Books with author Bill Harley

Meg couldn't even die right. Oh, she died alright and met some animal spirits, but then she came back. Now, thanks to that "NDE" she can talk to animals like Lacey the greyhound and they can talk to her, but this is nothing like Doctor Doolittle. Being able to talk to animals may sound cool, but that's what got her into so much trouble.The second book in the "Lacey Blue Greyhound" series is set in the Great Desert of the American Southwest. "Lacey Blue and the Rejects" is a story about an unwanted child and her animal friends finding a forever home. Meg is a ward of the state and has never known her own mother or what it feels like to be loved. Because she keeps running away and is arrested for shoplifting, Meg is ordered to perform community service work at an animal shelter on a ranch. Being shuffled from foster home to foster home has left Meg with a heart as hard as flint, but when she starts to hear the animal's stories her hardened heart begins to soften. She soon forms a bond with Lacey Blue, a retired greyhound, and other animals she meets in her work.Then her world is turned upside down when she learns that animals are disappearing. When the evil men who are stealing the animals find out that she is on to them they chase her into the desert. But Meg isn't alone, she has Lacey, Dusty a retired race horse, Shiplap, a cat who thinks he's a pirate, and his long suffering sister, Nadine to help her.While they hide in the desert, trying to avoid the men who wish to silence her, the Rejects Club begins to make plans for a forever home. Unfortunately, they aren't exactly sure what a home is all about. Then the net tightens and once again, they are forced to flee with several close calls.Finally, Meg and Lacey must overcome their fear in order to rescue their friends. Meg must face the evil men and somehow figure out a way to stop them. This fast paced, supernatural, adventure will keep you turning pages until the exciting conclusion.

Dear Santa, Here is what I want for Christmas ... From an aquarium (with a piranha), to earplugs for blocking out his little sister, to a full-size hockey rink, Jimmy wants a lot for Christmas. What Jimmy needs is a little Christmas spirit. A hilarious series of letters to Santa follows Jimmy's experience one very special holiday season, from his first outrageous requests to a final Christmas Eve surprise. Grammy-nominated singer and storyteller Bill Harley teams up with veteran illustrator R. W. Alley to create an endearing character, a wickedly funny book, and a wholly original celebration of the season!

Lacey Blue, the greyhound, is so small, Mama calls her Little One. What Lacey lacks in size, however, she more than makes up for with her intelligence and heart. After a short but successful racing career that ends dramatically, she begins a series of adventures with various owners that will push her to the very limits. Along the way, Lacey makes many friends and a few enemies. There are many greyhounds, dogs, several retired thoroughbreds, and a cat or two in this story. Both Lacey and her humans find love and danger in this heartwarming fantasy/adventure/romance that will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you love animals, adventure, or romance, you'll love Lacey's story. From the fast paced action on the race track where triumph and tragedy are just hundredths of a second apart, to the couch where she spends her happy days snuggling with her owners, Lacey lives a full life. When you have to earn your supper by being fast and tough however, being the smallest dog at the track is no joke. Lacey must rely on her own wits and strength as well as the lessons she learned from Mama. When her racing career ends, she finds that life is no easier and a whole new set of challenges and obstacles must be met. No matter what life throws at her, Lacey remembers Mama's words, "Always do your best..." Set in the American Southwest, this story of love and adventure demonstrates why dogs are considered man's best friend. Some of Lacey's friends are her couch mates, Ranger and Smokey, two retired racers. Some of her human friends are Ryan, the young trainer, Dr. Maria, Lacey's vet, and Ali her sister. Ryan and Ali make a perfect couple, but fate seems to keep them apart, despite the best efforts of Dr. Maria, Ranger, and Smokey. While time is running out for Ryan and Ali, Lacey finds, whether she is on the track or off it, there is always a race to run as she tries to find her forever home. During her adventures, Lacey and her four-legged friends face the same dangers and experiences that dogs face in real life including, greyhound racing, dog fighting, and hunting. Through it all the intricate relationships between Lacey and her humans reveals how well dogs understand us and how little we really know about them.

Meg is a troubled girl who has been shuffled from foster home to foster home. She calls herself a reject. It makes her tough and smart, but also hardens her heart and she begins running away no matter where they place her. Granny Greer's shelter is her last chance before going to lock up. Her court ordered community service assignment is to help to care for the animals. That's where she meets other rejects, the animals that no one wants. Using her unusual gift, the ability to communicate with the animals, she learns a terrible secret. When evil men find out that she is on to them, she must run for her life. With the help of Lacey Blue, a retired greyhound, Dusty, a retired race horse, a crazy cat who thinks he's a pirate, and his longsuffering sister, she hides in the desert trying to find her way back and planning a way to find a forever home for all the rejects. Though she already knows too much for her own good, she just needs to find one more key piece of evidence, but time is running out and the men who want to silence the rejects are closing in. Many animals will die if she fails to stop them. One young teenaged girl and her lovable animals are battling the odds with only her own determination, courage, and kind heart to guide her. Lacey Blue and the Rejects is a supernatural adventure about love and the true meaning of home that explores the limits of human kindness and cruelty with many twists and turns.