Books

Whence You Came

Nine-year-old Karl Hardt falls in love with Hayley Dalen in 1879 on the day she arrives at the one-room schoolhouse in Pennsylvania. Their friendship deepens over the years while Hayley remains unaware of Karl's feelings for her. When Hayley marries another man, Karl weds his second choice but is unable to put his first love behind him.

Maddie Reynolds manages a boutique in modern-day downtown Chicago. She needs inspiration to design a vintage-style window display in the store, so one morning, she brings her unique family heirloom to the boutique. Derek, the handsome man across the aisle from her in the commuter train, claims his mother possesses an antique handkerchief exactly like the one Maddie is holding. Both families have speculated as to the meaning of the strange embroidery, but the greater mystery to Maddie and Derek is the connection between their family ancestors. As they team up to gather clues to the past, the two realize they are falling in love. They must decide whether the possibility of being relatives is enough to keep them apart.

(Click on cover image to take you the author's Amazon.com page.)

Released in October 2018...

Grandma Lily

Lily Heinz falls in love with Owen Kennedy when both are teenagers. The young couple hope to marry in the summer of 1912, but her protective parents refuse to grant consent for another year. While Owen is in London attending a business course, Lily realizes she might be pregnant. She hopes her parents will reconsider their decision given the circumstances.

Sixty-five years later, Lily tells her granddaughter her tale of love, heartbreak, and the toughest decision she would ever be forced to make.

(Click on cover image to take you to the author's Amazon page.)

Released in April 2025...

Open Hearts, Open Home:
A Foster Family Story

Sophia, her brother, and their parents are new to being a foster family. She helps explain to young readers some of the ups and downs of the journey. Sometimes foster care is difficult, but other times, being a foster family is a wonderful blessing. Sophia addresses lessons learned from the children who come to stay at her home including effects of trauma, the role of a foster family, and how everyone can grow and benefit from saying “yes” to kids in crisis.

Is your family considering becoming a foster family? Written to help families prepare for foster care, to guide family discussions beforehand, and to encourage anyone who may be beginning (or is already on-board) the ride that is foster care, Open Hearts, Open Home is a tool for any foster family’s toolbox.