Kirjahaku

--Two decades after the birth of Christ Abi, a Nubian archer of Jewish background, resides in Meroe, a city-state in the general vicinity of Ethiopia. Once a member of a group of archers in training for the royal army, she has been dismissed from the palace because she is considered too attractive to be a good soldier. In her family's home, she receives abuse from her father and unkindness from her stepmother. Melech, a eunuch slave, loves her the way a gentle father would love his daughter. Abi helps him take care of the goats.--Negasi, Abi's father, swaps treasures with travelers. Merchants come from far-away places in the Roman world to trade with him. To reach Meroe, boats travel on the Nile when the water is high enough to pass over the rapids. --Simon, a Jew of mixed racial heritage, takes four boats as far south as he can go on the Nile until a waterfall forces him to stop. A group of the Candace's men assist him by supplying camels, horses, and carts to complete the journey to Meroe.--Negasi, tired of supporting Abi, takes her to the palace and instructs her to attract the attention of the rich traveler, Simon of Cyrene. Along with her former fellow soldiers, she dances, sings, and plays the flute at the banquet the Candace gives to welcome Simon. --That night, Abi's friends lead her to a mound, where they thank the Lord because the rain has stopped. The next day, Simon arranges with Negasi to take Abi as his wife. They make vows of betrothal. Although she has no kinsman or chaperone to travel with her, she goes without protest.

Loretta Larson, a southern lady in the early 1900's, has everything she needs except a man. Ensnared by memories of lost romance, limited by codes of etiquette, and unimpressed by the eligible suitors in her town, she pursues an escape from her solitary life. Where can she find a man who will accept her quirks? He also must appreciate the refinements of culture. Not only must her man love her. He must nurture her efforts to fix what she sees wrong in her world-inadequate education, denied voting rights, and animosity toward impoverished Italian immigrants. One more requirement-he must be excited about giving her his time and affection. In return she will give him her heart. In a time and place when men dominate society, how can any man possibly court Miss Loretta Larson?She is taking a look at her life . . . her long-cherished values are, frankly, becoming a burden . . . her prospects of meeting an eligible man chilled by her self-imposed confinement . . . yes, confinement. . . . What can she do?She has everything she ought to need, but she wants more of what life has to offer.

The book, Covington Chronicles III and IV, contains two works -- The Dream Bucket and Manuela Blayne -- in one volume.The Dream Bucket: Ten-year-old Trudy loves Papa more than anybody else until she hears him slap Zoe, her mother. She is so angry at him she wishes he'd die. When he accidentally sets fire to the family mansion and dies in the fire, she is not prepared for the shock. William has cautioned Zoe not to pry into his financial arrangements. She wants to know where he keeps his money in case his life should end. How will she survive as a widow? The family has nowhere to call home except a sharecropper's shack. Manuela Blayne: This novella is the fourth book in the Covington Chronicles. It is a complete story that stands alone. To understand some of the characters fully, however, it would be beneficial to read The Dream Bucket first. Manuela Blayne is the story of one suffering for another. A new day dawns for Trudy Cameron. She develops a heightened sensitivity to others around her who endure the hurts brought on by circumstances she tries to influence. Trudy starts to realize she cannot change everything, she cannot fix all the bad in her world. At the same time she develops a streak of mischief. Sometimes she is shocked by her own behavior. As she grows up fast, she finds emotions within herself she didn't expect.

In the summer of 1910, Trudy Cameron witnesses the aftershock of an event that will disturb her for the rest of her life. It is more than the consequences of the crime that concern her. Cruelty dominates the evolving social system of the South, the only home she knows. Manuela Blayne is the story of one suffering for another. Never will she comprehend all the hurt suffered by her friend Manuela, but Trudy wants to understand. She witnesses, firsthand, what forgiveness can be. She observes hardships she has never imagined. Trudy is always honest with herself about her emotions. She speaks about her story from the eyes of a child who has not been poisoned by social constructs of racial inequality. But in a world that denies mercy to her friend, will Trudy's faith shrink or blossom? In this poignant and gripping novella, a new day dawns for Trudy Cameron. She develops a heightened sensitivity to others around her who endure the hurts brought on by circumstances she tries to influence. Trudy starts to realize she cannot change everything; she cannot fix all the bad in her world. At the same time, she develops a streak of mischief. Sometimes she is shocked by her own behavior. As she grows up fast, she finds emotions within herself she didn't expect. Manuela Blayne is the fourth book in the Covington Chronicles. It is a complete story that stands alone. To understand some of the characters fully, however, it would be beneficial to read The Dream Bucket first. Come spend some time with the Bentons and Camerons. Delight in the parenting skills of Samuel Benton, as he tries to distract Trudy from her anguish over Manuela Blayne. Have a dish of ice cream in the Covington and float on a watermelon in the swimming hole at Hot Coffee. Witness the mischief Trudy dares not confess to her parents.

In the early 1900s, Lena Harvey, a bright-minded farm girl, wants to graduate from high school. She hopes to attend nursing school or become a midwife. Having no interest in complicating her life with intimate relationships, she plans to focus her efforts toward her calling. But in a country where people believe they can grow up to become anything they want to be, her dream is crushed. Discover how Lena resolves to make the best of what has been thrown at her, hoping that she can make a difference in the world. As she struggles through the frustrations of her life, can she ever find blessings that bring her joy? Will she ever know true love? Lena's story is an inspiration for those of us whose lives have gotten in the way of the plans we made. For us all, there is hope....

Rivka Smith plans to enjoy her three-week vacation in a lake resort lodge, but as the COVID-19 coronavirus begins to spread, her family members are called abruptly back to work. She is left alone with the resort's owner as her sole companion. For years, Rivka has wanted a meaningful relationship. Is it possible that love, a force stronger than death or any pandemic, may slip up on her to claim her unsuspecting heart when she least expects it?

Trudy and Jeremy grew up in the same neighborhood, and they have always loved each other. She is a part of a large blended family living near a south Mississippi village. Jeremy, having lost all his family, makes his way through the world alone. At the beginning of World War I, he becomes so enthralled with his goals to succeed that he neglects Trudy, who has reached the stage in life where she wants to be loved. Trudy and Jeremy attend separate colleges. She meets Lance, her brother Will's handsome roommate, who gives her constant loving attention. The time comes for all three young men to go fight in France. When Trudy, who is left behind, encounters challenges, she must look within herself to solve problems. In a time when people must rely on writing letters, she receives unforeseen news. Letter from Belleau Wood pays tribute to the brave men and women who live and die during the Great War and portrays the horror of the 1918 pandemic of influenza.

The North Carolina Foothills: Twenty-seven-year-old Dove Abernathy, a beautiful womanwith Asperger's, has established herself as an artist. Shedepends on Bess, her mother, for emotional support. After Bessreceives a severe head injury while in the prayer garden, theirlives are forever changed. A North Carolina Barrier Island: Dove's father, Harold, is generous with his wealth but stingywith affection for Bess and Dove. He sends them to live intwo condominiums by the beach. Someone wants to destroyboth women. Harold hires Vic Brunson, a private investigator, to find the evil force seeking to kill the mother and daughter.Harold demands that Vic serve as a bodyguard for Dove. Oncethe criminal is discovered, Vic must determine her motive andprevent her escape. All the while, can he keep Dove safe?

A collection of three tales by Mary Lou Cheatham. We all go through trials in life. Walk with these three women as life puts them to their own tests. Witness, in turn, how accountability, vulnerability and oppression are encountered by these compelling women. Will strength prevail? Liza Yates Too: "Forty years is a long time. " Liza hears those words on television from a man in a leadership position. He implies that after forty years a woman has had enough time to recover emotionally from unwanted sexual advances when she was a teenager--a child. Forty years after being abused, something incredible happened in Liza's life. Now it's been sixty years. What can she do to help her cope? I Just Want to Be Your Friend: Rivka Smith plans to enjoy her three-week vacation in a lake resort lodge, but as the COVID-19 coronavirus begins to spread, her family members are called abruptly back to work. She is left alone with the resort's owner as her sole companion. For years, Rivka has wanted a meaningful relationship. Is it possible that love, a force stronger than death or any pandemic, may slip up on her to claim her unsuspecting heart when she least expects it? Lena's Hope: In the early 1900s, Lena Harvey, a bright-minded farm girl, wants to graduate from high school. She hopes to attend nursing school or become a midwife. Having no interest in complicating her life with intimate relationships, she plans to focus her efforts toward her calling. But in a country where people believe they can grow up to become anything they want to be, her dream is crushed. Discover how Lena resolves to make the best of what has been thrown at her, hoping that she can make a difference in the world. As she struggles through the frustrations of her life, can she ever find blessings that bring her joy? Will she ever know true love? Lena's story is an inspiration for those of us whose lives have gotten in the way of the plans we made. For us all, there is hope....

She rescues others. Who'll rescue her? Ava discovers an unwelcome surprise in the apartment selected for her by a church leader. Resisting the urge to leave before she even meets the congregation, she must pray and make difficult decisions. But when she's followed all over the county, where can she go?Ava Molino, an overweight millennial minister who has pastored churches in Mississippi, moves to Flat Rock, Texas, to serve at Grace and Peace United Methodist Church. Flat Rock, a small town southwest of Laramie, is in transition from a once prosperous farming community to a low-income town, predominately Hispanic. The first person Ava meets is Ray Austin, the attractive youthful music minister. She fears he may be under eighteen years of age. Except for Ray, the church gives her a cool reception. The apartment selected for Ava by the church is a smelly run-down dump with a homeless drunk living in it. After demanding to receive cash for her housing allowance, she finds a desirable house to rent. She has dinner with Jack Perry, who oversees the church finance committee. He sends her mixed signals. Her instincts tell her not to trust him. She meets him at a restaurant on business. After dinner, he chases her through the countryside until she drives to a police station. Her high-minded quest becomes a question of survival. Ava moves her books into the church office and prepares for Sunday. Grace and Peace Church meets in a magnificent old building in ill repair. The roof is falling in. While she checks out the sanctuary, Ray shows up to work on the sound equipment. Because she assumes he is a teenager, she talks to him as an adult to a child. As she begins her new ministry, she feels awkward, and the sparse congregation gives her an icy response. She starts conversations in the city park with Hispanics. During lunch at a picnic table, a mature woman shames her about her careless nutritional habits. Ava keeps a notebook of memories about her assignment at the church. As an honest woman, who communicates details about her intimate relationship with her Heavenly Father, while she strips away the garments of her emotions, Ava reveals all that is in her heart. She makes new friends in the community and cultivates the programs of the church. Some Spanish people she meets start to attend Grace and Peace. Someone eggs her car. She takes it to be washed and encounters Jack, who owns the carwash. Her fears increase because Jack continues to stalk her and thwart her efforts to serve Flat Rock. His bizarre actions convince her he is deranged, yet she senses she cannot confront him because he has earned respect in the church and community. Will Ava find happiness? Will she find love? Will she escape the ominous forces that are mounting against her?

Jessica Boudreaux Hays, a retired music professor, has recently moved to Rousseauville to open a bed and breakfast in her grandparents' house. An attractive and talented fifty-five-year-old widow, Jessica loves to cook, entertain, and play the piano. Her life is filled with problems. Emmie, her younger sister who lives with her, cannot be left alone. The sisters recently lost their parents in an automobile accident. The residents of the village are charitable but superstitious. For some mysterious reason, they refuse to go near her or the bed and breakfast. Another frustration in Jessica's life is her cyber romance with a mysterious stranger. Dale Bonnier, a fifty-five-year-old widower, pastors two small churches in rural south Louisiana. He inspires the people in Rousseauville with his compelling sermons. He is considerate and approachable but at times disorganized and impetuous. His parishioners, especially Jessica, find his preaching inspiring. Dale has a recurring problem with his past. In the 1980s, when he was an intense young man, he destroyed his home and family as he sought to satisfy his cravings for illicit drugs. Thirty years have passed. God has forgiven him, but the past has left indelible scars. Can Dale forgive himself? He cannot turn his past around, but he hopes it will be used to influence and inspire others. Jessica tries to start over in Rousseauville, but she encounters unpredicted stormy times. Can she find acceptance? Will she ever find a man she can love and trust?

The star leading the wise men asks the moon to shine light on the path toward the baby Jesus.

It is the early 1900's in rural Mississippi along Cohay Creek, where people are scarce and stately virgin pine timber is plentiful. Caleb Smitherlin, a talented blacksmith, has a wife dying of cancer and a teenage son who tries every way possible to please his critical father. Caleb is torn. On the one hand, he loves Mathilda with every bone in his body, but on the other, he needs the company of another woman.The Gypsies he allows to camp on his land near Cohay Creek receive hate and distrust from the people of Taylorsburg. Walthere, the Gypsy leader, and Rosalie, his wife, become close friends of the Smitherlin family, even though Gypsies rarely mix with people outside their clan and especially not gentiles. Esmeralda, the Gypsy fortune teller, encourages Red Felty's idea that his wife Ruby and Caleb Smitherlin are having an affair. The old Mayhew house on the edge of the slave cemetery is the perfect place for Ruby and her lover to meet. This story is filled with intrigue, adultery, drunkenness, bitterness, fights, sweetness, friendship, and some history-all woven together with phrases that will make you feel you are walking deep into the southern swamps of the Cohay Creek. You will find yourself listening for the sounds of the Cohay Swamp panther, wondering if there really is a slave cemetery and sharing the anger and desperation that Jeremy Smitherlin must feel with a dying mother and a father he cannot trust.Photo of Cohay Creek by David Dees, used with his permission.

Seth, a young shepherd, guards the sheep with his father. Angels come to bring good news.