When Jamie Crandall left Seattle for college twenty-five years ago, she was pregnant. Her mother demanded that she abort the child or get the hell out of Seattle and never come back. Jamie chose the latter, using her scholarship to UC Berkeley to disappear with the son she refused to abort. But now, everything has changed. Her mother has died, and Jamie is coming home to face the father of her son. Reuniting her son and his father will come at a high price though…Jamie has one more secret left to reveal.

Author's Event Verl Wheeler will be making a guest appearance, Sunday February 8, 2009 on Francoise’s Sunday radio talk show “Traveling with Francoise” on News Talk KPSI-920AM Palm Springs, CA from 11a-12p. Later that evening from 3p-5p he will be making a personal appearance/book signing at Palm Springs famous “Billy Reed” restaurant located at 1874 N. Palm Canyon Dr.

Justin and Chloe are spending their summer vacation with their grandparents in Wattling Lock. They aim to get involved with the animals and help their grandmother run the market stall. While exploring old wrecks in the river backwater, Chloe hears a soft voice radiating from the wheelhouse of an old tugboat. Always inquisitive, she looks inside and feebly calls, Is anyone there? but there is no reply. This spooked her as she stood alone in the dimly lit cabin and sent shivers running up and down her spine. Was it her imagination or was the Nene Queen enchanted? She persuades her father and grandpa to salvage the boat and gets the whole family involved in the rebuilding project. With their help, Sam turns an old tugboat into a magical pleasure boat in time for Chloes birthday. Barnaby has a special surprise for her that is the start of a thrilling new adventure. A family outing to the local steam rally with their friends Annabelle and Toby was an awesome occasion. Justin is beaten in two of the games by Annabelle and has to perform a forfeit, but did he let her win? A cruise down the river for a picnic turned into a pleasant surprise as the village cricket team was playing the Lords Taveners. The men revive old memories with their school pals while the youngsters are introduced to some famous stars.

Justin if barely hanging on, then a debt is called in, and he thinks he'll have to pay it off with his body. That's when Justin meets his stepbrother, Gabe. Gabe is a wealthy workaholic who is grieving the loss of his younger brother when his troubled stepbrother comes into his life. Justin needs a job and Gabe can't turn him away. He hires Justin as his personal assistant then demands he move in. Gabe is a man who is used to getting his way. Even when Justin becomes too much of a temptation for him, Gabe can't let him go. The arrangement turns into a lifeline for both of them, but Gabe has enemies who want to use Justin against him.

Lacy Gallatin, the youngest of the Gallatin sisters, is a woman with a mission: to find her father's killer. Haunted by the belief that she's failed him, Lacy is also battling a desire to have something more than just revenge, something she can't quite figure out. Enter Dave Shepard, deputy sheriff for the area. Dave has been fervently trying to find the man who killed George Gallatin, but he always feels inadequate when it comes to the beautiful Lacy. When they are together, the tension crackles between them--both when they argue and when they kiss. Lacy finds him frustratingly irresistible...but is it truly love?

Desiree Prescott doesn't believe in fairytale love anymore - not since her dreamboat ran off to Vegas years ago with another woman. She's content with her new fiance and she's going to make it work, but that's as far as it goes. Then a shocking phone call in the middle of the night sends her to take care of three children in Atlanta - where she finds herself living next door to hunky ex- baseball star Gerard Kingsley. And when her man back home runs at the sight of the kids, Desiree can't help noticing how Gerard is so caring and unselfish with them - and with her...

A Sobering story of one man’s battle to make it through life while overcoming his adversities, learning to cope with his ADHD, struggling with PTSD, and fighting off his addiction(s). Life can be difficult and overwhelming at times; add to that, the trauma one can experience, and it can feel downright impossible. Growing up in a community of outlaw Marijuna farmers and the culture that comes with that is messy. Then, join the military, Law Enforcement, SPEC-OPS, become physically disabled from your injuries, and lose your firstborn child. You might not make it out alive or with your sanity. Life. The amazing adventure that it is can be difficult. From raw moments of pain and suffering to beautiful moments of Joy and Laughter. Trauma can leave you vulnerable if you let it. When you get knocked down how will you pick yourself back up? If you have endured hardship in your life or are still having trouble making it through each day, maybe, just maybe, this story can help you. Opening your mind to just what you can do and how strong you can be. How we may face trauma in life and what we may do to recover from that. Having a unique perspective on life, through extreme circumstances, has given me much gratitude. Reading these stories might give you an idea of just how much we can endure and how resilient the Human psyche can actually be. I hope that you can learn from my mistakes and let my darkness light your path. Closed minds don’t get fed. Author: Justin Orion Mitchell, U.S. Sheepdog, Retired