In a culture where so many people think of middle age as a downward slope into comfy sneakers and quiet, meaningless existence, we can redefine the second half of life, shaping it into decades of fulfillment, fun, strength, and purpose. In our forties, fifties, and beyond, we're wrestling with new questions. Is this it? Did I do what I wanted to do in my life? Who am I now that my kids have moved out? Will my sagging skin eventually hang all the way down to my feet? We feel a little like the world has nudged us aside for the younger crowd. But God still has much in store for us. God doesn't bring us to the middle of our lives so we can park in front of the TV and binge-watch home makeover shows. There is no "midlife" to him! We are his gift to this world at every age and in every season, and it's time to embrace it like never before. Right now, we are the best we've ever been. We know more, we've done more, we've lost and loved more. We've figured out that all tweezers are not created equal for chin hairs and, best of all, we've crossed into a space of feeling more ourselves than ever before. These are exhilarating and empowering years. In Midlife Battle Cry, bestselling author Dawn Barton will inspire you to: realize that God isn't done with you (honestly, he's just getting started), view midlife as a pivot point, the start of a bold and powerful season, embrace who you are physically, spiritually, and emotionally, learn to share your experiences and wisdom with a younger generation, and accept that sometimes adding arch support to your cutest shoes is a really good idea. Blending lots of humor, honesty, stories, and insights, Dawn will walk you through redefining the mighty second half of life. It's time to rediscover your passions, pursue your dreams—and know your actions can cause not just a ripple effect but a magnificent tidal wave.

Do you believe that joy is a choice? Dawn Barton does. She's an upbeat Southerner with good hair and a successful business background, but she's had more heartache than most of us can imagine. Laughing Through the Ugly Cry is a collection of honest and sometimes raw stories. Dawn throws an arm around readers as she brings them along on her journey through the loss of a child, divorce, cancer, rape, the death of her only sibling, her husband's substance abuse, and finding her way back to Jesus in the middle of it all. Dawn shares her personal story to show readers how to find happiness and purpose even in the darkest of days. By laughing through the ugly cry, you will discover how to: Shut down negative feelings causing you to feel inadequate Identify the pros despite how challenging the cons may seem Embrace joy wherever you can find it Learn how to be honest with yourself and process grief in a healthy way Dawn writes, "If more women were open about just how difficult our lives feel and how hard we are on ourselves, I think we'd learn to relax a little and give ourselves the grace God gives us every day." Laughing Through the Ugly Cry is great for: Women of any age seeking comfort, encouragement, and inspiration Book clubs and girls' nights--Dawn poses thoughtful group questions to support meaningful conversations about growth and joy

In the 21st century, global demographics are rapidly changing, with a higher population of middle-aged people than ever before. As the ‘sandwich’ generation, people in midlife often experience significant work and intergenerational caring responsibilities, yet they are the subject of relatively little research. This short, accessible book redresses the balance in offering a geographical approach to how people embody and claim space in midlife while analysing the influences of gender, class and location. The author considers midlife in varying sociocultural and geographical contexts, viewed through the lens of the global neoliberal shift.

My nails made little moons in my palms. Middle-aged women might have froth and bubble on their upper layers but underneath, we were tidal waves. Death is coming for me, of that there is no doubt. My hair greys quicker than before, as if she already has a grip. Life with Ezra and our daughter is joyful, but the city is strange. Footsteps trail in the snow where no man has walked. An unexpected migration of birds clouds the London sky. The book buried in the grove of the cottage whispers to me, even though I ignore it. When the Wild Hunt sounds its horns and the blue goddess rides, the drumbeat of doom fills the Otherworld. Gaia is jittery, more bride than warrior. I am her champion, though I have no experience of leading an army. Though I prefer compassion to my obsidian blade. As magical factions take sides, the only constant is treachery. The new Prime Sorceress wants an alliance, but after her betrayal of Ezra, how can I trust her? As my power curls within me, Rayna’s diaries illuminate a way out of the darkness and I dare to hope destiny favours me. It all comes down to this. Blood, graft, loyal friends and a handful of multivitamins. Together, we’ll stop the rogue gods from reforging humanity in their hateful image. Together, we must find a way to cheat Death or lose it all. If you’re a fan of Paranormal Women’s Fiction and magic-wielding heroines over forty, get your hands on the final book in the Druid Heir series today. This series is complete at 7 books. Keywords: paranormal women's fiction, midlife, second chance, slow burn, found family, humor, myths, diverse, witches, werewolf shifters, vampires, strong female leads, books written by diverse authors, empowerment, mythical creatures, supernatural, N. Z. Nasser, London paranormal stories, magic, adventure, dragons, otherworldly, resilience, strength, survival, escapism, friendship, sisterhood, companionship, self-discovery, magical familiars, emotional, sentimental, wizards, strong female characters, goddesses, romance, secrets, fantasy set in city, urban fantasy, fantasy books for adults, books set in England.

Our generation is something the world has never seen before. Women born between 1950 and 1975 were pioneers in all areas of work and society, yet we have become almost completely invisible except to our families and friends, right at the time the world needs our wisdom, empathy and experience the most. OUR TIME IS NOW! INVISIBLE TO INVALUABLE is a celebration of what midlife women do, who we are and what we are capable of. It's a rallying cry for us to change the world for the better. With personal stories, exciting research and insights from a cast of inspirational women, Jane Evans and Carol Russell's manifesto blows open the ageism that's sidelined midlife women at work and in society, and sets out an empowering vision for a world where we can unlock our full potential. In a collection of chapters that range from the powerful to the playful and from the distant past to a brighter future, Jane and Carol show how there is no longer just 'young' and 'old' - there is a whole new middle that can be the best time of our lives. Even if we feel like we've hit rock bottom, or have disappeared entirely, there is a way back. This book will remind you how far we've come, show you what we're made of, and demonstrate how we can create a better future for all of us.

A beloved merengue songa phantom from the fiftiesconnects a haunted cast of characters, each in search of redemption. Elderly merengue star Ignacio dos Santos wrote this popular songEstrellita Luminosa. He once did the mambo with Hollywood star Marilyn Monroe and lived a fulfilling life. After enduring twenty years as an alcoholic in self-exile, he now dwells in a masochistic world of memories and regrets, as he searches for a reason not to self-destruct. He finds sanctuary in the brutal cockfighting pits he once turned his back on. Through the victories of Mr.Mestizo, a champion rooster, Ignacio chases his deliverance towards the grave. Also in the Dominican Republic are young Maximo and his sister, Lourdes. Tragically, a crocodile severs Maximos leg and shatters his dream of one day pitching for the New York Mets. The incident sets his life on a collision course with a vicious human trafficker who is after his sister. In order to save her, Maximo must conquer his fears and battle against his own physical and emotional handicaps. After Jaragua saves a mans life in prison, a secret society welcomes him into a world of death matches and drug smuggling. Despite the madness in his life, he remains devoted to a beautiful merengue singer named Estrellita. He must now choose between the darkness within and the only woman he has ever loved. All of these damaged characters have decisions to make, but theres no telling whether their choices will bring them happiness or damnation.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2018 What was I fighting for? Even now I'm not sure. Something so old and so deep, it has no words, no shape, no logic. Every memoir is a battle between reality and invention - but in her follow up to Clothes, Music, Boys, Viv Albertine has reinvented the genre with her unflinching honesty. To Throw Away Unopened is a fearless dissection of one woman's obsession with the truth - the truth about family, power, and her identity as a rebel and outsider. It is a gaping wound of a book, both an exercise in blood-letting and psychological archaeology, excavating what lies beneath: the fear, the loneliness, the anger. It is a brutal expose of human dysfunctionality, the impossibility of true intimacy, and the damage wrought upon us by secrets and revelations, siblings and parents. Yet it is also a testament to how we can rebuild ourselves and come to face the world again. It is a portrait of the love stories that constitute a life, often bringing as much pain as joy. With the inimitable blend of humour, vulnerability, and intelligence that makes Viv Albertine one of our finest authors working today, To Throw Away Unopened smashes through layers of propriety and leads us into a new place of savage self-discovery.

Gail Konop Baker was a runner, yoga practitioner, doctor's wife, and lifelong subscriber to Prevention magazine. But right before her forty-sixth birthday, she heard the words that would forever change her life: Just to be safe, I think we should biopsy. It was the beginning of her yearlong battle with breast cancer and its fallout - a battle that would upstage any midlife crisis she'd worried was waiting in the wings. Cancer Is a Bitch is her raw, moving, and funny account of juggling midlife, motherhood, and marriage with a rogue boob - and, ultimately, triumphing. It will, as author Lolly Winston said, ''crack [you] up one minute, then bring [you] to tears the next.''

Once the mighty superhero Commander Invincible, thirty-nine-year-old Vincent Shepherd now faces new enemies: downsizing, a second divorce, and the strains of fatherhood. Decades ago, Vince made a living fighting supervillains, huge irradiated insects, and androids armed with death rays. But when the good guys won the war, heroes like Vince grew obsolete. Certain that his younger wife is starting to find their marriage as frivolous as his old cape, Vince embarks on a scheme to reestablish himself not only as a superhero but as a super dad and a super husband. Confronting former allies with long-buried secrets, he must also battle the same demons we all encounter: doubt, regret, loss, and failure. The Midlife Crisis of Commander Invincible turns a literary lens onto the world of comic book fantasy to reveal the challenges of simply being human.

I’d animate gargoyles and vampire finches if that’s what it took to keep my loved ones safe. I have earned the grudging respect of London’s Otherworld, and I'm ready to enjoy my second chance at love with Ezra. But trouble still comes knocking. The old gods are rising, even the ones I’ve defeated before. They haven’t forgiven me for thwarting them. I might be a druid wielding Death’s sword, but without the Jericho necklace, I’m as exposed as a middle-aged jogger without a sports bra. Not even Wildwoods is a haven anymore. Especially when suspicions mount up that the Prime Sorcerer is acting against us. A woman in her midlife knows how to stand her ground, but confronting him is a dangerous game and risks ripping a chasm through the magical community. When my friends are sucked into the orbit of danger, it’s clear that none of us can escape unscathed and I'll have to take greater risks than ever before. Will we walk away with our lives, or will I be left with a knicker drawer full of regret? If you’re a fan of Paranormal Women’s Fiction and magic-wielding heroines over forty, get your hands on Druid Heir Book 5 today. This series is complete at 7 books. Keywords: paranormal women's fiction, midlife, second chance, slow burn, found family, humor, myths, diverse, witches, werewolf shifters, vampires, strong female leads, books written by diverse authors, empowerment, mythical creatures, supernatural, N. Z. Nasser, London paranormal stories, magic, adventure, dragons, otherworldly, resilience, strength, survival, escapism, friendship, sisterhood, companionship, self-discovery, magical familiars, emotional, sentimental, wizards, strong female characters, goddesses, romance, secrets, fantasy set in city, urban fantasy, fantasy books for adults, books set in England.