“This was an entertaining story which hooked me with the deliciously descriptive confections and coffees. I am on the lookout for a coffee shop just like Bree’s. I also appreciated the not-so-perfect ending; it was refreshing.”
In Lara Ketter’s first novel, Bree Somers is a woman haunted by the tragedy that tore her life apart ten years ago. On a chilly December day a visitor walks into her vibrant coffeehouse in Waconda, Kansas, and turns her world upside down. Bree is forced to face the past and contemplate forgiving the only person she’s ever hated. Can she finally let go and move on, or will she remain frozen in heartache?
“I enjoyed this book immensely. Ms. Ketter is an excellent story teller and hilarious. I fell in love with her kids, Alex, Jenna and Max. Some of their antics brought back memories of my children. I enjoyed her long suffering husband too. I’d have loved to be a fly on the wall while some of these stories were occurring. It’d be a hoot! The book also made me appreciate all of the folks who actually are farmers and what they go through.”
Humor writer Lara Ketter swore to the heavens she would never ever marry a farmer – not even if he was the last man on earth…breathing. She ate her words in 1997 when she married Farmer Husband in a beautiful church in a cute little town in North Central Kansas. “Funny Sh*t That Happened on the Farm” is a collection of columns and blog posts Lara has written about her life as a clueless farm wife and equally clueless mom to three farm kids.
“As someone who has competed in pageants since the age of 16 (I won’t reveal my age but will say I’ve competed in Miss, Mrs., now divorced it’s Ms.) I could definitely relate to Lara. While pageants can be a very positive thing, they can also be very stressful. While she had moments of self doubt, she didn’t give up, and I truly admired that. And the title is perfect…pageants most certainly can be addictive. I would recommend this book to anyone who competes or is considering competing in pageants.”
Competing in fourteen pageants in four years sounds like insanity, but Lara (Miller back then) Ketter did just that in the 1990s when she became addicted to pageants. In the process she lost her soul as she fought to win a crown to prove to anyone watching, and especially herself, that she was worthy to walk the face of the earth. In “My Pageant Addiction: How I Lost My Soul to Win a Pageant” Lara shares details of each pageant and how her unhealthy obsession with winning led to lots of tears in lots of bathroom stalls.
“I really enjoyed this book. You feel as though you walk this journey with the author. For anyone who has dealt with chronic pain, it touches on some very significant issues. I found it to be helpful in understanding my spouse’s chronic pain that he has struggled with for years. Even living without chronic pain, I identified with several topics the author discussed and found myself laughing out loud often.”
On a crystal-clear St. Patrick’s Day in 1995, Lara Ketter was driving to the drug store in her teal Pontiac when a car turned directly in her path, causing a double-whiplash accident that left Lara with a severe and constant headache. Published in 2013, “Not This Lifetime, I’ve Got a Headache!” takes a look at the desperate, sometimes bizarre, measures Lara took to find relief from her 20-year headache and chronic pain, and her quest to stay sane as both threatened to bring her down.
Marvelous Max Book One: The Name Game
Chapter Books for Children
Marvelous Max dreams up a clever plan to change his name the day Big Bart Ridley, the meanest and smelliest boy in school, calls him “Max the Dog,” panting and barking in Max’s face. But how will Max choose a new name? Is it legal? Should Max let a bully ruin something as special as his name? Find out what happens in “The Name Game,” the first Marvelous Max chapter book for kids.
Marvelous Max Book Two: Project Big Pumpkin
Chapter Books for Children
“Project BIG Pumpkin” is Marvelous Max’s incredible plan to grow the most gigantic pumpkin the town of Tinyville has ever seen. After staring in amazement at a 1,000-pound pumpkin at the State Fair, Max decides to grow his own Beastly, Insane and Gigantic pumpkin. Can Max do it? What will happen to Max’s pumpkin when he goes on vacation? How will he carve it into the perfect jack-o-lantern for Halloween? Find out what happens in “Project BIG Pumpkin,” the second Marvelous Max chapter book for kids.