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4 Steps to Supercharged Sales Teams is a revised and updated version of Serve, Lead, Succeed! It's a how-to book for successful sales management, showing how servant leaders across the nation have transformed sales teams from mediocre to exemplary. It includes real-life sales stories as well as research illustrating the effectiveness of servant leadership in sales team success. The book is all about supercharging sales performance, bringing the joy of selling to your team, and becoming a leader that people respect and remember. It shows how supportive leaders use empathy, humility and teamwork to empower sales teams that are accountable and passionate to succeed.

In Conflict Breakthrough: Unlocking the Path to Resolution, Dr. Orlando Blake reveals the critical moments that transform conflict into collaboration.

Stealing your heart's desire requires turning a blind eye to the repercussions.Set in the late 1950's Ellen Landfred in some ways was a woman ahead of her time. As a devoted wife she was instrumental in creating a chain of successful department stores working side-by-side with her husband.Miraculously Ellen survives a diagnosis of death from cancer; only to be blindsided by her husband of many decades. Immediately upon her recovery, he demands a divorce to marry a close family friend.Devastated, Ellen seeks a change of scenery to begin her life anew as a wealthy divorcee. She rents a cottage in Hobe Sound, Florida, a rural tropical paradise and a luxury escape from the cold up north.There, she is surprised to discover herself strongly attracted to the young married man nearly half her age who lives in the small house across the lane. At first Ellen's determined to suppress her longings. But no matter how hard she tries, Ellen's unable, and finds herself constantly fantasizing about him.Fate intervenes, when a sudden violent tragedy falls upon this young man and his wife. Ellen seizes the opportunity to destroy their marriage. She feels justified and entitled due to everything that has befallen her.Ellen's first attempts at seduction are rejected, but eventually she wears down the object of her desire; despite the fact he still loves his wife. A passionate secret affair ensues complicating both their lives.

At his trial for impiety and corrupting youth in ancient Greece, Socrates is reputed to have said; "The unexamined life is not worth living." The legendary philosopher believed that a life devoid of introspection, self-reflection, and critical thinking is essentially meaningless and lacks value.This sentiment provides context for Clocking the Goose, a memoir of short stories about growing up and getting over it, by Robert Moseley.The stories in Clocking the Goose illuminate the struggles of childhood, bring insight to the process of individuation, and provide an offbeat, alternative perspective on figuring out and fulfilling personal destiny.As these narratives reveal, the process of discovering and actualizing personal potential necessitates trial and error. Mistakes and missteps are as crucial to becoming a fully realized human being as the positive choices and the successful actions a person takes.If becoming fully human and alive is the reader's cup of tea, which is the core motivation driving Moseley's missives, he or she must endure inner contradictions that can be tormenting but necessary to make one mindful that human beings can do horrific as well as magnificent things at any time.What emerges from these stories is the realization that Moseley wasn't so afraid of making mistakes or of his shadow self, as he was of failing to become wholly himself and fully alive.Starting with his volatile, reactive and painful childhood, the stories in Clocking the Goose take the reader from sad and funny childhood struggles common to us all and the challenges of adolescence and young adulthood, to gaining a mature perspective on what being human is all about.Self-knowledge, self-acceptance, forgiveness and redemption are essential themes that run throughout the book.In tandem to the stories themselves, the pre and post story elements of this memoir provide social context to the author's personal struggles. Here, Moseley weighs in with his views on social media, the Woke movement, and America's corporatized culture in ways that make his personal journey culturally relevant.The emotional thrust of this memoir is that the business of becoming a human being in full is a harrowing and humbling process. Becoming conscious that saintly and savage traits eternally coexist within all individuals has the potential to transform or destroy us depending on the choices we make and the responsibility we take in creating our lives.Being mindful of this, hopefully, makes us more tolerant and compassionate towards our failings and the foibles of others.From a social perspective this memoir is framed in the viewpoint that modern America has been coopted by a corporate mind-set and an immature, unconscious and often rapacious social media culture that truncates our humanity.At the end of the day, Clocking the Goose affirms the value of individuation, and of embracing the light and darker angels of human nature with grace and forgiveness.

Haze and his friends are new adult bachelors in San Francisco with a social life full of hilarious shenanigans. Despite their antics, his friends develop careers and romantic relationships while Haze struggles to find his place. One day, he feels overwhelmed, so he ditches work and watches Star Wars movies all day. He gets out of his funk after meeting a champagne-loving, athletic farm girl named Alex at the BottleRock music festival in Napa. Alex challenges Haze to a few hiking excursions in the northern California mountains, where he nearly wimps out of their relationship and returns to his bad habits, but instead, he has an epiphany and figures out a goal in life - to become a dad.He fails to find a connection with his plain-vanilla parents. At the same time, he develops a relationship with Alex's admirable father, Rick, who offers him a job with their family's walnut farming business in Capay Valley. After Haze and Alex return from a summer of travel to rambunctious weddings and reunions, he finally steps up, experiences walnut harvest first-hand, agrees to Rick's job offer, and proposes to her. After they wed, they go to Belize for an adventurous honeymoon, where he realizes how far he has come personally, but he still has questions about his path in life.Most of my story takes place in Northern California. The characters in Quarter Life are fun-loving sports fans, music aficionados, CrossFit athletes, avid snow skiers, and mediocre golfers. They get inspiration from the California outdoors and admire California food, wine, beer, and weed.

Several of the narratives of this historical research and contemporary interviews will be familiar - who doesn't know about the Muppets? - but some of it, very likely most of it, will be new to you. Or, if the name is familiar, you might not be aware about the local origins of seminal acts that got their starts in the Washington area, the world-famous Ringling Brothers circus and entertainment pioneer Al Jolson being examples.You will also learn about some of the talented artists DC claims as its own but never made it into the show business mainstream despite undeniable and astonishing talent. Danny Gatton, for instance. And John Fahey. And Eva Cassidy. The list goes on. (From the Foreword) - Buzz McCLain, former critic with The Washington Post.

On three hot days in early July of 1863, America stood at a crossroads. Two armies faced each other in a battle that might determine the course of the nation. Would the country that was founded with such high ideals in 1776 continue, or would it be divided, and another country be established alongside it? Much was riding on the decisions made by the Southern high command as they attempted to defeat the Union Army and threaten Washington, D.C.This book takes the reader through the command decisions, the troop movements, and the combat action of the battle. In addition to the narrative of the battle, there are biographical sketches which tell about many of the leaders who were engaged in this struggle, offering a human side to the conflict. This war has often been described by scholars as the first modern war in history due to the advancements in weapons and ammunition. Many of those technologies are described and the implications of those advancements on the soldiers involved.Gettysburg is remembered as a pivotal battle in the Civil War, a war that pitted brother against brother, friend against friend, neighbor against neighbor.

Tommy Morris was medically discharged from the US Air Force after numerous tours in the Middle East as a decorated Pararescue turned sniper. Overcome by nightmares and PTSD he seeks counseling and on his road to recovery, takes a clandestine job as a Finisher for the Harris County DA's office. The adrenaline and fantastic money lead him directly into the dark folds of Houstons human traffickingTommy Nguyen Morris was raised in a deeply structured Catholic home for boys, hating every minute of it and as soon as he was able to leave, he joined the Air Force. Rising rapidly through the ranks, he is commissioned as an officer and completes the three year program to become a pararescue officer and due to his exemplary marksmanship earns the coveted sniper badge.Born of a Green Beret Special Forces black father and a half-Caucasian/ half Vietnamese mother, both of which died when he was very young, he is often mistaken as to his race. He has a long, muscled, and much bullet-scarred torso and with his naturally peculiar looks attracts attention from women wherever he goes.Seeking help to deal with his nightmares from Iraq and Afghanistan, he enlists the help of the Veterans Administration and is assigned a retired female Army Colonel. In the interest of mending his broken mind, she suggests he find employment with an old friend of hers who is the District Attorney for Harris County, Texas and also a ex-Special Forces soldier.The money is very attractive to the ex-pararescue Captain and the mission he is offered is taking the fight to the Human Traffickers who operate with near impunity. Each completed mission reaps incredible sums of dirty tax free money and being briefed about his targets makes killing them almost a public service. The trouble with operating outside of the law is the distinction between right and wrong becomes blurred. It is an almost near perfect life for Tommy. Almost.

Annihilating the Spirit of Compromise takes you on an incredible journey through the ancient account of Moses, who, against all odds, faced down an Egyptian king and led an entire nation to freedom.------In this insightful examination, author Kevin Cortez uncovers hidden lessons in the Book of Exodus that reveal how we, too, can confront and overcome the spiritual forces that seek to derail our purpose.------This book is not simply a theological study of biblical history. Drawing on over forty years of personal experience in spiritual conflict, Cortez offers a real-world perspective on how believers can stand firm in their faith, remain unshaken by opposition, and rise above mediocrity to achieve lasting victory in their spiritual journey.

The Canadian Horse is the fourth novel in the Rodeo in the Blood series. In the opening scene, C.R. Winchester steals a steer wrestling horse in Canada and smuggles him into Montana where he brands the horse with his own iron. Although C.R. intends to use the horse to further his own rodeo career, he is forced to sell him after he is jailed for a hit-and-run driving fatality. Rusty Blackstone, Warren Weston and Casey Jones buy the horse to take the place of Rusty's great steer wrestling horse Apache. The aftershocks vibrate throughout the story, all the way to the National Finals Rodeo.Even after coming to terms with her ex-husband, Warren Weston, Jenny finds that managing the Westmont Ranch that her six-year-old son, Todd, inherited from his grandfather becomes more difficult. The ranch appraisal comes in much higher than expected, creating a major tax liability. Her desire to hold the ranch together and the impossibility of paying the IRS from net income forces her to consider options that she hates to contemplate. She is not afraid to use her womanly wiles to make the best deal she can.Rusty and his long-time traveling partner, Casey Jones, qualify once more for the NFR. When Casey heads south at the end of the regular rodeo season, Samantha "Buckshot" Baldwin goes with him. Although his job on an oil pipeline falls through, they find temporary work on the border wall.Now working for Running W Real Estate and Ranch Management Company, Warren is resigned to finishing one place out to the top fifteen steer wrestlers who compete in the National Finals Rodeo. He is driving north to one of the ranches that he oversees when he gets a call from the PRCA commissioner telling him that he is in the Finals because one of the qualified contestants has torn up his knee.Rusty, Warren and Casey wind up practicing together in New Mexico to prepare for the NFR. That's where they meet the Canadian horse. Although they ask C.R. to price him, he initially refuses. Later, after Rusty's remaining horse, Boots, is injured, and C.R. needs to post bail and hire an attorney, they work out a deal. It's when the horse's previous owner shows up at the NFR to claim him that things start to fall apart. Can the tall man from Canada prove that the horse is his? And how will that affect Casey's chance to win a Championship.

In this mosaic of historical and personal anecdotes, fact and fiction are intertwined. We lie to ourselves and to one another, and coincidence shifts the paths of our lives this way and that. We believe what we're ready to believe, and what we believe is more important that what actually happens. And we all share a common ancestry, connected as one family.

Dear Reader, If you feel troubled in these current fast paced times we are living in, and are experiencing anxiety, confusion, mistrust, or just wondering what is going on in our world, especially considering modern technologies were meant to make life easier for us, then this book will help you to understand what has gone amiss? It scans 65 years from 1958 - 2023 a time in our history where diametric changes turned our world on end. You will come to realize that only a few knew what was (and is) taking place! Read about the treasure that was stolen from us, who the culprits were and the cause and effect of their robbery!Knowing this truth will return hope to your heart, inspire you to make positive changes and encourage you to bring happiness and purpose back into your daily life and the lives of those around you.It is a book of Hope, especially for all those open to the truth and those who are keen to find the truth about themselves. Once accepting of truth all things then fall into place. Understanding and the "Light of Truth" will help you heal and find what you are looking for, what all human beings are looking for True Happiness!

Online dating can be tough, painful, and soul-destroying. The good news is that it doesn't have to be that way. If you want to improve your online dating efforts, this little black book may be just what you need.My advice to men on dating apps has always been simple. In an online jungle where people judge a book by its cover, do not waste valuable opportunities to put your best foot forward.In 2022, 366 million people worldwide used dating apps and sites. Statistics show that over 70% are men. In Australia over 3.2 million use dating apps, 73.9% are men. In a highly competitive arena, men really need to improve their chances of getting a match. It is critical for men on dating apps to put their best foot forward because people judge a book by its cover in an online jungle.This book will take you from being a dating app benchwarmer to boosting your online presence.Referred to as the Date Whisperer, Mel W is gaining traction as an expert on online dating tips for men. A Sydney-based author, writer, podcaster, former radio host of Online Dating Hacks, and the founder of Mel W & Co online dating support services, Mel W offers information to build your online confidence. This inspired her third book, The OTHER Little Black Book: Essentials for Men on Dating Apps.As a single mother, she continues to raise her two sons in Sydney, Australia. Mel contributes to Sydney-based publications and websites and loves exploring creative ideas and topics. Additionally, Mel W serves on the board of Sydney's largest non-curated venue for visual and performing arts.

Summer Fun in the Tundra Sun is the third Book in the Boo Boo La Roo series by author Diana Howard and illustrator Harris Huber. The series presents Boo Boo La Roo the elephant Shrew and his delightful African animal friends. Even though Boo Boo is by far the smallest animal in the group, he is the quickest runner with a big Heart! Children reading this book, and the other two Boo Boo books, will get to know the different kinds of animals that live in another part of the world.Author Diana Howard and illustrator Harris Huber took great care to place the animals in the part of Africa where they actually live. It is their fervent wish that the children who will read this book will be entertained but also touched by the friendships.

What does a 68-year-old widowed homemaker from Philadelphia have in common with a 67-year-old single retired teacher from Hershey? Not a lot, it seemed, when forced to interact at 8 AM on a flight to Albuquerque. Was fate linking Lizzie and Alice together, forming a long-lasting friendship? Nothing could have prepared these two women for their sightseeing adventures, a shocking murder, profound grief, and the outpouring of love that comes when facing what lies within each of us. Together, they build confidence, tell their story, and identify opportunities to open doors that many people their age think are closing.

THE OTHER PART OF HER, a Contemporary Romance with twists and turns focuses on the romance between HOPE MADISON, a beautiful college coed, and DREW BARTLETT, the star football player at the University of Colorado. In 1959, during their first meeting, sparks fly and a romance blossoms. Time is short, however, as Drew is embarking upon a career in the U.S. Navy and she is leaving on a family trip to Europe. The anticipation of receiving his letters fuel her during the trip abroad, however, when she returns from the extended vacation, there are no letters from Drew. Hope is baffled by his silence, and his broken promise. She searches for answers, but no explanation can be found and she returns to college heartbroken.Drew reports to the Navy carrying with him his childhood dreams of being a pilot, however, the disconnect with Hope has dampened his enthusiasm and he wonders how he will be able to execute his duties. Thankfully, life aboard ship takes over and his dream of flying is realized, but he's still lost without any contact with Hope.The Madison's housekeeper, Odie B, intervenes when she sees Hope struggling to make sense of Drew's disappearance many years after the fact. Odie B wants the truth to be told and the cause of their separation to be disclosed. A secret meeting is arranged.The many twists and turns in this dynamic love story keeps readers, young and old, turning the pages.

I was born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey. My father suffered from a disability and struggled to provide us with a home and the necessities of life. My four brothers, my sister, and I lived in poverty in the inner city.This book is about my life. It's about growing up in a time when beating your child bloody was an unspoken common practice. It is about a time when great things happened. The war to end all wars was won, and the baby boomers were born. I was one of those children.In this book, I take the reader on a journey behind the music of the 50s and 60s and into the lives I and many others of my generation lived.The reader will learn about the physical, mental, and sexual abuse I suffered at the hands of my mother, her boyfriend, and even the parish priests. How I survived all that was because of my father's love and the love of others God sent into my life.In this journey, the reader will learn that I've seen the empty shell Death leaves in his wake and how I beat the Grim Reaper ten times. The reader will also learn why, at a young age, I never feared dying and still don't. Why, to me, death is either the beginning of a new adventure or oblivion.At the age of twelve, when the minimum wage was thirty-five cents an hour, I set a goal to have a million dollars in the bank by the time I was fifty. That goal led me to lead a very diverse life.Before joining the military, I worked many jobs, such as cleaning toilets in a bar, shining shoes, delivering newspapers, and loading milk trucks. I also made jelly apples, helped on a fruit and vegetable truck, worked in a dress factory, and pulled in other kids at a carnival as a shell.Growing up in that harsh urban environment, I started defending myself when I was seven. Back then, it was "life" of which I was afraid. In fact, there were times as a child when the abuse was so bad I wished the Angel of Death would take me. But God had other plans for me.Everything changed after I left the military. It was as if I'd paid back my Karma. The reader will learn about the wonderful women I met who helped me rid myself of the violence, hate, and pain and grow into the man I am today.Through their love, I have been blessed with a good life. A life I would never have dared dream of having when I was growing up. I became a successful businessman, a proud grandfather, a loving father, and a devoted husband, albeit that took me three tries and a lot of maturing.Late in life, with the help of my wife, Judy, I achieved my dream of becoming a published author.Judy and I have been lucky enough to travel all over the United States and to thirty-six countries together.Through her love and the love and help of others, I escaped from that painful life. I worked, studied, and learned that there is another world out there-a world filled with love.I found that love can quell negative memories. It's hard to be sad if you are loved. Love can erase the hurt, restore your soul, and give you hope. I was saved by the love I received. I am what I am today because of the love of my wife.The nightmares of violence and sexual abuse still come once in a while, but my wife Judy is right there to tell me it's just a dream. But sometimes, at night, when the world is quiet, I have my doubts. Am I really living this good life, or am I lying on a hospital bed in a coma, dreaming of a life I wanted to have?

This is the story of a young boy with a 26" bike, who had a burning desire to have a train set to go around the family Christmas tree each year.This story is true. It takes the reader on a journey using a 26" 1950's style homemade bicycle starting from when the boy was five years old and it ends when he is nine. It is a great read for all ages.Either a miracle happens or the Christmas Spirit or Santa or all three bring forth one of the happiest and most amazing moments that any child can experience in a lifetime.Not all stories, even Christmas stories end well. This incredible story will not disappoint any reader once you mount the 26" bike right next to the young boy as he goes through the preparations and the work efforts and adventures within this story. The ending is outstanding.If it were not true, it would still make a great Christmas Story. Since it is true, it makes it even more special, especially for me. I am the boy in the story. Thank you for reading it. It melts my heart whenever I think about it.

Bill Stephens is a veteran author, poet, and teacher for many years. He has the Holy Spirit leading him and blessing him to write words of comfort to a hungry and hurting people. His book is bot entertaining and interesting to all Christians as well as those who are searchers.He hopes to help all who read this book be aware of his thoughts and struggles in his walk with the Lord. That's why the book is titled, From My Heart to Yours. May all who read it come away a better person than before.

"...indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." The words now felt like a distant memory to Stephen Moore. North Korea had successfully orchestrated an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) attack that did exactly what China had hoped for- split the United States into warring factions, unleashing a level of violence and terror that would have made even the biggest horror movie fans go pale.How could this have happened so easily? Is there anything that could bring the US back?In a struggle for power and territory, there seems to be no depth of immorality that people won't sink to- including former Vice President Sirrah who assumed control of the presidency and claimed a critical territory in the northeastern states now known as The Meg. Citizens are operating in survival mode, making the boundaries of good versus evil, right versus wrong, and patriot versus rebel all the more unclear.From food shortages to new foreign invasions, nuclear threats to voracious hogs in the NYC subway tunnels, American Calamity: The Continentals leaves no terrifying stone unturned in the sequel to the acclaimed dystopian page-turner, American Calamity. Perhaps the most alarming of all is that this fiction doesn't stray far from what could be a future reality.Are you ready to get deeply immersed back into Moore's post-apocalyptic reality? Don't worry. Spanky, the old military tank with a never-say-die spirit, has got your six.American Calamity: The Continentals continues the story of Moore's journey into the abyss of a worldwide nuclear disaster. From a rag-tag group of regional rebels to a growing North American movement, American Calamity: The Continentals provides hope in a country where little exists. A hope continually challenged by America's enemies--both foreign and domestic.American Calamity: The Continentals is perfect for fans of One Second After, Edge of Collapse, and Out of the Ashes.

Cyber Election Meddling: The Impact on Voter Beliefs and Decisions explores the rise of cyber-influence campaigns that have shaped modern elections. Beginning with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Russian state-sponsored organizations systematically deployed misinformation across social media and news outlets. This unprecedented effort undermined public trust in candidates and the electoral process, reshaping how voters perceived key issues and made decisions at the ballot box.This study takes a quantitative, non-experimental approach to examine the relationship between voters' belief in foreign election meddling and how it influences their decision-making process. Using the social cognitive theory as its framework, the research highlights the role of information sources in shaping voter perceptions, finding that those who relied on traditional news media rather than blogs or social media were more likely to recognize interference efforts.The findings of this research are compelling: awareness of cyber-meddling doesn't necessarily reduce its impact on voters. Better-educated individuals were likelier to detect these disinformation campaigns, yet their decision-making process remained susceptible. Cyber Election Meddling offers a timely, critical examination of how foreign influence operations affect democratic outcomes and public trust, with implications far beyond a single election.

When private detective Walter PKK Montgomery wades into the cold waters of the Nolin River for a birthday weekend of trout fishing, he doesn't expect to catch a briefcase containing $150,000 in unmarked bills. In the next 36 hours, Walt, his country-singer girlfriend, Belinda, and his partner, Johnny Horoscope, are pursued up and down Interstate 65 by a psychopathic cop and a crooked Kentucky lawyer, and both of them will kill to reclaim the money.A former Alabama Highway patrolman, Walt knows that a dirty cop is the worst kind of fiend to have on your tail, and when this knife-obsessed, psychopathic killer takes Walt's girlfriend hostage, Walt must outrun the state police in three states, outwit a crooked Kentucky lawyer, and unravel a twisted plot that ultimately pits him against a perverted judge who has paid to have his own wife kidnapped and killed. To save Belinda and the judge's wife, Walt must confront the memory of his first wife's death. Finally, he must find Belinda and overpower the cop before he subjects her to the most hideous torture and death imaginable. $150,000 is not enough money to die for, but all of these characters are ready to kill for it.Joe Marshall Hardin crafts a thrilling and action-packed ride as Walt races to save his girlfriend and clear his name. This crime thriller races to a dramatic and gun-blazing conclusion.

Someone Better Than You is a comic novel of manners that demonstrates it's never too late to "know thyself." The novel also dramatizes how, in a time of relentless change, remembered private experience is what redeems daily life.It's early June. Change-averse and critical of the young, retired newspaperman Brady Ritz is seeing off his artist stepdaughter Jane and her family at Florida's Fort Myers Airport. The visit has obviously not gone well, but it's clear that Brady sees Ashley, Jane's four-year-old as a rebellious kindred spirit.On the drive back to Naples, Ritz's estranged wife calls him from their Michigan home. He tunes her out as she begins a familiar lecture: the publication of a collection taken from his secret satire column in a little magazine has hurt and angered friends and family. Ritz dismisses such talk as the whining of humorless people "mired in a steamy compost mound of feelings."Back in Donegal Golf and Country Club, his gated golf community, we see that Ritz has offended almost everyone. But not Ace Foley, a right-wing exercise fanatic with dementia. Ace represents the social and political bubble occupied by many enjoying an upscale retirement.Ace leaves. Bitter over the failed visit with Jane and at being left by his wife, Ritz calls Sunshine Urbanski, a clever young "sex worker" he recently met in a Naples restaurant. She comes to his club, and when she presses him to talk about his wife, Ritz tells her "She suffers." With odd certainty, Ritz knows this is true: "Sitting in a bar with a hooker, he has thought his way to something worth remembering."Their date is interrupted by the arrival of Ritz's older, latter-day-hippy stepdaughter Anne, and her two children. Ritz has never forgiven Anne for her counter-culture revolt in adolescence. She tells him she will leave the next day to visit friends.The following morning, Ritz's likeable, blind neighbor Murray Grunwald makes Ritz read aloud the snarky column on karaoke that caused so much anger at the club. Hearing his own words, Ritz decides to apologize on karaoke night. During "rehearsal" in his walk-in closet, he discovers that Anne has left her dog in his house. Alone all day, it has urinated on the rug."I'm sorry." The dog won't look at him. It's been in here since ten this morning. Seven hours, and not a sound. "Your name's Truman." Nothing. Ritz goes in the bathroom and grabs a hand towel. He runs it under the faucet, comes back and drops to his knees. "I know all about it," he says, rubbing hard. "I have an enlarged prostate. I couldn't last three hours."This sincere apology to a dog contrasts with the following night's disastrous fake apology at karaoke: the song Ritz sings turns out to be the signature song of a man who has lost his larynx to cancer. It also initiates the process by which the dog will help Ritz recover what he has long suppressed in his relations with people: a capacity for feeling and kindness.Anne returns, and soon leaves in anger with her children. Ritz's neighbor Murray sends him to another neighbor's house. Crazy Ace Foley has wandered into Daisy Pruitt's. Daisy has had lots of "work done," and cosmetic surgery is something else Ritz wrote about. Daisy denounces him, and he leaves with Ace.At the novel's midpoint, Ritz discovers Anne has again left her sad dog. A thunder storm rages, and he does his best to comfort the terrified animal. He calls her previous owner, and learns that, like himself, Truman is suffering over the loss of a companion.A growing sense of guilt leads Ritz to visit Aspen Afternoons, the nursing home where Ace Foley has been taken. Ritz now sees a reality he has always ignored.The novel ends with Natalie Ritz returning to Naples. In the first person, she explains the suffering that has kept her gone so long.

This book is a history about how the small English-speaking Baptist Church in South Chicago encouraged Mexican immigrants who were arriving in the area to find work shared a building in which they could worship and serve God in a Spanish-speaking environment in a Baptist worship service that began in this building in the mid-20th century.We learn about how this particular Spanish-speaking ministry was stablished and how it grew in its weekly morning, and evening worship and other services for over sixty-five years. We learn how particular congregants and their officials served here and in various Baptist associations and conventions to spread the Gospel.The latter part of this books discusses a brief history about how the Spanish-speaking Baptist congregation was the impetus for the development of a new branch of Christians in the early 1960s.

Life is a voyage and for Thalia McGrath, the voyage is literal. In 1965, she sails on the ocean liner Oriana from Australia to America engaged to marry journalist Douglas Barton, the man she met when he was working temporarily in Australia.The long ocean crossing of Polynesia and the glamor and fun of a sea voyage-a rite of passage for young Australians-take a serious turn when Thalia, in a misguided attempt to be more alluring to her husband-to-be by acquiring some sexual experience, impetuously begins a shipboard affair with one of the ship's officers. Meanwhile fellow passenger Nigel Somerville has fallen in love with her and asks her to run away with him.Refusing Nigel, and ending the affair with the officer upon arrival at her destination, Thalia marries Douglas, but does not reveal the shipboard affair. She settles down to be a wife and mother, only to find that marriage guarantees neither fidelity nor honesty. She begins to suspect that Douglas is serially unfaithful to their marriage vows, and although her own conscience is hardly impeccable, she is appalled by his amorality and by the larcenous conduct he exhibits toward his dead brother. When he takes a new position in Belgium and imperiously orders her to make the arrangements to sell their house and move their household to Europe without his assistance and support, she is angry and resentful. Pregnant and with a toddler, she accomplishes this task, but begins to consider whether she wants to remain in the marriage.Douglas goes ahead to Europe, promising to find a new home for them, and Thalia and their son Daniel set off to Belgium. Passing through London en route, Thalia re-encounters Nigel Somerville and the group of amusing friends she had met during the voyage across the Pacific; a new, intriguing door is opened for her.Should she continue to follow Douglas and his unsavory ambitions or accept this enticing new opportunity and follow her own uncertain compass as her life's voyage continues?

A dangerous blizzard stops everything in the small town. Five friends are trapped in a large house without parents. They watch a movie and play games. Then they play hide and seek. That's when the danger begins! Where is Willie? Suddenly a large tree hits the house and knocks out the electricity. Will they be able to find him? A voice can be heard behind the wall in the basement. "Help me!"The adventure begins. History comes back to life. The friends work together and in the end the town benefits.And could there be a Guardian Angel involved?

This book describes 23 unusual animals from different ecosystems around the world. Some are newly discovered; others have only recently been investigated. All contribute to the amazing biodiversity of planet earth. Many are threatened with extinction.Their presentations are introduced by an amusingly descriptive poem followed by a brief description of what is known about the animal.A delightful water color or digital art accompanies each animal. The reader will be challenged to consider important questions and additional references at the end of the book.