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Mattie's Girl: An Appalachian Childhood


Celia H. Miles - 2002
     In stories deeply rooted in 1940s Appalachia, June chronicles the years between meeting the irrepressible PeeDee and losing her. She struggles to understand her mother's indifference, her father's divided love, her grandmother's sudden death, her grandfather's being institutionalized. Three years later, PeeDee, riding the rails west, brings a final gift and the truth about Cade's murder. In this world forever gone, June survives and triumphs through the grace of family and friendship. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Celia H. Miles, a native of Jackson County in western North Carolina, now lives in Asheville. She attended Brevard College and Berea College and has graduate degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill and Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). She taught at Brevard College and Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. A long-time instructor of English, she now spends her time writing, photographing old mills and stone circles, and traveling. She has co-authored a college textbook, has published romance novels, historical and contemporary novels, along with stories and poems in various markets, and co-edited three women’s writing anthologies. Some of this material has been published in modified form in the following: “The Big Sycamore” in Cricket (October 2000) “Selling the Grit” in Yesterday’s Magazette (July-October 1998) “Backsliding” in Victoria Press (2000) “Going to the Dentist” in Victoria Press (1999)

The Chieftains of South Boston


Stephen Burke - 2011
    His two older brothers never left and are at the top of their respective games—politics and the Irish Mafia. At the wedding, family fireworks go off in spectacular fashion and end with an incident that sends the whole city of Boston into turmoil. An intense seven-day drama creates the ultimate test for the three brothers: how to be loyal to family, to friends and to a place called home.

Escape to Sunrise Cottage: A Fabrian Books' feel-good novel


Zara Thorne - 2017
     When artist Violet Brooke leaves her engagement ring on top of a Chinese wedding cabinet and runs away from the trendy apartment in London’s Brick Lane, there’s only one place to go – Sunrise Cottage. All she wants is to cosy up in her rural retreat, concentrate on her painting, and forget about Jayden Fox, bad boy of the East End art scene – he’s certainly forgotten about her. The last thing she needs is romance. Then handsome antique dealer Max Finch shows up in the middle of a field and the problem is, he’s impossible to resist. For Max, meeting Violet – and falling in love with her at first sight – is a turning point. His ex-wife, Sarah, has bipolar, and Max still feels partly responsible for her well-being. But Sarah has others to care for her now, and Max knows that if he is to win Violet’s trust, he must put her first. Max is not the only complication in Violet’s rural idyll. Before long, she’s shocked to discover that somebody wants her gone from the village, and they’re making sure she knows about it. But who? And why? Is this Violet’s cue to head back to London and pick up her real life? Or is Sunrise Cottage – and Max Finch – as real as it gets?

The Strategist


William Cunningham - 2013
    . . and how long would you live? When a disgraced former top Wall Street strategist starts to suspect the U.S. employment data is being manipulated to influence the Presidential election, he knows no one is going to listen. But when several people show up dead, a provocative reporter, who happens to be his ex-fiancée, takes notice. As they uncover a web of secrets, lies, and corruption, they are forced to choose between ambition, loyalty and love to save their lives . . . and the global economy. Set in the aftermath of the financial crisis, The Strategist is a fast paced, plot twisting thriller straight from today's headlines by a former Wall Street insider. But could it be real? Read it, then look at the recent employment data and decide for yourself!

The Dog Got It All


Robert McCullough - 2015
    Phipps is “one of those rescues who are all the rage these days,” an upscale Manhattan dog with a rich owner, a great dog walker and an idyllic New York lifestyle. But his world is turned upside down when his owner, Angie DeSoto, suddenly passes from pancreatic cancer. The good news is that Angie leaves her millions to Mr. Phipps and he finds himself temporarily in the care of Devin McCloud, his dog walker and best bud. The bad news is that her adult children, a contentious clan at best, are furious about being left out in the cold, money-wise. And there's more. According to the terms of the will, Mr. Phipps and his millions will go to one of Angie's progeny, specifically the one best qualified to take care of him. After a brief trial period in which each one takes the dog, their efforts will be judged by a panel of dog experts – a famous, Cesar Millan-style dog trainer, a pet psychic and a renowned behaviorist. To further complicate matters, love will strike on several fronts as Mr. Phipps tells his story and his fate unfolds in this charming canine romantic comedy that reads like a date night version of "Marley and Me".

New Doctor at Chestnut House: A Fabrian Books' Feel-Good Novel (Bramblewick Book 1)


Sharon Booth - 2017
     Is home a place—or a person? Anna's about to leave Bramblewick behind. She's due to marry her childhood sweetheart in a few weeks, and then she'll be heading to Kent and a whole new life. Connor's a new arrival in Bramblewick. He's bringing with him a whole lot of baggage, and he's doubtful that this small village on the Yorkshire Moors is the ideal place for him and his daughter, Gracie. It's not easy for Anna, watching Connor move into her family home and take over from her beloved father at the local surgery, but she's determined to help him settle in and adjust to rural life, so that the villagers get the doctor they deserve. Connor's not convinced. This country practice is very different to what he's used to, and the locals have some strange expectations of their GP. Protective of Gracie and hiding behind self-constructed barriers, Connor struggles to adapt to life in Bramblewick. Can Anna convince him that this is the place where he and Gracie can finally find happiness? And can she convince herself that leaving Bramblewick is the right move for her?

Miss Alphie's Secret


David R. Johnson - 2010
    Now that secret is about to be revealed--with potentially catastrophic geopolitical consequences.

Meeting Luciano


Anna Esaki-Smith - 1999
    Little has changed there. Her father's silk ties still hang limply in the closet even though he left years ago, and Hanako busies her days in relentless pursuit of all things European--especially opera. But when Hanako returns from a Pavarotti concert proclaiming that the opera star himself has promised to visit their home, Emily is amused. Until Hanako hires Alex, an aging, widowed carpenter to renovate the house for Pavarotti's imminent arrival--provoking Emily to seriously question her mother's sanity.As the remodeling consumes Hanako's every waking moment, along with a growing friendship with Alex, Emily grows suspicious of the handyman and the home improvements that her mother haphazardly pours her money into. But as Emily charts the course of her mother's odd preoccupation, and begins to wonder if Pavarotti will indeed make an appearance, she inadvertently finds herself learning some of life's most profound lessons. . . .

Time (Mirror Book 2)


Janessa Burt - 2015
     One – I would’ve tried shielding Miles from the ugliness of the mirror. Two – I would’ve listened to the warnings that despite the evil I’ve already met, worse was coming. Three – I would’ve recognized that while I was trying to keep everyone in the light, darkness crept into the hidden corners of myself I never knew existed. Four – I wouldn’t have so willingly trusted others just because they are family. Five – Most importantly, I would have shielded my heart before it turned black.

The Moments


Natalie Winter - 2019
    Moments that make us who we are. But what if they don't unfold the way they're supposed to...?What if you get on the wrong bus, or don't speak to the right person at a party, or stay in a job that isn't for you? Will you miss your one chance at happiness? Or will happiness find you eventually, when the moment is right?Meet Matthew and Myrtle. They have never really felt like they fitted - in life or with anyone else. But they are meant to be together - if only they can find each other.A powerful and emotional story about missed chances, interwoven lives and the moments that define us.

Predators and Prey


Abhinav Agarwal - 2020
    An Indian scientist on the run. The spy apparatus of three nations after him and the coveted secrets he intends to take to the highest authorities. A girl who has become an unwitting pawn in this deadly game. A mastermind who will stop at nothing. They are up against a man with a troubled past who stands between life and death, victory and defeat. A conspiracy so devious it could forever change the nation. A race against impossible odds and time. Who will get their hands on the secret first? About the Author Abhinav is a columnist, photographer, software professional, Hindi music addict, reader and reviewer, and curator of the Indic Book Club. Abhinav’s writings have been published in DNA, Pioneer, Swarajya, LinkedIn, OpIndia, Medium, and elsewhere. He has worked at technology companies in India, the United States, and Canada. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from Mumbai University and is a post-graduate from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. He lives in Bangalore with his wife and two daughters.

The Girl Who Played With The Ouija Board


William Malmborg - 2020
    

Herb's Pajamas


Abigail Thomas - 1998
    There's Walter, newly abandoned by his wife; there's Edith, a fiftyish virgin; there's Bunny, taking care of her mother and her mother's boyfriend; and there's Belle, whose married lover dies in the hallway wearing her dead husband Herb's pajama top. Blindly, they encounter one another in ways the reader recognizes are profound even as the characters themselves are unaware. The genius and the art in this collection derives from the possibility that these ships might actually find each other by daylight. If only these four could get together--they'd be so good for each other. "Written with an expert touch, and a wise and tender sensibility. The effect is subtle, strong, and comic."--Charles Baxter, author of BELIEVERS and BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE; "It's hard to think she is capable of writing anything that isn't immediately engaging and a joy to read. Probably someone should publish her shopping lists."--Elizabeth Berg, author of TALK BEFORE SLEEP. A BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH CLUB SELECTION

A Rose Among Thorns


Rosie Goodwin - 2009
    So Sassy is devastated when her father marries wealthy widow Elizabeth Bonner. Social climber Elizabeth despairs of a step-daughter who is more at ease with servants than those above stairs, and is jealous of Sassy's growing beauty which threatens to outshine her own daughter. Unwelcome and out of place in this unfamiliar world, Sassy often escapes to her old home on Tuttle Hill and the company of her childhood friends, brothers Thomas and Jack Mallabone. But the trio's bond is threatened by the consequences of her blind adoration for wayward Thomas, much to the dismay of Jack, who has long worshipped Sassy in secret...

The Rainbow Through The Rain


Elvi Rhodes - 1993
    Old Jacob had started the family antique business when he was nine years old, going round the big houses and buying small items of bric-a-brac for pennies. Now Brogden's was famous for its beautiful furniture and pictures. But the most beautiful - and valuable - thing in Jacob's life was his granddaughter, Lois - for Lois reminded him of the daughter he had lost so tragically many years ago. When Lois fell in love with John Farrar, the whole family were dismayed, for between Jacob and the Farrars was a deep and abiding feud that could never be mended. Lois, conscious of the storm clouds of war gathering over her future, was determined that nothing and no-one should come between her and her beloved John. But as war broke out, as families were torn apart, Lois found her life changing irrevocably.