"What is Real?" asked the Rabbit one day. . . . "Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. ". . . it doesn't happen to people who break easily or have sharp edges or who have to be carefully kept . . . once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." The moral of The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, captured in the words of the wise old Skin Horse, inspired psychotherapist and professor Toni Raiten-D'Antonio's bestseller The Velveteen Principles. It also provides one of the cornerstone concepts—that individuality makes every woman uniquely valuable—for her much-awaited second book, The Velveteen Principles for Women. Drawing from many sources—the stories of devoted readers, students, therapy clients, and even her own life—the author offers a provocative, inspiring, and practical guide for women who want to be Real. With wit, wisdom, and insight, she teaches readers how they can: Identify the toxic messages in modern society Resist being ruled by OPO (Other People’s Opinions) Break the powerful should/shame cycle Avoid the POW (Perfect Object Woman) trap Custom-design a Real life and become truly happy Build loving relationships All the tools for creating a Real life are here in The Velveteen Principles for Women. Keen observations shine light on the forces that promote generic concepts of beauty and happiness. Stories from the lives of Real women offer inspiration. Emotionally powerful exercises help you find your Real values and passions. And the Principles—empathy, generosity, courage, ethics and more—are signposts leading to love and fulfillment. The Velveteen Principles for Women is a motivational guidebook for those who want to identify the sources of their unhappiness and become genuinely Real themselves. It is essential reading for women who want to free themselves from self-doubt, silence their inner critics, and live as the Real, unique, valuable women they are meant to be. Sales Points The Velveteen Principles, Toni Raiten-D'Antonio's first book, sold over 70,000 copies The Velveteen Principles had successful tie-ins including The Velveteen Collection, The Velveteen Principles Gift Set, and The Velveteen Rabbit Gift Set

The Velveteen Principles was a surprise bestseller and now a limited release of a beautiful holiday edition is available as the perfect gift to celebrate the land of REAL – real values, real emotions, real self—with the help of a the beloved Velveteen Rabbit. In The Velveteen Principles, psychotherapist Toni D'Antonio laid out the 12 principles she learned about how to live an authentic life from the classic children's book, The Velveteen Rabbit. The timeless advice, compelling anecdotes and friendly, encouraging voice immediately struck a chord with thousands of readers and made the book a surprise hit in 2004. This limited edition holiday release is a celebration of renewal and living a life that is true to one's aspirations. This beautiful gift book will be treasured for holidays to come.

"The Velveteen Rabbit" is a timeless classic that has captivated readers for over a century.An enchanting tale about a soft toy rabbit's journey to becoming Real. Through his adventures with his best friend, Boy, the rabbit learns about the transformative power of love, loyalty, and imagination. When Boy falls ill, the rabbit faces the ultimate test of strength and resilience. "The Velveteen Rabbit" is a heartwarming story of childhood innocence and the bonds of friendship that continues to inspire generation after generation. Rediscover the magic of a world where toys can become real, and dreams can come true. Margery Williams was a successful writer who authored a number of beloved children's books and novels, but she is best known for her classic tale "The Velveteen Rabbit." She also wrote other popular children's books such as "The Little Wooden Doll" and "Poor Cecco," as well as several novels for adults, including "Winterbound" and "The Thing in the Woods." Her writing career spanned several decades, and her works continue to be cherished by readers of all ages around the world.

Life is messy. It isn't a color-within-the-lines exercise. It's a wild and outrageous invitation full of uncertain outcomes. The mess of life is both inevitable and unexpected. It is filled with delightful mysteries and frustrating predicaments. In our disposable culture, we throw broken things away. So, what will we do with broken people, broken relationships, broken institutions, broken families, and of course, our very own broken selves? We are all broken and wounded. This book is about putting our lives back together, and allowing ourselves to be put back together, when life doesn't turn out as we expected it to. Based on his own heart-wrenching personal journals, Matthew Kelly shares how the worst three years of his life affected him, by exploring this question: Can someone who has been broken be healed and become more beautiful and more lovable than ever before? The answer will fill you with hope. There has never been a more urgent need for us to attend to what is happening within us. This is quite simply the right book at the right time.

Ever wonder what gives French women that je ne sais quoi? At first you might think it's the elegant figure, matchless style, and mysterious allure. Then you realize those qualities don't come from just anywhere. They come from generations of women raised to cultivate an extraordinary sense of self. French women know who they are, like who they are, and excel at presenting who they are. The rest of us are often susceptible to the next fad, the new thing, the ultimate diet. We're always seeking, instead of realizing that what we already are may be just right. Rarely does an American woman feel as comfortable in her own skin as her French counterpart. And rarely does an American woman have that essentially French ability to say no---to refuse anything that doesn't suit her, whether that thing is a job, a man, or the season's latest styles. Provocative and practical, lively and intelligent, Entre Nous unlocks the mystery of the French girl and the secrets of her self-possession. Why do French women always look inimitably stylish? How do they manage to sit in a café for a three-course lunch and a glass of wine...by themselves? How do they decide when they're ready to let someone become a part of their very private lives? Laced with practical tips, engaging sidebars, and essential observations about French women and their ways, Entre Nous is a delightful book that will help you take the best of all pages from the French girl's book---the page that reveals how to really enjoy life.

Part memoir, part social criticism, and part self-help guide, "Ugly as Sin" openly explores the taboo subject of ugliness and how it affects every one in a direct and profound way. The author helps readers find inspiration, hope, peace, and self acceptance no matter what their thighs or hair look like.

Remember this great line from The Godfather Part Two: “Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer”? It’s just one engaging example of the wisdom of both real-life and cinematic mobsters captured in this entertaining collection. The words come from gangster luminaries ranging from Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel to the Corleones, and from films including Pulp Fiction. Packed with wiseguy insights into business, management, and life—plus plenty of photos of the highlighted figures—this is one of the most handsomely designed, exciting compendiums compiled in years.

Experience the uplifting, "unforgettable" New York Times bestseller about an abandoned kitten named Dewey, whose life in a library won over a farming town and the world -- with over 2 million copies sold! (Booklist) Dewey's story starts in the worst possible way. On the coldest night of the year in Spencer, Iowa, at only a few weeks old--a critical age for kittens--he was stuffed into the return book slot of the Spencer Public Library. He was found the next morning by library director Vicki Myron, a single mother who had survived the loss of her family farm, a breast cancer scare, and an alcoholic husband. Dewey won her heart, and the hearts of the staff, by pulling himself up and hobbling on frostbitten feet to nudge each of them in a gesture of thanks and love. For the next nineteen years, he never stopped charming the people of Spencer with his enthusiasm, warmth, humility (for a cat), and, above all, his sixth sense about who needed him most. As his fame grew from town to town, then state to state and finally, amazingly, worldwide, Dewey became more than just a friend; he became a source of pride for an extraordinary Heartland farming community slowly working its way back from the greatest crisis in its long history.

A heartwarming, page-turning adventure about one child's love for his most treasured thing, and how far he will go to find it. A tale for the whole family to fall in love with, from one of the world’s greatest storytellers. One boy and his toy are about to change everything... Jack loves his childhood toy, Dur Pig. DP has always been there for him, through good and bad. Until one Christmas Eve something terrible happens -- DP is lost. But Christmas Eve is a night for miracles and lost causes, a night when all things can come to life... even toys. And Jack’s newest toy -- the Christmas Pig (DP’s replacement) – has a daring plan: Together they’ll embark on a magical journey to seek something lost, and to save the best friend Jack has ever known...