Michelle Granas

Hania arrives in Warsaw to attend the funeral of her grandmother, a celebrated Polish pianist. Over the course of the summer, she finds love, acceptance, and a newfound sense of self-worth- though not at all in the way she would have imagined.

Swans Are Fat Too

"Mademoiselle, you are boring," says Amadea's employer and fires her from a teaching post in Paris: "No one wants to learn poetry here." In desperate pursuit of a job, Amadea travels to a small village in the Pyrenees, where she meets an aging aristocrat in need of a companion. It seems that Amadea has finally found someone who appreciates her for her kindness and cultivation. She begins to enjoy her new occupation and the first human warmth she has encountered in years. Unfortunately, the village is not as peaceful as it appears and her path is soon crossed by a number of undesirables, including a charming, married lawyer and a scholarly alcoholic with a problem-and it isn't his drinking. His son Hugo is trying to force him to sell the family land and has sent round a young thug to keep the pressure on. Hugo never expects, however, that his father will try to reform the fellow. Raymond may be an alcoholic, but like Amadea, he has inner strengths in spite of his failings, and he believes in the power of words. Hugo isn't happy and when Amadea inadvertently gets involved matters spin out of control. This is a lighthearted story about the value of saying no and also about the sometimes unexpected nature of sustaining relationships.

One Spring in France

Amadea

Cordelia is a shy and high-minded polio victim who lives a life of seclusion caring for her odd family in Warsaw. Her father is an academic with no life skills, her brother never leaves the villa, and her mother has dementia. Cordelia too would prefer to hide her disability from outsiders, but she also longs for a broader existence-until a chance encounter expands her world in a stunning manner. Zaremba, a wealthy businessman, is fleeing arrest-unjust arrest, he says-when he stops in his flight to save the life of Cordelia's father. Cordelia is grateful, but distrustful; Zaremba has a plan to turn the tables on the authorities and he needs Cordelia's help. Her reluctant agreement plunges her into new realms of emotion and a struggle against political corruption and abuse of power. But it is only when Zaremba disappears that Cordelia must gather all her courage and pursue the truth. Reflecting real events in Europe and topical human rights issues, this is yet primarily a love story, intended for readers who enjoy language, conversation, and human relationships. It contains no graphic sex or violence.

Michelle Granas

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