On the morning of September 11, 2001, the phone rings while Rusty is rushing to work. The news is devastating: Rusty's mother has died of a stroke, leaving his brain-damaged older brother Ben alone. This news also saves Rusty's life. He's still at home when two planes hit the World Trade Center--and only one of his friends and colleagues survives. In a single day, the life Rusty built in New York crumbles to the ground. Rusty returns to his tiny hometown and the brother he was more than happy to leave behind. Ben hasn't changed a bit, but the town has. Tensions are running high in the wake of the terrorist attack, while Rusty struggles to put the the past behind him and care for the exasperating brother he loves. He finds refuge drinking coffee in the early morning with beautiful Egyptian-American Anat in her father's bakery. Rusty is beginning to get his life back...until one awful night threatens to take it all away again.

    Loud Hands: Autistic People, Speaking is a collection of essays written by and for Autistic people. Spanning from the dawn of the Neurodiversity movement to the blog posts of today, Loud Hands: Autistic People, Speaking catalogues the experiences and ethos of the Autistic community and preserves both diverse personal experiences and the community’s foundational documents together side by side.-from ASAN

    Skylar hasn't uttered a single word since his mother died eleven years ago, a senseless tragedy he's grateful he doesn't have to talk about.When Skylar's father mysteriously vanishes one summer afternoon, Skylar is placed in the temporary custody of his only remaining relative, an estranged grandmother living on an Indian reservation in the middle of arid Arizona.Adapting to a brand new culture is the least of Skylar's qualms. Because Skylar's mother did not die a peaceful death. Skylar's mother was murdered eleven years ago on the Nettlebush Reserve. And her murderer left behind a son.And he is like nothing Skylar has ever known.

    When the rescue helicopter crashes into his convoy in Iraq, Marine First Sergeant Duncan Wilde struggles with the loss of men, his career and the use of his body. Things can't get much worse. Until his fiancée decides she has to move on with her life, and that of her unborn child by another man.Sergeant Chad Lowell knew when he went to war that it would come with a price. And it did. A young Marine under his command is killed by a landmine. Chad's left with one less leg and a mountain of recriminations. That doesn't mean he wants to be a pitied by every female he comes in contact with.Gunnery Sergeant John Palmer is furious at the hand he's been dealt. He's served his country faithfully, if not without antagonism, for many years. Now they're turning him out like a relative who has overstayed his welcome. And, since he's not even a real man anymore, maybe it is time to move on permanently. Can these wounded warriors use a friendship borne out of adversity to form a partnership rescuing others? And can they find real love in spite of their challenges?

    In his pithy essays, author Ido Kedar, a brilliant sixteen year old with autism, challenges what he believes are misconceptions in many theories that dominate autism treatment today while he simultaneously chronicles his personal growth in his struggles to overcome his limitations.Ido spent the first half of his life locked internally, in silence, trapped in a remedial educational system that presumed he lacked the most basic comprehension, and unable to show the world that he understood everything. But at the age of seven, Ido was finally able to show that he had an intact mind and could understand. This led to the quest to find a system of communication that he could use despite his impaired motor control. Through the use of a letter board, and now an iPad, Ido has triumphed communicatively, enabling him to flourish in a regular high school in all general education classes.But Ido has a larger goal. He does not want to be seen as an isolated autistic exception with miraculously advanced cognitive and communication abilities. He wants people to see that thousands of other severely autistic individuals have the same capacity, but remain trapped and locked-in, as he was, unable to show their true capacities. These individuals desperately need new theories and new methods to help them break free too. Of importance to neuro-researchers, educators, psychologists, doctors, parents, friends, family and people with autism, Ido in Autismland will change our collective understanding of severe autism.PRAISE FOR Ido in Autismland "There are doubtless many Idos in this world, unable to speak, yet possessing good intellectual ability and, most certainly, a rich emotional life. And yet, precisely because they cannot communicate, nonverbal individuals with autism are nearly always consigned to the junk heap of mental deficiency, branded as incapable of understanding language or even having feelings... We need to help change things for this terribly neglected group... Reading Ido's book is a good beginning." - Portia Iversen, Co-founder, Cure Autism Now and the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange Gene Bank. Author of Strange Son"Ido is a brilliant communicator. His words bring us inside the world of autism. His gift of writing enlightens, inspires, educates. Every person who loves or works with someone with autism - educator, therapist, karent, grandparent, neighbor - should read Ido in Autismland." - Elaine Hall, Author of Now I See the Moon, co-author of Seven Keys to Unlock Autism. Featured in Autism: The Musical"Ido's book touches any heart, not only because it is well written, but because it reveals a mind that has learned how to speak to the world through spelling every word on a letter board and keyboard. His book is indeed a great gift to the world. Thank you, Ido." - Soma Mukhopadhyay, Executive Director of Education, HALO, Author of Understanding Autism through Rapid Prompting Method

    He’s a white guy that knows more about Hip Hop than most and he also has cerebral palsy. His group Wheels of Steel is comprised of self-proclaimed misfits that are made cool by their talent. But despite his talent and popularity, Jason is plagued by issues of trust and anger.Robin is a shy black girl that takes a job as his home healthcare aid. Her crippling nervous condition makes everything difficult for her, not just her bad tempered client with cerebral palsy, but also his close knit friends, and even her mother with her best intentions. Their saga takes them along a musical journey of self-discovery and love.This three part interracial love story explores the spirit of love and acceptance between a person with an obvious disability—and someone whose disabilities are not always quite so obvious.

    He is seven and a half feet of ugly, and of disreputable descent. No one, including Brute, expects him to be more than a laborer. But heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and when he is maimed while rescuing a prince, Brute’s life changes abruptly. He is summoned to serve at the palace in Tellomer as a guard for a single prisoner. It sounds easy but turns out to be the challenge of his life. Rumors say the prisoner, Gray Leynham, is a witch and a traitor. What is certain is that he has spent years in misery: blind, chained, and rendered nearly mute by an extreme stutter. And he dreams of people’s deaths—dreams that come true. As Brute becomes accustomed to palace life and gets to know Gray, he discovers his own worth, first as a friend and a man and then as a lover. But Brute also learns heroes sometimes face difficult choices and that doing what is right can bring danger of its own.

    Although his friends accuse him of letting his Tourette's dictate his life, Carter moves from Los Angeles to a quiet California town. He'll keep his head down and avoid people. He doesn't anticipate his new neighbor, Ethan Hart, crashing into his solitude and forcing him to get out and live.From the beginning, Ethan makes his love for Carter clear. But he fears Carter won't see past Ethan's damaged brain, even though it makes Ethan more attuned to his emotions than most people. For Carter, there's a bigger issue: he's been burned by so-called "perfect" matches, and he won't risk his heart again.One way or another, Ethan's determined to show Carter they belong together. Then Ethan receives tragic news. Suddenly he must turn to Carter for strength and support. Will Carter come through when Ethan needs him most?

    The job is an answer to many prayers. Blind herself, Emma dreams of independence and freedom away from her overprotective family. Tutoring Ian in all things “blind” isn’t easy, especially when the biggest challenge is helping him walk by faith. Protect someone you cannot see? Good soldiers show no weakness. Ian MacGregor holds his battle with claustrophobia close to his chest, unsuccessfully trying to cope on his own, too angry with God to seek comfort. Ian knows duty, honor, serving his country. So why is he being punished with this very personalized hell? As Ian struggles to strong-arm his phobia and let go of his anger, his growing feelings for Emma are overshadowed by the danger lurking around them. Emma would be better off with someone else. Someone sighted. Someone able to protect her from the person determined to keep them apart...

    Two years after a terrifying night of pain destroyed his normal teenage existence, Aaron Downing still clings to the hope that one day, he will be a fully functional human being. But his life remains a constant string of nightmares, flashbacks, and fear. When, in his very first semester of college, he’s assigned Spencer Thomas as a partner for his programming project, Aaron decides that maybe “normal” is overrated. If he could just learn to control his fear, that could be enough for him to find his footing again. With his parents’ talk of institutionalizing him—of sacrificing him for the sake of his brothers’ stability—Aaron becomes desperate to find a way to cope with his psychological damage or even fake normalcy. Can his new shrink control his own demons long enough to treat Aaron, or will he only deepen the damage? Desperate to understand his attraction for Spencer, Aaron holds on to his sanity with both hands as it threatens to spin out of control.

    Bravo!" ~Romeo Tirone, Director of True Blood, Dexter, and Red Widow “Daniel O'Connor's Sons of the Pope reveals an interesting new talent with a snappy style. This is someone's career to watch.” ~Andrew Neiderman, Author of The Devil's Advocate and several V.C. Andrews novels"A rich, epic chronicle of murder, the mob, and miracles...” ~ Kevin O'Brien, NY Times Bestselling Author***In Brooklyn, before the murders, before the miracle, before the 1940s were gone forever, there was a tree. If only they let that tree alone. If that sycamore tree had been allowed to stand, then maybe Biaggio Falcone never would have been the head of the Campigotto crime family. Perhaps little Joey Salerno would not have been born like that.Joey’s father, Sal - just home from World War II - probably would never have gotten involved with the New York underworld, and his wife Mary wouldn't have spent her entire life caring for an eternal child. There may have been no reason, four decades later, for that desperate pilgrimage to Lourdes, France. And no need for anyone to call upon the one known only as The Diabolist. Experience the richness of a story that spans half a century. Love and hatred. Devotion and betrayal. Murder and miracles. If only they let that tree alone.

    That fact that he'd even fathered a child was news to him. Not only does this mean restructuring his sixty-hour work week and becoming responsible for another human being, but also Kyle has autism.Enter the school system. Under the guidance (and bullying) of a gifted teacher, Ben and Kyle take tentative steps to becoming father and son.Teacher Melanie Nicols sees Ben as a dead beat dad, but grudgingly comes to admire how he hangs in, determined to learn for his son’s sake. Her admiration grows to more as father and some come to rely on Melanie being a part of their lives.

    No one knew that the stage itself would steal her dream-and almost her life-during a rehearsal for the next big show.Just days before her opening night performance in The Wizard of Oz, sixteen-year- old Tasha took one step backward and fell sixteen feet through a trap door. On that day, Nov. 11, 1997, she landed on the concrete floor of the historic Sheldon Theater, breaking her neck, crushing her spinal cord, and fracturing her skull. She would never walk again.For the next three days, Tasha prepared for a surgery that would at best leave her a C-5 quadriplegic. Post-op complications turned Tasha's struggle and ultimate triumph into an unbelievable journey. From loss and grief to self-discovery and achievement, Tasha's faith, resilience, and honesty have allowed her to leave the old Tasha behind while she confronts the new Tasha's life from a state of the art wheelchair.Discover Tasha's remarkable spirit in My Last Step Backward, a poignant memoir that seeks to inspire you to welcome adversity and face your own trap door of opportunity.

    Casper’s nights are filled with dreams of the dogs’ activities; at times he can even see through their eyes. And what he witnesses has him worried for his family’s safety.AN ENIGMATIC EVIL IS HIDING, WAITING TO STRIKE.The Pummels are the most beloved family in town. Though their wealth, philanthropy, and charisma form a cloud of mystery about them, their work with the town’s exotic cat rescue center has captured the heart of the people. But the Pummels are guarding a secret. One they will kill to keep quiet.ITS HUNGER IS INSATIABLE.Shadeland is a town of shadows, where hunters hide in plain sight and prey scurry about unaware. But a new predator has been unleashed. One unlike any this world has seen.ITS SURVIVAL IS OUR DOOM.

    They also write about their relationship with their twin sister, and learning how to take care of their mental health within and without conventional institutions, identifying as genderqueer, getting sober, living a creative and meaningful life, and finding reasons to keep on going.At the heart and in its guts, 'Telegram' is about seeking magic in the smallest things, staying crazy in a world that wants us to fake sanity or die, and learning how to take good care of ourselves and each other.

    Some have even gone so far as to suggest euthanasia as a solution to the perceived indignity of memory loss and the disorientation that accompanies it. In this book John Swinton develops a practical theology of dementia for caregivers, people with dementia, ministers, hospital chaplains, and medical practitioners as he explores two primary questions:Who am I when I've forgotten who I am? What does it mean to love God and be loved by God when I have forgotten who God is?Offering compassionate and carefully considered theological and pastoral responses to dementia and forgetfulness, Swinton's Dementia: Living in the Memories of God redefines dementia in light of the transformative counter story that is the gospel.

    He's a white guy that knows more about Hip Hop than most and he also has cerebral palsy. His group, Wheels of Steel is comprised of self-proclaimed misfits that are made cool by their talent. But despite his talent and popularity Jason is plagued by issues of trust and anger. Robin is a shy black girl that takes a job as his home healthcare aid. Her crippling shyness makes everything difficult for her, and not just her bad tempered client with cerebral palsy, but also his close knit friends, and even her mother with her best intentions. Their saga takes them along a musical journey of self-discovery and love. This three part interracial love story explores the spirit of love and acceptance between a person with an obvious disability-and someone whose disabilities are not always quite so obvious.

    Teaming up with broody photographer, Mark, promises other perks. A ten year relationship with high school sweetheart, Eli, no longer offers Tristan the excitement he craves. Mark made his intentions clear and Tristan is close to giving in to his advances.One morning at ‘The Gallows’ leaves Tristan reeling. He wasn’t prepared for the hell he witnessed and certainly wasn’t prepared to meet Zane. Disarmed by Zane’s angelic manner, Tristan can’t believe anyone would stand him up. He soon realises the tardy boyfriend only exists in Zane’s mind and the beautiful young man is not a visitor to The Gallows but a patient.Eli walks out and Tristan’s life falls apart. A decision to meet with Mark almost ends in tragedy and Tristan finds solace in Zane’s company. Before long Zane’s delusions begin terrorising him again. While Tristan fights to save his own sanity and get Eli back, he knows someone must fight for Zane’s right to love a man no one else can see. A man who scares away violent hallucinations, takes away Zane’s fear, keeps him safe, and is trapped inside a stone statue.

    He finds an ally in Sophie Baxter, a reclusive writer of interracial fiction. When Sophie initially meets Lucas she believes he is a young teen and takes him under her wing. By the time she realizes her mistake it’s too late—this polite and sweet kid has found a way into her heart.Lucas wants Sophie to see that he is no child even though he has an innocent baby face. And Sophie thinks that anyone looking at them together would mistake the older black woman for being some young white boy’s care giver. She can’t fathom breaching that trust…not with her history.Pepper Pace has woven a tale of unpredictable circumstances and unlikely characters. This sweet romance deals with a difficult subject matter but is not a story about rape but about self-discovery. Warning; graphic description of rape, strong language, sexual situations including homosexuality and incest.

    A chance meeting with a young American chased away the fear that he would always be alone and brought him the prospect of a new existence.Dustin Earl joined the military and escaped his small town Southern upbringing with the hope that he could give his mentally challenged brother a better life. But Dustin had never known real love, an honest hug, or a simple kiss. He considered his sexuality a weakness; a threat that had been used against those he cared about.For eight months their relationship blossomed until Dustin suddenly returned home. He cherished Stephen, but felt his responsibilities to his brother outweighed his own chance at happiness.Shattered, unable to function and unwilling to accept Dustin’s departure, Stephen flew three thousand miles to get Dustin back and rekindle what they had. But what he would learn when he got there… he could never have imagined.

    Now, as more families like Michael's are affected by a growing number of disorders and difficulties ranging from autism to food allergies, the need for programs and paradigm shifts is greater than ever. Beates thus seeks to motivate churches to pursue ministry to children and adults with developmental disabilities. He works through key Bible passages on brokenness and disability to develop helpful principles for believers and churches, teaching them first to embrace their own brokenness and then to embrace those who are more physically and visibly broken.

    Find all of the following, explained in plain-English: How your Social Security retirement benefits, spousal benefits, and widow/widower benefits are calculated How your benefits are affected if you have a government pension or if you continue working while claiming Social Security How to decide when is the best age for you (and your spouse, if you're married) to claim Social Security in order to get the most out of your benefits Whether or not it makes sense to take Social Security early in order to invest the money How to check your earnings record on the Social Security Administration's website to make sure you're getting the full benefit you deserve How Social Security benefits are taxed and how this affects retirement tax planning Please note that this book does not cover Social Security disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

    Focusing on the relationship between Helen and her teacher, Annie Sullivan, the book is interspersed with excerpts of Annie's letters home, written as she struggled with her angry, wild pupil. But slowly, with devotion and determination, Annie teaches Helen finger spelling and braille, letters, and sentences. As Helen comes to understand language and starts to communicate, she connects for the first time with her family and the world around her. The lyrical text and exquisite art will make this fascinating story a favorite with young readers. Children will also enjoy learning the Braille alphabet, which is embossed on the back cover of the jacket.

    all but one woman. Dawn cannot keep her eyes off the captured warrior, though tales of his exploits suggests he’s more devil than man. When his eyes meet hers, she wonders if the notorious tales are true for only the devil himself could be that sinfully handsome.Dawn is summoned by the liege lord Colum and ordered to tend Cree, in all ways possible, while he awaits his fate, and please him she must or suffer the consequences. Colum laughs when he issues his orders. He’s sending not only a plain woman to please the mighty warrior in his final days, but one he’ll find no pleasure with. After all what man wants a woman who cannot utter a sound? But no shackles can hold Cree and when he breaks free he returns to claim the voiceless woman who found a way into his silent heart.

    Author Landon Bryce uses a colorful cast of cartoon characters to gently introduce neurodiversity, the idea that neurological differences should be respected and valued.

    The most common of all metabolic disorders, thought to be more common than cystic fibrosis and broader-reaching than most genetic diseases, Mito can affect babies, children, and teens from birth or at any point during their development. Previously healthy adults, as well as adults with a history of unexplained fatigue, are increasingly receiving a Mito diagnosis. Some children with autism spectrum disorders who have medical issues such as digestive difficulties and fatigue are also being identified as having a mitochondrial disorder.This guide is the first book about Mito written for patients and their families. It helps readers understand how the mitochondria work (they are the powerhouse of the cell, providing energy for the entire body), how people with mitochondrial defects are diagnosed and treated, and how to live well when you, your child, or someone you love is struggling with disabling symptoms.Topics include: The journey to diagnosis; The biochemistry of Mito; Practical advice for the specific needs of children and adults; Understanding and managing symptoms; Where to find specialists and support; Treatment approaches; Autism and MitoWriting from the perspective of both a parent and nurse, the author shows adult patients, parents, family members, and caregivers how to achieve the best quality of life possible. Readers will feel empowered as they come to understand the causes of Mito, learn to manage the symptoms, avoid emergencies, and make appropriate lifestyle choices.

    This gentle workout can be done anywhere, anytime, at any age.

    Julie Devaney takes us on a journey through the health care system as she is diagnosed and treated for ulcerative colitis. In and out of emergency rooms in Vancouver and Toronto, she’s poked, prodded, and abandoned to a closet at one point, bearing the helplessness and indignities of a system that at best confuses a patient into silence.Raw, harrowing, and darkly funny, Julie Devaney argues convincingly for fixes to the system and better training for all medical personnel. As she recovers, she sets out to do just that: setting up a gurney on stage at workshops and conferences across the country to teach Bedside Manners 101 and to advocate for repairs to the system.Part memoir, part love story, part revolutionary manifesto, My Leaky Body is politically astute, gooey like cake batter, and raw like ulcerated bowels. Devaney writes the book that will heal her aching heart and relax her strictured rectum as she weaves stories from professional and public interactions with tales from her gurney.

    Do you feel like it’s difficult being a kid? We’re not grownups and we’re not babies. We’re in between, and sometimes don’t know what we’re suppose to do. Come join my friends Katie, Abby, Megan, Nathan and me. Read about my adventures at school, where I learn how to deal with problems, how to stick up for myself by using words, and that big things can come in small packages. Don’t forget to stick around for Zoey’s grammar tips! "Zoey's life was full of fascinating journeys, and every time she had a journey, there was a lesson to be learned. This was a great read." -G. R. Holton, multi-award winning author."Zoey's fanciful adventures are delightful to read and have unique morals that make it a humorous and simultaneously educating read for all ages." -Nicole Izmaylov, award winning author of Dart and the Squirrels www.nicoleizmaylov.com

     A few excruciating minutes pinned under a burning beam cost Ryan Ward his job as a firefighter, the easy camaraderie of his coworkers, his current girlfriend, and damn near cost him his left leg. Giving up, though, wasn’t an option. He fought and won the battle back to health, over a painful year. Now, choosing a new profession, going back to school, and renting a room from the college groundskeeper should be simple. Until he realizes he’s falling in love with his housemate, and things take a turn for the complicated. John Barrett knows about loss. After moving twice to stay in touch with his kids, he could only watch as his ex-wife whisked them away to California. Offering Ryan a room seems better than rattling around his empty house alone. But as casual friendship moves to something more, and emotions heat up, the big old house feels like tight quarters. It’s nothing they can't learn to navigate, until life adds in unhappy teen kids, difficult family members, and mysterious deaths on campus. Rebuilding will be far from easy, even for two guys willing to open their minds, and hearts. (This is a rerelease of the 2012 Samhain novel, with only minor editing.)

    Once a promising young medical student, Michael buried his dreams alongside the broken bodies of the men he could not save. After fleeing New York to preserve the one relationship he still values, he takes a position as a gardener on a country estate, but he soon discovers that the house hides secrets and sorrows of its own. While Michael nurses the estate’s neglected gardens, his reclusive employer dredges up reminders of the past Michael is desperate to forget.John Seward’s body was broken by the war, along with his will to recover until a family crisis convinces him to pursue treatment. As John’s health and outlook improve under Michael’s care, animosity yields to understanding. He and John find their battle of wills turning into something stronger, but fear may keep them from finding hope and healing in each other.

    She confronts a temple burglar in the dead of night, and crosses treacherous mountain passes to deliver food to hungry people. During her travels, Yuko-chan trips and tumbles down a snowy cliff. She discovers a strange thing as she waits for help: her tea gourd, regardless of how she drops it, always lands right-side-up. The tea has frozen in the bottom of the gourd! Inspired by this, she creates the famous Daruma doll toy, which rights itself when tipped—a true symbol of resilience.Thanks to Yuko-chan's invention, the villagers are able to earn a living and feed themselves by selling the dolls. Yuko-chan never gave up, no matter the obstacles she faced, and the Daruma doll is a charming reminder of the power of perserverence.

    Years later she was diagnosed with autism.   While Temple’s doctor recommended a hospital, her mother believed in her. Temple went to school instead.   Today, Dr. Temple Grandin is a scientist and professor of animal science at Colorado State University. Her world-changing career revolutionized the livestock industry. As an advocate for autism, Temple uses her experience as an example of the unique contributions that autistic people can make.   This compelling biography complete with Temple’s personal photos takes us inside her extraordinary mind and opens the door to a broader understanding of autism.

    When his stepbrother Matt dies in a car accident, the loss feels like the final blow to Noah’s shattered soul. But then he learns about the girlfriend and baby living in Perfect, Indiana who Matt had never mentioned, and suddenly Noah has a new mission…Ceejay Lovejoy was nineteen and pregnant when her boyfriend walked out. Since that day, Ceejay has devoted herself to giving her daughter a better life, avoiding any man who could threaten that security—until the day Noah Langford shows up on her doorstep in Perfect. His gentle spirit has an unexpected effect on Ceejay’s guarded heart, tempting her to take one last chance on love. But when a painful secret comes to light, it threatens to break the fragile bond growing between them…and to destroy a love powerful enough to heal them both.

    Whilst Dr Archer battles his inner demons, his superiors begin to suspect that the doctor's interest in his patient may be a little more than merely professional. But who is the mysterious Mr White, is he really as unknowing as he first appears to be and can love possibly triumph even against such stacked odds?You can read content warnings for this novella here: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

    In this volume, inspired by the ideas of Uta Frith, the internationally known psychologist and a pioneer in theory of mind as it relates to autism, Vermeulen explains in everyday terms how the autistic brain functions with a particular emphasis on the apparent lack of sensitivity to and awareness of the context in which things happen.

    This true story, told from the perspective of the dog and the rescuer is filled with unexpected hope and joy. In this charming children's book with its magnificent illustrations, Tommy teaches us all how to embrace life and not its restrictions; to savor its possibilities. Ultimately, Tommy refuses to be defined by what he cannot do and reminds us that all of us were created with purpose and worth.

    As the sheltered youngest son of a healer, Eiland of Summerton has heard of them all his life, the miserable creatures who share the great sickness brought down by the wrath of the gods. Yet unlike any of the illnesses Eiland's father treats in the village, this one is not passed by touch or cough or poison. It's given by the Cursed Ones. All it takes is three small words: I curse you.It never occurred to Eiland that a Cursed One could be young. Or handsome. Until he meets Charon, a wandering outcast who bears the Curse. One stolen kiss changes everything for Eiland and sends the two young men on a dangerous journey that neither can hope to survive—unless they set aside their differences and give in to forbidden love...

    In her solitary life she eats alone and daydreams about having a handsome boyfriend who could accept all of her. Daily she finds herself running to catch her bus and knowing that she is the laughing stock of the other commuters. And then one day she literally finds herself ‘falling’ into the lap of one of the commuters; an exotically handsome white man. Tory finds that she is unable to stop thinking about him and daydreaming about the life he must live. But Mr. Gorgeous must be either married or gay because she sees him dismissing the attention of gorgeous women left and right. Never in a million years would she ever guess that hers was the only attention he was interested in…In this multicultural romance, Pepper Pace weaves a story that takes her readers through the ups and downs of personal insecurities, cultural differences, and of course a lesson to be learned; that love is totally and completely blind.

    While Anna approaches her life with humour and determination, she is haunted by the inescapable fact that she looks a little different from other girls.

    The examination looks at when, how, and why new categories of disability are created, describing how capitalism benefits from and enforces disabled people’s oppression. Critiquing the model that currently dominates the discipline—the social model of disability—this book offers an alternative: the radical disability model, which builds on the original while drawing from more recent schools of radical thought, particularly feminism and critical race theory. The study reveals how this new model emphasizes the role of intersecting oppressions in the marginalization of disabled people, stressing the importance of addressing disability both independently and in conjunction with other oppressions. Intertwining theoretical and historical analysis with personal experience, this reference is a poignant portrayal of disabled people in Canada and the United States—and a radical call for social and economic justice.

    This passionate retelling by a survivor's mother is about the struggle to help shepherd her child out of illness, towards health and through survival.Now that more children survive cancer, this passionate retelling by the survivor's mother is required reading; the struggle of helping move the child out of illness.

    Writing this autobiography gave me the opportunity to pay tribute to my family members who are passionate about life and have instilled this passion in me. My parents' extraordinary support, encouragment, and pure love were my foundation as I navigated life, overcame obstacles, and achieved successes as a young woman with cerebral palsy. I have to pay full tribute to my mother, who died in August 2010. From her I learned to listen to my own voice as a guide to making life choices. She taught me to always expect the best from myself.My hope is that this book will provide insight into the extraordinary possibilities that those who live with disabilities have. I also hope that those without disabilities– rather than putting a focus on our differences – will come to understand what we all have in common. This book is for my mom, with love.

    Amplifying Our Witness challenges congregations to adopt a new, practice-centered approach to congregational ministry -- one that includes and amplifies the witness of adolescents with developmental disabilities. Replete with stories taken from Benjamin Conner's own extensive experience with befriending and discipling adolescents with developmental disabilities, Amplifying Our WitnessShows how churches exclude the mentally disabled in various structural and even theological waysStresses the intrinsic value of kids with developmental disabilitiesReconceptualizes evangelism to adolescents with developmental disabilities, emphasizing hospitality and friendship.

    Book by Grieger, Steve

    In relating how she personally has learned to more successfully maneuver social interactions, she also presents a framework for developing the ability to more quickly assess a situation and take steps to avoid making social blunders BEFORE they have been committed. A sampling of strategies includes Pause and Match, Laugh Along, Recognize and Expand Black-and-White Thinking, and It Is Not Necessary to Report All My Truths. Judy's framework enables readers to learn to create their own social "rules" and, as a result, live freer, more successful lives. The fact that the book is written by an autistic person who has learned by trial and error makes it all the more valuable.

    While nephrologists can monitor kidney function and treat patients with medications, they can’t always offer the nutritional guidance that every kidney patient requires. To fill this information gap, Dr. Mandip Kang has written The Doctor’s Kidney Diets, a comprehensive guide to managing, slowing down, and even stopping the progression of CKD through diet. The book is divided into two parts. Part One provides a clear overview of kidney function, kidney disease, and the role that nutrition plays in the treatment of kidney problems. The doctor then reviews the special dietary considerations of individuals with CKD, including the need to limit certain nutrients, fluids, and other dietary components. Because different patients have different nutritional requirements, the doctor discusses the most commonly prescribed CKD diets—the DASH diet, heart disease and diabetes diets, diets for dialysis, and more—and concludes with important tips for enhancing overall health and maximizing treatment success. Then Part Two offers a wide variety of recipes for dishes that follow the dietary guidelines highlighted in Part One. Smart nutrition is essential to the treatment of kidney disease. With The Doctor’s Kidney Diets, you can become an active, effective participant in your own treatment plan.

    It represents a response by people with disabilities to being treated with scorn and abuse or as objects of pity, and to having the most fundamental decisions relating to their lives—where they would live; if and how they would be educated; if they would be allowed to marry or have families; indeed, if they would be permitted to live at all—made by those who were, in the parlance of the movement, “temporarily able-bodied.”In What We Have Done: An Oral History of the Disability Rights Movement, Fred Pelka takes that slogan at face value. He presents the voices of disability rights activists who, in the period from 1950 to 1990, transformed how society views people with disabilities, and recounts how the various streams of the movement came together to push through the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the most sweeping civil rights legislation since passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Beginning with the stories of those who grew up with disabilities in the 1940s and ’50s, the book traces how disability came to be seen as a political issue, and how people with disabilities—often isolated, institutionalized, and marginalized—forged a movement analogous to the civil rights, women’s rights, and gay rights movements, and fought for full and equal participation in American society.

    Beginning at the edge of the internet age, a time when radical zine culture prefigured social networking sites, these timely writings paint an illuminated trail through a complex labyrinth of undocumented migrants, anarchist community organizers, brilliant visionary artists, revolutionary seed savers, punk rock historians, social justice farmers, radical mental health activists, and iconoclastic bridge builders. This book is a document of one person’s odyssey to transform his experiences navigating the psychiatric system by building community in the face of adversity; a set of maps for how rebels and dreamers can survive and thrive in a crazy world.

    Her body is turning against her, the world she knows falling apart. It seems nobody can help. The doctor’s confused, her parents argue constantly and her boyfriend, Dan looks on bewildered. Even outspoken Ali, her closest friend, seems powerless against the force of events.Buffeted by ignorance and conflicting advice from the very people who should be helping her, Sarah trawls through her unravelling life, searching for the moment where it all went wrong.But can she put the pieces of her world back together again, before it’s too late?

    sometimes dark, sometimes haunting, this book will stay with you long after you've put it down.

    With a new global angle, it is an essential discourse for anyone interested in disability issues.

    Cultivate effective partnerships between parents and professionals Written from both the parent's and the professional's points of view, this book draws upon the metaphor of dance to highlight the essential

    Lupus, also known as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a disease that can affect many different body systems, including the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart, and lungs.

    Doing it alone is overwhelming—especially when that loved one is a child. But ever since Ken Brighton’s partner left him, Ken has spent his days at the hospital with his daughter, Hanna, hoping for a miracle. Maybe the mysterious care packages that appear for Hanna don’t qualify, but they bring a spark of hope into his and Hanna’s tired life—and so does Ken’s neighbor, former singer Patrick Flaherty. For two years Patrick hasn’t been able to focus on anything but the life he should have had. An injury robbed him of his voice, and the idea of introducing himself to new people intimidates him. But over the past months, he’s watched as his neighbor nursed his sick child, and once he meets Ken, Patrick starts to crave a life with him—a life he isn't sure he can have. Ken doesn’t realize he’s fallen in love until the doctors send Hanna home, saying there’s nothing more they can do: Hanna will either recover or succumb. Ken’s heart is set on a new beginning—with both Patrick and Hanna. But Patrick's silence leaves Ken wondering what Patrick wants.

    These schools were committed to the use of the sign language to educate deaf students. Manual education made the growth of the deaf community possible, for it gathered deaf people together in sizable numbers for the first time in American history. It also fueled the emergence of Deaf culture, as the schools became agents of cultural transformations.Just as the Deaf community began to be recognized as a minority culture, in the 1850s, a powerful movement arose to undo it, namely oral education. Advocates of oral education, deeply influenced by the writings of public school pioneer Horace Mann, argued that deaf students should stop signing and should start speaking in the hope that the Deaf community would be abandoned, and its language and culture would vanish. In this revisionist history, Words Made Flesh explores the educational battles of the nineteenth century from both hearing and deaf points of view. It places the growth of the Deaf community at the heart of the story of deaf education and explains how the unexpected emergence of Deafness provoked the pedagogical battles that dominated the field of deaf education in the nineteenth century, and still reverberate today.

    A spell is a theorem and the theorem must be written in the air and proven for it to take hold. Denny's unique gift allows him to solve theorems that would drive anyone else insane, but he doesn't think of the world on those terms. He can only solve problems, not consider the appropriate answer for a situation. Fortunately, the children are befriended by allies who strive to send the stranded siblings home before dark forces can use the boy's power for evil.This beautifully bound hardcover edition of Finding Gossamyr collects the first volume of this critically acclaimed series, and is packed with 132-pages of gorgeously painted story, concept art, guest artist gallery, a beautifully illustrated map of the world of Gossamyr, and an exclusive short story created just for this edition.

    A minister losing touch with his faith…A severely autistic child with no past, no present and no real future…An evil older than time itself…When the boy Lucian is thrown into Aaron’s life with nowhere else to go all hell breaks loose and Aaron confronts things he never actually imagined could really exist in an effort to save one small, tortured child.

    When adventure comes knocking, Zam doesn't let his disability get in the way of fighting the changelings, wytes and gargoyles that come to life in the underworld beneath Newcastle.

    Many stories have been told about a parent’s struggle to help her deaf child succeed in a mostly hearing world. Amy Signs marks a signature departure in that both Rebecca and Amy relate their perspectives on their journey together.       When she learns of 11-month-old Amy’s deafness in 1969, Rebecca fully expresses her anguish, and traces all of the difficulties she endured in trying to find the right educational environment for Amy. The sacrifices of the rest of her family weighed heavily on her, also. Though she resolved to place four-year-old Amy in Nebraska’s residential school for deaf students, the emotional toll seemed too much to bear.       Amy’s view acts as the perfect counterpoint. Interwoven with her mother’s story, Amy’s account confirms that signing served her best. She summarizes life in boarding school as “laughter and homesickness.” She laughed with all of her deaf friends, though felt homesick at times. Amy thanks her mother for the gift of sign, asserting that a mainstream education would never have led her to earn a master’s degree and later teach American Sign Language at the University of Nebraska. Amy Signs is a positive albeit cautionary tale for parents of deaf children today whose only choice is a mainstreamed education.

    He arrives to a hero's welcome and discovers himself a changed man, looking forward to his future as baron and marriage to his betrothed, beautiful Alyna Salkeld. But weakened by a wound that refuses to heal, he to falls victim to the same fever that killed his father. Garin survives but the fever has rendered him blind. He can no longer inherit the barony or marry. His dreams destroyed, he knows he will be sent to the church hospice to hide his shame. To his shock, Alyna Salkeld fights to save their betrothal and Garin's right to inherit, insisting he can still be baron even without his sight. Is she doing this just to control his barony?Alyna knows all to well the challenges Garin faces with the loss of his sight. Her uncle, a talented goldsmith was rendered blind in an accident when she was a little girl. But Alyna's father, Geoff Salkeld, believes in the strength of family. He opened his home to his brother and family instead of forcing Roger into the church. Roger learned to live without his sight and his trade as a goldsmith thrives. Alyna knows Garin is a courageous knight and this battle will be far more difficult than any he has fought in the past. The priest, although doubtful, allows the marriage with the understanding he will review the situation in six months. If he finds the barony mismanaged in any way or if Garin cannot defeat his blindness, he will annul the marriage and Garin will have no choice but to enter the church hospices.Both Garin and Alyna know they face a difficult journey but they do not expect the violence with which other nobles fight against them. Ultimately, Garin's enemies decide Alyna's life is now forfeit.

    Children who have a brother or sister with special needs may find it difficult to explain to their friends, or feel disappointed when their friends aren't more understanding. Leah's Voice tells the story of two sisters facing these challenges. Through her kindness and devotion, one sister teaches by example the importance of including everyone and showing acceptance.

    He is having difficulty at school, and at home, and begins to feel overwhelmed. The adults in his life think he is inattentive, and not trying hard enough. Children with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) find the world a confusing, challenging place. Although they do not have a “hearing loss”, they often “mis-hear” and misinterpret directions they receive auditorily.With the support of his family, and his teacher, John learns how to effectively deal with the disorder, for success in school and at home. With modifications and help, John realizes he has a learning problem he can overcome.Colorful, expressive illustrations follow John’s journey from confusion to triumph, good self-esteem, and “figuring it out.” At the end of the story, a Glossary of Terms, Ways You Can Help Your Child at Home and in School, and a Resources List are included.

    As a pre-pubescent he was forced to sell himself on streets to survive before being bought at age 14, making his journey west to Germany. Through his words, he went on to become an amateur activist and philosopher, a startlingly intelligent, passionate individual able to intensely appreciate even the small wonders of the world and the people for whom he cared. He was simple and complex, light-hearted and serious, whimsical and infinitely strong, and when he loved, he loved with all his heart and soul. Part diary, part dialogue, part rhetoric, and including photos, “Silence Is Multi-colored in My World” is based on actual experiences and is a literary portrait of a man with nothing to hide and everything to reveal. It is a slice into the willing veins of a mental and emotional free bleeder."Who I am and what is my world?I am G.Y.S., a profoundly deaf man. I have blue eyes and red hair, which I wear long. I am gay and Russian, and was born in 1978 in the Ukraine, but I moved myself to Germany when I was fourteen. You’ll learn how and why later.Nature, Overcoming Disabilities, Ending Homophobia, and Love are some of the topics that interest, concern and keep my attention. In writing about me I wish I could have said something clever, unique or witty, but this is simply me: sometimes I’m silly, sometimes I’m angry, sometimes you may find me annoying or overly sad but I’m always honest and sincere...."