Today is no ordinary day for thirty-eight-year-old Lanita Lightfoot. Today represents the culmination of years of struggle and sacrifice. Today she graduates from college. But first, Lanita’s husband treats her to a day of beauty at an upscale black salon in Los Angeles, during which she shares her story with the staff and the other customers–and what a story it is. . . Talk about an entrance. Lanita was born in a little corner store in the thick of the Watts riots. Her untimely entry into the world saved the joint from being sacked by looters–and the shop owner showed his gratitude by giving Lanita’s mother, Aretha, a decade of rent-free residence. But when the reward dries up and Aretha takes to the bottle and a no-good loser boyfriend, Lanita’s life takes a sharp turn for the worse. Forced to live in a cramped, dingy apartment, Lanita longs for her real daddy to ride to the rescue. But when he finally shows up, she finds he isn’t quite the knight she’s dreamed of. Still, Lanita is determined to make something of herself. A straight-A student throughout high school, she is accepted to Howard University in Washington, D.C., and marvels that she’s finally escaped the ghetto. As Lanita embarks on the journey of becoming a woman, she encounters icons including Michael Jackson and Todd Bridges, who help transform her perception of her own life. But one year short of graduation, she must return to Los Angeles to care for the ailing Aretha–an unpleasant reality that leads her to join in a sordid West Hollywood strip club and farther away from her dreams–until the fateful night her high school heart throb shows up at the club and shows her that the easy money she makes comes with a high price. The bestselling author of The Night Before Thirty, Tajuana “TJ” Butler delivers one of her most richly imagined, complex, and beloved characters yet–and delves into the void that many young women spend their lifetime trying to fill: the one left by a father’s absence.

In this sci-fi adventure, the beloved author of Dragon Ops takes readers on a thrilling and heart-pounding journey through a high-stakes video game world. Now safely back at home, Ian and Lilli are free to return to normal life. Except there's a major problem: Ian keeps seeing the big bad boss dragon Atreus everywhere, and he can't tell whether it's real or in his imagination. So the internet is no longer an option. That's right. Ian, king of online gaming, is out on the soccer court instead. When Atreus shows up . . . everywhere, he knows he needs his sister. But he's legally obligated to never say Dra-er, the name of the game, so how is he supposed to ask for help? When Ian and Lilli finally sign back online, it's clear that Atreus has truly been released on the open web—and even worse, Ikumi has been kidnapped and imprisoned in a video game. It's back into virtual reality, but this time it's to Mech Ops, a futuristic world of zombies and evil robots—and the game's not even finished. Will Ian and Lilli have what it takes to jump through unfinished levels undetected? Or will they get booted . . . and even worse, are there do-overs in VR that isn't even built yet?

From the beloved author of The Once and Future Geek comes this action-packed adventure set in a futuristic world filled with magic, monsters, and high-tech video gaming. One wrong move, and it's game over. Welcome to Dragon Ops, the world's first augmented-reality video-game theme park. Set on a once-deserted island, our three beta players—classic gamer geek Ian; his adventure-seeking sister, Lily; and their too-cool-for-gaming cousin, Derek—have been lucky enough to score an invite to play before the fully immersive experience opens to the public. But once inside, they find themselves trapped in a game taken over by a rogue AI dragon called Atreus, and suddenly the stakes go beyond the virtual world. With no cheat codes, guidebooks, save points, or do-overs, they'll need all their cunning and video-game hacks to beat the game . . . and survive in real life. Action-packed and unputdownable, Dragon Ops will thrill gamers and reluctant readers alike with high-tech adventure and electrifying twists and turns.

Note: Last Chance To Run is the story that inspired the Slye Team Black Ops series and was originally a RITA Winner as Worth Every Risk. "I could not put this book down...Once again Dianna has thrilled my suspense taste buds with an extra dash of spicy romance."~~ After Hours Rendezvous On the run from a madman, she can’t trust anyone, but the hot pilot with too many secrets has her heart pounding out of control. Escaping the compound of a deadly international felon with his fortune in rare, stolen coins hidden on her body, elite athlete Angel Farentino must make the most important run of her life. With a prior undeserved drug-muling conviction hanging over her head, she can trust no one, definitely not law enforcement who railroaded her through a judicial nightmare. One step ahead of lethal men and dogs on her trail, she runs into the arms of a dark stranger willing to help her if she’d let him. But that would only get the sexy pilot killed. To an undercover agent, the pretty mystery named Angel is a Person of Interest. Zane Jackson’s interested. Between figuring out who sabotaging his undercover work for the DEA and trying to save his baby sister from herself, Zane has enough on his plate. The last thing he needs is to get entangled with a woman who’s treading on the wrong side of the law. But when the long-legged distraction races into the middle of his operation and stows away on his plane, a primal need to protect her forces Zane to risk everything, starting with his heart. "Engrossing, thrilling and wonderfully steamy ... to the last shocking revelation." ~~The Romance Reviews "... cleverly builds suspense until the nerve-racking conclusion." ~~SingleTitles.com "...a no-holds-barred read. The action sizzles! At times the suspense will have you biting your nails, sitting on the edge of your seat or holding your breath." ~~Goodreads

In 1993 I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. This book is the story of what happened to me after the diagnosis. It is basically a collection of the stories I have told people about the experience.

Vicariously tour the sundrenched Mediterranean Coast in this perfectly escapist new cozy mystery series starring American expat-turned-bike tour company owner in Southern France. Perfect for fans of Donna Leon’s The Commissario Guido Brunetti Mysteries, M.L. Longworth’s Provençal Mystery series, and armchair travel! Nine months ago, Sadie Greene shocked friends and family by ditching her sensible office job in the Chicago suburbs and buying a sight-unseen French bicycling tour company, Oui Cycle. Now she’s living the unconventional life of her dreams in the gorgeous village of Sans-Souci-sur-Mer. Sans souci means carefree, but Sadie feels enough pressure to burst a tire when hometown friends arrive for a tour, including her former boss, Dom Appleton. Sadie is determined to show them the wonders of France and cycling—and to prove she made the right move. She hopes her meticulously planned nine-day itinerary will win them over, with its stunning seascapes, delicious wine tastings, hilltop villages, and, of course, frequent stops for croissants. When Dom drags his heels on fun, Sadie vows he’ll enjoy if it kills her. That is, until Dom ends up dead. The tragedy was no accident. Someone went out of their way to bring a permanent end to Dom’s vacation. As more crimes—and murder—roll in, suspicions hover over Oui Cycle. To save her dream business, help her friends, and bring justice, Sadie launches her own investigation. However, mysteries mount with every turn. On an uphill battle for clues, can Sadie come to terms with her painful past while spinning closer to the truth—or will a twisted killer put the brakes on her for good?

Unrequited Items: A Collection of Speeches, Op-Eds, Letters to Editors, and Other Musings By: Lawrence A. Rand Unrequited Items: A Collection of Speeches, Op-Eds, Letters to Editors, and Other Musings is a collection of various works from Lawrence A. Rand that he has authored through the years. Over the years, he has been published by various journals and newspapers, both technical and popular, including the The New York Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Vanity Fair. This volume contains various works that have not been previously published, but are now being released by Mr. Rand.

Battling a chronic disease can often be a lonely and frustrating ordeal. It doesnt have to be. Alone in My Universe, compiled by Wayne Brown, presents a series of writings from patients suffering from acromegaly. Based on actual personal experiences, these narratives provide a primer of understanding for others dealing with this chronic, debilitating disease that affects many of the bodys systems. This collaborative effort, written by real people touched by acromegaly, attempts to raise awareness of this low-profile disease. Each patient tells his or her story as it relates to the disease and its complications. Topics include the following: Handling pre-diagnosis frustration Dealing with fears of medical treatment and surgery Managing family issues and work issues Talking with children Managing negative energy Coping with good and bad days Living life each day With sympathy, empathy, and mutual support, Alone in the Universe shares the heartfelt stories of those suffering from acromegaly to show others that they are not alone in their battle.

Presents a twenty-one-day, three-step training program to achieve healthier thought patterns for a better quality of life by using the repetitive steps of analyzing, imagining, and reprogramming to help break down the barriers, including negative thought loops and mental roadblocks.

Sixteen simple poems emphasize specific work families. Each poem is followed by one or two reproducible worksheets. Disc contains full-color and black-and-white PDFs of each poem sheet.