More Heartfelt Fiction from Carla Stewart:
Broken Wings
Chasing Lilacs
Available from FaithWords wherever books are sold.
Praise for Stardust
“Carla Stewart writes with incredible heart and warmth. Her stories manage to challenge and comfort me all the while keeping me glued to the page. She’s an amazing talent.”
—Gina Holmes, bestselling author of Crossing Oceans and Dry as Rain
“With beautiful imagery that engages all the senses, Carla Stewart swept me right into the world of the bayou in the 1950s. Her latest novel, Stardust, is told with heart and skill and obvious love for her characters. A gripping storyline that is inspiring and unforgettable.”
—Julie L. Cannon, bestselling author of I’ll Be Home for Christmas, 2010, and Twang, coming September 2012
“Carla Stewart is a talented writer who has proven that again with Stardust. I was hooked from the first sentence and am anxious to share this engaging story with our She Reads readers.”
—Marybeth Whalen, founder and codirector of She Reads (www.shereads.org), the fiction division of Proverbs 31 Ministries, and author of She Makes It Look Easy and The Mailbox
“A reverence for the past and a keen eye for interesting characters make Stardust as bright and magical as a twinkling neon sign on a dark, lonely two-lane. You’ll love the journey as much as the final destination. Another winner from an author with a uniquely beautiful talent!”
—Lisa Wingate, national bestselling and award-winning author of Dandelion Summer and Blue Moon Bay
“Carla Stewart is one of the best at slicing out a piece of Americana and serving it to the reader in a delicious story. Stardust is a smooth, inviting, well told story that will stick with you long after you read the last line and close the book. A worthy read.”
—Rachel Hauck, award-winning author of Dining with Joy
“Carla Stewart writes from the heart about a hard subject. As a polio survivor, I understand the fear and worry that the polio epidemics of the twentieth century evoked. Carla transcends that fear with compassion and achingly beautiful prose. Stardust is a winner.”
—Linda S. Clare, author of The Fence My Father Built
Praise for Broken Wings
“Stewart skillfully entertains and engages the reader with each character’s private pain and survival skills.”
—Romantic Times, 4 stars
“Carla Stewart writes powerful, beautiful, emotionally evocative stories that touch my heart. Broken Wings is no exception. I couldn’t put it down.”
—Susan May Warren, award-winning bestselling author of Nightingale
“I smiled through my tears as I read Broken Wings. Those of us who have been abused can cheer for Brooke, who stands up and fights with what she has: friendship and the love of God. Keep writing, Carla. We need the voice of hope.”
—Shelley Adina, author of the All About Us series
“A relevant story that explores the beauty of friendship as well as the heartache of abuse. Carla Stewart is an engaging storyteller.”
—Susan Meissner, author of The Shape of Mercy
“With apt descriptions and artful prose, Stewart delves into the vibrant, jazzy 1940s, at the same time creating a true-to-life present. Moving between the two time periods, readers discover what everlasting love is, and how strong a woman must be to recognize it.”
—Christina Berry, award-winning author of The Familiar Stranger
Praise for Chasing Lilacs
“Stewart writes about powerful and basic emotions with a restraint that suggests depth and authenticity; the relationship between Sammie and her mother Rita, the engine that drives the plot, is beautifully and delicately rendered. Coming-of-age stories are a fiction staple, but well-done ones much rarer. This emotionally acute novel is one of the rare ones.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“This first-person narrative contains resolute characters and vivid descriptions of a small Texas community in the 1950s. If her debut is any indication, Stewart has a promising future.”
—Romantic Times, 4½ stars
“A warm, compelling tale with characters who will stay with you for quite a while… Those who lived during the 1950s will have delightful flashbacks, and those who didn’t will get a true glimpse into that era. All will identify with Sammie and the friends and family who deeply influence her search for the truth about her family—and herself.”
—BookPage
“Carla Stewart’s book, Chasing Lilacs, was a delightful read. The perfect book for a snowy afternoon. It’ll warm your heart.”
—Jodi Thomas, New York Times bestselling author
“Endearing characters, twists that propel the story ever forward, and soul-searching questions combine to create a heart-tugging tale of self-reflection and inward growth. Carla Stewart’s Chasing Lilacs carried me away to 1950s small-town Texas… and I wanted to stay. I highly recommend this insightful, mesmerizing coming-of-age tale.”
—Kim Vogel Sawyer, bestselling author of My Heart Remembers
“Guilt and redemption are at the soul of this heartwarming tale of a little girl’s searching for her mother’s love. Carla takes us back to a simpler time and a simpler place with wit, wisdom, and insight. God bless her.”
—Charles W. Sasser, author of God in the Foxhole and Arctic Homestead
Contents
Welcome
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Reading Group Guide
More Heartfelt Fiction from Carla Stewart:
Praise for Stardust
Copyright
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2012 by Carla Stewart
Reading Group Guide © 2012 by Hachette Book Group
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at permissions@hbgusa.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
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First e-book edition: May 2012
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ISBN 978-1-4555-0429-9