The Novels
Roberta in Vernazza, Italy
THE VERNAZZA EFFECT (2013) - A young woman discovers her destiny.
Do we control our destiny or is it controlled by a greater power? For Ella Walker that question is put to the test as she seeks refuge in Italy to heal her fractured body and soul. Ella's journey leads her to Vernazza, Italy, which is a magical place where a person can find the tranquility that is needed to answer life's most important question: What is the meaning of my life? Just as Ella discovers her answer, fate intervenes with a cruel twist that threatens to destroy her dreams. She must look deeply within herself to confront her fears and desires as she struggles to hold on to her dreams that were born in Vernazza.
Do we control our destiny or is it controlled by a greater power? For Ella Walker that question is put to the test as she seeks refuge in Italy to heal her fractured body and soul. Ella's journey leads her to Vernazza, Italy, which is a magical place where a person can find the tranquility that is needed to answer life's most important question: What is the meaning of my life? Just as Ella discovers her answer, fate intervenes with a cruel twist that threatens to destroy her dreams. She must look deeply within herself to confront her fears and desires as she struggles to hold on to her dreams that were born in Vernazza.
Missy as Tara Collins
THE FOUNDATION (First edition: 2014; Second edition 2020) - A spirited lawyer battles a high-flying pimp to save a teenage runaway.
Tara is an idealistic lawyer who wants to change the world. She has devoted her life to helping people during troubled times. She’s a pillar of the community and admired by all. Alexander is a self-made entrepreneur who survived a horrific childhood. He amassed a fortune by bending the rules to win in business. He’s a loner who trusts no one. The two of them have nothing in common until a teenage runaway is found in an alley, beaten and left for dead. The girl is rushed to a hospital where she recovers with one exception: she refuses to talk to anyone. Tara’s nonprofit foundation is asked to intervene, and as she pieces together what happened, a terrifying trail of abuse leads straight to Alexander, a man who will stop at nothing to protect his empire. The Foundation is a gritty thriller that explores the impact of the choices we make. The story leaves you asking, “How could this happen in a civilized society?” * Warning: This book contains profanity, sex and violence.
Tara is an idealistic lawyer who wants to change the world. She has devoted her life to helping people during troubled times. She’s a pillar of the community and admired by all. Alexander is a self-made entrepreneur who survived a horrific childhood. He amassed a fortune by bending the rules to win in business. He’s a loner who trusts no one. The two of them have nothing in common until a teenage runaway is found in an alley, beaten and left for dead. The girl is rushed to a hospital where she recovers with one exception: she refuses to talk to anyone. Tara’s nonprofit foundation is asked to intervene, and as she pieces together what happened, a terrifying trail of abuse leads straight to Alexander, a man who will stop at nothing to protect his empire. The Foundation is a gritty thriller that explores the impact of the choices we make. The story leaves you asking, “How could this happen in a civilized society?” * Warning: This book contains profanity, sex and violence.
My three favorite strangers
THE BENNETT WOMEN (2015) - Three generations of women find their path in life and with each other.
Inspiration for this story came from a travel photo I took of a family who were enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime vacation in Italy. I don't know these women, but their image has always captured my imagination. This novel is an absorbing portrayal of three women who are at a crossroad with one another and the world around them. As tension mounts, the Bennett women will confront buried truths about their lives, and they will begin to know themselves and each other in wondrous new ways. This tender yet unflinching story examines what moves them from daughter, mother, and grandmother to something much deeper.
Inspiration for this story came from a travel photo I took of a family who were enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime vacation in Italy. I don't know these women, but their image has always captured my imagination. This novel is an absorbing portrayal of three women who are at a crossroad with one another and the world around them. As tension mounts, the Bennett women will confront buried truths about their lives, and they will begin to know themselves and each other in wondrous new ways. This tender yet unflinching story examines what moves them from daughter, mother, and grandmother to something much deeper.
Andy fishing in Belize
THE THINGS WE DON'T SAY (2017) - A contemporary love story.
I introduced Lilia Bennett-Parker and Matthew Campbell in The Bennett Women. Lilia Bennett-Parker has two loves: her cello and Matt Campbell. She’s not ready to settle down with her handsome, kind partner, though. When an incredible offer to join a symphony orchestra comes her way, she moves three thousand miles to pursue her dream. In California, Lilia quickly makes new friends, including Mei Li, a violinist preparing to raise a baby as a single mother. Meanwhile, back in Pennsylvania, Matt feels trapped by his responsibilities to his family and discontented with the increasingly commercial direction his software company is taking. After social media and Skype prove to be poor substitutes for face-to-face time, Matt and Lilia are tempted to end their relationship. When a friend asks Lilia for an enormous favor and Matt winds up in the midst of a hurricane, they must both decide what matters most to them. When they choose the lives they want, will they choose each other?
I introduced Lilia Bennett-Parker and Matthew Campbell in The Bennett Women. Lilia Bennett-Parker has two loves: her cello and Matt Campbell. She’s not ready to settle down with her handsome, kind partner, though. When an incredible offer to join a symphony orchestra comes her way, she moves three thousand miles to pursue her dream. In California, Lilia quickly makes new friends, including Mei Li, a violinist preparing to raise a baby as a single mother. Meanwhile, back in Pennsylvania, Matt feels trapped by his responsibilities to his family and discontented with the increasingly commercial direction his software company is taking. After social media and Skype prove to be poor substitutes for face-to-face time, Matt and Lilia are tempted to end their relationship. When a friend asks Lilia for an enormous favor and Matt winds up in the midst of a hurricane, they must both decide what matters most to them. When they choose the lives they want, will they choose each other?
The inspiration for Clara: my husband's aunt, Dora Carothers.
CLARA'S WAY (2019) - Historical fiction
A nurse faces danger and unexpected love during the construction of the Panama Canal. This story offers little-known details about the Canal’s history.
The year is 1904. Nurse Clara Tyler happily spends her days tending patients in rural Ohio. Her brother, who is working in Panama on the great canal, informs the family he must return home due to illness. Too sick to travel alone, he begs Clara to come and get him. Anxious to go but determined to save her brother, Clara makes her way to the Canal Zone. She is quickly drawn into a web of heartbreak, controversy, and friendship that keeps her there. When her father demands she return, Clara must decide where she belongs in this gripping tale about love and loss, courage, and the unexpected paths that shape our lives.
A nurse faces danger and unexpected love during the construction of the Panama Canal. This story offers little-known details about the Canal’s history.
The year is 1904. Nurse Clara Tyler happily spends her days tending patients in rural Ohio. Her brother, who is working in Panama on the great canal, informs the family he must return home due to illness. Too sick to travel alone, he begs Clara to come and get him. Anxious to go but determined to save her brother, Clara makes her way to the Canal Zone. She is quickly drawn into a web of heartbreak, controversy, and friendship that keeps her there. When her father demands she return, Clara must decide where she belongs in this gripping tale about love and loss, courage, and the unexpected paths that shape our lives.
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