Until Next Time

Winner of the Illinois Soon To Be Famous Author Contest
Finalist for the Goethe Award in Late Historical Fiction

Women could not be surgeons. She did it anyway.

After the heartbreaking loss of her mother and a cruel attack by her drunken father, Ella Parker decides that dishonesty is fine when it serves her needs. At a time when wealthy young ladies do little more than embroidery, Ella escapes her luxurious but lonely life, and meets an eccentric ship surgeon who — once she impresses him with her quick-thinking and empathy — allows her to assist him during a surgery.

Compelled by Ella’s intelligence and interest in medicine, the doctor prepares her for a medical career, but there’s a catch: in early 19th century England, women are not accepted into universities. To fulfil her dream of becoming a doctor, Ella must disguise herself as a young man with aspirations of becoming a doctor. After changing her look and name, Ella finds her footing as she performs dissections, conducts experiments, and cares for patients. She also tutors Oli, a kind but struggling fellow student, but she must take caution. Even in her loneliest moment, she cannot trust anyone or make friends.

As Ella continues to excel in her studies, brilliantly saving the life of a patient, she becomes a top contender for the apprenticeship with a famed professor. Dogged by fear of discovery, she must choose between truth and lies, and distinguish between real and false friends, before her pretense is uncovered.

Sergeant Vicki Blunt has been demoted to uniform after challenging her snide superior, DI Glyn Hughes. But when a woman is found dead in her car, with CID short-staffed, she finds herself having to do the legwork.

The deceased is Christina Page, a teacher at the local primary school. Having suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, it looks like a tragic case of suicide.

Vicki meets her family, her sleazy boss, and her colleagues at the school, and learns that Christina was being tormented by trolls online. Enough to push her over the edge.

Yet very much still the detective, something doesn’t quite add up for Vicki. She notes bruises to the body, and the car having been tampered with. Can she risk rocking the boat?

As she follows her nose, her mind is also on a miscarriage of justice that has seen an innocent woman jailed. Her burning desire to right past wrongs might further jeopardise her career, even if it offers the chance to get back at her boss.

They struck without warning. Now, survival depends on a man who’s never led.

Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Hanson was supposed to be an engineer, not a hero. Promoted to second-in-command aboard the CSV Margaret Thatcher, Arthur hoped for a quiet tour of duty — showing strength and keeping the peace.

He never expected a coordinated terrorist onslaught that would shatter the fleet and leave tens of thousands dead.

With the Thatcher crippled and reinforcements trapped behind political red tape, Arthur is thrust into command. Haunted by doubt but driven by duty, he must rally the broken survivors and strike back against a ruthless enemy who shows no mercy.

Because in the Orion Spur, freedom isn’t given. It’s fought for.

And aboard a ship named after the Iron Lady herself, surrender is not an option.

Two unlikely matchmakers set the stage for love

Fynlee Dale returns to Holiday to take care of her wacky grandmother. Although it means giving up her dreams of a career and husband, she needs to be there for Grams.

Carson Ford vows to take care of his elderly aunt after buying her ranch. Comfortable with all aspects of his life, his world turns upside down when he meets a woman who’s impossible to forget.

They find themselves in the midst of a plot by two scheming old women determined to make them fall in love.

Valentine Bride is a funny, sweet small-town romance featuring a cast of colorful secondary characters intertwined around a heartwarming love story.

Jack Larson is a humble farmer with an orange orchard in Los Angeles. The young man is about to marry his sweetheart, Delia, who grew up with him after both of their parents succumbed to illness. On the cusp of finally finding happiness, Delia is abducted by a vicious man on the run and Jack is left feeling hopeless. Jack’s only ally is a coarse, old bounty hunter who is pursuing the same man. Unfortunately, those two have a complicated past which might jeopardize their success…

Will Jack’s natural shooting skills tip the scales in their favor, or will the man they face claim his terrible prize, and even more?

Delia Windell’s simple life as Jack’s loving bride-to-be is upturned when she’s abducted by a scarred man recently released from prison. He has a wicked plan for revenge, and Delia is his pawn… and perhaps a good deal more. She only has her faith, her wits, and her wiles to stave off disaster and save her own life, Jack’s, and countless more.

Will she be able to preserve the future by solving the riddles of the past, or will her family’s shadows claim her as a sacrifice?

Jack and his unexpected ally are trying to survive through a rain of bullets. ?s the day bleeds into nightfall, they can either live to tell the tale or meet a tragic end. Is there any chance for the courageous men to save the girl and live to fight another day?