The Piano Teacher (Paperback or Softback)

Everybody loves Stacia. She's smart, charming, and successful in the hospitality world. She's a popular Philadelphia socialite who knows how to put together beautiful, successful charity events, and can work a room like nobody's business, making everyone feel special and valued. Years ago Stacia married her high school sweetheart, the love of her life, a handsome, now-retired NFL player. They had only one daughter, who now sometimes seems more like a sister than a daughter, and a sister, Tonya, who is more like one of those cousins you can take or leave. Stacia also has two young grandchildren whom she sends to an upscale private school.

All in all, Stacia has a good life. She loves her family and her social life, and generally feels very grateful and blessed. But lately, she's been thinking there has to be more to life than the daily routine she has begun to feel stuck in. Her husband has become very attached to his recliner and the TV remote, and it's starting to get on her last nerve.

Then at one of Stacia's many charity events she meets an exceptional piano player named John, who also serves as the master of ceremonies at many charity events. They develop a special bond which extends across Stacia's family. John's new friendship brings what has been missing in Stacia's life...although she hadn't really been aware she was missing so much.

But one day, what should have been one of the most special times in their lives instead turns into the most tragic of days. These events give everyone in Stacia's family an unexpected turn they hadn't bargained on, and would not only change their lives forever but would take them on a whole rollercoaster of twists and turns along the way.

Come and enjoy the company of a few good people navigating trials and turmoil, and learning about life along the way. They are all a little on the ornery side but they have great hearts and mad love for family. Of course they make mistakes, but have fun doing so.

Author Stephanie Jacks was born and raised in a small city with a big heart in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at a time when life was rich with character and large families and generational family friends. She grew up in a household very similar to the movie Crooklyn-which happens to be a family favorite-with a mom, dad, four brothers, dogs, and various other pets. So she had to take everything as it came down the pike, and boy did life come. To say the least, life had substance. Stephanie was also raised by an aunt, uncle, and cousins living right next door, along with all the rest of the Coates Street parents. Those other parents and her own grandparents were very influential in Stephanie's life, all shaping and molding the person she is today, flaws and all. She spent many childhood days playing double Dutch, telling spooky stories in the grapevine huts in her backyard, and playing kickball in friends' backyards and football in the churchyard. She also spent a lot of time eating at restaurants and going to plays in Center City, and attending concerts by everyone from Prince to The Jackson Five, to Heavy D and Jay Z to Gerald Levert and Frankie Beverly. And who could forget how James Brown wore out concertgoers under the bridge at an all-day concert and never seemed to tire.Stephanie has spent the last two decades in real estate and the culinary arts. She raised three children as a single parent and has 14 beautiful grandchildren. She enjoys going to the movies with her grandchildren as well as loving movies and TV shows at home, while cooking and eating everything. She enjoys spending time and hanging out with family and lifelong girlfriends.