Showing titles in Collections & Anthologies

Stella Carnegie is waiting. For what, exactly, she's not quite sure. But for nearly a decade now, her life has felt on hold, as though there was something...well, something more...just around the corner. Stella, however, has grown comfortable, if not content, in her isolation, and the more she thinks about change, the harder it is to face it. So when she's thrust into the middle of an encounter that transports her back to a life-changing event in her past, will she choose to hide behind her closed curtains and keep the world at bay?

Woolworth's Five and Dime is a magical place to work at Christmastime, but will it also be a place to fall in love in 1881? Maggie Larson works the lunch counter, where she befriends a girl whose father delivers milk. Hattie Scott learns her favorite customer is Timothy Branson and a threat to her brother's job. Essie Hensley doesn't need money, but welcomes the challenges of working a job where she meets a minister and six little boys who inspire Christmas wishes. A job is the only thing orphan Lizzie Miller needs, but she can't pass up an invite to a bookkeeper's family Christmas.

Lori had a hard life. Her childhood got off to a good start, but after her mom died in a horrific car accident, life was never the same. Her dad became angry and abusive, and he made Lori feel worthless. Even in adulthood, Lori's self-esteem was horribly low. That's why she married Jeff—a man just like her father. On that foundation of toxic relationships and abuse, Lori experienced the most brutal grief in the world—the death of her child. In a tailspin, Lori might not make it out alive. Will she get the help she needs? Will she stand up to Jeff?

We are a people of stories. We use them to entertain, to teach, and to instruct. Sometimes they warn us of the dangers of wandering too far into the woods, or they can be a detailed story to explain how magnificent landscapes came to be. Story has always been the way we pass time, the way we connect to each other, and most importantly, how we promote our values. Parables, especially, have a dual purpose. Not only do they keep us entertained, but they also make a point. Consider Aesop’s fables—tales of talking animals who learn valuable life lessons.

Robert is the most predictable old man in his mountain town. Ever since June died 20 years ago, his life has marched on with a clockwork cadence. He opens his shop every morning at the same time. He has breakfast every Friday at the same pancake shop. He has the same conversations with his friends. And never misses grandkids’ activities—especially Callie’s soccer matches. In fact, Robert hasn’t even left town since June died. She was an adventure-seeker. Once she was gone, so was Robert’s interest in anything outside his daily routine. But no routine lasts forever.

What will Mary do without George? He was the extrovert. He made Mary feel connected and loved. Ever since George died, Mary has felt lost. His absence is painful. But is he completely gone? His outgoing, caring personality keeps showing up, even long after his funeral. George's Final Gifts is a cozy tale of love that cannot be quenched even by death. Listen to this story today, but keep a box of tissues nearby.

The Post-Script Series is a collection of six short stories. I will warn you that someone dies in each and every story. Often the character you love most will die, or at least is devastated by grief.

Toby and Jayda were high school sweethearts, and as a young married couple, they were just finding their way. Nothing could have prepared them for what happened next. After their daughter died, Toby felt angry, then sad. Finally, he felt stuck. His mentor, Pastor Thomas, was no help—he made everything worse for Toby. Toby hasn't even painted in months. That was Jayda's signal that he was stuck in a dark place.

Emma never wanted a family. Until she did. As a nurse practitioner, Emmaline is used to helping other people. She likes her job but is lonely. When her life is devastated by the death of a close friend, Emma finds a new purpose in life—becoming a mother. But will her heart be broken by grief again? If it is, and she is all alone, how will she survive?

Step inside the The Wardrobe Dinner Theater and experience the backstage diva drama as these performers embark on a faith-filled journey to find what matters most in life. The complete series includes Dance over Me, Focus on Love, Sing a New Song, A Picture Perfect Christmas, and Home for Christmas.

Until now, Bethany’s life was perfect. She married her college boyfriend. She and Brad moved back to her hometown in the emerald northwest. She had two wonderful children. Life was perfect. But a surprise third pregnancy led Bethany to a doctor’s office where everything changed. The news she and Brad receive that day changed the course of their perfect lives forever. Shattered and confused, Bethany plunges into the darkest time of her life. How will she survive? Who can help her face her biggest test yet?

While the rest of the world has been roaring through the 1920s, times are hardscrabble in rural South Georgia. Widow Maggie Parker is barely surviving while raising her young son alone. Then as banks begin to fail, her father-in-law threatens to take her son and sell off her livelihood - the grocery store her husband left her. Can five Southern women band together, using their wisdom and wiles to stop him, and survive the Great Depression?

During daily walks, I have gathered a lot of thoughts about my fellow walkers. Oftentimes I have thought, "What's their story?" as I have passed by them and said hello. The manner in which a person responds to a greeting is quite telling. Watching a person's mannerisms, eye contact, and general facial expressions tell a passerby a lot. These 40 short stories are a fictional reflection of the day-to-day stories that anyone could be experiencing as they walk the daily walk of life in this modern time in America, in the beautiful park with the oaks.

Encompassing a variety of writing styles, Like a Rock in the Sea is a collection of short stories and essays which the author initially composed during his many years as a young American seminarian living abroad in countries as diverse as Spain, Italy, Germany, and Mexico.

The Book of Feasts & Seasons is a beautifully mind-bending stroll with a grandmaster of science fiction through the annual Catholic calendar. Over the course of the year, from January to December, the author takes his inspiration from 10 different holidays and explores their meanings in a series of stories of marvelous imagination. The book begins with New Year's Day and "The Meaning of Life as Told Me by an Inebriated Science Fiction Writer in New Jersey".

The notion of a King's ability and courage is to sacrifice himself for something higher than himself. A king is a man that looks for ways to make an environment where beauty can grow. What is a good king's single most important quality? Do we have a king’s heart inside of us? Can we all be kings and queens? Who was the wisest king in human history? For one to become a king, does he first need to be a warrior? What qualities make a great king?

Compiled with psalms, prophecies, and short stories, North and South Gate is a tale of two voices that reveals each of man's final destinations.

Grace Neunaber has finally found happiness. After struggling for years as a single mother of four, she’s thrilled about her newfound faith and her marriage to a strong Christian man. But as David is added to their family of five, her enthusiasm is quickly dampened by her older children’s open hostility and resentment toward their new father. Each member of the Neunaber family will have to rely on their faith in God if their strained relationships are going to knit them closer together, instead of tear their family apart.

A collection of short stories written by seven award-winning authors during the first four months of the COVID-19 lockdown. Each author brings a unique perspective to the crisis, and the results are spectacular. There is science fiction, Christian apologetics, horror, drama, suspense, and a dose of comfort. Produced daily during the first 13 weeks of the lockdown, you can see the change in thinking, hopes, and frustration that the public was experiencing.

Why do you get out of bed every morning? Are you a leader? Do you see yourself as a leader or a follower? Are you one of the people that leaders work to keep safe? What is the difference between a manager and a leader? What makes a good leader, in your opinion? Have you ever experienced a bad one? How can someone else's personality or confidence intimidate someone else? We must take the initiative in our lives to become great leaders.