Race to Splendor

All of life's a wicked stage and love a dangerous drama...

"A fascinating portrayal of London's theatrical milieu...Ware again proves she can intertwine fact and fiction to create an entertaining and harmonious whole."
-Publishers Weekly

If Shakespeare had a sister...

In 18th century London the glamorous Drury Lane and Covent Garden theatres were all the rage, beckoning every young actor, actress, playwright, and performer with the lure of the stage lights. But competition and back-biting between theatre owners, patrons, actors, and writers left aspiring playwrights with their work stolen, profits withheld, and reputations on the line. For a female, things were harder still, as the chances of a "petticoat playwright" getting past the government censor was slim.

In this exciting and cutthroat world, a young woman with a skill for writing and an ambition to see her work performed could rise to glory, or could lose all in the blink of an eye...

In Ciji Ware's signature style, real-life characters of the day create a backdrop for a portrait of a glittering era, a love story, and a compelling glimpse into what life was like for a strong and independent-minded woman in an emphatically man's world.

"A historical novel so lively and intriguing, you don't realize you've learnt anything till after you close the book. Exciting, entertaining, and enlightening."
-Literary Times

"Do not start unless you want to be up all night!...Whether or not you believe in reincarnation, you'll believe in the ability of love to transcend time and place and the wonder of Ciji Ware's writing. Superb!" —Romantic Times (Gold Medal review)

One woman, one man, one shared fate...

A remote cottage on the wild coast of Cornwall sounded to Blythe Barton Stowe like the perfect escape from the pain and humiliation of recent events in her Hollywood life. But soon she seems to be reliving a centuries-old tragedy, and the handsome owner of the shabby manor house on the hill appears vitally entwined in her destiny. As they unearth one shocking family secret after another, Blythe is forced to conclude that her intriguing neighbor is more than just an impecunious British gentleman bent on saving his ancestral home. And the impeccably honorable Lucas Teague begins to see Blythe as a lifeline in an otherwise bleak existence.

But is the unbridled attraction they're experiencing a dangerous distraction, or could it be strong enough to transcend the insurmountable complexities of time and place...?

"A deep, complex novel exploring love, betrayal, healing, and renewal in the human heart." —Affaire de Coeur

"A book to be savored and then put on the keeper shelf." —Gothic Journal

PRAISE FOR A COTTAGE BY THE SEA:

"An intriguing, enticing, complex, and romantic novel that will keep readers up long into the night." —Rundpinne

A secret may hold for a hundred years... and then it's time for the past to take revenge

Daphne Duvallon vowed never to return to the South years ago when she left her philandering fiance at the altar. Now family has called her back to Natchez, Mississippi, a city as mysterious and compelling as the ghostly voices that haunt her dreams.

From a time when the oldest settlement on the Mississippi was in its heyday and vast fortunes were made and lost, Daphne begins to uncover the secrets of an ancestor whose fate is somehow linked with her own. In a compelling and mesmerizing tale, now Daphne must right the wrongs of the past, or follow the same path into tragedy...

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:

"A richly rewarding read brimming with local color, humor, sexual tension, environmental issues, and even a fun glimpse into the world of jazz bands."

"Ware's weaving of a contemporary story along with history of a hundred years past, and the accuracy and detail she brings into the story are fascinating."

Re-issued in its original full length, this acclaimed and bestselling romantic historical novel by award-winning author Ciji Ware tells the true story of passionate and flamboyant Jane Maxwell, the 4th Duchess of Gordon (1749-1812). In love since childhood with Thomas Fraser, when she hears that he's been killed in America, she marries the Duke of Gordon with disastrous results. But Fraser, very much alive, returns to England to claim her love.

In addition to telling a heart-wrenching love story, Island of the Swans also paints a fascinating portrait of a powerful and controversial woman and the tumultuous era in which she lived. Patroness of poet Robert Burns, advisor to King George, painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds, Jane Maxwell was a towering figure in her own time and is an unforgettable heroine.

Scandal transcends time in the Big Easy

Feisty reporter Corlis McCullough isn't afraid to push boundaries in the name of journalistic integrity. When passion for the truth lands her in New Orleans in need of a job, an assignment at a TV station pits her against her old college nemesis, King Duvallon.

The sultry streets of the French Quarter, the glamorous Garden District, derelict riverfront cotton warehouses, and gritty back alleys come alive as the reporter's story inexplicably slips between the nineteenth century and today. A long-forgotten drama of blackmail, swindles, and a love affair that is still changing lives leaves Corlis and King wondering if their burgeoning, unholy attraction will render them pawns in a matrix of mystery and deceit.

"A must read...Ware transports you to New Orleans...and captures all its charm." —Rendezvous Reviews

"Vibrant and exciting... such an intriguing plot full of rich characters that I couldn't wait to see what happened." —Literary Times

"Well-researched and entertaining... excellent." —Library Journal

One Woman’s Courage in the face of personal tragedy is at the heart of Heather A. Clark’s debut novel. Thirty–three–year–old Nicky Fowler thought her whole life was mapped out — a rewarding career as a third grade teacher, an adoring husband, and the perfect house in the suburbs — but complicated fertility issues lead to a devastating tragedy. Nicky’s marriage crumbles and she’s left unable to cope with her now–changed life.

When Nicky accepts a volunteer teaching position at an orphanage in Kenya, she finds that life there is unlike the world she’s known. Drought has brought famine, violence is everywhere, and the jaded orphanage director takes out her hatred on the parentless children.