Women's Fiction
 Fire
Down Below
Gwendolyn Ascadi, September 2012
e-book (Kindle & Nook)
ASIN: B009DS2OUO Fire Down Below contains four short stories and one long
novella.
In the first story, a woman who knows her husband is crazy about
her over-plays her hand, and her husband's reaction stuns her, as it
will stun the reader.
The next tale is about a woman who believes previous surgery has
left her incomplete as a woman and unable to enjoy love-making. Her
surgeon's advice encourages her. She falls in love with a man who
cherishes her, and she is never again the same. It is a tender story
that will tug at the reader's heart.
In another story, a psychiatrist departs from his own professional
standard and takes a sex-starved married female client to bed,
ostensibly to demonstrate technique. She wants and demands more, and
on her terms, finally resorting to blackmail. What they experience
entraps him, and he has cause to remember his father's long-ago
advice, that his penis and the problems it can cause could ruin his
life.
The novella tells of the slow disintegration of a once upscale
family when the father, an arrogant man who overestimates his own
worth, loses his job. Chickens come home to roost when the verbally
abused, browbeaten wife comes into her own, rising like a Venus from
the sea. In the turmoil, the son, scorned and rejected by the father,
triumphs, and the daughter whose father spoiled and pampered her heads
toward a life of destruction.
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 Breaking
the Ties That Bind
Dafina Books, October 2011
Trade Paperback
ISBN-10: 075824701X
ISBN-13: 978-0758247018
One young woman is about to learn what tough love is all about…
Thirty-three-year-old Kendra Richards just can’t escape her reckless
mother’s endless requests for money that will never be repaid. Again
and again, Kendra rescues Ginny despite the advice of her own father—a
man who left Ginny and her cheating ways long ago. Kendra knows her
mother is troubled—what she doesn’t understand is why she can’t tell
her no—until she happens to meet professor Sam Hayes…
Smart and sexy, Sam offers Kendra the answers—and the love and
romance—she’s been looking for. She’s finally happy—until Ginny turns
up for another handout. But this time the situation is desperate, and
the stakes are higher than ever. Now, Kendra must finally decide if
she’s willing to lose everything for a woman who has nothing to give…
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 When
the Sun Goes Down
Dafina Books, October 2010
Trade Paperback
ISBN-10: 0758246994
*Sequel to If You Walked in My Shoes
"When the sun goes down on my life, you'll all come apart like ripped balloons."
When self-made millionaire and widower Leon Farrell dies, he leaves behind a legacy of family dysfunction—and a missing will. The possible loss of a fortune only increases the tension between his three grown children. While handsome slacker Edgar kicks back in anticipation of his windfall, middle child Gunther struggles to safe his software business, and fiercely independent Shirley unsuccessfully tires to stay out of the fray. But things soon take an explosive turn.
Caught in the middle of her brothers' ill-will, and doing her best to keep the peace, Shirley is further unsettled when she falls for Carson Montgomery, the smart, sexy private investigator Edgar hires to tract down the will. And when Gunther suddenly falls ill, Edgar's attempt to manipulate him causes a conflict of interest that will shock them all—and either bring them closer together or tear them apart for good.
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 A
Change Had To Come
Dafina Books, October 2009
Trade Paperback
ISBN-10: 0758225628
Leticia Langley is certain of one thing: She’s as
smart as anybody, and her brain never lets her down. But on the day of
her graduation from college with highest honors, her classmate
demolishes her ego with comments about the way Leticia looks. Leticia
promises herself and her classmate that in five years, she’ll be
riding high. She gets a job as a journalist, new clothes and a hair
weave and transforms herself into an elegant woman. She also works
hard and gains the respect of her peers, including in particular her
nemesis, Max Baldwin, the paper’s ace and a man whose colleagues and
competitors both revere and fear him. But Leticia touches something in
Max and they slowly find themselves friends who subsequently become
attracted to each other. But Max has the willpower to walk away from
Leticia or anyone else. A commanding presence, good looking and
elegant, Max can have any want he wants, or so Leticia thinks, so why
should he want her. Max Baldwin will seduce the reader with ever page
she turns. He is what every woman wants, kind, gentle, generous and
soft inside, but tough, strong and independent. When Leticia finally
wakes up and realizes how the truly feels about him, she goes after
him and gets him. That is precisely what Max wants her to do. They
come together in a powerful moment.
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Book
Dafina Books, October 2008
Trade Paperback
ISBN-10: 0758225601
ISBN-13: 978-0758225603
Synopsis
At thirty-six, Petra Fields gets a shock that
causes her to take a look at her life, and she’s not proud of what she
sees. Her past is a catalog of secrets and lies that she’s never had
the courage to own up to, and Petra knows she won’t find peace of mind
until she’s made amends. But the task is far more difficult than she
expected.
The first and hardest step is admitting to Krista, her teenage
daughter, that the father Krista believed was dead is very much
alive—a revelation that will change their relationship forever. Then
there’s the neighbor whose husband Petra had an affair with, the
former coworker that she got fired, and a list of other acquaintances
who are understandably angry at her sudden desire for forgiveness. Far
from setting her free, the truth seems to bring more complications and
heartache, but also opens up her life in surprising ways. And when
Petra is granted a new chance at love, she’ll face the biggest
challenge of all—finding the courage to seize her own happiness and
start over for real…
". . . wise and wonderful as it points out, once again, the importance
of honesty and appreciating what you have while you have it." -
Publisher's Weekly
"Forster delivers a poignant story of forgiveness and love..."
-
Affaire
de Coeur
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Dafina Books, August 2007
Trade Paperback
ISBN:
0758213107
Synopsis
After an absence of sixteen years, Susan
Pettiford has come home to North Carolina, this time for good. Thanks
to an inheritance, she can start her own interior design business. But
it’s not quite the life Susan hoped for. Single at thirty-four, she
now faces a challenge that forces her to accept one of her dreams will
never come true. Battling sadness, Susan decides to engage in a fling…
Architect Lucas Hamilton couldn’t be more surprised by Susan’s dinner
invitation—after all, she’s the same woman who clearly rebuffed his
advances at a recent party. Still, his curiosity overcomes his doubts.
The result is a night of seduction neither can forget yet neither
intends to repeat. While Susan focuses on her work and a new
friendship with her troubled neighbor Cassie, Lucas focuses on his
goal to become more wealthier than the biological father he resents
for being absent from his life. Then, when Lucas’s father resurfaces,
he finds himself turning to Susan for counsel. As the complexities of
family, work, and their undeniable attraction lead their paths to
cross repeatedly, their feelings for each other strengthen. But the
secret Susan is hiding from Lucas may destroy any future they share…
". . . GETTING SOME
OF HER OWN is classic Gwynne Forster. Her fans will not be
disappointed."
- RAWSISTAZ.com
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Dafina Books, August 2006
Trade Paperback
ISBN:
0-7582-1308-5
Synopsis
After the death of
her bitter and demanding mother, Sara Jolene Tilman finds herself
alone in the world for the very first time—and ready for a fresh
start. Leaving behind the pain and isolation of her former life, Sara
becomes Jolene, and moves into the aptly named Thank the Lord Boarding
House, a modest oceanside sanctuary that houses eleven other
“misguided souls,” as proprietress Fannie Johnson thinks of them.
Surrounded by strangers, Jolene is forced to confront how socially
awkward—and achingly lonely—she really is. Taking care of others is
all she has ever known. Can she learn to take care of herself? But as
Jolene naively begins her stumbling—sometimes treacherous—search for
love and belonging, she finds she is not alone…
Disillusioned by romance and material success, Richard Peterson
has decided to give up his high-powered international career and
return to his U.S. roots. On the advice of a friend, Richard
registers at Thank the Lord Boarding House. But while he planned
to shed the trappings of wealth along with his business suit, he
is taken aback by the humble surroundings, including the
down-to-earth housemates for whom his status means nothing.
Nonetheless, as Richard is forced to turn inward, he is also drawn
into local life and discovers simple pleasures—including an
unexpected new friendship and a promising new relationship.
Behind the scenes is Fannie Johnson, shepherding her unlikely
flock—two of whom just may surprise her. For in a community where
character is everything, Jolene and Richard must struggle to find
themselves at last.
"When You Dance With The Devil is a great story with wonderful life lessons
readers can gain knowledge from . . . a poignant novel that will encourage
deep reflection."
- Books 2 Mention Magazine
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Dafina Books, February 2006
Trade Paperback
ISBN: 0-7582-1238-0
Synopsis
In this powerful collection, three acclaimed
writers put their talents together to tell the unforgettable story of
three sisters separated as infants—and how their paths finally cross
in adulthood.
Leticia, Jamilla, and Clarissa Holmes each know that they’re one in a
set of triplets—but that’s about all they know. Now they’re adults,
thirty-three-year old women who are as different as can be. But they
have one thing in common: they have never given up on the idea of one
day finding each other…
In “More Than This,” by Donna Hill, we meet Leticia, whose time in
group homes sharpened her street smarts and taught her to use her good
looks to her advantage. Now she’s on top of the world, ensconced in a
lush apartment in the heart of New Orleans. Leticia knows what men
want—she runs the most elite call girl operation in the Parrish. But
when she learns that the new sheriff in town is planning a raid, she
decides to close up shop, have some adventures, and find her family.
She soon discovers that one of her sisters is a jazz singer slated to
appear at Lincoln Center. Leticia buys a ticket—and gets much more
than she bargained for…
Parry “EbonySatin” Brown’s [title tk] follows Jamilla, adopted by an
upstanding family who loved her like their own. But despite a life of
privilege, Jamilla was always haunted by a sense of foreboding. As a
way to escape her demons, she turned to writing. Now she’s landed a
six-figure book deal. But Jamilla’s joy is clouded by a series of
disturbing dreams triggered by a woman she saw on television—a jazz
singer with her face…
In Gwynne Forster’s “The Journey,” Clarissa Holmes Medford has finally
decided to kick out her cheating husband—and pick up her guitar. Maybe
she can sing her way out of the unhappiness and poverty that have
plagued most of her life. When she records a well-received demo, it’s
just the beginning of a fascinating journey that will take her far
from home, and expose her to a captivating new world—and an audience
that may include the family her heart has always longed for…
"This story is written in an imaginative
style that allows each author to showcase her talents and bring the
characters to a happy reunion." - BookList
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Dafina Books, August 2005
Trade Paperback
ISBN: 0-7582-0654-2
Synopsis
Lacette Graham’s twin sister, Kellie, has been competing with her
since they shared a crib. And in thirty-three years, nothing has
changed—except the stakes have gotten higher. Instead of vying for
baby toys, things like success, money—and men—have come into play. And
as the more vivacious, beautiful—and selfish—twin, Kellie has no
problem using her advantages to get what she wants. But when the
girls’ parents mysteriously separate, and their maternal grandmother
dies, Kellie’s manipulating reaches new heights—and Lacette is more of
a target than ever.
With her mother in the throes of a mortifying mid-life crisis, her
father and greatest ally out of the house, and her sister on a warpath
to steal her inheritance, Lacette is truly on her own. Resolved to
look out for herself, she finally uses her marketing degree to realize
her dream of starting her own firm. In the process, like a gift of
fate, she meets Douglas Rawlins. Hard-working, talented, and
attractive, Douglas is everything she wants in a man. There's just one
baffling problem: he avoids her like poison. Even Lacette doesn't
suspect that her sister is behind Douglas's odd behavior. Burning with
envy over Lacette's latest accomplishments, Kellie has embarked on a
frenzied spree of greed and seduction that has even her father
disgusted. But when tragedy suddenly strikes, will Kellie withhold the
most important gift of all?
“Like fine wine, Gwynne Forster’s storytelling skills get better
over time. Whatever It Takes is a testament to that. Drama, family
struggles, passion and true-to-life characters make Forster’s latest
her best yet.” – Donna Hill, author of Divas, Inc. and Getting
Hers.
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Dafina Books, December 2004
Trade Paperback
ISBN-10: 0758206526
ISBN-13: 978-0758206527
Synopsis
A successful career woman, wife, and mother of two stepsons,
Coreen Holmes Treadwell has done well for herself—in spite of the
heartwrenching secret that haunts her. At seventeen, Coreen was the
victim of a vicious date rape—and an unwanted pregnancy that ended in
adoption. Neither the passage of time, nor her silence, have dulled
her pain. Even now, years later, Coreen is torn between guilt toward
the daughter she never knew and the family she has never been
completely honest with. Unable to help herself, Coreen has focused her
energy on helping others, becoming the renowned head of a social
welfare agency. But success is a double-edged sword, for the more of a
public figure she becomes, the more terrified she is that someday,
somewhere, a young woman who looks like her will recognize her and
shatter her world. And in fact, it is only a matter of time. . .
When thirty-year-old Frieda Davis finally locates her biological
mother, her goal is not a warm embrace or poignant reunion. Having
suffered years of abuse at the hands of her adoptive father, Frieda
vowed to find the woman who gave her away and tell her the horrific
consequences of her decision. Observing Coreen from afar, Frieda is
increasingly driven to punish her and sets out on a devious course to
infiltrate her life. It is a mission of vengeance, betrayal—and
seduction—that will touch everyone Coreen loves, and end in an
explosive climax that will change them all.
"The stars above indicate an approximation of
the rating given by the review site. For complete reviews, please
click on the link to visit the site." - Romantic Times (4.5 stars)
"IF YOU WALKED IN MY SHOES is a dramatic story
about two women emotionally damaged by violent acts, and the aftermath
that reverberated throughout their lives." - RAWSISTAZ.com
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Dafina Books, March 2003
Hardcover
ISBN: 1-57566-920-X
Synopsis
Regina Pearson has never really known any family other than her late,
widowed father. He cut ties with his family in North Carolina long ago
and moved to Hawaii with Regina’s mother, then raised Regina alone
following his wife’s accidental death. Living among the native
Hawaiians so different from herself created in Regina an aching for
people to call her own. Regina finds among her late parents’ effects a
letter written forty years earlier that leads to her mother’s sister,
Maude, a been-there, done-that blues singer, and her nonagenarian
maternal grandfather, head of the extended family in New Bern, North
Carolina.
For Regina, going to North Carolina to see Aunt Maude is the chance of
a lifetime—an opportunity to bond with the people who share her roots,
her blood, and her heart, and find the pieces of her she’s been lonely
for all these years. But the big, warm, loving family Regina’s dreamed
about is nowhere in sight. Instead, she finds uncles, aunts, and
cousins torn apart by secrets and lies, petty squabbles and
heartbreaking wounds stretching back for years—a contentious clan
ready to draw Regina front-and-center into their troubles whether she
wants to be there or not. And just as her new family conflict
threatens to overwhelm her, Regina discovers a passionate connection
she hadn’t counted on with a man who’s ready to show her what real
family’s all about—and what it takes to keep the love flowing.
Filled with heartfelt wit and homespun wisdom, Blues From Down Deep is
a joyous reminder that love comes when we least expect it, from every
side of life, and the family that makes us crazy can also lead us home
to the place where we belong.
"A page-turner and it's one that deserves to be read in a few
sittings. This novel is Forster's finest works to date and is sure to
earn her a legion of new fans." - QBR
"Forster's sensitive portrayal of a woman trying to find her roots is
a cut above the ordinary." - Booklist
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Dafina Books, January 2002
Trade Paperback
ISBN:
0-7582-0009-9
Synopsis
In all the world, only two things are important to Marge Hairston: her
work as a journalist, and the three children she raised alone after
her husband’s death. Handsome Drogan, tempestuous Cassie, and gentle
Sharon share a warm affection for each other, and a profound pride in
their mother, who turned The Woodmore Times into North Carolina’s most
influential African American newspaper.
But even a family as close as the Hairstons can be torn apart when
crisis hits—as it does when Marge falls ill—and insists that one of
her children abandon a comfortable and successful career to continue
her work at the paper.
It is the unassuming Sharon who finally, reluctantly, steps into her
mother’s shoes—and finds herself flung into a terrifying, exhilarating
new world. While she faces heartache over Drogan and Cassie’s sudden
jealousy and mistrust, she also finds unexpected joy in her new career
and passion in the arms of a new lover.
As she blossoms from docile, devoted little sister into a dynamic
woman living life on her own terms, Sharon discovers the strength and
courage to lead her siblings to a place of acceptance, bittersweet
reconciliation, and ultimately, healing.
"This story of family bonds shattered and an attempt to restore is full of
laughs and tears, coupled with love and hate and intersects with failures
and triumphs." - Dawn Reeves, RAWSISTAZ.com
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If
You Walked in My Shoes
