harvest in France. There, between picking grapes in the vineyard and crushing them in the cellar, she gets lessons in the art of making wine and in the art of making love. But when her world is turned upside down, a link from Aunt Vivian's past could right it in a tale of being on top, sinking to the bottom, and coming up for glorious air.

The best things come in pairs. Summertime in Nicolet has always been idyllic, but for Heidi and Shelly Lakanen, the summer of 1994 brings just a little more than they’ve bargained for. When Steven Davis comes to town, the Lakanen girls know their lives will never be the same, but they have no idea just how much their sisterly bond will be put to the test as a result. It bends under the strain, but will it break? From the moment he drives into town, Steven Davis can’t shake the sense that something wonderful awaits him in Nicolet. The loneliness of his past fades almost completely as he finds himself embraced by the fun-loving Lakanen clan, but one decision risks the loss of everything (and everyone) he’s come to care about. For Steven and the Lakanen family, it’s a summer of shattered dreams and beautiful surprises.

Forced to choose between cultivating a satisfying life for himself and rescuing his dysfunctional family members from their certain demise causes Markus to question the importance of family. Does he save his relatives from their ill-fated lives, or save himself from entering into a life of self-sacrifice and missed opportunities? Painful soul-searching and late-night talks with the captivating tenant downstairs guide him to an unexpected decision and discovery of his true purpose in life.

DON'T CALL ME CHIP is a tale about Timothy: a chipmunk who protects an elderly man and a host of woodland creatures from the wrath of a family of nasty neighbors, who seem determined to drive out everyone Timothy cares about. Timothy might seem like your average chipmunk who loves seeds, sunbathing and enjoying a quiet life in the suburbs. But after the new neighbors move in and wreak havoc, they will have to come face to face with his wit and resourcefulness. The last straw is that the new neighbors keep calling him CHIP. Convincing all manner of rodents and other small wildlife to work together, Timothy launches an assault against their invasive neighbors.

In a dystopian future where humans have foolishly squandered Earth’s natural resources, the few remaining people are becoming desperate. Crowded in huge underground cities, they’ve finally come to the end of the line and they must decide whether or not they will trade the only valuable resource Earth has left... Women. Being the daughter of a wealthy diplomat, Rose is blissfully ignorant of how the less fortunate live. Desperate to escape to a planet where she can enjoy the sun on her face and swim in clear unpolluted oceans, she vows to make herself the first bride to be mated to off-worlders. When the Krylon delegation arrives, she realizes that in addition to being good stewards of their planet, eager for female companionship, and polite to a fault, the Krylon males are also drop dead gorgeous. Unfortunately, Earth’s population is vehemently opposed to the galactic mate’s treaty... will Rose and her soon to be Hot Alien Husband be able to make their escape from Earth?

Lee Winekoop feels like an outsider in his own family. Now twenty-sixconfused and emotionally bankrupt after suffering a childhood fraught with criticism and isolationhe leaves his dysfunctional upper-class family to find his true self. Determined to cultivate a meaningful life, Lee discovers a world poles apart from the one he had left behind. But just when things start falling into place, he is made aware of an alarming family secret that causes him to question who he is and where hes going.

THE BROKEN CIRCLE is about the renewal of three childhood friendships. It’s written from the viewpoint of two sixtyish year old women. Together they seek acceptance, love, hope, and happiness as they look ahead to the next excerpt in their lives. While doing so, they realize that a friend who had been abducted during their senior year of high school, was never found. Together they are able to bring a closure to the family as well as themselves, allowing them to start afresh in their relationships.

It’s 243 B.C. and Greece is ready for a revolution. Eighty years have passed since the death of Alexander the Great, the man who first cowed free Hellas into submission. His successors to the Macedonian throne have only tightened their grip in the interim, the present king no exception. Spartan rebellions, opportunistic usurpers, foreign invaders – for nearly five decades, King Antigonus has seen them all and crushed them all. He now stands alone astride Greece; he fears no one. Aratus of Sicyon plans to change that. With a passion for freedom and hatred for the King that stem from the same childhood tragedy, he takes aim at Macedon when no one else would dare; takes aim at its crown jewel in the south, the linchpin of its control, the very symbol of its domination – Corinth. Hopelessly outfunded, outmanned, and outarmed, he embarks on one of the most audacious and stunning attacks in ancient history, one that would change Greece forever.

Sometimes we can’t escape the webs we are born into. Sometimes we are the architects of our own fall. Akash Choudry wants a love for all time, not an arranged marriage. Still, under the weight of parental hopes, he agrees to one. He and Jaya marry in a cloud of colour and spice in Bombay. Their marriage has barely begun when Akash embarks on an affair. Jaya cannot contemplate sharing her husband with another woman, or looking past his indiscretions as her mother suggests. Cornered by sexual politics, she takes her fate into her own hands in the form of a lit match. Nothing endures fire. As shards of their past threaten their future, will Jaya ever bloom into the woman she can be, and will redemption be within Akash’s reach?

Second poetry collection by Zarina Macha, published 2019. Delves into themes of relationships and femininity using dry wit and satire.

"Circle in the sand practically screams quality from the first page...It is sensational...If you're looking for beauty, then this is it." ~Mia's Point of View From Bestselling Author, Lia Fairchild Four Friends. Four Different Paths. One Unwavering Friendship. Two decades of love, laughter, promises, and secrets hold together four friends pursuing different paths in life. Jax always lived on the edge, skating through life with no apparent ambition, yet remained the energy and emotional cement of the group. She longs to be accepted. Sage, career-driven, has always followed a carefully laid out plan for her future. But one look at the sexy ex-con staying on her friend's sofa has her questioning everything. Emily, the college drop-out, has three children that are her whole life. She's slowly lost herself, subconsciously seeking dangerous ways to cope. Ned yearns to stand up and be counted. But his new feelings for one of the girls has him pulled in different directions. These four friends will test the ties that have held them together for so long, and in the process unveil truths about themselves they never knew existed.

A novel is a marriage. A short story a love affair. Many prominent authors have been enthusiastic writers of short stories, describing them as the most disciplined and difficult form of prose writing. Short stories are "tiny windows into other worlds and other minds and other dreams," "journeys you can make to the far side of the universe and be back in time for dinner" [Neil Gaiman]", the way we live…what our friends tell us, in their pain and joy" [Andre Dubus];. Bronwyn Elsmore’s collection These Islands Here – Short Stories of the South Pacific, includes 32 fictional tales that present the varied facets of living in the South Pacific. Reviewers say: "the author has mastered the art of the short story"; "they all have one common factor – they are each beautifully crafted". Most have been published previously, several have won short story competitions. These Islands Here is available in print and as an ebook for Kindle.

The true story of a Canadian drafted into the Soviet Red Army in World War II. 1941: Their retreat across Ukraine wore their boots out—and they kept going. Three months after drafting him, the Soviet Red Army throws Maurice Bury, along with millions of other under-trained men, against the juggernaut of Nazi Germany's Operation Barbarossa, the assault on the USSR. Army of Worn Soles tells the true story of a Canadian who had to find in himself a way to keep himself alive—and the men who followed him.

'In Short' is a compilation of four stories in forms of short stories and novelettes including the titles, 'The Dream Chant', 'Anabia', 'Vicious Bottles', and 'Unearth'. The stories endeavor to explore themes like surrealism, psychology, love, science, religion, politics etc and tries to paint a perspective through each with tales of love, friendship, heartbreak, betrayal, power, lust and war. 'The Dream Chant' is about him who one day finds what he's been longing for all his life. But when he gets it, he's unsure of its reality and is lost in a swirl of dreams and illusions mingled with pain and confusion. What is it that he longs for? Will it stay a part of his life or leave him broken again? 'Anabia' is an average teenager with braces poking out of her mouth and hair tangled down her back. Her life is changed when a series of events drastically shape her life and she meets someone who would or wouldn't be the one for her. She must tackle the storms of life and find herself again. 'Vicious Bottles' is a tale of Satwik and Ani who have been sweethearts since the time they could speak. But does time guarantee a strong relation? Faced with abuse, addiction, lust and madness, will they be able to stand the test of time? It is the year 2157 and the world is at an end. Survival is only possible by breathing through masks as the air is poison while water is a treasure. Journey with Solo as he tries to find meaning in the dead where half the population has moved to the Red Planet a ...

No Way. I can’t be falling for him. No freaking way...,. Alexandria I’ve been the acting chief at this station ever since they let Larry go. There’s no reason why they shouldn't make my position official. I’m a seasoned firefighter and I’m the best man for the job. Besides, I need the raise that comes with the promotion. It's the only way I'll ever be able to afford to leave my alcoholic husband and put my daughter in a private school. The last thing I need is someone coming along and screwing it all up. Chance When they asked me to leave my small town fire hall and head on out to the big city, I wasn’t keen on the idea. I can think of a million places I’d rather be. But, the ex-wife’s harassing phone calls and visits finally did me in. Before I knew it, I was starting a new life fighting fires in Karawa, New York. It's too bad one of the men on my team keeps challenging my every move. Only, it's not a man. It's the girl I've had a crush on my whole life, the girl I grew up next door to, the one I went all through school with. Sparks fly, tension explodes, and flames ignite. Will muscular Chance Friedman win the heart of the girl he’s always dreamed about? Or will curvaceous and sassy Alexandria O’Neil come out on top?

The first three books in the Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Series, set in the fictional Ocean Alley, NJ. Fiction you can share with your mom. Appraisal for Murder - Jolie returns to Ocean Alley. Soon she's appraising houses, dodging a low-level wise guy, and searching for a murderer. Rekindling Motives - Can a man who went missing during Prohibition be tied to a modern murder? When the Carny Comes to Town -- The dunk tank is a crazy fundraiser, but the aftermath leaves Scoobie fighting for his life. Soon his ex-con mother is in town and there's a murder to add to the mix.

4.8/5 stars from IndieReader! INDIEREADER REVIEW THE CODE is a well-crafted, intelligent and timely social satire about America’s ability to elevate, transform and digest the celebrity heroes it creates and is well worth a read. Male identity, the nature of celebrity, and the cynical manipulation of American groupthink are carefully observed in THE CODE. Albert Collins, struggling entomology professor with an accomplished wife and two children, lives a quiet life in Brooklyn until his inexplicably powerful onscreen presence brings him to the attention of one of Hollywood’s elite celebrity makers, Jack Ruby. Memphis Smith, a smartly dressed, hired thug from Queens, working for a powerful gangster known only as Frank, discovers a musical gift in an unlikely location. Both Albert and Memphis, originally from Canada, are sucked into the machinery of cultural immortality by agents of American success: Jack Ruby and music impresario, Marcellus Moses. Bright futures for Albert and Memphis fly free of their grasp; their lives uncontrollably and utterly transformed. Authors Jacqueline Ruby’s and Marcellus Moses’ storytelling is masterful. Plot, character, settings, extended metaphors and scenes are spun together flawlessly. The plot is unpredictable and well told; unexpected events unfold naturally from the disposition of the social sphere and character inclination. From the upstate prison Dannemora, to fancy offices with their de rigueur black leather couches, the settings are well-d ...

Charles Roster has been living the good life of pleasure, involving wine and women - well one woman in particular - however when struck by a personal tragedy - he finds he has to dramatically change his lifestyle - except that may be easier said than done!

How far would you go to help a close friend? Is there a place where you might draw the line and simply have to say no? Eight women. Four decades of friendship. One unimaginable request. Where can you find a story about friendship, laughter and the good things in life that also touches on alcoholism, infidelity, porn addiction, illness and grief? For many women, it's often within their own circle of friends. Whether your BFFs are in their twenties or are seniors, everyone has a story. The Bridge Club reminds us of the complexities of women’s friendships through an entertaining and often moving tale of eight women whose lives intersect once a month initially to play the game of bridge. What began as one night turns into four decades that span the segments of a woman's journey from youthful optimism to embracing the challenges and opportunities presented in life's later years. Based loosely on the author’s own bridge club, the story weaves the reader through a maze of life's inevitable scenarios. This is a novel for anyone who values friendship. Not simply the "Hi, how are you?" type of friendship but rather the kind that weathers all sorts of storms, unselfishly celebrates triumphs, and hums along year after year with never an unkind word. It does exist. If you have such a friendship in your life you will relate to the women in The Bridge Club. If you don't, perhaps the story will inspire you to search for it. Throughout the story each of the characters faces challe ...

Fans of Jodi Picoult and Elin Hilderbrand will fall in love with this new series that sets the stage for her upcoming novel, Stillwater Rising, from NY Times bestselling author Steena Holmes. Before the first shots are fired within the walls of Stillwater Elementary School, life went on as normal for five women who were close friends. Their monthly girls' night was coming up and they couldn't wait to get together. They all needed this night to run away and be carefree - from their husbands, their children, their church - with no expectations, no responsibilities, where they weren't mothers or wives. No one expected their lives to be torn apart, their friendships tested in one short minute when their town is rocked by a danger lurking in their tight-knit community. This novella gives you a glimpse into the town of Stillwater Bay and its residents. You will see what their lives were like BEFORE the storm that rocked their little community descended upon them. This is a novella and comes before Stillwater Rising.

Lillian Hawthorn did all the things her parents told her to do. She went to finishing school. She married one of the most eligible bachelors in New York. But she was not happy. One night she took her courage and made a snap decision that would make her realize why she was not happy. And why she was done playing by rules that her parents and society gave her. In 1964 it might be a man's world, but as Lillian soon grows to understand, you don't have to play by those rules.

A famed pirate relic—the Star of Atlantis—lies forgotten on the rugged Welsh coast, where waves and stone clash and where creatures of legend hold sway. When thirteen-year-old Swift finds a map to the treasure, he sets out to claim it and prove his worth to his skeptical brothers who seem determined to thwart his every step. To tease out the secrets of the Star of Atlantis, Swift must take on the gallant Celtic Sea with its azurite waves, its capricious winds, its enigmas… its monsters. And to realize his dream, he must face the most formidable challenge of all—his own father. A masterfully written YA literary fiction story of a boy finding his own way.

Annie Campbell has made a good life for her young son in the mountain town of Tidal Falls. She's dating the sheriff, owns a successful business, and has the support of the community.  So why isn't it quite enough?  Jared Martin left Tidal Falls a hotheaded youth. Eight years in the military has turned him into a cynical, disillusioned man.  Then he returns home and finds out he's a father.  When an old enemy follows and causes mayhem in the small town, can Jared overcome the odds to protect the woman he's always loved and the child he never knew?  Or will it be too late for a second chance?

Whenever You're Ready tells the story of Dyana Jackson, who never thought the impromptu performance at her brother’s wedding would turn into an opportunity to sing professionally. And she never thought accepting would cause problems within her marriage. Somehow, she has to decide between living out her long-buried dream, or giving into the demands of those she loves most. It's What We Do features Layla Blue, who has always had one goal. Use her gymnastic skills to earn a college scholarship. But somehow, she finds herself a member of her new school’s cheerleading team. And dating the quarterback. Will she thrive in her new situation, or will the longing for her old life ruin what she’s found?

The Columbine high school massacre was the most lethal school shooting in modern US history when it took place on April 20, 1999. Regrettably, the frequency and lethality of mass shootings appear to have increased post-Columbine. One of the reasons may be that some youths were inspired by these events. Here, I use a fictional scenario to explore possible motives spurring the macabre actions of two female mass shooters.

Isaiah Moss was one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. His illegitimate son Oscar Kendall wasn't. Living in Isaiah's inescapable shadow, Oscar has become an inveterate quitter who hides his own literary work from the world rather than suffer the pain of failure or rejection. When Isaiah suddenly dies, Oscar inherits the old man's lakefront writing cabin in New Hampshire. There he finds his father's typewriter, a full liquor cabinet, and an unpublished manuscript of such genius that it could launch Oscar's career if he claims it as his own. As Oscar wrestles with his own twisted inspirations, he meets the women in Isaiah's life and begins to learn the depths of his father's secrets...and the costs that come with unresolved trauma and romantic delusion.

She had given him her heart. He walked out on her.

Lorraine Marshall, age 40, shaken by the loss of her boyfriend to another woman, journeys to the land Down Under to overcome her great sense of emptiness and despair. To her surprise her vacation in Australia transforms her life in unexpected ways. Filled with adventure, suspense, the art world, and romance this is a moving story you won't soon forget.

This novel is women's fiction/romantic suspense in the tradition of Nicholas Sparks and Jodi Picoult.

Do you enjoy Christian fantasy fiction? "Encountering Darkness," a christian fantasy and adventure novel, will take you on a thought provoking journey. In this nightmarish tale, Pete and Amy try to discover who or what to follow. As Pete and Amy hear many voices declaring "truth", which is the right one? The situation seems bleak, at best, especially for Pete. Pete, a successful Mayor, must make sense of what is going on in this world and the world to come. He is haunted by an unknown smell from the darkened anthropomorphic house he lives at, as well as a strange world he keeps reappearing in. Curious things keep happening as this man is caught in a double life of weakness and strength. On the one hand, he is loved and people understand him as a powerful, prosperous man. On the other hand, he is secretly weak and lost, especially when around his house. Amy, who encounters Pete later, is a skilled warrior, from a different world. She has reliance on no one. Yet she too, is in confusion at what is happening, and her world crumbles from what she has previously known. Can Pete and Amy figure out what is occurring before they follow the wrong voice? This dark christian thriller is filled with suspense, action and a rush of adrenaline, humor and defiance...you'll be on the fringe.

"Money isn't everything, unless you don't have any', -Justin Wolfe The party in power has revised the Constitution so that Harold Spade might secure a third consecutive term as president. Supported by his political protégé Amy Billings, a New York media mogul searches desperately for a candidate to depose Spade. Meanwhile, self-made billionaire Justin Wolfe sets out on a tour to promote The Big Solution, his book that outlines a simple economic platform that would turn a corrupt system on its head. Despite the urging from his best friend, Federal Reserve Board hopeful Evan White, Wolfe has no intention of running for office. But when his ideas begin to catch fire with the masses, the two friends find themselves swept up in a presidential campaign that threatens not only their public standing but their very lives. "Our world is remarkably automated. Resources remain in abundant supply. And by most standard measures, the economy appears to be humming along. Life should be so simple. So prosperous. And yet the vast majority of people still aren't making a decent living. America's promise of equal opportunity has become a distant memory. But I, Justin Wolfe, have a plan to finally change the dynamics that have been holding this country back. Imagine a simple idea that could change the world forever. An idea that will deliver us from this economic train-wreck and prevent further hardships from falling on the shoulders of future generations. Shouldn't we get started?" - Justin Wolf ...

They Called Him Marvin: A History of Love, War and Family by Roger Stark “They were the fathers we never knew, the uncles we never met, the friends who never returned, the heroes we can never repay. They gave us our world. And those simple sounds of freedom we hear today are their voices speaking to us across the years.” Bill Clinton Such a man was 1st Lt Dean Harold Sherman, B-29 Airplane Commander. “They Called Him Marvin” is a history. A history of war and of family. A history of the collision of the raging politics of a global war, young love, patriotism, sacred family commitments, duty and the horrors and tragedies, the catastrophe that war is. They Called Him Marvin by Roger Stark is a merger between American and Japanese events during WWII, and the very human reality of one American pilot and his love letters to his wife. The candor in their loving correspondence, and the stark reality of war, clash against each other within the pages of this book. Like the major and minor notes being pulled from an orchestra by a master conductor, history is brought to life and the full impact of war is felt.

Though they hail from backgrounds that are worlds apart, it only takes one fateful accident to rearrange their priorities and set them on roads that intersect, forcing them to acknowledge the relationships they can’t do without. Elder Paige Morganson has worked hard to overcome the anger, hate, and abuse of her past; Mason Jenson is a self-made man who has been able to create his own fortune and build a home life with his wife and child void of God’s help…so he thinks. Elder Brandon Tatum’s, new in town, has prided himself on not making a move until he’s heard God; Victoria Branchett has ruthlessly survived the death of her only daughter by fierce determination, but is the strength she has relied on enough to see her through a failing marriage and an ailing grandchild? This novel merges colorful characters facing one untimely circumstance after another, and mixes in a serious spin on how one views God, both inside and outside of His will. Of course, this is just the beginning. More people emerge from behind the scenes; some to help and others, to hurt. With everything happening simultaneously, one would almost question if God is able to truly fix and heal everything, and the readers will see just how far each person's faith (or lack thereof) will carry them. As they sift through the debris of past dreams and hopes left by the wayside, they are offered a lifeline and given an opportunity to receive God’s Beauty for their ashes. My Beauty For Your Ashes is the first book in the ...

In 1970, Lenny can no longer deny that his wife is undergoing a profound change. Despite her relatively young age, her mind succumbs to forgetfulness. Now, he goes as far back as the moment he met Natasha, when he was a soldier and she a star, brilliant yet illusive. Natasha was a riddle to him then, and to this day, with all the changes she has gone through, she still is. Digging into the past, mining its moments, trying to piece them together this way and that, dusting off each memory of Natasha, of how we were, the highs and lows of the music of us, to find out where the problem may have started? To their son, Ben, that may seem like an exercise in futility. For Lenny, it is a necessary process of discovery, one that is as tormenting as it is delightful. He often wonders: can we ever understand, truly understand each other - soldier and musician, man and woman, one heart and another? Will we ever again dance together to the same beat? Is there a point where we may still touch?

On his best days, Zero Slade is the worst man you can imagine. He has to be. It's the only way to save the Lost Girls. During his seven years on a team fighting sex trafficking, Zero's become quite good at schmoozing with pimps, getting handcuffed by cops and pretending not to care about the young girls he liberates. But the dangerous sting operations are starting to take a toll on his marriage and sanity. His affinity for prescription painkillers isn't exactly helping matters. When the youngest girl the team has ever rescued gets abducted from a safe house in Cambodia, Zero decides to risk everything to find her. His only shot is to go rogue, and sink deeper into the bowels of the trafficking world than he's ever sunk. It's the biggest mission of his life. Trouble is, it's almost certain death.

Len Holder thinks his mother is dead – until she reappears one morning in his living room. She doesn’t remember being dead. She’s just confused. And instead of her burial clothes, she’s wearing a Dallas Cowboys warmup suit. At seventy-eight, Len considers himself a failure. He spent years taking care of Mom while his brother Joey became a famous sportscaster. Now he lives alone, tinkering with a novel he can’t seem to finish. For a week, Len relives a strained relationship with Mom while other mysteries pile up. He keeps hearing fragments of Joey’s radio show. His sister reports disturbing phone calls. Strangers he meets look like people from his past. Another stranger has taken over his insurance office. Then Len gets word that his beloved boss Miranda has been gravely injured in a car accident. Eventually, Miranda’s fate and a shocking secret from the past reveal that Sharon Holder’s resurrection is not what it seems to be. The Seven-Day Resurrection is a must-read for anyone who has been thrust into the role of caregiver.

Miriam paints the future...but can she change it? Chicago, 1891 Miriam watches the people jostle their way below the windows of her warehouse home, never thinking to look up at her as she paints their faces. But Miriam's gift as an artist goes beyond a mere recording of what is: Miriam paints their futures. Only once was she wrong. One woman doesn't match the future Miriam saw. The bright girl was supposed to grow into a respected businesswoman. Instead, Ione disappears nightly into the shadowed alley next to the cathedral with the other prostitutes. Then one night, while walking through the city fog, Miriam finds Ione broken and beaten. Miriam is forced to open her home to the stranger whose face she knows so well and open her life to change she never could have foretold. Women are missing some found floating in the river, some never seen again. The deacon from the cathedral is the first to help. Soon Miriam s solicitor, Michael, aids her in rejoining society so they might uncover the evil at work in the corrupt city...and awakens feelings she had never considered before. Finally engaged with the world she has so long observed, finally stirred by love and friendship, Miriam realizes the responsibility of her gifting. No longer can she just paint what will be. She must now help Ione find the future she is meant to have...and find her own along with it.

What links a webcam girl, a cross-dressing police chief and an escaped ferret? A British nation torn by Brexit staggers on. Frankie Ferret, a pre-school children’s TV celebrity escapes into sewers of London and surely is dead. The people unite in grief. Police Chiefs, counselors and politicos stand in tear stained sincerity with the common people. Viktor Pinupskin of Russia offers a genetically modified bear cub with his own face as a substitute. Internet bots urge a vote and attempt to sway the masses. Chaos and panic threaten to destroy the economy. Into the mix steps young police inspector Crispin Bissel. His mission is to lead the search and target PR for the cops. His ex girlfriend, Selena Fontesse is a mature ex web cam girl specializing in veggie porn. She has the looks and the bosom to comfort a people broken by sorrow. Could love be re-kindled over an open drain? Could Frankie be alive? Could a billionaire, a hot air balloon, a pop star, and a staring messianic child bring happiness back to a population in despair? And what if the big plans were to fail? What if there were a cover up? A deplorable basket case of a book. All right thinking people should be offended. Cross dressing vegan cannibals will love this story. There’s no safe space on campus when a ferret like Frankie gets into the pipes. A tender love story, an outrageous unfair satire, an expose of the media-cult whirl in which we live where news, fake news and spin are the currencies of coercion. Buy this b ...

Sadie always wanted the perfect family: a husband, a son, a dog, a house in the suburbs. For a little while she had it all. Then after an accident one afternoon, her son starts acting oddly and displaying strange new abilities. His new behavior threatens to bring to light a secret that she's been keeping for years. Will she be able to hold her family together or will the truth tear them apart? Perfect Family is a magical realism novella that is 25,000 words long.

Maid Takes Marquess is the novella prequel to Halley Larkin's historical romance series. A marriage of convenience with benefits... Maggie Doyle’s service at Cortwood Manor is supposed to be temporary. She works as a maid only to fund her dream of securing a spot on an expedition to Egypt. Marriage has no place in her future. However, when she meets the Marquess of Cortham, her carefully laid plans abruptly turn. Abandoned at a young age, Robert Brightley never wanted his father’s inheritance, nor does he trust anyone who claims to love him. But after his father dies unexpectedly, Rob is under pressure to assume his primary duty to marry. When Rob returns to Cortwood to settle his father’s affairs, he doesn’t expect to find a woman like Maggie Doyle working as a maid. Irresistibly drawn to her, Rob offers Maggie an unusual proposal: a quick wedding followed by a brief marriage that will allow her to leave her position in service once and for all. Robert Brightley can help Maggie achieve her goal faster than she thought possible. Although she has only agreed to a marriage of convenience, her feelings for the marquess soon grow passionate. Unfortunately, his family might destroy the marriage before it even starts. Maggie’s dreams and her heart are in danger of being crushed. Unless she can convince the marquess to let go of the past and embrace a match made in haste but destined to last.

Tudhaliya IV comes to the
throne as a usurper's younger son, determined to rule according to the traditional
values of justice and clemency, despite the advice of his ambitious mother and brothers. When his cousin with whom he was
raised as someone dearer than a brother, decides his own claim to the throne is
stronger than Tudhaliya's, the latter must decide whether to apply the pragmatism
of his advisors or risk appearing weak, and how to manage to leave his own son an
empire that is finally free from civil war. The cost will be the sacrifice of his deepest
friendship.

No one would understand. But he had to obey his conscience. It’s 1753, and Susanna Russell longs to escape her valley home. When war breaks out, she gets her wish to study in fabulous Williamsburg. But she realizes she’s lost something important along the way. James Paxton is studying for the ministry. But when violence threatens the valley, his path becomes clouded. What is God’s will for his life? Red Hawk spies white surveyors near his home, a harbinger of trouble to come. Shawnee chiefs go to Philadelphia to treat for peace, but the unthinkable happens. War, romance, and gospel truth unite in this remarkable sequel to The Shenandoah Road. Read less

An action-packed Jewish Regency Romance with heart - the Trilogy Finale. Lizzie’s Story By all accounts, Caleb Klonimus has been on the verge of proposing to his best friend’s little sister since he was eight. But the beautiful and accomplished Lizzie Pearler barely notices him—until he returns changed from a quest for jewels. And as for Lizzie, he is not marriage material. But as Lizzie and Caleb join forces and work together toward the finals of the king’s competition for the crown jewels, sparks fly. Maybe it’s his gorgeous smile, or his muscular body—or Lizzie’s jealousy every time Caleb trains with his kung fu master, the young and beautiful Jing . . . but somehow they must overcome the impossible obstacles of the competition and make sense of love.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS REQUEST IS FOR AN AUDIOBOOK REVIEW. YOU WILL NEED AN AUDIOBOOK COUPON TO GET A FREE COPY OF THE AUDIOBOOK BOOK. PLEASE SEND ME AN EMAIL FOR THE COUPON. The audiobook is also currently on sale at Chirp, Barnes and Noble, Apple, and Kobo. Thanks. Gold medalist in Contemporary Fiction, Global Book Awards Finalist, International Book Awards Finalist, Self Publishing Review After two heartbreaking losses, Luna wants adventure. Something and somewhere very different from the affluent, sheltered home in California and Hawaii where she grew up. An adventure in which she can also make some difference. Lucien, a worldly, well-traveled young architect, finds a stranger’s journal at a café. Though he has qualms and pangs of guilt about reading it, they don’t stop him. His decision changes his life forever. Fascinated by his stories and adventurous spirit, Luna goes on a Peace Corps stint to a rural rice- growing village in Cambodia. There, she finds a world steeped in ancient culture and the lasting ravages of a deadly history. Will she leave this world unscathed? An epistolary tale of courage, resilience, and the bonds that bring diverse people together

His Gift is inspirational historical fiction for most all ages. It is a fast-paced story of a young woman's determination to see her dream come true. On the cusp of the stock market crash of 1929, seventeen-year-old Molly has aspirations for a career in music after high school. With the passion of an athlete preparing for the Olympics, she trains relentlessly to become the best she can be. As her world collapses in unimaginable ways, she is left to find peace and purpose in the midst of her crisis. The message of His Gift is universal to anyone who has ever dared to dream in spite of uncontrollable circumstances. The reader will discover with Molly the hope and peace in a life when yielded to the Giver of all gifts.

The Angels Always Near poetry collection offers an experimental take on the timeless emotions of adolescence, capturing moments of imagination and being while exploring the universal theme of love through emotional wordscapes. In this re-edited collection, the mysteries of teenage love and ideals of beauty are filtered through a mature adult perspective, bringing readers a new interpretation. The Angels Always Near is a refreshing journey through teenage eyes and the surprising truths that they can hold in explaining the world around them.

Nothing Forgotten, Winner of Next Generation Indie Book Award. "An intricately layered, deeply heartfelt, and bittersweet novel," Starred Review, Booklist. "Delicious insights into Italian life," San Francisco Chronicle. When Anna is contacted by the Italian lover she knew decades before, she recalls their affair and the child she gave up for adoption. As the episode returns to haunt her—threatening the life she's built in California, including her marriage—the story moves back in time to her youth in Europe. Rome, 1979. Anna, twenty-two and living abroad, is involved with a man already engaged to be married. When she meets and befriends his fiancée, she is forced to confront the moral consequences of her actions. An unexpected pregnancy, an anonymous letter, and threatening relatives complicate the picture. Layered and provocative, Nothing Forgotten is the story of an unconventional heroine who is forced to reckon with the judgment of others—and find her own path.

What happens when a fighter and a peacenik fall in love?

From the wind-swept horse country of the Yakima Valley to the airy academic halls of the University of Washington, three adventurers pursue their own Edens. One wants to be a hero, the second just wants to save her home, the third to make sense of it all.

Jake’s tragic death in the opening days of the Iraq War leaves his sister and best friend reeling.

Jessie finds herself all alone in the fight to save their family cattle ranch, even as the patriarchy of the Valley seeks to crush her.

Andrew’s questing mind is driven to the brink as he seeks to balance his pacifict convictions with his friend’s sacrifice.

Drawn together, this unlikely pair struggles to find meaning in their loss while they fight for their dreams.

Southlea Bay's favorite sweethearts, Flora and Dan, are getting married and the members of the Rejected Writers' Book Club are excited to help. Especially the group's head honcho, Doris Newberry, who, much to Flora’s frustration, wants to control every detail, attempting to strong-arm Flora into accepting ridiculous wedding vows, wayward bongo players and into wearing a huge, old-fashioned wedding dress. But when a new resident arrives in town with information about Flora's past that threatens her chance of happiness, the overwhelmed bride-to-be disappears overnight. To find her, The Rejected Writers set off on yet another zany road trip adventure, this time to a make-believe Bavarian town. Where they meet lederhosen-clad, young men, are entertained by oompah bands, go on wild sleigh rides, and sing in a yodelling competition. But when they eventually find the bride and the bridegroom learns the truth about her, will he still want to marry her or will all the wedding plans be in vain

Enough is enough. Ryn Davis is ready to throw in the towel with her iconic rock-star lover. An argument escalates. They go to bed mad. An insomniac when her life is good, Ryn takes a herbal remedy to sleep. When she wakes up, ready to walk away, she finds her lover dead. How did she sleep through two lethal bullets? Why is she the only suspect? As she stumbles along trying to find evidence to prove her innocence, she becomes convinced she is the killer's next prey ...

Cat and Mouse is the gripping tale of two sisters fighting for their ideals in the turbulent year of 1914. When Sarah, a militant suffragette, is arrested for a dramatic protest for women's rights, her sister Deborah tries to rescue her from prison. But what will her husband, and secret lover, do?

Ten-year-old Swift is weary of being “the Lad,” and he longs to feel a sense of belonging with his three older brothers. When a chance strikes to go night fishing together on their father's mighty brigantine, the Regulus, it seems the perfect chance for Swift to prove himself. When night falls, however, when stars rise and the fishing begins—as Swift ventures into the wilds of the sea and its creatures—a sense of alienation creeps in. To realize his place in the strange water world, he must summon the courage to confront the North Atlantic with all its savagery. And to learn what it means to be one of four brothers, Swift must rally the bravery to reveal to them, at the heart, who he is. Come sail the North Atlantic with Swift and his family in this poignant coming-of-age novelette.

Ever since the act of disobedience, man has been at constant war with his greatest adversary, his EGO. The more he gives in to his ego, the farther he gets from his divine self. His materialistic motives, quest for power and gross indifference alienate and isolate him. Enslaved by ego, the man delights in false pride, falser glory and falsest security. The quest never ends. The thirst is never quenched. Mind remains pre-occupied. The heart seethes in turmoil. Cold reason clouds wisdom and the human birth crave for justification. Yet, the benevolent lord has a master plan. We are all endowed with his kingdom within. The moment we begin our journey inwards, the mist begins to disappear. Infinite wisdom dawns. All noise cease and calmness seeps in. Real joy springs from the heart leading to peace, harmony and poise. All it takes is just a pause and a peep within. Each poem contains a story in itself and will take you deeper and nearer to your real and the conscious soul.

A fictitious journey of an exceptional female and her adventurous spirit. Allow 'Tessa' to share with you a tormented yet wondrous life of failures and success. Conquer the life of poverty and then be seduced by a life of power. Share the memories and secrets of a fascinating woman. Escape for a time with 'Tessa'.

American suburbs are populated with mostly white and wealthy residents, white picket fences, and children preparing themselves for corporate positions at Ivy-league schools. Connecticut certainly fits this profile, as it is often cited as a state with the densest concentration of wealth in the USA. But labels or hashtags can be misleading, especially in an age when voices tend to congregate in separate choirs. If one takes the time to listen, there are interesting personalities who may miss the color in their own lives in pursuit of “something better.” Here, I have fused a series of short stories about fictional characters in a Connecticut town, liberally sprinkled with historical anecdotes of “locals who made good,” to illustrate how mundane situations can be elevated to the realm of common human experiences, if one appreciated life. An older man fulfills his midlife crisis with a Porsche. A couple, Jack and Jill, are caught up in a relationship tango of misunderstandings. A first-generation immigrant works long hours, with many disappointments, while yearning for a Disney-like version of his former homeland. These are the quirky and ultimately enduring stories of a few normal voices that often remain mute in today’s America.

Jake McCallum was a deputy sheriff in rural Beecham County, West Virginia until he was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to federal prison. Adding insult to injury, Jake's best friend accused him of committing adultery with his wife. After having lost everything, including his will to live, Jake attempts to commit suicide, but his enemies interupt him in the act by trying to kill him. In prison Jake befriends a preacher who prophesies that the Holy Ghost, conceived by a virgin, like Jesus, has come into the world. At the preacher's behest, Jake takes on the quest to find the Holy Ghost incarnate, most likely a boy under the age of twelve. The pages of Incarnate, The Third Entity, chronicle one man's sacrifice in defense of a little girl, his battle against enemies both natural and unnatural and his bizarre discovery of the origin of the boy he suspects is the Holy Ghost incarnate.

*This is General-Literary fiction and Magical Realism or Science Fiction. Death parts us all. A magical real quest to find home in a place no one can see. When a combat cameraman falls into a coma, the military takes advantage of his state by implanting new technology into his brain—technology that captures and records his thoughts. But when he wakes up two decades later, he’s left to grapple with this decision that was never his to make. Death is swift, easy. Dying? Now, that’s the hard part; stuck in limbo between painful life and merciful death, unable to move or control the outcome. It’s the ultimate torture, and something Newman Jones has had to experience for twenty years. A combat cameraman serving his last mission in Iraq, Newman is ready to finally settle down with his fiancé. But on January 1st, 2002, an IED explodes, overturning his uparmoured Humvee. Death meets all his comrades while Newman falls into a coma. Under the order of an anonymous CIA director, Newman is hidden from the world and sent to a Top Secret research facility where he is implanted with a device to capture and record his thoughts. And for twenty years, he remained there—until the day he awakened. Awake and confused, Newman’s world is shattered. When the implanted device malfunctions and Newman is called back by the doctors, he ignores their request, following the soft whispers of a sacred crow to guide him home. The device continues streaming his thoughts to the military so the doctors sent for ...

When twelve-year-old Ben’s parents don’t come home from work one day, he doesn’t know what to think—they’ve shown lack of responsibility before, but nothing like this. His six-year-old sister Lucy is more scared than he is and clings to him for support. Unwittingly fearful of the police and Child Protective Services, the children don’t want to end up in foster homes and will do anything to avoid being separated. Their journey—fraught with obstacles and people who may not have their best interests at heart—plays a significant role in building Ben’s character and eventually determining his fate.

Rebecca Dash appears to have the perfect man. Caring, kind, compassionate, Richard is everything she ever desired.
But when things start to fall apart six weeks before the wedding -- from him canceling the wedding that had been their shared dream for years, to faking a heart attack and threatening suicide -- he shatters their relationship and begins a series of disturbing incidents that force Rebecca to examine who Richard really is. Rebecca begins to piece together the patchwork quilt of Richards sociopathic persona, revealing him to be a serial killer of the soul; a man who crafts false love of legendary proportions. A man whose every relationship with a woman is defined by his vicious attempts to destroy his lovers lives. A man who appears to be the perfect lover, while leading his victims to their psychological and emotional destruction.

A modern day Ripper, a psychological torturer, a serial misogynist.

Winner of the 2016 Golden Crown Literary Society Award. Runner Up for the 2015 Rainbow Award. This sweeping novel follows childhood sweethearts Rona and Shelli as they come of age and face impossible choices. Passion and heartbreak come alive in this lyrical exploration of love, friendship, and family in Israel. A Small Country about to Vanish is Rona and Shelli's love-hate relationship with an ancient piano, each other and their difficult homeland - a country physically too small and politically too volatile to maintain its own existence. Wise and compassionate Rona believes in fairness and equality and shows a rare ability to feel empathy for her supposed enemies, while her friends and family want security first. Shelli, an avid reader of Holocaust literature, raises old but relevant questions. Must history repeat itself? How do we know when the political pot of hatred has boiled beneath us, making it necessary to leave our belongings behind and relocate, to save ourselves and our family?

“Swathed in small-town gossip and values, the fantastical novel - combines murder mystery, magic, and mayhem for an exciting tour of a family’s history and trauma.” - 5 stars, Clarion review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Trouble and Magic comes in Threes. The Rowan siblings, Vic, Pip, and Liam, must solve their mother's murder to heal a haunted past in this emotional page-turner.

Fans of Practical Magic, The Witches of New York, Twin Peaks, and those who dream of visiting Star Hollow will enjoy.

⭐ NOTE: Trigger warnings, see listing for details.

⭐ GENRE: Magical Realism, contemporary, women's fiction, and literary fiction.

What if the person who know you best and loved you most forgot your face, and couldn't remember your name? Retired Cape Cod innkeepers struggle with Alzheimer's disease.

2016 SIBA First Place Memoir Winner! Behind the glitz and the glamour of the beauty queen mother lies a web of secrets. CeeCee is a child desperate for a touch of approval, the love of her mother. Her reality is her mom's retreating back, abandoning CeeCee in front of a burning car. But somewhere amid the chaos and despair, CeeCee holds onto something precious, the only thing that drives her on - hope. Ghost No More is a child abuse true story that proves joy can be found beyond abuse.

2017 Distinguished Favorite Award-Independent Press Awards A Tea Party activist discovers that he is growing another head. A playboy befriends a fickle female only six inches tall. A lonely librarian answers a matrimonial ad from a demonic farmer. Darkness abounds in James Hanna's cryptic stories. In these nineteen piercing tales, Hanna skewers the human comedy and makes reading dangerous again. "A Sinister sense of irony pervades the stories in this perverse, darkly fantastic anthology. Author James Hanna has a unique insight into the most curious aspects of the human condition and does not shy from exploring these to their shockingly logical conclusion. A Second, Less Capable Head is exceptionally memorable from beginning to end." - Midwest Book Review. "The mark of an author at the peak of his literary powers, there are scant few tales that won't linger beyond the page. Without a doubt, A Second Less Capable Head delivers one of the most powerful and cutting collection of stories you will ever read." - Book Viral

Fleeing the war-torn German Empire, Brunhilde “Hilde” Schuster immigrates to the United States where her cousin’s family teaches her rudimentary English. She finds work as a caretaker for the elderly member of a family whose German ancestors immigrated decades earlier. Carl Becker, whose parents fled Germany after the failed 1848 revolution before his birth, feels an attraction to the new companion for the Bergmann Oma. However, he is reluctant to strike up a friendship. Resentful of his mother’s constant pressure to marry a good German girl, he decided years earlier he was born in America, he’s an American, and he will marry an American woman. In the final weeks of November, Hilde learns of an American holiday called Thanksgiving. What do Pilgrims from England and eating turkey, corn, and pumpkin pie have to do with her? Invited to join her employers’ extended family and friends, in the spirit of celebration, she decides to bake and bring a favorite German dessert —Bienenstich Kuchen – Bee Sting Cake.

Everyone remembers their first love... But sometimes its the second love that lasts This book weaves together the heart of Nicholas Sparks, the romance of Nora Roberts, and the charm of Debbie Macomber. Fleeing her picture-perfect marriage among the privileged set of Brentwood and the wreckage of a failed marriage, Lily Parkins decides to move to the only place that still holds happy memories, her grandmother's old farmhouse. The lush and majestic setting of the Pacific Northwest calls to her and offers a place of refuge and perhaps renewal. Her grandmother has passed away, leaving the Madrona Island Bed & Breakfast Inn to Lily. Left with only an old guestbook as her guide-a curious book full of letters, recipes, and glimpses into her family history-Lily is determined to embrace her newfound independence and recreate herself, one page at a time. With the help of the quirky island residents she has befriended, she slowly finds the strength to seek out happiness on her own terms. But as soon as she has sworn off men and is standing on her own two feet, Lily meets Ian, the alluring artist who lives next door, and her new life is suddenly thrown off course. The last thing she wants to do right now is to open her heart to another man. Ultimately, Lily must decide if it's worth giving up her soul for security or risking everything to follow her heart in this romantic love story.

A collection of poems to celebrate National Poetry Month; a poem a day for 30 days. Themes of nature, people and observations are covered here- from the quirky to the ephemeral. There's no doubt a poem in here for every mood, every thought and unspoken sigh.

Picasso’s Motorcycle is an affectionate paean to pre-war life in a sleepy, sun-drenched village in the French countryside in the 1930’s. It chronicles the escapades of a precocious group of boys, centering on ten-year-old Daniel, a half-French, half-German orphan being raised by his distant and sometimes brutal uncle, Emil. Put to work in Emil’s shabby bicycle repair shop, Daniel must navigate the often treacherous waters of boyhood initiations to eventually become accepted by his gleefully delinquent peers. As Daniel slowly wins them over with his loyalty, courage, and good character, things begin to change in the quiet hamlet. An unexpected gift of an old motorcycle with a tragically romantic past sets Daniel on the road to becoming a national racing champion – at least in his own mind. Meanwhile, talk of war with Germany looms like a storm cloud over the village, bringing full-scale panic when the German panzers finally cross the frontier and roll nearly unopposed into Paris. When things settle down into the familiar routine of German occupation, Daniel decides to strike out on his own with his motorcycle. With the reluctant blessing of his uncle, Daniel rides out of the village with little more than the clothes on his back, a few francs in his pocket, and a burning desire to make his name as a national motorcycle racing champion. But little does he know, this is just the beginning of his adventures…

A novel told in short stories, follow young protagonist Ellen as she narrates each story of love, loss, longing, friendship, and entrapment. Inspired by the artistry of the Beatles, each story is framed by a Beatles song or actual Beatles event. Follow Ellen's journey from 1976 to 1990: Her beloved brothers' disappearance from the family when she is 11, an event she carries with her throughout the whole book; her navigation through high school as she searches for friendship and love (and a musical instrument), loses her innocence in more ways than one, and is scarred by John's death; her challenges in the 1980s workplace as she confronts sexual harassment; her growth as a young woman taking charge of her life. Meet her friend, Joan, who Ellen thinks of affectionately as the \"fool on the hill\"; Kevin, the rich neighborhood boy whose façade betrays his reality; Perry, her dark, moody, and much older first love. Ellen injects insight, wisdom in hindsight, and humor into these slice of life stories.

Four friends. Four decades. And a deception that changed everything. Twenty years ago, a stunning betrayal forced the lives of four young girls to spiral in different directions. Four girls who had taken their friendship and their place in the world for granted. Pari, who longed to fit in; Samira, who craved a mother’s love; Roma, who pined for one boy; and Madhu, who strove to overcome her circumstances. Four friends who were inseparable, their lives enmeshed, their fates intertwined. Until a series of cataclysmic events tore them apart. Two decades later, they are face to face again. Can they forgive and move on? Or will one person's secret vendetta destroy them all? Emotionally layered and richly imagined, Intersections raises profound questions about love, loss, forgiveness, and the deeply complex nature of female friendships.

A heartwarming Christmas story about family, friendship and finding love in unexpected places. Joy Holbrook might be all work and no play, but that changes when her Aunt Ruby takes a fall that lands her in a rehabilitation center before the holidays. Joy takes a leave of absence from her job as a market researcher to run the family farm, even though the timing may hinder her chance at garnering the promotion of her dreams. Ben Andrews isn’t your average accountant. He also happens to be the handiest man in Crystal Falls. He’s helped his elderly neighbor, Ruby Johnson, decorate for the annual Christmas Home Tour―and win―the last several years. He’s not about to let some drop-in niece break their winning streak. Ruby seems overly concerned about Joy being able to handle Molly. Under the impression she’s referring Molly the bunny that is one of the menagerie of animals, Joy’s not worried at all until the next morning when a little girl named Molly shows up. For the sake of her aunt, Joy is forced to partner with Ben while Ruby is on the mend to help with preparation for the Christmas tour and, in the process finds her career-focused heart dreaming of a family. Will the magic of Christmas help her to open her heart and find her everlasting joy?

'Tis the Season for Chaos Wedding bells will soon be ringing in the Lowcountry. All Sam Sweeney wants is to marry her man on Christmas Eve surrounded by family and friends. But emerging complications, some humorous and some not so humorous, threaten to converge and derail the best-laid plans during the busy stretch between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Amidst the chaos—dealing with real estate, planning a wedding, running a seafood market, honoring traditions, and contending with teenagers—even the weather rears its head when the weatherman forecasts a white Christmas. Never has family support been more needed, but will it be enough to restore order and save the day? Escape to the Lowcountry this Christmas where romance, intrigue, and holiday merrymaking await you.

After recovering from the shock of her parents perishing in the basement of their home, Grace Lindroth discovers a box in their attic that contains enough suspicious items to cause her to believe that the people she had called Mom and Dad her whole life may not have been her real parents. Tormented by the uncertainty of her identity, Grace searches for answers, and when certain clues draw her to a boardinghouse once owned by Anna Vargas, she becomes convinced that Anna was her real mother. Grace believes the boardinghouse walls have been harboring vital secrets over the years that could help her in her quest for the truth, but when she meets up with the cantankerous old woman who had bought the place after Annas death, she questions whether shell ever be able to peel back the layers surrounding her parentage. But she does, and no one is more stupefied by the truth than Grace.

Jason and Naomi’s son, Peter, returns home from college and back to the ranch he loves. A series of devastating events will test their strength, faith, and their hope for the future. Can they endure the hardships? Through their own personal loss and that of their friends, they learn to lean on one another when all hope seems lost. Out of sorrow will come healing and out of healing a great joy. This is a story of struggle, grief, loss and also one of victory.

Hassan symbolizing the silent majority of the clan youth strives to change his community’s stringent marriage rules not through passive resistance and dialogue but through an actual confrontation. Hassan’s community is divided into conservative hardliners and moderates whose intention is the initiation of social change through gradual step-by-step deconstruction of the current tribal autocratic beliefs.

Pomeroy, a towering street musician on parole, is out of the clink for the umpteenth time and wants to become a rock star. With fame and fortune in mind, he heads to Occupy Oakland, hoping to get on television, attract an agent, and score a million dollar contract for Ants in My Pants, his marathon ditty. Pomeroy is a skirmish-loving, dumpster-diving, narcissistic crazy who thinks he can sing like Pavarotti and that all women want to jump his bones. His parole officer, a street-smart Hispanic woman, tells Pomeroy to quit staring at her alligator pumps and get himself a real plan. But Pomeroy has schemes of his own and more wisdom than we'd like to admit. You may find his egocentric opinions politically incorrect. ("There ain't a dyke alive ol' Pomeroy can't turn straight.") You may find yourself laughing when you shouldn't. ("A good strong piss is better 'n sex. Lasts longer too.") But don't blame yourself if you start rooting for this antihero. You'll have lots of company. "Laugh out loud funny yet so insightful, Call Me Pomeroy could easily end up a classic. Read it before everyone else does" - James L. Woolridge, Vine Voice. "It's a fart in the scuba tank of institutional decorum. A bawdy brawling middle finger to the vapidity of modern civilization." - Robert McGuill, author of The Outskirts of Nowhere. "Hanna has created a character in Pomeroy that is destined to work its way into the permanent iconography of contemporary literature. He is everything our id screams and o ...

BECOMING is an uplifting poetry collection of inspirational poems and articles about living a life of fulfillment. The author draws upon her own experiences, inspirations, and what she feels most passionate about. The poetry in this book is written about various topics; however, its main theme is about utilizing your God-given talents and gifts in such a way that leads to a fulfilling life. It is the follow-up to her to her award-winning poetry book collection, Unscrambled Eggs.

Beth Kincaid left her hot temper and unhappy childhood behind and created a life in the city free from untidy emotionalism, but even a tidy life has danger, especially when it falls apart. In the midst of her personal disasters, Beth is called back to her hometown of Preston, a small town in southwestern Virginia, to settle her guardian’s estate. There, she runs smack into the mess she’d left behind a decade earlier: her alcoholic father, the long-ago sweetheart, Michael, and the poor opinion of almost everyone in town. As she sorts through her guardian’s possessions, Beth discovers that the woman who saved her and raised her had secrets, and the truths revealed begin to chip away at her self-imposed control. Michael is warmly attentive and Stephen, her ex-fiancé, follows her to Preston to win her back, but it is the man she doesn’t know who could forever end Beth’s chance to build a better, truer life.

Jack Miller is a friend, a father, and a therapist. When he learns that he has a brain tumor, his only hope is an expensive and experimental drug. Even though there are no guarantees, Jack decides to take the risk, but he has to revisit his shady past to come up with the money. While keeping the man he loves in the dark about his condition, he dedicates the rest of his life to helping other people. But it means destroying himself – and lying to the people he loves – in the process.

A GRIPPING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER Can a psychologist, still grieving the loss of her husband, save a traumatized war veteran who is planning his own death? Stories Untold explores the devastation of loss, the struggle to find meaning in life, and the enduring power of love that transcends boundaries between past and future. They’re both strong and fearless, determined, relentless. He’s a decorated war veteran and he wants to die. She’s a prominent psychologist and she won’t give up on him. When a suicidal client seeks her help, Dr. Angela Blackwell cannot turn him away, despite the fact that he isn’t seeking the kind of help she normally provides her clients. The man, who won’t fully identify himself, wants the distinguished psychologist to stand witness after his planned death in six months’ time, ensuring his wife will not be charged as an accessory or be hindered from collecting the death benefit he carefully provisioned for her. He calls himself DJ and won’t willingly share anything about his past. As Dr. Blackwell is struggling to reconstruct her own life after the loss of her husband, she recognizes his unusual request as a subconscious cry for help and embarks on a relentless effort to guide the reluctant stranger in uncovering the trauma that has permanently altered the course of his existence. Playing a deck of cards stacked high against her and rushing against time, she has no other option but to intervene, pushing the ethical boundaries of the therapist-client rela ...

Collin Griffin has changed. His wife, Jolene, suspects infidelity. His mother sees him lash out at his beloved dog and wonders what could be wrong. His father sees Collin as a disappointment for refusing to live up to his view of what a “man” should be. But no one suspects his downward spiral will lead to murder. Collin, incarcerated and in the grips of psychosis, is unable to explain what went wrong. Convinced he has found a link between Collin’s work for Monarch Industries pig slaughterhouse and his mental decline, Collin’s attorney, Cam Burton, prepares to make an unprecedented defense. To save his client from the death penalty, Cam seeks to implicate Monarch Industry’s dehumanizing work in his client’s breakdown. Set against the backdrop of tension and polarity in the summer of 2016 in Mosier, North Carolina, Quiet Man explores the interconnection between addiction, capitalism, speciesism, racism and various forms of oppression. Quiet Man was a Finalist in the Siskiyou Prize in Environmental Literature.

Tales of mirth, imagination, and mayhem.

Nothing is quite what it seems in this realm. Partners cross each other, intentionally or otherwise. Late-night visitors appear from nowhere and linger long after they're gone. Mountain lakes, forests, and caves harbor secrets best not revealed. And every day, curious encounters change lives.

In this eclectic gathering of thirty-one short tales, including award-winning flash fiction and longer stories, you'll encounter crimes gone wrong, one-way journeys to other worlds, and ordinary people entangled with extraordinary circumstance. Some will chill you, some will get you thinking, and some will have you laughing out loud.

Because in The Realm of Tiny Giants, something unexpected is always just around the bend.

Business owner Paige West misses the closeness she had with her now-deceased father. Jessivel Salter, a single mother on the brink of becoming homeless, also misses her dead father, but for very different reasons. When fate unites the two women, Paige is drawn to Jessivel from the start and wants to help her. But Jessivel doesnt trust Paige or her intentions and rejects her many helping hand offers. The two women eventually connect and when certain disturbing truths are unveiled, they discover they have something in common that is inconceivable and shocking. Each has to decide whether to take the easy way out and part ways forevermore or face up to the adversity that fate has thrown at them.

And it all started with the ring.

A Top Ten Women's Fiction Title in Booklist, this novel takes place in New York and Northern California. Julia, a poet with writer’s block, attempts to choose between Ben, a professor at Princeton whom she sees as good husband material, and Michael, a charismatic composer who inspires her yet is also a destabilizing influence. Realizing that Michael is too wounded to make a commitment, Julia turns her triangular situation into a square by setting him up with a cousin. This psychological tale explores the assumptions and fantasies that determine romantic choices as the narrative takes us from one decision in the 1980s to an opportunity to reverse it in the twenty-first century.

Librarian Janet Johnson is puzzled when she is invited—and practically dragged—to her first meeting of the Rejected Writers’ Book Club. This quirky group of women would much rather celebrate one another’s rejected manuscripts over cups of tea and slices of lemon cake than actually publish a book. But good friends are exactly what Janet needs after moving to the small town of Southlea Bay, Washington. Just as the ladies are about to raise a teacup to their five hundredth rejection letter, they receive bad news that could destroy one member’s reputation—and disband the group forever. To save the club, Janet joins her fellow writers on a wild road trip to San Francisco in search of the local publisher who holds the key to a long-buried secret. As they race to the finish line, they’ll face their fears—landslides, haunted houses, handsome strangers, ungrateful children—and have the time of their lives.

Good Enough, explores classic barriers to love - barriers such as class, family obligations and skillfully disguised insecurities. The two protagonists, Camisha Ann Robbins and Lennox Ali Robinson are two seemingly unmatched lovers who discover who they truly are through their love for one another, with the vibrant city of Atlanta, Georgia as their backdrop.

From USA Today Bestseller Wendy Vella comes an exciting Regency series about legend, love and destiny, with a hint of magic … When a pirate captures her heart Running an investigative service with her siblings gives Dorset Sinclair a purpose now she’s lost her twin to love. But trouble steps into her path in the guise of a pirate. She didn’t expect to save the life of the wickedly handsome stranger, and is shocked at the sparks of attraction that flare between them. Fleeing without giving him her name, Dorset is determined to put him from her thoughts, as he will play no part in her future. But when the pirate aka Ashford Charlton, appears at her sister’s wedding, her life is turned on its head. His touch makes her shiver and his kisses make her wish for more, but any connection with him will lead to danger for both her and her family. Can she ignore that to follow her heart? Desire is dangerous Ash has only one reason to visit London, to find his long lost brother. But when a beautiful fiery woman risks herself to rescue him from certain death, everything changes. He tracks his brother to Raven Castle, home of their cousin, but finds more than he expected. His beautiful saviour, Dorset Sinclair is there. Gentle, sweet natured, and with a backbone of pure iron, she makes it clear that she wants nothing to do with him, a man she sees as an unscrupulous pirate. Danger is on his heels, and Ash knows this alone should make him leave those he loves to keep ...

Maggie's in love, just not with the man she married, a situation the uber-capable HR officer never anticipated having to face. And when civil engineer Grayson travels to a remote Queensland town to relieve for six weeks, he isn't expecting to have to summon the Flying Doctors, survive a tropical cyclone, or lose his heart. By the time he sets off on the long journey home, Maggie also finds herself on the road ... the long road to loving Grayson. And like Australia's outback highways, there are plenty of road blocks and obstacles to be negotiated along the way, so she'd better buckle up.

Although they had always dreamed of having a family, tall, horse-faced Frances and stubby, one-eyed Jack had reconciled themselves to a lifetime of abject loneliness. Then one day, out of nowhere, an infant is dropped into their midst. A fairy tale for adults!

Two friends. Two journeys. In the quaint town of Nicolet, on the shores of Lake Superior, two friends help each other face the past and embrace the future. Widowed and disenchanted with love, Olivia Reeves is tired of living life in half measure. Though still disillusioned and scarred from her marriage, she’s finally ready to move on. At least, she thinks she is. But moving forward means forgiving past wrongs and trusting once again. Can it be done? When Sean, an old friend, reenters her life unexpectedly, Olivia is put to the test, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Love and happiness are on the line. Anna Davis, Olivia’s young friend, has always lived in the shadow of her family’s past tragedy, but after a series of events, the storm of the past blows into the present and the Davises have no choice but to finally confront their loss. The question is—will it unite them together or break them apart? Experience the special bond between these two extraordinary women as they hold out hope for a better life in this idyllic little beach town.

London, 1909 Ruby Redlick is a young woman with a passion for reading, who yearns to break free of her constrained life in Upper Norwood and go on the stage. She dreams of playing dramatic characters like her idol Sarah Bernhardt. But the West End is full of lords, predators and courtesans. Ruby almost comes a cropper until a new friend comes to the rescue and introduces her to the music hall as a Gaiety Girl. Swept up into the bright lights of 1900s Edwardian London, she's barely navigated the Stage Door Johnnies when a Maharajah's fabulous jewels are stolen and a murder occurs. When the police, more interested in rooting out foreign spies, close the case abruptly, Ruby is driven to follow another idol, Mr Sherlock Holmes, in some amateur sleuthing. With the help of Soho's Italian anarchists and a couple of militant suffragettes, she investigates the crime.  Ruby unravels the complicated web of deceit but when she comes a little too close to exposing the criminal’s deadly secret, her own life is put in peril. Will she find a way to bring about justice before it's too late?

"A lively beach or commute read, this quick, cheerful parody of aging, capitalism, and marriage offers a little bit of everything--comedy, suspense, romance--and even some insights into the meaning of life."
-Booklife by Publishers Weekly
 
"A mysterious author delivers the comical tale...a raucous adventure around the globe...brisk, debaucherous, and cheeky sense of humor...fast-paced, modern, and world-spanning..."
-Kirkus Reviews
 
"Readers looking for a rollicking adventure...intrigue and action will love Powerballs...where romance, adventure, and greed intersect in a world-hopping journey of lives gone awry." 
-D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

A sudden windfall and the money to make every dream come true…

With finances and marriage strained to the breaking point, Rose and Henry Ball dream of new lives filled with romance and adventure. Then Fortune takes a hand. Against all odds, the couple win a record Powerball lottery. The sudden windfall is the answer to all their prayers. Or not...

Helpless to resist the siren's song, the Balls leap feet first into the intoxicating world of the super-rich. Henry drifts into treacherous waters on a mad Russian oligarch's yacht, while Rose throws caution to the wind and rushes headlong into the arms of a beautiful, dangerous ...

Ties That Bind is one woman's quest to find out the truth involving her adoption. Secrets can't remain hidden forever. At what lengths would you go to find out the truth? Romantic, and suspenseful, Ties That Bind will have you swiftly turning the pages to find out.