Best of
Disability

2014

Rain Reign


Ann M. Martin - 2014
    She gave her dog Rain a name with two homonyms (Reign, Rein), which, according to Rose’s rules of homonyms, is very special. Rain was a lost dog Rose’s father brought home. Rose and Rain are practically inseparable. And they are often home alone, as Rose’s father spends most evenings at a bar, and doesn’t have much patience for his special-needs daughter.Just as a storm hits town, Rain goes missing. Rose’s father shouldn’t have let Rain out. Now Rose has to find her dog, even if it means leaving her routines and safe places to search. Rose will find Rain, but so will Rain’s original owners.

Nerdy, Shy, and Socially Inappropriate: A User Guide to an Asperger Life


Cynthia Kim - 2014
    Her own life presents many rich examples. From being labelled nerdy and shy as an undiagnosed child to redefining herself when diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome as an adult, she describes how her perspective shifted to understanding a previously confusing world and combines this with the results of extensive research to explore the 'why' of ASD traits. She explains how they impact on everything from self-care to holding down a job and offers typically practical and creative strategies to help manage them, including a section on the vestibular, sensory and social benefits of martial arts for people with autism.Well known in the autism community and beyond for her popular blog, Musings of an Aspie, Cynthia Kim's book is rich with personal anecdotes and useful advice. This intelligent insider guide will help adults with ASDs and their partners, family members, friends, and colleagues, but it also provides a fresh and witty window onto a different worldview.

El Deafo


Cece Bell - 2014
    Here she is different. She is sure the kids are staring at the Phonic Ear, the powerful aid that will help her hear her teacher. Too bad it also seems certain to repel potential friends. Then Cece makes a startling discovery. With the Phonic Ear she can hear her teacher not just in the classroom, but anywhere her teacher is in school — in the hallway... in the teacher's lounge... in the bathroom! This is power. Maybe even superpower! Cece is on her way to becoming El Deafo, Listener for All. But the funny thing about being a superhero is that it's just another way of feeling different... and lonely. Can Cece channel her powers into finding the thing she wants most, a true friend?This funny perceptive graphic novel memoir about growing up hearing impaired is also an unforgettable book about growing up, and all the super and super embarrassing moments along the way.

The Vixen and the Vet


Katy Regnery - 2014
    Given the opportunity to get back in the game by writing a patriotic human interest piece, Savannah turns her attention to the town hermit, Asher Lee, a wounded veteran who returned to Danvers eight years ago, and hasn’t been seen since. After an IED explosion in Afghanistan took Asher’s hand and disfigured half of his face, he's lived a quiet life on the outskirts of Danvers where the locals respect his privacy…that is, until Savannah Carmichael comes calling in a borrowed sundress with a plate of homemade brownies. When Asher agrees to be interviewed by Savannah, he starts feeling things for the beautiful reporter that he hasn’t felt in years. Misfits in small-town Danvers, Savannah and Asher create a bond right away, touching each other’s hearts in ways neither thought possible. When a terrible mistake threatens to drive them apart, they’ll have to decide if the love they found in one another’s arms is strong enough to fight for their hard-won happily ever after.*****The Vixen and the Vet is part of the a modern fairytale collection, which will include five standalone novels:The Vixen and the Vet (Beauty & the Beast) - available nowNever Let You Go (Hansel & Gretel) - available nowGinger's Heart (Little Red Riding Hood) - available March 22, 2016Don't Speak (The Little Mermaid) - available 2017Swan Song (The Ugly Duckling) – available 2017/18Librarian's Note: This is an alternate/new cover for ASIN B00L19SVQ4

Without Words


Ellen O'Connell - 2014
    Rufus should have surrendered. The woman should have kin to help her. But Rufus went down shooting, and the woman has no one. Bret figures by the time he finds a safe place to leave Hassie Petty, he'll earn the five hundred dollar reward several times over. Hassie doesn't mourn Rufus, but the loss of the ten dollars he promised her for supplies is a different matter. The bounty hunter gives her nothing, takes everything, ties the body on one horse and orders her on another. Afraid if she defies him, he'll tie her down tighter than Rufus, Hassie mounts up and follows the icy-eyed killer. Mismatched in every way, the sterling man and petty woman travel the West together, hunting thieves, deserters, and murderers. Wary traveling companions, friends and partners, lovers, Bret and Hassie must decide what they want, what they need, and the price they're willing to pay for love.

Complementary Colors


Adrienne Wilder - 2014
    Her greed made me a slave and circumstance left me with no way to escape.Trapped, the only way I could silence the nightmares driving me to insanity was to wrap them in color, hold them with shadow, and stitch them to negative space with line.But no matter how bright the pigments, no one could see my confession.Except for Roy Callahan.I thought he was just another nameless one-night stand in a long line of many. But I was wrong. Roy could see past the façade of my life and through the veil color over the canvas. He could see what the world couldn’t.And with him I’d find the courage to tell the truth about the boy.The boy who kissed me.The boy who loved me.The boy whose name I couldn’t remember.

On My Own Two Feet: The Journey from Losing My Legs to Learning the Dance of Life


Amy Purdy - 2014
    When the Las Vegas native was just nineteen, she contracted bacterial meningitis and was given less than a two percent chance of survival. In a near-death experience, she saw three figures who told her: “You can come with us, or you can stay. No matter what happens in your life, it’s all going to make sense in the end.” In that moment, Amy chose to live.Her glimpse of the afterlife—coupled with a mysterious premonition she’d had a month before —became the defining experiences that put Amy’s life on a new trajectory after her legs had to be amputated. She wouldn’t just beat meningitis and walk again; she would go on to create a life filled with bold adventures, big dreams, and boundless vitality—and share that spirit with the world. In 2014, Amy—the only competitor, male or female, with two prosthetic legs—claimed a bronze medal for the U.S. Paralympic team in adaptive snowboarding. She then became a contestant on season eighteen of Dancing With the Stars, and viewers were captivated as the girl with bionic legs managed to out-dance her competitors all the way to the finale.Amy’s journey is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity we all have to dream bigger, defy expectations, and rewrite our stories. Amy was given a second chance for a reason—to use her life to inspire others. Her powerful memoir urges us to live life to the fullest, because we are all a lot more capable than we could ever imagine.

A Boy and a Jaguar


Alan Rabinowitz - 2014
    Why are they all alone in empty cages? Are they being punished? More than anything, he wants to be their champion—their voice—but he stutters uncontrollably. Except when he talks to animals… Then he is fluent. Follow the life of the man Time Magazine calls, "the Indiana Jones of wildlife conservation"as he searches for his voice and fulfills a promise to speak for animals, and people, who cannot speak for themselves. This real-life story with tender illustrations by Catia Chien explores truths not defined by the spoken word.

Finally Finding Faith


Tammy Falkner - 2014
    It's 23,000 words. *** "You'll find Faith in the clock shop," Peter Reed says. "Faith? I don't believe in faith or God or predestination or any of that bullshit anymore. I believe in what I can see." Daniel has a list of things he wants to do before the clock strikes twelve on December 31st. 1. Get a tattoo 2. Ride a horse-drawn carriage in the snow 3. See a Broadway play 4. Buy hot chestnuts from a street vendor 5. Eat a one-pound burger at Rocko’s 6. Drink hot chocolate on a bench in the park 7. Fix my watch Daniel's watch stopped working when he lost all his men, his leg, and his hope in Afghanistan. A chance encounter at Reed's Tattoo Parlor leads him to Faith, a redhead with the prettiest green eyes he's ever seen. Daniel intends to meet his deadline before the clock strikes midnight, and Faith sets out to help him. But she is goodness and light, and he’s not ready to let her warmth shine on him. Faith takes care of her aging grandmother and knows how precious life is. But can she help Daniel realize it before it's too late? She has less than twenty-four hours. Tick tock. Tick tock.

What the **** is Normal?!


Francesca Martínez - 2014
    . .  disabled? Francesca was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was two years old, and her parents were gravely told that she would never lead a "normal" life. After a happy childhood filled with tree climbing, mischief, and little regard for her bit of palsy, Francesca arrived at high school with a confidence verging on indestructible, only to be turned into a miserable and insecure wreck. Luckily for her, salvation came from Grange Hill, a stand-up comedy workshop, and a passionate love affair replete with scintillating conversation. After one particularly mind-blowing chat, Francesca realized she had the power to stop judging herself by society’s unhealthy standards and create her own. So she did. This powerful new perspective changed her entire life forever. Whatever body you’re born into, the pressure to be "normal" is everywhere. But have you ever met a normal person? What do they look like? Where do they live? What do they eat for breakfast? And what the **** does normal mean anyway? What the **** is Normal?! is a very funny, very moving celebration and exploration of learning to be happy with who you are. Neither an autobiography nor a self-help book, it’s a powerful and political call-to-arms that rails against the relentless media bombardment of what is culturally perceived as "normal." Francesca equipped herself with the tools to stick two shaky fingers up to society’s unrealistic and damaging expectations, and with this book, she hopes to help more people to do the same. The wobbly revolution starts here.

Loving Jay


Renae Kaye - 2014
    And Liam believes it, until a chance meeting with James “Jay” Bell turns Liam’s world upside-down. Jay is vivacious and unabashedly gay—from the tips of his bleached hair to the ends of his polished nails. With a flair for fashion, overreaction, and an inability to cork his verbal diarrhea, Liam believes drama queen Jay must have a screw loose. An accident as a teenager left Liam with a limp and a fear of driving. He can’t play football anymore either, and that makes him feel like less of a man. But that’s no reason to question his sexuality... unless the accident broke something else inside him. When being with Jay causes Liam’s protective instincts to emerge, Liam starts to believe all he knew in life had been a convenient excuse to stay hidden. From intolerance to confrontations, Liam must learn to overcome his fears—and his father—before he can accept his sexuality and truly love Jay.

Unbreakable SEAL


J.M. Madden - 2014
    Lacey Adams knows she can’t save all of her cases, but can she salvage the unbreakable SEAL?

It's Not Yet Dark


Simon Fitzmaurice - 2014
    He was given four years to live. In 2010, in a state of lung-function collapse, Simon knew with crystal clarity that now was not his time to die. Against all prevailing medical opinion, he chose to ventilate in order to stay alive.Here, the young filmmaker, a husband and father of five small children draws us deeply into his inner world. Told in simply expressed and beautifully stark prose - in the vein of such memoirs as Jean-Dominique Bauby's The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - the result is an astonishing journey into a life which, though brutally compromised, is lived more fully and in the moment than most, revealing at its core the power of love its most potent.Written using an eye-gaze computer, It's Not Yet Dark is an unforgettable book about relationships and family, about what connects and separates us as people and, ultimately, about what it means to be alive.

Reclaiming the Sand


A. Meredith Walters - 2014
    Tormenter and tormented. Villain and hero. Ellie McCallum was a bully. No connection to anyone or anything. A sad and lonely existence for a young woman who had come to expect nothing more for herself. Her only happiness coming from making others miserable. Particularly Freaky Flynn. Flynn Hendrick lived a life completely disconnected even as he struggled to become something more than that boy with Asperger's. He was taunted and teased, bearing the brunt of systematic and calculated cruelty, ultimately culminating in a catastrophic turn of events that brought Ellie and Flynn’s worlds crashing down.But then Flynn and Ellie grew up. And moved on.Until years later when their paths unexpectedly cross again and the bully and the freak are face to face once more.When labels come to define you, finding yourself feels impossible. Particularly for two people disconnected from the world who inexplicably find a connection in each other. And out of the wreckage of their tragic beginnings, an unlikely love story unfolds.But a painful past doesn’t always want to let go. And old wounds are never truly healed…and sometimes the further you try to run from yourself the closer you come to who you really are.

God Is Just Not Fair: Finding Hope When Life Doesn’t Make Sense


Jennifer Rothschild - 2014
    Jennifer wondered who God was and why he continued to allow her to struggle and doubt.Where, Jennifer pleaded,is his hand of healing and hope in my life now?This is a book about finding more than just answers. It's for anyone who needs hope when life doesn't make sense---for all who reach for a God who feels distant.As Jennifer tackles the six big questions of faith, she will help you:Trust God more than your feelings.Strengthen your faith when you feel beat up by life.Embrace your obstacles and start experiencing their purpose.Face your disappointment and grow stronger from your loss.

Her Forever Hero


J.M. Madden - 2014
    The man is totally wrong for her, but on a lonely Christmas night, in a wine-laden effort to get him out of her system, she gives into her body’s demands. She regrets her actions almost immediately and tries to distance herself. Former Marine Grafton Parks knows Kendall Herrington is pregnant, she’s just too stubborn to admit it to herself. But the luscious woman better come to her senses soon, because the board won’t allow an unwed, pregnant female to run the multi-billion dollar Herrington Limited. Even if she is the boss’s daughter. As they struggle to come to terms with each other, an unexpected danger threatens their very lives. Will they survive long enough for him to be...Her Forever Hero?

A Time to Dance


Padma Venkatraman - 2014
    This is a stunning novel about spiritual awakening, the power of art, and above all, the courage and resilience of the human spirit. Veda, a classical dance prodigy in India, lives and breathes dance—so when an accident leaves her a below-knee amputee, her dreams are shattered. For a girl who’s grown used to receiving applause for her dance prowess and flexibility, adjusting to a prosthetic leg is painful and humbling. But Veda refuses to let her disability rob her of her dreams, and she starts all over again, taking beginner classes with the youngest dancers. Then Veda meets Govinda, a young man who approaches dance as a spiritual pursuit. As their relationship deepens, Veda reconnects with the world around her, and begins to discover who she is and what dance truly means to her.

How We Deal with Gravity


Ginger Scott - 2014
    Her husband left, and her own dreams became a distant fantasy—always second to fighting never-ending battles to make sure Max was given opportunity, love and respect. Finding someone to fight along her side wasn’t even on her list, and she’d come to terms with the fact that she could never be her own priority again. But a familiar face walking into her life in the form of 25-year-old Mason Street had Avery’s heart waging a war within. Mason was a failure. When he left his hometown five years ago, he was never coming back—it was only a matter of time before his records hit the billboard charts. Women, booze and rock-n-roll—that was it for him. But it seemed fate had a different plan in mind, and with a dropped record contract, little money and nowhere to go, Mason turned to the only family that ever made him feel home—the Abbots. Avery loved Mason silently for years—until he broke her heart…completely. But time and life have a funny way of changing people, and sometimes second chances are there for a reason. Could this one save them both?

The Blinding Light


Renae Kaye - 2014
    Because of it, he can’t hold a job. Combined with some bad luck, it's prevented him from keeping steady employment. A huge debt looms over him, and alone he shoulders the care of his alcoholic mother and three younger sisters. When a housekeeping position opens, Jake’s so desperate he leaps at the opportunity. On landing, he finds his new boss, Patrick Stanford, a fussy, arrogant, rude… and blind man. Born without sight, Patrick is used to being accommodated, but he’s met his match with Jake, who doesn’t take any of his crap and threatens to swap all the braille labels on his groceries and run off with his guide dog unless he behaves. Jake gets a kick out of Patrick. Things are looking up: the girls are starting their own lives and his mum’s sobriety might stick this time. He’s sacrificed everything for his family; maybe it’s time for him to live his life and start a relationship with Patrick. When his mother needs him, guilt makes his choice between family and Patrick difficult, and Jake must realize he’s not alone anymore.

Rain Reign, Chapters 1-5


Ann M. Martin - 2014
    Martin.Does losing her dog mean losing everything?Rose Howard is obsessed with homonyms. She's thrilled that her own name is a homonym, and she purposely gave her dog Rain a name with two homonyms (Reign, Rein), which, according to Rose's rules of homonyms, is very special. Not everyone understands Rose's obsessions, her rules, and the other things that make her different - not her teachers, not other kids, and not her single father.When a storm hits their rural town, rivers overflow, roads are flooded, and Rain goes missing. Rose's father shouldn't have let Rain out. Now Rose has to find her dog, even if it means leaving her routines and safe places to search. Hearts will break and spirits will soar for this powerful story, brilliantly told from Rose's point of view.

Paper in the Wind


Olivia Mason-Charles - 2014
    In the midst of the overwhelming struggles that accompanied autism, he continues to persevere. Her father’s love enabled her to overcome insurmountable obstacles, discovered the power of love and embraced the gift of life.

Laughing at My Nightmare


Shane Burcaw - 2014
    From awkward handshakes to having a girlfriend and everything in between, Shane handles his situation with humor and a "you-only-live-once" perspective on life. While he does talk about everyday issues that are relatable to teens, he also offers an eye-opening perspective on what it is like to have a life threatening disease.

This Is Not a Love Story


Suki Fleet - 2014
    Mute and terrified, his silence makes him vulnerable, and one night he is beaten by a gang of other kids, only to be rescued by a boy who pledges to take care of him.Julian is barely two years older than Romeo. A runaway from an abusive home, he has had to make some difficult choices and sells himself on the street to survive. Taking care of Romeo changes him, gives him a purpose in life, gives him hope, and he tries to be strong and keep his troubles with drugs behind him. But living as they do is slowly destroying him, and he begins to doubt he can be strong enough.This is the story of their struggle to find a way off the streets and stay together at all costs. But when events threaten to tear them apart, it is Romeo who must find the strength within himself to help Julian (and not let their love story turn into a Shakespearean tragedy).

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - Review Summary


J.T. Rothing - 2014
     Lou is 26 years old. She is sweet and adorable, but unskilled. When she loose her job at the Buttered Bun Café, she has no choice to apply for a try for a six-months contract as a carer to Will Traylor, a quadriplagic. But Will is not an easy person to get along with. Will Traylor is in his thirties. He lived a full adventurous life, until a speeding motorcycle crushed his spine. Paralyzed from the neck down, he is now bitter and morose, reminiscing constantly about his life before the accident. But Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of color, and neither of them knows they are going to change the other for all time... When you read Me before you by Mojo Moyes - Review Summary you will get a deeper understanding of the characters and plot found in Me Before You : A Novel by Mojo Moyes, as well as the themes and symbolism included in the novel. You also get a detailed chapter by chapter breakdown and analysis of the events as they unfold along with a glossary of the important characters and terms used in the original book. Just in case that’s not enough for you I’ve also included an analysis of each chapter, and quotes from the book that I found interesting. Wrapping it all up is a discussion of the critical reviews for Me before you as well as my overall opinion of the book. Plus much more! Whether you’re reading this for a book club, school report, or just want to catch up with your favorite characters and find out what happens before diving into the full length book, you can use this book review and study guide to get most out of your experience reading One Plus One by Mojo Moyes. WARNING - This is not the original book One Plus One by Jojo Moyes, but a detail summary and study guide designed to be used alongside the original work.

I’ve Got a Time Bomb


Sybil Lamb - 2014
    Days later, Sybil awakens in a hospital and finds her skull has been reconstructed, but it quickly becomes clear that her version of “normal” and “reality” may have been permanently altered. When she falls in love with a very beautiful, but very married, actress, Sybil does what comes naturally: she presents the object of her affection with a homemade explosive device, and then abruptly leaves town.I’ve Got A Time Bomb chronicles her surrealistic journey living among the loners, losers, and leave-behinds in the dark corners of Amerika.

Nanohana Boys


Pyon - 2014
    Follows two boys with disabilities, Onishi Yuu and Ishida Kenji, as they deal with the trials and tribulations of high school life. Original Webtoon

Criptiques


Caitlin Wood - 2014
    Exploring themes of gender, sexuality, disability/crip culture, identity, ableism and much more, this important anthology provides much needed space for thought-provoking discourse from a highly diverse group of writers. Criptiques takes a cue from the disability rights slogan "Nothing About Us Without Us," illuminating disability experiences from those with firsthand knowledge. Criptiques is for people invested in crip culture, the ones just discovering it, and those completely unfamiliar with the term.Authors who contributed to this collection include: Elsa S. Henry, Ibby Grace, Leroy Moore, Anna Hamilton, Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg, Eva Sweeney, Emily Ladau, Cheryl Green, Mia Mingus, Stefanie Snider, Cara Liebowitz, Nitika Raj, Nina G Comedian, Ben G., Kay Ulanday Barrett, Cat Moran, William Alton, Lydia Brown, Robin Tovey, Alyssa Hillary, Bethany Stevens, Jen Rinaldi, Samantha Walsh, Danine Spencer, Riva Lehrer.

Cornerstone


Vendelin - 2014
    That’s where he meets Stiles, completely by accident. Stiles is talkative, charming and curious. Somehow, despite the fact that he’s blind, he’s able to read Derek like no one else.Art by Maichan: http://maichan808.tumblr.com/post/875...Art by Tsuminubiaru: http://tsuminubiaru.tumblr.com/post/8...Words:83738 Complete

Beside Bethesda


Joni Eareckson Tada - 2014
    The entire book is framed against Joni's visit to the healing pool of Bethesda to seek healing where Jesus healed.As Joni relates aspects of her own journey in dealing with the most painful -unanswered prayer- of her life, readers will learn to see beyond potential quick fixes to the deepest and greatest solutions God has for them. As the journey continues, readers deal with topics such as contentment, patience, unanswered prayer, transformation through suffering, wrestling with God, and hoping in God.

The Oxen at the Intersection: A Collision (or, Bill and Lou Must Die: A Real-Life Murder Mystery from the Green Mountains of Vermont)


pattrice jones - 2014
    What transpired after this simple offer was a catastrophe of miscommunication, misdirection, and misinterpretations, as the college dug in its heels, activists piled on, and social media erupted.Part true-crime mystery, part on-the-ground reportage, and part sociocultural critique, The Oxen at the Intersection is a brilliant unearthing of the assumptions, preconceptions, and biases that led all concerned with the lives and deaths of these two animals to fail to achieve their ends. How and why the threads of this story unspooled, as jones reveals, raises profound questions—most particularly about how ideas rooted in history, race, gender, region, and speciesism intersect and complicate strategy and activism, and their desired outcomes. In the end, notes jones, we must always ask, Where’s the body?

Blessed Are the Crazy: Breaking the Silence about Mental Illness, Family and Church


Sarah Griffith Lund - 2014
    With a small group study guide and "Ten Steps for Developing a Mental Health Ministry in Your Congregation," Blessed Are the Crazy is more than memoir--it's a resource for churches and other faith-based groups to provide healing and comfort. Part of The Young Clergy Women Project.

Super Lexi


Emma Lesko - 2014
    Yogurt. Songs that get stuck in her head. Cashiers who think they’re good with kids. Her biggest phobia on Planet Earth, though, is eyeballs staring at her. That’s how come it’s too bad she has a solo in the school Parents’ Day performance. Good thing she has a plan. If she tornado-twirls at blur speed, she can disappear onstage!Read chapter one! http://bit.ly/1dXPEFaRL: 3.3Ages: 6-9Chapter book

Fade In


M. Mabie - 2014
    She wouldn’t change a thing. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have a choice. She's losing her sight.Tripping over her tongue and her heels, Tatum all too quickly realizes that the things which appeared so important before are slowly slipping away leaving room for what really matters. With the support of her best friends, family and colleagues, she begins to see that there’s much more to life… and herself.When Ben Harris enters her life as her new personal assistant, she can’t tell if it’s his good looks and charm that are working on her libido, or his kind and helpful nature working on her heart? Whatever it is, neither one of them can resist it. As her vision fades out, a world of love and happiness just might…Fade In.Fade In is a contemporary-romance novel about laughing through your tears and telling life to, quite frankly, “Suck it.” This novel contains sexual situations that the author may or may not have tried at home… for your safety, of course. Research is research.

Dear Shane: A Mental Health Resource About Staying Alive


Craig Kelly - 2014
    Author Craig Kelly navigates depression and the psychiatric system as he writes about a litany of medications, gender identity, inpatient treatment, and temporary friendships made in the hospital. Dear Shane dispenses a vision of radical mental health to edify readers so that they may better support themselves and others.

The Ring of Fire Anthology


E.T. Russian - 2014
    Ring of Fire is honest, engaging, and ahead of its time.Through black and white ink drawings, comics, linoleum block print portraits, essays, interviews and erotica, this collection explores the intersections of art, bodies, healthcare, ability, gender, race, community, class, healing and the politics of work.Alternately emotional and erotic, funny and political, Ring of Fire tells the author's personal story, and captures the work and words of various artists and leaders from disability culture and history. A young activist steeped in the cultures of queer and punk, Russian embraced a cultural identity of disability while writing Ring of Fire. Years later, Russian examines what it means to work in healthcare in the United States.

Disability Incarcerated: Imprisonment and Disability in the United States and Canada


Liat Ben-moshe - 2014
    Disability Incarcerated offers an outstanding collection of interdisciplinary scholarship examining the incarceration and segregation of people with disabilities the United States and Canada.

Brielle and Me: Our Journey with Cytomegalovirus and Cerebral Palsy


Kerith Stull - 2014
    That all changed six weeks into the pregnancy of their second child when Kerith got chicken pox. Fears flooded their lives for months. When she was eight months pregnant, they received more bad news. Their baby was also affected by a completely different virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV). There was a forty percent chance their baby would not survive. Brielle not only survived, but thrived despite cerebral palsy caused by CMV and is now nearly 18 years old. Brielle and Me is a mother's story of how they managed life with a daughter with cerebral palsy while navigating through developmental therapy, doctors, school, and relationships with friends and family. This is their journey of hope, determination, love, and faith.

Hot, Wet, and Shaking: How I Learned to Talk about Sex


Kaleigh Trace - 2014
    It's a book about having sex by yourself, with one person, or with twenty people if everyone is down. It's about saying words like cunt, fuck, and come. But it's also about the things we don't talk about--the mystery, the expectations, and the bullshit that can go along with sex.Kaleigh Trace--disabled, queer, sex educator--chronicles her journey from ignorance to bliss as she shamelessly discusses her sexual exploits, bodily negotiations and attempts at adulthood, sparing none of the details and assuming you are not polite company.

Unexpected Wedding


Carla Rossi - 2014
    He plays bass guitar in Cornerstone Fellowship's worship band and shares his testimony every week with the campers at Towering Pines summer church camp. At peace with his chair, he has settled into a boring but successful career in technology...but then stunning camp counselor, Gia Rinaldi, enters his life and turns it upside down. Lifelong preacher's kid and occasional wild child, Giavanna Rinaldi, has always learned things the hard way. With a trail of bad choices in her wake, she has finally grown up and found her niche as a student of Christian child psychology. She returns to Camp Towering Pines where she's worked since high school, but unsettling dreams and an unexplained illness lead her to a harrowing discovery. Will Rocky and Gia's budding romance survive her trauma? And is their bold decision an answer from God, or a serious step outside of His perfect will?

The River's Memory


Sandra Gail Lambert - 2014
    Two artists, separated by centuries, guide each other's hands. And a child of the Florida frontier sits on the graves of her siblings to think about race relations and the habits of caterpillars. These are some of the women who live along the banks of a river where water billows from caverns of silent lakes. None of them are famous. None of them have children. Instead, their stories exist in a mosaic of time and shadowed history, and the things of the river - clay and water, trees and bone - carry their memories forward.

Hope for a Sea Change: A search for healing


Elizabeth Aquino - 2014
    As they grapple with the harrowing progression of their child’s seizures, they grow to understand that the doctors know little more about how to heal Sophie than they do. They are in a terrifying no-man’s-land. This narrative of unintended medical trauma and the search for healing through alternative means will sear you with its stubborn hope, unexpected grace, and abiding love. Elizabeth Aquino lives in Los Angeles with her family. Always a writer but trained as a pastry chef, her life took an entirely unexpected turn when her first child was diagnosed with a devastating seizure disorder; her daughter became her greatest inspiration as they navigated the systems of care for the disabled and sick. Elizabeth’s work has been published in numerous literary magazines, newspapers, and anthologies, including the A Cup of Comfort series, qarrtsiluni, Kicking in the Wall, My Baby Rides the Short Bus, The Mom Egg, Spirituality and Health magazine, and the Los Angeles Times. When she isn’t writing she spends her time as an advocate for children with special health-care needs, operates a home-based cake and pastry business, and acts as chauffeur to and devoted admirer of her two teenage boys. She also posts daily on her blog, "a moon, worn as if it had been a shell" (http://www.elizabethaquino.blogspot.com). This is a short e-book published by Shebooks--high quality fiction, memoir, and journalism for women, by women. For more information, visit http://shebooks.net.

Armond Goes to a Party: A book about Asperger's and friendship


Nancy Carlson - 2014
    Parties are noisy, disorganized, and smelly—all things that are hard for a kid with Asperger’s. Worst of all is socializing with other kids. But with the support of Felicia and her mom, good friends who know how to help him, he not only gets through the party, but also has fun. When his mom picks him up, Armond admits the party was not easy, but he feels good that he faced the challenge—and that he’s a good friend. A great book for anyone to learn about coping with autism or Asperger’s.

Why Doesn't God Fix It? - Shining Eternal Light on the Darkness of Chronic Illness


Kimberly Rae - 2014
    Where are You, God? Why are You letting this suffering continue? Don't You care? If you have, you're not alone. In Why Doesn't God Fix It? you will find chapters including: *Why Didn't Jesus Heal Everybody? *Illness and Depression *The If Onlys and What Ifs *When the Mountain Won't Move Join Kimberly Rae as she struggles through the hard questions about living with illness, and discover truths in God's Word that offer hope, peace, and joy. Includes Special Appendix: How Would Jesus Respond to Health & Wealth? Praise for Why Doesn't God Fix It? by readers like you: "The chapter on depression was excellent." -Shades of REaD Book Club "Great book...It will encourage many." - Bethany "I like the scripture references and the applications." - Sue This Christian book is part of the Sick & Tired Series. Other books in the series: You're Sick, They're Not - Relationship Help for People with Chronic Illness and Those Who Love Them Sick & Tired - Empathy, Encouragement, and a Little Practical Help for People living with Chronic Illness Laughter for the Sick & Tired Keywords: Illness & Disease, Refuting Health & Wealth, Chronic Illness, Christians with Chronic Illness, Illness & Depression, Not Enough Faith?

Love, Money, and HIV: Becoming a Modern African Woman in the Age of AIDS


Sanyu Mojola - 2014
    Mojola examines how young African women, who suffer disproportionate rates of HIV infection compared to young African men, navigate their relationships, schooling, employment, and finances in the context of economic inequality and a devastating HIV epidemic. Writing from a unique outsider-insider perspective, Mojola argues that the entanglement of love, money, and the transformation of girls into consuming women lies at the heart of women's coming-of-age and health crises. At once engaging and compassionate, this text is an incisive analysis of gender, sexuality, and health in Africa.

Home Free


A.D. Truax - 2014
    A Pretty Shade of Grey companion story.

No Arms, No Legs, No Problem: When life happens, you can wish to die or choose to live


Bob Lujano - 2014
    He kept going. In writing Bob's unbelievable story, I grew more and more troubled. I kept returning to the mind-blowing fact that he was actually grateful for this childhood that stole his limbs, scarred his face and body, and branded him disabled; a term he rejects. He says it "was the best life he could ever ask for," that "the pain and abuse and rejection was all necessary." I couldn't understand his acceptance and forgiveness. I called it denial. Why wasn't he angry about it? I wanted to believe he was living a lie. He says he is able. How could this be? Bob Lujano refuses to succumb to tragedies or definitions. He is magnificently woven with strength and kindness. And his singular story proves that no arms and no legs is truly no problem.

Colors of the Wind: The Story of Blind Artist and Champion Runner George Mendoza


J.L. Powers - 2014
    You know, the kind that never stays still. Then one day, the doctor said he was going blind. Did that slow George down? Not for a single second. In fact, he was so fast, he went on to break a world record for blind runners. And now he's breaking more barriers--because ironically, George Mendoza, blind painter, paints what he sees. George started going blind at age 15 from a degenerative eye disease. It wasn't the sudden onset of blindness that many people experience. George lost his central vision and started seeing things that weren't there--eyes floating in the air, extraordinary colors, objects multiplied and reflected back. He describes this condition as having "kaleidoscope eyes."He triumphed over his blindness by setting the world record in the mile for blind runners, and later competing in both the 1980 and 1984 Olympics for the Disabled. Now a full-time artist, Mendoza's paintings are a National Smithsonian Affiliates traveling exhibit.

The Mitten String


Jennifer Rosner - 2014
    The surprising answer inspires Ruthie to knit a special gift that offers great comfort to mother and baby—and to Ruthie herself.        With language and imagery reminiscent of stories told long ago, this modern Jewish folktale will resonate with those who love crafts, anyone who’s encountered someone with physical differences—and with everyone who has ever lost a mitten in the depths of winter.From the Hardcover edition.

The Disassembled Life of Duncan Cole


S. Hart - 2014
    Against his will, he meets Sam: a less than professional coal miner who inspires the worst in men. Together they take on one malicious train and a most insidious re-animator, and along the way Duncan remembers a few things that he’d previously forgotten.

Locked In: One man's miraculous escape from the terrifying confines of Locked-in syndrome


Richard Marsh - 2014
    Like hearing a domestic dispute through an apartment wall. As a cop, it was a scenario I'd experienced many times as I'd approached a stranger's front door. But this was different. This time I wasn't going anywhere. I wasn't moving at all. Couldn't move at all. In June 2009, police officer Richard Marsh suffered a severe stroke that submerged him in the terrifying world of a “Locked-In” sufferer: brain activity remains, but sufferers have no way of communicating with the outside world. Ninety-percent die within four months of onset. Written with the intensity of a thriller, Locked In follows Richard's extraordinary race against time to prove his existence to the medical team, then beat the odds of surviving Locked-In syndrome.

Deaf Gain: Raising the Stakes for Human Diversity


H-Dirksen L. Bauman - 2014
    Yet a definition of deaf people based on hearing loss obscures a wealth of ways in which societies have benefited from the significant contributions of deaf people. In this bold intervention into ongoing debates about disability and what it means to be human, experts from a variety of disciplines—neuroscience, linguistics, bioethics, history, cultural studies, education, public policy, art, and architecture—advance the concept of Deaf Gain and challenge assumptions about what is normal.Through their in-depth articulation of Deaf Gain, the editors and authors of this pathbreaking volume approach deafness as a distinct way of being in the world, one which opens up perceptions, perspectives, and insights that are less common to the majority of hearing persons. For example, deaf individuals tend to have unique capabilities in spatial and facial recognition, peripheral processing, and the detection of images. And users of sign language, which neuroscientists have shown to be biologically equivalent to speech, contribute toward a robust range of creative expression and understanding. By framing deafness in terms of its intellectual, creative, and cultural benefits, Deaf Gain recognizes physical and cognitive difference as a vital aspect of human diversity.Contributors: David Armstrong; Benjamin Bahan, Gallaudet U; Hansel Bauman, Gallaudet U; John D. Bonvillian, U of Virginia; Alison Bryan; Teresa Blankmeyer Burke, Gallaudet U; Cindee Calton; Debra Cole; Matthew Dye, U of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign; Steve Emery; Ofelia García, CUNY; Peter C. Hauser, Rochester Institute of Technology; Geo Kartheiser; Caroline Kobek Pezzarossi; Christopher Krentz, U of Virginia; Annelies Kusters; Irene W. Leigh, Gallaudet U; Elizabeth M. Lockwood, U of Arizona; Summer Loeffler; Mara Lúcia Massuti, Instituto Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil; Donna A. Morere, Gallaudet U; Kati Morton; Ronice Müller de Quadros, U Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil; Donna Jo Napoli, Swarthmore College; Jennifer Nelson, Gallaudet U; Laura-Ann Petitto, Gallaudet U; Suvi Pylvänen, Kymenlaakso U of Applied Sciences; Antti Raike, Aalto U; Päivi Rainò, U of Applied Sciences Humak; Katherine D. Rogers; Clara Sherley-Appel; Kristin Snoddon, U of Alberta; Karin Strobel, U Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil; Hilary Sutherland; Rachel Sutton-Spence, U of Bristol, England; James Tabery, U of Utah; Jennifer Grinder Witteborg; Mark Zaurov.

Writing with Grace: A Journey beyond Down Syndrome


Judy McFarlane - 2014
    But the idea that Grace wants to be a writer, a dream McFarlane gave up when she was young, captures McFarlane. She helps Grace write her book and travels with Grace when she gives a copy of it to her grandfather. Writing with Grace is the inspiring and informative story of the journey Grace and Judy have taken together. It relates the often dark history of Down Syndrome, something the Canadian Down Syndrome Society maintains is "not a birth defect or illness" but "a naturally occurring chromosomal arrangement that has always been part of the human condition." It also tells a universal story of moving from a deep fear of the 'other,' to seeing the world through the eyes of the 'other,' to Judy truly understanding when Grace says, "my real truth is too scary. I like to hide my real truth."With honest introspection and keen insight, McFarlane delves into what it takes to face one's own prejudice, what it means to live a full life and believe you are worthy. From a young woman who is marginalized by society, McFarlane learns how much courage it takes to follow a dream when everyone tells you it’s impossible.

Behind the Yellow Wallpaper: New Tales of Madness


Rose YndigoyenLaura Hartenberger - 2014
    Over a century later women are still battling gender bias in the treatment of mental illness. Here are 15 stories of very different women who have in common the fact that they are fighting for control of their worlds and of their minds. Traci Orsi's "Waiting for Jordan" finds Julia hallucinating at home when her husband is shipped off to Iraq. Leah Chaffin's "Last Caress" delves into the sad and savage story of a rare female serial killer while in "An Obedient Girl" Amy Bridges relates her experience as an average girl who has a singular experience with a lobotomized woman. Age, religion, motherhood, sex and work life are all explored in these gripping stories of women who remain Behind the Yellow Wallpaper, battling valiantly and sometimes viciously to break free by any means necessary. Each story is paired with original photographic art by Loreal Prystaj. Prystaj’s dark, gripping art evoke the same despair, fear, anger, hopelessness, heartache, and fight for survival that make up these extraordinary New Tales of Madness.

Not Tonight: Migraine and the Politics of Gender and Health


Joanna Kempner - 2014
    Vomiting. Hours and days spent lying in the dark. Migraine is an extraordinarily common, disabling, and painful disorder that affects over 36 million Americans and costs the US economy at least $32 billion per year. Nevertheless, it is frequently dismissed, ignored, and delegitimized. In Not Tonight, Joanna Kempner argues that this general dismissal of migraine can be traced back to the gendered social values embedded in the way we talk about, understand, and make policies for people in pain. Because the symptoms that accompany headache disorders—like head pain, visual auras, and sensitivity to sound—lack an objective marker of distress that can confirm their existence, doctors rely on the perceived moral character of their patients to gauge how serious their complaints are. Kempner shows how this problem plays out in the history of migraine, from nineteenth-century formulations of migraine as a disorder of upper-class intellectual men and hysterical women to the influential concept of “migraine personality” in the 1940s, in which women with migraine were described as uptight neurotics who withheld sex, to contemporary depictions of people with highly sensitive “migraine brains.” Not Tonight casts new light on how cultural beliefs about gender, pain, and the distinction between mind and body influence not only whose suffering we legitimate, but which remedies are marketed, how medicine is practiced, and how knowledge about disease is produced.

I See Things Differently: A First Look at Autism


Pat Thomas - 2014
    Titles in the sensitively presented A First Look At series explore the dynamics of various relationships experienced by children of preschool through early school age. Kids are encouraged to understand personal feelings and social problems as a first step in dealing with them. Written by psychotherapist and counselor Pat Thomas, these books promote positive interaction among children, parents, and teachers. The story lines are simple and direct--easily accessible to younger children. There are full-color illustrations on every page.

The Baking Life of Amelie Day


Vanessa Curtis - 2014
    But Amelie has Cystic Fibrosis and some days she can barely breathe. Determined not to let her condition or her mum stop her, Amelie musters all her flour power, but will it be enough to get her there?

Oskar and Klaus Present the Search for Bigfoot


Mick Szydlowski - 2014
    Together they've shown the world that there's no limit to the thrill and wonder of life; all you need is the power of friendship and your imagination! In their first illustrated tale, Oskar & Klaus go on a camping trip in the majestic Pacific Northwest. After a fur-raising campfire story, Oskar leads a reluctant Klaus on an unforgettable quest: The Search for Bigfoot! Along the brave journey deep into the nighttime forest they meet new friends and discover far more than they ever imagined. "Oskar & Klaus show us the unexpected turns and twists when taking the road less traveled. A jubilant journey!"

Light Gets In: Living Well with Mental Illness


Esmé Weijun Wang - 2014
    There's no one-two-three guide that will take you to your final destination. But it is a flashlight, and one that, when raised, indicates that there's a path in the gloom.

Judith Scott: Bound and Unbound


Catherine Morris - 2014
    Judith Scott's story has become widely known: born with Down syndrome, and institutionalized for thirty years, before moving to the Bay Area to be near her twin sister, Scott had long-hidden artistic sensibilities that were first discovered at the visionary Creative Growth Art Center in Oakland. There, she developed an affinity for fiber and other found materials, creating remarkable and idiosyncratic objects--fastidiously assembled structures that radically challenge our attempts to define them as sculpture. In addition to illustrations of more than forty essential works, this volume includes a number of essays that trace Scott's artistic development and her place within the field of contemporary art as a whole. A previously unpublished interview with Scott's twin sister, Joyce, tells the story of how Judith's move from relative isolation to a supportive and nurturing environment allowed an unexpected and extraordinary talent to emerge and flourish.

The Autism Playbook for Teens: Imagination-Based Mindfulness Activities to Calm Yourself, Build Independence, and Connect with Others


Irene McHenry - 2014
    … This book is a real, practical, and positive guide for reducing stress.”—Temple Grandin, author of Thinking in PicturesTeens with autism have the potential to be excellent actors. They are natural observers—able to study, imitate, and learn social behavior. The Autism Playbook for Teens is designed to bolster these strengths with mindfulness strategies and roleplaying scripts, while also helping teens reduce anxiety, manage emotions, be more aware in the present moment, and connect with others.This book offers a unique, strengths-based approach to help teens with autism spectrum (including Asperger’s Syndrome) develop social skills, strengthen communication, and thrive. The activities contained in each chapter are custom-designed to work with the unique perspectives, sensory processing, neurological strengths and challenges that teens with autism bring to their encounters with the social world.  By engaging in these activities, teens will gain an authentic awareness of their surroundings, leading to better social interaction that is also rewarding, interesting, and fun.The delightful and creative activities in this book are grounded in well-documented clinical observations and current empirical studies. They also take into account the real neurological differences that exist in young people with autism, and focuses on the unique pathways needed to connect with and inspire these exceptional and fabulous teenagers.This is the only book available for teens with autism that specifically integrates mindfulness skills and imaginative scripted roleplaying activities for building authentic social experiences.

Loving Samuel: Suffering, Dependence, and the Calling of Love


Aaron D. Cobb - 2014
    Cobb is assistant professor of philosophy at Auburn University at Montgomery. His primary area of teaching is Medical Ethics and his research focuses primarily on the History of the Philosophy of Science.

No Expectation of Returns


youcouldmakealife - 2014
    Gabe’s on the ice, playing a mediocre game, when Stephen’s career ends.

Chronic Youth: Disability, Sexuality, and U.S. Media Cultures of Rehabilitation


Julie Passanante Elman - 2014
    Spotlighting the "troubled teen" as a site ofpop cultural, medical, and governmental intervention, Chronic Youthtraces the teenager as a figure through which broad threats to the normativeorder have been negotiated and contained.Examining television, popular novels, science journalism, newmedia, and public policy, Julie Passanante Elman shows how the teenager becamea cultural touchstone for shifting notions of able-bodiedness, heteronormativity, and neoliberalism in the late twentieth century. By the late1970s, media industries as well as policymakers began developing new problem-driven'edutainment' prominently featuring narratives of disability--from theimmunocompromised The Boy in the Plastic Bubble to ABC's After SchoolSpecials and teen sick-lit. Although this conjoining of disabilityand adolescence began as a storytelling convention, disability became much morethan a metaphor as the process of medicalizing adolescence intensified by the1990s, with parenting books containing neuro-scientific warnings about theincomplete and volatile "teen brain." Undertaking a cultural history of youththat combines disability, queer, feminist, and comparative media studies, Elmanoffers a provocative new account of how American cultural producers, policymakers, and medical professionals have mobilized discourses of disabilityto cast adolescence as a treatable "condition." By tracing the teen's unevenpassage from postwar rebel to 21st century patient, Chronic Youth showshow teenagers became a lynchpin for a culture of perpetual rehabilitation andneoliberal governmentality.

Preemie Voices - Young Men and Women Born Very Prematurely Describe Their Lives, Challenges and Achievements


Saroj Saigal - 2014
    The immediate anxiety about whether their infant will survive quickly leads to concerns about their child's future quality of life. In this inspiring and informative book, young people who were born weighing less than two pounds, three ounces provide candid and personal stories about their lives, challenges and accomplishments. Now in their thirties, these men and women were cared for at McMaster University Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario, soon after the introduction of newborn intensive care. Dr. Saroj Saigal, a renowned and award-winning neonatologist at McMaster, adds several chapters that outline the history of neonatology, describes recent medical and technological innovations, and explains how many extremely premature babies go on to enjoy fulfilling lives. Her chapters give the answer of a caring specialist to the inevitable question, "What next?" Written for a lay audience, Preemie Voices will move you to tears of admiration and amazement at the remarkable resilience of these tiny survivors. This unique collection of stories will not only provide encouragement and hope for parents who have given birth to a tiny preemie, but will inspire others who will be in awe at the achievements of these infants - both with and without disabilities - who were born too early. Watch the video documentary of a few participants from Preemie Voices at www.saigalpreemievoices.com

Unlocking the Social Potential in Autism


Karina Poirier - 2014
    Poirier shares her years of working with children with autism and similar cognitive disorders into an easy-to-follow road map explaining the likely causes of and treatment for autism. Her Developmental Curriculum comprises the second half of the book. While thorough, it is designed for ease-of-use by therapists and caregivers who work with autistic children on a daily basis. This book is written for ordinary people facing extraordinary challenges. Dr. Poirier has provided in simple, easy-to-comprehend language, an overview of child development, a descriptive explanation of how autism affects each developmental area, and guidelines for advancing a child’s functioning in all developmental domains. She outlines the diagnoses and treatments of autism, dispelling some pervasive myths along the way. While autism is not curable, you can suppress its worst symptoms, especially if you start early enough. The book features sample lessons from the Poirier Developmental curriculum, which begins with language, focusing specifically on semantics (the actual meanings of the words we say) before moving on to cognitive skills, play skills, and seven other functional concepts an autistic child must master to successfully take her place in society. Most lessons cover multiple subtopics and take a simple yet detailed approach to teaching each concept. The curriculum is carefully paced to accommodate the unique needs and attention span of the autistic child, with the ultimate goal of guiding her onto a social path that leads to full mainstream acceptance. The hope is that by adulthood, the autistic child will blossom into an individual who lives a fulfilling life, which includes typical, healthy friend and family relationships and a career. From the Back Cover“Where can I go for autism answers I can trust?” That is the question families ask when they are trying to get the straight story on autism. Very few people can answer autism questions with clarity, but Dr. Karina Poirier does a masterful job in her book, Unlocking the Social Potential in Autism. Dr. Karina Poirier wrote this book with parents and other caregivers in mind, to help you understand what autism is, where it comes from, how to treat it—and why it doesn’t have to mean a lifetime of loneliness for your child. Dr. Poirier describes in clear, everyday language how to help children with autism achieve their maximum potential, using evidence-based teaching and learning methods.

The War Within


Yolanda Wallace - 2014
    She went to Saigon in 1967 looking to help those in need. She didn’t expect to meet the love of her life along the way. Forty-seven years later, a summer vacation with her granddaughter, Jordan Gonzalez, puts Meredith on a collision course with someone from her past and sends Jordan on a journey toward an uncertain future.When Meredith comes face-to-face with Natalie Robinson, a woman whose heart she once broke, can a love once lost be regained? When Jordan meets Natalie’s niece Tatum, wheelchair-bound as a result of injuries she suffered when her Marine unit came under fire in Afghanistan, will her anti-war beliefs prevent her from falling in love?

Purr Therapy: What Timmy and Marina Taught Me about Love, Life, and Loss


Kathy McCoy - 2014
    Research has found that petting a cat can lower blood pressure and a cat's purr is thought to help heal body tissues and bones. But not just any cat can be a therapy cat, after all, such animals need to be friendly with strangers and willing to be touched, petted and held by unfamiliar people. They have to be tolerant ofloud voices and angry shouting, emotional distress, and sudden movements. It's a tall order for any animal, but a particular challenge for a cat. In "Purr Therapy," psychotherapist and cat lover Dr. Kathleen McCoy shows how two very special cats rose to this challenge, how they helped wounded souls to heal and how they taught even her lessons in mindfulness, joyful living, and compassion. She also shows readers how animal-assisted psychotherapy works and gives them an intimate and moving inside look at how Timmy and Marina worked with patients, how their double role as animal companions and cotherapists changed lives, and how, after their untimely deaths, the grief shared by those who knew and loved them led to even more growth and healing. It's no surprise that there is a tidal wave of cat fanciers growing: even the internet prefers cats. No dog site has reached the proportions of the most popular cat sites case in point: the mega-star Grumpy Cat who has over 2 1/2 million followers! More than an internet trend, this very active market is exploding through cat video contests and festivals that are claiming the passions of millions who will benefit from and love "Purr Therapy.""

Chronically Badass: A Guide for the Young & Chronically Ill


Diane Murray - 2014
    Topics covered include spoon theory, getting answers, working with doctors, work & school, friends & family, reactions, mental health, coping strategies, online communities, and mobility.Chronically Badass can be downloaded for free via Goodreads or at https://gumroad.com/l/chronically-badass

Sentinel


Nancy Northcott - 2014
    But there’s a price. He must first uncover the truth about the mage world’s most wanted fugitive. Caroline Dare knows her beloved brother had a reason for killing a member of the mages’ governing council. Real heroes don’t go rogue on a whim. Burned by shady reporters, she pours her devastating worry for him into her fabric art career and maintains stony silence about him. But when her art is panned as a fraud because she’s blind, she’s forced to seek help from Rick, a man she knows only as a sexy arts writer. Helping beautiful, determined Caroline prove her art is her own gets Rick inside her well tended walls. But as he wins her trust, he finds he’s losing his heart. Now he has a choice--give up his dream or betray the woman he loves.

Dads of Disability: Stories for, by, and about fathers of children who experience disability (and the women who love them)


Gary Dietz - 2014
    From before and through birth, to diagnosis, to the workplace, to serious medical or behavioral issues, to father's support circles, and much more-including aging and death-many inflection points are explored by the fathers themselves as well as the mothers and children in their lives. Each entry focuses on male and fatherhood themes. This is not a 'how-to' book or a book of '5-ways to do this' or '10-ways to do that.' Rather, this collection uses a storytelling approach to illuminate the emotional lives of these fathers. Dads of Disability will begin or extend the conversation between and amongst fathers, mothers, extended families, care circles, and individuals with disabilities themselves. This book is for fathers and mothers. For friends and support circles. For care professionals. For teachers. For friends trying to understand their neighbor's challenges. For anyone interested in the variety of the emotional lives of fathers whose children experience a disability. Regardless of the age of the father, the child's challenge, or even the gender of the essayist (remember, they are not all men!), Dads of Disability strives to paint pictures of a variety of different men who have one thing in common-they deeply love a child who experiences a disability. Topics of essays and poems include: - A woman who chooses to live with her ex-husband to enable her children's father to continue to be in their life on a regular basis. - On his way back from an airplane lavatory, a man gets into an interesting discussion with a flight attendant about fatherhood. - A husband's rising in the middle of the night is finally understood and accepted by his dedicated and supportive wife. - A father considers running away, but he visualizes his own, now-deceased father teaching him why he needs to stay with his daughter. - A senior citizen reflects on his family's care of his late brother. - Over time, labels come to have different meanings to a father. - A father's accepting and helping with his child's sensory challenges helps him accept that he has the exact same issue. - A poem where hoodlums can't stop a man from enjoying his iPod. - A life filled with adaptations is explored in a reminiscence of the same event by a mother, her husband, and their adult child. - A 3 year-old teaches us all a universal lesson in fewer than 60 words. And many more...

Maybe We're All Ghosts Too


C. Downing - 2014
    There are only two things keeping him going: his work, as co-director of an independent film - and Kiran, his housemate, who is also a prostitute. Both boys care deeply about each other, but are reluctant to enter into anything stronger than friendship, Kiran constrained by his present and Ashok by his past. As their relationship strengthens, Ashok becomes frustrated with what he sees as Kiran's reluctance to save himself - and Kiran strives to protect him from the dark world of his work, while inadvertently drawing him in even deeper. Eventually, they both know, they will have to make a choice between what they know - and what could be. Security, or love?

Chameleon Moon


RoAnna Sylver - 2014
    Like Venice slips into the sea, Parole crumbles into fire.The entire population inside has been quarantined and left to die - directly over the open flame. Eye in the Sky, a deadly and merciless police force ensures no one escapes. Ever. All that's keeping Parole alive is faith in the midst of horrors and death, trust in the face of desperation... and their fantastic, terrifying, and beautiful superhuman abilities.Regan, silent, scaly stealth expert, is haunted by ten years of anxiety, trauma and terror, and he's finally reached his limit. Evelyn is a fearless force on stage and sonic-superheroic revolutionary on the streets. Now they have a choice - and a chance to not only escape from Parole, but unravel the mystery deep in its burning heart. And most of all, discover the truth about their own entwining pasts.Parole's a rough place to live. But they're not dead yet. If they can survive the imminent cataclysmic disaster, they might just stay that way...

Facing Up


Carolyn Gilpin - 2014
    Instant stink of burnt rubber, glimpse of an arm flying up.Only the signpost slamming into the side window stopped Carly’s momentum. Glass crunched. Then there was nothing.” Since the car accident, Carly hasn’t changed that much. She’s still yelling at her family, rebelling, alienating most people. Only now she has reasons to be angry. The guy she liked is heading to jail for causing the accident. His mate was killed. Carly’s best friend Suzie is now wheelchair-bound. And a complete stranger is dead. Life sucks, and Carly’s coping the only way she can.If she can’t pull herself together, everything will fall apart.But what can you do when your face is half full of tiny glass pieces?

The First Three Rules


Adrienne Wilder - 2014
    The distraction saved Jon’s life but cost the lives of innocent people including his best friend and partner. It was a price for survival Jon couldn’t live with and was sure he’d never understand. Driven by grief and guilt he tried to escape his past by fleeing to a small town in the middle of nowhere. Only instead of peace, the memories festered. Then the offer of a stick of gum from a stranger changes Jon’s life and puts him on a road out of the nightmare he’s trapped in. Ellis Harper has lived the past twenty years isolated from the outside world and sole caretaker for his mentally disabled brother, Rudy. While Ellis loves his brother, he longs for a life he’ll never be able to have. Shut away, his days consist of chores, endless cartoons, and games of Go Fish. A world that seemed to have no end until an innocent misunderstanding turns Ellis and his brother into a target for a town bully. It’s a fight Ellis can never win on his own but thanks to a chance meeting with a stranger, he doesn’t have to. What begins as a new journey in love for both men quickly unfolds into something neither of them could have ever imagined.

Kissability: People with Disabilities Talk About Sex, Love, and Relationships


Katherine Duke - 2014
    After all, I can’t help my diagnosis. I can’t help the fact that I do these things.”“If I could jump, then I’d probably jump up and down on the couch like Tom Cruise did on OPRAH. I’m so in love now!”These are just a few of the fascinating responses that Katherine Duke received when she asked her fellow disabled people about their love lives. In KISSABILITY, Katherine and forty other individuals from around the world open up about their bodies, minds, and hearts. Their words interweave to create a book about differences and common bonds, about inner selves and outward appearances, about change and acceptance—and about the many ways that people need and connect with one another.

A Silent Voice Complete Collector's Edition 1


Yoshitoki Ōima - 2014
    Each extra-large, deluxe hardcover contains about 700 pages of manga on crisp, premium paper, and more than fifty pages of new content. Watch for Part Two in 2022!YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens Top Ten Selection; Eisner Award Nominee"A Silent Voice isn't just a potential conversation starter about bullying, it also teaches empathy and has the potential to change behavior." -School Library Journal"A very rare chance to see characters with disabilities represented on the page and a harsh light shed on the way that Japanese culture handles this difficult topic." -Comics BulletinThis deluxe, large-sized hardcover includes the first half of the story of A Silent Voice, extending from Vol. 1 through half of Vol. 4, as well as over fifty pages of content never published in English before, such as the early drafts of the story, behind-the-scenes details from creator Yoshitoki Oima, and color art and concept sketch galleries. Collectors and new readers alike won't want to miss it!

Mastering Mind: Dominants with Mental Illness and Neurological Dysfunction


Raven Kaldera - 2014
    But what happens when the dominant struggles with a mental illness or some kind of neurological disorder? Some would say that these individuals shouldn’t even be doing power exchange, and yet many are – and they are making it work. This book is an anthology of the experiences of brave dominants who strive to be honorable and effective in the face of these odds, and the people who gladly serve them. These stories are a bouquet of triumph and loyalty, and an inspiration to every practitioner of power dynamics who reads them.

Sisters


DeJay - 2014
    Her partner and best friend was killed during the incident that left Maddison with permanent nerve damage in her leg. Forced to accept disability, Maddison faces a long and arduous rehabilitation. Karileah (Kari) Gallagher--a wannabe actress. She left home find fame and glory in California. In the meantime she works at her profession, physical therapist. She knows she'll never be a super star, her hope is to become a well-known character actress and finally get out of the shadow of her sister's achievements. Some dreams, though, are never meant to be. Fiona M. Gallagher--an accomplished doctor in her home state of Pennsylvania. She takes a leave of absence from her practice to find her sister, Kari. Over the years, Kari has been faithful in her weekly communications home, often relating funny and interesting stories about life in LA and her new job as physical therapist/personal assistant to famed crime novelist, L.M. Addison. Fiona has long suspected that Kari is in love with her boss. Right now the issue is finding Kari and discovering why her letters stopped. The lives of these women are intricately woven together. Surprises, heartache, and pain will unravel the truth. Will there be enough love left to save the relationships involved?

Henry


Sydney Paige McCutcheon - 2014
    Though her world has been turned upside down, she doesn't expect the cold shoulder from the man meant to protect her. Rude and sarcastic, Ex-Officer Henry Clay wants nothing to do with his new roommate, and doesn't mask any hard feelings, only secrets. His wheelchair gives Prue a glimpse of his tragic past and she can't fight curiosity as more clues come her way, opening her eyes to the true stranger she's been sent to live with—and possibly, meant to help save. Can these two work together to keep her safe? Will the light make it through? Or will the truth be the thing that rips them apart?Christian Fiction

(We Are All) Brightwing


M.J.C. Fields - 2014
    Bethany Brennan, a 15-year-old severe asthmatic and Jamie Richardson, a 16 year-old boy struggling to adjust to life as an amputee, meet in a hospital. They are drawn together by shared troubles and a mysterious Being who then calls them into another world: There, the physical and emotional traumas they have experienced become the power that can preserve that world. But to do so, they might have to destroy a life to save another.

The Sibling Survival Guide: Indispensible Information for Brothers and Sisters of Adults with Disabilities


Don Meyer, Emily Holl - 2014
    It offers a sense that you're not alone, tips on how to talk to your parents about plans for your sibling, and a crash course in guardianship, medical & legal issues, and government benefits if you're already caring for your sib.Edited by experts in the field of disabilities and sibling relationships, The Sibling Survival Guide focuses on the topmost concerns identified in a survey of hundreds of siblings. The chapter authors experienced siblings and service providers offer practical information and anecdotes about:- statistics & research about siblings- younger siblings' feelings- impact on your life decisions- caring for multiple generations- aging and disability- taking care of yourself- getting services & advocacy- future planningParents, counselors, and disability service agencies will also want a copy of this useful and upbeat book.

Springy Chicken


Isabel Atherton - 2014
    Unfortunately, instead of normal chicken legs to hold her up, Martha’s legs are two giant yellow springs. After a run-in with a nasty fox, the farmer does the best he can to fix poor Martha, but it just isn’t the same. Now, she’s too tall to fit inside the chicken coop like all the other hens, her eggs are always smashed and scrambled since she’s so high off the ground, and it’s difficult to maneuver such big legs without stepping on a few toes and ruffling some feathers. But when the fox comes back, can Martha and her spring-legs muster the courage to save the day? Will that be enough for the brood to welcome her back?Featuring an empowering story of acceptance from author Isabel Atherton, and bold, colorful illustrations by Bethany Straker, Springy Chicken celebrates that we all have something special to offer.Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Each Day I Like It Better: Autism, ECT, and the Treatment of Our Most Impaired Children


Amy S.F. Lutz - 2014
    Multiple medication trials, a long procession of behavior modification strategies, and even an almost year-long hospitalization had all failed to control his violent rages. Desperate to stop the attacks that endangered family members, caregivers, and even Jonah himself, Amy and Andy decided to try the controversial procedure of electroconvulsive therapy or ECT. Over the last three years, Jonah has received 136 treatments. His aggression has greatly diminished, and for the first time Jonah, now fourteen, is moving to a less restricted school."Each Day I Like It Better" recounts the journeys of Jonah and seven other children and their families (interviewed by the author) in their quests for appropriate educational placements and therapeutic interventions. The author describes their varied, but mostly successful, experiences with ECT.A survey of research on pediatric ECT is incorporated into the narrative, and a foreword by child psychiatrist Dirk Dhossche and ECT researcher and practitioner Charles Kellner explains how ECT works, the side effects patients may experience, and its current use in the treatment of autism, catatonia, and violent behavior in children.

How Many Marbles Do YOU Have?: Helping Children Understand The limitations of Those With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia


Melinda Malott - 2014
    In fact, I plan to buy a copy for all my loved ones, so they’ll better understand what my life is like. It all depends on how many marbles are in my jar each day—the perfect metaphor for explaining the unpredictability and the ups and downs of Fibromyalgia and CFS. At the end of the book, Malott writes, “a heart full of love is better than a jar full of marbles any day.” Not only is this book informative and insightful, it’s a heart full of love in itself. —Toni Bernhard, author of How to Be Sick A mom uses a brilliant jar-and-marble analogy to teach her son about her limitations related to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia. The book uses marbles, a toy all children are familiar with, as a measure of the mother’s limited energy. Using a jar and some marbles, the author conveys difficult concepts in terms that children can understand. These concepts include taking preemptive rests to have more energy later, finding alternate ways to perform tasks that use less energy, and postexertional malaise. The concepts in the book are relevant to someone with one or both illnesses, and it can be applied to other physically limiting conditions as well. The book reminds the reader that although illness may limit a mother’s activities, it never diminishes a mother’s love for her children. The book is fun and yet realistic and will capture your child’s heart."

Disability Histories


Susan Burch - 2014
    In this collection, Susan Burch and Michael Rembis present essays that integrate critical analysis of gender, race, historical context, and other factors to enrich and challenge the traditional modes of interpretation still dominating the field. Contributors delve into four critical areas of study within disability history: family, community, and daily life; cultural histories; the relationship between disabled people and the medical field; and issues of citizenship, belonging, and normalcy. As the first collection of its kind in over a decade, Disability Histories not only brings readers up to date on scholarship within the field but fosters the process of moving it beyond the U.S. and Western Europe by offering work on Africa, South America, and Asia. The result is a broad range of readings that open new vistas for investigation and study while encouraging scholars at all levels to redraw the boundaries that delineate who and what is considered of historical value.Informed and accessible, Disability Histories is essential for classrooms engaged in all facets of disability studies within and across disciplines.