Hello world!

I’m so happy to welcome you to The ChaiNook.

A Little ChaiNook History

In my upcoming book, Shadows of Chivalry, the ChaiNook plays a seemingly insignificant role. Kelly meets there with her friend Sarah to chat. Matt spies on his “bus friend” from behind a wall and learns of her struggles. The Trevor Street Crisis Center hosts its board meeting in the ChaiNook’s conference room. But most of the story takes place elsewhere. Still, a London Fog here and a Morning Zinger there lead to more meaningful relationships and life changing conversations. Soon, all of the Shadows of Chivalry characters are learning the importance of true chivalry in the world around them.

The name itself is a play on words. Having spent ten years working in an orphanage in Russia, I came to love tea. I always loved the Russian word for teapot – chai-nik. I once thought that if I had my own tea house it would be called the Chainik, but then I realized most people in America wouldn’t know what I was talking about. One day it hit me, why not replace the “nik” with nook! And then, when Kelly needed a place to have that meeting with Sarah, it all came to life.

I hope you enjoy this special place. Be sure to check out our shop, blog, and “Be Inspired” section. We’d love to have you join us in learning more about chivalry, courage, compassion, and commitment.  Be sure to join us on Facebook and be watching for Shadows of Chivalry, coming later in 2018.

A Little About Shadows of Chivalry:

Not every knight is what he seems.

Best friends, Kelly and Kali have worked together at the Trevor Street Crisis Center for years. Their work at the center has been both their joy and their passion. But when the center unexpectedly loses its director, they are left to pick up the pieces. Instead of courage and valor, they are met with opportunism and heartbreak, forcing them to ask,

“Is chivalry dead?”

Matt, a big-hearted businessman, finds great joy in anonymously meeting the needs of the people around him. When Kelly steps onto his bus and he learns the story of the crisis center, his world is shaken.

As the two women struggle to keep the center alive, Matt must choose between anonymity, the security of the life he has known, and helping his new friends.

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