But when ticket sales wane with the new distractions of air conditioning and I Love Lucy, the Bobcats face an early end not only to the season but to their careers as well. The team needs a white knight to save them and ironically, that white knight seems to be a 17 year old "colored kid", Percy Jackson, who’s got a .364 batting average and has never seen a grounder he couldn’t chase down.Not everyone—not even most people—though can wrap their heads around an integrated baseball field, even if they have seen them on TV. This is Whitney. Things don’t change and they don’t need to change. Do they?Hearts, minds, faith and tradition will be tested as will friendships and marriages when this sleepy southern town comes to grips with itself amid the early years of the Civil Rights Movement.

    In the aftermath of the fire, the town of Hinckley rises from the ashes, its people determined to rebuild their lives.But in the shadows, someone is watching, someone is waiting, someone who knows the secrets the fire lay bare. A rumor spreads of a mysterious figure that haunts the hills; monster, a ghost, or a memory?

    Meemaw has been a doting mother, grandmother, and church mother to her community. Suddenly she's become a slimmed-down, silver-haired, seventy-something fox with a new attitude. And all fingers are pointing at a much younger ex-pro football player, GoGo Walker. When D.C. lawyer Garvin Daniels -- Meemaw's granddaughter -- gets wind of what's happening, she heads back to her hometown determined to help her Meemaw get it together before she goes too far.

     Maggie Kilcannon is living with relatives in Breeze Point, Cape Cod after leaving her native land of Ireland. Having tragically lost her parents in a plane crash, Maggie is weary about loving anyone, lest she emerge broken-hearted once again. When she meets handsome Alec Donahue, a soldier on leave, she falls head over heels in love with him. But can she learn to live with the uncertainty of losing him in the line of duty? Alec Donahue has always wanted to proudly serve his country as a soldier for the United States of America. He’s kept his eyes on the prize until he meets the beautiful and spirited Maggie while on leave. Maggie doesn’t believe in loving someone who might leave her, even though Alec wants to offer her a lifetime as her soul mate. Can Alec make Maggie believe in happily ever after?

    Just when she thinks she has found her path, a return to her hometown brings past hurts rushing back into her life. Can Emma learn to finally release the hardships of the past and rely on the goodness of God’s plans for her future? Eight years after a disfiguring accident, self-torment and life in the shadows keep David from all that he holds dear. When a chance encounter stirs him to hope again, he battles the voice inside that tells him he doesn’t deserve his second chance. Can he accept the gift of restoration God is offering him? Or will he allow self-doubt to rob him of his greatest love and the family he longs to embrace?

    People in Dogwood, West Virginia, say he was born with a second helping of brains and a gift for playing the mandolin but was cut short on social skills. Though he'd gladly give you the shirt off his back, they were right. Billy longs to use his life as an ode to God, a lyrical, beautiful bluegrass song played with a finely tuned heart. So with spare parts from a lifetime of collecting, he builds a radio station in his own home. People in town laugh. But Billy carries a brutal secret that keeps him from significance and purpose. Things always seem to go wrong for him.However small his life seems, from a different perspective Billy's song reaches far beyond the hills and hollers he calls home. Malachi is an angel sent to observe Billy. Though it is not his dream assignment, Malachi follows the man and begins to see the bigger picture of how each painful step Billy takes is a note added to a beautiful symphony that will forever change the lives of those who hear it.

    But when tragedy strikes his family, he turns to alcohol to deaden his pain and grief. He becomes an alcoholic and eventually loses his home, his job, and his faith. Thirty years later Jacob lives in poverty in the shadow of the now defunct power plant, where he works as a janitor. Jacob's life takes one more unexpected turn when he becomes trapped in the pitch-black recesses of the plant. In his forced sobriety, the bitter memories he has been drowning for decades begin to surface all around him, dragging him into a pit of regret and despair. Suffering the ravages of alcohol withdrawal combined with the chilling effects of sensory deprivation, he embarks on an emotional and spiritual journey that will take him to the brink of insanity and back. Before his captivity comes to an end, Jacob -- like his namesake from the Old Testament -- will find himself wrestling with God. The town sheriff, a State Police detective, and even a local priest, follow different clues as they search for Jacob. The widening mystery touches off a cascade of changes in the lives of those connected to him. A friendship broken by betrayal is mended, a long abandoned romance is rekindled, dark secrets about the power plant and its caretakers come to light, and a young man's life is forever altered as he uncovers the tragedy that sent Jacob spiraling downward so many years ago.

    As guardian to her fifteen-year-old half-sister, with whom she doesn’t get along, she hopes that moving will be a catalyst for change in their relationship. The young women fall in love with their new home, but unfortunately, are unaware of a condition of home ownership that may destroy their newfound happiness. Much is at stake, particularly for Holly and handsome neighbor Ryan McGraw. The two develop feelings for one another—but will a series of obstacles prevent the two from finding happiness together? Or will God assure a happy ending for all?

    Benjamin Pruitt plans to repair the town’s buildings before retiring to a solitary life. Sarah Campbell longs for freedom since her long task as caregiver has ended.Can Benjamin and Sarah piece the tattered remnants of their lives into a beautiful design to warm their waning years?Melinda Evaul and her husband enjoy traveling the back roads of North Carolina and Tennessee where rural culture and history are preserved through a unique art form—Quilt Barn Squares.Come follow her adventures along the Quilt Trails of America in this series of novels.

    It was originally published as a standalone prequel to A Rose Blooms Twice. Again, you may read this book as Part 1 of Wild Heart on the Prairie.Land of Dust & Tears is the gripping prequel to the breakthrough historical novel, A Rose Blooms Twice, and is the foundation of the acclaimed series, A Prairie Heritage. Brothers Jan (Yahn) and Karl Thoresen have left their native land of Norway and braved many perils and hardships to bring their families to America—the land of freedom and hope. Like thousands of others, Jan and his wife Elli long for the opportunity of a better life and a future for their children. After enduring an ocean crossing and the arduous journey west, they encounter a land so vast and wide that it defies mastery. Jan finds that his struggles are not only with the land, but with a restless and unmanageable heart. Will Jan find a way to overcome this wild land or will the prairie master him? Land of Dust & Tears is also published as Part 1 of Wild Heart on the Prairie, Book 2 of the series, A Prairie Heritage. Land of Dust & Tears is priced to introduce you to this beautiful saga. The author suggests that you follow your read of Land of Dust & Tears with A Rose Blooms Twice, Book 1 of A Prairie Heritage and then read Wild Heart on the Prairie, which includes both Part 1 and Part 2 of Land of Dust & Tears. Part 2 of Wild Heart on the Prairie is the conclusion of Land of Dust & Tears. A Prairie Heritage: Prequel: Land of Dust & Tears Book 1: A Rose Blooms Twice Book 2: Wild Heart on the Prairie Book 3: Joy on This Mountain Book 4: The Captive Within Book 5: Stolen Book 6: Lost Are Found, November 2014 “Vikki writes the kind of faith-filled fiction that hooks you within the first few pages, will not let you go until you have finished, and leaves you wishing for more.” —Janis Braun, Seattle, Washington “Her books are not just for 'chicks'! I was amazed how engrossed I became in the lives of Vikki's characters, and how much I could relate to their situations.” —Ed Dunne, Los Angeles “Be prepared to put life on hold. That's all I have to say!” —Rebecca H., New Jersey “You will laugh, you will cry but, most of all, you will be uplifted.” —LaTisha Holland, St. Augustine, FL

    Her mother, Babs, is a stiletto-wearing Zsa Zsa Gabor type who works as an activities hostess on a Caribbean cruise line...and if you guessed there's some tension there, you'd be right. Factor in an unexpected pregnancy and Mia's idealistic boyfriend, and the mother-daughter relationship is, well, stretched very thin. As is Mia's sanity when Babs shows up to...help. Actually, Mia has a whole neighborhood of quirky characters who want to help, including her BFF, Frankie, a magenta-haired librarian; Silas, the courtly gentleman of indeterminate age who lives downstairs; and Adam, proprietor of the corner grocery store where Mia shops. But it's Adam-endearing, kind, possessed of a perfect smile and impeccable Persian manners-who ultimately charms Babs and rescues Mia from more than one mother-induced meltdown. Could it be that Mia and Babs might actually be able to get along? With Kimberly Stuart's trademark irreverent humor and a surprising and satisfying take on romance, Stretch Marks is an authentic but tender story about family, grace, and the importance of a good grocer.

    Her professor husband had married her for the convenience of having a typist for his scholarly papers. The discovery of a dark secret opens her eyes to the truth about her marriage and her husband. Eventually nephew Patrick and his wife, Rachel, take Sophia into their home, and she observes from a careful distance their earnest faith and the simple gifts of kindness they generously bestow upon her and others-this in spite of an unthinkable tragedy they've suffered. Dare she unlock the door behind which she stalwartly conceals her broken heart? An insightful and moving portrayal of the transforming power of love

    Velma Brendle has never done anything more outstanding than putting on a good meal at Velma's Place, but she takes good care of her customers, neighbors, and friends in this slice-of-life literary work of fiction that deals with domestic violence with a strong theme of forgiveness.

    Only days after settling into their new home, they are surprised to find the previous owner, Tillie Monroe, on their front porch reading the newspaper. Though her sons have sold the house and sent her to a facility for the aged, she is determined to die in the place she lived her life, and somehow manages to find her way "home" day after day. Feeling sympathy for the elderly woman, Roz's mother allows Tillie to move back in. Mara Nightingale becomes Roz's first friend in Mills River. In spite of their many differences, the girls discover they have something in common that binds them together--both are hiding secrets. So they make a promise--"cross my heart and hope to die"--never to tell anyone else.When danger stalks the Anthonys, Tillie exhibits unimaginable courage and selfless love in her determination to protect the family she has adopted as her own.

    A three-in-one bundle of suspense and page-turning excitement as missionary kid Kennedy Stern faces more danger, mystery, and controversy than she knows how to handle. Confronted with questions of underage abortion, plagued by a stalker and paralyzing PTSD flashbacks, and eventually caught in the center of a police brutality scandal, Kennedy discovers that her first year at Harvard University involves a lot more than passing a few lab classes and fulfilling her premed requirements. With her parents serving North Korean refugees overseas, Kennedy befriends a loving and highly opinionated pastor, his hospitable and encouraging wife, an eccentric but respectful roommate whose worldview is drastically different from Kennedy's, and a foreign lab partner who's harboring a grave secret he'd do just about anything to keep from being exposed. The Kennedy Stern Christian suspense series tackles controversial issues facing the church today and brings them to light in a way that encourages questions and fosters discussions without ever turning preachy or heavy-handed. Find out why readers from all faiths and denominations, all walks of life, and all sides of the political spectrum are devouring this thought-provoking series from edgy Christian fiction author Alana Terry, who has won awards from Women of Faith, Grace Awards, The Book Club Network, Readers' Favorite, and many others.