In the fifth book of the series, family loyalties are put to the test; Eric and Travis fret over Tanner, while Eric's girlfriend Dana proves Sam and Jenny's youngest hasn't fallen far from the tree. Mitch's tenure in Iraq continues as Chelsea marries, then receives the shock of her life.As the recession hits America, the Cassels and Smiths are faced with further joys and dilemmas; Will and Bethany give Sam and Jenny their first grandchild, but Eric is torn by his love for an injure...

Noth's arrival on Enran piques the curiosity of many; fellow Humans Sooz and Dardram are wary while the ageless Squee from Donsaret recalls a previous partner in crime. Corruption is rampant in the twenty-ninth century, but while most assume the recent abductions are related to the nefarious Tyrah, only Noth's presence demands the appearance of Chief Ryder Renavier, who assures the Enran populace all are safe.When one of Renavier's operatives is murdered, suspicion falls on the new...

During NaPoWriMo, or National Poetry Writing Month, this author's goal was to fashion one poem per day throughout April 2014. That objective was met in a gamut of poems, many concerning quilting and the martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Other subjects were tackled, such as writing, chemotherapy, music, baseball, and laundry, sometimes within one poem. Ultimately, this volume is bound by fabrics and faith, and the question of what a twentieth century pastor silenced by the Nazis might have done i...

Andrea Falstaff celebrates her seventy-second birthday with family, but an unexpected guest from her past disturbs the party. Yet how can Andrea's first lover Thom Sugerman still be so young; the last time Andrea saw him, five decades before, he was already thirty-two years old.With no apparent reason for Thom's odd reappearance, and no other place for him to go, Andrea allows him to sleep on the sofa, yet Thom wants to resume their previous relationship. Andrea struggles with feel...

Life in Arkendale, Oregon has finally settled; Will and Chelsea Harris seem untouched by their father's injuries while their parents have found lasting contentment. But Sam Cassel and Jenny Cope face their deepest fears alongside the Iranian hostage crisis and the eruption of Mount St. Helens. As Sam struggles with paternal insecurities, his mettle is tested when a volcano explodes, triggering Jenny's worst dread. Ash rains on the village as Sam and Tommie seek answers to her childhood tra...

In the final novel of the series, patience is required by many Arkendale residents; Eric and Dana face her brother's return as Rachel falls in love with Cory. David and Sandra decide to become parents, as Will struggles with writing a book. Chelsea ponders another chance at motherhood while Jenny and Sam watch a couple mirror their past, but Jenny's aches increase; is chocolate pound cake no longer helpful?The Iraq War winds down as weddings and new babies balance Eric's deep sorro...

In this third part of the series, the culmination of the Snyders' hopes becomes reality, yet the truth about Laurie and Stanford makes Sam wary. Pastor Marek Jaworski provides peace to Eric, but slight worry for Lynne. However Renee frets most, when Sam's sister Frannie makes a dramatic announcement. Set in 1962, the fallout of Fran Canfield's pregnancy deeply affects both the Snyders and Aherns. Eric organizes a local exhibit, learning more about Marek, but the truth of the cleric's past ...

In the series' conclusion, while on patrol Strivek and Brynn share past memories as Ronan heads to Malapy for answers. While a wedding unites one couple, others debate their differences, but the plague is forgotten as maladies related to the war endanger those at Yasbek Ranch.

In 1963, while the Snyders appreciate a great blessing, anguish builds for Seth Gordon, yet Renee Ahern finds peace. Eric senses a departure on the horizon when Seth's mental health worsens, leading the painter into an enlightening discussion with his pastor as Marek Jaworski reveals who he left behind in Poland. Laurie Abrams travels to Miami after Seth attempts suicide and isn't sure his cousin will recover from a most debilitating depression. Then Laurie learns the horrific truth when S...

Liberating Chelak from reproductive slavery, Sooz and Dardram find themselves in 1971 California on the front yard of widower Richard Lund and his five-year-old daughter Gilly. The Lunds are stymied by their visitors' claim to be from another galaxy, but Sooz's medical acumen remains only for those in the Mendocino County district who fear being harassed for their ethnicity.A love story, Home and Far Away explores Richard and Sooz's irreverent attraction as well as Sooz's ...

A variety of brief and not so short tales are presented in this anthology, with themes that include why me, fools rush in, trash day, loneliness, poverty, out of the ashes, stitches, meringue, and pumpkins. "The Todd Lambert Special" pays homage to the author's Alvin's Farm series; "He's Among Angels" explores the memory of a beloved sibling. "Pork Fried Rice and Recessed Lights" was inspired by NaNoWriMo and kitchen renovations, while "Various Little Birds" recalls Britain and embroidery....

Jo Adams can't speak of her late father, whom she watched die when she was a child. When her mother, novelist Hannah Adams, introduces Jo to English movie star Jeremy Stewart, instant attraction leads to a one-night stand, but Jo flees, afraid of commitment.Through letters the couple reconnects, as Jo describes her grandparents' unsuccessful struggle to preserve their mixed marriage. Unable to commit to Jeremy, Jo resumes a loveless affair, while Jeremy's performance in There Is So...