Three friends from college set out to change the world but in very different ways. Their efforts put them at odds and Pastor Pat Preston is soon in danger of losing his freedom, family, and hope. Aided by the Alliance, a legal organization defending religious freedom, Pat and his former college classmate Matt Branson, must face off against a former friend who challenges everything Pat believes.Three friends say good-bye after graduation from Princeton. Each is bound by high ideals and a resolute ambition to change the world . . . but unable to anticipate the dramatic events that will bring them back together.Each Sunday, Pastor Pat Preston stands behind the pulpit of his Nashville megachurch, hoping to change the world by proclaiming biblical truth.Newly appointed U.S. Assistant Attorney General John Knox Smith is out to change the world one arrest at a time. He is determined to mandate equality and wipe out intolerance by criminalizing hate speech. And he will prosecute anyone who discriminates against the new legal classes of people he has helped create . . . even Pat Preston.Standing between them is their friend Matt Branson, who now works in the Justice Department.Aided by the Alliance, a legal organization dedicated to defending religious freedom, Pastor Pat fights to hold onto his faith, his family--and his mind.Can Pastor Pat and religious freedom survive this frightening world John Knox Smith is working to create? Views: 247
What if the refugee crisis happened here? What if we were the refugees?Jack, an eight year old boy is forced to flee abroad with his family when his home town is bombed. But to get there, he must first overcome hunger and thirst, rioters and scavengers, a French government unsympathetic to the plight of asylum-seekers, and the sharp end of the invading Russian army..What would it be like if the Refugee Crisis happened in England? What if we were the refugees? "The English Refugee" follows Jack, an eight year old boy, whose family is forced to flee when their home town in Kent is bombed. As they try to escape to a refugee camp in Sangatte, they fight to stay together. But to get there, they must first overcome hunger and thirst, rioters and scavengers, a French government unsympathetic to the plight of asylum-seekers, and the sharp end of the invading Russian army. . Views: 247
Goshen Cemetery lay quiet and peaceful under a benevolent spring sky. Darcy Campbell and her mother, Flora Tucker, had no inkling that in a few moments, the scene would change and they would face a horror on the ground and a threat from above, beyond their imaginations. Volume 1 of the Darcy & Flora cozy mystery series.Goshen Cemetery lay quiet and peaceful under a benevolent spring sky. Darcy Campbell and her mother, Flora Tucker, had no inkling that in a few moments, the scene would change and they would face a horror on the ground, and a threat from above, beyond their imaginations. Becoming entangled in a centuries-old legend, being targeted by a group of ruthless men, and discovering a long-lost love were not in Darcy's plans when she returned to her birth place, Levi, Oklahoma. She merely wanted to soak up the peace of her mother's home and try to heal the wounds left from her husband's death. Fate, however, had other plans for Darcy and Flora. Volume 1 of the Darcy & Flora cozy mystery series. Views: 247
Lonesome Lily Turned Scandalous Siren
Miss Lillian Hargrove has lived much of her life alone in a gilded cage, longing for love and companionship. When an artist offers her pretty promises and begs her to pose for a scandalous portrait, Lily doesn't hesitate...until the lying libertine leaves her in disgrace. With the painting now public, Lily has no choice but to turn to the one man who might save her from ruin.
Highland Devil turned Halfhearted Duke
The Duke of Warnick loathes all things English, none more so than the aristocracy. It does not matter that the imposing Scotsman has inherited one of the most venerable dukedoms in Britain—he wants nothing to do with it, especially when he discovers that the unwanted title comes with a troublesome ward, one who is far too old and far too beautiful to be his problem.
Tartan Comes to Town
Warnick arrives in London with a single goal: get the chit married and see her become someone else's problem, then return to a normal, quiet life in Scotland. It's the perfect plan, until Lily declares she'll only marry for love...and the Scot finds that there is one thing in England he likes far too much... Views: 247
Nobody should ever have to lose a baby before it's born. Both author Cori and artist Kat feel hollow, yet their strong bond enables them to go on despite tragedy since they've been through thick and thin before.
The couple has the support of family and friends, though their romantic antics scream for Cori and Kat's help. This work of LGBT fiction explores the many facets of sexual identity and attraction. From the philandering of Cori's high-profile uncle, to the throuple situation of their endearing friend Harold, there's never a dull moment when it comes to love in Boston, Massachusetts.
Kat has some big life change surprises in store and has been conspiring with Cori's mom and aunt behind her back. Is the couple headed for another tragedy in this lesbian romance, or will their enduring love conquer all?
Books in the series:
Confessions from the Heart (Prequel)
Confessions from a Coffee Shop (Book 1)
Confessions from the Dark (Book 2) **
Review
Praise for T. B. Markinson
"I've enjoyed everything I've read so far!"
"Love your writing."
"I recently discovered your work and very much enjoy it."
"Just wanted to let you know how much I look forward to reading your new books."
"I absolutely love your books!"
"You are now my new favorite author."
Praise for *Confessions from the Dark*
"Loved the book!! Laughed out loud, cried a tear, got hot under the collar -- what more can you ask of a book?"
"I just finished reading your book. It's 1:49am NY time. I had a few chapters left, but did not want to wait to finish the book."
"It was brilliant"
"I just loved it! It had romance, sex, and intrigue! I love the characters, and always look forward to their stories!"
"Awesome read." Views: 247
When I was sent to earth, I had no idea what awaited me... My creator summoned me. Then wiped my memory of him. Now I stood in a human body, my wings tucked into my back. The city that my angel group had landed in needed our help. Life for the people that lived here had become worse than bad. When I was sent to earth, I had no idea what awaited me... My creator summoned me. Then wiped my memory of him. Now I stood in a human body, my wings tucked into my back. The city that my angel group had landed in needed our help. Life for the people that lived here had become worse than bad. Avoidables and Perfects are separated by discrimination. People are shunned because of their looks or various gifts. Avoidables are dangerous, living from fear of survival. Perfects are callous, living from fear of feeling. The city is divided in two. One set of people hated the other. That had to change. They had to unite into one human race again. I would be the angel to make that happen. Avoidables Angels is a spin off from Avoidables. You can read either book first, it doesn't affect the story. This book follows four angels as they navigate their new bodies and their earthly purpose. If you enjoy dystopian fantasy, you'll love this page turner. Buy Now! Views: 247
From world-renowned biologist and primatologist Frans de Waal, a groundbreaking work on animal intelligence destined to become a classic.
What separates your mind from an animal’s? Maybe you think it’s your ability to design tools, your sense of self, or your grasp of past and future―all traits that have helped us define ourselves as the planet’s preeminent species. But in recent decades, these claims have eroded, or even been disproven outright, by a revolution in the study of animal cognition. Take the way octopuses use coconut shells as tools; elephants that classify humans by age, gender, and language; or Ayumu, the young male chimpanzee at Kyoto University whose flash memory puts that of humans to shame. Based on research involving crows, dolphins, parrots, sheep, wasps, bats, whales, and of course chimpanzees and bonobos, Frans de Waal explores both the scope and the depth of animal intelligence. He offers a firsthand account of how science has stood traditional behaviorism on its head by revealing how smart animals really are, and how we’ve underestimated their abilities for too long.
People often assume a cognitive ladder, from lower to higher forms, with our own intelligence at the top. But what if it is more like a bush, with cognition taking different forms that are often incomparable to ours? Would you presume yourself dumber than a squirrel because you’re less adept at recalling the locations of hundreds of buried acorns? Or would you judge your perception of your surroundings as more sophisticated than that of a echolocating bat? De Waal reviews the rise and fall of the mechanistic view of animals and opens our minds to the idea that animal minds are far more intricate and complex than we have assumed. De Waal’s landmark work will convince you to rethink everything you thought you knew about animal―and human―intelligence.
32 illlustrations
**Review
“Thoroughly engaging, remarkably informative, and deeply insightful…. de Waal teaches readers as much about humankind as he does about our nonhuman relatives.” (Publishers Weekly)
“Amazing…. The clarity of [De Waal’s] writing makes for a highly readable book…. a trip to the zoo may never be the same.” (Kirkus)
“This is a remarkable book by a remarkable scientist. Drawing on a growing body of research including his own, de Waal shows that animals, from elephants and chimpanzees to the lowly invertebrates, are not only smarter than we thought, but also engaged in forms of thought we have only begun to understand.” (Edward O. Wilson, University Professor Emeritus, Harvard University)
“Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? will completely change your perceptions of the abilities of animals. This book takes the reader on a fascinating journey of discovery into the world of animal problem-solving.” (Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation and Animals Make Us Human)
“A thoughtful, balanced argument…written simply enough for nonspecialists but with enough detail to engage academics who want a concise review of the field outside their own areas of expertise. The take-home message may be not only whether humans are smart enough to evaluate nonhuman intelligence, but also whether we are humble and open-minded enough to accept that humans may sometimes not be superior to the nonhumans with whom we share the world.” (Irene Pepperberg, author of Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence―and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process)
“So, are we ‘smart enough to know how smart animals are?’ The question will occur to you many times as you read Frans de Waal’s remarkable distillations of science in this astonishingly broad-spectrum book. I guarantee one thing: readers come away a lot smarter. As this book shows, we are here on Planet Earth with plenty of intelligent company.” (Carl Safina, author of Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel)
“Frans de Waal’s groundbreaking research has long challenged scientists, philosophers, and theologians to rethink the place of humans in the natural world, showing that we aren’t the only species with strategic ‘political’ behavior, elements of empathy, a sense of justice, and high intelligence. Here he covers not only primates, but a much wider range of species, showing his unique ability to translate the latest findings into sparkling, accessible, provocative books for the thinking public.” (Robert Sapolsky, author of Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers)
“Frans de Waal brilliantly demonstrates through scientific evidence, inspiring stories, and common sense that we must fully appreciate the continuous evolutionary process that led to intelligence―understanding situations, reasoning, learning, emotional and empathic knowledge, communication, planning, creativity, and problem solving―and to other amazing cognitive skills that allow various species to best survive, each in their own way. A must for those who aspire to transcend the biases of both anthropocentrism and anthropodenial.” (Matthieu Ricard, author of Altruism: The Power of Compassion to Change Yourself and the World)
“You can’t help but get a sense that de Waal has placed another nail in the coffin of behaviorism. In animal after animal, de Waal shows the depths of their intelligence and triumphantly affirms that, yes, we are smart enough to see it, and the clues have been there all along.” (Gregory Berns, author of How Dogs Love Us)
“Engaging and provocative…de Waal illuminates the latest ideas and thinking about animal minds and emotions…. He challenges us to accept the ultimate findings of this research: Our mental skills are the product of evolution, and all animals from spiders to octopuses to ravens and apes are thinkers in their own ways. And he asks us perhaps the most daunting question of all: Are we really smart enough to understand the minds of other animals?” (Virginia Morell, author of Animal Wise: How We Know Animals Think and Feel)
About the Author
Frans de Waal has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. The author of Our Inner Ape, among many other works, he is the C. H. Candler Professor in Emory University’s Psychology Department and director of the Living Links Center at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Views: 247
When it comes to addiction recovery, the most dangerous thing one can do is walk the path alone and unprepared. 'It Takes a Village' will help you learn to be mindful of those inhabiting your inner circle as well as how your personal journey can benefit others. Surround yourself with positivity and know your life has a purpose; the journey to finding our what it is starts now.When facing the often trying road of addiction recovery, having a proper support system in place can be paramount to long-term success. Through 'It Takes a Village' readers learn about the different types of people one will encounter through life, who among these characters can be trusted to form one's support network, and who should be removed from one's life for the sake of sobriety. Additionally, readers will learn how to rebuild broken relationships, use their recovery as a learning tool for others, and how to navigate the world of dating and love while staying firmly on the sober path. Views: 247
Cassie Slazak has been living a lie for a decade. As the secret lover of Bianca Durand, the daughter of Massachusetts' newly elected governor, Cassie wants Bianca to tell the world about their long-term affair. But when Bianca gets engaged to a respected lawyer, who's admired by Bianca's parents, Cassie's dreams are crushed. She not only rejected her high school sweetheart, and the small town life she adored but her Catholic faith for a woman who has controlled her for too long.
When Cassie's grandmother falls gravely ill, she returns to Delpoint, Pennsylvania to pay her last respects to the woman who raised her. Not only will she confront her past, but Freddie Koeman, the one Cassie betrayed for a possible future with Bianca.
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Bianca uses threats and emotional blackmail to keep Cassie under her thumb, forcing Cassie to choose whether to spend the rest of her life in the shadows, accepting the scraps of love and attention from her secret lover or try to recover her dignity and the love of a woman who has always lived true to herself. If she still wants her... Views: 247
