Book Description:
Dreams and Driftwood: Stories Set Along the Great Lakes is an anthology of short stories by the Great Lakes Fiction Writers Group, exploring the mysteries, wonders, and complexities of life in the Great Lakes region. From haunted castles and mythical goddesses to unlikely romances and second chances, these stories delve into the depths of human experience, revealing the resilience, humor, and enduring power of love in unexpected places.
Midway by J.S. Crawford
(Historical Fiction)
A wounded teenage greaser seeks refuge at a deserted drive-in, where he crosses paths with a sharp-tongued girl who refuses to let him die alone. Content warning: knife violence, death, mild profanity
Life is a Gift by Christy Eberling
(Romance)
Kenessa Diamond, recently divorced and dealing with hotflashes from perimenopause, wants to grow her new business. She agrees to clean a large castle , where she encounters a ghost from the 1950’s and a thriller author who is eager to have a ghost-free home.
Quality Yarns of Wisconsin by Thomas Dukes
(General Fiction)
“Quality Yarns of Wisconsin” is about how a grown son, a bit of a fish out of water in this small town, comes to the rescue of three matrons in distress while making a place for himself in this world.
Depths of Love on the Great Lakes by Cyndi Brec
(Fantasy Romance/Romantasy)
A secret journal. A deadly natural disaster. A friendship on the brink. Amid the chaos, can the sweetness of love survive?
Nightmare at Hazelmore Castle by Patricia Miller
(Mystery)
A newly-built castle-themed vacation rental in Sugarcreek is plagued with a series of strange and frightening events until the wisdom of an older resident helps the owners reconcile the past with the present.
Love at First Drop by Linda Morgan
(Sweet Rom-Com)
A thrill-seeking vlogger and a roller coaster engineer go head-to-head in a bet that turns into the wildest ride of all—one filled with ridiculous dares, unexpected sparks, and a freefall straight into love.
Worth the Climb by Iris Matthews
(Contemporary Romance)
Tessa doesn’t expect to meet someone new when at the rock-climbing gym, but when she meets a handsome man stuck at the top, she talks him into trusting her; but can she return the favor by trusting him and herself?
Oh My Goddess by Christine Petrell Kallevig
(Paranormal Romance)
Finnish-American siblings Elea and Heikki find themselves living alone – will the love and companionship they seek be human, furry, or supernatural?
The Interview by Barbara Howard
(Contemporary Romance)
The Interview is a heartwarming contemporary romance about finding balance between professional success and personal fulfillment, proving that sometimes the most unexpected career move might be opening your heart.
The Duke Against the Ropes by Sylvie Fielder
(Contemporary Romance)
The “Duke of Destruction” reigns in the wrestling ring, but, when he meets a Cleveland schoolteacher named Sherrie, will he swerve before she can pin his heart?
Where the Clouds Carried Me by Lana Gionfriddo
(Contemporary Romance)
A young woman embarks on a solo trip to Ireland with a broken heart, but high hopes.
A Seat at the Table by Cindy Stonebrook
(Paranormal)
When the dog is the only one that cares you exist, homecomings are a challenge. Content warning: deceased parents, death
About the Authors
Cyndi Brec – Cyndi Brec writes her heroine into dangerous webs of deception while she sips French vanilla iced coffee. A three-times five-star Readers’ Favorite recipient, YA fantasy romance debut novelist, Cyndi Brec has snagged a few endorsements from notable authors: Jonas Saul, the bestselling author of the Sarah Roberts Series; Alan Warren, NBC Radio Host/Producer/Author; and Suzy Vadori, Author and critic of the Fountain Series.
An avid reader turned writer, her background as a Recreational Therapy Technician, traveler, historical site owner, and legend sleuth provides a wealth of experience and perspectives that have deeply enriched her storytelling. After marrying, she traveled to Europe and many of the States. However, Ohio is her home, where she and her husband raised two great kids and several energetic dogs. Her love of history was enriched by co-owning a 200-year-old historic watermill with her husband for over 20 years, which has fostered an appreciation of historical knowledge and cultivation of The Therans Series.
Cyndi’s just a regular gal—storyteller, speaker, and co-host of the P English Literature podcast. She’s a sidekick podcaster interviewing authors and serving book banter.
www.cyndibrec.com
J.S. Crawford – Jamie Stewart Crawford (she/they) is a writer and improviser.
Her short stories have appeared in literary journals such as Suburban Witchcraft, Lit Nerds, The Blunt Space, and AC|DC Journal. Her short screenplay War Torn has been a finalist in competitions at the Cindependent Film Festival, the Boston Screenplay Awards, the Nashville Film Festival Screenwriting Competition, and the Caledonia Short Script Competition. She has also written articles for Girls in Capes and The Mary Sue. She also is a producer of the monthly storytelling open mic, Story Club Cleveland.
Jamie is a cast member of the short-form house team Improv Game Night and the producer of the annual Queerland Comedy Show, a Pride benefit event. She has performed with IKEA NEAR ME, Comedy Court, The Pro Roe Variety Show, What Are We Doing: An Improvised Game Show, and This Improvised Life. She studied improvisation at BGSU and the iO Theater.
www.jscrawfordwrites.com/
Thomas Dukes was born in Gainesville, Florida, and grew up in Aiken, South Carolina. He received his BA and MA from The University of Texas at El Paso (English, Creative Writing). He received his Ph.D. from Purdue University (English, Modern Literature). He has published a prize-winning poetry collection, Baptist Confidential, and another, Gospels From the Lower Shelf, in 2024. He has published many poems, scholarship, journalism, short fiction, non-fiction. He lives in Northeast Ohio.
Christy Eberling delights in writing romantic stories with dogs, all with a happily ever after, or happy for now ending. Christy thrives as an educator, and photographer for Portraits 165. She has a Bachelor of General Studies, with a dual focus in Psychology and Sociology, and an Associate’s degree in Human Services. She’s the 2024-2025 Board Secretary for Great Lakes Fiction Writers. In her free time, she enjoys fishing, camping, and embarking on Jeep or motorcycle adventures with her charming prince. She warmly invites readers to join her animal-filled reader group on Facebook called Christy’s Companions, and find her on Instagram.
www.christyeberlingauthor.com
Sylvie Fielder grew up in a log cabin, earned a few degrees in art history, and now writes romance stories that feature smart women with strong interests finding their happily ever afters. When she’s not working, she loves to drink coffee, watch baseball, and shop for used books. She lives near Cleveland, Ohio, with her partner and two very pretty, but very mischievous, cats.
www.sylviefielderwrites.wordpress.com/
Lana Gionfriddo hold a BA in English from The Ohio State University and a MLIS from Kent State. She is a writer/librarian/mama of three who spends quite a bit of time parenting from behind the pages of a book. She tries, and probably fails, to give all three of her occupations the time they deserve, but her husband insists the kids are fine. You can follow her @lanasmellsbooks on Instagram.
www.lananeedsaminute.wordpress.com
Barbara Howard is a mystery, contemporary romance, and romantic suspense author based in Cleveland, with a passion for creating stories that delve into complex relationships and hidden truths. Her works often explore themes of love, trust, and the past’s influence on the present. With extensive experience as a Department of Defense/Pentagon Project Manager, KPMG Eastern Region Project Leader, and Corporate Sales Representative for Borders Books & Music, Ms. Howard brings a unique perspective to her writing. Board President (2024-2025), Great Lakes Fiction Writers
www.authorbarbarahoward.com
Christine Petrell Kallevig devoted three decades to writing and performing award-winning stories illustrated by origami models. She is the author of five short story collections and two middle-grade novels: Carry Me Home Cuyahoga and Please Pass Grandma’s Leg. As a third-generation Finnish-American, her new work for adult readers explores Finnish folklore, culture, and mythology. Rauha, Ohio, the fictional village featured in ‘Oh My Goddess, is also the setting for her upcoming mystery novel, Lempo’s Revenge. When not writing, she enjoys water sports, biking, hiking, and upcycling old clothes into rugs and quilts.
storytimeink.com/Christine_Kallevig/
Iris Matthews writes sweeping historical romance novels set in 1785 London and sweet contemporary short stories set around the Great Lakes. She hails from northeast Ohio where she lives with her partner, two children, and mini Aussiedoodle rescue pup. She has a BA in history and an MFA in writing popular fiction. Her second novel was a finalist in the Hearts Through History Romance Writer’s Romance Through the Ages Contest taking third place in the Georgian/Victorian category. When she isn’t writing, you can find her in the garden, playing board games, or traveling.
www.irismatthews.com
Patricia Miller – Award-winning author Patricia Miller grew up and lives in a small town in Ohio where she has worked as a mental health counselor for 30 + years. She writes Agatha Christie-like, who-dun-it cozy mystery collections (Mysterious Tales of the Unexplained Vols 1-4), which include illustrations by middle and high school art students. Patricia also has published a YA sci-fi trilogy (The Joshua Trilogy), and she is a contributing author in a romance anthology ( Love on the Lakefront) with her short story, Mystery Weekend Romance. Her first two mystery collections were each named finalists in the American Bookfest Best Book Awards, and volume 3 was awarded a 2nd Place Purple Dragonfly award in the mystery category. Miller has presented Character-Driven Writing workshops, including at the 2024 West Virginia Young Writers Celebration at the University of Charleston at the invitation of Dr. Stephanie Burdette, the Faculty Advisor for the WVSU Reading Council. Miller has worked as a mental health Clinical Counselor Supervisor for the past 35 years and enjoys hiking and biking weekends and British murder mystery marathons.
www.pmwritescom.wordpress.com
Linda Morgan lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband. Her debut novel, Prayers Under Fire, releases in September. (Spoiler alert: it’s a trilogy, so get ready to meet the Jameson brothers, whose entertaining adventures and swoon-worthy romances bring faith, hope, and love to life.)
Linda’s had a poem published, Little Boy Lost. She’s won first place on two devotionals at FaithWriters.com. She manages an active blog, Spiritual Sparks, where she shares weekly devotions to uplift, inspire, and add a touch of humor to this journey we call life.
Linda’s a total word geek with a quirky habit of spelling words backwards—silently, of course. Not loud—that would just be weird. She belongs to the WCNG and GLFW writing groups.
www.inkerspen.com/linda-morgan
Cindy Stonebrook lives in Northeast Ohio and has been diligently curating her crazy cat lady collection for some time. She is the Chairperson of the Cambridge Writers group, a teaching and critique group with a focus on creative fiction. She will be publishing her first book, an anthology of horror / ghost stories, Boneyard Medley, in April of 2025.
www.cindystonebrook.weebly.com