Most Popular Books by Sharon Kay

Thirteenth-century Wales is a divided country, ever at the mercy of England''s ruthless, power-hungry King John. Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, secures an uneasy truce by marrying the English king''s beloved illegitimate daughter, Joanna, who slowly grows to love her charismatic and courageous husband. But as John''s attentions turn again and again to subduing Wales---and Llewelyn---Joanna must decide where her love and loyalties truly lie. The turbulent clashes of two disparate worlds and the destinies of the individuals caught between them spring to life in this magnificent novel of power and passion, loyalty and lies. The book that began the trilogy that includes Falls the Shadow and The Reckoning, Here Be Dragons brings thirteenth-century England, France, and Wales to tangled, tempestuous life.

April 1193. England''s King Richard Lionheart languishes in a German prison, and treason scents the air. Richard''s younger brother, John, seizes Windsor Castle, and Dowager Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine summons her trusted personal "queen''s man," Justin de Quincy, to do the impossible - mediate a truce with her rebel son. Amid such fateful events, the murder of a Welsh peddler''s daughter seems small. But the cruel demise of the beautiful Melangell so troubles Justin that not even a threatened French invasion can keep him from investigating her death. Yet can he bring Melangell"s craven killer to justice?

The classic, magnificent bestselling novel about Richard III, now in a special thirtieth anniversary edition with a new preface by the author In this triumphant combination of scholarship and storytelling, Sharon Kay Penman redeems Richard III—vilified as the bitter, twisted, scheming hunchback who murdered his nephews, the princes in the Tower—from his maligned place in history. Born into the treacherous courts of fifteenth-century England, in the midst of what history has called The War of the Roses, Richard was raised in the shadow of his charismatic brother, King Edward IV. Loyal to his friends and passionately in love with the one woman who was denied him, Richard emerges as a gifted man far more sinned against than sinning. With revisions throughout and a new author''s preface discussing the astonishing discovery of Richard''s remains five centuries after his death, Sharon Kay Penman''s brilliant classic is more powerful and glorious than ever.

In the 12th century, Eleanor of Aquitaine hires Justin de Quincey, bastard son of the bishop of Chester, to find the murderer of one of her goldsmiths.

In When Christ and His Saints Slept, acclaimed historical novelist Sharon Kay Penman portrayed all the deceit, danger, and drama of Henry II’s ascension to the throne. Now, in Time and Chance, she continues the ever-more-captivating tale. It was medieval England’s immortal marriage—Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II, bound by passion and ambition, certain to leave a legacy of greatness. But while lust would divide them, it was friendship—and ultimately faith—that brought bloodshed into their midst. It began with Thomas Becket, Henry’s closest confidant, and his elevation to be Archbishop of Canterbury. It ended with a perceived betrayal that made a royal murder seem inevitable. Along the way were enough scheming, seductions, and scandals to topple any kingdom but their own. . . . Only Sharon Kay Penman can re-create this truly tumultuous time—and capture the couple who loved power as much as each other . . . and a man who loved God most of all.

Simon de Montfort was a man ahead of his time in the thirteenth century, a disinherited Frenchman who talked his way into an English earldom and marriage with a sister of the English king, Henry III. A charismatic, obstinate leader, Simon soon lost patience with the king''s incompetence and inability to keep his word, and found himself the champion of the common people. This is his story, and the story of Henry III, as weak and changeable as Simon was brash and unbending. It is a tale of opposing wills that would eventually clash in a storm of violence and betrayal—an irresistible saga that brings the pages of history completely, provocatively, and magnificently alive.

In When Christ and His Saints Slept master storyteller and historian Sharon Kay Penman illuminates one of the lesser-known but fascinating periods of English history. The next addition in this highly acclaimed historical fiction series of the middle ages, and the first of a trilogy that will tell the story of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. When Christ and His Saints Slept begins with the death of King Henry I, son of William the Conqueror and father of Maude, his only living legitimate offspring.

"Penman''s characters are so shrewdly imagined, so full of resonant human feeling that they seem to be on the page....Most compelling is the portrait of the Welsh as wild and rugged as their landscape." SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE Here, alive from the pages of history, is the compelling tale of a Celtic society ruled by Llewelyn, Prince of Wales, on a collison course with a feudal realm of Edward I. WIth this last book in the extraordinary trilogy that began with HERE BE DRAGONS and continued in FALLS THE SHADOW, Sharon Kay Penman has written a beautiful and moving conclusion to her medieval saga. For everyone who has read the earlier books in this incomparable series or ever wanted to experience the rich tapestry of British history and lore, this bold and romantic adventure must be read.

From the critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Sharon Kay Penman comes the story of the reign of King Baldwin IV and the Kingdom of Jerusalem''s defense against Saladin''s famous army. The Kingdom of Jerusalem, also known as Outremer, is the land far beyond the sea. Baptized in blood when the men of the First Crusade captured Jerusalem from the Saracens in the early twelfth century, the kingdom defined an utterly new world, a land of blazing heat and a medley of cultures, a place where enemies were neighbors and neighbors became enemies. At the helm of this growing kingdom sits young Baldwin IV, an intelligent and courageous boy committed to the welfare and protection of his people. But despite Baldwin''s dedication to his land, he is afflicted with leprosy at an early age and the threats against his power and his health nearly outweigh the risk of battle. As political deception scours the halls of the royal court, the Muslim army--led by the first sultan of Egypt and Syria, Saladin--is never far from the kingdom''s doorstep, and there are only a handful Baldwin can trust, including the archbishop William of Tyre and Lord Balian d''Ibelin, a charismatic leader who has been one of the few able to maintain the peace. Filled with drama and battle, tragedy and romance, Sharon Kay Penman''s latest novel brings a definitive period of history vividly alive with a tale of power and glory that will resonate with readers today.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “The great Crusader king Richard the Lionheart comes alive in all his complex splendor in this masterpiece of medieval tapestry.”—Margaret George A.D. 1189. After the death of his father, Henry II, and the early demise of two of his brothers, Richard is crowned King of England and immediately sets off for the Holy Land. This is the Third Crusade, marked by internecine warfare among the Christians and extraordinary campaigns against the Saracens. Richard’s surviving brother, the younger John, is left behind—and conspires with the French king to steal his brother’s throne. Only their mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, now freed from decades of captivity, remains to protect Richard’s interests and secure his destiny. In this engrossing saga, Sharon Kay Penman delivers a novel of passion, intrigue, battle, and deceit. Lionheart is a sweeping tale of a heroic figure—feared by his enemies and beloved by those he commanded—who became a legend in his own lifetime. “[Sharon Kay] Penman displays her usual grasp of sweeping historical events as well as an uncanny ability to get inside the hearts and minds of her real-life characters. Her reputation for character-driven, solidly detailed historicals is richly deserved.”—Booklist “The beautifully described settings and the characters’ interactions are simply outstanding.”—The Historical Novels Review “Penman takes historical writing to a whole new level.”—The Sacramento Bee “[A] gritty, unsentimental, and richly detailed epic.”—Publishers Weekly Don’t miss the exclusive conversation between Sharon Kay Penman and Margaret George at the back of the book.

July 1193. King Richard Lionheart lies in a German prison, held for ransom by the emperor. His mother, Dowager Queen Eleanor, ransacks England for gold to buy his freedom, while his younger brother, John, plots with King Philippe of France to ensure that he rots and dies in chains. When a ransom payment vanishes, Eleanor hastily dispatches young Justin de Quincy to investigate. In wild, beautiful Wales, his devotion to the queen will be supremely tested–as an arrogant border earl, a cocky Welsh prince, an enchanting lady, and a traitor of the deepest dye welcome him with false smiles and deadly conspiracies. The queen’s treasure is nowhere to be found, but assassins are everywhere . . . and blood runs red in the dragon’s lair.

A.D. 1172. Henry II’s three eldest sons conspire against him and align themselves with his greatest enemy, King Louis of France, but it’s Eleanor of Aquitaine’s involvement in the plot to overthrow her husband that proves to be the harshest betrayal. As a royal family collapses and a marriage ends in all but name, the clash between these two strong-willed and passionate souls will have far-reaching and devastating consequences throughout Christendom. Devil’s Brood, a breathtaking and sweeping epic of a family at its breaking point, shows how two monumental figures once bound by all-consuming love became the bitterest of adversaries.

This "sequel to the national bestseller Lionheart is [the] ... story of the last event-filled years in the life of Richard, Coeur de Lion. Taken captive by the Holy Roman Emperor while en route home--in violation of the papal decree protecting all crusaders--he was to spend fifteen months imprisoned, much of it in the notorious fortress at Trefils, from which few men ever left alive, while Eleanor of Aquitaine moved heaven and earth to raise the exorbitant ransom. For the five years remaining to him, betrayals, intrigues, wars, and illness were ever present"--

How does one describe the indescribable? With trust, the words will come to paint a faint image of that which lives and dwells in us all. This is a true story of a blessed life that through a series of events went to a dark place of abusive relationships and drug addiction, until one night while sitting in a car, Sharon Kay Casey''s path changed forever, when she heard God’s voice say, “Trust me.” A few years later she entered a place of golden light. “When stillness comes flowing over like a well springing from the depths of our being… We see your face, faint at first then brilliantly shining with many lights brighter than the sun itself. We witness the universe moving within you, swirling slowly, then like a spiraling vortex with lights of many colors like precious stones of unspeakable brilliance. Within your being, surely all the heavens dwell. Beams of lightning extend from your head and we your Children of Light stand in awe and wonder.”

The Edgar®-nominated author of the medieval mysteries featuring Justin de Quincy places the Queen’s Man far from home—and in the presence of a most cunning foe... Justin de Quincy has been lured to Paris by his nemesis, Prince John, on a mission of mercy. The prince is suspected in a plot to kill his brother, King Richard. Despite John’s hunger for the crown, he’s unwilling to put himself at risk for regicide—and he wants Justin’s help in discrediting the document that implicates him. Justin only concedes to John’s request when he realizes that the welfare of the woman he serves, Eleanor of Aquitaine, is also at risk. It is a concession that will take him to a bloody chamber at Mont St Michel, to a putrid dungeon in Brittany, to a murderous encounter in a Paris cemetery, and to the unraveling of a conspiracy that might have changed the course of English history.

Riddle introduces readers to the sheer joy of hearing God requesting their presence to dance in partnership with him through prayer. Private prayer journals of the author illustrate each principle in this text.

This book challenges you to consider ethical dilemmas in sport and find out where you stand. Featuring a strong background in the philosophy, history, and sociology of sport, it offers new perspectives on the ethical issues facing athletes today -- in youth sports, intercollegiate athletics, the Olympics, and professional sports. With its thought-provoking questions and real-life situations, this book focuses on the theme of moral reasoning and the issues of what winning really means. Book jacket.

Joy thinks she has finally recovered from the heartbreaking death of her husband seven years ago when a late night call throws her life into complete turmoil. Her trail of tears and discoveries leads us into an exciting story of undying love, intrigue and suspense.

Betty, a retired high school English teacher, witnesses a triple murder committed by a Mafia kingpin in Birmingham, Alabama of all places! Shes on the run for her life in the witness protection program. The killer is obsessed with finding her and so is Birminghams Detective Baileynot to mention the rival Mafia family who want to exert their own revenge on the killer. The chase is on from the Deep South to Naples to New York City. Betty changes from a lonely, withdrawn older woman into a self-confident force thats to be reckon with by all those who meet her.

Do you have thoughts of being more fully committed to prayer? Beware! Like jungle vines, trials and distractions line the only path to this fully yielded place. You will need the truth of God''s Word to part the landscape and enjoy the view. This is the second in a series with practical prayer insights accompanied by real life stories and journal entries. It that will change the way you pray.

There is no fear in understanding others, for in that understanding you will only find love on the other side of the rainbow. This book was written to reach out to young people that are confused or feel isolated to let them know that love is love and all children are born perfect to who they are supposed to be, it gives parents important information on what to look for with their children try to eliminate fear in those who ore different, not just the LGBTQ community children and adults, but all people and ethnicities. Many children and adults have commited suicide or have gotten involved with drugs because of their desparate search of trying to become visible. Gay children are born that way, this follows the story of a mother with three sons, This book provides stories, poems, pictures & essays to create understanding of gay children and adults from a mother''s point of view.

Divorce can tear you in half. It’s not easy to deal with or sometimes even understand. Divorce to Wholeness uses stories from women just like you; those who have been through a tragedy they did not want, and found recovery, to teach you how to put yourself back together and become whole again.

Do you know what it’s like to walk on eggshells around someone out of fear? Fear is crippling, but you don’t have to be a slave to fear any longer. This booklet will help you define the root of your fear—whether it is sexual abuse or something else that’s just as damaging—and help you move past it to healing and wholeness. Includes a powerful testimony of God’s restorative power from Kim Vastine, who was trapped as a child with a sexually abusive uncle and a physically abusive father. Fear to Courage also provides Sharon Kay Ball’s “Steps to Freedom” section, which prepares women for the trauma they will uncover when thinking back to memories of abuse. She gives women steps to forgiveness to ultimately turn their fears into what makes them courageous. Fear to Courage will bring you hope and wholeness. It will speak to your heart and will strengthen your faith. Includes study guide for personal or group use.

Leaders and managers throughout the sporting world face many ethical challenges on a daily basis. Should an athletic director chastise an unruly but influential supporter? What factors should affect an athlete''s eligibility? Is competitiveness acceptable in youth sports? This text shows aspiring sports management professionals how to identify the moral issues in sports and develop principle-centered leadership practices to lead with justice, honesty, and beneficence. Among the issues addressed are the conflict between sportsmanship and gamesmanship, violence in sports, racial and gender equity, performance-enhancing drugs, academics, and commercialization. Throughout, specific examples from real-world sports situations and reflective questions encourage students to think critically. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.