There is power in justice and forgiveness When her parents marry off Kansas-born Nellie Belle to the ranch foreman, she never questions that motherhood will follow. But at the dawn of the progressive era, dissatisfied Nellie seizes an opportunity to move west and start a new life. Yearning to find a sense of self-worth, Nellie leaves behind her husband and son and takes her two daughters to the Northwest. She charges forward to become the first woman court reporter to travel the circuit in the region. In small-town makeshift courtrooms and growing cities boasting new halls of justice, Nellie's strength touches many lives: independent-minded lawmen, enterprising women, hard-working immigrants, and a number of cads. But when her prodigal youngest returns home with a babe in arms, Nellie must do what she can to pull together the remains of her scattered family.

When her parents marry off Kansas-born Nellie Belle to the ranch foreman, she never questions that motherhood will follow. But at the dawn of the progressive era, dissatisfied Nellie seizes an opportunity to move west and start a new life. She charges forward to become the first woman court reporter to travel the circuit in the region.

"Ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances that are overcome by perseverance and grace. Wonderful places in Basque, Spain and the Greater Bay Area serve as backdrops." - The Rt. Rev. Douglas B. Weiss A feast of family can be a plate load of problems! It’s the Sixties. Modernity and tradition clash as two newlywed couples set up house together. Dee and her daughter Valerie move with their husbands into a modern glass house Valerie built in a proudly rural Los Altos, California, neighborhood. When their young relatives start showing up and moving in, the neighbors get suspicious. Then a body is found in the backyard and the life they are trying to build comes undone. Father Mike is back to guide Dee through a difficult time with humor and grace, even as his own life is unraveling. Now he’s going to have to take some of his own advice about love. The sequel to The Sheep Walker s Daughter, The Lyre and the Lambs explores the passions that draw people together and the faith it takes overcome trauma. "I thoroughly enjoyed the flow of family values and their unwavering trust in each other. A definite plus was the quiet voice of spiritual faith and persuasion...always pulling me to a “feel good” place." – Diana, Goodreads "Another beautifully written story that is compassionately told. It was a joy to read, well written and a story I will not forget. I highly recommend this book." – Karen, Goodreads Enjoy the beauty of a story by Sydney Avey The Sheep Walker's Daughter The Lyre and the Lambs The Trials of Nellie Belle Sydney Avey's sequel to The Sheepwalker's Daughter masterfully walks the reader through the winding path of relationships, faith, and discovery. Set in the sixties, tradition clashes with modernity in one neighborhood. – Karen, Goodreads The Lyre and the Lambs is an enjoyable read for pleasure and for an insightful look at how we sometimes judge differences. – Karen, Goodreads Ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances that are overcome by perseverance and grace. Wonderful places in Basque, Spain and the Greater Bay Area serve as backdrops. - The Rt. Rev. Douglas B. Weiss Loved the different generations and how they interacted with each other. Such an easy read with a wonderful spiritual message. – Jeanie, Goodreads The Lyre and the Lambs, a sequel to The Sheep Walker's Daughter, grabbed me from the first page.... As with The Sheep Walker's Daughter, Ms. Avey shows that we are all works in progress no matter what our age. – Lisa, Goodreads I thoroughly enjoyed the flow of family values and their unwavering trust in each other. A definite plus was the quiet voice of spiritual faith and persuasion...always pulling me to a feel good place. – Diana, Goodreads Another beautifully written story that is compassionately told. It was a joy to read, well written and a story I will not forget. I highly recommend this book. – Karen, Goodreads The pace was fast enough to engage, the descriptions were believable. I loved the characters, with Father Mike at the top again. – Mary, Goodreads

Does it really matter where you come from? In 1953, a war widow’s difficult mother dies before revealing the identity of her daughter’s father and his cultural heritage. As Dee sorts through what little her mother left, she unearths puzzling clues that raise more questions: Why did Leora send money every month to the Basque Relief Agency? Why is her own daughter so secretive about her soon-to-be published book? And what does an Anglican priest know that he isn’t telling? All of this head-spinning mystery breaks a long, dry period in Dee’s life and leads her to embark on an odyssey. She might just as well lose her job and see where the counsel of her new spiritual advisor and the attentions of an enigmatic ex-coworker lead her. The Sheep Walker’s Daughter pairs a colorful Basque immigrant history of loss, survival, and tough choices with one woman’s search for identity and fulfillment. Dee’s journey will take her through the Northern and Central California valleys of the 1950s and reach across the world to the Basque Country. Along the way, she will discover who she is and why family history matters.