Chasing the 400 is the story of two African American siblings from a working class neighborhood on Philadelphia's Main Line in the 1950s who try to make their dreams of a better life come true, despite the obstacles that Philadelphia's black bourgeoisie throw in their way. The back cover copy sums it up: The oldest of ten plumber's children, sassy and sexy Vera Marshall wants to leave her working class Main Line neighborhood and secure a place in "the 400"--1950s Philadelphia's black bourgeoisie. When hired as a department store model, Vera thinks she's on her way. Her brother, Bobby, a hardworking, smart, all-around nice guy, dreams of college and a life different than his father's. Will Ned Daniels, the snobby son of their town's only Negro doctor, ruin their plans? Join the Marshalls and a cast of characters as they chase "the 400" all over Philadelphia and the Main Line, hoping that the game is worth the chase. Chasing the 400 provides a fresh and entertaining look into the small, thriving, working class and close knit African American neighborhoods of the 1950s and into the exclusive world of the Black bourgeoisie. Author, Sheilah Vance said that she wrote Chasing the 400 with short, fast-paced chapters to appeal to readers like herself--hard-working and busy people who collapse in bed at the end of the day, eager to read an upbeat book about characters they can root for, and equally eager to feel that they've accomplished something for themselves by reading at least one chapter.

Chasing the 400

Literature & Fiction

Sheilah Vance

Action & Adventure

The Elevator Group

Carolyn James' life looked great--new job teaching writing at a law school, 11 year marriage to a doctor, mother of a preteen son and daughter, living in a McMansion in suburban Boston. But she is thrown onto the land mines of separation, divorce and dating again when her husband leaves her for his yoga instructor, taking most of their money, stability, and what's left of her self-esteem. For the next three years, Carolyn keeps a divorce journal to cope and rebuild. From optimism to fear, and humor to sadness, Carolyn writes about her experiences with separation, divorce, and, eventually, dating again. The novel takes the reader into Carolyn's journal as she turns to self-reflection, self-help books, and the grace of God to navigate the ever-exploding land mines and get herself and her children safely through to the other side. The novel is in the form of Carolyn's journal, which she keeps to make sense of the changes confronting her. Besides working out her issues as she writes them down, Carolyn writes about the various books that she read to help herself. Therapeutic fiction blurs the lines between fiction and non-fiction because the books that Carolyn refers to are real. Readers can turn to those books as well to help themselves.

Land Mines

Journaling Through the Land Mines is the companion journal to the novel, Land Mines. The journal includes 77 writing prompts that cover situations the reader may likely encounter and questions to help the reader address the issues that are floating around in her soul. The prompts are in the form of unfinished sentences that the reader can finish to begin her journaling: "When I realized my marriage was ending..."", and, "When I told the children we were separating...", and, "My self esteem...". The rest of the journal includes over 100 pages with inspirational quotes and space for the reader to record her reflections, thoughts and feelings as she works through the land mines of separation, divorce and dating again.

Journaling Through the Land Mines

Self-Help

Relationships

Elevator Group, The

We are made overcomers by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. (Rev. 12:11.) Everyone has a story to tell. Learn how to tell yours. Creativity for Christians is designed to be used by individuals or churches as a transformative and bonding experience. The first half of Creativity for Christians is a writing workshop, teaching the reader how to write her personal testimony and story of overcoming through a series of writing exercises and writing advice. The second half of the book contains stories written by members of the authors’ church who participated in the workshops. Their personal stories of overcoming all types of situations will strengthen and encourage readers by showing them what God can do. The reader will also see that sharing stories, even if only with their fellow parishioners in a churchwide or church group project, will bring them closer together and strengthen them as a church.

Creativity for Christians: How to Tell Your Story and Stories of Overcoming from the Members of One Special Church

Religion & Spirituality

Rev. Felicia Howard

Christian Books & Bibles

This epic historical novel shows how the lives of ordinary men and women who lived in the shadow of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, were changed forever beginning in early 1777, when the Revolutionary War battles came to their doorsteps, leading them and their loved ones to Valley Forge from winter 1777 through summer 1778. James, a former slave, lives as a blacksmith on Rebel Hill, with his patriot friend, Fred. Both are reluctant to volunteer for the army because they need their wages. But ten days later, they join the march to Valley Forge. Once at Valley Forge, Washington's army, a young nation, and the fascinating characters in this book are forced to grow in so many ways. At the end of a long winter, their lives have become a part of what we mean when we say, "Valley Forge."

Becoming Valley Forge

Genre Fiction