Showing results by narrator "Linda Stephens" in All Categories

Set in the wilds of 1876 South Dakota, A Claim of Her Own by two-time Christy Award finalist Stephanie Grace Whitson follows the fortunes of 20-year-old Mattie O'Keefe as she embarks upon an arduous journey to find her brother Dillon. When she reaches the gold-rush boomtown of Deadwood, no one seems to know where Dillon is. The resourceful Mattie begins to pan for gold anyhow, hoping her brother will soon arrive. But a relentless stalker draws closer to his prey.

In Cathy Holton’s winning novels, the popular author sketches insightful portraits of women even as she displays a rare talent for balancing humor and heartache. Beach Trip finds four middle-aged friends convening at a beautifully appointed beach house - and reexamining their lives.

In this anthology of creative nonfiction, 28 writers set out to discover what they know, and don't know, about the person they call Mother. Celebrated writers Samia Serageldin and Lee Smith have curated a diverse and insightful collection that challenges stereotypes about mothers and expands our notions of motherhood in the South. The mothers in these essays were shaped, for good and bad, by the economic and political crosswinds of their time.

While helping Ruby Wilcox clean up the loft above their shops, China comes upon a box of antique handcrafted lace and old photographs. Following the discovery, she hears a woman humming an old Scottish ballad and smells the delicate scent of lavender.... Soon, strange happenings start to occur in Thyme and Seasons: misplaced items, a ringing bell, and the appearance of lavender sprigs in odd places. When a customer mentions seeing a mysterious woman picking flowers nearby and then suddenly disappearing, China must finally admit what Ruby has always known - their building is haunted. But by whom?

For the inimitable Lee Smith, place is paramount. For 45 years, her fiction has lived and breathed with the rhythms and people of the Appalachian South. But never before has she written her own story. Set deep in the rugged Appalachian Mountains, the Grundy of Lee Smith's youth was a place of coal miners, mountain music, and her daddy's dimestore. It was in that dimestore - listening to customers and inventing life histories for the store's dolls - that she began to learn the craft of storytelling.

Christy and RITA Award-winner Robin Lee Hatcher pens the moving stories of four women working in Boise, Idaho during World War II. Margo King fears for her son fighting on the North African front and tries to hide her painful past. Dotty King searches for forgiveness from her mother and God after committing a single ardent mistake. Lucy Anderson struggles to resist temptation while her husband is away in England. And Penelope Maxfield longs for a new life free from her husband and children. Told from each woman’s perspective, this story chronicles the hardships and uncertain times they all try to overcome with the help of their faith.

In the winter of 1966, Katherine Reid moves to an isolated cabin deep in Georgia's Appalachian Mountains. There, with little more than a sleeping bag, a tin plate, and a loaded gun, she plans to spend her time in peaceful solitude. But one day Katherine realizes the woods are not empty, and she is not alone. Someone else is near, observing her every move.

In the Deep South, where love and hatred run deep and close, dissension often summers just beneath the surface. When a family gathers for a funeral as its old homestead above the waters of Mobile Bay, it must carry out the last wish of the aunt and sister whom it has come to mourn. It is a wish that will unearth a terrible secret, one that will either tear her siblings and their offspring apart or allow them to accept buried memories, wounds, and love.

In a poignant tale that prompts both tears and laughter, Linda Stephens' magnificent narration highlights the simple eloquence of Pattillo's central theme: Sharing the burdens of others puts our own in perspective - and makes them all easier to bear.

A consummate storyteller in the Southern tradition, Lee Smith tugs at her listeners' heartstrings with this haunting narrative that reads like a country ballad. Touching, funny, and sad, its down-to-earth characters are somehow familiar and endearing as they do their best to meet the demands of daily life.

Lee Smith is one of today's most critically acclaimed authors writing about contemporary life in the South. In Family Linen, with a remarkable economy of description and dialogue, Smith sketches eccentric, yet familiar characters moving through a family drama that resonates with both tension and humor.

Ollie stomps behind Gossie and Gertie, but something is missing. Gossie and Gertie wear shiny boots. Ollie wants boots too! The two yellow goslings each share one boot. But will Ollie like hopping in them? Author and illustrator Olivier Dunrea has received rave reviews for his endearing series about these lovable baby geese. Linda Stephens’ charming narration highlights the lessons of sharing and independence.

Gossie and Gertie are best friends. Both wear brightly colored boots. Gertie is never far from Gossie’s heels, until one day when she decides to go her own way. What will Gossie do without her “shadow”? Olivier Dunrea often writes about the farm animals that surrounded him when he was growing up, including these two adorable goslings. This story of friendship, leadership and independence complements its predecessor Gossie.

When Beth Gunner begins teaching English at her high-school alma mater, she must confront a haunting secret from her past. Beth's return to Delaware's Seaton Preparatory Academy fills her with both nostalgia and trepidation. Since her graduation two decades ago, very little has changed - including her irrational fear of failure.

A storyteller in the very best southern tradition, Lee Smith pens unexpected plots vibrant with luminous prose. Her powerful short stories in Me and My Baby View the Eclipse capture those extraordinary moments in everyday life when greatness and tragedy shimmer through the surface. This collection was chosen as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year.

The beautiful young Esther has been chosen as queen by the king of Persia. Surrounded by servants, each day she wears gorgeous dresses and eats delicious foods in his luxurious court. Still, she remembers the promise made to her uncle when she was a child. She tells no one that she is Jewish. One day the prime minister, angry because Esther’s uncle does not bow to him, arranges a decree ordering all Jews to be killed. Will Esther find the courage to stand up for her people, even if it means revealing her religion to the king?

Penelope J. Stokes has received critical acclaim for her many novels, which include The Blue Bottle Club. The richness of her stories and characters has attracted millions of fans. The Wishing Jar is a moving portrait of three generations of women struggling against heartbreak and adversity to find strength and peace. Narrator Linda Stephens highlights its gentle message of hope.

Ollie won’t come out of his egg - he’s waiting. Gossie and Gertie desperately want Ollie to come out. Ollie rolls around, stands on his head, and finally rolls right out of his nest, but he won’t come out of his shell. Olivier Dunrea often writes about the farm animals that surrounded him when he was growing up, including this hilarious trio of goslings. Ollie, a story of friendship, patience and independence, complements its predecessors Gossie and Gossie and Gertie.

Sixteen-year-old Mary Swan Middleton is devastated when her artistic mother is killed in a plane crash. The family maid, seeing Mary's loneliness and desperation, suggests she volunteer to help the poor. Soon, Mary realizes there is more to life, love, and faith, than she ever knew.

Stealing with Style is a Mystery Guild Book Club Selection, and the first in a series starring the witty and charming Sterling Glass, an intrepid antiques appraiser and amateur sleuth. In her debut adventure, Sterling must foil a plot set up by a shady construction company looking to bilk the elderly out of their prized possessions. Following a trail of clues from her small Virginia town to New York City, Sterling and her #1 guy Peter try to bring these crooks to justice.