Set in 1947 The Case of the Grease Monkey's Uncle tells the story of James Arbuthnott and Archibald Cluff, two recently demobbed soldiers and their first case for the Arbuthnott and Cluff Detective Agency. An unlikely pairing, James was the taller of the two, with wavy fair hair and a moustache to match, very much the Officer and Gentleman and although of Scottish descent he had no trace of an accent, educated at Eton he had that distinguished confident air that immediately says, good breeding whilst his colleague was shorter and an altogether rougher diamond with ginger hair, from the East End of London, it would be true to say that one was tall and good looking whilst the other was not so lucky in the looks department and was built like a brick out house. Their first case involves the mysterious disappearance of the Uncle of William Trubshaw and involves, criminality, murder, intrigue, heroism and occasionally downright stupidity.
"Their journey is a really sweet and romantic one with a lot of depth and a great supporting cast, too" – USA Today – Happily Ever After Blog A romance about changing the game, finding the truth, and fancy footwork. When ballroom teacher Alex Gibson dances with Dan Maddox she's reminded of the time she stuck a knife in the toaster, gave herself an electric shock, and saw stars. He's precisely the type of man Alex's mother warned her off – a player, like the father who abandoned her. Dan Maddox comes from a long line of men who were hiding under the hood of a beat–up car when the 'successful relationship' gene was given out, but he was first in the queue for an extra jolt of chick–pulling power. The chicks in Dan's life are universally gorgeous, random, and disposable, until one drunken night when he picks the wrong girl, hurts a good friend, and realises that unless he does something to change, he'll end up like his violent, unstable father. It's Pimp My Ride meets Dancing With The Stars as Alex and Dan come together to compete in a ballroom dancing competition that changes the way they both feel about relationships and love.
The title of this book, Dealing with Screamers, Liars, and Criers, may be a bit misleading to people who do not engage in the sales and service field. Dealing with screamers, liars, and criers has nothing to do with controlling children or managing their lives. But if you do work for a business to help with problem resolution or direct sales, you know exactly what I speak of. This book has everything to do with overcoming your client's negative behavior while promoting goods and services or even persuade your fellow workers to your opinions and beliefs. At times, the distinction between naughty children and clients is hardly noticeable. Unfortunately, part of sales is dealing with screamers, liars, and criers. Many people have little or no technical training in the managing a contact. Rarely to you get this technical training. But my lifelong search for excellence in sales and service will show the reader the path to learning and succeeding. This book is not exclusive to sales professionals, for there are many ways one can be a salesperson. It may mean professing your opinion concerning a business decision. Or even more importantly, it may help you sell the most valuable product you have, yourself, when you interview for a job. Do you know how to deal with clients under the worse of conditions? This book will show you signposts to success. Within, you may learn many techniques and systems to do so. This book is dedicated to help you excel at sales and customer service. It will help you manage sales contacts and what it takes to be the best in your trade.
Mississippi, the late 1950s. After the death of his father, eleven-year-old Jory Sheppard runs away from an unwanted life in foster care. Trying to make it on his own, he is caught in a violent storm on the Mississippi River, but when he is rescued from the raging waters by an old African American man named Moses, it becomes the event that will change his life. Taken into Moses’ family as one of their own, Jory is introduced to a world so familiar and yet so very different from the one he once knew. As he learns and grows under the benevolent care of his new black family, he struggles to make sense of the society in which he lives—a society that would spit on a man such as Moses simply because his skin is black, and make every effort to rip Jory from the family he loves. Quickly entrenched in a struggle that is much bigger than himself, Jory must learn the difference between what feels necessary and what is right, what pity is, and what hate is. If he wants to fight the racism, the injustice and uncertainty that surrounds him, he must learn what it really means to stand up for what he believes in. Trade Review: "Synopsis: Mississippi, the late 1950s. After the death of his father, eleven-year-old Jory Sheppard runs away from an unwanted life in foster care. Trying to make it on his own, he is caught in a violent storm on the Mississippi River, but when he is rescued from the raging waters by an old black man named Moses, it becomes the event that will change his life. Taken into Moses' family as one of their own, Jory is introduced to a world so familiar and yet so very different from the one he once knew. As he learns and grows under the benevolent care of his new family, he struggles to make sense of the society in which he lives - a racist society that would spit on a man such as Moses simply because his skin is black, and make every effort to rip Jory from the family he loves. Quickly entrenched in a struggle that is much bigger than himself, Jory must learn the difference between what feels necessary and what is right, what pity is, and what hate is. If he wants to fight the injustice and uncertainty that surrounds him, he must learn what it really means to stand up for what he believes in. Critique: With "My Water Path", author Timothy Joseph has produced an exceptionally well crafted novel that embeds truly memorable characters into a richly embellished story. The result is a novel that is very highly recommended and would prove to be a popular addition to any community library's General Fiction collection." -- Midwest Book Review
"A first-rate thrill ride."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review HE'S GONE ROGUE Ex-navy SEAL Rock Babineaux is as Cajun as they come—spicy, sexy, and more than a bit wicked. But would he actually betray his country? Even his best friends on the special-ops Black Knights team aren't sure they can trust him. Now the target of a massive manhunt, Rock knows the only way to protect the team—especially his partner, Vanessa—is to run... SHE WON'T BACK DOWN Rock might think he can outmaneuver them all, but he hasn't counted on how stubborn Vanessa Cordero can be. And she refuses to cut him loose. Sure, her partner has his secrets, but there's no one in the world she'd rather have by her side in a tight spot. Which is good because she and Rock are about to get very tight... Praise for Black Knights Inc. Series: "Julie Ann Walker is one of those authors to be put on a keeper shelf along with Nora Roberts, Suzanne Brockmann, and Allison Brennan."—Kirkus
Sally Clay desperately needs her auto restoration business to succeed. When her best customer commits suicide and his son brings her a car to appraise, Sally suspects shady dealings. After one of her employees is murdered, Sally realizes it's too late to back out of the investigation she's stumbled into, and apparently too late for her heart, as well.
Lost and alone in the jungle, one boy will have to let go of his assumptions and anger, or be dragged down with them. Dylan Barstow has finally crossed the line. After getting caught on a late-night joyride in a stolen car, Dylan is shipped off to live with his ex-Marine uncle for the summer. But Uncle Todd has bigger plans for Dylan than push-ups and early-morning jogs. Deep in the steamy jungles of Papua New Guinea, there's a WWII fighter plane named SECOND ACE that's been lost for years, a plane that Dylan's own grandfather barely escaped from with his life. In all this time, no one has ever been able to track down SECOND ACE -- but now Dylan and his uncle are going to try.Lush and haunted, vital and deadly, these alien jungles half a world away could mean Dylan's salvation, or they could swallow him whole.
It begins with the arrival not of a detective, but of disaster: Badfort is for sale, but when Uncle decides to buy it, demolish it, and build a pleasantly appointed park on the site, he is forestalled. Beaver Hateman has sold it cheaply to someone on the condition that he, Hateman, is allowed to stay on as a paying guest. Forgetting that the man who has bought Badfort is certain to regret the "bargain", Uncle tries to console himself by continuing his never-ending exploration of Homeward. He soon discovers the mysterious Crack House - lair of a vicious and horribly squawking creature, half-bat, half-bird, called Batty - where there are rumours of buried treasure. Uncle is in need of a detective . . .
"A ground-breaking and definitive roadmap to finding success through the dynamic partnership of private equity and franchising." —Justin Nihiser, Operating Partner, Garnett Station Partners Private equity (PE) is profoundly transforming the business of franchising, as companies increasingly perceive PE transactions as an attractive alternative to going public, and as investors realize the strength and resilience of the franchise model. In recent years, franchisors and multi-unit franchisees encompassing more than 700 brands have partnered with private capital, including Subway, which announced in 2023 that after decades of independence it would be acquired by Roark Capital Group for more than $9 billion. It’s estimated that private capital is currently sitting on at least $1 trillion of “dry powder” — committed funds that haven’t yet been deployed. Franchising will continue to attract investment out of this substantial and still-growing pool. In Big Money in Franchising, franchise thought leader, board advisor, franchise investor, and PE consultant Alicia Miller demonstrates how founders and franchisees alike can effectively leverage private capital to take their businesses to the next level of performance. Miller walks through PE growth playbooks in depth, drawing on recent case studies, highlighting best practices, and sharing valuable insights into PE’s investing mindset, key players, selection criteria, and trading dynamics. The book also tracks the top challenges private capital has experienced in franchise investing, providing guidelines for vetting potential partners and conducting due diligence to avoid negative outcomes, value destruction, and stall-outs. Featuring interviews with franchise entrepreneurs, brand founders, deal advisors, and PE executives, Big Money in Franchising empowers readers with the information needed to build enterprise value and climb the private equity profit ladder.
A USA Today Bestseller! Black Knights Inc.—Behind the facade of their tricked–out motorcycle shop is an elite special ops team assigned the jobs too hot for anyone else to handle. Hold On Tight... Ex–Marine Nate "Ghost" Weller is an expert at keeping his cool—and his distance—which makes him one hell of a sniper. It's also how he keeps his feelings for Ali Morgan in check. Sweet, sexy Ali has always revved his engine, but she's his best friend's baby sister...and totally off limits. Rough Road Ahead Ali's never seen anything sexier than Nate Weller straddling his custom Harley—or the flash of danger in his eyes when she tells him she's in trouble. First something happened to her brother, and now she's become the target of a nasty international organization. With Nate, her life is in the most capable hands possible—but her heart is another story altogether. Black Knights Inc. Series Hell on Wheels (Book 1) In Rides Trouble (Book 2) Rev It Up (Book 3) Thrill Ride (Book 4) Born Wild (Book 5) Hell for Leather (Book 6) Full Throttle (Book 7) Too Hard to Handle (Book 8) Wild Ride (Book 9 — coming April 2017!)
