Find eBooks at your favorite store by clicking the BOOKS2READ below each book description.
For paperbacks and Kindle eBooks, follow the link to Amazon.com
The Crossroads of America Collection
Making Up Time
Over the Teacups
Until Hope Whispers
I love history and I'm captivated by 1920s Indianapolis. While the city thrums to the beat of opportunity and the roar of engines, folks throw caution to the wind or cling to tradition. Wall Street sizzles, suffragettes rally, and bootleggers smuggle. Eyebrows rise in tandem with hemlines, and syncopated tunes blare over time-honored waltzes. Whether one dives headfirst into the prosperous era or adheres to convention, shadows of the Great War test a person’s mettle. How does one make way for contentment and love in a rapidly changing, unrecognizable world?
Books in the collection are stand-alone novels, each with
unique characters and story lines.
March 1924. Mattie Duncan has a word for every occasion and a cryptic clue to define each one, but when she is accused of a crime that carries a severe punishment, the situation leaves the crossword puzzle creator
D-U-M-B-S-T-R-U-C-K, ten letters; astonishingly silent.
Hugh Duncan wrestles with an unreasonable work assignment that keeps him from investigating his sister’s legal woes. He can’t afford to hire an attorney, but he’ll cough up the dough and sacrifice some shut-eye until he wrings the truth out of the eyewitness or tracks down the guilty party.
Olive Thayer’s daughter claims her mother is dead, but the living, breathing widow just landed a job. The spine-chilling incident that led her to the Indiana Woman’s Prison makes her wonder if she’d be better off without the room and board. The way she sees it, the differences between being down on her luck and living a nightmare are the locks and keys that separate the two.
When trouble leaves no room for escape, what’s a body to do?
Paperback and Kindle editions: https://www.amazon.com
Other eBook vendors: https://books2read.com
July 1919. When the train deposits Odette at Indianapolis’ Union Station, tucked among her belongings is a special commendation signed by General John J. Pershing, Commander in Chief, American Expeditionary Forces. Another priceless memento rests in the crevices of her heart. He has a name, but she isn’t at liberty to speak it. Not yet.
Though she left the Great War behind her, unanticipated skirmishes arise on the home front. The War Department seems incapable of processing paperwork related to her Signal Corps service, and her parents’ urgent quest to steer her down the matrimonial aisle is in direct opposition to the promises she made while she served in France.
She puts off everything and everyone while she waits for the remedy that will set her future on its perfect course, but nothing prepares her for the ambush that follows.
Paperback and Kindle editions: https://www.amazon.com
Other eBook vendors: https://books2read.com
One contender’s rigid personality might leave him susceptible to disaster, but his rival uncovers some faulty steering that could prevent him from carrying his bride across the finish line. Add another dame to the mix while the leader limps around the track, and spark plugs fly.
As Emmett and Archie aim for the prize, their personal defects and vulnerabilities prove to be as perilous and costly as the risks taken by the racetrack daredevils who chase their dreams.
Available in paperback and eBook. SHOP AMAZON
“During the Great
Depression, 165 West Virginia families were chosen to leave the desolate
coal
fields and were given a chance to become homesteaders in the new town of
Arthurdale.
Often called Eleanor Roosevelt’s Little Village because of her
commitment to its success, this deeply
researched novel imagines one family’s experiences in this exciting change to their fate and fortunes.”
— Jeanne Goodman, Archivist and past Executive Director, Arthurdale Heritage, Inc.
September 1936. Sam Corley is staking his family’s future on the President of the United States, but if he has to wait two more years for FDR’s promises to come to fruition, he and his will starve. With the coal company teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, life in Scotts Run, West Virginia is going from precarious to ruinous.
Hazel Corley is fretting over the arrival of another child as much as she fears another winter in a dilapidated house that shudders when the winds howl through the hollow. Folks who work hard shouldn’t suffer so much empty: empty pockets, empty shelves, and empty bellies. If their relocation to Arthurdale, a place of self-sufficiency and full employment, turns out to be an empty dream, sorrow stands ready to overwhelm the void.
Although hope seems but a slender lifeline, Sam and Hazel refuse to let it slip from their grasp.
Charleston Ballet’s early history in her book Wish Me Joy West Virginia!”
—Kim R. Pauley, Artistic Director and CEO, the Charleston
Ballet
1955. Fern
Bigler has weathered storms and suffered loss, but the air hovering above her
beloved hills and hollows carries an unmistakable warning, something akin to
the hair-raising static that ushers in a lightning strike. When the former danseur
étoile—star dancer—of the Royal Opera of Brussels sets off a spark that
threatens to consume her family, Fern is determined to extinguish the fire.
But, what if the flame resides in her daughter’s heart?
Leland Dugan’s good intentions don’t amount to much, not when one blunder or unavoidable crisis follows another. His wife’s spirit seems to gravitate toward empty. Empty arms, abandoned dreams, aimless days. Although Muriel chose to live in Elizabeth, West Virginia, for better or for worse, it’s plain to see she’s itching for more. Just once, Leland would like a taste of joy in the morning, a promise so precious but beyond his reach.
“From the moment I set foot in Bigler’s General Store, I felt like I was home.
Valerie Banfield paints the hills and the people from them with gentle grace.
I can hear the whippoorwill and feel the breeze through the sycamores.
As they say from my neck of the woods, ‘You done good.’”
— Chris Fabry, Author of the Dogwood series
July 1933. Percy Bigler is a contented, homespun boy from the hills and hollows of Elizabeth, West Virginia, but as the Great Depression lingers, necessity leads him to enroll in the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC’s projects require an army of hard-working laborers, and Percy doesn’t shy from hazardous duties, but he finds himself in unfamiliar territory more than two thousand miles from home where egos, innuendos, and a particularly stubborn female test his determination to provide for his family.
Percy
dodges pitfalls, battles to protect his heart, and suffers an acute case of
homesickness while everything he loves in West Virginia begins to fray. He
wants to heed his father’s wise words, “When life gets tough, do likewise,” but
it’s hardly that simple. Duty tells him to stay the course. His heart calls him
home. Either choice wields an immeasurable and irretrievable loss.
Click Here to enjoy an interview with Percy Bigler. You’ll
discover he’s not just a right nice fellow, he’s also rather charming.
SHOP AMAZON Paperback and eBook
This selection is enrolled in Amazon's Kindle Unlimited.
“No collection of historical fiction is
complete without this Korean War-era gem
by Cascade Award-winning author, Valerie Banfield.”
—Lisa Grace, author of The 15th Star
May 1950, Appalach1a. DALE JENNINGS’ future is made in the shade. He’s just months away from earning his college degree, and a promising career as a linguist will set his life on a grand course. He’s smart, he’s enthusiastic, and even better . . . he’s got a girl who sets his heart aflutter. If he could get her to buy into his potential, he’d be in Fat City.
CARLA LOVELESS’ dream hit a sour note when her father failed to return from his World War II assignment. When the post-war era ushers in prosperity, it sidesteps the Loveless household. Yet . . . try as she might to accept her downgraded situation, Carla can’t squelch the rhythm and the melody that nourish her soul.
Carla savors the informal, jazzy duets that characterize the stolen hours she spends with Dale. She thrives on his attention and affections, but he’s a smooth-talking college boy. Better to beware than to contemplate his unreal world.
The invasion of South Korea by its northern neighbor earns some headlines, but like everyone else, Dale disregards the event. It’s no big deal. Carla’s mother, shrew that she is, harbors the greater threat to Dale’s picture-perfect plans. He’ll figure it out. It’ll be copacetic. Everything will be swell.
WHAT’S A LITTLE SHORTCUT . . .
WHEN IT LEADS TO A PRIZE . . .
THAT PROMISES SO MUCH MORE THAN THE RISK?
The path to position, prestige, and the perfect mate looms in the distant future, but Audrey Taylor has the prerequisite moxie and cravings to secure her trophies now. Tucked away in her arsenal is an array of persuasive attributes, any of which may prove effective in her quest.
JoDee Remington swears it’s not an addiction; it’s entertainment with an upside. After the downside catches up with her, she promises to quit. When she discovers another game that delivers the same thrill, she sidesteps the vow she made to her husband and schemes for the means to skirt discovery.
Audrey scores massive victories as she employs her strategies, but when her beau uncovers her methods, she falters. JoDee, faced with a staggering incident, devises a plot in self-preservation that promises an “all or nothing” outcome. It’s about risk and reward . . . isn’t it?
Shop AMAZON Paperback and Kindle
This selection is enrolled in Amazon's Kindle Unlimited.
“Banfield takes us on a journey
with Zach Hoyt who is Caucasian; his wife, Juanita, who is
American Indian;
Stan Benton, who is African American, and a diverse cast of secondary
characters.
I would have loved this book alone for that reason, but Ms. Banfield added another element: Juanita is deaf, a condition that ties the stories together. I also loved the faith element found in this realistic and captivating book.”
—Toni Shiloh, author of the Maple Run and
Freedom Lake series
Maybe Zach Hoyt’s expectations were overly optimistic; the
business he inherited from his father wasn’t exactly booming. He might also
concede that he was a tad naïve to imagine that his past would remain buried,
along with his sullied reputation.
Juanita Hoyt wants a do-over. She shouldn’t have yielded to her husband’s unrelenting pleas to move to this ghastly community. Now Zach has hatched a harebrained scheme to save the business and, once again, he hasn’t heeded her objections.
Stan Benton collects trouble like a magnet picks up stray nails, and he reaps disorder as often as he dispenses justice. Every little thing fuels his bitterness and his anger—dangerous traits for an officer of the law.
When hoodlums set out to overturn the good intentions of the neighborhood watch, why do they heap their efforts at Zach’s feet? Why him? And why does Stan get stuck babysitting the community where his notoriety makes him about as welcome as the hooligans he’s charged to deter? Is anyone in control here?
Shop AMAZON Paperback and Kindle
This selection is enrolled in Amazon's Kindle Unlimited.
“The presentation of the Costa
Rican involvement in WWII was fascinating. It’s a new perspective
that I
suspect few people have and it deserves a wider audience. This is a book I will
recommend to those who love historical fiction, especially WWII enthusiasts.”
—Jane Kirkpatrick, New York Times and CBA bestselling author
“Banfield accomplished the difficult task of finding a little-known fact of history and
bringing it to life. Well done! She carefully, successfully, balanced two stories
and made them work—alone and together.”
Spring 1940. Muy Bella, Costa Rica
SAVANNAH HAMILTON isn’t looking for love—she’s watched that commodity vanish too many times to care—but she’s frantic for a mate. As the deadline approaches, things look hopeless. Then he shows up.
MICAH KELLER isn’t too keen to learn that the predicament described by the prospective bride held more illusion than fact. Nothing at Misión de Cacao resembles his expectations—especially her.
While two imperfect people make a go of an unlikely pairing, war erupts. With the speed and intensity of an epidemic, fear and distrust ignite the globe. Costa Rica is not immune, and when it’s time for countries to name their allies, Micah and Savannah find themselves in the path of an unimaginable firestorm. As distance and time render their tenuous relationship unrecognizable, is the promise to honor their hasty commitment far too costly, or will love abide all things?
Find eBook vendors here: SHOP BOOKS2READ
The rock star.
Before Nate Fowler fled from the spotlight, his fans saw the soul of an honorable man. It’s been three years. Where did he go? Does he really think he can make a comeback without spilling his secret?
The writer.
Samantha Hill is desperate to get the scoop. But what makes her think she has any hope of interviewing the reclusive musician? After all, she’s been hiding too.
When Sammi imposes herself on her target, she ventures far enough to glimpse Nate’s burdens: he’s human; he’s vulnerable. And she’s temptation.
If Sammi wants to pen a story, she has to expose her past and unmask her heart. As long as yesterday’s shadows overpower the present, how can either Sammi or Nate hope to begin anew?
Find eBook vendors here: SHOP BOOKS2READ
DECEMBER 1895, near the shoals of Nantucket.
When an urgent need trumps a perilous passage, the fare is costlier than anyone imagined.
Crew member Thomas Burton, stationed aboard the lightship Nautican, is no stranger to risk and loss. In the aftermath of a shipwreck, he plucks survivors from the wintry Atlantic waters, only to have them turn his world upside down. When calamity and evil follow the victims ashore, what’s the man to do?
When a relocation annihilates plans and promises, and jeopardizes the future, all that remains is his faith.
Dustin
Turner braces himself for a miserable senior year at Heritage High, where the
social misfit faces affluent teens who own heavy doses of attitude. When he
realizes the student body is blind to the lies and deception loitering in the
hallways, will Dustin shrink into the shadows or will he take a stand?
When the tempest roars, where lies the safest course?
Find eBook vendors here: BOOKS2READ
Sixteen-year-old Luke Samuels wants to leave his nightmares behind and start a new life. He plans to flee during a teen retreat held at a church campground.
Andy Wooten already left his past behind. To help develop his new reputation, he volunteers to be a camp counselor for the retreat. When Luke goes missing, Andy joins the search.
In the midst of a wicked storm, Luke encounters three bank robbers and their hostage. Someone has to forfeit his carefully planned future. How far will each go to take what they want?
Find eBook vendors here: BOOKS2READ
Shop AMAZON Paperback and Kindle
Brian Mowery stakes the
reputation of Ten-Tenth’s Top Gear on a perfect manufacturing process.
Race car drivers stake their lives on his reputation. When a series of mishaps,
innuendos, and allegations wander through his shop’s front door, Brian has to
act before the incidents wreak havoc on his good name.
Six-year-old Mia Nelville sweet-talks her parents into giving her a trial run as a quarter midget race car driver. Her racing career promises to run full-tilt—as long as Uncle Brian’s headaches don’t upend his commitment to be her pit boss.
When complications multiply, the man known for gifting second chances finds himself in need of redemption. As Mia witnesses Uncle Brian’s attempts to fix his shattered world, she wonders if his future is destined for the dreaded black flag, or if his choices will earn him the victory lap.
Find eBook vendors here: BOOKS2READ
Shop AMAZON Paperback and Kindle
“Banfield’s unique and different voice allows the reader some oohs and ahs throughout her writing. Her book includes suspense and romance, and is storytelling in its truest form.”
—Linda K. Rodante, author of the Dangerous series
He’s everything she ever wanted; she’ll do whatever it takes to keep him. But when her masquerade unravels, is she willing to pay the price of her deception?
When Diane Cooper, invites her best friend, Gina Brandt, to her Venezuelan wedding, little does Gina know that her maid of honor duties include duping the groom. Diane’s timing couldn’t be worse.
Gina celebrates the close of a miserable chapter in her life and the onset of what promises to be a better narrative, but in the midst of Diane’s sham, Gina struggles to safeguard her integrity and newfound faith.
When a chunk of Diane’s veneer crumbles, she attempts to cover her dishonest steps and unwittingly exposes a series of betrayals and deceit, perpetrated decades earlier by a ruthless pretender. With his misdeeds exposed, will blackmail sooth the vindictive deceiver’s hunger, or will he resort to something more ominous and deadly to silence his accusers?
Find eBook vendors here: BOOKS2READ
When Alzheimer’s hijacked her father, Disorder upended Connie’s world. When a stranger uses her as a pawn, danger lurks and chaos simmers.
Evan Nichols has the evidence; an unsavory pair wants it back. If he’s caught? He hasn’t much at stake. He’s already lost his wife and kissed his home goodbye. He drives a disintegrating rattletrap; his business is on life support.
Since the Alzheimer’s diagnosis, confusion and turmoil override Connie Thompkins’ routine life as a CPA and part-time basket weaver. When Evan’s misdeeds spiral into Connie’s realm, his antics challenge her faith and steal her contentment.
The immediate distaste they hold for each other leaves them flailing in a tangled web of distrust and discord. He needs a willing accomplice. She wants the sneaky interloper to right his life’s ambitions and choose an honorable path. They can’t undo the past. Can they salvage their futures?
Find eBook vendors here: BOOKS2READ