Showing results by narrator "Lee Ann Howlett" in All Categories

War has always changed men physically and mentally. They go away as healthy physically fit young men; when they come back, if they do they are not the same young man who went away. They may have suffered disabling physical injury in addition to a mental injury that may or may not manifest itself physically, but typically it is there. In World War I they called it shell-shocked, today we call it PTSD. This is a short story by Edna Ferber of a healthy, husky, and slightly arrogant in a nice way young man, and the beautiful girl awaiting his return home.

After a painful divorce, Casey returns to the haven of her childhood, great grandmother Weesie's tiny log cabin. Nestled in the Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia, the cabin rekindles memories of her happiest years as a young child enjoying Granny Weesie's tales of treasure. Casey seeks a peaceful refuge she will share only with her cat, Smokey. However, much more than early memories await Casey in Bluejay, Georgia.

At the end of her life, Beth Sanders learns a haunting secret. In this chilling short story, an ordinary woman find she must come to terms with a horrifying evil.

Come sit on the porch a spell. Let's talk about times gone by and folks we remember, about slow summer evenings and lightning bugs in a jar. Listen to the music of a creaky swing and hand-cranked ice cream and cicadas chorusing in the sultry night air. Let's talk about how things used to be in the South - and for some of us, they way they still are. Welcome to the world of Sweet Tea and Jesus Shoes, where award winning authors Deborah Smith, Sandra Chastain, Virginia Ellis, Debra Dixon, Donna Ball and Nancy Knight come together for the first time to create this poignant, humorous collection of nostalgic tales.

Vickie's daughter is dead. Just one more dead druggie among the hundreds that die each year in Jacksonville's drug infested slums. Vickie needs to find answers. Was it really an accidental overdose, or a murder? To find the answer, she must leave her safe life behind and plunge into the terrors of the drug culture. Will the search lead her to love? Or will she end up on a morgue slab, just one more casualty in the war against drugs?

Some people will go to almost any lengths to win fame and public admiration. Christmas at Alpine Village tells the story of just such a person. As each year passes without her winning the coveted Best Business Christmas Decoration prize in the small town of Newkirk, CA, more lights are added, and more ribbons and evergreens are hung, all to no avail. But, while the prize continues to elude her, other events are occurring that are ultimately of far more value to those who live at the Village.

Tess Gentry fled her home 10 years ago to find a normal life, in a place where male wolf shifters didn't exist. As the daughter of one, the odds of having compatible DNA to carry cubs were high, and becoming a broodmare to increase the furry population was, for her, an intolerable position. Now she's come back home to take care of her mother and, as fate laughs, she finds herself face to face with her destiny. From the first tantalizing touch of hunky Sheriff Caleb Bennett, her defenses crumble and her own wolf howls in ecstasy.

Mysteriously banished to live with demanding Aunt Augusta on Florida's remote, untamed Merritt island of 1904, young Emma-Lee Palmer discovers a dark family secret. Befriended by a kindly sea captain, Emma-Lee and Aunt Augusta discover courage, renewed hope, and the importance of family in this transcendent story of healing and redemption through God's unconditional love. Inspired by a true story, The Distant Shore is a powerful blend of action, adventure, romance, and the quest within each of us to find our heart's home.

Two magnolias-and-mistletoe-inspired holiday stories from the best-selling author of more than 30 romantic, humorous novels. Laughter and love combine in Sandra Hill's "Blue Christmas" - with a touch of Elvis magic. In "Jinx Christmas", sexy NASCAR star Lance Caslow makes a last-ditch effort to win back his ex-wife Brenda. Five years ago, his reckless pursuit of racetrack fame tore them apart and broke Brenda's heart. Now Lance shows up in Louisiana determined to make things right.

Legendary outlaw Belle Starr has been written about and portrayed in various media for well over one hundred years. Born Myra Maybelle Shirley in Missouri in 1848, Belle lived most of her life in Texas. She became notorious after living with and hanging out with members of the James and Younger gangs. Belle was a crack shot who rode side saddle while engaging in horse thievery, cattle rustling, and holdups. In between these activities, Belle bore two children and was involved with (though not necessarily married to) several men, including Sam Starr.

Macey Spade has always loved mysteries. As a girl, she read every crime novel in the school library, and memorized the plots of her favorite British detective shows. A brainy, awkward girl with few friends and a knack for getting into trouble, she dreamed of becoming a sleuth like the heroes of her beloved Agatha Christie novels.

The story of one of racing's earliest dynasties, the historic Belair Stud, began with William Woodward's childhood memories of grand days at the racetrack, inspiring dreams of breeding a champion or two of his own. Woodward turned those dreams into reality, building Belair Stud on his family's Maryland estate, launching what would become the preeminent thoroughbred breeding and racing empire in America and chasing racing's biggest prizes in both the United States and England.

First published in 1881, the subtitle of this book tells us that it was written “for children and those who love children”. Heidi, a 5-year-old orphan, is handed off by her young Aunt Dete to live with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. Though her new life is foreign, Heidi soon falls in love with her grandfather, and he with her. They share a contented life of goat-herding. But when Grandfather refuses to allow Heidi to attend school in the small village below, quarrels ensue.

Step into the captivating world of "In the Cage" by Henry James. This audiobook immerses you in the life of a young telegraphist in London, whose interactions with high-society clients provide her a window into their private lives. As she navigates this unique position, you'll be drawn into a tale of social observations, secrets, and personal yearnings. James' masterful prose delves into the complexities of class divides and the human desire for connection. With its exploration of hidden desires, the story offers a fascinating glimpse into the contrasts between public personas and private truths.

In Black Walden: Slavery and Its Aftermath in Concord, Massachusetts, Elise Lemire brings to life the former slaves of Walden Woods, and the men and women who held them in bondage during the 18th century. After charting the rise of Concord slaveholder John Cuming, Black Walden follows the struggles of Cuming's slave, Brister, as he attempts to build a life for himself after 35 years of enslavement.

In her new true-crime non-fiction, True Crime Redux, Kane artfully describes the chain of events that followed the publication of her novel and brings a forgotten cold case back to life. She dives deep into the inner-workings of modern crime and punishment through the retelling of events she played an involuntary role in.

The 1920s was a bustling time in Hollywood, as starry-eyed young women sought fame and fortune—only to discover that their dreams did not match the reality of the film industry. Edgcumb Pinchon was there to report on it all. He interviewed women who worked as “extras” in Hollywood, and was himself involved in the film business as a screenwriter and author. He describes here the hierarchy of those on set (in front of and behind the camera) with first-hand knowledge and humor.

When Ann Carbine marries Larry Best in the Salt Lake temple in 1961, she's certain their marriage will last forever. Eleven years later, she learns that he's been having affairs with men. Devastated by the revelation, Ann feels betrayed and abandoned. She still loves Larry and wants to save their marriage. However, powerful emotions pull Larry away from his family, just as AIDS is beginning its relentless march through the gay community.

In Losing Eden award-winning historian Sara Dant debunks the myth of the American West as “Eden” and instead embraces a more realistic and complex understanding of a region that has been inhabited and altered by people for tens of thousands of years. In this lively narrative Dant discusses the key events and topics in the environmental history of the American West, from the Beringia migration, Columbian Exchange, and federal territorial acquisition to post–World War II expansion, resource exploitation, and current climate change issues.

Edmund Lester Pearson was a journalist, court reporter, and librarian. He’s considered by many to be the first real true crime author in the U.S. Here he writes about the Lizzie Borden murders, axe murders that happened at sea, the murder of a wealthy New York businessman, and two others. Several of these crimes remain unsolved. Although he meticulously researched these crimes and interviewed many witnesses, his accounts are entertaining and, at times, even humorous.