Grounds To Believe by Shelley Bates released on Feb 23, 2004 is available now for purchase.

Written with beauty and grace, award-winning author Shelley Bates pens the compelling story about the unstoppable force of the emergent self. Dinah Traynell is trapped in a life that is not her own. Raised in a toxic church, she is forced to surrender mentally and physically to her sociopathic pastor’s every demand. Even while mourning the loss of her father, Dinah must hold strong to this role she’s reluctantly played all her life. And though she dreams of escape, this is the only world she’s ever known. When Dr. Matthew Nicholas appears on Dinah’s doorstep in the dark of night, he’s burdened with troubles of his own. Leaving behind his university position, Matthew has been traveling to escape the trauma of his old life—that is, until he’s robbed of what means he has left for his journey. Stranded, penniless, and still ill-at-ease with his life’s turn of events, he’d rather lend a helping hand on a stranger’s ranch than go home. Instantly drawn to Dinah, Matthew is torn between his desire to help her and the fear of getting too involved. But as Dinah struggles with the realization that the faith she grew up believing in is not real, and an abandoned baby is unexpectedly dropped into their lives, they must learn to open up and trust one another—if either ever hopes to break free of the past.

Claire Montoya is drawn to handsome Luke Fisher, radio evangelist, and goes to work as his bookkeeper. Although she initially enjoys taking part in Lukes vision for the community, she begins to realize that certain things about this powerful personality dont add up. Complicating matters, investigator Ray Harper is hanging around the studio, asking disturbing questionsand making an impression of his own on young Claire. Who is right: the nationally known evangelist or the suspicious cop? And more important, to whom can Claire trust her heart?

Laurie Hale has the perfect life—and the perfect family to go with it—until her teenage daughter is accused of murder, and the life Laurie knows disappears. Laurie Hale imagined fun, love, and success for her daughter, Anna. But when one of Anna's classmates is murdered and the police start asking questions, a very different future threatens everything Laurie values. Anna isn't the only suspect—a whole group of teenagers seems to be involved, but none of them is talking, and the community is in an uproar. Laurie's marriage bears the strain of the crisis, and her only ally is Janice, a wealthy woman from the church who refuses to let Laurie slip away quietly. Ultimately, Laurie must face her What if Anna really was involved in Randi's murder? And what kind of person is Laurie if she can doubt her own child's innocence?