"My last day?" Ashley echoed, fear creeping into her voice."What do you mean?""Look at me!" Adam shouted."Do you think I deserve an obese woman like you?"He spat, his face contorting with disgust."Me?" She finally managed to whisper, her voice shaking.Betrayed by her husband and sister on her birthday night, pregnant Ashley Smith is left for dead. Fueled by anger and a thirst for vengeance, this dead girl is back with a new face and identity, but ...

The Age of Creation is based on the King James version of the Holy Bible, with proper interpretations through the additions of the original Hebrew words and the translated Greek text. It is provided for the whole world to read, by which hopefully the reader will gain a more correct understanding of the faith of Abraham that began the entire belief in one Elohim.About the AuthorElder Michael Ray Alkire began life in humble beginnings and upbringings, but his life spiraled out...

From an initial meeting over wine and dinner in Kemah, Texas to sailing the Andaman Sea west of Thailand, a group of nine adventurers earn their Coastal Cruising sailing certifications and form lasting bonds of friendship.The group of adventurers dream of buying that perfect sailboat for an around-the-world cruise. Upon returning to the States, one couple set that goal into motion for a five-year retirement cruise to ultimately reach Pitcairn Island in the South Seas to obtain a rar...

Melt your face off with the guitar greats of Jacksonville. In the 1960s, the electric guitar became for boys what Barbie was for girls. Legions of bands formed, composed of teens making a ruckus in the garage. But who could have guessed how many world-renowned greats would arise from the clangor? Guitar gods came forth from Los Angeles, London, Chicago, Nashville. But there is a southern city often overlooked, an unlikely incubator that produced more than a dozen greats. Legends such as Di...

Born at Christmas 1249 to Richard, Edmund of Cornwall was nephew to Henry III and cousin to Edward I. His eventful childhood took him to Germany when his father was elected king there. He was captured at the battle of Lewes and imprisoned for more than a year. Returning from crusade, he witnessed the brutal murder of his half-brother, which left him as heir to his father, the richest man in the kingdom. Throughout his life, Edmund played a crucial role in medieval England. As Regent of Eng...

By the time Alamogordo's founders platted the town in the late 1800s, bestowing it with the Spanish name for Fat Cottonwood, the region's lush grasses were luring cowboys such as Oliver Lee. Then, in 1941, an event more than 3,000 miles away changed the quiet community. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, chamber president Mose Cauthen quickly spearheaded bringing the Army's mission to train bomber pilots to the Tularosa Basin. During the Space Race, Dr. John Stapp oversaw the programs ...

France’s cultural and historical legacies are numerous and diverse. It has long played a dominant role on the world stage, and as one of the largest countries of the European Union, its global influence shows no signs of dying down. But despite its cultural, economic, governmental, and historical achievements, France has experienced trials and tribulations, perhaps most memorably during the French Revolution, but throughout history as well. This comprehensive volume surveys France’s assort...

As neighbors and early rival nations, Portugal and Spain have been associated for much of their histories. Yet despite their geographic proximity on the Iberian Peninsula and shared past, each boasts distinct social, cultural, and economic identities. Readers will examine the evolution of each country, witnessing the rise of their earliest civilizations, their dramatic rivalry during the Age of Discovery, their days as empire-builders, their struggles through authoritarian regimes, and the...

Germany’s complex past is riddled with both stunning triumphs and staggering failures. Once little more than a federation of tribes, over the course of its history, it formed various alliances, some of which were broken while others survived and allowed Germany to become a significant power in Europe and the world. And although a sense of German national identity was centuries in the making, folk traditions, regional culture, and a robust intellectual tradition have endured throughout the ...

With music today available on YouTube, online and satellite radio, MTV, through digital downloads, and on iPods and other handheld devices, we may think that we have heard all there is to hear about modern artists. The stories behind the songs that keep us humming are less often explored. Readers will learn how some of the most popular musicians today—entertainers such as Madonna, Adele, Kanye West, and Taylor Swift—rose to fame and made important musical breakthroughs, all while paying tr...

Although rock music continued to dominate the music scene, the sounds of the 1970s and ‘80s differed greatly from the music of the preceding decades, reflecting newer social realities. The aggressive sounds of punk music began to appeal to youth, while disco reached across cultures and brought diverse crowds together in dance clubs. New Wave had a playful, chill feel, while the electronic guitar-laden sounds heavy metal were anything but. Readers examine the various styles of music that de...

This book is a reflection of my life so far, the things I have learned and seen. I hope that in my writing I can bring you a smile or maybe see things in a new way. This is my first book and its a start of something I hope will continue the rest of my life. I have added a few short stories and poems most of them written in the past few years. I have a lot of older work but it is a lot darker and the place I am in right now is not dark and so this is what I would like to share with the worl...