​Barbara Frances’ spellbinding, long awaited, third novel takes you to the coastal, deep South, where the past and present collide in a gothic tale of insanity, murder, and sexual intrigue.
You’ll meet the beautiful Elaine Chauvier, former actress and proprietor of Shadow’s Way, her family’s antebellum home where she nightly honors her long-departed confederate grandfather.
You’ll also meet many other characters whom Elaine controls and often abuses including the esteemed Archbishop Andre Figurant, who longs for her and his fallen identical twin, Bastien, who fears Elaine’s powers. Newly arrived and beautiful Ophelia, her half-sister, and Elaine’s nephew Rudy who have come to explore their Chauvier roots and ties to Shadow’s Way. They bring bad news regarding Elaine’s ownership of Shadow’s Way which she dreads to hear.
Under a veneer of piety and Southern graciousness you are faced with the questions: What is good? What is evil? What is reality? The answers draw you into a thickening and dangerous plot.

​A spell weaver, Shadow's Way, kept me in suspense, which, as a lover of good mysteries is not an easy for an author to do. I often guess an ending before I hit the middle. As in her last book, Like I Used to Dance, Ms. Frances' characters are delicious portrayals, richly textured, gradually revealing their good and evil humanity, as her hauntingly realistic settings and surprising story unfolds.  To say more might give away the best of her new book. I have thoroughly enjoyed both of her novels and highly recommend them. 
 
Sherry Haskin

​Ms. Francis’ novel Shadow’s Way, had me enthralled from page one, it kept me reading until so late into the night that I used a flashlight in order not to wake my husband.
I’ve always enjoyed reading gothic tales, but this one went beyond most that I had read. The synopsis was correct, past and present mingled and left me on the edge of my seat. Was G – G – Daddy a real paranormal experience or a figment of Elaine Chauvier’s imagination, which got worse as she sunk deeper into insanity?
I loved the various characters that Ms. Francis brought into play as needed to heighten the story. They were well rounded and interconnected in ways that one has to keep reading to get the full picture.

​“Our kids, my, my, Gracie” laughed Bud. “Where did we go wrong? One marries God, another a Jew and the last one, the devil!”
Texas, 1951. The Wolanskys—Grace, Bud and their three grown children—are a close-knit clan, deeply rooted in their rural community and traditional faith. On their orderly farm, life seems good and tomorrow always holds promise.
But under the surface, it’s a different story. Grace is beset by dark memories and unnamed fears, calmed only by practicing a secret obsession. Their son Andy has said no to becoming a farmer like his dad and, worse, has fallen in love with a big-city Jewish girl. Youngest child Regina is trapped in a loveless marriage to an abusive, alcoholic husband. Even “perfect” daughter Angela’s decision to become a nun unleashes consequences no one could foresee.
And then Ceil Dollard breezes into town.
Ceil—wealthy, sophisticated, irrepressible—is like a visitor from Mars. She’s a modern woman. She drives a car and wears pants. She blows away tradition and certainty, forcing Grace to face her fears and brave a changing world. Through Ceil, Grace learns about courage and pleasure—but at the risk of losing Bud.
Barbara Frances’ sparkling, richly human novel takes you back to a time when Ike was president and life was slower, but people were the same as now. You’ll encounter a cast of characters storm-tossed by change, held together by love. Written with compassion, humor and suspense, Like I Used to Dance will charm you, warm you and even squeeze a few tears, from its opening number to the last waltz. 

LOVE IT! - Family Saga Full of Drama and Heart
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2016
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Don’t start this book before bedtime or you’ll be late to work! I love family sagas and this one swept me along. It’s about Grace, a warm, creative woman strong for her family but out of touch with her own needs. The place is rural Texas and the time is the fifties, when women were still trapped as homemakers. The family is Catholic and Grace’s daughters have their own struggles. Angela is unsure if she should become a nun and Regina has to decide if she’ll divorce her abusive husband. Grace herself is a talented artist who has never realized her potential. She develops a close bond with Ceil, a sophisticated transplant from LA who blows into the life of Grace and her family like a powerful wind. In the end, everything turn s out but nothing is the same. A great read!

Lottie's Adventure: Facing The Monster, is an action-packed children's book written especially for ages 8 through 14. Children will enjoy this exciting read while also improving their reading skills. Twenty-nine chapters filled with twists and turns keep kids reading to discover the outcome.

Lottie, a lively ten-year old Hispanic girl, longs for something new and different in her life. Her summers up to this point have all been, more or less, the same. Then the arrival of a magical letter and a TV newscast transforms her vacation time in a high adventure.

Her great adventure includes trying to relate to a cold, estranged, and rich grandmother, freeing a kidnapped ten-year-old African American boy from a locked room, hiding him in a safe place, and then fleeing with him from a kidnapper who is always just a step or two behind.

​Lottie's Adventure is a vibrant chapter book mystery for preteens that emphasizes the importance of intergenerational communication and love as well as the immense value of thinking beyond cultural stereotypes. To develop a new moral code or vision, both these elements are crucial. Perhaps the most striking quality of "Lottie's Adventure: Facing The Monster" is its powerful positive energy. Featuring a spunky 10-year-old Hispanic heroine, "Lottie's Adventure" keeps interest high and pages turning with exciting plot twists and turns and believable cliffhangers that just keep evolving. The author allows her characters to develop very naturally, with total authenticity. There are many excellent ideas embedded in the story, not the least of which is that people, even wise adults, can learn to admit they are wrong. "Lottie's Adventure" goes a long way towards building a viable alternative to prejudice, and for that and many other reasons, it is highly recommended juvenile reading for kids age 10 and up.
(Review from The Midwest Book Review)

​It is like eating rich chocolate and having the need to savor and roll it over the tongue; in this case, the mind, for the true essence of what is being communicated. I can't imagine one being in a relationship and not contemplating the effectiveness of one's actions, or non-action, in reading it.
I also listened to some of it in a female voice. It "reads" well in audio, if you haven't tried that.
Thank you, so much, for sharing this with me. I am truly becoming a better partner, for what you have gained and are willing to share.

​Take one beautiful vindictive woman....she's 1 part bimbo and 2 parts lethal gangsta- gun moll.
Watch her try and hold onto her 84 year old husband by having his octogenarian paramour knocked off. Sometimes greed and jealousy lead to the last resort ……MURDER!
Laura, Gerry and Gibbons try to stop her from also killing her husband, without getting them selves knocked off in the process!

​Another fantastic book by Karen Vaughan!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2018I love the way Vaughan has her characters interact with each other. They are well developed and believable. Her scenes are described in such a way you can easily picture them.
Moreover, let’s not forget the humor she added! Murder and humor are her trademark, and the humor is woven into the story at the appropriate time and adds the perfect comedy relief.
I highly recommend “Over Her Dead Body” to anyone who loves a good murder mystery and some good laughs!

​Loving Legacy!
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2016
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Grandfather fought for his freedom not unlike the slaves who fought for their in the south around the time of the civil war. Grandfather escaped from a communist regime in Russia and Poland to make a better life for himself and his family. The things this man had to endure during his escape from what sounds like a living hell makes me realize the pursuit of happiness of the human race. A place to live in peace, freedom, liberty and justice. The author of this book is his granddaughter a lovely person who carries on her grandfathers legacy in a beautiful and endearing way. Read this short excerpt of Grandfather's life. It is humbling to say the least. A feel good read.

A Down And Dirty Look At Big OilGwynn Reznick's life is shattered when her best friend and co-worker at Wilton Oil & Gas Company dies in a car crash. She doubts it was an accident. Her suspicion is confirmed when a private investigator, Ruben Dordi, shows up at her door. His team has discovered a trail of unusual deaths and disappearances among Wilton employees.
˃˃˃ Going To Work Becomes Very DangerousTo make matters worse, Gwynn is under constant surveillance by those responsible for her friend's death. But that doesn't deter her from getting involved in the investigation. Danger lurks in every corner of the Wilton Tower. One false move could turn a risky situation into a death trap.
˃˃˃ A Hard To Put Down ThrillerAs the investigation team digs deeper, they begin to unravel a sinister plot that threatens a catastrophic pipeline disaster. The story follows Gwynn as she delves deeper into the macabre machinations of people who are willing to kill for dollars, and in the process she learns things about herself that she’d never known.
Will they solve the crime before it is too late?

​Our story about Betty and Lulu, who grew up in peaceful times, begins in 1933, during the depression, and ends in the early forties as prosperity returned, as our country began mobilizing for World War II. I started this book because I thought it would be beneficial for young people, like my talented granddaughter, Maria, to contrast growing up during the past seventy-five years, with my formative years, a time of peace, from 1927-1941.
Our childhoods were so very different. I've watched my granddaughter entertain herself with technology from an early age. While she missed knowing about doodlebugs, she can always look them up on her I-Phone or laptop. From a very early age, she was aware of world events; whereas, I didn't realize that my back yard in Kerrville, Texas, was not the center of the Universe until I started to school.
All profits go to the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home in Deltona, FL.

​I loved Patricia Sawyers novel Lulu and Betty Growing up in Changing Times. It took me on a journey back through time, to the days my mother spoke of, when life was simpler, and children’s games were taken from nature, and the imagination could do wonders with just a little.
Reading of the meeting between Betty and Lulu and following them from childhood to young women when the world changed for everyone, and WWII happened.
It is a wonderfully written story, and one I believe is more of a memoir than fiction.
Kudos to Ms. Sawyers Fiske, I would have loved to have known her and sat with her for hours just listening.

​Echoes From My Heart is a compilation of poems Jo Ann Jones wrote over many years. A beautiful collection inspired throughout her life’s challenges and joys with continuous inspiration and encouragement from family and friends.  
The poems are divided into nine topics, so you can choose to read the poems in any order. Each topic page has a scripture to share God’s word for the upcoming poems. Read these poems at your leisure or when you need a reminder of God’s blessings and grace.
In addition to acquiring beautiful poetry, you will be contributing to a good cause as all the profits from the sale of Echoes From my Heart will go to the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home in Deltona, FL.

A PROFOUNDLY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY THROUGH POETRY
Echoes From My Heart by Jo Ann Jones is a beautifully written poetry book that takes us on a journey through life’s challenges.
It is also a look into the spiritual journey toward Christ’s teachings and helps us to forget our failings and learn to do better.
I loved this book and shall keep it near me, as I journey through life.
Thank you, Ms. Jones for your beautiful words.

​Lifted me up!
I honestly felt that I was a constant & very close onlooker in this story! I could feel the sand swirling around me, it's grit in my mouth. Each story told by
another traveler kept me alert, anxious, and excited! With each experience the Magi had.... the author made me feel that I was one with the characters. I
was a character! Whether it be a suffering animal eager to please my master. Or a man drinking and playing games with other men. And believe me these are not activities that I would be an eager participant! Ugh and the raw odor of men was thick and real! This story was REAL and I will miss watching and playing my part !!!
Bytallon