Dream Givers March 1997 Pinnacle Books (Denise Little Presents) ISBN: 0-7860-0371-5

Friends Forever . . .

They'd grown up together, and shared a world of memories — good times and bad. Then they went their separate ways. Bryant McCord left Granite Springs behind to seek fame and fortune. And Ellie Endicott married Taylor Lambert.

Now murder has come to their peaceful hometown . . . and reunited Ellie and Bryant. Once upon a time, they'd been part of a group of four devoted friends. But that was before ambition and jealousy tore them apart . . . before the seeds for death and destruction were sown.

. . . Could They Give Each Other The Love
They'd Always Dreamed Of?

As everything Ellie ever believed in is challenged — and her own life threatened — she turns to the man she loved . . . and lost. Together, she and Bryant begin exploring a past that was never resolved, uncovering secrets that have lain dormant for twenty years . . . secrets that could destroy their dreams forever or make them all come true . . .

4 Stars! "Promising new author Crystal Stovall gives readers an impressive banquet of secrets, passion and lies. Her Golden Heart Award-winning DREAM GIVERS is an auspicious debut." ~ Romantic Times

 

~Excerpt~

.....Without warning, the country calm was shattered by a single gunshot. The ears on both horses stiffened. The appaloosa stumbled, but quickly regained her footing.

"Sounded like it came from the quarry," Bryant said.

"Let's go," Ellie shouted, pressing her heels into the horse's side.

Although gunshots weren't uncommon, Ellie thought it wise to check it out. Chances were it was only a squirrel hunter or someone getting in a little target practice. Still, Lambert property was posted, a fact that disgruntled local hunters every deer season. That was one change she'd enforced which hadn't won her any friends.

Within minutes, Ellie and Bryant reached the dirt road leading into the quarry. As soon as she rounded the last corner before the entrance, Bryant pointed at a car racing down a distant dirt road. Ellie could almost taste the cloud of dust which shrouded the automobile.

"I'll bet whoever fired the gun is in that car." Bryant drew in his reins, and Ellie followed.

"Could you see anything?"

"No, the dust was too thick and they were too far away. They must have used the north gate." Bryant started to turn back.

"We've come this far, we might as well check the quarry." The fact that there had only been one shot worried her. Anyone taking target practice would have fired repeatedly.

"Okay, but don't do anything crazy. You don't know what screwballs are out there these days."

Ellie smiled at the brotherly concern. "Come on. This is Granite Springs, not Chicago or New York. You've been gone too long."

"You're right about that."

"Besides, it's probably a couple of harmless teenagers messing around." She hoped that was the case.

Solid walls of granite formed the south entrance into the abandoned gravel quarry. Ellie shivered as she passed through the narrow corridor, which was cool and shaded even on the sunniest days.

Overhead a buzzard circled, dipping closer to the ground with each pass. Ellie bit her lips. Buzzards liked blood. Whoever had been here had hit their mark and left the animal to die. If she ever caught the ones responsible....

"My God," she gasped.

Ahead, Taylor's blue pickup was parked, the driver's door flung wide open. A few feet away, a large black suitcase lay open and empty on the ground.

Before she could halt the appaloosa, she jumped off and ran toward Taylor's prostrate body. Bryant followed one step behind.

"Taylor!" she screamed, as she rolled his body over. "Taylor! Talk to me!" She slapped his face, but he didn't respond. "It's me, Ellie."

In an eerie slow motion, her eyes tracked from the blood on her hands, to Taylor's singed hair, to the bullet hole in his head, and then back down to the gun his fingers still clutched. She couldn't believe he was dead.

"Taylor!"

From behind, Bryant's large hands gripped her waist and tried to pull her from the only man who'd ever really loved her.

Dream Givers, by Crystal Stovall
Pinnacle Books
(Denise Little Presents)
ISBN: 0-7860-0371-5

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With All Josie's Heart January 2001 Steeple Hill/Love Inspired ISBN: 0-373-87133-3

~Excerpt~

And now it was the future that worried Michael.

"When Denise (Sharla's mother and Michael's cousin) asked me if I would become Sharla's legal guardian, I was scared by the responsibility, but deep down I knew God had placed me in this child's life for a reason. She needed me. She needed the stability and love I could giver her. I think deep down Denise somehow knew she would never beat her drug addiction. You know, she died of an overdose?" Michael's voice cracked, and he paused to regain control.

Watching Denise succumb to her illegal drug addiction had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done. He'd tried to help her, but his best efforts combined with the help of family and friends hadn't been enough. "Loving Sharla is the easiest thing I've ever done."

"I'm glad everything is working out for you." Josie's eyes were sincere and that touched him. "Sharla couldn't be in better hands."

"It's not that simple." Michael turned away from her. He had to ask her now, before he lost his nerve. For Sharla's sake, he couldn't blow this.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"I've got to go to court later in the summer. I may not get custody of Sharla."

"What?" Josie shouted. "I can't believe this. If it was Denise's last wish for you to raise her daughter, and she had sole custody..."

Michael appreciated Josie's indignation. It made him believe she would help him.

"As it turned out, she didn't have sole custody. But because Eddie Lewis had never shown a smidgen of interest in Sharla, Denise hadn't thought it necessary to ask the court to grant her sole custody."

"And now he wants to raise her?" Josie filled in the missing pieces. "But why?"

Michael wasn't prepared to tell Josie everything. This was his fight. While he needed her help, he couldn't let her get too close in the process. She'd left him once, and she'd do it again.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know what that man is thinking. He says he's gotten his act together, and now that Sharla is motherless she should live with him. He's recently remarried and has stepchildren near Sharla's age."

"So he's really serious about this?" Josie said. Michael nodded. "What does your attorney say?"

"That my chances are fifty-fifty at best. The judge hearing the case is known for siding with the biological parent."

"Wow." Josie swallowed so hard Michael saw her Adam's apple bob.

"If I can help...in any way...you know I would. Perhaps I could testify at the court hearing on your behalf?"

"I appreciate the offer to help. And actually there is something you could do." Michael said the words quickly before he lost his nerve.

"What? Tell me?" Josie gently touched his elbow, the simple gesture giving him the courage he needed.

Taking a deep breath, Michael said a quick prayer before putting his heart in Josie's hand. "You can marry me."

With All Josie's Heart, by Crystal Stovall
Steeple Hill/Love Inspired
ISBN: 0-373-87133-3

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A Groom Worth Waiting For November 2001 Steeple Hill/Love Inspired ISBN: 0-373-87162-7

~Excerpt~

"Are you hurt?" the paramedic asked, glancing from Amy to Matt.

"I'm fine," Matt said. "Please, help her."

"I'm okay," Amy insisted. For the first time, in full light, she looked into her protector's eyes and was overwhelmed with gratitude. "If it hadn't been for this man's courage and quick thinking, I hate to think what might have happened."

Amy stammered over the last words, and the tears that she'd been too frightened to cry began a slow descent down her cheeks.

With a gentle flick, Matt wiped the tears away, then pulled her close. With his arms around her tightly, he felt as if order had once again been returned to his world.

As if it were the most natural thing to do, he kissed the top of her head, and he would have been happy to never let go. She felt so right in his arms. She felt like the woman he'd been searching for. The woman who would bring an end to his lonely life and fill his dreams once again with hope.

Reluctantly, he let go of her so the paramedic could check her physical condition. Whether it was by chance or God's design, this woman had suddenly come into his life, and he didn't want to let her walk away. He wanted a chance to get to know her, to discover if she was everything he believed her to be....

..."I don't know how I'll ever repay you. I owe you so much. You saved my life," Amy said.

Matt shook his head. "I didn't do that much."

"You saw what was happening, and you reacted quickly. If those men had seen us, there's no telling what would have happened to us."

The thought of anything happening to Amy distressed Matt. Though he'd only known this woman an hour, he couldn't bear the thought of harm befalling her angelic face.

"I want to try to make this up to you. You have to let me find a way to repay your courage and kindness." Amy's eyes pleaded for him to accept her offer.

Once the crazy idea popped into his head, Matt pushed it aside. However, he wasn't prepared to let Amy walk out of his life, either.

"There is something you can do for me," Matt finally said.

"What?" Amy asked, her eyes brimming with gratitude.

"Assuming you live here in Lexington, you can be my date...to three family weddings this summer."

"Your date to a wedding?" Amy repeated as if it were the most outrageous idea she'd ever heard.

Matt looked away, anticipating her rejection. And if she did, he wouldn't embarrass himself further by trying to persuade her.

"Yeah." He tried to explain as if it were no big deal. "I've got three cousins getting married this summer, and there are few things worse than going to a family wedding without a date."

Amy looked at him for a second, emotions he couldn't read flickering in her wide brown eyes. He was certain she was going to say no.

"You did save my life." She swallowed hard, as if this was the hardest thing she'd ever said in her life. "I suppose it is the least I can do."

"Then you'll be my date?"

Though Amy smiled as she nodded, Matt saw the terror in her eyes. The prospect of being his date at the weddings frightened her more than the morning's ordeal had.

He instantly wished he could take back his invitation, but it was settled. Amy Jenkins, for better or worse, would be his date to three family weddings.

A Groom Worth Waiting For by Crystal Stovall
Steeple Hill/Love Inspired
ISBN: 0-373-87162-7

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Gifts of Love April 2002 Steeple Hill/Love Inspired ISBN: 0-373-87177-5

~Excerpt~

Chapter One

"Oh, Lord," Jessie cried out. "What should I do?"

Forced to make a quick decision, she cried out for protection as she raced down the highway toward her home. But as the rain fell harder, the sky grew darker and visibility drastically decreased.

Verging on panic, Jessie turned on the car radio to a weather report for Springfield, Missouri. As she'd feared, a tornado warning had been issued. Several small twisters had already been spotted within a few miles of her location, and Doppler radar showed the conditions were right for the formation of cells slightly to her south and west. As she passed the highway intersection that the meteorologist had just given as a reference point, Jessie swallowed hard, certain she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

From deep within her soul, she heard God's answer to her earlier plea and knew what she should do. She had to get out of the car. Immediately. Suddenly, everything Jessie had learned from the meteorologists came flooding back. She was just reaching for her cellular telephone to let her parents know where she was, when something to the west caught her eye. Looking out, she saw a funnel over the distant field.

Without another thought, Jessie parked the car on the side of the road and threw the strap of her purse over her head. In a flash of lightning, she spotted a highway overpass ahead. Unless her mind was playing tricks, she thought she'd seen the silhouette of a man. Thunder boomed, and she ran as fast as she could.

When her shoes sank into the soft highway shoulder, she left them behind. Reaching the overpass, she saw an outstretched hand and grabbed on to the life preserver God had sent her. She let the strong hand pull her to safety as she gasped for breath. She collapsed against the strong chest without hesitation. Never had she been so glad to see another person.

She caught her breath, realizing she was in the arms of a stranger. Yet, she was too afraid to inch free of his protective touch. Not until a tiny hand patted her head in sync with a soft coo did she realize the man held a child in his arms.

Lifting her head, Jessie met a pair of dark eyes that reflected the same terror she felt. She was certain she knew this man from somewhere....

Gifts of Love by Crystal Stovall
Steeple Hill/Love Inspired
ISBN: 0-373-87177-5

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