National bestselling author Sharon Shinn introduces a rich new fantasy world, one in which people believe that five essential elements rule all things and guide their lives.

"'Troubled Waters' is a novel of transition. Set in 1974, the action focuses on two young people who are being shaken loose from their roots in family and tribe by the winds of political change. There is the Transvaler Andries Malan, conscripted into the South African bush war against SWAPO and posted to teach Biblical Studies in the black school near Rundu. And there is Lucia, subtly alienated from the local community by her university training, whom he loves briefly and leaves with child when his tour is ended. Surrounding them, or surfacing in memories and dreams, are other border crossers: Mavis, the maid who was closer to Andries than his own mother but whose children he has never met; Frank the misfit 'Suitwester' who honours the ways of the children he teaches; Moyo the herdboy who becomes a guerilla - and, always present yet barely glimpsed as brief apparitions among the foliage of trees, the PLAN fighters. What is more, the order and dignity of tribal life have themselves been irretrievably fractured by the imposition of puppet 'self-rule' on an ethnically defined Kavango 'nation'. A penetrating political understanding controls the narrative which centres on the troubled mind of Andries. 'The Other' is imaginatively entered and observed without either sentimentality or rancour. This steady calm gaze is the most remarkable virtue of a beautifully told novel"--Annemarie Heywood, back cover.

College life for Layla Weston isn't starting the way she'd intended. She's revisiting the plans she once had to be the reclusive girl she wanted to be at Heyward Prep, and Layla is more than confident in her ability to succeed this time. After all, she's got a whole new bag of secrets to keep. Still reeling from Will's disappearance, Layla is doing her best to adjust to life back in Florida. She continues to hold out hope, confident she was meant to find Will's ring for a reason. Just as Layla starts to accept that she must keep moving forward, secrets from the past threaten Layla and her family. As Luke and Claire join with her to protect their family, Layla discovers that her uncle may not be the man she thought he was-- and that there's much more to Will's disappearance than she could ever have imagined.

It was in 1988 that Mitri Raheb was ordained Pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land and was installed as Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem after finishing his seminary studies and doctorate in Germany in Church History. Besides being a Pastor, Mitri Raheb continued to be involved in the theological discussion and research both at home as well as in regional and international settings. The selected articles were given by Rev. Raheb at several occasions. The first article on Christianity and Religious plurality was given at Fuller Seminary in 2003 during the author sabbatical as Mission Partner in Residence with the PCUSA. The second and third articles on the political and ecclesiastical context in the Arab Peninsula during the 6-7th centuries were part of a Post doctoral research that the author did during his stay at Harford Seminary in Connecticut. The article on the History of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land is a summary of the author's doctoral dissertation at Marburg University and of his German book "Das reformatorische Erbe unter den palaestinensern" published by Guetrsloh in 1990. The article on the Situation of the Palestinian Christian community in the Holy Land was given as lecture to several church delegation interested in the situation of the Christians of the Holy land, while the article on the Arab Spring was given at a regional conference in Lebanon. The last chapter of the book is different in nature since it is actually a short lecture given at a hearing at the Danish Parliament, Christiansburg, in Copenhagen on May 21st 2012. Diyar publisher is happy to publish these mostly unpublished articles of Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb to coincide with his silver ordination in May 2013.

It's in the back of every officer's mind: the bullet that could end his or her life. They take the risk and are heroes for it-but can you imagine doing this at a time when bulletproof vests were not standard? In the early 80s Hawkins and his partner chased down a suspect in Atlantic City NJ only to end up in a shoot out. This is hardly out of the ordinary-except Hawkins wasn't wearing a vest because it was not yet part of operations policy. His partner was wearing a vest, but he died and Hawkins lived. This is an autobiography unlike any you've ever read before. The details of Wesley Hawkins's personal history channel emotions and reactions you can hardly anticipate. Read the inside story of real politics and police work as Hawkins shares the miracle of his survival that he knows only God is responsible for.

Inspired by the life of an unsung American hero and slave, Trouble the Water navigates the rich tributaries of courage, betrayal, and redemption. In his inspiring journey, Robert Smalls witnesses great privilege and suffering alongside his owner's daughter and the dangerous son of a firebrand secessionist.

Billionaire Ian Shaw can have everything he wants--except a happy ending. Or at least that's what it feels like with his fortune recently liquidated, his niece, Esme, still missing, and the woman he loves refusing to speak to him. In fact, he doubts she would date him even if they were stranded on a deserted island. Despite her love for Ian, Sierra Rose knows he has no room in his life for her as long as the mystery of his missing niece goes unsolved. The only problem is, Sierra has solved it, but a promise to Esme to keep her whereabouts secret has made it impossible to be around Ian. When the PEAK chopper is damaged and Sierra lacks the funds to repair it, Ian offers a fundraising junket for large donors on his yacht in the Caribbean. But the three-day excursion turns into a nightmare when a rogue wave cripples the yacht and sends the passengers overboard. Shaken up and soaked to the bone, Ian finally has a chance to test his theory when he and Sierra do indeed find themselves washed up on a strange, empty shore. It will take guts and gumption for the PEAK team to rescue the duo. But it will take a miracle to rescue Ian and Sierra's relationship.

This past year has been troubling for many of us who have had to deal with the ravages of the COVD-19 pandemic. We have had to deal with a loss of freedom, and some of us have lost jobs and income. And most tragically, there was the loss of family and friends who were fatal victims of this virus. The result of which is that we have been forced to make many difficult transitions in our lives. Life, as we have known it, has changed. But did you know that there is great power in transitions? These transitions are here to announce that we must set aside some old ways of thinking and doing and set our eyes on a new reality. So where do we capture this new vision? Where is life taking us? How do we read the road signs? In this book, Walking through Troubled Waters, we will explore the process of finding peace in the midst of our chaotic world. We will do so by probing the life of an ancient biblical character--King David. What does such an ancient figure have to teach us about living through troubled times? His story may well reflect our own experience. David's story is a drama of his life-changing transitions, which he had to overcome; and through these changes, he has much to teach us. Each time he found himself facing a new transition, this great king revealed a heart for God. And with this strong belief system, he was guided through some troubling times. Through faith, he transformed some simple words into a prayer to the Almighty. His faith in God was, therefore, the foundation to overcoming many of the challenges he had to face as a king and as a man. What can faith do? It can turn a boy into a warrior. And with a warrior's spirit, he had the strength to defeat those challenges before him. With faith, he learned to hear God's voice as he was guided through those troubled waters. Through faith, God taught him patience; and with patience, David learned that everything happened in God's perfect time. David had to face many of his enemies who tried to destroy him. He had to face his own sin and the rebellion in his family; and each time he triumphed. His final challenge was facing his own death. Did he find peace? I will let you be the judge. More importantly, can you, like King David, find peace in these troubling times?

Being a forty-something, newly divorced, single mom is getting easier every day. Thankfully, so is being a witch, you know, when monsters and power-hungry sorcerers aren’t trying to kill me. And they aren’t the only ones who want to take me down. Too bad for all of them. I don’t die easy. Now that my nero-craft has been triggered, I’m off to the Iron Grove compound, along with my hot druid boyfriend and his violently awesome sister, to learn magic from the best of the best. Of course, not every druid or tru-craft witch is happy about me adding water magic to the earth, fire, and air magic I already wield. There is even talk of a test they want me to take that sounds about as much fun as an alien probing. No, thank you. I’ll have to rely on allies, old and new if I want to survive the incoming tide of enemies who want me to drown in my own magic. Literally.