General-Literary-Historical-Womens Fiction

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.

Sea legends and pirate adventures charm eight-year-old Swift, until an encounter with the deadly power of the ocean shocks him into reality. Swift struggles to hang onto his childhood fantasies, but his new grasp of the fragile nature of life and of friendship threatens to swamp his hope. Under the guidance of his older brother, Swift must learn to brave the rough waters of change without losing himself to their destruction.

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.

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.

When young, New York plastic surgeon Jack Donahue’s reputation is destroyed, he changes his name and makes a fresh start in Sydney. Blessed with unique surgical skills and driven by greed and lust, it’s not long before Donahue is a multimillionaire but he wants more – much, much more. Handsome, narcissistic and cruel, when Donahue sees the opportunity to become super-wealthy, he seizes it. Will greed be his downfall?

Our earth mother, Gaia, foresaw a definitive epoch when the survival of humankind and her precious planet would be at issue. That day is upon us. Earth is enveloped in environmental and social crises. Unless humankind serves as stewards for Earth and themselves the planet may be despoiled. Gaia could not sit by and observe the destruction of her beautiful blue planet and the clever beings she found intriguing. This is the story of the gifted population of women she reserved in the sea who are dedicated to safeguarding the future of humankind and Earth.

Jeff Bailey is turning 40. Settled and happily married, he spends his nights writing unsold screenplays while working security at a remote desert nuclear power plant after 9/11. Surfing the web one night, he sees the name of his first love, Shelley Dawson, pop up on a high school website. Bailey offers to dig out his journals and take them both back to the summer of 1981 in Ohio. She never knew he kept a detailed journal about his time with her so, uneasy but curious, she allows him into a past she can’t remember to see what he finds. Surprised by how much he’d forgotten, Bailey returns to the single summer that first broke his heart and made him a stranger to his own life and to the only world he’d ever known. The end of his childhood and the beginning of what his young parents always warned him about: dreaded adulthood. Transcribing his journals to a distant lost love, the adult Bailey follows his doomed teenage self, reliving the discovery and pain as he retraces his first feelings for Shelley, unearthing and unleashing emotions that hold consequences for them both all these years later.

The Chinese say, "Even a thousand miles apart, two people destined for each other are pulled together by an invisible thread." When young Chinese bride Wu Meichen's husband is sent to America, she vows to follow him. His family threatens to disown him if he does not divorce Meichen for her outrageous disobedience in leaving China without their permission. Will Meichen lose her beloved husband? Or will the thread of love withstand violence, prejudice, years of separation, and a ten thousand mile journey? Live the harrowing experience of one of America's first Asian female immigrants. Get free with Amazon's KDP select.

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.

An amazing work of fiction or prediction? A satirical look at President Trump, Congress, Russia and the 2020 election. President Trump and the first family as they spend the 4th of July, 2020 weekend in the Hamptons at the castle of a Russian oligarch Dmitriy Volkov when the unspeakable happens. Between Southampton and East Hampton lies the incorporated village of Wolfhampton, the most exclusive, expensive, and scary 'Hampton'. When two young girls commit suicide, Dmitriy Volkov aka Wolf becomes the prime suspect when their deaths are ruled as possible homicides. President Trump, First Lady Melania, and Third Son Barron escape the Washington swamp to the sanctuary of Volkov's Wolfhampton estate, but there in the wolf's own lair, the unspeakable happens. Putin and his Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, known as the SVR aka KGB, decide the time is right to crush POTUS, Wall Street, and the Wolf, all in one smooth hammer blow; while Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer make a pact with the Devil himself. What happens that weekend in Wolfhampton will change President Trump, America, and the world in ways never imagined. Love President Trump or hate him, both the Left and Right will enjoy this thrill ride ripped right out of tomorrows headlines.

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.

Dive into the first installment of this gritty slow burn college romance series about love, loss, and second chances. Introverted Billie Dixon has life planned to a T, and Bradford College is her chance for comfortable solitude. Her best friend lives across the hall, her roommate ignores her, and to pay for textbooks, she puts her math skills to good use as a tutor. But Billie is in for a rude awakening. Life rarely goes according to plan. Her sister wonders why she never calls. Her best friend nags like a mother hen. Plus, sharing him with his playboy roommate, who uses every opportunity to infuriate her, wasn't part of the deal. And that tutoring gig? Her only pupil complicates their business arrangement when he develops a crush on her. If she thought this couldn't get worse... Then, she runs into the Math Department Head. Her father--and the only reason she can afford Bradford. He wants to rekindle their relationship after years of radio silence, but Billie isn't fully on board.

From the writer of the ‘Engaging and Uplifting’ (Daily Mail) HELEN AND THE GRANDBEES… Bernie is plunged into turmoil when her step-brother is born, too vulnerable to leave, too vulnerable to risk loving. And she is confused when she falls into love with mosaicist Robin, his soulful artworks and tales of Ethiopia. All this because a family tragedy has left her resolved to remain adrift from emotional attachment.

Against her own instincts, she pushes her father away to his new wife, and pushes Robin away into the arms of a mutual friend. But as she reaches the pinnacle of her desired isolation, she realises that she might have made a mistake. Can she learn to trust in a human connection that might just let her down?

Alex Morrall explores themes of love and isolation in ADRIFT - THE STORYTELLER & MOSAICIST. Follow Bernie’s story from the coast to early 2000’s London.

A MAGICAL LOVE STORY... Memory House is a place where friendship turns to love, love lasts forever, and memories outlive their owner. Ophelia Browne knows this because she's been granted the unique gift of finding and caring for those forgotten memories. But now she's nearing ninety, and needs to find a successor - soon. When broken-hearted Annie Cross shows up on the doorstep of The Memory House Bed and Breakfast, Ophelia knows she is the one. The two women forge a bond of friendship as they sip magical dandelion tea and share stories. When Annie starts to uncover new memories Ophelia is delighted, but then a thread of violence begins to unravel and she fears things have gone too far. Winner of the 2015 FAPA President's Book Award Silver Medal

"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 ...

On the Steps of St. Dymphna tells a story of transformation. John, a normal cubicle slave with a bland and ordinary life, is transformed by an enlightenment experience. Or, did he just go crazy? He’s not really sure, but either way, he becomes a dramatically different person. From bored support representative at GMC Megatronics, he transforms himself into Pastor John, a flamboyant free spirit spouting spiritual nostrums and intent on not only radically transforming his own life, but bringing joy and purpose to the lives of others. To this end, he joins forces with a rag-tag group of homeless and starts The New Life Church of the Godhead of the Bed, so named for the locus of his awakening — an ordinary bed. John and his following set their sights on St. Dymphna’s House of Hope, a local sanitarium ran by the authoritarian Big Mama, where they attempt to help the needy and comfort the afflicted. They face numerous obstacles that threaten to derail their mission, but with the help of a local religious radio station and a large group of feisty supporters, they persevere and ultimately triumph. For a while. Steps explores the emptiness of modern life and the desperate lengths necessary to live a life of purpose. It deals with themes of spirituality, alienation, faith and compassion. It is truly a tale for modern times.

Burned by his faith. Abandoned by his family. Coming out was nothing compared to finding forgiveness…

Lawrence Greene churns with bitterness. Regretting his dead-end job and excruciating love life, he’s exhausted by the world tearing him down. And when his religious mother returns begging for reconciliation, he’s torn apart by resentment and his own need to heal.

With his estranged family’s proximity dragging up memories of his painful revelation of being gay, Lawrence escapes to his anti-church group sanctuary. But when a better future finally comes knocking in the form of Hakee Mitchell, a sexy and good-hearted man, Lawrence must bare all to claim true absolution.

Will Lawrence let go of his grief and put a firm grip on a fresh start? The Freed Church Boy is a stirring LGBT contemporary fiction novel. If you like complex characters, heart-rending conflict, and new beginnings, then you’ll adore Lloyd Johnson’s powerful tale.

Kacie knows three things for certain. She should have sent a text before abandoning her boyfriend. She should have let her family know she was coming home. And she has no business adopting a dog. When Kacie moved away from her father and stepfamily years earlier, she had big aspirations and no plans to return. But she hadn’t counted on a heartless mother relentlessly pursuing her. A boyfriend she couldn’t stand to watch as he wasted one more day on the couch. A career she longed for never materializing. After her barely old enough to get married brother returns, his new fiancée along with him, Kacie has to ask herself, does everyone know what they’re doing besides her? Does the cute guy who just offered her a job have a hidden agenda? And is it wrong to name her new dog Diva?

A powerful, unrelenting page-turner. Highly recommended Wishing Shelf Awards

Sad, uplifting, shocking, funny, hopeful and frustrating. Bookmuse

A wonderful book...Helen Baggott

I have to give this five stars and I hate doing that because the ending made me cry and I don't easily forgive the author for that...The word “gritty” will probably be used, though it doesn’t quite fit – but life is hard for the young Billy...Amazingly, in all this there is also tenderness and humor. A lovely book. In fact, a wonderful book. Strongly recommended....S F Hopkins

John Lynch has found his literary voice in this life story of disadvantaged soul, Billy McErlane. Having a harlot for a mother doesn’t make life easy and nor does going to jail at fourteen, but when he is reunited with his childhood sweetheart peace enters Billy's heart. Then fate deals a wrecking blow. The book shows Billy through his own eyes and words as he learns to forgive, let go of the bad things in life, accept with grace the good things and finally reach out to others. It’s a coming of age book that begins in tragedy and ends in hope. A bittersweet story of love, loss and one young man's refusal to accept what life offers.

Three books in one. Three loyal dogs. A merciless war. When the thirsty desert craves their humans' blood, can these brave K-9s defend their partners, or will they pay with their lives? Guinness may be the runt of the litter, but she scoffs at being a pet. So when her siblings join their forever homes, she can't wait to enlist and risk her tail for her country. Butter loves treats, cherishes her trainer, and is proud of her job. But an errant bullet ends her career and changes her life. Viper lives to serve. The army is his life and his home. But war is unforgiving, and old dogs don't last long in the desert. Can these brave K-9s dodge the sea of mines and outwit death, or will they pay with their lives? If you like heartwarming stories and undaunted heroes who won't quit, you'll love Rada Jones's K-9 HEROES, where brave dogs perform daring deeds and live to tell their tales. And if the dog's memoirs are fictional, their heroism is only too real. Get K-9 HEROES today to read THREE fantastic dog stories. You'll meet Guinness, the German Shepherd, Butter, the Labrador, and Viper, the Malinois. You'll laugh, cry, and finally understand what your dog says behind your back. Content warning: K-9 HEROES include graphic fight scenes that may not suit young children or those scarred by wars.

This book is my journey, from awakening to present day. This book is meant as a catalyst for spiritual growth, the goal being to ignite the fire that lies dormant. We are all called to serve, to serve ourselves and then the world. Let this be a message to all that would choose the path of service, the true path. As each fear disintegrates we walk closer to the truth of our nature, and this is my truth. You feel the call so fly with me, I know in truth I set you free.

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.

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.

You can’t go back. So everyone says. But Mary is back in her old hometown. That’s because of two women she hasn’t seen for decades – one of them pushing her, the other holding back. A plum tree has gone, but a lemon tree thrives. The mystery surrounding the boat with painted eyes may never be solved, but if Ana returns too some things from the past can be recovered. Can’t they?

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?

"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 ...

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.

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 ...

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?

While on a book tour in Cambodia, author James Moore unwittingly seeks refuge in a brothel to escape a devastating flash flood. He and his translator witness the atrocities of girls forced into prostitution, including a young child with a special gift. Together, they fight to not only save the girls from the rising flood waters, but from the menacing brothel owner and his men.

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.

Troy is afflicted by a condition that lets him live out different futures --- lots of them. Jaded by all these possibilities, he drifts from day to day never knowing if what he's living is real life or just a possible one. When he first meets Cat, it's not even close to love at first sight. She pepper sprays him and steals his phone. But then he meets her again, and again. Finally, he becomes convinced that this funny, crazy, woman might be just what he needs. But in his strange world of possibilities nothing is straightforward.

Forensic accountant Maggie Martin survives the sudden death of her husband, the charismatic President of Windsor College, only to uncover the secrets of his carefully concealed double life. Dealing with the financial and emotional wreckage left in Paul's wake, she is stunned to learn he inherited an estate known as Rosemont in the seemingly serene Midwestern town of Westbury. Why had he never told her? Maggie travels to Westbury for the stated purpose of listing Rosemont for immediate sale, but what she really seeks are answers to her all consuming questions about her sham of a marriage; her sham of a life. She never anticipated the seductive charm of Rosemont. Throwing her trademark caution to the wind, and over the objections of her opinionated grown children, she pulls up stakes and moves halfway across the country, determined to make a fresh start in Westbury. Behind closed doors, however, lurks a cadre of evildoers, playing with multiple wild cards of fraud, embezzlement and arson. With a quiet, orderly -- and distinctively solitary -- life in mind, Maggie is instead thrown headlong into a crusade against political corruption, where defeat and retreat are not an option. Still bearing the scars of betrayal, will she find joy, romance and possibility in Westbury? This fast-paced, smart novel has enough twists and turns to make the reader want to buckle in!

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.

When novelist Aiden Love publishes his parents’ story he has no idea the trauma it will cause. The epic saga of one family’s turbulent beginning is entwined with the challenge of a mother’s relationship with her youngest child—the longed for only daughter, Angelique. But a secret Lindsay Halloran Love has kept for years could rip the tight-knit clan apart for good. Resilient bonds of loyalty and blood are stretched to the breaking point, until tragedy strikes at the very heart and soul of the Love family, forcing everyone to take stock of what really matters.

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.

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 ...

From Book 1:Librarian Janet Johnson is puzzled when she is invitedand practically draggedto her first meeting of the Rejected Writers Book Club. This quirky group of women would much rather celebrate one anothers 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 members reputationand 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, theyll face their fearslandslides, haunted houses, handsome strangers, ungrateful childrenand have the time of their lives.

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?

Age and wealth are just numbers, right? Twenty-four year old Claudia has always been the sensible one. From her boring call centre job right down to her practical wardrobe; flash and extravagant are not part of her normal vocabulary. She may live in Ascot, the home of British horse racing, but the presence of all the moneyed revellers blocking her route home from work are more of a nuisance than a thrill. Until one of them catches her eye... Peter’s life couldn’t be more different. All his life he’s worked hard to make it in the banking industry, to give his wife all she’s ever wanted. After a day of sipping champagne and watching the races, an indiscretion of hers with Peter’s colleague changes this picture-perfect vision of middle class life forever. He decides to cut and run, only, he hasn’t a clue where he’s going. A chance meeting by the side of the road brings them together, making them forget their opposing backgrounds. Is passion alone enough to overcome their differences? Chance Encounters is a series of stand-alone novellas set in jolly old England, following a set of loosely connected people as they find love in unexpected places. Can love conquer all, from class differences to age gaps? Read on and find out.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

*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 ...

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.

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?

"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.

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?

Stowaways in lifeboats? Germans claiming deckchairs? When passengers from many places are together on a cruiseship, there's gotta be fun – through 10 countries, 15 ports, across 17 seas. Readers say: “a very amusing fiction-from-fact traveling journal…sailing through seventeen seas, stopping at exotic ports…we view the cruise through the eyes of a cross section of passengers.” “I have recommended the book both to my friends who cruise as well as people who have never cruised and would like to. This book gives a realistic view of what cruising is like in a fun and fictionalized manner.”

Zobie Marsh hides the fearsome talent of prophecy. Young, poor and grieving the loss of her beloved Black Gram, she leaves home suddenly to avoid the advances of her mother’s latest boyfriend. Her decision to travel to South Carolina sets in motion Heavenscribe, a spiritual transformation devised by angels to aid a dying world. Bel Petersen seems to have it all: ample means, a loving marriage and a rewarding family life. But she’s suffered through a year of unexpected deaths, and near-constant nightmares that portend the downfall of civilization. Now she’s visiting Health Presbyterian daily as Milly battles a relentless bone cancer sure to end their decades-long friendship in a matter of weeks. One evening as Bel unlocks her car in the hospital’s parking lot, four ambulances stream toward the Emergency entrance. There’s been a horrific traffic accident. She’s shocked to discover one of the victims didn’t make it into an ambulance—and he’s bleeding out in the passenger seat of a high school student’s car. Bel sends the student running to the hospital for help, and tends to the grievously injured man. His dying words will lead her to Zobie, and reveal the spiritual awakening they must undertake together.

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

Student loan debt has ruined millions of people's lives by putting them into inescapable, indentured servitude. Chad Miller has decided to do something about it! Imagine... you did everything in life that you were supposed to do. You worked hard, went to college, got married, and looked forward to starting a family. Then, in a flash, it’s all taken from you. You lose everything because of a draconian debt system that a bunch of greedy, privileged elites put into place. Chad Miller never intended on becoming a serial killing, counter culture hero. However, desperation, depression, and overwhelming debt are known to alter a man’s train of thought. When Chad finds himself stuck in the middle of a recession, his entire existence changes. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Chad’s forced to quit medical school. With only minimum wage and part time jobs available, the Miller’s struggle begins. After the forbearance time runs out, Chad finds himself unable to afford his student loan payments. The high interest rate loans compound, balloon into an insurmountable mountain of debt, and wreck his credit. With credit checks in today’s job market, his chances of gainful employment are zilch. Likewise, finding a safe place to live is nearly impossible with bad credit. He’s even denied a passport to leave the country to try and seek out a better job market. Chad is now a debt slave. After Chad’s wages are garnished, his wife can’t take it anymore. Their lives spiral out of control. Stress driv ...

Newlyweds separated by war. A bride left behind. Can she achieve greatness on her own? 1951. Harriett Bailey desperately wants her happily ever after. Shocking her small town by marrying a well-known womanizer, the shy girl’s plans are shot down when her groom is immediately drafted and sent to fight overseas. And her dreams of wedded bliss crumble as months pass without any word from her soldier husband… Determined to move out of her parents’ house, the brilliant hard worker earns promotion as the first female executive in her company. But as she juggles a bitterly jealous mother, a doting father, and silence from the man she hopelessly loves, Harriet makes a choice that drastically shapes the rest of her future. Can she turn her life into the one she fiercely desires? Hill House Divided is the heartbreaking third book in The Women of Campbell County: Family Saga women’s fiction series. If you like strong heroines, real-world situations, and multigenerational drama, then you’ll adore S. Lee Fisher’s moving tear-jerker.

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.

Amina prepares for college on what is expected to be an exciting first day of higher learning. When she steps onto the university campus for the first time, however, she bumps into Raja Gupta, a young, persuasive, and hot-headed university intellectual who lures her into joining a student group whose cause is the liberation of East Pakistan from West Pakistan. What follows is a stormy and passionate romance detailing the lives of both Raja Gupta and Amina Mitra as they both attempt to survive from one of the worst genocides of historical record—a genocide that ultimately leads to the birth of the poor and crippled nation known today as Bangladesh. This novel is written with historical accuracy and is Book One of a trilogy that charts the rise and fall of these two characters, as well as the son that is orphaned after Amina Mitra is forced to abandon him in the Great Mosque of Mecca.

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.

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.

The right to choose can never be taken from us. When the government tries to restrict our bodies, we will always fight back. My body my choice should never be questioned. No matter the reason no one should be told no or have their rights taken from them. This anthology is full of powerful characters who fight for what’s right, much like the authors who penned them.

It’s time to take a stand and let everyone know we will never give up until everyone is free to make their own choices. All proceeds will be donated to charities in support of reproductive equality. Please remember the stories in the anthology may come with a trigger warning or end on a cliffhanger. Featuring stories by: Alexis Taylor, Beth Hendrix, Leaona Luxx, Kate Bonham, F. East, Sarah Stein, Linny Lawless, Solamae Reigns, Elizabeth Dunlap, J. P. Uvalle, C.L. Cruz, Liz Fox, Rowan St. George, C. A. Varian, Charlee Garden, & Annee Jones.

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'.

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.

For fans of The Danish Girl, an extraordinary and award-winning transgender love story about self-belief and the true nature of courage. Best friends since childhood, life takes very different courses for Will and Tom when they leave school. Tom joins the army to become a MAN. Will goes to university and discovers he’s not. When Tom turns up on Will’s doorstep almost ten years later, he's disillusioned and broken after surviving Northern Ireland during the 1970’s troubles, and with a broken marriage and no future. Will, on the other hand, has just embarked on a completely new future for himself - in his case, a very different kind of self; a woman called Billie. As Will transitions from male to female, so the boyhood friendship between Tom and Will changes too. Initial shock and repulsion on Tom’s part becomes grudging respect, and eventually something quite different. But life – and falling in love – is never that simple; and especially not when it’s in the face of prejudice, fear and lost courage. Chained Melodies is the winner of a BRAG Medallion.

When a young Hittite charioteer discovers that the chariot accident that killed his father and maimed his grandfather was sabotage aimed at the king, he sets out to find the killer. Facing the loss of everyone he holds dear, he learns that good and evil are often not what they seem, and he must struggle to adjust to a new identity.

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…

Cozy mystery writer Margaret Manning fears her husband is mimicking the behavior of some of her books shadier characters, even though he claims to have never read any of them. When several pieces of her jewelry go missing, she wonders if hes responsible for it, hes trying to make it look like shes losing her mind, or shes losing her mind all on her own. Disturbing actions of friends and family coupled with bizarre health issues complicate things and cause her life to go into a downward spiral.

It was all Samuel Adams's fault. Ruth Haynes uses the pen name Honorius when she writes for her father’s newspaper. Boston has changed beyond recognition, and her Loyalist views soon get her in trouble. With war looming, what will their family do? Jonathan Russell hides a guilty secret. The Battle of Bunker’s Hill sweeps him and his Shenandoah Valley family into the war. The unthinkable happens, and he’s forced to deal with both his grief—and his guilt. Lieutenant Robert Shirley is summoned by his godmother and introduced to the Earl of Dartmouth, who charges him to gather intelligence in Boston. He is horrified but must obey. Gritty, realistic, and rich with scriptural truth, this story features Dr. Joseph Warren, Major John André, Henry Knox, and Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton.

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.

At the end of the Gilded Age, the “Golden City” of San Francisco offers everything a man could want—except what August Wolff desperately needs. The Klondike King must solve the mystery of his estranged wife and daughter who have disappeared, before he can give his heart to an up-and-coming artist who carries her own dark secrets.

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.

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.

50 TROZOS DE VIDA. SEDUCTORES, ENIGMÁTICOS, SORPRENDENTES. En AÑICOS, Arnoldo Rosas ensambla, escalón por escalón, cincuenta piezas que constituyen un muestrario de ingenio, técnica y sensibilidad. Cincuenta microrrelatos disimiles en la forma de crear el sobresalto final, donde también emergen recursos poéticos que se insertan a la perfección con la narrativa. Cincuenta microrrelatos donde la muerte deambula con insolencia en un mundo de amores y desamores, nostalgias, recuerdos, alegrías y penas. AÑICOS es un libro para leerse a sorbos, para degustarse lentamente mientras indagamos sobre la dualidad del gato de Schrödinger o escudriñamos los AÑICOS que el espejo nos devuelve. Lea hoy AÑICOS. Siga las pistas que nos dejan estas pequeñas piezas, disfrute el camino de una entrañable y sorprendente realidad.

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.

Mary and Elizabeth Tudor unite to change history. Mary I: remembered by history as “Bloody Mary” ended her life abandoned by her husband, imprisoning her sister, and hated by her people. Yet before that, she was a neglected daughter of Henry VIII—who shoved her aside in his quest for a male heir, never caring what his callous attitude did to his daughter. Elizabeth I: likewise abandoned by her father, a life without love would shape her into a hard woman remembered as one of the greatest monarchs in English history—yet she, too, was lonely. Unable to marry the man she loved and unable to trust even those closest to her, Elizabeth played one faction against one another up until the bitter end. Not this time. Henry VIII’s early death in 1541 throws his daughters together, with far-reaching consequences for the Tudor dynasty. In a world where Katherine Parr never becomes queen, Mary and Elizabeth Tudor have no one to depend upon except one another. An alternate story in Tudor England. Novelette length.

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.

WARNING to prospective readers as to this title’s potentially shocking and disturbing (read: X-RATED!!!) graphic and literary content: A reviewer at LITERARY TITAN, though giving this book a five-star rating, finalized his review with the caveat: “To the intrigued reader, beware, this book is quite a dirty sex crazed romp. Conservatives better brace themselves, keep a bible handy, and an open mind because you will hate how much you enjoy the erotic quality of this book … The erotica may be a little strong for some but if read with an open and relaxed mind, this is a very enjoyable and entertaining ride.”


This musically and graphically enriched chamber novel is an over-the-top black and blue comic extravaganza about the conspiratorial undoing of a teenage entitlement princess. The story throbs throughout with an undercurrent of apocalyptic motifs related to the extinction of art, fall of empire, and coming of the Antichrist. It is an epic farce that reads like an erotically supercharged psychological suspense thriller. The narrative takes the reader/audient on a veritable boomerang roller-coaster ride (with multiple inversions) through a reputational strip-and-whiptease of the novel’s malignantly artful (albeit ingenuously doe-eyed) protagonist: a wealthy young heiress and socialite who boasts an exclusive claim to her progenitors ...

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.

Gina, if that's her real name, walks into the city then turns and returns home. This is not a day for work. Today she will spend with a white dog and a remarkable man. Every Five Minutes is a B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree. Readers say: “Bronwyn Elsmore has crafted a beautiful story in a unique way.” “A very unique read to be sure, but her writing brilliance showed on each page as she pulled it off.” “I hated the story to end. Read it and you'll see. It's a lovely, lovely book.” “A masterpiece! To find that it is perfect in its style and delivery has left me a little breathless.” “… wonderful story! I love, love your book!”

Telma confidently marches over the bridge of her life and then… Telma is an opinionated little girl who doesn’t quite fit into the world around her. She becomes a physics professor, happily married to Uri, a bridge engineer, whose life seems secure as the bridges her husband builds. However, the little girl is not quiet; she reflects on the successful adult life from her unique point of view. Gadi, a genius from Berkeley is attracted to Telma's distinctive view; he hopes he has found in Telma someone to lean on. An emotional-roller-coaster-like relationship develops between them. But Telma prefers the stable ground Uri has built for her. Can she pull together the pieces of herself and emerge whole? Yet bridges can collapse, and Uri is involved in a serious accident that crushes not only him but Telma’s entire world. When their lives become intertwined with those of Gadi and Yael, his beautiful wife, Uri’s story, revealed to her with brutal honesty, shreds Telma's life to pieces. Gradually, Telma reconstructs herself anew, forming a more inclusive, complete, and accurate picture. A picture in which there is no need to hide behind long black hair and one in which the little girl goes back to seeking out the emerging whole. But will she ever again find peace?

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.

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?

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?

“Look at this way, you’re going to be an entirely new person.” “I didn’t know there was anything wrong with the person I am right now,” Alexis said coldly. And so, at age fifty-two her midlife journey begins. When her boss and his wife give Alexis weight loss surgery as an early Christmas bonus, it sets in motion a string of events no one could have foreseen. With the surgery comes the realization that anything is possible from losing weight, working out, a complete makeover, a new wardrobe, to men in her life for the first time. Each step is terrifying as time after time she’s forced to get out of her comfort zone because of all of the changes taking place. As the Alexis package becomes more appealing it brings with it an exotic sports car, a glamorous face and body, and a chance at love. But when the ex-wife of the man she falls in love with wants to reconcile with him, Alexis’ hard-fought midlife victory becomes a nightmare, and she resorts to returning to what used to work when she didn’t want to deal with her feelings - food. Is she doomed to live a life of unhappiness or is there a happy ever after for her? You can’t read about Alexis’ trials and tribulations without rooting for her every step of the way. Although her midlife journey forces her to come to terms with a lifetime of being overweight, her struggles dealing with changes in midlife is one every woman will face in one form or another. This is Al ...

It's 1985 and keyboard player Jonnie Cole's dream of playing in a band revolves around girls, money, girls, travel, girls, drugs, girls - oh, and music too. But the band's first single has stalled at number 40 in the charts. Still, with new hit producer 'Magic' Dan McCloud on board, 1986 looks like being their year. They set off for Europe with a new single about to be released and Magic Dan at the soundesk. Foul-mouthed manager Degsie Daniels attempts to keep their wilder excesses in check while his photographer daughter, Amanda, attempts to remain aloof from the mayhem. Intent on success in the synth-pop heaven of 1980s Europe, they have reckoned without Magic Dan’s murky past. Join them on their first tour of Europe as they discover themselves, each other and the dangerous cargo they have unwittingly stowed on the tour bus. CAUTION: This tale of sex, drugs and synthesisers contains all three, plus a lot of swearing.

FIVE STARS *****: A swirling mix of political intrigue, vivid action sequences, and lighthearted romance makes Forbidden Ties a delight for medieval fiction lovers. Author Kyrie Wang's tale of two people from opposing factions finding themselves forced to work together under extraordinary circumstances is captivating from start to finish. - Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite Reviews

FIVE STARS *****: The characters are well developed, the scenes are described with attention to detail, and the history is well researched. Interspersed between the battles and the growing need to find clarity between what is good and what is evil, romance blossoms with a subtlety that will have readers sitting on edge, wanting to learn more. - Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers’ Favorite Reviews

The orphaned. The outcast. In a country torn by rebellion, they will rise as heroes.

Synopsis:

1075 A.D. England

Nine years after the Norman Conquest Orphaned during a rebellion against William the Conqueror, Heather is thrust into another revolt when her childhood sweetheart disappears to save the son of a murdered Norman knight.

This quarrelsome son, Matthew, is determined to destroy the English rebels who decimated his household. Heather stays out of it- until she is accidentally entangled with a young rebel leader named Toby. As she is whisked off through the forests of medieval England, inhabit ...

Fifteen-year-old Lisa Jones just wants to go back to a time “when my dolls could talk and soldiers had minds of their own.” But childhood eluded her way too early and caused wounds too much for her young mind to handle. She’s a product of her environment and a poster child for dysfunction in the modern family as she looks out into the world and sees happy people, only to wonder why happiness and love elude her. Confusion and self-loathing boil to the surface. When she finally gets admitted to the Renew Eating Disorder Treatment Facility, it quickly becomes clear that her problems aren’t about the food. Therapists place her on the trauma tract to dig down to the root cause. What she finds there threatens to rip apart what’s left of her family and drive her completely over the edge.

When it’s your 10th year of fundraising for charity it’s hard to find a new idea. The women come up with a scheme to benefit the local hospice but it goes way past their comfort zone. Can they, should they, go ahead? Then there’s the matter of the Board of Trustees – men who are bound to oppose the women on anything that steps out of the domestic sphere. A humorous story for readers of women’s and contemporary fiction.

She had my baby and now she’s mine. Women know I’m a bad boy. They know that they should keep their distance, but they never do. All they ever get is one night. The dirtiest, wildest, hottest night of their lives. Court appointed shrink Dr. Julia Connors shouldn’t have been any different. She shouldn’t have changed me. But she did. She asked me to tell her how I felt. All I wanted to do was lay her down on that couch and make her scream my name. She was the only one I ever wanted a second night with. She was the only one I couldn’t take it from. And when old rivalries flared, I had to leave to keep her safe…I had to break her heart. When my enemies find her, nothing’s going to stop me from coming back to protect her and the son I never knew I had. I made a mistake by letting her go once, but I never make the same mistake twice. This is a standalone, full-length mafia romance with a filthy-mouthed, possessive bad boy. Happily ever after guaranteed.

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.

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

-- BASED ON A TRUE STORY --

If The Firm by Grisham and Indecent Proposal by Engelhard had a baby, it would be this book. 

The book is based on the time the author and his Italian wife had lunch with the head of one of America’s most notorious crime families. Inside you will read many of the true tales told by the mafia boss during that lunch—how the “family” uses the police to collect on debts, how the “family” is organized, and even how the “family” makes its money. Spoiler alert, it’s not what you think.

And you will read about the unique, real life, indecent proposal made by the head of the mafia to the author and his wife. 

Can you say no to the head of the mafia?

Enter the world of Dan Williams, flat broke financial planner, and his Italian wife, Tess. Their lives are about to turn upside down as they are tempted into a spiral of deceit, decadence and desperation. Hopes and dreams run head long into crime and lust in a suspense thriller you won’t soon forget. A story of temptation in all its forms.

Grab a beverage, sit back and enjoy the ride.

A story about life, though perhaps not the one you would choose to live. inspired by the characters from the Harry Chapin song of the same name, 'A Better Place To Be’ is a story of love, loss, and the ability to overcome the worst that life can throw at someone and come out the other side.