Stacy J. Ladyman is a writer, east coast transplant, food lover, master of small things, and a southerner at heart.
Here you will find encouragement and inspiration for your life. I like to write about hard things but in the light of how we can build strength from our circumstances. Life invites us to grow, Faith helps us to know that God cares about us no matter what we are going through, Food is well, food - its good! and Fun is how I think we are to enjoy life. So join me in celebrating Life, Faith, Food and Fun.
Some wounds run deep. Love digs deeper.
As a hospital administrator, Chris Warren thrives on order, control, and clean emotional boundaries. But when the father who abandoned her decades ago stumbles back into her life—disheveled, addicted, and clinging to what little dignity he has left—everything she’s built begins to unravel.
Desperate for answers—and closure—Chris finds herself reluctantly leaning on Shep, the hospital’s unorthodox, chaplain whose faith is as bold as his sense of humor. What begins as a reluctant partnership becomes something far more personal as Chris and Shep navigate her father’s self-destruction, each other’s guarded hearts, and the jagged path toward grace.
Inspired by true events, Shep and the King of Hearts is a raw and redemptive contemporary romance about love that doesn’t flinch in the face of failure. This story invites you into a journey of second chances, spiritual reckoning, and the unexpected ways love breaks through—when we finally stop running.
For readers who crave romance wrapped in redemption and a love story that heals more than just the heart.
Faith. Forgiveness. Falling in love. Begin the journey now.
Shep and the King of Hearts available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Google Books, Books a Million, Bookshop.org or wherever books are sold!
Podcast Interviews
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A Kid Perspective
I so enjoyed sitting down with Rob Minnick from ODAAT to talk about Shep and the King of Hearts, families and what every child wants.
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Like a Spectrum
Christina and I talk about the many facets of people involved in a gambling addiction.
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The story behind the story
Shep and the King of Hearts was discussed and highlighted as Shelly Brown from Redemption Press and I talk through the story behind the story.
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Hope on the Other Side
I was honored to be a guest with Shane Cook of Gateway Foundation to discuss Shep and the King of Hearts!
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It took a Lifetime
TV and Sports personality, Craig Carton interviews me on his show about my new book!
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What I was asked to do
We take a deep dive into the inspiration behind my book with Jennifer Scenes on her podcast, Between the Lines.
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Help for those in Recovery
My Podcast interview with Modern Meeting begins at 55:29 - we talk about how Shep and the King of Hearts can bring Hope!
Speaking at the NJ Council of Compulsive Gambling Symposium
Hope for families
Test Day - Fun!
Every spring begins with a fun test day on the track to make sure my husbands hobby 🏎️🏁 is running smoothly! Let’s Go Car 21!
Test Track Day!
Read my latest thoughts on navigating our world:
I traveled to Asheville, NC to the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference - over 700 people were there!
It was Celebration time at the reNEW writers retreat this year! I am so happy I was able to present that Shep and the King of Hearts is published!
Proud to partner with Evive
reNEW Writers Retreat 2025
It’s always a time of refreshment and learning at the reNEW Writers Retreat in Upstate New York at Camp of the Woods - this year I celebrated Shep and the King of Hearts being published, along with other authors celebrating their books - it was awesome!
