Born in 1951, he had a happy childhood — raised by his loving adoptive parents, Bert and Gwen Tickner, in the small seaside town of Forster, New South Wales. He grew up to be a cheerful and confident young man with a fierce sense of social justice, and the desire and stamina to make political change. Serving in the Hawke and Keating governments, he held the portfolio of minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs. Among other achievements while in government, he was responsible for initiating the reconciliation process with Indigenous Australians, and he was instrumental in instigating the national inquiry into the stolen generations.During his time on the front bench, Robert’s son was born, and it was his deep sense of connection to this child that moved him at last to turn his attention to the question of his own birth. Although he had some sense of the potentially life-changing course that lay ahead of him, he could not have anticipated learning of the exceptional nature of the woman who had brought him into the world, the deep scars that his forced adoption had left on her, and the astonishing series of coincidences that had already linked their lives. And this was only the first half of a story that was to lead to a reunion with his birth father and siblings.This deeply moving memoir is a testament to the significance of all forms of family in shaping us — and to the potential for love to heal great harm.

    He has his Harley, his bar, and more women than he can shake a cocktail at—until she drives into his alley in a ridiculous van with a load of attitude and enough problems to start a small war. She disturbs his equilibrium and shatters his boundaries, yet it’s her fiery appeal he can’t stop thinking about. Still reeling from the betrayal of a backstabbing friend who stole her singing gig and her boyfriend, Terra Miller isn’t inclined to take any man seriously—especially one who exudes pheromones and looks as good as Zander in a motorcycle jacket and a pair of ripped jeans. But a debt owed to the Russian mob compels her to change her mind. As Terra’s dilemma forces Zander to confront his ghosts and reconcile his past, his reluctance to share his secret life could threaten their new relationship by tearing it completely apart. ***This book is a standalone with a happy ever after ending, and can be read on it's own, however it is book two of a series. For the best reading experience, I'd recommend reading them in order.***

    As evocative of an era as it is psychologically penetrating, "The Paper Wife" is the story of a friendship, a triangle, and a trial by fire as three young friends struggle to find their moral footing during the turbulent years of the Vietnam War.

    She was just three years old.      She remained in the orphanage until the age of 16, subjected to cruelty and neglect, and starved of love and affection. One of her closest friends was taken away to an asylum after her spirit was broken by repeated beatings, and Maureen herself faced a constant battle against despair. It was an environment from which no one emerged unscathed.      Throughout these tormented years, Maureen dreamed only of escape, and when she was contacted again by her mammy she believed all her dreams were about to come true. Life in the outside world brought its own challenges, however, and Maureen was thrown into turmoil when she discovered that the truth about her past was more murky than she had ever realised.      Annie's Girl stands apart as a poignant testimony to the resilience of the human heart. This touching and evocative memoir is the incredible story of an illegitimate industrial-school survivor's profound struggle to overcome a shame-filled past and solve the mystery of her origins.

      LEFT TO DIE A demented killer knows there’s nothing more terrifying than being left alone to die. But his exquisite plan to kill and kill again unravels when detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli take on their first career-making case.   CHOSEN TO DIE After working the “Star Crossed Killer” case for months, detective Regan Pescoli never imagining she’d be captured by the madman she’s been hunting. Now it’s up to detective Selena Alvarez to get inside a killer’s twisted mind to save her partner’s life . . .   BORN TO DIE Someone is killing women who all share an uncanny resemblance to Dr. Kacey Lambert. It’s a chilling pattern that detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli must decode before a sick mind claims its final victim . . .

    Aged just two and three years old, this brother and sister have hardly set foot outside their own home. They have been prisoners, locked in a terrifying world of abuse, violence and neglect. Maggie soon realises that Evie and Elliot are lacking the basic life skills we all take for granted. The outside world terrifies them; the sound of the doorbell sends them into a panic that takes hours to abate. Gradually unlocking the truth of their heart-breaking upbringing, Maggie tells their shocking true story.From emotionally scarred and damaged little children, we see how - with warmth and dedication - Maggie transforms their lives. As this moving story unfolds, we share Maggie's joy when these children finally smile again, when they realise they do have a future after all.

    Adopted people are diverse individuals with differing points of view, yet have been stigmatized into one type of people by the industry leaders. Even though we come from various backgrounds, we've been stereotyped as if all of us are somehow ungrateful if we don't show enough appreciation, labeled as if having Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) when we don't bond as expected, or too negative when we push for answers. This little book proves that we are an assorted population with varying backgrounds, and we should not be reduced to the label of anti-this or anti-that when we ask questions—questions that make the industry uncomfortable. Rather, we should be given the right to ask questions about our background and even gain access to our adoption documents when we inquire. We have the right to ask questions—even if it makes adoption agencies uncomfortable. We should have the right to know if we have blood-related sisters and brothers, aunts, or uncles. None of us should have to go to our graves without having the opportunity to develop friendships with our next-of-kin—if we so wish. This book, containing excerpts from Janine's "Adoption Books for Adults" collection, is completely biased on the rights of adopted people and void of influence from adoption authorities.

    The moving and inspirational story of one woman's struggle to recover from personal tragedy, and, in the process, travel to the far corners of the world to discover her true purpose in life.

    As His people harvested their fields, they were instructed to always leave a portion of the crops for those in need.Today, God's heart continues to beat for the poor, the widows, and the fatherless. And as His children, our divine commission remains the same, a directive that's nothing less than the heart of the Christian message.Author Tom Davis encourages us to move beyond words and become Christ to those in need. Join Tom as he shares a journey from around the world and our own backyard as people's lives are changed through the power of compassion. Filled with remarkable stories of hope and mercy, Fields of the Fatherless will inspire you to love "the least of these," and discover the joy found in becoming the hands and feet of Christ.

    Melina addresses the pressing adoption issues of today, such as open adoption, international adoption, and transracial adoption, and answers parents' most frequently asked questions, such as:How will my child "bond" or form attachments to me?When and how should I tell my child that he was adopted?What should schools be told about my child?Will adoption make adolescent upheavals more complicated?Up-to-date, sensitive, and clear, Raising Adopted Children is the definitive resource for all adoptive parents and concerned professionals.

    Adopted by an American family at age four, Jaclyn goes to her new home with a great burden. Her new family had to leave behind a little boy who had been under her charge at the Chinese orphanage. Jaclyn inspires two families, several agencies, and two governments to cooperate to reunite her with her baby. Everyone who reads this story will believe in the power of love to change the world.

    She’d wanted her adoption to be great story about a child who needed a home and got one, and a family led by God to adopt. Instead, she felt like she’d done something wrong.Adoption has long been enmeshed in the politics of reproductive rights, pitched as a “win-win” compromise in the never-ending abortion debate. But as Kathryn Joyce makes clear in The Child Catchers, adoption has lately become even more entangled in the conservative Christian agenda.To tens of millions of evangelicals, adoption is a new front in the culture wars: a test of “pro-life” bona fides, a way for born again Christians to reinvent compassionate conservatism on the global stage, and a means to fulfill the “Great Commission” mandate to evangelize the nations. Influential leaders fervently promote a new “orphan theology,” urging followers to adopt en masse, with little thought for the families these “orphans” may already have.Conservative evangelicals control much of that industry through an infrastructure of adoption agencies, ministries, political lobbying groups, and publicly-supported “crisis pregnancy centers,” which convince women not just to “choose life,” but to choose adoption. Overseas, conservative Christians preside over a spiraling boom-bust adoption market in countries where people are poor and regulations weak, and where hefty adoption fees provide lots of incentive to increase the “supply” of adoptable children, recruiting “orphans” from intact but vulnerable families.The Child Catchers is a shocking exposé of what the adoption industry has become and how it got there, told through deep investigative reporting and the heartbreaking stories of individuals who became collateral damage in a market driven by profit and, now, pulpit command.Anyone who seeks to adopt—of whatever faith or no faith, and however well-meaning—is affected by the evangelical adoption movement, whether they know it or not. The movement has shaped the way we think about adoption, the language we use to discuss it, the places we seek to adopt from, and the policies and laws that govern the process. In The Child Catchers, Kathryn Joyce reveals with great sensitivity and empathy why, if we truly care for children, we need to see more clearly.

    At its heart, it is about parents learning how to love better by letting themselves off the hook.With her hard-earned knowledge gained from having four kids in four years, she navigates the emotional and sometimes messy waters of motherhood: the expectations, the anxiety, the total lack of control, and yes, the indignities of driving a minivan (which now sits in her driveway covered in crushed Cheerios and the remnants of her self-esteem).Howerton shares her unexpected journey through motherhood, from infertility to adoption to divorce, and how she learned to quell her inner anxiety to do it all perfectly. As a mom of both white and black children, Howerton is an advocate for social justice, foster care reform, and helping fellow parents to step up to hard conversations about race with their kids. Her writing speaks to the thorny issues parents deal with every day while reminding them they are not alone on this unpredictable ride.Rage Against the Minivan serves as a quiet resistance against the superficial obsessions of motherhood, from the kind of car we drive to looking like we've got it all together. Infused with heart and humor, it's a permission slip to allow yourself to be a "good-enough" parent.

    When Steve recounts the story of the wicked Herobrine's curse on the village and implores her to help, stubborn Alex dismisses the tale as nonsense.Little does she know that Herobrine's curse is very real and is about to turn her world upside down in a way she never would have dreamed possible. Will Alex join Steve in a quest to save the village? Is it even possible to save the village from this terrible curse? You will have to read “Herobrine's curse” to find out!Herobrine's Curse is an engaging good read that will have any young Minecraft fan absorbed in the book from beginning to end.Disclaimer: This book is a work of fanfiction; it is not an official Minecraft book. It is not endorsed, authorized, licensed, sponsored, or supported by Mojang AB, Microsoft Corp. or any other entity owning or controlling rights to the Minecraft name, trademarks or copyrights.

    . . Norah O'Malley has been alone for a long time. It's been ten years since her father and four brothers shipped her off to be raised by her aunt. Seven months since she's seen the guy who got her pregnant--who still doesn't know. And it's two weeks since she came home to Chicago and discovered none of her family wants to talk--or listen. She never expected to walk into a tattoo shop seven months pregnant and get her socks knocked off by instant attraction. She can't even see her socks. But Kai Ellis is big and gruff and sexy as hell, and if he has a past, well, so does she. Even more, Kai knows how to listen so that Norah feels just a little less alone . . . All the chemistry in the world can't help Norah make her decisions. And no sizzle of desire will make Kai believe in happy endings. But a little time with someone who understands might just change everything . . .