She knew how. Mildred could breathe the word no to a second cup of ice cream. Could resist drinking too much champagne. But when it came right down to a friend needing a favor, she might say no first, but if someone really needed her—really needed her! —she always said yes. That’s how Mildred ended up with strangers camped out in her spare bedroom, helping her friend Fran to start a new business at the antique emporium, and walking around the empty church with a dust rag in her hand even though she hated to dust. She couldn’t say no to dust for long either. The only real no Mildred had said in recent history was to a man who loved her. Hugh wasn’t the first man to pursue her. But he was the most recent. And she had been flattered but not interested—not in the way he wanted her to be interested. Hugh didn’t give up right away. He lodged himself near her at church. Found her in the church kitchen after a fellowship supper to aid in the clean-up. And finally, her would-be lover had just asked her outright. That was the moment when Mildred had to say no. Until then Millie had been artfully dodging him. Only her best friend Fran understood. Fran said when Mildred finally felt the regretful effects of that no, “We’re all of us such fools.” But they aren’t fools. Mildred Budge and her friends are just people trying to live inside the faith released from heaven through the One who didn’t say no. This is the first novel in the series about Mildred Budge and her friends—just ordinary people trying to live out an extraordinary hope available to anyone who realizes what kind of help he or she really needs. That hope has a name, and Mildred Budge knows it. Need hope? Need a friend. Mildred Budge is a very good friend. If you like spending time with people who are just ordinary but extraordinarily hopeful, then you’ll love this story. Get a copy of this first novel in the series and find out for yourself what church ladies really think. About the author: Daphne Simpkins is an Alabama writer who writes about a variety of subjects and often on the secret lives of church ladies. Befriend her on Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin.com.

    Her entire world has turned upside down and she is left pondering what, exactly, her purpose in life truly is. On her son's suggestion, she escapes to Holmes County, Ohio and finds herself living on an Amish farm. While she tries to regain a life that has been lost, she finds herself gaining a lot more than she ever previously had. An unexpected friendship with Mary Troyer proves to be pivotal in how Elizabeth views the world around her, this time with the wisdom and insight of an Amish woman, rather than the demands and expectations of a world filled with work, demands, and hardships. A full-length novel, Life Regained is the first book in a series about the power of friendship that shatters the perceived boundaries of different cultures and religions.

    With the engagement and wedding off, the constant parade of sympathetic platitudes made it impossible to forget she’d been jilted. Needing an escape, she moved to her aunt’s lake house for the summer. Drew Sullivan’s return to Jasper Lake one hot summer day had everyone talking, but he wasn’t giving answers. His plans didn’t include romance, but neither did they include Amie Sullivan. Fortunately for him, he’d learned to be flexible. Romance blooms, but when Amie discovers Drew’s secret, will the trust between them be irrevocably broken? Please note: this is a significantly revised edition from that which appeared in the Whispers of Love collection.

    When she's forced to leave everything behind and forge her own path, where—and with whom—will Hester choose to make her new home?Hester on the Run, Book 1: One April morning, an Amish couple finds a Native American infant, wrapped in deerskin and placed next to the spring where they gather water. Kate and Hans adopt the child and name her Hester, despite the criticism of certain community members. Hester glows as she grows, an unmistakable beauty both inside and out, but begins to realize she doesn't quite fit in. An encounter with a Lenape medicine woman gives her a glimpse of her undiscovered heritage. When her own father becomes a threat, Hester is forced to flee from the Amish community, the only home she has ever really known. Which Way Home?, Book 2: Twice rescued—first by matronly Native women who find her unconscious in the woods and then by a boy in downtown Lancaster where she'd been left for dead by the dreaded Paxton boys—Hester finds herself wondering if she will ever find a safe haven. When an Amish man from her past reappears, it seems like destiny, but William King is more in love with the way she looks than with her heart and mind. When a Native American man makes a proposal to Hester, she is perplexed more than ever. Where will her heart lead her?Hester Takes Charge, Book 3: Now widowed and living in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Hester is startled by the unexpected appearance of Noah, the firstborn son of her adoptive parents. Their father's misplaced love for Hester and utter neglect of Noah drove each of them away from their Amish family. When Noah suggests they return to their childhood home to see their ill father, Hester can no longer ignore her buried anger and bitterness. Can they possibly forgive Hans? Can Hester trust herself—and Noah—enough to marry again?Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade, Yucca, and Good Books imprints, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction—novels, novellas, political and medical thrillers, comedy, satire, historical fiction, romance, erotic and love stories, mystery, classic literature, folklore and mythology, literary classics including Shakespeare, Dumas, Wilde, Cather, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

    Ginny struggles to make the holidays joyful for the residents, while still mourning the death of her fiancé. Edith and Frank decide it’s time for an intervention. The two conspire to play matchmaker between Ginny and Chester. The task isn’t an easy one. Ginny must find a way to let go of her grief and Chester’s past may stop any romance from growing. But the two matchmakers are nothing if not persistent. They’ve lived too long, and learned too much, to give up hope. They know that barren winter trees bloom again in the spring and everyone deserves a second chance at love. Semi-finalist Christian Writers Guild’s Operation First Novel Contest 2010

    What kind of power does it take to command that kind of privacy? What secrets is it trying to hide? Billy Roth doesn't know and doesn't really care. His blue collar job collecting garbage for the company pays very well. The last thing he wants to do is risk his position by asking questions, but his coworkers start disappearing and things get really strange, really fast."Invited" into the company by a couple of thuggish looking bodyguards, Billy is awed by the high level of security and rather impressed to learn the company's motto: Make every person the best they can be. That sounds like a pretty noble objective, but Billy soon realizes that motto might not be one hundred percent correct. Eliminate every person who's not the best they can be is starting to sound much more accurate.Christian Thriller and Suspense with a touch of the Supernatural.The Scinegue SeriesThe SecretThe PledgeThe Forestand Bradley and Nicole, a novella best read after The Pledge and before The Forest.

    Calvin has everything that he could possible want, but soon realizes that giving his wife Katrina the child that she so desperately wants would be harder than he ever imagine. Pastor and Lady Snow try to be there for them, but struggle with their own problems and martial secrets. Lady Snow starts to see her family crumble before her own eyes and tries to hold everyone together, but the truth hurts. Will this family be able to handle their own "Meltdown?"

    Moving away from her family support system so Gideon can attend a special school seems like the right choice, even if it means her entire life is about to change. The satisfaction of helping children and being a part of their lives is one reason Aaron Randall loves his job as a music therapist. When Hope Academy instills a dating policy, he doesn't give it a second thought. Until the new coworker who'd caught his attention turns out to be the parent of one of his students.A love they never expected is just out of reach. With Aaron's job and Gideon's education hanging in the balance, they'll have to rely on faith to find their way.

    Except Davis, like most, is unaware of the war being waged for his soul. With the help of Archangel Michael himself, Littleton must unmask and overcome the spiritual enemies endangering Davis's faith. Can the angels break through the darkness in time? And, can God restore what's already been lost?

    Since leaving for a large Bible College in Missouri, her life has been twisted around. Not that things weren't already a challenge for her with her brother in Vietnam and her heart bleeding from a recent break up. Faced with unbearable loneliness and loss, she arrives at a diner six miles from Nashville. There, she has a chance to pick up the pieces and build a new life for herself as an independant young woman with a great future ahead of her

    He tries to persuade her that following the living God will satisfy in a way that wealth and power will never be able to do. Will she listen to him? Or will she choose the handsome, successful man back home in China? Each of the novels in this series is a complete story.

    Can Jake Jennings, a man who has suffered unspeakable loss find peace and God's grace in his new home town of Sunset, or will the woman he never hoped to find be the answer to his prayers? Jacob Jennings Jake escapes the emotional entanglements of Houston, where he lost his wife and baby over a decade ago, to start a new life in Central Texas. His desire is to live in solitude on a quiet ranch and continue his ministry as a chaplain:From the Prologue:   "Mindy, I'm starting my new job in Sunset in two days. I've talked to you about the reasons   for my move for a long time. I only hope you understand why I'm leaving Houston. You would    love the log cabin I built there. It's a lot bigger than what we dreamed of raising Adam in, but   it really doesn't feel like home without the two of you.   "I know I wanted to get away from a lot of things here and move to a smaller and quieter   place, but the way I feel right now, I don't know if I'm really leaving anything behind. Sunset is   the kind of town I was looking for when I decided to make a move. Maybe I just need to give   myself more time.   "Just because I've moved three hours away doesn't mean I won't come to visit. Your Mom says   I'm abandoning you and Adam by moving. That's not it at all. You know I'll be back to see the   two of you. I miss you... I love, Mindy."   The Reverend Jacob Jennings stood motionless for a moment, then turned toward his truck and   walked over the green manicured lawn past the rows of carved stones, each a gray granite   reminder of the same sadness and loss he suffered thirteen years before. Jennifer Lawson Jen is a nurse, a single mother, and wants nothing more than to rid herself of ties to her ex-husband, the man who wrecked her dream of a loving family for her children. The last thing she wants is an attraction to another man:   It seems like I am just getting Steve out of my hair, and poof! Jake appears. This ain't fair,   God. It just ain't fair. I asked you to make it so that I could manage my life and be happy,   not make it more complicated. Now I find myself drawn to this guy like a mosquito to a bug   light and we both know how that ends. Why, Lord? Why? Then they meet... It's Jake's first day on the job.Can Jake overcome his fear of loving again and risk sharing his soul with another woman? Is it safe for Jennifer to be close to another man? How will a relationship affect her children?Sometimes, God's grace is difficult to accept. Jake and Jen learn that grace can overcome even the most difficult circumstances and pain. Author's Note I'm writing from experience as a hospice chaplain and a hopeless romantic. I hope you fall in love with the story of Jen and Jake and what they do to make life better for the people they serve. It's a deeply emotional and spiritual journey that I know will touch your heart and your soul.While this is a Christian romance novel and romantic religious fiction, the patient-related events are real with some details altered to protect privacy.There will be future stories about Jen and Jake as well as other wonderful people from Sunset, Texas. I'm committed to bringing you high quality romance under $3.

    Horse traders from Virginia, Ethan Sharpe and his brother Devon would defend their livelihood from her interfering kind. When love ignites, friends become enemies separated over the course of a long and brutal conflict. Can the very influences which carved a chasm unite a torn family against all odds?

    

    Returning to her hometown, Chicago, Allie Littenberg learns her actions had worse repercussions than she realized. Especially for Jack Callahan, the handsome Chicago cop she loved, but left. She finds Jack is now a bitter shell of a man, his tenderness erased by years of anguish. Can God use Allie to not only mend the hurts in her own family, but also bring peace to Jack, his son, and estranged wife? Allie is compelled to find out.