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It’s the summer of 1976—the Bicentennial of America—and 13-year-old Mary is about to embark on the road trip of a lifetime. With her father at the wheel, her twin younger sisters in the back seat, and their baby-blue Peugeot sedan—affectionately named Blue Pierre—as their ride, Mary sets off on a cross-country adventure filled with fireworks, flag ceremonies, and hard-earned truths. What begins as a patriotic escape from small-town Ohio quickly becomes a test of loyalty, courage, and growing up. As her father’s behavior turns more erratic, Mary must navigate not just unfamiliar highways but the shifting landscape of her own beliefs. When the journey takes a turn they never expected, Mary discovers that sometimes the people you love the most are the hardest to understand. Told with heart, humor, and a vivid sense of 70s nostalgia, Bicentennial Summer is a coming-of-age story about family, freedom, and finding your own way when the map runs out. Perfect for fans of The Glass Castle and The Bean Trees, this unforgettable debut explores the bittersweet moment when childhood ends—and independence begins. Whether you remember the Bicentennial or are just discovering it, Mary’s voice will linger with you long after the last mile is driven. -
No more diets, guilt, or shame. Instead—a step-by- step process of self-discovery to heal your relationship with food and your body.
The Cherry Pie Paradox will help you:
- Leave the self-critic behind; instead, engage your curiosity and your inner coach.
- Uncover and let go of the old stories, hidden beliefs, and toxic messages that have undermined your confidence and perseverance.
- Sharpen your taste buds and your attention, so you can savor the foods you love without feeling the need to overeat.
- Tune up your inner fuel gauge, so what you eat better matches your body’s needs.
- Nurture a kinder, more appreciative connection with your body, ”warts and all.”
- Put into daily practice 8 SuperTools that will help you eat wisely. For life.
- And so much more. You’ll soon realize this process also works on other life challenges. -
What does it take to overcome deeply embedded family traumas, career-ending betrayals, and failed relationships? What is the personal cost of keeping secrets—and staying in the closet? These are questions that Mary Means explores in her memoir, as she navigates growing up as a young closeted lesbian in Georgia during the 1960s and learning to love—and be loved—as an adult. Through the deaths of loved ones, the fear of discovery, and the budding of a legacy that would come to change lives across the nation, Something Worth Saving tells a story of resilience and self-discovery perfect for anyone who has ever struggled to maintain a flawless facade when inside they were crumbling. Mary Means is an award-winning leader, founder of the Main Street revitalization movement that has brought vitality back to countless town centers. Her candor and vulnerability permeate her remarkable story. -
Every family has a story. Every story, eventually, must be told.
For most of their lives, Julian Perel and his sister, Paula, lived in a house cast in silence, witnesses to a father struggling with a devastating secret too painful to share. Though their father took his demons to the grave, his past refuses to rest.
As adults, brother and sister struggle to find their voices. A scientist governed by numbers and logic, Julian now lives an ordered life of routine and seclusion. In contrast, Paula has entered the world as eagerly as Julian retracts from it. An aspiring opera singer, she is always moving, buoyant with sound.
Yet both their lives begin to change on a Wednesday, miercoles, the day that sounds like miracles.
Before embarking on a European opera tour, Paula asks her housekeeper, Sola, to stay at her place--and to look after Julian in the apartment above. Sola, too, has a story.
As Paula uncovers pieces of her father's early life in Budapest and the horrifying truth of his past, Julian bears witness to Sola's story--revelations that help all three learn how to both surrender and revere the shadows that have followed them for so long.
The Speed of Light is a powerful novel about three unforgettable souls who overcome the tragedies of the past to reconnect with one another and the world around them. Elizabeth Rosner has created a beautifully interwoven story of love and redemption that proves the pain of the untold story is far greater than even the most difficult truth.
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Prepare for an adventure beyond your imagination. Martial artist and fencer Lucian Stiles, longs for an exciting life and finds himself teleported from our reality to a realm that holds the Duras Kingdom. Caught in the middle of a war between a king and a powerful baron, Lucian finds excitement, love and danger in a world of sword fighting and sorcery. Joining the Duras Knights, he and his true love, Princess Raven, embark on an incredible journey full of terrifying creatures and deadly assassins. - Featuring original score by SOVAS-award winning composer, Daryl Bolicek at Wild Horse Recording To best experience the Cinematic Music & Full Sound Design, please listen with earbuds or headphones! Currently available exclusively on AMPlify Audiobooks! -
Have you ever had a resentment toward someone or yourself that just won’t go away? Does it keep you up at night as you toss and turn in anger? If you answered yes to either of these questions, The Art of Forgiveness is a valuable book for you to read. It guides you on a journey that resolves your feelings of resentment. It brings you peace and freedom from resentment, such that you gain a calm and serene attitude. It helps you heal from old wounds you’ve struggled with for years. Using her life as an example, Carolyn CJ Jones shares a little bit about her upbringing and the trauma and abuse she suffers as a child. While at home, she learns to keep a smile on her face and her mouth shut. As an adult, CJ becomes an angry, bitter, blaming victim, and finds fault with everything and everyone. She lets you see how she manages her feelings by drinking and drugging as they deaden the pain she feels. CJ relays the journey that led her to her bottom with her 30-year drinking habit. It was an unrequited love that takes her out. CJ grieved what never was to be for seven years until she discovered five things about the rejection for which she could be grateful. That was a major turning point for her. Throughout The Art of Forgiveness are tidbits of wisdom that CJ learned the hard way throughout her life. Those bits of wisdom are life savers for you to use in your own journey to wholeness. Gratitude plays an important role in the process, as does positivity. CJ shares the YIPPEE Method of Healing that she created to guide you through your difficult feelings to resolve resentment so you can heal. YIPPEE is an acronym that stands for Yearn, Investigate, Process, Practice, Evolve, and Empower. At the end of the Empower stage, you discover you have forgiven the offense, or you are on the verge of forgiveness, and you begin to gain peace. Each section of YIPPEE is powerful as you examine your feelings, your resentment. If you are searching for words, ideas, or wisdom to feel better.