This Angel on My Chest is a collection of unconventionally linked stories, each about a different young woman whose husband dies suddenly and unexpectedly. Ranging from traditional stories to lists, a quiz, a YouTube link, and even a lecture about creative writing, the stories grasp to put into words the ways in which we all cope with unspeakable loss. Based on the author's own experience of losing her husband at age thirty-seven, this book explores the resulting grief, fury, and bewilderment, mirroring the obsessive nature of grieving. The stories examine the universal issues we face at a time of loss, as well as the specific concerns of a young widow: support groups, in-laws, insurance money, dating, and remarriage. This Angel on My Chest ultimately asks, how is it possible to move forward with life while "till death do you part" rings in your ears—and, how is it possible not to?

Pears on a Willow Tree is a multigenerational roadmap of love and hate, distance and closeness, and the lure of roots that both bind and sustain us all. The Marchewka women are inseparable. They relish the joys of family gatherings; from preparing traditional holiday meals to organizing a wedding in which each of them is given a specific task -- whether it's sewing the bridal gown or preserving pickles as a gift to the newlyweds. Bound together by recipes, reminiscences and tangled relationships, these women are the foundation of a dignified, compassionate family--one that has learned to survive the hardships of emigration and assimilation in twentieth-century America. But as the century evolves, so does each succeeding generation. As the older women keep a tight hold on the family traditions passed from mother to daughter, the younger women are dealing with more modern problems, wounds not easily healed by the advice of a local priest or a kind word from mother. Amy is separated by four generations from her great-grandmother Rose, who emigrated from Poland. Rose's daughter Helen adjusted to the family's new home in a way her mother never could, while at the same time accepting the importance of Old Country ways. But Helen's daughter Ginger finds herself suffocating within the close-knit family, the first Marchewka woman to leave Detroit for the adventure of life beyond the reach of her mother and grandmother. It's in the American West that Giner raises her daughter Amy, uprooted from the safety of kitchens perfuned by the aroma of freshly baked poppy seed cake and pierogi made by hand by generations of women. But Amy is about to realize that there may be room in her heart for both the Old World and the New.

1980s. A young woman, desperate to escape the unspoken secrets of her impoverished Midwestern family, bluffs her way into a Chicago college. There she meets Jess, charismatic and rich and needy, and the two women form an insular, competitive friendship. As the city is terrorized by the Tylenol Killer, it triggers major repercussions: the lifestyle the narrator has come to share with Jess vanishes, and her attempts to restore order and control become increasingly desperate.

Patricia Starr, a woman of seemingly indefatigable energy and enthusiasm for life, wanted to give something back to her community and pursue a dream to bicycle across America. In 2004, at age 67, she accomplished both by pedaling to raise $22,000 to establish a perpetual $1,000 yearly music scholarship at Santa Barbara City College. The story of her arduous 50 day, 3,622 mile odyssey across America is told in a compelling way that is an inspiration to all. She proves that chronologic age can be overcome by enthusiasm, determination and perspiration. She describes the interesting people she met along the way and the trials and tribulations she endured while crossing four major mountain ranges and the long, lonely, barren stretches of highway in America's vast Midwest. Dusty detours, sharing the interstate with 18-wheelers and a bear scare enhance the daily excitement of this unforgettable journey by an incredible senior citizen. Whatever your age, enjoy the adventures! And lastly, it's a love story about a husband willing to do anything to help his wife succeed and endure the rigors of the road, and Patricia's stamina to carry it out! They both knew something else was watching over her so she wasn't out there alone.

Special Agent Steve Williams excels at his job catching the most heinous of monsters walking the earth. Serial killers. When his job brings him face to face with a psychic, he struggles to accept her gifts in his neat little black and white world. Armed with her visions, along with his skills as an FBI agent, he hunts the worst of the worst, but will he catch the killer before they set their sights on him? Unstoppable, breath stealing, and terrifying all at once. Gripping, rich and magnificent! The Steve Williams Series mixes compelling crime thrillers with supernatural forces that will grip the reader from page one. This six-book series takes you through some of Steve Williams darkest cases in his FBI career. This book includes the following titles: Dark Reckoning, Vengeance, Hunting Season, Georgia Reign, Crystal Illusions, and Saving Face. *Warning - these books contain scenes of graphic violence that some readers may find offensive.

Relates how a golden retriever named Dakota became an invaluable companion for Mike Lingenfelter during his recovery from two serious heart attacks and open heart surgery.