Calamity Mum

A mum for all calamities . . . that was what Faulkner Scott's young son wanted.

A fan-favorite contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer. A mom for all calamities…that was what Faulkner Scott's young son wanted. The motherless twelve-year-old was determined to appoint Shelly Astor his new mom after she saved his life. Then she met his dad! Who was going to save Shelly's heart from a new accident waiting to happen—like falling in love with the boy's gorgeous father? Originally published in 1993.

Calamity's Claws is a story about a cat and his owner, a young woman Dannette Harney, whose grandparents had come to Australia as refugees from the Chilean coup d'eìtat in 1973, and a scandalous secret the family had kept from her. Due to unavoidable circumstances she becomes caught up in uncovering the family secret which drags her into life threatening contact with desperate criminals and child kidnappers. Yet in the midst of this she finds love, and is confronted by the reality of God and her fragmented family miraculously discover each other in very confronting circumstances.

Three touching, romantic stories celebrate the joys and surprises of motherhood, including "A Special Request," in which Sarah Jeffries meets sexy Nat Anderson but thinks that he is too much of a wanderer to be a father to her son. Original.

This book divides into two parts. The first is a personal narrative of the impact of the death of the author's son Ralph on him and his family and his efforts to see if there was any evidence for his continued existence (generated largely through visits to mediums) that a thinking person could take seriously. The second is an attempt to evaluate that evidence objectively (based on an extensive survey of current and past scientific research in the UK and the USA). The title reflects the inevitable tension between emotion and intellect in such an enquiry.

All the people in these stories are unsung heroes. Their stories are true. To honour their privacy, most of the individuals profiled bear fictitious names; a few are composite characters. They have suffered severe trauma, the consequences of which have affected every aspect of their lives, as well as those of family and friends. They demonstrate great, if not superhuman, courage and resilience and never seek or expect applause. Over time, day-by-day, they endeavour to cope with loss, bid to reclaim lost skills, and unheralded, make significant contributions to society. 'Out of Calamity' stories and portraits are told in language that is realistic but also poetic, and demonstrate heroic dimensions even when people appear overwhelmed. Superbly crafted writing that is often raw but also eloquent, spare and affecting, these stories are gems replete with insight and compassion.

As Long as I Remember part one and two is the autobiography of an Australian life of a first fleet descendent growing up at Shooters Hill in the Blue Mountains near Oberon during the depression and war years. After the war she marries Jack Duggan from Oberon . Her sister, Nora, married Jacks brother Dan and they lived on a farm in Oberon. Thecla and John set out to make their fortunes and establish one of the great Hotel dynasties of the Australian private sector. Part One Here We Are and Part Two My very Green Years are for publication in this volume. They cover her family background, her childhood and her years leading into young adulthood. There are many more volumes that she has written but they have not yet been edited for publication. We are currently working on her second volume. Some will not be released to me until after her death for personal reasons. Thecla Marie is a 5th Generation Australian descendent of a Catholic Irish Convict, the first Phillip Hogan, and a Protestant Irish immigrant. Hogan was transported in 1799 on HMS Friendship. His crime was his involvement in the events leading up to the uprising. He was the mounted messenger who carried orders and news between the cells. He is still remembered in Irish Folk law today in the saying going like galloping Hogan. The ongoing saga covers such detailed historical notations, but focuses mainly on Theclas own life and upbringing in the Australian bush in a hard but loving environment of small tight communities. At the age of 15 she leaves Shooters Hill and travels to teach in Sydney convents in the prewar years but her nonconformity resulted in her failing as a teacher. During this time she taught herself shorthand and typing which led to her working as a stenographer at the small arms factory in Lithgow during the war years. These years were filled with friends and lovers, and the acquisition of a stylish wardrobe, the latter often being her primary concern. Following the war she struggles to survive in Sydney working at various city offices with her girl friends and residing in lower level bed sitters in the outer suburbs of Petersham, Marickville and Redfern, commonly known as the slums. Every time she found a nice place to reside in the city she was called back to Shooters Hill for the pea harvest by an obligation she undertook with her brother, Bert, before leaving the Hill. She maintains her connection with home. In between pea harvests she was able to travel and finds work in many different and interesting environment. Her improved wardrobe and experience was leading her into a better and better lifestyle. and finally she marries at the age of 25 and begins her married life with John Patrick Duggan. Together they establish a large and famous family of publicans, graziers and transport carriers. Her stories are told in an amusing self deprecating voice as if she was writing to a friend. Her descriptions are voiced in such a way as to make the reader believe they were actually there themselves and that makes for easy reading.

Reprint. Originally published: New York: E.P. Dutton, 1942.