Laura Ann Bradbury


Book Description

This true and enlightening story takes place in 1984 when Laura Ann Bradbury, a 3 year old toddler, was cruelly kidnapped by a stranger in a remote campground in the Joshua Tree National Monument, in California. This is the actual account, written by her father and grandfather, of their immediate and desperate search for her, the reality, the fear and the horror that a parent feels when they and their child become victims of a kidnapper. The reader is taken on a terrifying journey, of dangerous surveillances, attempted murder, discreet conversations in back rooms, bars and jails, and secret meetings in isolated desert locations where terrifies witnesses relayed their concerns, observations, and information, fearing retribution from both the drug dealers and the sheriffs. This amazing account of the search for Laura is a story which quickly caught the attention of the news media all across America in 1984. These are the actual details of the four year search for a beautiful and innocent little girl kidnapped by an emotionless monster, and the mystery that ensued in the bizarre trail left behind by the kidnappers, and those who covered it up.




My Grape Year


Book Description

My Grape Year takes fans of Laura Bradbury's 'Grape' series back to where it all began. In a last-minute twist of fate, Laura is sent to Burgundy, France for a year on an exchange. She arrives knowing only a smattering of French and with no idea what to expect in her first foray out of North America. With a head full of dreams and a powerful desire to please, Laura adapts to Burgundian life, learning crucial skills such as the fine art of winetasting and how to savor snails. However, her inability to resist the charming young men of the region means that Laura soon runs afoul of the rules, particularly the 'no dating' edict. Romantic afternoons in Dijon, early morning pain au chocolat runs, and long walks in the vineyards are wondrous, but also present Laura with a conundrum - how does she keep her hosts happy while still managing to follow her heart?




Shadow Show


Book Description

What do you imagine when you hear the name . . . Bradbury? You might see rockets to Mars. Or bizarre circuses where otherworldly acts whirl in the center ring. Perhaps you travel to a dystopian future, where books are set ablaze . . . or to an out-of-the-way sideshow, where animated illustrations crawl across human skin. Or maybe, suddenly, you're returned to a simpler time in small-town America, where summer perfumes the air and life is almost perfect . . . almost. Ray Bradbury—peerless storyteller, poet of the impossible, and one of America's most beloved authors—is a literary giant whose remarkable career has spanned seven decades. Now twenty-six of today's most diverse and celebrated authors offer new short works in honor of the master; stories of heart, intelligence, and dark wonder from a remarkable range of creative artists.




A Vineyard for Two


Book Description

Up-and-coming winemaker Cerise Desloires believes in soul mates. Trouble is, she's sure she's already found-and lost-hers. Now the young widow has inherited half the vineyard she considers her own, and she's got one chance to produce a vintage that could make or break her career. But when the flashy, impetuous Clovis de Valois is revealed as heir to the other half, her dreams of independence are dashed into chaos.Cerise and Clovis seem to be opposites in every way that matters. Can their passion for winemaking-and secretly each other-unite them beyond their differences? Or will their clash ruin the vineyard, and the hearts, they're both desperate to save?




My Grape Village


Book Description

Five years after "My Grape Escape," Laura and Franck are back in Burgundy to tackle their newest project, a derelict 16th century winemaker's cottage located behind Franck's family home. Not only is this a daunting rebuild from the ground up, Laura and Franck now have two preschoolers adjusting to the foreign customs of a French school. Navigating the different rules for raising children and managing a family in a small French village prove every bit as challenging for Laura as learning to drive a stick shift through narrow streets, or arguing with the Architect of French Monuments over permissible paint colors (spoiler alert: any color as long as it's gray). Come along on this evocative and honest journey where love, coupled with good French food and local wine, pave the way to la belle vie.




My Grape Wedding


Book Description

My Grape Wedding takes fans of Laura Bradbury's 'Grape' series back to the enchanting world of Burgundy five years after Franck and Laura meet on a student exchange. After a spontaneous proposal in Kathmandu, the bride-to-be struggles with balancing the academic demands of an Oxford law student in between lessons on how to be a proper Catholic and fittings with the Queen of England's corset maker. Back in Burgundy, Laura's anxiety grows as wedding plans fall apart. As guests arrive, the rain clouds move in, family wine tastings turn into tournaments of survival of the fittest, and a bombshell from the priest leaves the couple looking for divine intervention. Laura believes she and Franck belong together, but how will they survive this tumultuous journey to the altar?




My Grape Paris


Book Description

My Grape Paris takes fans of Laura Bradbury's Grape Series to the captivating world of Paris, where Laura has managed to organize an exchange year at the Sorbonne. Franck accompanies her, delighted to return to his native France. Over afternoons napping in an ancient Roman amphitheater and nights gallivanting around the Louvre, Laura dreams of becoming a sophisticated Parisian woman. However, Laura soon discovers that living in Paris is much more complicated than the fantasy. Besides inappropriate relatives and spiteful teachers, there are also questions that become impossible to ignore. Will Franck stay in Paris after Laura's stint at the Sorbonne is up? Is their Parisian year the final hurrah for their romance? Find out in My Grape Paris, as Laura confronts love and heartbreak in the city of lights. Praise for Laura Bradbury's Grape Series: "Bradbury's Grape Series feels like a series of honest and funny letters sent from a friend about her fascinating (and sometimes baffling) life in France. A beautiful read." -JANICE MACLEOD, New York Times bestselling author of Paris Letters and A Paris Year "Bradbury's Grape Series takes the reader on a romantic adventure into the heart, soul, and people of la belle France. Filled with delicious food, love, and laughter, Bradbury's writing proves that you have to dare to follow your heart wherever it leads you...and that sometimes we have to step outside our comfort zone to truly live." -SAMANTHA VÉRANT, author of How to Make a French Family and Seven Letters from Paris




My Grape Cellar


Book Description

"Laura Bradbury's writing will make you hungry for life." - Amazon reviewer My Grape Cellar takes fans of Laura Bradbury's Grape Series back to the charming village of Beaune, where Laura and Franck embark on another grande adventure to restore a long-neglected wine cellar beneath the cobblestone streets-sight unseen. Much as they dream of family winetastings in this relic of historic France, reviving a thirteenth-century cellar proves a formidable task. Laura never imagined she'd be hunting through ancient sinks, hauling stones by moonlight, or appointing godparents for a medieval cave, all while managing an even more important project: a new baby. Can Laura and Franck transform a dingy cellar full of garbage and coal into a magical space in the wine capital of Burgundy? Find out in My Grape Cellar, book 6 in the bestselling Grape Series.




My Grape Québec


Book Description

The missing chapter in Laura and Franck's love story you've been waiting for. After their unexpected love affair in France, Laura and Franck are separated when she has to return to Canada. Can Franck get to Canada so they can reunite? Even if he can, can their fairytale romance survive the rigors of Canadian life? Enjoy Book Two in the #1 Bestselling Grape Series Laura has to say a gut-wrenching au revoir to Franck when she returns to Canada at the end of her exchange year. Nobody thinks they can survive as a couple with an ocean and a continent between them, and even they have to admit it doesn't look good. Laura is committed to starting her undergraduate degree in Montréal and not only does Franck not qualify to immigrate to Canada, but he's broke and has never even flown on an airplane before. Can Franck make it to Québec so they can be together again? If so, can their fairytale romance endure the reality of real life and a Canadian winter?




Switch on the Night


Book Description

From bestselling writer Ray Bradbury and beloved author-illustrator duo Leo and Diane Dillon comes a unique, dreamy perspective on overcoming a fear of the dark. A lonely little boy who is scared of the dark sits in his room alone, with only light for company, until a little girl named Dark appears and shows him that light switches don’t just switch off the light—they switch on the night. And to switch on the night is to switch on the stars, the moon, the crickets, and the frogs. With the Dillons’ dreamlike illustrations, Switch on the Night is sure to reassure any child who has felt afraid of the unkown; the story will also impress adult readers with its imaginative approach to understanding that which is different. “Bradbury’s story of a boy who conquers his fear of the night with the help of a child named Dark has been newly illustrated with appropriately mysterious, dramatic artwork, clearly influenced by M. C. Escher’s work.”—The Horn Book “The Dillons’ interpretation works well intellectually and aesthetically.”—Booklist