My Son's Wife: The Beginning
My Son's Wife Book 1
by Shelia E. Bell
Genre: Inspirational Romance, Drama
First Lady Audrey Graham believes she's found the perfect woman to become
her eldest son, Minister Stiles Graham's wife. Sweet, sensitive,
kind, and of course a fine Christian girl, Audrey couldn't ask more
of lovely Rena Jackson. But skeletons fall from the closet when
Audrey and Stiles discover that Rena is in love and committed to the
troubled, rebellious, ex-con, Frankie. My Son's Wife is more than a
love triangle, it's a time bomb set to explode with twists, turns,
entanglements and sinful revelations that only a loving God can make
right.
My Son's Ex-Wife
My Son's Wife Book 2
The story of the Graham family continues in My Son's ex Wife. First Lady
Audrey Graham is more than relieved when Stiles encounters the young,
vivacious nutritionist Detria Mackey. Rena is equally captivated by
recent divorcee, Robert Becton. Does the handsome, science teacher
Robert Becton possess what Rena needs to give her life a much needed
jump start? When Rena returns to Memphis for less than pleasant
reasons, Stiles and Rena realize they still have deep feelings one
another, but will their feelings overcome the past that severed their
relationship? Will Audrey manage to come between them again or will
other circumstances intervene that will give them cause to rethink
their past and move forward to the future.
My Son's Next Wife
My Son's Wife Book 3
First Lady Audrey Graham is gone and her husband suffers from loneliness
and the after-effects of his second stroke. Their son, Stiles, now
minister of his father’s church, is engaged to Detria and has found
happiness at last—despite his heartbreaking divorce from Rena.
Rena’s now living in another state and has found a new love
herself, Robert, though she resists his marriage proposals because
she doesn’t feel she could ever be completely forgiven for her past
sins. Things take a turn for the worse when Stiles’ father suffers
another stroke and Detria has a miscarriage. Stiiles' faith is tested
like never before. But who knows in whose arms he will land up in
Book 3 in the page-turning My Son’s Wife series!
My Sister My Momma My Wife
My Son's Wife Book 4
The 4th installment in the My Son's Wife series, and Stiles Graham is the
proud father of a little girl by his wife, Detria. Although he loves
his role as daddy, he doesn't act so happy when it comes to his role
as husband. His mind continues to have thoughts about his ex-wife,
Rena who seems to have moved on with her life in Andover,
Massachusetts with none other than Robert Becton. Stiles is further
stunned beyond belief when he uncovers secrets that have been hidden
away for years about the Graham family. In his search to heal the
wounds of the past, he is hit with the truth about his very own
mother, his one and only sister, Francesca (Frankie) and his new
wife, Detria. What does a man of God do when the enemy pulls out all
stops to destroy everything that he has believed in, including God's
mercy and grace.
My Wife My Baby...And Him
My Son's Wife Book 5
In the fifth installment of the My Son's Wife series, Senior Pastor
Stiles Graham and First Lady Detria Graham s marriage is rapidly
falling apart, thanks to her adulterous ways. Stiles had hoped and
prayed that the time they spent away from Memphis would make their
marriage stronger, but after just months from returning from Myrtle
Beach, Stiles questions whether that is truly the case.When whats
done in the dark comes to light, and Stiles discovers that Detria is
cheating on him with his good friend, Skip Madison, the marriage
quickly unravels. This startling revelation brings out the worse in
Stiles Graham, and leads to his eventual downfall. During the midst
of it all, Detria learns that she is pregnant. As much as she wanted
to steer clear of Skip Madison and give her marriage to Stiles a
fighting chance, her heart says something different. Now she finds
herself worried about who is the father of her unborn child. Turmoil,
trouble, deception and disaster infiltrate this marriage, and much is
at stake, including Stiles pastoral position at Holy Rock. When
tragedy strikes this already dysfunctional marriage, it sends life,
as they know it spiraling down a never-ending tunnel of hurt, anger
and grief, leaving both Stiles and Detria questioning their faith and
belief in God to restore their lives and relationship.
The McCoys of Holy Rock
My Son's Wife Book 6
It's been two years since Hezekiah McCoy became the senior pastor of Holy
Rock, and Hezekiah, First Lady Fancy McCoy and their sons are
certainly shaking things up. Frequent and lavish vacations, a new and
much larger house, and what seems like a never ending flow of cash,
the McCoys are enjoying the tremendous favor of God, or could
there be some other reason for their rapidly growing success?
Dem McCoy Boys
My Son's Wife Book 7
Dem McCoy boys are rocking Holy Rock! The young handsome, charming,
debonair Khalil McCoy is the new senior pastor and his fresh out of
the closet brother, Xavier, is Financial Administrator and Youth
Director. The McCoy brothers have no limits or filters and set a new
record for stirring up drama. Find out what’s really next for the
McCoys, for Holy Rock, but especially for Dem McCoy Boys!
My Brother, Father, and Me
My Son's Wife Book 8
The saga of the McCoys and Grahams of Holy Rock continues. Stiles must
decide if he will return to the pulpit he once graced. Pastor yearns
to have a relationship with Hezekiah, while Khalil and Xavier have a
personal vendetta against their father and will do just about
anything to destroy his ministry…and his life. Hezekiah finds it
impossible to unite with the man he discovered is his father and the
brother he refuses to accept. Who will be left standing?
My Truth My Time My Turn
My Son's Wife Book 9
**New Release!!**
The McCoys and the Grahams try to work together as Stiles makes a
decision whether or not to return to Holy Rock. Hezekiah shows a
softer side (or does he really), while Khalil makes it evident the
apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. Xavier continues to war
against his flesh but will Pepper be able to help him win the war? So
much intense drama in this next installment of the My Son's Wife series.
Excerpt from My Truth, My Time, My Turn
“Sometimes you just want
to slap people. Then you remember Karma hits twice as hard.” Unknown
Fancy
scrolled through her phone and stopped when she saw the BREAKING
NEWS headlines.
FORMER
SENIOR PASTOR OF HOLY ROCK MINISTRIES
ARRESTED ON FELONY
EMBEZZLEMENT….
She read the article over
and over, not believing Hezekiah had been carted off to jail. Yes, she and her
sons had discussed this. Part of her knew this day was forthcoming, but to
actually read it, see it in black and white, made her feel some type of way.
She got ready to call Khalil but stopped abruptly when she heard Winston coming
out of the bathroom.
Walking over to her with
a white towel covering his intimate parts, his body glistened from having been
underneath the streaming jets of water.
Dang, this man is sexy. Full
lips, strong chin, cheek muscles that stood out when he clenched his jaw. Fancy
eyed him with desire in her eyes as he approached her and stood in front of
her.
He came close, looking
down at her intensely, before leaning down, and kissing her as she sat on the
edge of the firm bed. “I wish I could have persuaded you to join me. I would
have made it worth your while,” he teased as he planted delicate kisses along
her face, neck, and earlobes.
For a minute, Fancy
forgot all about Hezekiah and his woes and allowed her mind and body to react
to Winston’s touch.
Your son is calling. The
special ringtone pulled her back to reality before she could respond to
Winston. Gently, she eased Winston back and answered it.
“Ma, did you hear? They
got the dirty dog,” Khalil said without saying hello. She could hear the
satisfaction filtering through his voice.
“I know; I just saw it on
my phone. I…I don’t know what to say.”
Winston looked down at
her and listened, trying to decipher as much as he could about what Khalil
could be saying. George had already contacted him and told him what had
happened so he wasn’t surprised if that was what Khalil was calling his mother
about.
“What do you mean you
don’t know what to say? The man has gone down and it’s not over. It’s just
beginning. Payback is a mutha, Ma. It’s time he pays the piper. Know what I
mean?”
“Yes, I hear you but it’s
still your father and my husband.”
“Hold up, he is not your
husband. You are divorced, Ma. And last I heard and saw for myself, you already
got somebody to take his place. As for him being my father, yeah, he’s my
father by blood, but what’s blood got to do with it? Apparently nothing, ‘cause
look at the way
he’s dissed me and Xavier. The man is ruthless, so don’t go soft on me now,
Ma.”
“Yes, I hear ya, son. Anyway, I just
need a minute. I’ll call you back later. Okay?”
“Uh, okay, but you gonna be all
right? I wasn’t expecting you to sound like you just buried the guy or something.
Everything'll be a’ite. You hear me?”
“Yes, sweetheart, I hear you. I’ll
talk to you later.”
“Okay, bye, Ma.” The call ended and
with tears in her eyes, Fancy looked up at Winston.
“What is it, if you don’t mind me
asking?”
“It’s Hezekiah.”
“Is he all right? Did something
happen? Another stroke?”
Fancy shook her head. “No, he’s been
arrested. It’s been in the making for some time, but now that it’s actually
happened I…I don’t know how I’m feeling,” she admitted, wringing her hands and
bowing her head.
Winston reached down, gathered her by
her forearms, pulled her up against his taut body, and held her tightly as she
rested her head against his chest. “The man was your husband until a few weeks
ago. You have history together, children together. It’s normal to have mixed
emotions about his arrest.”
Fancy looked up at Winston. “Thank
you, Winston.”
“I’m here for you. In any way I can.
I hope you know that.”
Fancy nodded her approval and laid
her head back against his chest as he tightened his arms around her. She needed
to feel safe protected, and secure. Winston made her feel all of the above.
Winston’s mind was a whirlwind of
conflicting thoughts. He had not admitted to himself until now his growing
feelings for Fancy McCoy. She reminded him of his ex, Josselyn. He and Josselyn
had been engaged for less than six months when she, out of the blue, called off
the engagement, saying she wasn’t ready to get married after all. Winston was
heartbroken. When she accepted his proposal of marriage it was like a dream had
become a reality. It was heartbreaking for him to see her weeks later with
another man when they were supposed to spend their lives together, but life had
offered a cruel blow.
The caveat in the whole break up was
when Winston received a promotion on his job that would require him to relocate
to Memphis. After ending things the way she did, Winston couldn’t wait to leave
town and start anew.
His mind was not on meeting anyone
else. Instead, his intentions were to make a mark in his new position in
Memphis and continue to move up the corporate ladder. But his chance encounter
with Fancy revealed just how small of a world it is.
Not exactly a guy with a stellar
reputation behind closed doors, it didn’t take much prodding from his longtime
friend, George Reeves, when Winston told him about the hot woman he’d met at
Brother Juniper’s restaurant. George asked Winston to tell him more about the
woman who seemed to have temporarily gotten his mind off Josselyn.
George broke out into raucous
laughter when Winston told him the woman’s name was Fancy McCoy. How much
better could things get?
George gave Winston some background
on Fancy McCoy and her husband, Hezekiah. He didn’t want his friend getting
sucked in by the likes of any one with the last name ‘McCoy’, but it could
possibly work for George the more he thought about it.
Listening to George run down a quick
history about the McCoy’s and Holy Rock made Winston that more enthralled and
eager to get to know more about this striking mystery woman he’d met.
As for George, the more he gave
thought to Winston’s encounter with Fancy, the more he convinced himself this
was divine intervention. Why else, of all the women he could have met, Winston
met Fancy McCoy? From there, a plan began to circulate in his mind. If he could
convince Winston to woo Fancy McCoy, and if she liked Winston, then Winston
could keep his eyes and ears open for any shenanigans she and her crooked sons
might have up their sleeves toward Hezekiah, and possibly toward George too. In
return for his spying, George would only need to convince Winston he could
enjoy the pleasure of having a knock off like Fancy to mess with since he’d
made the move to Memphis and didn’t know a lot of people.
If George was able to get the inside
scoop on Fancy’s plans, the less he would have to worry about his money train
being cut off by Hezekiah. George figured it would be a win-win for both him
and Winston. Of course, he’d break off a little money to Winston from time to
time, not that Winston needed it. The man enjoyed a lucrative career and money
was the least of his worries.
After some prodding, with a bit of
reluctance mixed with curiosity, Winston agreed to get to know Fancy better.
Anything Winston heard or saw that he believed might be helpful in their
pursuit of the money George told Winston Hezekiah’s son had stolen from his
dad, Winston was supposed to let George know.
What took Winston by surprise was his
feelings. He didn’t expect to develop the strong attraction he had toward
Fancy, but he did. She was easy to like, made him laugh, and definitely made
him forget about Josselyn breaking his heart. But was it enough to make him
back off doing what he had agreed? He tried not to think about that but every
time he thought about telling George he wasn’t on board with the plan anymore
he remembered how he had been walked over by Josselyn, and he knew he could not
fully trust Fancy. Thus, his loyalty remained with George.
“Look, everything will be fine.
You’re going to be fine,” Winston assured Fancy. To see how much she was
affected by Hezekiah’s arrest told Winston a lot. Fancy still loved her
husband. What a fool this Hezekiah guy is. It also told him something
else—to keep his heart in check because her feelings certainly didn’t lie with
him.
Shelia E. Bell (formerly Shelia E. Lipsey) is an award-winning,
national bestselling author with 20+ books published in
christian fiction, women’s fiction, nonfiction, and young adult
genres. Her books have garnered numerous awards and accolades,
including 2017 Christian Literary Readers' Choice Award, 2015 Rosa
Parks Award, 2014 Christian Literary Award, AAMBC Nate Holmes
Honorary Award, Kindle Award, OOSA Book of the Year, numerous SORMAG
awards and more.
Shelia began her publishing career in 1999. Since then, she has set the
literary industry ablaze with her dynamic, true to life stories that
she calls "perfect stories about imperfect people like you...and me."
Shelia is passionate about helping others and encourages and promotes people
to ‘live their dreams now.’ In 2012, she founded and non profit
organization "Black Writers And Book Clubs (BWABC) Literacy
Association" with a mission to promote literacy one
community at a time. Shelia is also a well-respected freelance book editor.
A much sought after inspirational speaker, Shelia travels near and far
sharing her inspirational messages of how to overcome the adversities
of life. Having had polio since the age of two, she accepts no
excuses and is determined not to let her physical imperfections keep
her from her life’s purposes.
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What
inspired you to write this book?
This latest book release is
book nine in the "My Son’s Wife" series. I never intended to write a
sequel to a book let alone nine books, but that’s exactly what I’m doing. This
series has been my bestseller and readers seem to want more and more. I’m
already working on installment number ten. I’ve come to love the characters and
see them in a realistic aspect. It’s a fun entertaining series with lots of
drama.
What
can we expect from you in the future?
I’m working on more books that
I call “Shorts by Shelia.” These are smaller books under 125 pages that are
meant to give readers a short, entertaining read while they’re sitting in a
doctor’s appointment, standing in a long line, or just taking a lunch break.
I also have
another series called “The Real Housewives of Adverse City.” I’m working on
book 4 in that series and expect to release it in late April 2019.
Are
your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your
imagination?
My characters
are totally from my imagination, however, because I’ve been writing this series
for a number of years, the characters seem real to me and have lives and
personalities of their own.
Do
your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the
reigns of the story?
I would say
my characters hijack the story. For me, this is a good thing. It pulls me
totally outside of ME and allows my characters free rein to act, do,
speak as they so choose. I don’t like holding the reins because it might
restrict what the characters have to say and it would put more of ME into the
story when it’s not about me. I’m just the messenger.
What
inspired you to write this book?
This latest book release is
book nine in the "My Son’s Wife" series. I never intended to write a
sequel to a book let alone nine books, but that’s exactly what I’m doing. This
series has been my bestseller and readers seem to want more and more. I’m
already working on installment number ten. I’ve come to love the characters and
see them in a realistic aspect. It’s a fun entertaining series with lots of
drama.
What are you passionate about these days?
I’m passionate about animal rights, about saving the lives of animals, and continuing my Vegan journey of almost nine years, which is my contribution to saving them and saving our lives at the same time.
What do you do to unwind and relax?
To unwind and relax I like kicking back, getting up in my bed, and surfing channels for the next best reality show! I watch a little Netflix, do a little reading and of course spend precious time with my granddaughter.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I believe I considered myself a writer before I even wrote a book. I wrote poems and as time passed I realized I had a story to tell. Now 25 books later, here I am!
Do you have a favorite movie?
My favorite movies are The Other Sister, City of Angels, You’ve Got Mail, Love and Basketball
Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie?
I can see every last one of my novels turned into film whether it be in the form of a movie on the big screen, a TV series or a Netflix movie. They all are great stories that I believe viewers would enjoy.
