Abandoned by his father, neglected by his mother, shuttled between foster homes and a boys ranch for most of his formative years, a young man refuses to succumb to the fate that the world says should be his. Early on, Alton decides he wants a "nor­mal life"--even if that means standing up to abusive relatives and being teased by his siblings and their friends. Along the way, he keeps an eye out for those who might help lighten the load, never losing hope that such people exist.

Readers can take a trip back in time and discover the people and places of yesteryear and find out why Alton, Illinois, has been named one of the most haunted regions in America. Explore its early history, then prepare for a spine-tingling look at the area's legends, lore, ghosts and hauntings.

This is the story of a very courageous man, my brother, Alton. Courage has many faces, but none more unique than that of this man, Al. He faced each day with courage, hope, and profound faith that everything would be fine even in the midst of some of the most horrific experiences a person could imagine. A vital, good looking young man of twenty-one, in a brief moment of fun, accidentally set himself a course for life that would last forty-one years, and that ultimately changed him into "a patchwork of body parts" but made him the most remarkable man I would ever know.

The river bend near the confluence of three great rivers--the Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois--was founded by Rufus Easton between 1814 and 1818 for land development and a ferry service between Illinois and St. Louis. Named for one of Easton's sons, Alton developed into a bustling river town. In 1837, Alton's economy was hurt by financial panic and its reputation blotted by the murder of abolitionist newspaper publisher Elijah Lovejoy. But by the 1850s, Alton had caught "railroad fever," which, along with plentiful natural resources, fueled its growth as a manufacturing city. Fortunes were made, and by the 20th century, Alton boasted fine churches, schools, and millionaires' mansions. On the other end of the social scale lived the workers in their neighborhoods. The river, the railroad, and the diverse people they brought to the river bend shaped Alton's history and culture.

David Kane’s completely gripping origin story. Find out how he went from Black Ops to Black Rock Falls in this short 150-page read you won’t be able to put down. She pulls the door of her office closed and hurries over to her beaten-up old Toyota parked in a deserted alley. Slipping into the driver’s seat, she checks the rear-view mirror, and her heart stops. Staring back at her are the dark eyes of a stranger. She opens her mouth to scream, but it’s already too late… When secretary Annie Parkes is snatched from the street outside of her workplace, David Kane is tasked with finding her. Strong, highly skilled, and secretive, he’s a loner and an outsider; the only man the military trust to find Annie before her kidnappers make good on their promise to kill her. But as Kane pulls Annie from a derelict building, gunshots ringing through the deserted streets around them, he realizes rescuing her is just the beginning. He needs to keep her close to find out who is behind her capture, and to keep her safe. Hiding out in a remote part of town, Kane feels the walls he put up around himself many years ago begin to slip in front of Annie. Could she be more than just a job? With an old enemy hot on his tail, showing any weakness could be fatal—but when Annie is dragged back into danger once again, could he already be too late? Fans of the USA Today bestselling Detectives Kane and Alton series will finally find out the truth behind Deputy David Kane’s secret past. If you enjoy Lisa Regan, Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot you will love this gripping short read. What readers are saying about Lose Your Breath: “Just WOW. I absolutely LOVED this book… I can’t remember the last time I stayed awake until 1am to finish a book… It deserves more than five stars.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “An epic story… Honestly, it’s a page-turner… Packed with action and emotion, and I genuinely couldn’t put it down.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars “Wonderful book! I absolutely adore this series… Had me reading and finishing the book in no time!… Stunning, a page-turner.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars “This book was everything I hoped it would be!… An absolute must-read.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “I felt like I was on a rollercoaster… It is one of the best books I’ve read this year.” Seansbookreviews, 5 stars “Wow! Great book!… What a heart-pounder!” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars “This book was everything I needed and more!!!” @Succaforbooks, 5 stars “It has romance, suspense and more suspense. I loved it!… I couldn’t put this book down.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “Wow, what a rollercoaster ride! Action packed and tension filled.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars “A hard-to-put-down thriller.” Old Girl Reads, 5 stars “Omg, wow… I was almost in tears at one point.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “So much action, tension and death-defying moments packed into it, you wouldn’t believe!… Captivating… but it was also so emotional, leaving tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat.” Stardustbookreviews, 5 stars “It had me on the edge of my seat and I devoured it in a sitting… And absolute must-read.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “No kidding when reviewer said ‘You can’t put it down’, they were completely right!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “Fantastic… I couldn’t stop reading.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “This story had it all! It was a thrilling ride.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “It’s short and packs a punch… has your breath racing.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

A true story about the perils of turning eighteen and aging out of the foster care system--written by the man who lived it.

Devoted to his craft--sometimes to the detriment of his reputation--cinematographer John Alton (1901-1996) was sought after by such directors as Vincente Minnelli, Richard Brooks and Anthony Mann but was disdained by others of comparable talent. An auteur in the truest sense, Alton established a landmark body of work described by Variety film critic Todd McCarthy as "The essence, and ultimate example, of film noir ... logically created by a cinematographer, not a director." This collection of new essays by filmmakers and film scholars explores the central role Alton's distinctive style of "painting with light" played in formulating the aesthetics of noir, as well as his contributions to other genres.

History of East Alton, Illinois as told mostly through pictures.

"Historic Alton" is a book of beautiful art work and interesting facts. Growing up in Alton, Mr. Mossman has captured a unique insight surrounding the history and art of local Alton. This attractive book will make a valuable addition to any history lovers coffee table.