For over 150 years, Tlingit women artists have beaded colorful, intricately beautiful designs on moccasins, dolls, octopus bags, tunics, and other garments. Painful Beauty suggests that at a time when Indigenous cultural practices were actively being repressed, beading supported cultural continuity, demonstrating Tlingit women’s resilience, strength, and power. Beadwork served many uses, from the ceremonial to the economic, as women created beaded pieces for community use and to sell to tourists. Like other Tlingit art, beadwork reflects rich artistic visions with deep connections to the environment, clan histories, and Tlingit worldviews. Contemporary Tlingit artists Alison Bremner, Chloe French, Shgen Doo Tan George, Lily Hudson Hope, Tanis S’eiltin, and Larry McNeil foreground the significance of historical beading practices in their diverse, boundary-pushing artworks. Working with museum collection materials, photographs, archives, and interviews with artists and elders, Megan Smetzer reframes this often overlooked artform as a site of historical negotiations and contemporary inspirations. She shows how beading gave Tlingit women the freedom to innovate aesthetically, assert their clan crests and identities, support tribal sovereignty, and pass on cultural knowledge. Painful Beauty is the first dedicated study of Tlingit beadwork and contributes to the expanding literature addressing women’s artistic expressions on the Northwest Coast.
Valerie Peterson is in middle of a nap on the living room couch when she hears her ten-year-old daughter say, Mommy, mommy, you need to get up. Seconds later, Valerie learns that her sister, June, is clinging to life inside a hospital roomthe victim of a car accident involving a drunk driver. It is Saturday, April 22, 2006, and Valeries life has been forever changed by tragedy. As June lies helplessly in bed, the Peterson family believes they are all in agreement as to what is best for June. Unfortunately, they are not. Soon all the family members are victims themselves of the never-ending turmoil that surrounds life and death decisions. Comforted by her memories and overcome with trepidation, Valerie begins a tumultuous journey through the worst days of her lifea journey that culminates four days later with the horrifying news that June is dead. Now she must rely on her faith and inner strength to lead her through the darkness of grief to the light of healing and forgiveness. Based on true events, Beauty in Pain is the compelling and inspiring tale of one womans personal fight to survive in the aftermath of loss.
A New York Times and USA Today Bestseller...They agreed on three months... but their love knew no boundaries.Jack McLachlan is a winemaking magnate and easily one of Australia's most eligible bachelors. His success and wealth makes him no stranger to the complications of romantic relationships and that's why he goes to extreme measures to avoid the hassle. He prefers simplicity in the form of a beautiful female companion with no strings attached. He arranges relationships like business deals and they're always the same. No long term relationships. No real names.It's his game and his rules. He's content to play as usual, but when Laurelyn Prescott enters his life, his strategy must change because this player is like none he's ever encountered. His world is turned on its head after he begins a three month affair with the beautiful American musician. Nothing goes according to plan and as he breaks more and more of his own rules for her, she's exceptionally close to becoming something he never thought possible. His ultimate game changer.
WINNER OF THE 2020 PULITZER PRIZE IN GENERAL NONFICTION "The Undying is a startling, urgent intervention in our discourses about sickness and health, art and science, language and literature, and mortality and death. In dissecting what she terms 'the ideological regime of cancer,' Anne Boyer has produced a profound and unforgettable document on the experience of life itself." —Sally Rooney, author of Normal People "Anne Boyer’s radically unsentimental account of cancer and the 'carcinogenosphere' obliterates cliche. By demonstrating how her utterly specific experience is also irreducibly social, she opens up new spaces for thinking and feeling together. The Undying is an outraged, beautiful, and brilliant work of embodied critique." —Ben Lerner, author of The Topeka School A week after her forty-first birthday, the acclaimed poet Anne Boyer was diagnosed with highly aggressive triple-negative breast cancer. For a single mother living paycheck to paycheck who had always been the caregiver rather than the one needing care, the catastrophic illness was both a crisis and an initiation into new ideas about mortality and the gendered politics of illness. A twenty-first-century Illness as Metaphor, as well as a harrowing memoir of survival, The Undying explores the experience of illness as mediated by digital screens, weaving in ancient Roman dream diarists, cancer hoaxers and fetishists, cancer vloggers, corporate lies, John Donne, pro-pain ”dolorists,” the ecological costs of chemotherapy, and the many little murders of capitalism. It excoriates the pharmaceutical industry and the bland hypocrisies of ”pink ribbon culture” while also diving into the long literary line of women writing about their own illnesses and ongoing deaths: Audre Lorde, Kathy Acker, Susan Sontag, and others. A genre-bending memoir in the tradition of The Argonauts, The Undying will break your heart, make you angry enough to spit, and show you contemporary America as a thing both desperately ill and occasionally, perversely glorious. Includes black-and-white illustrations
A “deeply emotional . . . lyrical and haunting” debut that reimagines the Orpheus myth as a love story between two teen girls who are sent to conversion therapy (School Library Journal). “Raya and Sarah’s story is a credit to Rebele-Henry’s own teen voice, mature beyond her years. The emotionally dramatic narrative . . . rings incredibly true.” —NPR Abandoned by a single mother she never knew, 16-year-old Raya—obsessed with ancient myths—lives with her grandmother in a small conservative Texas town. For years Raya has fought to hide her feelings for her best friend and true love, Sarah. When the two are outed, they are sent to Friendly Saviors: a re-education camp meant to “fix” them and make them heterosexual. Upon arrival, Raya vows to assume the role of Orpheus, to return to the world of the living with her love—and after she, Sarah, and the other teen residents are subjected to abusive and brutal “treatments” by the staff, Raya only becomes more determined to escape. In a haunting voice reminiscent of Sylvia Plath and the contemporary lyricism of David Levithan, Brynne Rebele-Henry weaves a powerful inversion of the Orpheus myth informed by the disturbing real-world truths of conversion therapy. Orpheus Girl is a story of dysfunctional families, trauma, first love, heartbreak, and ultimately, the fierce adolescent resilience that has the power to triumph over darkness and ignorance. CW: There are scenes in this book that depict self-harm, homophobia, transphobia, and violence against LGBTQ characters.
In her debut release, Tawanda La’Shun Usher blazes the literary trails and enlightens readers in this powerful new book. Though some insist that beauty is only in the eye of the beholder, in this inspirational book you will discover that true beauty resides within you. In this fascinating study, the author examines the depth of life’s daily battles and the insecurities that can keep you bound. Next Level Beautiful will help you reflect, acknowledge, invest in yourself and ultimately transform your life. You will experience the authentic beauty that brings joy and balance to your life. Let Tawanda’s powerful testimony of transformation and success help elevate you to your Next Level Beautiful.
1991, in another dark room with a doctor. History repeating itself. “There’s nothing more we can do. Take her home and love her. She won’t live to be two.” Amber Stewart was born under impossible odds. Spinal Muscular Atrophy type one had her down for good. Every doctor, every specialist, they all underestimated her. Little did they know they were dealing with extraordinary forces and a girl with unwavering faith. This is a story unlike any you’ve ever read, about Amber’s tumultuous life filled with hardships and victories and joy unspeakable. Hope is more than a word; it has a name. Filled with wisdom and encouragement, follow her story of grace and you’ll never view miracles the same way.
The Beauty of Pain is a collection of reflections on life through the eyes of a human who has experienced most of life in pain, fear, and heartbreak. It is written in the words of a person who came from a place of utter despair and brokenness to complete healing and wholeness. It is written in the voice of every person who has been hurt, betrayed, abandoned, misjudged, and mistreated. But also in the voice of every person who didn't give up even when giving up seemed easier. The book contains one-page entries as reflections on different topics that we encounter in our everyday lives; love, relationship, self-love, hurt, betrayal, forgiveness, inspiration, respect, motivation, integrity, honesty, and more. Beauty begins the moment we embrace our pain. The darkness you're in today will lead you into the light and your biggest lessons will turn into your greatest blessings, and the pain that you've been feeling now can't compare to the joy that's coming. Find out more on www.noorniami.com
Pain is something human. Everyone deals different with it, some better, some worse. The poems and short stories written in here speak of suffering, pain, loneliness and romance mixed in an unique writing style. The perfect daydream book for hopeless romantics in a modern world and people who enjoy horror.
"Life asked Death, 'Why do people love me, but hate you?' Death responded, 'Because you are a beautiful lie, and I am a painful truth.' " Anonymous Supernatural, horror, speculative fiction, thriller Anthology of short stories Nearly 400 pages of thought-provoking fiction & fantasy A mixed-genre collection of tales both fascinating & fantastic There's an ironic beauty between humanity's love of Life and fear of Death. Life seemingly brings joy, happiness, hope, and love. Death can end sadness, illness, suffering, and pain. We asked writers to "Let the title and quote take your imagination, your story, wherever it wants to go." Join them now as an international blend of authors, both fresh and seasoned, bring you an exceptional menu of speculative fiction, mystery, realism, horror, and the supernatural. If your palate varies from the macabre to the dramatic, Beautiful Lies, Painful Truths provides an assortment of tasty treasures that will chill, delight, and give you food for thought. Family Ties by Cara Fox A metaphysical tale of life, death, and familial bonds. Red Carnation by Brandon L. Summers A thought-provoking supernatural drama of duty and death. With Infinite Complacency by Steve Cameron A sci-fi saga about the end of the world, cosmic lies, and bananas. Death and the Horse by Terri Bruce A whimsical fantasy portraying Death, equines, and characters of myth. The Fall by Paul K. Metheney On the cliff's edge of suicide, a mortal questions God's power. A Picture of You by Timothy Vincent A sci-fi drama of infidelity, self-deception, murder, and love. The Half-Dead Man by Michael J. Hultquist A macabre narrative of family, fear, and the final truth. The Bet by Paul K. Metheney Immortal entities wager on a man's choice of life or death. In Dark Places by Robert James In the wake of her husband's death, a woman seeks the truth, or madness. Again and Again by A.G. Lopes A supernatural and international story of love, coincidence, and fate. Conscius Sibi by T. Gillmore A sci-fi story uncovering deceptive origins and the fantastic truth. Ghost Trap by Douglas Clark An urban fantasy of spectral demons. Who ya' gonna call? The Firekeeper by J.M. Williams A mystical legend of Native American folklore. Heaven's Eyes by S.R. Betler A supernatural and epic tale of a woman's deadly encounters. The Devil's Embrace by S.D. Hintz Other-worldly and unholy vows: Till death (or the neighbors) do us part. Slosh by J. Ryan Blesse A graphic narrative of betrayal, pain, and death as real as today's headlines. Guardians of the Dead by J.M. Williams A Native American legend of the Afterlife. The Planet of Purple Forests by Carrie Gessner A science fiction tale of war, lies, honor, and betrayal. The Look by Robert Petyo The drama of a divorcee suspecting her ex of the worst kind of lie. Selfie Warfare by Shaun Avery Social media takes a fatal and supernatural turn in this fantastic thriller. The Forgiveness Booths by EB Pollock A science fiction mystery separating truth, lies, and justice. Pinot by Devin Bradley A dramatic thriller about lies and love and the final glass of wine. Pondering Eternity Over Waffles at Last Call by JCC Downing Vacations and celestial philosophy can boil down to romance and truth. One Night in Memphis by LJ Hippler Flash fictional tale takes a page from reality exposing a shocking truth.
