Ellen Burstyn

In an inspirational debut novel by the author of Tuesdays with Morrie, Charles "Chick" Benetto, grieving over the death of his mother, uses alcohol as a crutch to deal with his loneliness, isolation, and depression and the disintegration of his life, until an encounter with his mother's ghost brings him new awareness and leads him to attempt to put his life back together.

Mary Ingles is a Virginia homesteader whose family is suddenly attacked by a Shawnee war party. After Mary is taken captive, the leader of the war party is impressed by her courage and strength, and decides to make her his mate. Mary then makes the dangerous decision to escape the Shawnee village with another captive woman. Together they embark on a harrowing journey through the Virginia wilderness toward freedom and home.

Killed in a tragic accident, Eddie, an elderly man who believes that he had an uninspired life, awakens in the afterlife, where he discovers that heaven consists of having five people explain the meaning of one's life.

"Timepiece" follows MaryAnne and David Parkin as they struggle with the lessons of love, loyalty, and forgiveness. In "The Christmas Box" a young family moves into the house of a wealthy widow and discover together the greatest gift of Christmas.