There was once an elderly woman who called Time & Temperature every day, just to hear the sound of another human voice. Did she know it was an automated recording? Maybe, but it didn't matter-so long as there was something there to lessen her loneliness. Situations like this are not new, especially in nursing homes, where people seemingly go to be forgotten-by family, by friends, and by society. What if you could do something about their loneliness? What if you could make them feel useful, loved, and respected? Frank Pawlak, a pastor and evangelist, did just that. He spent fifty years ministering to senior citizens, notably through music and the word of God. His stories are many-as are his hilarious anecdotes-but what Frank took away from his ministry was more than just entertainment. Frank Pawlak came to realize that just when you think you're blessing someone else, you turn out to be the one who is blessed. The nursing home occupants he visited taught him more than he could ever teach them; they showed him more love than he could have given. His amazing journey is chronicled in I Hear the Music-I Have to Go, as Frank lives out the adage, "If you're looking for something to do with your life, help someone in need!"

More than a horse book, this work maintains that the old ways of looking at the world, at our lives, at how to train horses, and even about looking at God, do not work. We might get the job done - but not in a way that we as gentle humans walking softly on the earth wish for ourselves.

In Grandma's On the Camino, author Mary O'Hara Wyman, a 72 year old grandmother from San Francisco, relates her 2010 adventures walking 500 miles alone as a pilgrim on the Camino Frances. Her journey takes her from St. Jean Pied de Port in France, across the Pyrenees to Spain, then westward to the ancient spiritual destination of Santiago de Compostela. Through back-home reflections based on journal entries and postcards sent to her grand daughter, Mary describes engaging encounters with pilgrims of all ages and motivations, close-range observations of numerous animals on the trails, and the daily tasks of finding food and a bed each evening. Readers will gain keen insight into the physical day to day rigors facing a walking pilgrim, as Mary endured several falls on the trails, a serious foot injury, copious rain, mud and unseasonal cold and hot weather. Grandma's On the Camino will inspire pilgrims and armchair readers of any age with Mary's adventures and coping mechanisms, calmness under pressure, humorous outlook on life and truly spiritual approach to walking the Camino Frances to Santiago de Compostela. You will walk as a pilgrim with Mary through every word in the book.

On June 11, 2004 Michael, a perfectly healthy looking young teenager, participates in a walk for the American Cancer Society with his mother, Laura. Hours later he is fighting for his life in an emergency room as doctors try to stop the bleeding from a brain hemorrhage that could kill him. "Michael's Journey" is the compelling true story of cancer survival based on the journal kept by his mother, Laura. Laura candidly shares the pain and perseverance she and her family experience during this difficult time. Michael's inspirational story focuses on the emotional reality of childhood cancer and his courage and will to survive.

People worked hard, back then, to promote themselves as they believed they should be. Norman Rockwell, then Ozzie and Harriet, depicted Godlike behaviors and values that we continue to admire. However the hurt and loneliness endured by the fat girl, the oddball, the foreigner or the village idiot was largely ignored. Hopefully, they didn't live on our block. Few of us can attain Rockwellian Ideals. We're born with powerful and indelible compulsions. The flesh is weak and failure to achieve the ideal can result in the worst kinds of hypocracy. Pretending to be something we aren't causes damage to ourselves and to others as well. We've all heard stories about explosive consequences of passion denied. This book is about one man's fight to be kind to others, true to himself, yet achieve normalcy in a world with little tolerance for those who are, somehow, "queer."

This is a story of a medical intern in post apartheid South Africa. It is a novel about the imperfections of society.It follows the trials of a young muslim adult in a difficult world as he comes to grips with religion, work and family.As the title suggests we are all teething when it comes to life experiences.

'I've seen many parents and adult children grappling with these issues, and this is exactly the book they have all been waiting for.' - Lori Gottlieb Has your adult child cut off contact with you? How can you heal the pain and start to build a bridge back to them? Labelled a silent epidemic by a growing number of therapists and researchers, estrangement is one of the most disorienting and painful experiences of a parent's life. Popular opinion typically tells a one-sided story of parents who got what they deserved or overly entitled adult children who wrongly blame their parents. However, the reasons for alienation are far more complex and varied. As a result of rising rates of individualism, an increasing cultural emphasis on happiness, growing economic insecurity, and a historically recent perception that parents are obstacles to personal growth, many parents find themselves forever shut out of the lives of their adult children and grandchildren. As a trusted psychologist whose own daughter cut off contact for several years and eventually reconciled, Dr Joshua Coleman is uniquely qualified to guide parents in navigating these fraught interactions. He helps to alleviate the ongoing feelings of shame, hurt, guilt, and sorrow that commonly attend these dynamics. By placing estrangement into a cultural context, Dr Coleman helps parents better understand the mindset of their adult children and teaches them how to implement the strategies for reconciliation and healing that he has seen work in his forty years of practice. Rules of Estrangement gives parents the language and the emotional tools to engage in meaningful conversation with their child, the framework to cultivate a healthy relationship moving forward, and the ability to move on if reconciliation is no longer possible. While estrangement is a complex and tender topic, Dr Coleman's insightful approach is based on empathy and understanding for both the parent and the adult child.

Blessed:Therapy is the long awaited masterpiece, by new author, Jennifer 'Je' Wilford. It is a true story, based on the trials and tribulations that surrounded the sudden death of both of her parents. She tells us how those tragic events, have caused her to walk away from an 18yr alternative lifestyle, that her mother often encouraged her to change. Je' is a true survivor of circumstances that would damage the lives of some and threaten the lives of most. Blessed:Therapy will have you laughing, crying and praying from the very beginning. Journey with her, through her eyes, as she takes you on the most difficult path that she has ever had to face in life. You will laugh, you will cry and you will be Blessed.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE IRISH BOOK AWARDS 2021 SHORTLISTED FOR THE KATE O'BRIEN AWARD 2022 'A stunning debut from this new Irish talent' STELLAR A young woman comes of age in the shadow of her family's tragic past When Beth Crowe starts university, she is shadowed by the ghost of her potential as a competitive swimmer. Free to create a fresh identity for herself, she finds herself among people who adore the poetry of her grandfather, Benjamin Crowe, who died tragically before she was born. She embarks on a secret relationship - and on a quest to discover the truth about Benjamin and his widow, her beloved grandmother Lydia. The quest brings her into an archive that no scholar has ever seen, and to a person who knows things about her family that nobody else knows. Holding Her Breath is a razor-sharp, moving and seriously entertaining novel about complicated love stories, ambition and grief - and a young woman coming fully into her powers. __________ 'A beautiful coming-of-age story told with impressive skill and lightness of touch . . . I absolutely loved it' LOUISE O'NEILL 'Whip smart observations and addictive prose' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 'Precise, sure, engaging, and a joy to read' RODDY DOYLE 'A moving debut with a satisfying conclusion' IRISH INDEPENDENT 'Brilliant, vivid - I enjoyed this book ENORMOUSLY' MARIAN KEYES 'Enthralling' IMAGE 'A nimble account of student life with a darkly enjoyable undercurrent of secrecy and emotional turmoil' SARA BAUME 'A truly compelling read, and one I wholeheartedly recommend' BUZZ 'Through the dark sky of our times, Eimear Ryan arrives like a comet, a bright talent scorching through every page' DOIREANN NI GHRIOFA, author of A Ghost in the Throat 'Brilliantly realised, gripping, and moving . . . This is absolutely the real thing' KEVIN POWER 'Written with a wonderful clarity and insight, Holding Her Breath lingers in the imagination. Beth's unravelling and re-ravelling is drawn with great skill and empathy. A brilliant debut' DONAL RYAN

Every wondered if other parents have the same thoughts? Remember the time your child painted the family dog? Ever wondered how other's feel about losing a loved one? Well so have I. It's a Buddy's World is based on real life events, both personal and the tales of others. The book actually started with articles I published in magazines and news papers. My readers commented on wanting more, and some actually thanked me for making them feel better. I have tried to include a broad selection of topics which I hope you will enjoy and, in some cases, take to heart. Curl up and relax, and let me warm your heart and stimulate the " Hmmm, I wonder...," side of you. I promise at least some will bring a knowing smile to your face, while others will bring forth feelings of empathy. As that old saying goes: "Keep smiling, it makes people wonder what you have been up to." I hope I can help you smile, at least for a while.

A beautiful coloured fabric and gold foil blocked gift journal for your grandfather to capture and share his wonderful memories and stories. Designed to make it easy for every grandfather to capture his life story and aspirations, each journal includes 60 thoughtful questions to inspire your grandad to enjoy telling his story by describing the past, the present and thinking about the future. With space for accompanying photos and memorabilia alongside his handwritten memories these classic, yet contemporary books, are covered in soft fabric making these tactile editions truly timeless keepsakes. Finished with gold foil and gold ribbons they make fabulous gifts for any grandfather on his birthday, at Christmas, on Father's Day or simply to show him you care. The Timeless Collection is available in 9 titles: Mum, Dad, Grandma, Grandad, Daughter, Son, Sister, Brother & Friend.

"Love Won't Let Me Be Silent" is a collection of writings, short stories, and poems, exploring the experiences and trials of parenthood from an African-American gay male perspective and sensitively chronicles Mason's search for love and self-hood. These masterfully creative writings express candidly the views of countless gay African-Americans who are vibrant with the faith and energy of America's Black Church yet bristling with the pain and anger of America's racial and homophobic injustice. While many still speculate over whether Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., would have supported gay rights, Mason boldly points out that it is absolutely inconceivable that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., would endorse anything that smacks of discrimination and bigotry against any group since it is opposed to everything he believed in as a humanitarian and Civil Rights leader.

Mason is an extraordinary poet who eloquently expands and redefines the traditional idea of the love poem in creative and ingenious ways. Each poem, story, and article is suffused with restoration, history, love, and ferocious courage He also gives us an honest glimpse into the life of a young "Angel Mason" who experienced the pangs of growing up in a not-so-tolerant world as an African-American gay teen.

America has barely smoothed its feathers, ruffled badly last year by the California Supreme Court's initial decision to lift the ban on gay marriage, followed by a divisive election that reversed the decision and placed the matter again before the California Supreme Court for repeal. These chilling events led to an epiphany that compelled him to write "Love Won't Let Me Be Silent." These electrifying writings are destined to make him one of the foremost voices of the African-American gay experience. We have no doubt that the artistry and enduring vision that Mason demonstrates in this inspiring book will cause a revolutionary awakening in America and continue to influence our culture, reshape our thinking, and touch our hearts and lives for decades.

There are two scenarios in which love is looked upon as taboo, unreal, a farce in the world of relationships. Those scenarios are the world of teenagers, and the star-crossed realm of Hollywood. When they met, Anessa Anne Hart was a 15 year old girl with caramel-colored skin, milk chocolate eyes and wavy ebony hair, a more than determined actress. Zachary David Alexander was the dedicated young actor decorated with dirty blond-hair, blue eyes and a near-constant smile that was being perfected by the braces in his 16 year old mouth. Was it fate that put their pictures together at their auditions or was it coincidence? Was it the simplicity of just making new friends or was there a true attraction between them? Whatever the case the teen actors found their on-screen chemistry transforming into an off-screen relationship that gained them more than international fame. In the scenarios of teens and Hollywood the taboo word was shared between the two. Love.

Dorothy has inherited millions as well as her family estate, a haven from her childhood, but will she refuse her inheritance? The will stipulates that she must care for her mentally ill mother, a difficult person whom she blames for ruining her marriage. A handsome cousin by marriage, who was the object of her childhood affection, comes back into her life to play the role of "kissing cousin." In addition, her ex-husband appears as she copes with eerie threats, the kidnapping of her child, and ultimately, murder. Set in the fifties and early sixties, before the use of cell phones and personal computers, this novel will appeal to those who might enjoy a trip to a simpler age. Some things, however, never change, such as romance, mystery, and family dynamics.

Kyle Paxman was scheduled to be married on September 9, 2006. Her mother, Patty Carbee, had helped her plan the wedding of her dreams. Shocking and unfortunate circumstances in the weeks leading up to the event led to heartbreak and a cnaceled wedding. Not to be defeated, mother and daughter began transforming what would have been a celebration of marriage into a charity event that captured international attention.

In this captivating book, Kyle and Patty share their personal story, taking the reader far beyond a canceled wedding ceremony and through a tumultous year defined by immense and unforseeable loss; followed by growth, a new sense of appreciation, and rebirth. See what a difference a single day can make, and how it can impact so many things in life.

Together strong will inspire and restore your faith in the power of love, and in the unbreakable bond that exists between mothers and daugthers.

This is a true story, however many names have been changed to protect the privacy of some of our characters.