After the strong woman had transmigrated, she discovered that she had become the young widow whose love had been lost. Facing her in-laws who were determined to falsely accuse her, Jiao Jiao used her intelligence to start her valiant life. What right did a man have to have three wives and four concubines? A woman had to have three ways and four morals. She had a cute and beautiful appearance and a delicate figure, so how could a man love her every night? You said she was born weak? Sorry, she can talk and have brains, so she earns as much as a man. Since she was able to live again, she used her identity as a servant girl to gain fame, earn a lot of money, and gamble with a loyal dog that pampered her to protect her.
From the disability rights advocate and creator of the #DisabledAndCute viral campaign, a thoughtful, inspiring, and charming collection of essays exploring what it means to be black and disabled in a mostly able-bodied white America. Keah Brown loves herself, but that hadn’t always been the case. Born with cerebral palsy, her greatest desire used to be normalcy and refuge from the steady stream of self-hate society strengthened inside her. But after years of introspection and reaching out to others in her community, she has reclaimed herself and changed her perspective. In The Pretty One, Brown gives a contemporary and relatable voice to the disabled—so often portrayed as mute, weak, or isolated. With clear, fresh, and light-hearted prose, these essays explore everything from her relationship with her able-bodied identical twin (called “the pretty one” by friends) to navigating romance; her deep affinity for all things pop culture—and her disappointment with the media’s distorted view of disability; and her declaration of self-love with the viral hashtag #DisabledAndCute. By “smashing stigmas, empowering her community, and celebrating herself” (Teen Vogue), Brown and The Pretty One aims to expand the conversation about disability and inspire self-love for people of all backgrounds.
Cornelius Hedge finds it difficult enough to talk to people he does know let alone people he doesn't. So he's plunged into gloom when he is dragooned into driving the female friend of a colleague's wife through France. How on earth is he expected to make small talk from Boulogne to Montelimar? First impressions are not auspicious: the moment he introduces himself, the woman inexplicably bursts into tears. But by the time they've reached their destination, Cornelius has grown increasingly fond of the unassuming Katrina. She is interesting, entertaining, amusing; he'd actually like to see more of her. At their age however, the past has a habit of intruding on the present. Ex-husbands, ex-wives, selfish sisters and sulky teenagers all seem to conspire to thwart the budding romance. What's worse, both Katrina and Cornelius are hiding secrets from their past. Secrets that burst into the open – with rather surprising results. The sparkling romance from the much-loved, bestselling author of Recipe for Scandal. If you love Wendy Holden, Elizabeth Buchan, Katie Fforde and Catherine Alliott, make Debby Holt your next read! What everyone is saying about Love Affairs for Grown-Ups: ‘Thoroughly enjoyable ... Had me smiling from start to finish’ Erica James ‘I absolutely love this book. It is as funny as it is wise and I couldn’t put it down’ Katie Fforde ‘A wickedly comical read’ Heat ‘From the author of the superb Ex-Wife’s Survival Guide comes another wicked treat’ Daily Mirror ‘This fast-paced romantic comedy is perfect bad-weather escapism’ She ‘Clever and surprising’ Daily Mail ‘Laced with wise and witty humour this is great fun’ Woman ‘A deliciously funny, gently ironic novel, Jane Austen-like in its elegance and playfulness’ Women’s Weekly
In a society that pushes conformity, how can you be courageously authentic despite fear of judgment? Award-winning leadership and diversity expert Ritu Bhasin gives you the tools to make this happen. This is more than a call to "be yourself"-it's a rally to disrupt the status quo, bring your differences to the light, and help others do the same.
Acclaimed author Emery Lord pens another gorgeous story of best friends, new love, and second chances. * "Will inspire readers." --SLJ, starred review It's been a year since it happened--when Paige Hancock's first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her--the perfect way to convince everyone she's back to normal. Next: Join a club--simple, it's high school after all. But when Ryan's sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live? Acclaim for The Start of Me and You A Huffington Post Top YA Books of 2015 One of PopSugar's Best YA Books of 2015
The national bestseller, named a best book of the year by The New Yorker, NPR, Slate, The Economist, The New Republic, Bookforum, Baltimore City Paper, The Daily Beast, National Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Reader, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Buzzfeed and many others. A New York Times Editors' Choice and a Washington Post Notable book. "Adelle Waldman's debut novel, The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P., scrutinizes Nate and the subculture that he thrives in with a patient, anthropological detachment. Ms. Waldman has sorted and cross-categorized the inhabitants of Nate's world with a witty, often breathtaking precision..."--Maria Russo, The New York Times "Adelle Waldman just may be this generation's Jane Austen"--The Boston Globe A debut novel by a brilliant young woman about the romantic life of a brilliant young man. Writer Nate Piven's star is rising. After several lean and striving years, he has his pick of both magazine assignments and women: Juliet, the hotshot business reporter; Elisa, his gorgeous ex-girlfriend, now friend; and Hannah, "almost universally regarded as nice and smart, or smart and nice," who holds her own in conversation with his friends. When one relationship grows more serious, Nate is forced to consider what it is he really wants. In Nate's 21st-century literary world, wit and conversation are not at all dead. Is romance? Novelist Adelle Waldman plunges into the psyche of a flawed, sometimes infuriating modern man--one who thinks of himself as beyond superficial judgment, yet constantly struggles with his own status anxiety, who is drawn to women, yet has a habit of letting them down in ways that may just make him an emblem of our times. With tough-minded intelligence and wry good humor The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. is an absorbing tale of one young man's search for happiness--and an inside look at how he really thinks about women, sex and love.
"What a pretty flower to keep locked in a big, rocky tower." Nineteen years ago, I was plucked from the heart of a bloody massacre that spared nobody else. Small. Fragile. An enigma. Now ward to a powerful High Master who knows too much and says too little, I lead a simple life, never straying from the confines of an imaginary line I've drawn around the castle grounds. Stay within. Never leave. Out there, the monsters lurk. Inside, I'm safe...though at a cost far greater than the blood I drip into a goblet daily. Toxic, unreciprocated love for a man who's utterly unavailable. My savior. My protector. My almost executioner. I can't help but be enamored with the arcane man who holds the power to pull my roots from the ground. When voracious beasts spill across the land and threaten to fray the fabric of my tailored existence, the petals of reality will peel back to reveal an ugly truth. But in a castle puddled with secrets, none are greater than the one I've kept from myself. No tower is tall enough to protect me from the horror that tore my life to shreds. To Bleed a Crystal Bloom is a dark Rapunzel reimagining full of immersive imagery and breathtaking angst.
Parasocial Romantic Relationships: Falling in Love with Media Figures explores how, why, and to what effect individuals develop romantic feelings toward people they “know” from the media. These imaginary, one-sided relationships, dubbed parasocial romantic relationships, are both profound and pervasive, Riva Tukachinsky Forster argues. These relationships can take many forms, including adolescents who develop celebrity crushes on popular music artist, anime enthusiasts who “marry” their favorite characters, and fanfiction authors who insert themselves into narratives as romantic interests of the protagonist. Through analysis of surveys, in-depth interviews, and historical examples, this book advances our understanding of parasocial romantic relationships on both a sociocultural and a psychological level. The data and theories analyzed offer insights into how individuals can become romantically engaged with people they do not actually know, some of whom may not even exist in reality. Ultimately, Tukachinsky Forster argues that although these relationships exist only in the mind of consumers, they serve important psychological functions across different stages of life and can lead to significant consequences for individuals’ nonmediated relationships. Scholars of media studies, communication, psychology, and sociology will find this book particularly useful.
Short Story Press Presents A Sworded Love Affair by Christine Tanner A Sworded Love Affair, is the story of a young woman who is looking for a good guy and a new hobby. She takes up the sport of fencing and finds that her coach and instructor is the man who she's been hoping to find for years. He is nice, good looking, smart and witty. Their first lesson lasts for hours instead of just an hour. He cooks her a meal and they chat, even meet up the next day for a second lesson. It is that day where she takes a chance on love and asks him out. Read and meet Sierra and see how she finds John, her instructor for fencing and how their love affair seems so simple to find. It is really a wonderful adventure in finding love in the oddest places. With a lovely ending that will make you warm and fuzzy inside. Short Story Press publishes short stories written by everyday writers.
