A collection of nine stories explores the lasting influences, good and bad, of our families on our lives, in works that include a man offering advice to his lovesick grandson, a young man trying to repair his relationship with his estranged brother, two siblings unexpectedly reunited at a hospital bedside, and Milly and Charlie Diamond, a long-married couple that mysteriously regains their youth. Original.

Sequestered within the heart of a cosmopolitan city is an exotic world—a place where diamonds, astronomically priced, are bought and sold on the strength of a handshake, and business disputes are resolved according to ancient Jewish principles of arbitration. Yet it is also a modern industry facing the same fundamental global changes affecting all businesses today.In Diamond Stories, Renée Rose Shield leads us into the unexamined realm of wholesale diamond traders in New York. Related to several well-respected traders, she had unprecedented access to a society normally closed to outside inquiry. Here she deftly blends her personal relationship and her anthropological training to provide an insightful exploration of this tradition-bound industry, the new challenges it faces, and the ways both industry and individuals adapt to and endure change.Shield begins with a fascinating history of diamond mining, combining the story of the De Beers cartel, the role of Jews in the trade, and the part diamonds have played both in war and liberation. Throughout, she incorporates commentary by current diamond traders. Succeeding chapters explore the evolving nature of both the global trade and the New York diamond district. Shield takes a close look at the increasingly complex ethnic makeup of the district, illuminates the rarely documented work done by women, chronicles the resilient system of arbitration, and reveals the ways in which many traders work well into their eighties and nineties. Their long lives of work, cushioned by the trade's social environment, offer hints for successful aging in general.

NANNY WANTED Rufus, tall, dark handsome widower, seeks nanny for daughter, Jessica. Annie, young, pretty, and with experience caring for children, wants position as live-in nanny. Would welcome the chance to be part of a family. Jessica, eight years old, hopes for new wife for her dad. Her nanny, Annie, is just great, and anybody can see how much Daddy likes her—he even kissed her in the library! So why doesn't he make her a Diamond bride? Because silly Daddy's got it wrong and thinks Annie is in love with someone else, that's why….

Get ready to dive into a thrilling cozy mystery with The Blue Diamond. When thieves target her grandfather's small-town jewelry store, gemologist Kimberley West finds herself caught up in a deadly spree of kidnapping and murder. With a flawless blue diamond in hand and armed only with her standard poodle, Kim races to uncover the diamond's secrets and protect her loved ones. Along the way, she must navigate family drama and unexpected twists and turns. This fast-paced whodunit weaves diamond legend and lore, a feisty heroine and a dash of humor into a captivating mystery that will keep you guessing. Fans of David Rosenfelt, Kate Carlisle, and Kathi Daley will love this award-winning series, which can be read in any order. Kimberley West Gemstone Mystery Series: The Blue Diamond (book #1) The Pirate's Ruby (book #2) The Carolina Emerald (book #3) The Turquoise Treasure (book #4) What readers are saying about the series: “Took me back to that oh-so-delicious time when I couldn’t put a book down." "Wonderful series! Warm, funny and just delightful!" “A perfect whodunit with characters you will love and a plot that keeps you guessing until the end. Could not put it down.” “These are characters so real you want to call them up and visit. And get invited for dinner.” "Perfect reading for these very imperfect times."

If you are eager to learn how to gain greater awareness and understanding about the layers-of-truth and the often hidden facets of being female and clergy, this is the book for you! Discover the diamonds on each page as the author uses humor, wisdom, scriptures, and brief narratives to bring fresh sparkle to topics such as: -hearing a calling from God in a changing and sometimes biased society -balancing busy schedules -living into self-care -embracing forgiveness -being mentored and mentoring others in ministry -networking with male and female clergy colleagues and community leaders -negotiating benefits and salaries -keeping healthy sexual boundaries -maximizing play time with family and friends -learning quick tips for fashion, clothing, hairstyles, and even make-up It is the author's prayer that women in ministry, their families, colleagues, and faith communities will read and then be made more sensitive to the ways that all of us can support each other in our journeys to becoming even more brilliant in God's eyes.

THE CURSE OF THE HOPE DIAMOND AWAITS. Diamond thieves plan to hit major European cities in a brilliantly timed and orchestrated plot. Interpol must track them down before they attack. The robbers are cunning. Their schemes are ingenious. The target? Some of the world’s most prestigious jewelry stores, including Tiffany’s and Harry Winston’s. And annual events such as the Cannes Film Festival and the Paris Fashion Show. Diamond jewelry usually adorns movie stars and top models at these celebrations. If the criminals have their way, the diamonds will disappear. One of the daring bandits has his eye on the most famous gem in the world: the Hope Diamond. This 45-carat blue stone, surrounded by white diamonds, is valued at $245 million. On display at the Smithsonian for decades, the rock was originally mined in India in the 1600s and then inset in the forehead of a large temple idol. Throughout history, the Hope Diamond has either been stolen or sold for riches. But this stunning gemstone comes with a curse—dreadful misfortunes befall those who’ve possessed it. Is the thief willing to risk everything to steal this legendary treasure?

She hates diamonds. Then why’s she hunting the world’s most valuable one? Aria Raith, The Maldives. Oceanographer Aria Raith is the underworld’s best treasure hunter, a woman who finds rare gems in the oceans’ museum of pirate hordes. It’s one way to forget a sister who went missing thirteen years ago. Contracted to find the most extraordinary treasure in history, she’s finally found the gems she’s been looking for, and it’s time to cash in. Jave Lincoln, Washington DC. He’s the government’s best-kept secret and biggest problem. Harbouring a past that haunts him, he leaves home to serve his country. In India, no one will ask any questions. When a call from Aria’s father, British High Commissioner to India, requires Aria’s expertise to recover the much-contested Koh-i-Noor diamond that disappears during a special exhibition in Paris, Aria quickly learns that the diamond hides secrets more profound than her own and is a stone the wrong kind of people will kill for. Finding an unsuspecting ally in Jave, Aria must race against the clock to unravel clues a century-old diary hides. Clues and perhaps answers pointing to what happened to her sister. A breathless sprint across continents, The Koh-i-Noor Conspiracy is a gripping tale of intrigue and romps around the world at a thrilling pace.

My father says that a journey should always change your life in some way. Well, when you have nothing, I suppose a journey promises everything. "Diamonds for everyone." That's what fifteen-year-old Patson Moyo hears when his family arrives in the Marange diamond fields. Soon Patson is working in the mines along with four friends, pooling their profits for a chance at a better life. Each of them hopes to find a girazi, a priceless stone that could change their circumstances forever. But when the government's soldiers come to Marange, Patson's world is shattered. Set against the backdrop of Zimbabwe's brutal recent history, Diamond Boy is the story of a young man who succumbs to greed but finds his way out through a transformative journey to South Africa in search of his missing sister, in search of freedom, and in search of himself. A high-stakes, harrowing adventure in the blood-diamond fields of southern Africa, from the critically acclaimed author of Now Is the Time for Running.