We all desire a space that feels authentically our own: somewhere we can curl up with a cup of tea or host a dinner party for our favourite people.

Many of us see homemaking as something we will do ‘one day’ – perhaps when we are no longer renting or when we have a larger budget. But interior decorator Emma Blomfield can help you start making the most of what you’ve got right now. Emma shares her tips on how to style and maintain every room in your house to achieve a state of meaningful living, and how to decorate and connect with guests through beautiful events.

We're all too busy. And that means a lot of us are racing to cross tasks off a to-do list without thinking about what it's costing us - our creativity. We're not making time for one of the things that makes us human, that makes life worth living - creating things we love. Whether you want to paint more, draw more, write comedy or make more music, Keep Creating: 83 Ways to Keep Creating the Things You Love can help you bring some much needed creativity back into your busy life with 83 simple strategies that you can apply today (no matter what your schedule looks like). Fueled by a lifetime of creative pursuits, Jason Flamm makes his debut as an author. Born into poverty and hardships in St. Louis, MO, Jason has spent most of his life looking to creativity as play. "The opposite of play is not work; it's depression." - Brian Sutton-Smith Praise for Keep Creating: "I often find myself struggling with perfectionism and insecurity. "Why am I doing this?", and "Get it done!" are two phrases I will take away from this book." - Teckming, Amazon Review "Jason Flamm is an unstoppable creative force." - Author Ben Noble "It's like getting to ask that creative, do-er friend all the things you want to know on how they actually and continually get creative work done." - Annie, Amazon Review He hopes that this book will help keep creativity and play in people throughout their entire lives. Jason created Sketchpad Comedy, a comedy organization dedicated to helping people in St. Louis create and perform sketch comedy, for this very reason. Keep creating, keep writing.

Contrary to popular belief, most people truly desire to commit to the organizations for which they work. Just as most of us would prefer not to drift from one relationship to the next, the majority of workers would rather not live like corporate gypsies. So why, at a time when employee retention is so critical to success, do so many businesses find it hard to hold on to their best people? Why, despite the perks, bonuses, and all the other "goodies" with which companies attempt to create employee commitment, does turnover continue to be such a serious problem? In this groundbreaking book, Michael O'Malley-an acknowledged expert with more than two decades of experience helping the Fortune 500 attract and retain the brightest and best-provides answers to these questions. More importantly, he spells out proven strategies for fostering solid employee/employer relationships that last. Deftly interweaving personal insight, case histories, and the latest research in the field, O'Malley explores the nature of employee commitment. He shows how many of the same needs and passions that bind people to one another in their personal lives also bind employees to managers and organizations. O'Malley describes the roles played by factors such as compatibility, trust, predictability, dependability, sensitivity to individual needs, and a willingness to compromise. He explains why organizations invariably fail when they attempt to buy employee commitment. Conversely, while more money is the most commonly cited reason for employee defection, O'Malley reveals that the real reasons often have to do with neglect, distrust, burn-out, inconsiderateness, and other nonmonetary considerations. The lion's share of Creating Commitment is devoted to detailing a practical approach to building commitment in your organization. O'Malley describes specific attitudes and behaviors that either encourage or discourage commitment and provides guidelines for assessing your company's standing on commitment. He also outlines specific steps you can take to find and hire employees who are compatible with your corporate culture; to foster a sense of belonging among employees; to build trust and reciprocity; to promote economic interdependence; and much more. A complete guide to understanding and overcoming one of the greatest challenges to business success today, Creating Commitment is must reading for every manager. Advance Praise for Michael O'Malley's Creating Commitment "Michael O'Malley has found the key to employee retention-commitment! He has taken a rigorous, research-based approach to understanding employee commitment and its implications for organization health, while using examples and comparisons from everyday life to make his insights accessible to all. The result is a must-read book for any leader concerned about keeping the best employees."-Dr. Susan Gale, Vice President, Change Management and Human Resources, Howrey Simon Arnold & White "Michael O'Malley has created a work of great insight that all professionals charged with attracting, retaining, and developing the leaders of today and tomorrow will want to read."-Corey Seitz, Senior Vice President, Executive Development, Bank of America Corporation "The two most important human aspects of organizations today are trust and commitment. Creating Commitment covers both and is loaded with stories and examples that are both readable and timely. O'Malley's contribution to today's business leaders is truly a gift."-Dr. W. Warner Burke, Chair, Department of Organization and Leadership, Teachers College, Columbia University "This is an important book for companies seeking a competitive advantage. Read Creating Commitment, and you'll know how to build lasting bonds with the employees you want most to keep."-Matt Broder, Communications Executive, Otis Elevator Company

This harrowing yet hopeful novel shares “an authentic and compassionate look at the ups and downs of teenage life and living with Tourette syndrome” (Kirkus). For most people, the number ten is just another number. But for sixteen-year-old Troy Hayes, who suffers from Tourette Syndrome and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, it dictates his entire life. He must do everything by its exacting rhythm—even in the face of ridicule and bullying. Finally fed up with the humiliation, loneliness, and pain he endures, Troy writes a list of ten things to do by the tenth anniversary of his diagnosis—culminating in suicide on the actual day. But the process of working his way through the list changes Troy’s life: he becomes friends with Khory, a smart, beautiful classmate who has her own troubled history. Khory unwittingly helps Troy cross off items on his list, moving him ever closer to his grand finale, even as she shows him that life may have more possibilities than he imagined.

The book you are about to read is a collection of posts, which have been published on the Internet, and elsewhere, under the name of "Channeled Messages of High Frequencies by RZ". The messages are channelled from what is often referred to, as the "higher self (selves) and "the all knowing self". Channelling is a natural and inborn state of being, where there is a flawless communication between the physical and non-physical realities, which ultimately are your own undivided self. It is a very pleasant and relaxed state of being, where there is only love, peace, certainty, inclusion and a free flow of information about just anything that is relevant for one's experience.

Just when you think you've learned all that you could ever know about working in Photoshop, digital artist and photomontage king Steve Caplin comes along with yet another masterful method for creating incredible works of art in Photoshop. This time, he'll show you how to create complete images, from start to finish, entirely within the software program. No source material, photographs, or existing files from other software packages are needed, saving you valuable time and resources. The techniques you'll learn in this ground-breaking new book will help you combine your artistic vision and skills with an understanding of how to manipulate the built-in Photoshop filters to produce impressive, eye-catching artwork. Each chapter opens with a complete double page illustration, created entirely in Photoshop. Then, carefully laid out step-by-step instructions show you how each element in the illustration is created, and how they are all combined in the end to make a convincing final image. Using Steve's proven methods for success, you'll be able to produce images that reflect a more finely crafted, hand drawn approach, whether you're an artist for your own enjoyment or a working professional looking for a leg up on the competition.

Cassie and Sid Sunday, once as close as sisters could be, have drifted apart. Cassie’s struggling as a stay-at-home mother to twin toddlers in Manhattan, while Sid lives an expat’s life of leisure in far-off Singapore. It doesn’t help that Sid spurns social media while Cassie is addicted to her iPhone. So when Sid suggests they reconnect the old-fashioned way—through real, handwritten letters—Cassie is on board. Intimate and honest, their correspondence becomes a kind of mutual confessional and renews their bond. But Cassie’s made a big mistake—one that their relationship, not to mention their marriages, might not survive. Keep Me Posted is a fresh and funny debut about the struggles of keeping in touch, keeping it real and keeping it together. Lisa Beazley has worked in journalism and public relations for more than fifteen years. Keep Me Posted is her first novel. ‘This novel of two sisters separated by continents and time zones is a treat. Read it! And share it. You will not be disappointed!’ Deborah Rodriguez, New York Times bestselling author of The Kabul Beauty School and The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul ‘Beazley doesn’t merely nail the look of upper-middle-class wifedom and motherhood, she reaches deep into her characters’ wandering minds and plucks out comically relatable quips. With spot-on writing, endearing characters and deliciously satisfying plotlines, Keep Me Posted proves a hilariously entertaining read.’ Daily Mail ‘The writing is very good...Ideal holiday reading.’ Bookbag ‘Charming...An uplifting and laugh-out-loud piece of writing.’ Lady ‘A very enjoyable read...An impressive debut novel and readers will look forward to more from this talented author.’ BookMooch ‘An entertaining, perceptive and sharply witty debut...full of observations about modern life, is an amusing, penetrating and enjoyable read.’ Love Reading

Griselda lives with her eccentric Aunt Hetty in a crazy, colourful town called Whoomph until one day her life changes completely and she is suddenly thrust into a scary, exciting adventure. The people expect her to protect them and she needs the gift of magic to do this. Where can she find it? Who will teach her? On her spellbinding journey she discovers the dark truth behind the town’s name and unlocks surprising mysteries, meeting odd creatures like a know-it-all talking spider called Priscilla. This is a tale of magic and fantasy, suitable for age group 9-11.