Life is full of surprises. Sometimes changes upend everything we thought we knew, inverting our perceptions of the people and world around us. Part of the joy and terror of living lies in experiencing these inversions.Scribings, Vol 5: Inversions presents eight stories from the Greater Portland Scribists, each with its own hidden twists and surprises. A former rock star who can no longer sing. Escaped convicts with much to atone for. A strange boy with an affinity for plants. Gods ...

A New York Times bestseller!Alan Gratz, bestselling author of Refugee, weaves a stunning array of voices and stories into an epic tale of teamwork in the face of tyranny -- and how just one day can change the world.June 6, 1944: The Nazis are terrorizing Europe, on their evil quest to conquer the world. The only way to stop them? The biggest, most top-secret operation ever, with the Allied nations coming together to storm German-occupied France.Welcome to D-Day.De...

Inspired by the ancient and medieval genre, A Nietzschean Bestiary gathers essays treating the most vivid and lively animal images in one of the philosophic tradition's greatest bodies of work. Leading scholars treat specific animals-such as the prowling beast of prey, Zarathustra's laughing lions, and the notorious blond beast-to ingeniously reveal how these creatures play a prominent role in the development of Nietzsche's philosophy. Numerous essays explore the nature of human a...

The editors at www.fantasticstoriesoftheimagination.com present Fantasy and Science Fiction from the Present, Past, and Future. The Cold Calculations by Michael A. Burstein, They Twinkled like Jewels by Philip José Farmer, Lingua Franca by Carole McDonnell, Dawn of Flame by Stanley G. Weinbaum, Don’t Jump by Jamie Wild, Youth by Isaac Asimov, Digger Don't Take No Requests by John Teehan, Lighter than You Think by Nelson Bond, Garden of Souls by M. Turville Heitz, The Variable Man by Philip...

It is the near future. Most people have a cranial implant for connecting directly to the Net, brain-first. When people die, all of their thoughts, hopes, dreams, and memories are extracted via this interface and encoded in the Soul Bank. Every person is stored indefinitely and made available for anyone to visit. Many partake of this opportunity to learn from the lives and mistakes of others.But the memories are just data stored in a computer system, and one day a hacker learns how ...

For as long as our species has existed, humans have always been social creatures. We gather around campfires and tables, sharing meals and stories. Somewhere inside this greater narrative lies a long string of tales that come full circle. People meet, and part, and then at some point they meet again. It seems inevitable, as if this conjunction of lives was always meant to be.In this volume, the Greater Portland Scribists explore these bonds. Whether trying to save a childhood retre...

Miscreations are things that should not exist, but do. An event happens that transforms an entity into something so amazingly good or so horribly evil that you can't help but be fascinated by its existence.Scribings, Vol 4: Miscreations contains twelve stories from the Greater Portland Scribists that explore these oddities. Errors in evolution. Discoveries in supposedly clean rooms. Extreme memory loss. Appliances that are a little too smart. Mythical beasts reborn. And one joke th...

Virtue is more than a word: it's a way for us all to live, a way to flourish as human beings. And when applied to organizational life, virtue serves to enhance engagement, strengthen relationships, and foster success in business. Picking up where the acclaimed Exception to the Rule left off, Better Humans, Better Performance connects the classical Greek virtues—Trust, Compassion, Courage, Justice, Temperance, Wisdom, and Hope—with authoritative science that can help you a...

A Choice to CheerishDuring a cold Montana Christmas, Alan cuts down and decorates a Christmas tree for himself and his dying grandfather, George. As his present, Alan may choose one of eight keepsakes of his grandfathers. Yet before he can choose, he must read a story George wrote about each keepsake. Through these stories, Alan learns the secrets of his grandfather's life.The SnowflakeChristmas 1897. Ellen Pierce ...

Our Elgar Concise Introductions are inspiring and considered introductions to the key principles in business, expertly written by some of the world’s leading scholars. The aims of the series are two-fold: to pinpoint essential principles of business and management, and to offer insights that stimulate critical thinking.This thoroughly revised second edition provides a cutting edge overview of employee engagement and explains how organizations can practically implement novel strateg...

Peacemakers. The Galactic Union's most capable enforcers and resolute negotiators, their name alone elicits fear and awe among the Union's citizenry.Being a Peacemaker isn't easy. They're charged with setting the terms and doing anything which needs to be done - even if it personally costs them everything. They must learn to honor the threat to all life, and, in the end, they must stand or fall, based on their own convictions.Welcome back to the Four Horsem...

Through words, pictures, photographs, certificates and other 'little treasures', a Life Story Book provides a detailed account of the child's early history and a chronology of their life.   This clear and concise book shows a new family-friendly way to compile a Life Story Book that promotes a sense of permanency for the child, and encourages attachments within the adoptive family. Joy Rees' improved model works chronologically backwards rather than forwards, aiming to reinforce the child'...