First Published in 1996. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

First Published in 1996. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

When I opened my first karate school twenty six years ago, I would never have thought I would be dealing with parents who grew marijuana, had fist fights in my lobby, or moms who cheated on their husbands with other moms. I never thought I'd deal with a mom so drunk she pissed her pants while waiting to pick up her child, or a boy who drew pictures with his own "poo" on the walls of my bathroom. My instructor never taught me how to defend myself against these types of attackers. It is my hope that by reading this book people will be more conscience of their words and actions when in the presence of their children or other people's children. People that become parents, guardians, coaches, teachers, mentors, or who influence children will become more aware how important their role is. Parents must understand if they want to see a change in their child, they must be the change they want to see.

This book travels the world and brings an optimistic spirit and a sense of humor to the author's adventures. Hopscotch the globe as bombs burst over the Middle East and desert sands blow over nomadic tents. Get a glimpse of Shaw Island life, take a peaceful stroll along English hedgerows and then blast down the Zambezi River in a raft. Experience what it's like to be a Red Cross volunteer in the aftermath of tragedy. Stay with a colorful bachelor in Turkey and learn why couch surfing is not always a bed of roses. Explore life on a canal boat, get stuck in the mud in Morocco and eat caterpillars in Africa. Spend thirteen terrifying seconds under water, hang over Victoria Falls and roam London towpaths in a garbage bag. As always, you'll find an indefatigable sense of adventure as Carole travels the world in her unique style. Once again, get ready to expect the unexpected

Murder. Mayhem. Madness. . . "NIGHT WIDOW has all the ingredients of a first-class thriller: a reclusive former movie star, a strong and capable heroine, and a story that twists and turns like Mulholland Drive. Nothing is as it seems in this present day story of Old Hollywood, obsession, and murder. As Luce delves deeper into the life of fading film star Sybil Squire, the stakes escalate to a stunning climax. NIGHT WIDOW will haunt you long after you turn the last page." --- J. Carson Black, author of DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN "Once again, Carol Davis Luce weaves a gripping tale of mystery and intrigue that brings characters to life on the page." K. C. May, author of THE WAYFARER KING NIGHT WIDOW Obsession. Voyeurism. Murder. . . Piper breaks away from her lavish LA life-style and controlling husband and makes a temporary home in a Hollywood Hills guest house, which happens to be next door to her favorite actress, a legend in her time. When Piper witnesses one strange event after another, she calls in the authorities, who peg her as a meddlesome neighbor obsessed with the 50's screen goddess. No one takes her warnings seriously. Piper, a film editor who pieces stories together, now has to use those eagle-eye skills to save her neighbor's life. Events escalate into a deadly game of cat and canary with Piper becoming the canary.

A book of short stories that take the reader from chicken ownership, gardening and beach combing on a tiny island in the Pacific Northwest to Africa, Central America and Asia. Laugh your way through sleeping in a Costa Rican brothel, the perils of gypsy caravans in Ireland, peeing in Japan, gagging over caviar in the Sudan, sleeping atop a VW van below Kilimanjaro, an Italian soap opera and a sari falling off in a crowded train station in India. Cry your way through the garbage dumps of Guatemala, a tragic rape in Costa Rica, the townships of apartheid, and an amazing reunion with a child given up for adoption. Learn about camel riding in the desert, sailing the islands of Kuna Yala, months of camping on a Central American beach, exploring Eastern Turkey and couch surfing round the globe. This book explores places off the beaten track and is a manual for a unique mode of budget and heartfelt travel.

The Indian Battle at Claremore Mound near Claremore, Oklahoma, occurred in 1817 between the Osage and Cherokee Indian tribes. The Osage were attacked by the Cherokee and the ensuing battle was devastating to the Osage Indians. In this exciting and informative tale, Running Brook, a young Indian maiden, tells the story of her great-great-great-grandfather, who survived the attack. The story was written with middle school children in mind; however, I believe that anyone might enjoy the story.

"A powerful book The characters are incredible...they spring right off the page. A fabulous coming-of-age story." JoAnn Wendt--author of The Golden Dove. Behind closed doors, a young mind is awakened to a world bigger than innocent brown eyes can imagine. Suzy Kovak learns early how to keep a secret. One secret she didn't keep. "When I was six, I sat Danny down on the curb and told him his mother was his grandmother and his sister was his mother-and that made him a bastard. A bastard, I said, was a really bad thing to be. It sent him into his house wailing, and bought us a one-way ticket out of my Aunt Flora's court complex." Latchkey kids, Suzy and her brother, watch out for each other until he finds a new best friend. Forced to fend for herself, Suzy becomes a target for bullies. Growing up in Southern California in the 50s wasn't exactly root beer floats and sock hops. Their single mother struggles to keep the family together. Suzy feels lucky to get in good the cool kids who would cut their mark into the flesh of anyone clumsy enough to cross the gang. Tough teen-agers take care of themselves. Yet sometimes a girl still needs her mom even if her mom is less than perfect. Suzy holds tight to her secrets-until she meets the one person who unlocks her mind and sets the secrets free.

Nevada's King's Club resort casino is a neon playground for gamblers with a passion to win...and the hunting ground for a ruthless killer with nothing to lose. The odds are in his favor until casino owner Jay King places his bets on a beautiful private investigator. . . Kasey Atwood is a specialist at undercover surveillance, and no stranger to this glittering world of high stakes and low morals. Her growing attraction to the sensual, charismatic King is distracting--and dangerous. As their love affair heats up, she becomes a pawn in a perilously seductive game of passion and revenge. When more innocent blood is shed, Kasey knows she can't afford to make one false move. At risk is nothing less than her heart--and her life. . .

Things were looking up for Alexandra Carlson. With her divorce behind her and the mysterious death of her father fading in her memory, she was moving on. She lived in a wonderful secluded house on a mountainside in Reno, her paintings were beginning to sell, and there was even a hint of romance on the horizon. Then things began to happen. Little things. Anonymous phone calls full of heavy breathing. A broken tree branch outside her bedroom window. Her cat, Winnie--gone without a trace. A moving shadow above the skylight. Surely it was all her imagination... Then one day she picked up the phone and there was someboby--somebody who knew her childhood nickname. In the background she could hear a scratchy record--an old song that brought dark memories out of the shadows. That night something woke Alexandra out of a sound sleep. This time, the heavy breathing wasn't coming from the telephone. Someone was in house with her. And she was at his mercy.

Get ready for a wild ride! Carole's stories span 50 years and bobble close to home and around the world. They roam the yaylas of the Kackar Mountains and the highlands of Peru. They explore the streets of Senegal and the violent history of Guatemala. They wander the hillsides of Southern Spain and the steppes of Eastern Turkey. And they ramble the plains of Mesopotamia and the tundra of Iceland. Hold an assault rifle and a sheep's teat, visit Carole's childhood bathroom and her husband's dresser, careen the streets of Trabzon and join the Order of the Golden Dragon. Cook flat bread over an open fire, make friends around the globe, and sleep in a French garret and a Turkish container. You'll float a log to Yellow Island and take a plane with a hole in the wing, meet a Kurdish housewife and the women of Paris. You'll drink tea with armed guards and collect dead birds along the road. Prepare to expect the unexpected.

When he wanted a woman, he took her. His victim was always so disappointing, forcing him to dispose of her and move on to the next one. This time it would be different. Sisters. He would take them both--and keep the best. She would be his ultimate prize. Roberta Paxton had a challenging, rewarding job, a man who loved her, and a host of good friends, but something was terribly wrong. At the back of her mind, at the edge of her vision, something was threatening her...something or someone. She tried to talk about it, but nobody would listen, not even her thirteen-year-old sister, Tobie. Roberta had had these premonitions before, Tobie reminded her. She was just being paranoid. But there was someone watching. Deep in the Tahoe forest, emerging only to stalk his prey, to watch and listen, to plot his final move, a vicious killer waited. Each glimpse of Roberta fired his need, but still he waited. Until he saw Tobie... NEWS AND REVIEW: Night Prey: "Luce's portrayal of a psychopathic mountain man is chilling enough to make wanderers in the Sierra Nevada woods think twice about taking a walk alone. Hair-raising."

Investigative reporter Roni Mayfield returns to her crumbling Nevada hometown to avenge a friend’s brutal death—only to be hunted by the same twisted serial killer Caroline Holt’s body was found in her bed, covered in blood, her wrists cut, a framed wedding photo on her chest. The death was quickly ruled a suicide, but investigative reporter Roni Mayfield suspects foul play—especially after receiving a terrified message from Caroline hours earlier. What really happened to Caroline that night? What shadowy secrets—secrets that may have cost Caroline her life—are lurking below the surface in this eerie Nevada town?   One thing is for certain: In Eagleton, Nevada, what you know can kill you—and Roni is next.   Written by New York Times– and USA Today–bestselling author Carol Luce Davis, Night Passage is a gristly and chilling tale that will keep readers guessing until the very end.