The Chatam House Series by Arlene James
Characters Artwork by Lisa Onvani The eldest of the triplets by 3 minutes, Hypatia was once the reigning belle of Buffalo Creek society. She is thought of by her many nieces and nephews as the "brains of the operation" and the undisputed authority at Chatam House. Like her sisters, she never married, devoting herself instead to the care of their father until his death at the age of 92 and since then to a number of good causes, most notably the scholarship fund of Buffalo Creek Bible College (known as BCBC), and the Single Parents Ministry. She is proper to a fault, as devoted to a good cup of tea as any Brit and feels that the care and maintenance of Chatam House is on her shoulders. She is primarily responsible for updating the house, and that includes the bathrooms and TVs! She is a knowledgeable, mature Christian who believes strongly in the power of prayer.  Artwork by Lisa Onvani For Magnolia, God reveals Himself most clearly in the beauty of His natural world. She could care less about clothing, hairstyles or image, which is why you are apt to find her clumping around in galoshes and wearing her father's old sweaters. She, too, loves a good cup of tea, but she'd be happiest taking it in her gardens or greenhouse. She is the one who keeps Chatam House filled with fresh flowers all year long. The beautiful rose arbor on the east lawn is her artwork. She's the quietest of the triplets and so a tad blunt-spoken. Never a social butterfly, she is and has always been content with her life. We should all be so blessed!  Artwork by Lisa Onvani You can't help smiling whenever Odelia is in the room. The "baby" of the triplets, she delights in wearing "theme" costumes and outrageous earrings. She might not follow every word of every conversation, but her heart is soft. Her dreamy outlook on life makes it so easy for her to love and be loved. Ever pleasant, she may flutter her lacy hankies a bit too much, giggle and blush like a girl, and act without thinking, but she's always on the side of the needy. She loves unreservedly and may even have given up romance in order to remain with her dear sisters. A happy Christian, she has no doubt about God's goodness or the efficacy of a fine cup of tea.  From A MATCH MADE IN TEXAS, Book 2, coming February 2010 Half Dutch, half bred-in-the-bone Texan, all professional hockey player, Stephen is a man's man. At 6'3" and a lean 220 pounds, he's the goalie known as "The Hangman." He's also carrying around a load of guilt and sorrow and too many broken bones to count, the result of a freakish accident. Not his first. Chatam House proves his sanctuary, a place to heal away from the prying eyes of the press. The healing that he finds there is not only a healing of the body but also a healing of the soul and the heart.  From A MATCH MADE IN TEXAS, Book 2, coming February 2010 A pediatric nurse, the baby of the family and the only daughter, Kaylie was the natural choice to care for her widowed father, retired minister Hubner Chatam, after his heart attack. And who else would the aunties call upon when they found themselves with an injured boarder? With three older brothers, Kaylie is more than a match for an injured, unhappy hockey player, but only God can convince her father that the hockey player is a fit match for her.  From ANNA MAKES A MATCH, Book 1, August 2009 "The Brat." That's Anna, at least so far as her overbearing grandmother and the objects of her pranks are concerned. But underneath that cheeky exterior and fierce independence lives an emotionally needy, deeply loving heart. If only she could figure out how NOT to cut off her nose to spite her face. What she needs is to believe that God really is in her corner and a good, solid man at her side.  From ANNA MAKES A MATCH, Book 1, August 2009 The eldest child of the triplets' baby sister, Dorinda, Reeves was deeply affected by his parents' divorce. His own failed marriage hit him especially hard because of it. Only his faith, his job and his precocious daughter Gilli have gotten him through the heartbreak, but there's a reason why Anna nicknamed him "the Stick" back in high school. Maybe he's a tad too serious, a bit too uptight. Obviously he needs a good woman to help him loosen up and open his heart. In return, she'll get a rock-solid husband and father.  Artwork by Lisa Onvani From ANNA MAKES A MATCH, Book 1, August 2009 Precocious but adorable, even when she's careening through a house full of expensive antiques or hauling around a catatonic kitty, that's Gilli. She's a handful, no doubt, but when Mommy takes off and Daddy pulls back, what's a three-year-old to do? It helps having the aunties around, but what a girl really needs is a kindred spirit. |
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