General-Literary-Historical-Womens Fiction

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!

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.

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?

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?

In the Bronze Age Syrian kingdom of Ugarit, a eunuch slave mistakenly believes his mistress the queen loves him, so when asked to spy on her under threat of punishment, he finds a way to avoid it. When she shows she cares nothing for him, he justifies reporting her disloyal activities but cant escape agonies of conscience. As her sentence of divorce turns into execution, he decides he must avenge her and expurgate his own guilt.

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.

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!

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 quirk of fate puts a Blatina in the Oval Office. What now?

Toni Madison never dreamed about becoming President. It simply wasn’t even an option for someone like her, a Black Latina after all. 

Life had a different plan as a heart attack places her behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. 

Now, three years into her bland accidental Presidency, Toni notices she could do better. In fact, she wants to do better.

She wants to be a great President.

Things start to heat up as she launches her election campaign.

She quickly realizes that there are many people who are honestly threatened by a woman of color serving in the highest office of the land.

When threatened, people tend to respond with underhanded, manipulative viciousness. 

How will Toni handle all that?

As betrayals follow threats that follow intense pushback, Toni reaches back to her gritty youth to find succor along with the support of her quirky, loyal staff.

Readers say…

“...we watch fascinated as Toni comes into her own. Step by painful step.”

“Very entertaining & relevant in today's political landscape.”

“In the crazy political climate of today, this was a delightful and yet insightful read.”

Camille Prescott and Jude Coleridge—estranged ex-best friends—confront each other and their past when they break into an abandoned boarding school where years before they were targeted by a sexual predator. As teens, they’d been gaslighted and labeled ''the crazy girls, the ones who lie." No one believed them. They even questioned themselves as they were pulled toward a fiery danger. Told in dual timelines with Jude and Camille as women and as teens, the women emerge as survivors with successful careers yet still remain maimed by their past. Can they find healing together? ''Grab a copy, a box of tissues, and the phone number of your oldest friend, because you're going to want to talk about this one after you turn the last page. It's a terrific book.'' ~Mary Anna Evans, award-winning author and creative writing professor. “The careful unfolding of the truth as the story moves back and forth in time is a testament to the skill of these talented authors. ...a compelling novel, one worthy of wide readership and a lasting place on bookshelves." ~Southern Literary Review Read of the Month.

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

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.

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.

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.

Featuring real life historical intrigue and real characters, Ruby Redlick investigates murder and occult doings in a thrilling high society mystery. This third in the series is another absorbing mashup of true life and fictional set in Golden Age London. 1913 Ruby has returned to London with anarchist friend Mimmo and lady’s maid, Silver Spoon, to start her detective agency. The secretive Thin Man from the Ministry retains a strong hold on her services, but his demand that she spy on the gentry affords her entry into a luxurious world. With new beau, Lord Lincoln, she soon builds her name as private investigator to the aristocracy. Dark events are brewing in Europe, and when a friend is arrested for a murder in Paris, Ruby and Mimmo set off to investigate. After encountering fascinating real life characters from the Bohemian world of art and dance, the trail leads to a King’s bedroom and intrigue that includes Mata Hari. Back in England, Lord Lincoln takes Ruby on a country estate weekend that includes some notorious names. But it isn't all charades and she's soon called upon to investigate a heinous crime. When a murder is committed Ruby suspects the Paris case is somehow linked. They must uncover the culprit before all hell breaks loose.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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

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.

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.

Was it all some elaborate plan of Pope's, or just a farce? 

Me? Looking back now, I think it was the caper to end all capers, and if it I'm right, what he did was nothing short of genius.

What you're about to bear witness to is possibly the greatest swindle of all time, one that brought an institution to its knees and made me a rich man in the process... Or it could be just a bunch of crude jokes about a pub's name.

Some say it should be a focus of reading groups, should be studied, analysed to try and rinse the truth from the clues that lay scattered in Pope's wake. But I'm telling you it better be done quickly, because time isn't hanging around. Rumour has it there's more on the horizon.

You haven't heard the last of this.

Phil


"Not many books get me laughing out loud and reading snippets to my poor husband, but this one fit the bill." Chris B Amazon.com

Phil Lud is just a card game away from destitution when he gets a call; on the other end of the line Abraham Pope is panicking.

Pope is a 'Safer' and lives in a vast dome where Health and Safety rules. Everything under the dome is researched; risk assessed, regulated and runs smoothly, until a leak. 
Arriving at work one day, Pope is aghast to see a drip coming from the building's foyer ceiling. He springs into action, cordons off the area and is soon charged with the enormous task of getting it fixed.< ...

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.

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.

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.”

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.

“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 ...

HOW MANY TIMES CAN YOU WATCH YOUR CHILD DIE TO SAVE THEIR LIFE? All her life Dawn has been troubled by lost time. She awakens suddenly in strange places far away from her last conscious memory. Kylie's over her dead-end job. As she drives away from the worst work day ever, she picks up her cell to send a text, a decision that will change her life when Dawn's and her world collide. The ensuing tragic accident takes Dawn's only child, but ten days later, inexplicably, her lost time becomes a gift, when she finds herself back again on the morning of the accident. Now Dawn can save her son and change fate. Only one problem ... fate doesn't want to be changed.

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?

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.

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?

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.

New York City, 1975: Decent-hearted but spoiled Jewish college kid Ben Steiner is naively possessed by an overwhelming desire to be cool. At a springtime party on the night of his twenty-first birthday, he meets two people: Rebecca Glaser, the longed-for sweet girl of his dreams, and P.T. Deighland, a beguilingly knavish wiseacre from Princeton. Seduced by Deighland's cocksure irreverence while simultaneously succumbing to his own temptations, Ben makes a cascading series of unfortunate choices which not only threaten his budding relationship with Rebecca, but expose him to ruin at the hands of a ravishing but ruthless fashion model named Anthea Montague. Against the background of a vanished period in American history, STAINER offers a bittersweet nostalgic trip back to a less complex world, during a time of incautious excesses that, while deceptively fun and carefree, in due course forced many unwary youngsters like Benjamin Steiner to learn some necessary -albeit painful- lessons about growing up. "The author is an excellent storyteller and has crafted an easy-to-read novel... The way Ms. Woulff captured the decade of the 1970s, through descriptions of fashion, speech, and other details, is amazing... This is truly a gem!" - Deborah Lloyd, Readers' Favorite

#1 Best Seller in Teen & Young Adult Poetry eBooks, Amazon, Sept. 2019 #1 Best Seller in Poetry About Death, Amazon, Sept. 2019 #1 New Release in Poetry About Love, Amazon, Sept. 2019 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "With the style of E. E. Cummings, George Stumpf expresses what we have all experienced" "Beautiful, thought provoking, stirring. A very talented writer" "The true, RAW, emotions in each piece reach down into the soul and cause a welling up of past experiences and remembrances that allow the reader to thoroughly relate to the author." MELTING ~ THE ACHE OF THE HEART, THE BREATH OF THE SOUL is a poetry book exposing humanity's insecurities, regrets, desires and the hope that never fades. The author, George Stumpf has written this over two decades of happiness and despair and, like Rupi Kaur's Milk and Honey, even uses prose writing to touch the core of the agony and ecstasy many people feel. Each poem will take you on a journey and inspire you to explore your emotional intelligence!  The MELTING poem book is ultimately about hope and is divided into three chapters, each serving a different purpose. CHAPTER 1 – SPLINTERED When bad things happen, like heartbreak in a relationship or the loss of someone we love, they begin to weigh on us. Our emotional being doesn’t feel whole anymore. The depth of pain and hurt we feel when this happens can be debilitating and extremely difficult to overcome. MELTIN ...

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!”

Mystery writer, Joel Carpenter, has no time for romance. He has a deadline to meet, and too many skeletons in his closet to trust the slightly spinny artist renting his house. Christy Taylor has her hands full dealing with an ailing business and a diabetic daughter, she doesn't need the temptation that is her landlord, Joel Carpenter. Can a Christmas wish bring two stubborn souls together and give a little girl the gift she wants most? A family of her own.

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?

Fictional tales presenting the varied facets of living in the South Pacific – pleasure, pain, calamity, comedy, fun, misfortune, loss, triumph – as in any part of the world, of being human. Most have been published previously, several have won short story competitions.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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 ...

Event planner Eve Canaday and her secret crush, Dr. Ben Tyler, are unexpectedly drafted to help a little girl fulfill her late mother’s wish—a magical Christmas to create some happy memories. Eve sees this opportunity as a sign; Ben, as a glitch in his plan to leave Marietta behind for good. As the trio checks off the to-do list of Christmas fun, Ben’s ‘bah-humbug’ opinion of the holiday fades, along with ideas about keeping his distance from Eve. Getting involved is the last thing he wants to do but, alas, there’s no accounting for cosmic interference. With the season of miracles upon this jewel of a town, will Eve find it’s possible that Christmas wishes aren’t only for little girls?

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 ...

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.

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.

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.

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 ...

2015 Rainbow Awards Finalist. When Carly Rosen is jilted on the eve of her wedding, she embarks on a startling journey of self-discovery. This gender-bending, risque retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, set in sizzling West Hollywood, echoes the ancient story of the lovers in the Underworld. What do you do when the love of your life has eloped with another woman on the eve of your wedding? The other woman is a famous beauty named Anna Garibaldi, and their love story is splashed all over the tabloids, making you die inside. To add insult to injury, the one who has abandoned you dies unexpectedly, having left you a cryptic text message suggesting that you were always the one and only. Where do you go from here for solace, for justice? If you are Carly Rosen, a portrait artist with huge imagination, you use your art to charm your way into the life and inner circle of the alluring Anna Garibaldi, whose seductive and secretive underworld is nothing you could have expected. You say goodbye to life as you know it and take a breathless ride down to the depths of the Land of the Dead, to where passions and dangers await you and nothing is as it seems. Don't forget a coin for the ferryman. Bon Voyage!

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.

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.

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.

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 ...

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.

-- 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.

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.

*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 ...

Under the Oak collects poems previously shared, and some that will be new to readers. We have tried to include a broad sample, hoping to find something for everyone to enjoy and re-read in the future. Although his poetry has been published in several anthologies with other poet’s work, it has never been collected in a book of his own. This is the first.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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 ...

Only the invited get to stay. Only the lucky ones get to leave. When Katrina Darlington lost everything, she turned to a stranger for help. Desperate and grieving, she trusted the hand of friendship and travelled halfway across the world to a very private island. Blue skies, blistering sunshine, and luxury on a scale way beyond the average person’s means. The perfect place to start again, surrounded by warm and friendly people who have your best interests at heart. Or not! Catalina Island is paradise hiding a sinister secret. Will Katrina become just another one of its victims, and after having lost everything, discover she still has even more to lose? Desire creates lies and deception, but is having it all worth losing your humanity? Were the people you trust most in the world the ones you should have feared all along? It’s time to find out. When you lose everything, the only thing left to find is yourself. Escape with the perfect read this Summer and discover that sometimes in life fate plays no part at all.

Bread for the Table relates a single day in the life of Sage a 30-year-old aspiring jewelry designer working as a waitress in a pseudo New York deli in Los Angeles. A postcard from her mother triggers a series of flashbacks, which bring Sage's life into focus. She remembers her protector --- dear older sister, Rose of Sharon and her untimely death; her remote father, whose only communication was reading passages from novels written by John Steinbeck; her grandmother, the only consistent figure in Sage's life; and her mother. The last time Sage and her mother shared an intimate moment was stirring a pot of soup shortly after Rose of Sharon's death. Her mother's last instructions before she went to buy bread to complement the soup were to keep stirring the soup so it wouldn't burn. Dutifully Sage stirred, but her mother never returned. She was five years old. Now she has received a postcard from a woman she hasn't seen in twenty-five years.

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.

"Everything happens for a reason." It's 1972. Raymond Mann is seventeen. He is fearful of life and can't get off buses. He says his prayers every night and spends too much time in his room. He meets Ernest Gardiner, a gentleman in his seventies who's become tired of living and misses the days of chivalry and honour. Together they discover a love of sunflowers and stars, and help each other learn to love the world. Ernest recounts his experiences of 1917 war-torn France where he served as a photographer in the trenches … of his first love, Mira, and how his life was saved by his friend Bill, a hardened soldier. But all is not as it seems, and there is one more secret that will change Raymond’s life for ever. Cold Sunflowers is a story of love. All love. But most of all it’s about the love of life and the need to cherish every moment. Find out more about the book and its author, Mark Sippings, at www.coldsunflowers.co.uk.

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…

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.

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.

The events of a typical Autumn Friday night rock a typical small town American family to the core as tragedy strikes them from out of nowhere. Will their lives survive this ordeal as they change from a functional to dysfunctional family? This event has changed and altered their direction, but will this be permanent? The ways the family deals with the loss of a loved one can either make them stronger or crush them in their hope for their small town future. The bonds of love and friendship are stretched to see how far they can go. Will the development of the surviving sibling’s progress with growth or be stifled as the family dynamic is pushed to the edge? One’s concept of justice is put to the test and their faith in God may never be the same. Actions, reactions and their consequences are exposed for you to see but don’t judge too harshly. You may agree or disagree with their actions but ask yourself, if you were in their situation, would you do the same?

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.

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.

Gracie Sandridge fell in love with Danny Harbaugh the first time she laid eyes on him. He was the most spectacular creature she’d ever seen, and she loved him from the seventh grade on. The trouble was that her daddy, the most steel-hearted, iron-willed man in southwestern Virginia, disapproved of Danny's family and was determined to keep them apart. But Daddy had also taught her that if she wanted something, she should “go the hell after it as hard as you can, and you just might get it”—so she did. The Princess of Sugar Valley is a heartwarming, endearing story about hope, heartache, and the strength of the human spirit, right when we need it the most.

“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.

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.

"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 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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 ...

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.

From USA TODAY Bestselling Author Lynne Gentry comes a small-town family saga filled with humor, heart, and hope. When tragedy strikes Leona Harper, the shocked pastor's wife is forced to summon her estranged children home. But parenting young adults in a nosy, small southern town proves more difficult than reinventing herself. Determined to give her broken family a shot at a second chance, Leona begins the painful journey of putting one foot in front of the other. Reconciliation and healing won't come easy in this zany, trouble-filled, and hilarious walk-through-grief adventure. Brimming with wit, authenticity, and southern charm, WALKING SHOES explores the inspirational and emotional healing of a family. You’ll have to laugh to keep from crying. The Mt. Hope Southern Adventures Series is a touching addition to the small town, generational series of favorite authors like Ann B. Ross, Jan Karon, Philip Gulley, and Fannie Flagg.

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 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.

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?

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.

One life ended in tragedy. Another challenged by a promise. Will a teen’s twenty-year journey to make his dad proud change him into the man he’s meant to be? In 1966, Jim Pepperman comes home from practice to the news that his dad has died in an oil rig accident. Not only has the high school football star lost his mentor and best friend, but when his mom moves the family from Texas to New Jersey, he’s forced to say goodbye to his home, his team, and his chance for a football scholarship. Facing senior year in a new school with no friends, Jim struggles to keep the promise he made after his dad died to be a substitute father for his two younger sisters and a shoulder for his mom. But stepping into his dad’s shoes at seventeen feels impossible, the same way giving up the dream to play pro ball is harder than Jim thought. And senior year is just the beginning.

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.

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.