Traces of my Tears is not only the story of a young woman's grieving process, it's a journey of healing, an introspection inside a tormented soul. Not only will Julia have to heal from an unfinished love story, but she'll uncover a family secret that will help her understand and acknowledge her mother's own tormented life and guilt. The book is a testimonial of shame, deception and hardship as Julia realizes that acceptance and forgiveness are the only remedies to a suffering soul.

Dear Reader, "Resilience Matters" is a story - my story - that has been in my heart and on my mind for more than sixty years. I originally decided to write it for my children and grandchildren; however, many have told me it would be inspirational reading for others who have led a less than privileged life. In these pages you will join me on a journey through the foster care system, an abusive first marriage, and the ordeal of breast cancer, which included multiple reconstructive surgeries. At this point in my life, I am happy to report I have arrived at a place of perfect contentment. It is my hope that those who read this book will find the courage to put themselves first, while honoring their personal histories that live in their hearts and souls. I also hope that my readers will learn to always hold onto their dreams. Dreams can come true. Mine did! Joanne Bellontine

Imagine growing up in small Indiana towns in the 1940s in a very strict religious family and then realizing at the age of six that there was something sexually "wrong" with you. You had no name for it, and you didn't really understand it, but you knew it all the same. By the time you were seven and eight years old, you heard adults talk about sexual perversion and teenagers using the terms "faggot" or "queer" as if they were describing the plague. But you knew deep inside it was you they were talking about Then skip forward a few years when you felt compelled to find someone else like you. You knew you couldn't be the only one, and you didn't think you could survive on erotic dreams or daydreaming. And so you began to sexually experiment with older men who called themselves queer, but you knew it didn't describe you. Then, at age seventeen, you found yourself in your first small gay bar, where you finally discovered you weren't the only one like you on this planet But when your mother discovered you'd been invited to a gay party, she told you that you would burn in hell if you didn't become heterosexual. And that was just the beginning. Following My Path is the true account of the author discovering who he was and all the things that happened along the way. Some of the things are serious, and some are funny, but all are interesting and vital to understanding what many gay people have had to endure. Reading Following My Path may: * change your mind about whether being gay is a choice or not; * make you see gay people differently and with more understanding, particularly those who are older and in the closet longer; * teach you to love your children unconditionally, even if there are parts of them you can't understand or accept; * teach you not to lay guilt trips on your children; and * teach gay LGBT people not to leave God out of their lives, as we, too, are made in his image, and he wants us to lead happy and fulfilling lives. Following My Path is the author's confirmation in his belief in God and his comfort with being an "outed," gay Christian.

Come along with Von Hahnke as he journeys to uncover the facts and truth surrounding his family history and the monument from the kaiser. He also answers in part the reasons Germany wasn't involved in a war for almost forty years prior to World War I. "One of the best-known and most popular soldiers in Germany." -Newport RI Sun Newspaper "One of the most decorated generals in Europe." -Trenton Evening News

"Oh, no-" the anguished cry rang out. For a sister and her brothers, it was terrible news-of a death in the family-the death that left them dumbfounded. Broken hearted, here they were, a grand family suddenly bereft of a great part. It made no sense. ..".Sorry to inform you," the awful words struck like a thunderbolt. Mom and dad had crashed on their vacation trip. -So unfair, so unreal, so jarring...so final. All the siblings could think of was how much love was lost to them. Their parents were the linchpins; they were the finest; they were the most revered. At a loss due to a loss. So much love and affection was denied them in an unpredictable moment. What was to become of them? Mom with her daily wisdom. Dad with his usual counsel. Mom with her laugh. Dad with his wry humor. Mom with her catering and caring. Dad with his hugs and counsel. What will they do without them? The sister and her husband, the brothers and their wives, succumbed to the pain, weakening them. Where would the strength come from that was required to survive such a tragedy? When ravaged by happenstance, What holds the family together when hope and promise lose some of their dash? In the moments of crisis, inevitably, people are hanging on by hanging tough. That courage comes from their heritage, which is the real force, the saving grace. It's not just what they have inherited in family lore, but the bond that ties endowment and legacy together in a triumvirate that can spark the spirit. Haunting Memories says something about how desire can influence perception; by allowing-or causing-us to see what we want to see. We wonder when they're gone, Did we do enough for them? Did we express our love and affection often enough? Were we good to them? We aren't going to be able to answer yes to all such questions without some reservation. -Because we're never going to think we've done all that we could have or should have done for our loved ones. We can't get our minds off them. We can't let them go. We want them back. But we can't have them back. They are where they are. -And we can't get there from here.

Help your grandfather preserve his life story and pass it down to your family in this beautiful keepsake memory book. Grandpa's Story is a guided journal thoughtfully designed to help grandfathers record their special memories and share them with their grandchildren and family. Created by bestselling author and artist Korie Herold, this keepsake book offers writing prompts and journaling pages to guide grandfathers along as they record their life's most precious moments. This book is the perfect gift for Father's Day, birthdays, or any time of year for your grandfather.

This is a true story of a family's attempt at working together to care for aging parents. It involves four adult siblings, two parents, some anger, resentment, love and joy. There are tears, astonishment, sleepless nights, laughter and a whole lot of conflict, quiet and otherwise. Mary L. Currier shares her insight, beliefs and professional experiences to normalize conflict between adult siblings. She explains that families are often no strangers to conflict. Rather, they may be strangers to managing that conflict. Or perhaps it's more of an unwillingness to slip into the deeper crevices of those sticky issues that form the patterns of communication, therefore creating conflict. Either way, there is often a deeply imbedded cycle of poor communication that courses through family veins. You'd think that blood relatives would have a comparatively easy time sorting out issues of conflict. You'd think that four siblings would share similarities in problem solving techniques. That is not the case in this family. What first appeared as a moderate challenge evolved into a lifelong lesson requiring patience, self-understanding, unconditional love and an unending supply of forgiveness. As anxiety, Alzheimer's, depression, and cancer, come out from behind the shadows, each family member acts, or reacts, as only they can - with the skills they have cultivated. Does that work for them? Not always. This is a wonderful tool for adult siblings thinking about how they will sustain their relationships with one another as they venture into the care giving process. Mary even offers troubleshooting guidance in an effort to improve skills in communications and conflict resolution in hopes of sustaining adult sibling relationships.

This book outlines events and situations that we all live in reality and not smile about at the end of the day but instead wake up the very next day trying to find a solution to yesterday which allows more weight to carry over on our shoulders from the results of today. You will read all walks of life pertaining to: inspiration, love, commitment, prayers, life's realities, divided families, child molestation, teen parenting, step parenting and more. What if we can change lives with someone else for one day maybe longer depending on the SITUATION in which you are put in? What if a father can exchange places with a mother, a man can change places with a woman, a single person can change places with a married person, a child can change places with their parent, a suspect can change places with a victim, the system can change places with those in need, etc. To walk in someone else shoes and seek why they suffer from emotional distress will better help you understand why they are the way they are. A FAMILY THAT PRAYS TOGETHER, STAYS TOGETHER THOSE WHO FAIL TO PRAY, FAIL TO SUCCEED

Give Grandpa the perfect gift this Father's Day: the gift of his story.

Grandfather, I Want to Hear Your Story is more than a journal―it's a heartfelt invitation. A space for your grandfather to look back, reflect, and pass down the moments that made him who he is. From the playful mischief of boyhood to the hard-won wisdom of later years, each page captures a piece of the man your family knows and loves.

With over 300 carefully crafted prompts by bestselling author Jeffrey Mason, this newly expanded edition makes it easy―and meaningful―for him to share his story in his own words. Whether it's a favorite memory, a quiet lesson, or a laugh-out-loud moment, every entry adds to a legacy your family can treasure forever.

Here's why Grandpa (and you!) will love it:

This book covers age 35-65 with the same theme of aging and is part of a trilogy. The growing family should enjoy life and live lusty, hence the name of the book. A person's best years will come in the period of age 35-65. So live "Lusty," you may never have it this good again, even with a long life.

Maria Kelmis was adopted from Greece at the age of fifteen months. She always knew she was adopted and considers it one of the best things that happened in her life. Golden Strangers is a story about a journey to find her biological mother specifically to thank her and tell her that she had a wonderful life. You will experience the great moments in Maria's life that may not have happened if she was not adopted from Greece. Journey with Maria to San Diego, California, as a young lady out on her own for the first time, share her multiple visits to Greece including the months she spent on the island of Santorini painting, travel with her to Uganda, Africa, as she embarks on the experience of a lifetime, and share the excitement of participating in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. All these events combined with her biological mother's sacrifice have made Maria thankful for all of the blessings in her life and have given her the desire to give back in so many ways; from working and volunteering with the Greek Orthodox Church, to helping the homeless, volunteering with autistic children, and becoming a certified life coach, thereby helping people with their life goals. This book is not only for people who share her story of adoption, it is for anyone who loves to hear a great story and believes in a power greater than all of us that makes things happen in our lives. If you have adopted a child or know of someone who has, you are encouraged to buy her children's book, Rainbow Bridge, which is a book for parents to read to their children of any age to let them know that they were adopted and that they are special and loved, also published by AuthorHouse.

The perfect gift for Grandma this Mother's Day!

Invite your grandmother to share her story―one cherished memory at a time. Grandmother, I Want to Hear Your Story is more than just a journal―it's a celebration of her life, in her own words. Thoughtfully designed with over 300 gentle prompts, this keepsake helps her reflect on childhood memories, teenage dreams, family traditions, and the life lessons she wants to pass down.

This is a meaningful gift that honors the woman who helped shape your world―and creates a legacy your family will treasure for generations.

Grandma's going to love this...