Peter Crane

When the new neighbors move in next door, Eddie never envisioned meeting a girl his age with so much grace, and exotic beauty. Saya Yamato is about to transform Eddie's innocent, small town life in central Ohio. It is love at first sight for him. But Saya has her own agenda for life and love. First love, however, isn't always kind, and can be confusing and painful. Eddie's heart longs for Saya. His best friend of eleven years, Cassie, the tomboy, is developing into an appealing young woman and is imagining a romantic relationship with Eddie. Saya's arrival brings unwanted complications. Their town is changing too as it becomes home to the first Japanese car production plant in the country. Ethnic tensions rise as the city is flooded with foreigners coming to work at the plant. The consequences of love will change the way Eddie views his life and his actions. And, young love has a way of creating unlikely heroes.

Throughout her long and storied life, Rachel “Bunny” Mellon’s greatest passion was garden design. She and her husband Paul Mellon, one of the wealthiest men in America, maintained homes in New York, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Antigua, and Upperville, Virginia, and she designed the gardens at all of them. She also designed gardens for some of her dearest friends, including the Rose Garden and the East Garden at the White House, at the request of President Kennedy, and the gardens at both the Paris home and the château of couturier Hubert de Givenchy. All of these gardens are featured in The Gardens of Bunny Mellon, illustrated with Mellon’s own garden plans, sketches, and watercolors, as well as with archival photographs and specially commissioned photographs of Oak Spring, the Mellon estate in Upperville. Author Linda Holden’s text is based on extensive interviews with Mellon before her death in 2014.

The Final Forbidden MiracleIn this powerful conclusion to the Forbidden Miracles saga, the Lipton family patriarch continues his rapid medical decline despite the best efforts of the dedicated medical staff at Methodist Memorial Hospital. Deteriorating before their eyes, Mary Lipton and her three children stare vacantly and helplessly as the days pass and Thomas slips away from them. Camilla Klein, the hospital's president, finally agrees to employ the expertise of a highly regarded specialist, only to discover that the unanswerable questions cannot be resolved. The absence of a diagnosis is puzzling for the medical staff and the family. As Thomas approaches death, the potential hope is for Tom to save his father. This time, the hospital administration is willing to turn a blind eye while Tom attempts to perform a miracle. However, Tom is only half of the two-person team that is essential in saving his father's life. Nora Hampton is far across the country, and time is of the essence. Does Nora have enough time to return, and does she want to go back the hospital that heartlessly dismissed her? She presents with an inner tug- of-war between her humanity for Thomas and her repugnance for the hospital administration. Turn the pages and discover if spirituality or medicine can save Thomas. In the process, discover how much one man means to a family and to the hospital that he nobly serves.

In this highly anticipated sequel to Forbidden Miracles, Reverend Tom Lipton and his beautiful girlfriend, Janice Wilson, are coping with the death of their mentor and colleague, Reverend Harry Samuelson. Although Reverend Tom and Nora Hampton performed a miracle for the aging man, they were not successful and Reverend Harry passed away. Now the hospital administration is closely monitoring the actions of both Tom and Nora in an effort to assure that they do not attempt any more miracles. Such a mockery of medicine could ruin the reputation of the hospital. Nora keeps her distance from Tom, fearing the loss of her job and Janice feels wedged between her boyfriend and her best friend. Janicequestions why two people should walk away from their potential to heal the sick. In addition, Nora and Tom must decide if the gift of saving lives is worth the likely loss of their jobs. Dr. Thomas Lipton is about to complete the final work on his revolutionary cartilage printer, but the stress and financial burdens are taking their toll on him. The larger than life doctor will discover that he is not always resilient. Find out what happens in this next exciting volume of the Forbidden Miracles saga.

In Book III of the series, Saya Yamato must face the consequences of her sins. The exotic beauty has chosen the life of a gang member, until she learns that she might be pregnant. She is aware that the only one who can save her from her father's wrath is her former boyfriend, Eddie. However, Eddie is developing a significant bond with the girl who has always loved him. He and Cassie have moved passed their childhood friendship to uncover a deeper and more mature relationship. Now, Saya finds herself thrust into desperation. Her parents have all but abandoned her, and her friends have deserted her. When Eddie learns the truth of Saya's situation, he cannot bear to see her in pain. Eddie decides that despite the costs or sacrifices he might make along the way, he is the only person who will not give up on saving his beloved Saya.

In book II of the series, Saya Yamato, the exotic beauty, has finally decided to bestow her love on Eddie, the young man next door. After all, he had come to her rescue, not once, but twice, in hernew school. He fought for her, and made no secret of his love; a bold gesture at any age. However, young love doesn't come without drama. Eric Clayton, a handsome senior, with money and a car, has other ideas about whom the new exquisite girl at their school should be dating. He has his sights set on Saya too. How does a teenager on the brink of adulthood keep the love of his life close, when the competition seems to have so much more to offer? In addition, what can Eddie do to keep the love that he has found, when Saya desires a lifestyle that he does not comprehend? Eddie's insecurities and Saya's changing perception of him begin to crumble the foundation of their relationship. Eddie is about to figure out that finding love was easy but keeping it can be difficult. He discovers that young love can be just as exhilarating as it is puzzling.

Perhaps the world’s most distinctive tree, ginkgo has remained stubbornly unchanged for more than two hundred million years. A living link to the age of dinosaurs, it survived the great ice ages as a relic in China, but it earned its reprieve when people first found it useful about a thousand years ago. Today ginkgo is beloved for the elegance of its leaves, prized for its edible nuts, and revered for its longevity. This engaging book tells the rich and engaging story of a tree that people saved from extinction—a story that offers hope for other botanical biographies that are still being written. Inspired by the historic ginkgo that has thrived in London’s Kew Gardens since the 1760s, renowned botanist Peter Crane explores the history of the ginkgo from its mysterious origin through its proliferation, drastic decline, and ultimate resurgence. Crane also highlights the cultural and social significance of the ginkgo: its medicinal and nutritional uses, its power as a source of artistic and religious inspiration, and its importance as one of the world’s most popular street trees. Readers of this book will be drawn to the nearest ginkgo, where they can experience firsthand the timeless beauty of the oldest tree on Earth.