The Birth of My “Shades of Hope” Novella Collection

I may as well call it my “Covid Collection,” because these novellas were born during isolation in 2020 while the world was terrorized by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Shades of Hope” was not only my offering during a time of global devastation, it was my salvation. I had to believe there was indeed hope for our survival and wanted to provide that positive outlook for others. Thus, these stories demonstrate that no matter what we’re going through, we as human beings can and will survive.

The first one I wrote, Black Forest, had been on my mind for a long time after a friend told me she’d discovered that her grandmother had been a prostitute for the Nazis in Germany during WWII. The grandmother’s husband had been killed, she had six children, and selling her body was her only means of providing for her family. In this book, the heroine’s perseverence, resilience, and love of family will touch your heart.

The novellas can be read in any order, but the second one I wrote is Gold Mountain. This story rolled around in my head for years after I once worked in Alaska in the dead of winter. The majestic beauty of the place has stayed with me ever since. This story started out with a plan but shifted when children arrived on the scene. I fell in love with them and gave them more space than originally intended. I think you’ll fall in love with them, too.

Next is Lilac Island. If you follow my writing, you know I love Mackinac Island and go each year for the Lilac Festival. It was a given that I would write another story about it’s Victorian-era ambiance. Being the widow of a Vietnam veteran (my first husband died many years ago at age 33), it was time for me to write some of that experience into a heartwarming story. This calming setting was perfect.

Each novella stands alone, independent of the others, each set during a different era and in a different place with different characters. What they have in common is the promise of hope. There are three more to come. By the time you read the first three, the fourth will be published and ready for you. May that promise of hope be forever present in your own life.

Start here with the eBook or paperback of Black Forest. Enjoy reading!