Have you ever felt like a goldfish in a bowlthe way the goldfish seems to be full of anxiety swimming around in circles as if trying to find a way out? In this memoir, author Onika Pointer discusses how she felt like a goldfish in a bowl for most of her life, and she demonstrates how she learns to take responsibility for her own happiness. Granddaughter and great niece of the famous singing group, The Pointer Sisters, Onika was born at the peak of the groups success. In Humble Bastard, she talks about the privileges and advantages afforded to her as a result of her familys stardom. But this memoir also addresses how some of that privilege came with pain. Abused by her mother both physically and emotionally for seventeen years, Onika reveals the darkness in her lifeweight issues, suicide attempts, homelessness, a tragic accident, and the deaths of those close to her. Endowed with a sixth sense that allows her to see past time and before time, Onika looks within herself, discovers personal strength, and prevails. Humble Bastard speaks to those in similar situations and demonstrates that hopes, goals, and inner peace are all attainable.
Randolph Stow was one of the great Australian writers of his generation. His novel To the Islands - written in his early twenties after living on a remote Aboriginal mission - won the Miles Franklin Award for 1958. In later life, after publishing seven remarkable novels and several collections of poetry, Stow's literary output slowed. This biography examines the productive period as well as his long periods of publishing silence. In Mick: A Life of Randolph Stow, Suzanne Falkiner unravels the reasons behind Randolph Stow's quiet retreat from Australia and the wider literary world. Meticulously researched, insightful and at times deeply moving, Falkiner's biography pieces together an intriguing story from Stow's personal letters, diaries, and interviews with the people who knew him best. And many of her tales - from Stow's beginnings in idyllic rural Australia, to his critical turning point in Papua New Guinea, and his final years in Essex, England - provide us with keys to unlock the meaning of Stow's rich and introspective works. *** "The overriding virtue of this book is Falkiner's steady trust in the intelligence of her readers. She spells very little out, presenting us instead with this carefully curated wealth of textual evidence." -- Kerryn Goldsworthy, Australian Book Review *** Finally we have some sense of the wounds that shaped and animated Stow's poetry and fiction." -- Geordie Williamson, The Australian *** "Suzanne Falkiner's prodigious biography of Randolph Stow is a book long awaited by many; not just the literati of his native Australia but those countless readers who feasted on his novels and wondered what kind of person could write with such imaginative power. Not only do we come to appreciate what led this renowned Australian writer to create his celebrated fictional works, but we are also given rare glimpses into the inner world of this most private individual, whose personal demons included a dependence on alcohol, two suicide attempts, and struggles with homosexuality. Falkiner cut her teeth on six previous biographies, which stood her in good stead to tackle this challenge. Against significant odds, she has done a masterful job in painting a portrait of one of Australia's most revered writers, somewhat akin to what compatriot David Marr did for Nobel Prize-winning author Patrick White. It will no doubt send readers scurrying back to Stow's novels, which, as Marr once said, is the best news a biographer can hear." --World Literature Today, January-February 2017 [Subject: Biography, Literary Criticism]
Two unlikely treasure hunters… Lady Selene Ware was nothing more than a harem slave when reformed assassin Kadar Ben Arnaud helped her escape to her native Scotland. But she still wasn’t safe from the sheikh who claimed her as his property—and who now forces her and Kadar on a quest to find the most powerful religious relic of all time. One perilous journey… So begins a dangerous odyssey that leads Selene and Kadar to an encounter with the reclusive Tarik, who now possesses the treasure. The closer they come to discovering its secret, however, the closer they will come to losing each other—and their lives. The stakes couldn’t be higher…. The truth is far more explosive than the treasure hunters could ever have realized. Even as Selene grasps the key to this age-old mystery, Kadar is forced to step over the line separating the dark path from the light to save her from an unthinkable fate.
Praise for The Wicked Wedding of Miss Ellie Vyne: "[The characters] banter and quibble with comic perfection."—Publishers Weekly "Wickedly funny, fast and sassy romance."—RT Book Reviews She Designs Dresses for London's Leading Ladies Molly Robbins is finally stepping into the spotlight. Her unique dress designs have caught the eye of London's elite. And if it means her own dress shop, proper Molly will make a deal with the devil himself—the notoriously naughty Earl of Everscham. But becoming his mistress is not a part of their arrangement. It's right there in the contract's fine print: No Tomfoolery. He's an Expert at Taking Them Off Carver Danforthe has a reputation for beautiful mistresses, cutting remarks, and shirking his responsibilities—not for indulging the ambitions of his sister's maid. He must have been drunk when he signed that blasted contract. The stubborn female may thing she's gotten the best of him, but what this situation calls for is a little hands-on negotiating... All's Fair in Love and Fashion
X-Men meets Blake Crouch in the explosive conclusion to Daniel Price’s genre-bending Silvers trilogy about six extraordinary people whose fates become intertwined on an Earth far different from our own...one that is headed for utter destruction. It's been two years since the world collapsed in a sheet of light, obliterating everything on Earth...but not quite everyone. Saved from the apocalypse by three mysterious beings, sisters Hannah and Amanda Given were marked with silver bracelets, along with four other survivors from their native world, and transported to an entirely different Earth, a place where the fabric of time is manipulated by common household appliances. Afflicted with time-bending powers they never wanted, and on the run from unexpected new enemies, “the Silvers” embarked on a dangerous journey for survival across an alien America—a hunt for answers that bound the group like family while revealing the gravely sinister intentions of their so-called saviors. But their new Earth is about to suffer the same fate as the old one and the Silvers have only ten weeks to prevent it. Their one hope is to find the remaining survivors of their home world—a quest that will take them from Mexico to England to a radically changed Japan—to gain more allies for the final confrontation with the godlike beings who first brought them to this Earth. Failure will mean death for billions of people. But victory may come at a cost the Silvers can’t afford.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen comes a classic tale of opposites attracting—and finding love in the most unexpected places. When P.I. Honey Winston is hired to steal incriminating letters from visiting dignitary Prince Rubinoff, she’s prepared for a dangerous mission that could end her career. But when she blows her cover, she finds that the amused prince is everything the media have made him out to be: part Adonis, part playboy—and irresistibly charismatic. The problem is, the feeling is mutual. Intrigued, the prince is determined to keep his gorgeous young trespasser by his side as long as possible. For he’s never met anyone quite as daring, or breathtaking, as Honey. With the tables turned, Prince Rubinoff has Honey appointed his personal bodyguard. The official reason is an assassination plot. The truth is far more dangerous….
After the success of “Operation Fox-Hunt”, Sanjay Khanna is back in action. And this time the stakes are higher. Hurt and pushed to the back foot by Indian political actions in Kashmir, the Pakistani Military establishment is angry and decides to strike, hard! Their man for the job, Major Mansoor Khan of the Pakistan Army is given a target. A deadly weapon from an old conflict is summoned back from its exile to deliver a crippling blow that will change the history of the subcontinent. Mansoor and his men have their tasks cut out. With a handpicked team and a well-oiled plan, they are on their way. Can they be stopped in time? Will the Indian security agencies be able to detect and neutralise the attack? Operation Hellfire unfolds across the crystal-clear waters off Thailand to the mountains of Chakrata in India, via the dusty expanse of Afghan countryside through the intrigue filled city of Quetta, right through to the heart of India, Delhi. A heady mix of thrilling detective work combined with high octane explosive action keeps you turning the pages.
Aperture Alike began when the author first walked into a rock-climbing gym, and soon after, a community, more than a decade ago. A community held up by friends, mentors, and unlikely prophets of the steep, which quickly presented a fantastic, intoxicating path; a lifestyle without equal. While the sensational, rugged, and itinerant chapters - from high peaks to depraved inner landscapes – of the outdoor life came together, one facet soon became clear. The inner journeys of those friends, mentors, and homely prophets far exceeded any outward feat of will. Aperture Alike attempts to shine light into the deeper realities, the inner character swings and the unplanned arcs of those who have both devoted themselves to an outside craft, and to defining themselves apart from it. Aperture Alike is a collection of short stories about community, about people pursuing their own immutably holy center point, in the midst of a life defined by trials and tribulation.
