Best of
True-Story

2013

Will You Love Me?: Lucy's Story: The Heartbreaking True Story of My Adopted Daughter and Her Desperate Search for a Loving Home


Cathy Glass - 2013
    This book tells the true story of Cathy s adopted daughter Lucy.Lucy was born to a single mother who had been abused and neglected for most of her own childhood. Right from the beginning Lucy s mother couldn t cope, but it wasn t until Lucy reached eight years old that she was finally taken into permanent foster care.By the time Lucy is brought to live with Cathy she is eleven years old and severely distressed after being moved from one foster home to another. Withdrawn, refusing to eat and three years behind in her schooling, it is thought that the damage Lucy has suffered is irreversible.But Cathy and her two children bond with Lucy quickly, and break through to Lucy in a way no-one else has been able to, finally showing her the loving home she never believed existed. Cathy and Lucy believe they were always destined to be mother and daughter it just took them a little while to find each other.

Spilled Milk


K.L. Randis - 2013
    When social services jeopardize her safety condemning her to keep her father’s secret, it’s a glass of spilled milk at the dinner table that forces her to speak about the cruelty she’s been hiding. In her pursuit for safety and justice Brooke battles a broken system that pushes to keep her father in the home. When jury members and a love interest congregate to inspire her to fight, she risks losing the support of family and comes to the realization that some people simply do not want to be saved. Spilled Milk is a novel of shocking narrative, triumph and resiliency.

Please Don’t Take My Baby


Cathy Glass - 2013
    ‘I’ll show my mum she’s wrong.’Jade, 17, is pregnant, homeless and alone when she’s brought to live with Cathy. Jade is desperate to keep her baby, but little more than a child herself, she struggles with the responsibilities her daughter brings.Cathy is worried as soon as Jade arrives: she’s never looked after a pregnant teenager before, but none of the mother and baby carers free, and – seventeen years old, seven months pregnant and homeless – Jade is in a desperate situation.But Jade doesn’t want to listen or advice and although her daughter is born safely it isn’t long before Jade’s in trouble with the police.Cathy knows that Jade loves her daughter with all her heart, but will she be able to get through to Jade in time to make her realise just how much she might lose?

My James: The Heartrending Story of James Bulger by His Father


Ralph Bulger - 2013
    Grainy images from a security camera showed him trustingly holding the hand of ten-year-old Jon Venables as they walked away. Venables and his friend Robert Thompson murdered James, in a crime that shocked the world.In this haunting book, James' father Ralph describes how his world fell apart in the days that followed. In his darkest hours he drank to numb the pain, and the stress tore his marriage apart. He tells how he learned to cope with his grief, but the sorrow of James' death has never left him. He discusses the long legal battle to see justice for his son, as he tried to prevent his killers being released early, and his continuing fight to see them behind bars where they can't hurt anyone else. Above all, he pays tribute to his son, an adorable, cheeky boy whose bright smile brought joy to his family's lives.

Mummy’s Little Helper: The Heartrending True Story of a Young Girl Secretly Caring for Her Severely Disabled Mother


Casey Watson - 2013
    Many remain invisible to a system that would otherwise help them. Abigail is one of those children. This is her story.Ten-year-old Abigail has never known her father. Her mother, Sarah, has multiple sclerosis, and Abigail has been her carer since she was a toddler – shopping, cooking, cleaning and attending to her personal needs. When Sarah is rushed to hospital, suddenly this comes to the attention of the social services, and Abigail has nowhere to go.Though she doesn’t fit the usual profile of a child that specialist foster carers Casey and Mike Watson would take on, they are happy to step in and look after Abigail. It’s an emergency, after all – and all that’s needed is a loving temporary home, while social services look into how to support the family so that they can be reunited.But it soon becomes clear that this isn’t going to happen. Sarah’s MS is now at a very advanced stage, and the doctors are certain that there will no longer be periods of remission. Abigail’s emotional state starts to spiral out of control as she struggles to let go of the burden of responsibilities she has carried for so long.Sarah and Abigail insist that they do not need help, but with no other family to contact, social services are left with no choice but to find long-term care for Abigail, against their wishes. But Casey never gives up on a child in need, and she knows there must be another solution…

The Crossroad


Mark Donaldson - 2013
    His display of extraordinary courage that day saw him awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia, making him the first Australian to receive our highest award for bravery in wartime since Keith Payne in 1969.Yet Mark's journey to those crucial moments in Afghanistan was almost as exceptional as the acts that led to his VC.He was a rebellious child and teenager, even before the death of his father - a Vietnam veteran - when Mark and his brother were in their mid-teens. A few years later, their mother disappeared, presumed murdered. Her body has never been found.Mark's decisions could have easily led him down another path, to a life of self-destructiveness and petty crime. But he chose a different road: the army. It proved to be his salvation and he found himself a natural soldier, progressing unerringly to the SAS, the peak of the Australian military.From his turbulent early years to the stark realities of combat in the mountains and valleys of Afghanistan, Mark's book is the frank and compelling story of a man who turned his life around by sheer determination and strength of mind.

A Last Kiss for Mummy: A Teenage Mum, a Tiny Infant, a Desperate Decision


Casey Watson - 2013
    She has been in foster care several times already and when she discovered she was pregnant, and refused to have an abortion, her mother threw her out of the house.Casey and her family instantly form a strong bond with Emma’s baby Roman, but dealing with Emma’s behaviour and constant lack of responsibility is a far tougher challenge. And before long Casey finds she’s doing something she never thought she would – covering up for Emma’s shortcomings as she allows her personal involvement to colour her judgement.But the more Casey gets to know Emma the more she’s convinced that with the right help and guidance this lonely and unsupported girl can become a good mother to her gorgeous little boy. That’s what makes it even harder when Casey and her family have to make a stark choice: to hold on to Emma or look after Roman; to help a teenage girl desperate to turn her life around, or offer an innocent baby a safe home and much-needed good start in life.

Breaking the Silence: Two little boys, lost and unloved. One foster carer determined to make a difference


Casey Watson - 2013
    Jenson is just nine years old. He was removed from his home thirty minutes earlier when it was discovered his mother had left him at home while she went on holiday with her boyfriend.A couple of weeks later Casey is in for a second shock when she is asked to take a second nine-year-old boy, Georgie. Georgie is autistic and has been in a children’s home since he was a toddler. The home is closing and social services need somewhere temporary for him to stay. With her own grown up son, Kieron, having Asperger’s (a mild form of autism), Casey knows this is one child she cannot say no to.The relationship between Jenson and Georgie is difficult from the outset. Jenson is rebellious and full of attitude and he kicks off at anything, constantly winding Georgie up. Georgie doesn’t cope well with change and is soon in a permanent state of stress. Despite Casey’s best efforts, her innate love for the children is being tested and she begins to question if she can handle Jenson’s cruelty.But overtime it becomes clear that the boys have formed an unlikely bond. Could this be the solution to all of their troubles?

Shamed: The Honour Killing That Shocked Britain – by the Sister Who Fought for Justice


Sarbjit Kaur Athwal - 2013
    It looked like just another family gathering. An attractive house in west London, a large dining room, two brothers, their mother, one wife. But the subject they were discussing was anything but ordinary. At the head of the group sat the elderly mother. She stared proudly around, smiling at her children, then raised her hand for silence. ‘It’s decided then,’ the old lady announced. ‘We have to get rid of her.’‘Her’ was Surjit Athwal, Sarbjit’s sister-in-law. Within three weeks of that meeting, Surjit was dead: lured from London to India, drugged, strangled, and her body dumped in the Ravi River, never to be seen again.After the killing, risking her own life, Sarbjit fought secretly for justice for nine long, scared years. Eventually, with immense bravery, she became the first person within a murderer’s family ever to go into open court in an honour killing trial as the Prosecution’s key witness, and the first to waive her anonymity in such a trial. As a result of her testimony, the trial led to the first successful prosecution of an honour killing without the body ever being found.But her story doesn’t end there. Since the trial, her life has been threatened; her own husband arrested after an allegation of intimidation. Shamed is a story of fear and of horror – but also of immense courage, and a woman who risked everything to see that justice was done.

The Life and Legend of Chris Kyle: American Sniper, Navy SEAL


Michael J. Mooney - 2013
    Mooney reveals the life story of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, the American Sniper, from his Texas childhood up through his death in February 2013.A brutal warrior but a gentle father and husband, Kyle led the life of an American hero and legend. His heroism and reputation in the military service earned him the nickname "the devil" among insurgents and the nickname The Legend among his SEAL brethren, but his impact extended beyond that after he came home, through his work with fellow veterans.Mooney also sheds light on the life of the suffering fellow veteran who killed Kyle and interviews those closest to the late SEAL. The Life and Legend of Chris Kyle is an honest portrayal of the life of a man whose memorial service brought thousands of people to Cowboys Stadium--the most celebrated war hero of our time.

Taylor's Gift: A Courageous Story of Giving Life and Renewing Hope


Todd Storch - 2013
    With only a few minutes to consider their options, her grieving family made the life-changing decision to donate her organs. Knowing Taylor's caring spirit, they were sure this was what she would have wanted. Over the course of the next two years, Tara and Todd Storch connected with four of the five people who now live because of Taylor's gift. And through these encounters, the Storches have discovered unexpected blessings that are changing countless lives.Now Tara and Todd share their inspiring story, shining a light at the end of the tunnel for those enduring the suffering of losing a loved one. Through the stories of the donor recipients, readers will discover hope in the midst of pain. Honest with their struggles, the Storches show readers that life is a gift and our response to grief is a choice. They also speak with a clear voice about the importance and the blessing of being an organ donor, telling the inspiring story of the creation of Taylor's Gift Foundation and its goals to raise awareness of the need for organ donation, to re-gift life, renew health, and restore families. They are changing the conversation around the globe that organ donation is not about death--it's about life! Foreword by Max Lucado.

Kidnapping My Daughter


Rachel Jensby - 2013
    Kidnapping My Daughter is the true account of a mother who spent more than two years on the run, first from local and state authorities only, and then eventually from the FBI as well. As more and more children are faced with court-licensed abuse every day, Rachel Jensby hopes to be a voice among many; joining other mothers who are effecting change by finally finding the courage to come forward with their stories.Kidnapping My Daughter is an account of events leading up to, and all that transpired during, this family's life on the run.A second volume, titled Bringing Cheyenne Home, tells the story of what happened afterward - starting with the family's first day back in court and goes on to detail the tumultuous years afterward, including a peek into Cheyenne's life today. Bringing Cheyenne Home will be available soon on Amazon for Kindle.

True Story


Ni-Ni Simone - 2013
    Her freshman year at Stiles University turned out to be a tug of war for her heart and her sophomore year promised more of the same. Just when she'd sworn off her ex-boyfriend, Josiah Whitaker, and thought she'd never love him again, he boldly stepped back into her life, with no regard that she'd moved on with Zaire St. James, her new boyfriend.Caught off guard and thrust into a whirlwind of emotion, Seven no longer knows if she should stay or go. . . All she knows is that old feelings won't die, her new love is being ruined by lies, and the fairy tale she once dreamed of may never become her true story.Praise for Ni-Ni Simone"Smart and cutting, full of clever comebacks." --Kirkus on No Boyz Allowed"This is creative, innovative, and important storytelling for today's urban teen readership." --Library Journal on Teenage Love Affair

Helpless: A True Short Story


Rosie Lewis - 2013
    Rosie is woken a few short hours later, at 1am, and taken to the maternity unit by police escort to collect the infant and take her to a place of safety.But it soon becomes clear that Sarah is suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms. Knowing that separation is inevitable, Rosie tries to maintain a professional distance but that’s easier said than done.

A Storm Too Soon: A True Story of Disaster, Survival and an Incredible Rescue


Michael J. Tougias - 2013
    TOUGIAS COMES A NEW, HEART-STOPPING TRUE-LIFE TALE OF MARITIME DISASTER, SURVIVAL, AND DARING RESCUE, HIS MOST THRILLING AND AMAZING STORY YET. Seventy-foot waves batter a torn life raft 250 miles out to sea in one of the world’s most dangerous places, the Gulf Stream. Hanging on to the raft are three men, a Canadian, a Brit, and their captain, JP de Lutz, a dual citizen of America and France. Their capsized forty-seven-foot sailboat has filled with water and disappeared below the tempestuous sea. The giant waves repeatedly toss the men out of their tiny vessel, and JP, with nine broken ribs, is hypothermic and on the verge of death. The captain, however, is a remarkably tough character, having survived a brutal boyhood, and now he must rely on the same inner strength to outlast the storm. Trying to reach these survivors before it’s too late are four brave Coast Guardsmen battling hurricane- force winds in their Jayhawk helicopter. They know the waves will be extreme, but when they arrive they are astounded to find that the monstrous seas have waves reaching eighty feet. Lowering the wind-whipped helicopter to drop a rescue swimmer into such chaos will be extremely dangerous. The pilots wonder if they have a realistic chance of saving the sailors clinging to the broken life raft, and if they will be able to even retrieve their own rescue swimmer from the towering seas. Once they commit to the rescue, they find themselves in almost as much trouble as the survivors, facing one life-and-death moment after the next. Also caught in the storm are three other boats, each one in a Mayday situation. Of the ten people on these boats, only six will ever see land again. Spellbinding, harrowing, and meticulously researched, A Storm Too Soon is a vivid account about the powerful collision between the forces of nature and the human will to survive. Author Michael J. Tougias, known for his fast-paced writing style and character-driven stories, tells this true saga in the present tense to give the reader a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat immediacy. A Storm Too Soon is Tougias at his masterful best and a heart-pounding narrative of survival, the power of the human spirit, and one of the most incredible rescues ever attempted.

With Angel's Wings


Stephanie A. Collins - 2013
    Join Laura on her emotional journey as she strives to rise to the unexpected challenge of motherhood to two special needs daughters. Witness her dance along the edge of sanity through a whirlwind of mind-numbing diagnoses, from a rare chromosomal disorder to autism. Experience heart-wrenching medical drama, from IV cut-downs to code blues. And share in the joy of true love discovered ... just as Laura begins to lose all hope. With Angel's Wings - an honest and raw, 100% true story.

Back in the Fight: The Explosive Memoir of a Special Operator Who Never Gave Up


Joseph Kapacziewski - 2013
    A grenade fell through the gunner’s hatch and exploded, shattering Kapacziewski’s right leg below the knee, damaging his right hip, and severing a nerve and artery in his right arm.He endured more than forty surgeries, but his right leg still wasn’t healing as he had hoped, so in March 2007, Kapacziewski chose to have it amputated with one goal in mind: to return to the line and serve alongside his fellow Rangers. One year after his surgery, Kapacziewski accomplished his goal: he was put back on the line, as a squad leader of his Army Ranger Regiment.On April 19, 2010, during his ninth combat deployment (and fifth after losing his leg), Kapacziewski’s patrol ran into an ambush outside a village in eastern Afghanistan. After a fellow Ranger fell to withering enemy fire, shot through the belly, Sergeant Kap and another soldier dragged him seventy-five yards to safety and administered first aid that saved his life while heavy machineguns tried to kill them. His actions earned him an Army Commendation Medal with “V” for Valor. He had previously been awarded a Bronze Star for Valor—and a total of three Purple Hearts for combat wounds.

Saving Baby: How One Woman's Love for a Racehorse Led to Her Redemption


Jo Anne Normile - 2013
    But she fell in love with the young horse, who had literally been born into her arms. The breeder finally said she could keep the colt, whom she nicknamed "Baby" – but only if she raced him.It was difficult to take Baby away from the safety of his pasture. But Normile had made a promise. Besides, horseracing had always come across as a glamorous blend of mint juleps and celebrity, of equine grace and speed. It was a vision she found appealing.And she fell hard for it, this "Sport of Kings." She experienced a thrill every time Baby sprinted around the track, edging out other horses. But the magic that enchants is a veneer. For every Seabiscuit, there are tens of thousands of racehorses whose lives end in pain and despair, with indifference and corruption that runs rampant through the world of horse racing.Normile knew none of this. Not until an accident on a poorly maintained track. That's when everything changed. That's when Normile founded the most successful horse rescue in the country, an organization that would go on to save more horses than anyone else ever had. That's when she knew she had no other choice.Saving Baby is Jo Anne Normile's story of perseverance and passion. A heartbreaking and ultimately life-affirming book, it testifies to the transcending power of hope, and the unshakeable bond of love.

What Color is Monday? How Autism Changed One Family for the Better


Carrie Cariello - 2013
    “What?” I said distractedly, turning from the oven to slice some potatoes at the counter. It was late afternoon, and I was preparing dinner while also managing the demands of homework and tired toddlers. “Do you see days as colors?”Raising five children would be challenge enough for most parents, but when one of them has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, the adventures become even more fascinating. In this moving--and often funny--memoir, author Carrie Cariello invites us to take a peek into exactly what it takes to get through each day with four boys and one girl, and shows us the beauty and wonder of a child who views the world through a different lens.

Soul of a Tiger: A Miraculous True Story of a Family Who Survived the Cambodian Genocide


Sreyreath Kuy - 2013
    Born in the Year of the Tiger, Rachana’s undeniable symbolic life or death experiences prove that faith, belief, and the will to survive can prevail above all odds. In what was one of the most appalling mass murders known to mankind, the Khmer Rouge inflicted evil upon the first class citizens of Cambodia from 1975-1979. Throughout the next gruesome four years of the Killing Fields, and even prior during the Cambodian Civil War, nearly a quarter of the entire country’s population was lost from starvation, torture, insurmountable tragedy, disease, and blatant atrocities. Families were broken and the entire landscape of the country was destroyed. Inspired by a true story, one young woman defies all odds in this profound journey of love, anger, bravery, forgiveness and survival. Along with her beloved mother and two young daughters, Rachana experiences both the best and worst of mankind. Through insurmountable adversities, this tearfully authentic and courageous story will take you on a compelling pursuit of freedom, surprising sacrifices and life or death decisions to be made along the way.

The Dark Side: Real Life Accounts of an NHS Paramedic


Andy Thompson - 2013
    You’ll smile at some of Andy’s real patient encounters, while others will cause you to wipe a tear. Using official NHS documentation recorded at the time to give precise details of each incident, Andy has held firm to the real-life accounts, even in keeping the dialogue as close as his memory allows to what was really said at the time. It’s as if you’re there next to him, struggling with the effects of adrenaline and fighting to save life. This is a rare work of medical non-fiction delivered in a way that is factual, informative, but at the same time naturally entertaining and moving, written with candour and humour. And if you have ever thought what it takes to become a paramedic – or any other of the specialist vocations - and that you could never achieve it yourself, Andy’s inspiring story of how he went from postman to frontline healthcare professional, fulfilling his dream, will make you think again that anything is possible if you have the desire. Andy says there are no heroics in the book and that he simply did his job, but we are sure The Dark Side will leave you convinced there are true heroes on our streets right here, right now. Saving lives every day, every night and often against all the odds. It might even change your whole perspective on life.

Lusia's Long Journey Home: A Young Girl's Memoir of Surviving the Holocaust


Lucy Lipiner - 2013
    On September 1, when she was just six years old, she was roused from her bed by her parents. Together with them, her older sisters, and her other relatives, they left their hometown of Sucha. They were among the town’s population of 780 Jews. Their decision to leave saved their lives.Lusia’s Long Journey Home tells the story of their journey of survival from the eyes of a little girl. It is an odyssey of escape and rescue full of hardships and tribulations that takes Lipiner from her idyllic small town life at the foothills of the Tatra Mountains to the frozen wastes of Siberia, and the vast wilderness of Tajikistan. Along the harsh way, she experiences hunger and poverty, desperation and fear, but she survives and perseveres through the adversities. Finally, she arrives in America, and with her memoir she shares the emotional and physical struggles of a ten-year flight to freedom. In her work, Lipiner gives a detailed and historical account of a little-known and rarely discussed group of Holocaust survivors. Lusia’s Long Journey Home is their story of resilience.

Lost in Transplantation: Memoir of an Unconventional Organ Donor


Eldonna Edwards - 2013
    When 48 year-old single mother, massage therapist and returning student Ellie meets a young woman with kidney disease, she decides to make it her mission to save the girl. Unfortunately, outdated rules made it difficult for altruistic donors, and besides, the woman doesn’t want a savior. Does this stop Ellie from her quest to “be the change” one seeks in the world? Not a chance. Told with humor and self-reflection, this inspirational memoir of courage and compassion is interwoven with anecdotal stories that help the reader identify what kind of person commits the selfless act of organ donation. Ellie,a self-described devout agnostic, is kind but often irreverent. She is generous, but she is no saint. Ultimately, becoming a kidney donor has given her a renewed sense of purpose and fulfillment. Lost in Transplantation asserts that we are all capable of altering a human being's life for the better, including our own.

Operation Red Wings: The Rescue Story Behind Lone Survivor


Peter Nealen - 2013
    Navy SEALs were inserted into the mountains of eastern Afghanistan with the task of collecting intelligence and finding—or killing—a top al Qaeda commander. The SEALs were ambushed by over one hundred Taliban fighters and a horrific battle ensued. The rescue helicopter carrying eight SEALs was shot down by a reported Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG), killing them instantly and erasing any hope for the SEALs already on the ground. Luttrell was the only survivor. OPERATION RED WINGS is an in-depth examination of the recovery mission to rescue Luttrell, filled with never-before-told details and shocking new revelations. Author Peter Nealen (former USMC Force Recon) and the team at SOFREP have an expansive network within the Special Operations community, providing them with access to exclusive interviews, after action reports, military intel and previously untold accounts of the rescue mission. Nealen and his team have uncovered eyewitness reports that put the "official" story into question as to how the initial rescue helicopter was shot down. If true, this potential coverup will have had severe consequences on subsequent helicopter insertion operations and put lives at risk. Complete with a foreword by former Navy SEAL Brandon Webb, this is a must-have companion to the blockbuster book and upcoming film. (12,000 words)

Stations of the Heart: Parting with a Son


Richard Lischer - 2013
    In it a young man teaches his entire family “a new way to die” with wit, candor, and, always, remarkable grace. This emotionally riveting account probes the heart without sentimentality or self-pity. As the book opens, Richard Lischer’s son, Adam, calls to tell his father, a professor of divinity at Duke University, that his cancer has returned. Adam is a smart, charismatic young man with a promising law career, and an unlikely candidate for tragedy. That his young wife is pregnant with their first child makes the disease’s return all the more devastating. Despite the crushing magnitude of his diagnosis and the cruel course of the illness, Adam’s growing weakness evokes in him an unexpected strength.  This is the story of one last summer and the young man who lived it as honestly and faithfully as possible. We meet Adam in many phases of his growing up, but always through the narrow lens of his undying hope, when in the final season of his life he becomes his family’s (and his father’s) spiritual leader. Honest in its every dimension, Stations of the Heart is an unforgettable book about life and death and the terrible blessing of saying good-bye.

Kindred Beings: What Seventy-Three Chimpanzees Taught Me About Life, Love, and Connection


Sheri Speede - 2013
    But it was not until many years after veterinary school, when she was transporting a chimpanzee named Pierre away from a biomedical facility as part of her job as a conservation advocate in Cameroon, that Dr. Speede discovered her true calling. She began to search for land for a forest sanctuary for captive chimpanzees that were held on chains and in small cages at local hotels.Dr. Speede eventually founded the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center, a forested home for orphans of the illegal ape meat trade. One chim- panzee, Dorothy, was rescued by Dr. Speede and her colleagues from a bleak existence imprisoned on a chain and forged a deep friendship with her. Dr. Speede explains how chimpanzees, like humans, are capable of a broad spectrum of emotional behaviors—both hateful and loving. Dr. Speede also candidly reveals her own struggles as a stranger in a foreign culture trying to adjust to rural African village life. And she admits that unlike Dorothy, she was not always kind, gentle, and forgiving.Dorothy died of old age at the sanctuary, and a photograph of Dorothy's funeral, in which Dr. Speede cradled Dorothy's head while her family of chimpanzees mournfully viewed her body, went viral after being published in National Geographic. The world was surprised at the depth of the chimps' grief at the loss of their friend, but Dr. Speede was not. Through the chimps, she had come to understand the meaning of love, loyalty, and true connection.While this is a compelling story about the emotional complexity of the chimpanzees she rescued and befriended, it is also Dr. Speede's story. Major events in her personal life, including love affairs, dangerous run-ins with criminals, and the birth of her daughter, unfold as the development of her primate rescue center runs parallel to her own development. Ultimately, Kindred Beings is a story of profound resilience, of both the apes and the woman who loved them.

Sun Shine Down: A Memoir


Gillian Marchenko - 2013
    First steps, little league (or ballet). Maybe the child would play piano or make you proud on the Honor Roll. There'd be eventual graduations, college, even marriage and grandchildren. You might dream it out that far. Or not. Every parent has hopes. No parents wish for pain—their own, or a child's. Then you had a premature delivery in a foreign country. And the words swirling around you said a different kind of "what if." What if something was wrong? The dream was at risk—or so it seemed. Would you be ready for that? Could you make peace? Or would it take you down?These are the questions author Gillian Marchenko faced as she woke up after an emergency C-section in Ukraine. Only her newborn child could answer them, in time. But first she had to find a way to hear more than the words "Down syndrome." Sun Shine Down. A memoir.

Never Call Me Mummy Again


Peter Kilby - 2013
    In rural Gloucestershire in the early 1940s, Peter's family lived in poverty. It wasn't long before his father introduced a new woman into their lives, his mistress Flossie. On meeting her, Peter made a mistake; he called her 'Mummy'. Dragged outside, trampled on and shouted at, Peter never made that mistake again. Thus began a childhood of terrible abuse from which Peter tried time and again to run away. The arrival of a new sister, who was treated like a princess, only served to intensify the harm directed towards Peter. After running away one time too many, Flossie pulled Peter into the bedroom that he shared with his brothers and sister and committed an act of unforgivable evil. It didn't end there though - the catalogue of cruelties continued until, finally, Peter was able to escape for good.In this, his heart-breaking yet profoundly moving and ultimately uplifting memoir, Peter recounts a childhood like no other and a stepmother from hell.

Diary of a Freedom Writer: The Experience


Darrius Garrett - 2013
    a word continuously thought of when reading this memoir. Upon the release of The Freedom Writers Diary and film adaptation starring Hilary Swank in 2007, New York Times bestselling author Darrius Garrett realized that both book and movie tell the Freedom Writer Story as a whole, but not on a personal level. During speaking engagements, the same questions always surface: 'Did Ms. Gruwell change you? How did you make it out of the gang life? What stopped you from killing yourself?' Darrius's answers are inside.Diary of a Freedom Writer takes you on a journey beyond the classrooms to the treacherous streets of Long Beach, California. An innocent little boy born in poverty and raised in a violent environment, Darrius became a product of the streets, written off by the school and judicial systems alike, growing up in an environment full of gangs and drugs. He spent his life searching for a father figure until he became a Freedom Writer, motivational speaker, bestselling author, and finally a father himself. His story is that of a man realizing his experiences are what made him the man he has been seeking to be all his life. Upon beating the odds, Diary of a Freedom Writer serves as proof that Darrius's story of struggle, life, change, and hope will uplift, educate, encourage, and inspire.

The Three Kitties That Saved My Life


Mike Meyer - 2013
    "This is like drinking tea and honey on a cold day." When tragedy struck, I thought for sure that my own life was at an end. I was wrong. This is the true story of how two stray rescue cats and a woman named Kitty, whom I finally met after a wild ride of internet dating, brought love, romance, and laughter back into my life.Love was then. Love is now. Love is forever. WINNER of the 2018 Stephen Memorial Award FINALIST for the 2014 RONE AWARD If you love reading feel-good memoirs, then don't miss THE THREE KITTIES THAT SAVED MY LIFE, where "Mike Meyer pens a tender tale of love, loss, and renewal. The depth of emotion is palpable...The Three Kitties will tug at readers' heartstrings, as they ride through the emotional highs and lows of Mike Meyer's remarkable story." - InD'tale MagazineEXCERPTIt is amazing how time helps. In time, I have learned to overcome my own albatross. I have learned to live again, to love again. Life is a gift reads a plaque on our dining room wall, and that sums up what I have gained from the three kitties that saved my life. From Coco, I learned to care again. From Kitty, I learned to love again. From Pom Pom, I have learned how to cope with my own demons, the effects of aging being one of these. Pom Pom has taught me to accept what is and then to move onward. Yes, I have learned plenty from my three kitties.My journey has been a long one, a difficult one at times, but it has a happy ending. The three kitties in my life have made it so. They have all helped me to become the happy-to-be-alive man that I am today. I now accept rather than cope. I live each day to the fullest, knowing full well that life is a gift, and a very precious one at that. I look back on my life and I often think that I must be the luckiest man in the world. I have so much to be thankful for. The wonderment and beauty of life are both so dear to me.And, to add a delicious icing to the lovely taste of my life, I can say with total honesty to the whole world, my voice booming into the sky, my dancing feet not caring in the least who might see me, that I have been very fortunate to have done something that brings more sheer delight and wonderful pride to me than anything else that I have accomplished in my life: I have fallen madly, head-over-heels in love not once, but twice, and how many others can say that?Thank you, Kitty! AWARDSWINNER 2018 Stephen Memorial AwardFINALIST 2014 RONE Award, Inspirational Book #1 Amazon best seller in Love & Romance, Pet Cats, and Educator Biographies

Never a Mother to Me


Tracy Black - 2013
    In her new book, Tracy continues her shocking story by telling how her mother closed her eyes to the cruelty, treating her little girl with cold indifference. Heartbreakingly Tracy traded her innocence for the love of her mother - love which was never given, no matter how much she suffered. As Tracy approached adulthood, she risked being trapped in damaging sexual relationships. But after years of struggle she found the courage to break out of her past and turn her life around.

The Sunflowers are Mine: The Story of Van Gogh's Masterpiece


Martin Bailey - 2013
    Martin Bailey explains why Van Gogh painted a series of sunflower still lifes in Provence. He then explores the subsequent adventures of the seven pictures, and their influence on modern art. Through the Sunflowers, we gain fresh insights into Van Gogh's life and his path to fame. Based on original research, the book is packed with discoveries throwing new light on the legendary artist.

Darkness Descending


Ken Jones - 2013
    Alone in a snowy wilderness without any way of calling for help he knew his chances of survival were slim.Darkness Descending is the harrowing and psychologically compelling account of the next four freezing days and nights as he dragged himself to safety, battling constantly with extreme pain, biting cold, and his own, often hallucinatory swings between hope and despair.

Four Nights With The Devil: A True Story Of Deliverance From Evil


Peter Hockley - 2013
    Unhappy with life and driven by the search for lasting peace and contentment, a young man walks through the religion section of a local bookstore, looking for answers. One book stands out among all others: an author who claims his written messages to the spirit world are answered by an invisible entity that takes control of his mind and body; an entity that calls itself "God". Reading the entire book in one night, the young man is captivated by every word. Only one question remains: How can he know the truth? Taking a pen and paper the man writes his own letter and is amazed when "God" responds. For the next three nights the man encounters the supernatural, with vivid trance-like experiences and intense spiritual manifestations that tear the veil between this world and the next. When he confides in the only person he trusts with the story, the friend challenges the young man about "God's" real identity and declares that the visitor is not the benevolent companion he thinks. That night, the man confronts the spirit and becomes the victim of a terrifying waking-nightmare, where his life is endangered and he comes face to face with the violent personification of darkness and evil. Four Nights with the Devil isn't fiction. Peter Hockley's dramatic story really happened. This is his gripping account of demon possession and the powerful deliverance that followed. An ordinary, non-religious man who found himself between God and the Devil and his incredible journey from darkness to light.

Refuse to Drown


Tim Kreider - 2013
    There were no witnesses, very few leads and no solid suspects. As days turned into weeks and the crime remained unsolved, the small-town neighborhood was filled with sadness, questions, and a growing sense of fear. One month after the murders, Tim Kreider's son Alec was committed to a mental health hospital. One of Alec's best friends had been one of the murder victims, and Tim feared that the loss had pushed his long-troubled son over the edge. Tim didn't realize that his world was about to come crashing down around him. Refuse to Drown is the true story of a father's despair and the type of perseverance that can lead to hope and healing.

Angels in the Fire: The Dramatic True Story of an Impossible Rescue


Dann Stadler - 2013
    The odds they would both survive the crash were minimal--a testimony to the miracles that began that night and continued through months of surgeries and hospitalizations. The Stadlers struggled to rebuild their lives, only to face more heartache and loss. But through the hard times, their faith grew as God continued to save them from despair and bring blessings into their lives.For everyone seeking a deeper faith or affirmation of their belief in a good God, this book will provide hope and the reassurance that God still ministers through his angels today.

Green Vanilla Tea: One Family's Extraordinary Journey of Love, Hope, and Remembering


Marie Williams - 2013
    With literary finesse, compassion, and a powerful gift of storytelling, Marie Williams writes poignantly of her husband Dominic’s struggles with early onset dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 40, and how their family found hope amidst the wreckage of a mysterious neurological condition.  As the condition develops and progresses, the normally devoted family man and loving partner seems to disappear beneath an expressionless facade, erratic behavior, and a relentless desire to wander that often leaves him lost. The road to diagnosis is long and confusing, and what starts off as perplexing for the family then becomes frightening. The man they love is changing, and no one seems to know why. He no longer turns up to his sons’ high school events. He falls and bumps into things. He becomes verbally disinhibited, emotionally disengaged, and, at times, belligerent. He doesn’t seem to be able to read the social cues of other people. He gets lost in familiar places, as well as on obsessive work trips overseas. He recklessly spends the family money, leaving them in near financial ruin. Despite this, Williams and her children strive to find new ways to keep him safe and to connect with the husband and father they love so dearly.   While the family learns to cope with Dominic’s illness—which they call the Green Goblin—Williams is determined that her children reclaim the dad of their memories. She finds creative ways to make visible the stories of the man beyond the illness, and helps them remember him as the engaged, healthy, and loving man she fell in love with. She humanizes the experience through storytelling and assembling a quilt made up of transferred photographs, painted artwork, family footprints, and personal inscriptions from family and friends. This, along with tea rituals, music, and stories of fatherhood, love and value, support them as fierce advocates for Dominic’s dignity and give the family new ways to be together as they journey through his decline. Spanning between moments of intense joy and incredible sadness, this book is a passionate testament to one family’s unconditional love for one another. It is, “a tale of a strange place—the real world— in which green goblins and hope find a way to live together.”   Above all, it is a love story.

Through the eyes of a child


Chris Tuck - 2013
    As a child, Chris and her siblings could have wound up being just another statistic of child abuse. For them, it wasn't just one or a few isolated incidents, but a tidal wave of neglect, bullying, starvation and survival. Recent statistics show that nine out of 10 children who have been abused were abused by someone they knew, and this was the case for Chris and her siblings, who were abused by their parents and step-parents. Chris says: "Child abuse never leaves you. You're not supposed to be beaten, touched or starved when you're a child. Mummies and daddies are supposed to love you, not leave you, beat you, or molest your little sister."For many victims of child abuse, they never get over that experience and it will completely change the course of their live. Chris was determined that would never happen to her, and wants to give strength to others who have had the same experience by sharing her story. She says: "No matter what has happened in the past, it doesn't need to dictate your future."Drawing on her own traumatic experiences, Chris Tuck is the co-founder of "Breaking The Cycle - Survivors Of aBuse" (SOB), a new support group for victims of child abuse. She also runs courses to help people to regain their confidence, their fitness and control over their lives. The group reaches out in a secret Facebook group and other social media to give victims a safe space to share their feelings and to get help in rebuilding their lives.

Anelisse: A True Story of Child Abuse


Adriana Bellini - 2013
    Based on author Adriana Bellini's real-life battle with child abuse, Anelisse provides a chilling, detailed look inside the dysfunctional world many abused children come from. WARNING: Contains graphic violence and strong language.

The Running Experiment: A Weekly Walk Away From the Sofa (Book 1)


Kristann Monaghan - 2013
    Taken from her blog, Fat Girl Running, these essays cover everything from food to having fun, exercise, relationships, family, body issues and the dreaded 'F' word...FAT. She includes anecdotes, tips, recipes and common sense suggestions for surviving your own Running Experiment. Mature language

The Last Warlord: The Life and Legend of Dostum, the Afghan Warrior Who Led US Special Forces to Topple the Taliban Regime


Brian Glyn Williams - 2013
    Having gained unprecedented access to General Dostum and his family and subcommanders, as well as local chieftains, mullahs, elders, Taliban prisoners, and women’s rights activists, scholar Brian Glyn Williams paints a fascinating portrait of this Northern Alliance Uzbek commander who has been shrouded in mystery and contradicting hearsay. In contrast to sensational media accounts that have mythologized the “bear of a man with a gruff laugh” who “some Uzbeks swear, has on occasion frightened people to death,” Williams carefully chronicles Dostum’s rise from peasant villager to Uzbek leader and skilled strategist who has fought a long and bitter war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda fanatics that have sought to repress his people. Also revealed is Dostum’s surprising history as a defender of women’s rights and religious moderation.            In riveting detail The Last Warlord spotlights the crucial Afghan contribution to Operation Enduring Freedom: how the CIA contacted the mysterious warrior Dostum to help US Special Forces wage a covert war in the mountains of Afghanistan, how respect and even friendship quickly grew between the Afghan and American fighting men, and how Dostum led his nomadic people charging into war the same way his ancestors had—on horseback. The result was one of the most decisive campaigns in the entire war on terror. The Last Warlord shows that, far from serving as an exotic backdrop for American heroics, it was these horse-mounted descendents of the Mongol warrior Genghis Khan that allowed the American military to overthrow the Taliban regime in a matter of weeks..

Miracles and Mayhem in the ER: Unbelievable True Stories from an Emergency Room Doctor


Brent Rock Russell - 2013
    Brent Russell shares true-life stories of his early days as an Emergency Room doctor. Contemplative and oftentimes hilarious, Dr. Russell leads the reader through the glass doors and down the narrow halls of the ER where desperate patients, young and old, come to get well. Occasionally heart wrenching and always fast-paced, Miracles and Mayhem in the ER will have readers holding their breath one second and celebrating the next. Through his night shifts at a renowned Portland, WA hospital, Russell discovers his role, and his confidence as he treats people from all walks of life including humanity's most bizarre in the ER. Each shift brings a new, bracing story to tell.

The American Indian


Rousas John Rushdoony - 2013
    America's churches wholeheartedly supported it, convinced the reservation would be the key to winning souls for Christianity.In 1944 young R. J. Rushdoony arrived at the Duck Valley Indian Reservation in Nevada as a missionary to the Shoshone and the Paiute Indians. For eight years he lived with them, worked with them, ministered to them and listened to their stories. He came to know them intimately, both as individuals and as a people. This is his story, and theirs.It is also the story of an experiment that failed, disastrously-and exercise in statist paternalism and ineffective Christian meddling whose effects ravage the Indians to this day. The reservation system debased the people it was meant to serve, and the churches failed in their mission; until, in the end, the proud and resourceful Indian was transformed into "a defeated man, lacking in character." This is Rushdoony's eyewitness testimony to that failure.Today, as America's leaders expand the welfare state and radically transform the entire nation, we'd do well to reconsider this first experiment in government dependency and a Christianity stripped of God's law-before all of the United States is transformed into a massive reservation on a continental scale. Rushdoony's description of our past is also an indictment of our statist future.

Through Frankie's Eyes


Barbara Gail Techel - 2013
    Forster wrote: "I suggest that the only books that influence us are those for which we are ready, and which have gone a little farther down our particular path than we have yet got ourselves." If your authentic self has disappeared beneath a burden of should haves or could haves-pleasing everyone but yourself, worrying about everything that's out of your control while ignoring what only you can change, settling for less than you know you can be-this is such a book. Author Barbara Techel has certainly gone farther down the path toward self-discovery than most of us have dared, and here she shares that journey with readers ready for its influence on their own choices. It's your time: to grow; to learn from a woman who's overcome her deepest fears to live joyfully, with integrity and intent; and to marvel at the magic of it happening under the guidance and knowing eyes of a small, red dog on wheels. Let this story seep into your consciousness and inspire you-indeed, allow you-to start or continue your own fulfilling journey to who you really are. You've picked up this book because you're craving the inspiration and uplift it so generously offers. Don't put it down. It's a gift, if you're ready to accept it. Read it. Hold onto it to remind you that though you may have work to do, you absolutely can achieve the life you're striving for. Free yourself of the things that no longer matter, and embrace how beautiful the world is to someone who can see it...through Frankie's eyes.

No Excuses, No Regrets: The Eric Weddle Story


Trent Toone - 2013
    An inspiring story about never giving up, believing in yourself, and paying the price to live your dreams.

In My Defense: An Unlikely Romance, a Deadly Gunshot, and a Young Widow's Road to Redemption


Leigh Ann Bryant - 2013
    her life changed forever. On a balmy night, everything changed in the stilling of a heartbeat ... During Leigh Ann's psychiatric clinical work as a nursing student, a patient swept her off her feet with his dazzling good looks and charm. But soon after marrying Mr Right, things began to go horribly wrong. Believing the best of the man she loved, she endured the heartache and abuse until his threats turned deadly. On the night of September 16, 1994, Leigh Ann Bryant, fearing for her life and that of her young son, shot and killed her husband. Panicked and afraid of retaliation, she told the police an intruder had committed the crime. Indicted for murder, and subsequently jailed, Leigh Ann's journey of desperation miraculously turned to one of ultimate healing. In My Defense is for anyone who has felt alone or hopeless at the hands of abuse - whether it is emotional, physical, sexual, or spiritual. It offers tangible hope for victims - and those who love them - who are earnestly seeking the light of healing and freedom. Leigh Ann's story will grip and shake you, and never let you go.

Beauty Tips for the Bereaved


Sunny Haralson - 2013
    Sunny Haralson's debut novel is a semi-illustrated, postmodern journey built from three generations of family tales, personal hardships, and many, many hamsters.

Memoirs of an Outlaw: Life in the Sandbox


Robert M. Tanner III - 2013
    The Delta Company Outlaws are a group of Light Armored Reconnaissance Marines deployed in 2004 to one of the most hostile war zones in the world. Through the memoirs of one Marine, this touching story encapsulates the drama surrounding everyday life during the Iraq War. With a bond formed through blood, sweat, and tears, a group of unfamiliar Marines will come together stronger than family.Memoirs of an Outlaw: Life in the Sandbox is a dramatic new take on the Iraq War that focuses more on the personal aspects of war rather than exclusively on combat. With a touching approach to the camaraderie, daily life, and devastating losses, this enlightening memoir by Robert M. Tanner delves into the brotherhood that’s formed throughout a deployment while documenting the combat experiences and daily life of a Marine. Using personal experiences, this engaging story hooks readers with drama, action, and honesty while painting an illuminating picture of both the funny and tragic sides of war.Inspired by a bond that’s stronger than blood, Memoirs of an Outlaw began as a therapeutic way to document wartime experiences and eventually led to a full-fledged memoir. Deciding to focus on the daily life and camaraderie of war, the story captures the tension, drama, and bonding that comes with combat and living in a hostile environment far away from home. By focusing on the humanistic side of the armed forces, Memoirs of an Outlaw perfectly captures a unique moment in time during an extraordinarily challenging part of the war.

Unthinkable: The Shocking Scandal of Britain's Trafficked Children


Kris Hollington - 2013
    Yet many childcare experts reckon these crimes are just the tip of an iceberg of wide scale exploitation occurring across the country. The Deputy Children's Commissioner Sue Berelowitz said in June 2012 that there 'isn't a town, village or hamlet in which children are not being sexually exploited'. As this book goes to press, a gang of men similar to those convicted in Rochdale stands trial for similar crimes in Oxford. What is happening in Britain that means young vulnerable girls can be exploited in this way? Award-winning journalist Kris Hollington tells the inside story of some of the most shocking and heartbreaking crimes of recent years, focusing on the Rochdale case but also analysing recent cases in the London area that have echoes of the brutality of organised slavery. His findings expose how the British justice system is failing to protect children in the 21st century. It is a scandal that cannot be ignored.

The Assassination of JFK: Minute by Minute


Jonathan Mayo - 2013
    From Dallas nightclub reporter Tony Zoppi, who found himself carrying the president's casket; Secret Service agent Clint Hill beating his hands in despair on the trunk of the limousine as he watches Kennedy die; Howard Brennan, a construction worker on a lunch break watching a man take aim on the motorcade with a rifle; reporter Hugh Aynesworth with only an electricity bill on which to write notes for the scoop of his career; DJ John Peel a few feet from Oswald as he's questioned by the press; to Robert Kennedy sitting in the dark in the back of an empty army truck, waiting for his brother's body to arrive. 'The Assassination of JFK: Minute by Minute' is pure chronological narrative, giving a blow by blow account of the terrible events as they unfolded.

Peyton Manning: The Inspirational Story of Football Superstar Peyton Manning (Peyton Manning Biography, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee, NFL Books)


Inspirational Stories - 2013
    Regularly priced at $4.99. Read on your PC, Mac, smart phone, tablet or Kindle device. You're about to discover the incredibly inspirational story of football superstar Peyton Manning. If you're reading this then you must be a Peyton Manning fan like me. As a fan, you must wonder how this man is so talented and want to know more about him. Peyton Manning is considered as one of the greatest football players in the world and it's been an honor to be able to watch him play throughout his career. This book will reveal to you much about Peyton Manning's story and the many accomplishments throughout his career. Here Is A Preview Of What You'll Learn... Youth and Family Life High School and College Career Professional Career and Personal Life Legacy, Charitable Acts and much more! If you want to learn more about Peyton Manning, then this book is for you. It will reveal to you many things that you did not know about this incredible football star! Download today! Tags: peyton manning, denver broncos, indianapolis colts, football books, biographies, tennessee

The Story Behind "In Broad Daylight"


Harry N. MacLean - 2013
    MacLean tells the story of how he came to write his Edgar Award-winning book in his new true crime short, “The Story Behind 'In Broad Daylight.'” MacLean had doors slammed in his face, guns pulled on him, and was bitten by a dog. Eventually, he won over the closed community of Skidmore, Mo. The inhabitants shared with him the reign of terror Ken Rex McElroy inflicted for twenty years in Northwest Missouri, and information about his murder on the main street of Skidmore in 1981. Despite 45 witnesses, the case remains unsolved. MacLean tells the story in his book “In Broad Daylight,” first published in 1988.“The Story Behind 'In Broad Daylight'” brings the book up to date and includes several previously unpublished pictures. It also answers many questions about the killing itself, such as who was involved, and what has become of them. The author discusses the nature of the moral consequences of the killing for the town and those involved in the killing. MacLean describes the breakthrough events when key characters agreed to speak with him, and he realized he would finally get the story.“In Broad Daylight” was a New York Times bestseller for 12 weeks and was made into a movie starring Brian Denehey, Cloris Leachman and Chris Cooper. It was re-released as an e-book on Amazon on July 10, the 31st anniversary of the killing.Praise for Harry N. MacLean’s The Story Behind In Broad Daylight“A riveting behind the scenes look at an author in pursuit of the story about the bully who brought down a town and paid for his sins with his life.”—Diane Fanning, author of “Mommy’s Little Girl”“Honest and intriguing. The riveting backstory of MacLean's true crime classic...a can't miss read!”"— Kathryn Casey, bestselling author of “Deadly Little Secrets”“The Edgar Award winner takes readers right where they want to go—inside the story.”—Gregg Olsen, bestselling author of “”Fear Collector”“To understand and truly experience any story in its absolute wholeness, one must go ‘behind the scenes’ and learn the mechanics of what made it so riveting in the first place. Here, Harry MacLean takes us on a thrill ride into the crazy world beyond one of the most compelling true-crime stories of our time.”— M. William Phelps, star of the hit Investigation Discovery series “Dark Minds" and national bestselling author of 23 books, including “Nathan Hale and his latest, “Kiss of the She-Devil”

Balthus: Cats and Girls


Sabine Rewald - 2013
    In these pictures, Balthus (1908-2001) mingles intuition into his young sitters’ psyches with overt erotic desire and forbidding austerity, making them among the most powerful depictions of childhood and adolescence ever committed to canvas. Often included in these scenes are enigmatic cats, possible stand-ins for the artist himself.Balthus: Cats and Girls is the first book devoted to this subject, focusing on the early decades of the artist’s career from the mid-1930s to the 1950s. Drawing on extensive knowledge of the artist’s life and work, as well as on interviews with Balthus and the models themselves, Sabine Rewald explores the origins and permutations of Balthus’s obsessions with adolescents and felines. She addresses the crucial influence of such key figures as poet Rainer Maria Rilke, his mother’s lover, who acted as Balthus’s surrogate father, but also includes the previously unknown voices of the girl models: their recollections and comments provide a unique perspective on some of the best known and most controversial paintings of the 20th century.

Chris P. Bacon: My Life So Far...


Chris P. Bacon - 2013
    Bacon! This adorable baby pig, who was born without the use of this back legs, became a YouTube and talk-show sensation when his adopted dad, veterinarian Len Lucero, posted a video online of tiny Chris learning how to use a cart made out of toys. This determined piglet soon mastered the device and was rolling to interviews across the country. Here, in his first book, this inspiring little guy tells the story of his life so far.

Puritan Witch: The Redemption of Rebecca Eames


Peni Jo Renner - 2013
    Suddenly, Salem Village is turned upside down as everyone fears that witches may be involved.Six months later, as news of the girls’ strange behavior becomes known, fear and suspicion overwhelm a nearby farming community, pitting neighbors against neighbors and turning friends into enemies. When Rebecca Eames makes one careless utterance during a verbal attack on her family, she is falsely accused of witchcraft. After her fate is decided by three magistrates, Rebecca must endure a prison sentence during which she and her fellow captives have no choice but to valiantly struggle to find humanity and camaraderie among dire conditions.In this novel based on a true story, a woman wrongly imprisoned during the seventeenth-century witchcraft trials comes full circle where she must determine if she can somehow resume her life, despite all she has endured.

Game for Anything


Nikki Meyer - 2013
    The story starts in Botswana, and continues in the Kruger National Park in South Africa, where it becomes that of her family; with the addition of a conservationist husband, and later their young son Martin. When the changing political landscape threatens their blissful lifestyle, their roles and goals shift, and returning to the bush becomes more of a necessity than a luxury.

Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 2nd


Kevin Adams - 2013
    This guide features 82 hikes within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, America's most visited national park. It is complete revised and updated.

In Peace and Freedom: My Journey in Selma


Bernard LaFayette Jr. - 2013
    (b. 1940) was a cofounder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), a leader in the Nashville lunch counter sit-ins, a Freedom Rider, an associate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and the national coordinator of the Poor People's Campaign. At the young age of twenty-two, he assumed the directorship of the Alabama Voter Registration Project in Selma -- a city that had previously been removed from the organization's list due to the dangers of operating there.In this electrifying memoir, written with Kathryn Lee Johnson, LaFayette shares the inspiring story of his years in Selma. When he arrived in 1963, Selma was a small, quiet, rural town. By 1965, it had made its mark in history and was nationally recognized as a battleground in the fight for racial equality and the site of one of the most important victories for social change in our nation.LaFayette was one of the primary organizers of the 1965 Selma voting rights movement and the Selma-to-Montgomery marches, and he relates his experiences of these historic initiatives in close detail. Today, as the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act is still questioned, citizens, students, and scholars alike will want to look to this book as a guide. Important, compelling, and powerful, In Peace and Freedom presents a necessary perspective on the civil rights movement in the 1960s from one of its greatest leaders.

Bloodhound in Blue: The True Tales of Police Dog JJ and His Two-Legged Partner


Adam David Russ - 2013
    He caught his first criminal when he was just two years old. By his sixth birthday, he had located burglars, rapists, drug dealers, missing children, and murderers—including Utah’s most wanted criminal. Known to friends as JJ, to law enforcement as Michael Serio’s partner, and by captured criminals as “that damned dog,” Jessie Jr. was an exceptionally talented bloodhound, baying like a sea lion that had swallowed a fog horn. Before JJ, few police departments in the West used bloodhounds, and none in Utah. But just when JJ finally convinced naysayers, he and Officer Serio ran into something worse than resistance: the despair of failure amid high hope. JJ had been tracking Brian David Mitchell, the man who abducted Elizabeth Smart, when he was pulled off the track. Elizabeth later told investigators that on the day she was kidnapped she heard a dog baying in the woods behind her. In almost nine years of service, JJ helped apprehend nearly 300 criminal suspects in the Salt Lake City area. Here is his remarkable story, fleas and all.

Pegasus to Paradise: Trauma, survival & the power of love in post-war Britain


Michael Tappenden - 2013
    Ted Tappenden and an elite glider-borne force successfully attack and capture the vital Horsa and Pegasus bridges in the first allied assault of D-Day. Ted returns from the war a hero, apparently unscathed. But as he tries to ease his way back into mundane suburban life with the sweetheart of his pre-war youth, he is haunted by the terrors of battle. Domestic life too is not without its threats...Florrie is relieved to have her Ted back, but like many of her neighbours, she sees a distance in her husband where once there was joy and passion. Neither can explain their suffering to anyone, least of all each other, and they soon find themselves inhabiting different worlds under the same roof.Based on the life of Ted “Ham and Jam” Tappenden, Pegasus to Paradise is an ode to the extraordinary efforts of ordinary men and women during World War II, and a moving portrait of trauma, survival and the power of love in post-war Britain.

Strange Days: The Adventures of a Grumpy Rock 'n' Roll Journalist in Los Angeles


Dean Goodman - 2013
    He took a royal tour of the Tennessee home of Johnny and June Carter Cash—and was astounded to see that June was a hoarder. Ice-T, as all good hosts should, played him a porno clip. Mike Love was unsympathetic when his guest swallowed a fly during a tense interview. Among Goodman’s other career highlights: being emboldened by Isaac Hayes to shave his head, dancing on stage with Iggy Pop, and getting one of his biggest scoops from Sporty Spice.Underappreciated artists such as guitar icon Steve Cropper, the Velvet Underground’s John Cale and Doug Yule, and Michael Nesmith of the Monkees also get their due. Some stars weren’t able to be interviewed. One chapter centers on Ray Charles’ funeral, which was more of a raucous, all-star concert ending with a quick peek at Ray’s body."Strange Days" also details the nuts-and-bolts of music journalism: deep research, the thrill of a successful interview, the agony of a disastrous one, the drudgery of transcribing the contents and turning the nuggets of wisdom into a story.Awards shows were the bane of Goodman’s existence. They allow rich and famous people to become even richer and more famous, and he was part of the problem by covering them. "Strange Days" recounts one such event where he innocently asked Garth Brooks about his disastrous foray into rock music as “Chris Gaines.” Brooks ripped Goodman, and the other “journalists” in the room applauded the singer. Goodman reveals that he spent his spare time preparing obituaries of people who could—or really ought to—die soon, but he is reconciled to the likelihood that one of his subjects, Charlie Sheen, will outlive him. The action is set largely during the 1990s, the last hurrah of the music industry before Napster and corporate stupidity ruined everything. It recalls a relatively innocent time when there were more than three major labels and people didn’t watch concerts through smartphones.For Goodman, the ’90s marked a second coming-of-age. He moved to the USA from his native New Zealand in 1992, after multiple viewings of Oliver Stone’s Doors movie inspired him to live like Jim Morrison on Venice Beach. That grew old after a few months, and he resumed his journalism career at Reuters, the global news agency, switching from business reporting to showbiz. He quickly got up close and personal with his rock-star heroes. For better or worse.Goodman lives in Los Angeles with his wife and memories.Read more at www.deangoodman.com and www.strangedaysbook.com.

This Extraordinary Life


Rachel Quatkemeyer - 2013
    They are autism parent bloggers, well-known poets and authors, people just like you, and some on the spectrum themselves, including one cute-as-a-button 6-year-old whose simple yet beautiful prose depicts his love for bacon, his family, and love for mixing colors. Contributors collectively share their hopes, humor, dreams, fears & feelings, along with the honest ups & downs of living with autism, while encouraging, uplifting, and inspiring readers with a sweet message: You are not alone!

Braver Than You Believe: True Stories of Losing Love and Finding Self


Sue Mangum - 2013
     In BRAVER THAN YOU BELIEVE: TRUE STORIES OF LOSING LOVE AND FINDING SELF, six newly single moms write about the worst event of their lives. After losing their spouses to sudden death or divorce, Sam (the main author Sue Mangum), Tessa, Kathryn, Phoebe, Nattie, and Catrina create a safe space to grieve. Calling themselves ‘Single Moms After Loss: Talking Advising Healing Laughing Crying’ or SMAL TAHLC pronounced “small talk,” their conversations are anything but. Over email, they ask questions they can’t ask anyone else, like: “Will I ever have sex again?” “I thought I was religious, but is there really a God?” “When should I tell my children that I’m dating?” And finally, “Wow…I’m happy…is that allowed?” Channeling the candid and heartfelt qualities of Becky Aikman’s Saturday Night Widows, this work of narrative non-fiction is also based on the true stories of six suddenly single women. This story of actual emails unfolds in real time, as each woman faces her most intimate fears and enters the exhilarating, nerve-wracking, and sometimes hilarious world of dating as a single parent. The book also shows the surprising similarities between death and divorce and grapples with the big questions of single parenting, faith, and learning to trust in self and others. Sam lost her husband to a genetic heart defect and is left with three children to raise. Gentle Tessa, a self-described pleaser, fixer, and friend to all, couldn’t save her marriage from infidelity and is awaiting a divorce any day. No-nonsense and quick-witted Kathryn is “celebrating” the one-year anniversary of filing for divorce from a man she nicknames Juicebox, a more polite form of Douchebag. Nattie, the group’s wild child and warm-hearted mother of three young girls, lost her husband of 18 years to a tragic accident. Stoic Phoebe, the quietest and most introspective, is estranged from her unfaithful husband, though he still lives in her guest room until she can find a job and move out. And finally, there’s chatty, boy-crazy Catrina, whose beloved husband of 13 years died right after they had sex. Though loss is the common immediate bond between these different women, each one longs to push through her pain and fear to become a whole, happy person again. And through a year of emails from January to December, the women learn that, with each other and an open, honest space to share the most painful truths, just about anything is possible. Even finding happiness after loss.

Greedy For Life: A Memoir on Aging with Gratitude


Lori Stevic-Rust - 2013
    Lori writes a powerful memoir on aging that is humorously told and sure to be warmly received by all generations. The personal life lessons shared in Greedy for Life, become a universal story of finding purpose and living with gratitude.

Murder at Camp Delta: A Staff Sergeant's Pursuit of the Truth About Guantanamo Bay


Joseph Hickman - 2013
    For twenty years, he worked as a prison guard, a private investigator, and in the military, earning more than twenty commendations and awards. When he re-enlisted after 9/11, he served as a team leader and Sergeant of the Guard in Guantánamo Naval Base. From the moment he arrived at Camp Delta, something was amiss. The prisons were chaotic, detainees were abused, and Hickman uncovered by accident a secret facility he labeled “Camp No.” On June 9, 2006, the night Hickman was on duty, three prisoners died, supposed suicides, and Hickman knew something was seriously wrong. So began his epic search for the truth, an odyssey that would lead him to conclude that the US government was using Guantánamo not just as a prison, but as a training ground for interrogators to test advanced torture techniques.For the first time, Hickman details the inner workings of Camp Delta: the events surrounding the death of three prisoners, the orchestrated the cover-up, and the secret facility at the heart of it all. From his own eyewitness account, and a careful review of thousands of documents, he deconstructs the government’s account of what happened and proves that the military not only tortured prisoners, but lied about their deaths. By revealing Guantánamo’s true nature, Sergeant Hickman shows us why the prison has been so difficult to close. This book opens an important window onto government overreach, secrecy, and one man’s principled search for the truth. - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.com/Mur...

Under One Roof: Lessons I Learned from a Tough Old Woman in a Little Old House


Barry Martin - 2013
    They offered her a million dollars. She told them to take a hike.Everyone knew that Barry Martin, head of the construction project, was involved in the push to get her out of the house so that the project could proceed without further delay.Everyone was wrong.When Barry took the job as construction supervisor for the shopping mall that was being erected around Edith's little house, he determined to make things as easy for her as he could. He didn't expect that she'd ask him to drive her to a hair appointment—but he did offer to help, after all. And it was in that one small gesture that an unlikely friendship was sparked, one that changed them both forever.The story of Barry Martin and Edith Macefield is a tale of balance and compassion, of giving enough without giving too much, of helping our elderly loved ones through the tough times without taking away their dignity. In the end, Under One Roof is a tale of grace, and one from which all of us can take solace and strength. From Barry and Edith we have much to learn about love and letting go and, just possibly, about seeing through fading light to find great joy.

The Greatest Speech, Ever: The Remarkable Story of Abraham Lincoln and His Gettysburg Address


James L. Cotton Jr. - 2013
    The author digressed along the way into side excursions and back rods of Abraham Lincoln's remarkable life- exploring his hardscrabble childhood, and his courageous but controversial Emancipation Proclomation. After all, to fully understand how the Gettysburg Address came to be. Part of the greatness of the Gettysburg Address is that the the DANA of Lincoln's life is found in every word. Senator Baker in his Foreward wrote "Judge Cotton's book is not only a fascinating and scholarly assessment of the Gettysburg Address and its impact on America, but also an absorbing look into Abraham Lincoln's life."

Breathing for Two


Wolf Pascoe - 2013
    A personal odyssey that goes deep into the heart of anesthesia’s scariest mystery–breathing–this short book will change the way you think about life, and breath.

The Graceful Art of Falling


L. White - 2013
    Beginning at age twelve when she was diagnosed, L. White tried to ignore and deny that she was any different than all her friends and that she was afflicted by a degenerative disease. Life in a small town with little diversity meant the smallest difference stood out like a sore thumb, and her difference was not small. Not wanting to be different, she found clever ways to hide her weakness throughout middle school, high school, and even into college, which included Google-Mapping routes to avoid stairs. Only after several years, and when she realized her weaknesses could no longer be ignored, did L. White find the courage to face her disorder, learn to cope, and eventually accept the ongoing changes to her body and her life. This book is a motivational and true account about growing up, struggling to find acceptance, and facing your future when you know exactly what your fate holds. The Graceful Art of Falling shows readers what it's like to accept what you cannot change and find the strength to keep walking.

Surviving HIV Growing Up a Secret and Being Positive


Jamie E Gentille - 2013
    This book follows Jamie's life as a child, to whom the medical world was a second home, through adolescence and adulthood. Along the way she encounters pain, joy, adversity, despair, ignorance, and above all, hope. Her journey takes the reader through a time when HIV and AIDS was a highly stigmatized terminal disease, to groundbreaking hope in the form of medical advances, to an age of full life expectancy and near normalcy.The book's style is a playful balance between dry, self-deprecating humor, and raw emotion. She describes heartbreaking experiences as a child enduring painful medical procedures, and the terrifying reality of a terminal illness. The book poignantly describes Jamie's process of coming to terms with her own mortality at the age of 10. While the reader is moved by these sobering stories, they will also laugh at loud at Jamie's irreverent humor and light-hearted style. Interwoven throughout Surviving HIV is a theme of stark reality, and enduring optimism that can offer the reader a new perspective on their own lives.List Price: $14.99 About the author:Jamie Gentille is a proud survivor and advocate, and has been living with HIV for over 30 years. She acquired HIV through a blood transfusion during open heart surgery at age three. Years later, at the age of eight, her family learned that she was infected and was told that she would have two years to live. Today, she proudly shares her story of beating the odds and living a full and happy life with HIV. Jamie is experienced in public speaking on the topic of living with HIV. She appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 1997 for a World AIDS Day special. Jamie has spoken at the annual Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation "A Time for Heroes" event in Los Angeles. She has also addressed post-doctoral students at the National Institutes of Health and Georgetown Medical School students. As an Ambassador for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, she has also spoken at a Town Hall meeting for President Obama's National HIV/AIDS agenda planning. She was a featured speaker at an event provided by the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and Maternal and Child Health Integrated Programs (MCHIP). Jamie was also a keynote speaker and group facilitator at the 19th Annual International AIDS Conference in Washington DC.In addition to being an experienced public speaker, Jamie has experience singing and acting with prestigious casts. She has had leading roles in charity fundraising gala shows alongside Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Melanie Griffith, Eartha Kitt, Whoopi Goldberg, Glenn Close, Marisa Tomei, James Naughton, Tony Randall, Michael Bolton, Alec Baldwin, Anne Reinking, Frank Langella, Harry Belafonte, and others, for Paul Newman's The Hole in the Wall Gang Camps.Jamie lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, and works as Director of Child Life Services at a children's hospital. She earned a BS in Biobehavioral Health from Penn State University, and a Masters in Public Health from Walden University. In her professional work and personal drives, Jamie is passionate about health education, and advocating for the rights of children and families undergoing medical experiences, and continuing the fight to eliminate AIDS. Publication Date:Mar 06 2013ISBN/EAN13:1482575930 / 9781482575934Page Count:246Binding Type:US Trade PaperTrim Size:5.25" x 8"Language:EnglishColor:Black and WhiteRelated Categories:Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs

Lessons from Clod


Hal O. Hanson - 2013
    This is the story of one kid. A story of what one, visually impaired kid from Kansas can do. A kid with contagious generosity, setting an example for individuals and corporations to become more philanthropic to change our world. A kid who responded to a challenge, and redefined himself. Jeff Hanson's art is hanging in Warren Buffett's home. The Association of Fundraising Professionals named Jeff "Young Philanthropist of the Year." The Small Business Administration named Jeff "Young Entrepreneur of the Year." The trifecta! Jeff Hanson is defined by art, philanthropy and entrepreneurship. Not the kid down the street who lost his vision to a brain tumor. Jeff Hanson will raise one million dollars for charity before he is 20. One million by 20!

Running From Giants: The Holocaust Through the Eyes of a Child


Margareta Ackerman - 2013
    While the narrative propels us through Srulik’s gripping true story, the black-and-white art reveals his journey through the imagination of a child caught in a land of giants.The story opens with Srulik Ackerman enjoying a peaceful childhood in the Polish town of Nowosiolki, until the Nazi whirlwind blows in leaving ten-year-old Srulik suddenly and brutally alone. An eyewitness to the horrors of the Holocaust, Srulik narrowly escapes death several times, only to make a final desperate bid for freedom during a fiery revolt in the ghetto. Margareta Ackerman was astonished when she learned that her grandfather, Srulik, was a Holocaust survivor. How had he overcome the past with his cheerful attitude and timeless smile intact? In Running from Giants, she retells his amazing story, with its profound message about the incredible strength of the human spirit.

Sports Illustrated PACKERS: Green, Gold and Glory


Sports Illustrated - 2013
    the most coveted address in footballGreen Bay has a history like no other city in the National Football League. Here the passion runs deep and true through generations of fans, and the success has been unparalleled: 13 championships, 22 Hall of Fame players, a past festooned with grand names such as Lambeau and Lombardi and Nitschke.Not surprisingly, the Packers have won the admiration of fans the world over, and Sports Illustrated celebrates the franchise with this collection of new and classic stories and photographs.The great players are all here, from Johnny Blood to Clay Matthews, and so is every title game, featuring moments such as Bart Starr's sneak in the Ice Bowl and Desmond Howard's kickoff return in Super Bowl XXXI. SI also salutes, in words and pictures, the most dedicated fans in sport. From cover to cover, this is a tribute any cheesehead would cherish.

Escape from Berlin


Irene N. Watts - 2013
    First there was the burning of the neighborhood shops. Then her father, a bookseller, must leave the family and go into hiding. No longer allowed to go to school or even sit in a café, Marianne's only comfort is her beloved mother.      Remember Me - Young Marianne is one of the lucky ones. She has escaped on the first Kindertransport organized to take Jewish children out of Germany to safety in Britain. At first Marianne is desperate. Marianne speaks little English and is made to feel unwelcomed in her sponsor's home and, most of all, she misses her mother terribly. As the months pass, she realizes that she cannot control the circumstances around her. She must rely on herself if she is to survive.      Finding Sophie - Sophie Mandel was only seven years old when she arrived in London on the first Kindertransport from Germany. She has grown up with a friend of her parents, a woman she calls Aunt Em, and despite the war and its deprivations, she has made a good life for herself in England with her foster mother. She has even stopped thinking about the parents she left behind. Now the war is over, and fourteen-year-old Sophie is faced with a terrible dilemma. Where does she belong?

Shaken: A Story of Emotional Abuse and Depression


Kerry Connelly - 2013
    Shaken will prove to be invaluable' -International best selling author Jean SassonInspired by experience, Connelly bravely takes us on a journey into the loneliness and despair of depression while in the midst of an emotionally abusive relationship. Having had anxieties since childhood, nothing was to prepare her for the violent convulsions and hours of un-controllable sobbing that had started to take over her life, as the stress and trauma of psychological abuse manifested itself in the form of major depressive disorder, severe panic disorder and anxiety with Ocd. Shaken is the story of one woman’s journey with deteriorating mental health while under the control of an emotional abuser. It serves to acknowledge that any form of psychological abuse at any severity is unacceptable and shows just how quickly the trauma of such can give birth to a variety of mental health issues. Separated by sections of comprehensive reference and checklist material to inform readers about the signs of emotional abuse and depression, as well as advice for friends as well as sufferers, Shaken digs deep into the heart of a woman who hopes to dispel the ignorance and lack of understanding regarding both issues by using her own experiences as an example. A stark, honest and well written read from the pen of an emotional abuse survivor.* 'Mental and emotional abuse is a problem that more often than not gets swept under the rug for a variety of reasons. Kerry Connelly shakes out that rug in Shaken!* -Reader's Favorite*Highly readable, a very important book that both abusers and the abused should read. Connelly's book will guide the way for the abused to safely leave their abuser, and to heal. If you are being abused, or know someone who is being abused, I recommend that you buy this book. Connelly's SHAKEN will prove to be invaluable' International best selling author JEAN SASSON (Princess: A true story of life behind the veil in Saudi Arabia)

A Stroll with Mr. Gaudí


Pau Estrada - 2013
    

Responding


Michael Morse - 2013
    It is really a voyeuristic thrill ride of 38 hours traversing the City of Providence with an experienced Fire Fighter and his partner responding to all types of Medical events. The book grabs you on page 1 and refuses to let you go until you have completed this adventure. The Highs and Lows of all the runs. You meet the folks of Providence at their worse and how they are treated by a veteran of the Fire Service & EMS. Lieutenant Morse tells a factual story of what it takes to be in EMS in Providence and a tale of the City of Providence. The only problem with this tale is that it stopped! I am hooked, and so will you! This tells you what really happens in a manner that is true and empathetic. You will finish wanting more. As I want more now! A super page turner that you won't want to put down...... Old Jake

The Road to Kidneyville


Jesse Crain - 2013
    She shares their emotional roller coaster ride of life with diabetes, and honest view of hemodialysis at home, and the challenges of getting on the list (and staying there!) for a kidney transplant. This is a candid account of real life and a couple truly dedicated to each other.

Triangular UFOs: An Estimate of the Situation


David Marler - 2013
    The phenomenon has sparked intense debate among many and excited the imagination of many others. But until now, there has never been a book-length treatment of this fascinating subject. Finally, we have one. David Marler has provided a comprehensive analysis of "the triangles." He has collected, collated, and analyzed hundreds of reports. In the process, he has created a detailed profile of these objects and written a rich narrative of their history. Marler is well-suited to the task, having at his disposal an enormous collection of newspaper archives, declassified military reports, UFO books and journals, and the transcripts of many first-hand interviews he has conducted. He has also received input from many prominent individuals from within the military, FAA, Aerospace, and UFO research field. He tackles the arguments made by skeptics that dismiss these triangular UFO reports outright. He also address the claims of so-called insiders who claim these objects are a creation of the U.S. military. The results of his years of research are documented in his book, Triangular UFOs: An Estimate of the Situation. It is a book that has long been needed, not only by the UFO research community, but the general public, as it opens up an entirely new discussion that has long been ignored: who is making the triangles?

Under the Apple Boughs


Peter Maughan - 2013
    marvellously descriptive."Laurie Lee, author of 'Cider with Rosie.'A journey in the mid 1980s through the seasons of a West Country year, stopping off for a favourite pub and to say goodbye to a dog called Bill Sikes. A journey from a village and valley in the iron grip of a January morning, to the first healing colours of spring cutting into the land, to summer and the starched crackle of applause from the village cricket field, and the praise and harvest gifts in the church above the reaped fields, to the voice of Nathaniel, and a Christmas Eve in his memory when it was believed that at midnight the cattle knelt in their stalls, a voice telling of a village England that was young still when he was.

39


Amanda Green - 2013
    This is the journal of her life during the year following publication. Dysfunctional and ever more inspiring, this memoir will take you into a whirlwind of love, humour, emotion, depression, adventures, music, animals, family health and relationships, as she strives to stay strong and achieve a life really worth living as a childless woman before her fast approaching 40th birthday. Due to flashbacks of dark scenes and sexual abuse, this memoir is for adults only and although it's a sequel, it can easily be read alone.

The Secret Life of a Submissive and Bonds of Love: 2-book BDSM Erotica Collection


Sarah K. - 2013
    She surrenders to him in every way: he is a dominant, and Sarah becomes his submissive, yielding her body to his every desire.But as Sarah pushes her mind and body to its limits she begins to realize that she’s in too deep. Pleasure and pain have become her world; she’s addicted to the adrenalin, to the sensation and to Max himself.Now she’s in serious danger of giving in to the ultimate temptation: falling in love…Bonds of Love finds Sarah still reeling after ending things with Max. As he had warned, once you've tasted the forbidden fruits of dominance and submission, you can’t go back. So when Sarah meets Alex – a tall, handsome man who shares her erotic desires – she finds herself cast under the dark spell of pleasure and pain once more.As they explore one another, like an addiction, Sarah begins to crave Alex – his touch, his breath, his smell. Shocked at the emotions he has awakened within her, Sarah tells herself this is just lust. She had learnt the hard way that falling in love is one line that can’t be crossed.So why does it feel so wrong when Max re-enters her life, determined to possess her once more? Should she admit her true feelings for Alex, and potentially expose herself to the worst pain of all – heartbreak?Hotter than fiction, this intoxicating and explosive true story will set your pulse racing as Sarah K strips away the mask to reveal what it’s really like to be a sexual submissive.

Foster Girl, A Memoir


Georgette Todd - 2013
    From there, Georgette has no choice but to raise herself and her sister through a series of institutional residences and foster homes. Complete with transcribed court documents, letters, photos, and narration by a spirited yet desperate teenager, Foster Girl recreates a wildly unpredictable coming-of-age story of one girl's struggle to survive long enough for life after foster care. Through a uniquely unfiltered voice, Foster Girl reveals what it feels like to grow up in foster care. Readers will come away from this book with a better understanding of how the foster care system works and what we can all do to make a difference. GEORGETTE TODD has a BA in English and Journalism, attended law school, and has an MFA in English, Non-Fiction Creative Writing from Mills College. Her writing has been featured on National Public Radio and in the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Sacramento News & Review, and other publications. She has been interviewed on television and radio and has starred in a documentary about foster care. In 2011, Georgette was honored for her work in co-creating the first youth advocacy county integrated program in America, a pioneering achievement in child welfare history. Currently, she lives in a beach community in Southern California. Georgette is working on several projects, one of them a complement book to Foster Girl.

A Stone for Benjamin


Fiona Gold Kroll - 2013
    A Stone for Benjamin is the compelling story of her quest to discover his fate. Chasing Holocaust shadows across Europe and beyond, she begins her powerful journey searching for clues with nothing more than a misspelled name, old photographs and family stories. Determined to uncover the truth about Benjamin's life and death and France's betrayal of its Jewish population, Fiona pieces together her great-uncle's life, elevating Benjamin's legacy from a number tattooed on his arm at Auschwitz to a more complete memory of the vibrant man he was.

The Valley Spirit: A Female Story of Daoist Cultivation


Lindsey Wei - 2013
    She discovers in herself a skill for martial arts and seeks the hidden knowledge of meditation. After three years of study in various martial styles and unveiling false teachers, she is finally led to the ancient Wudang Mountains. Here she meets a Daoist recluse, Li Shi Fu, who has renounced the world of the 'red dust' and long since retired into an isolated temple to cast oracles and read the stars. The coming together of these two extraordinary characters, master and disciple, begins a spiritual relationship taking the young adept on an unforgettable journey through the light and dark sides of modern China and deep into herself. Battling between earthly desires and heavenly knowledge, she makes the transformation into a dynamic and complete woman.A coming-of-age, personal account, the book describes the lived experiences of a profoundly sincere, bitter yet ultimately liberating female quest. It is written for anyone who ponders the true meaning of Chinese wisdom and the way of the Dao in the hope of discovering a deeper strength within themselves.

Daughter of the White River:: Depression-Era Treachery and Vengeance in the Arkansas Delta


Denise White Parkinson - 2013
    In 1931, Spence shocked Arkansas when she avenged her father's murder in a DeWitt courtroom. The state soon discovered that no prison could hold her. For the first time, prison records are unveiled to provide an essential portrait. The legend of Helen Spence refuses to be forgotten--despite her unmarked grave.