These humorous and inspirational blog posts from 45 of the best midlife bloggers offer proof that tumbling over the far side of 45 is worth the journey. This anthology includes the true story of the middle-aged woman who attempted to give her husband a lap dance in the kitchen but the result was anything but steamy. Another writer describes how you’re allowed to teach your grandchild descriptive words such as “dingleberry” and “fartcake” without an ounce of guilt. Other bloggers offers poignant stories about aging, caregiving, and how to celebrate Mother’s Day after the children are grown and live far away. These feisty females will encourage you to keep your chins up and your reading glasses handy!

Tired of inauthentic prattle, CEO and president of Concerned Women for America Penny Young Nance is ready to change the way women today engage the culture. In her debut title, Feisty & Feminine, she takes an honest and transparent look at what it means to be a conservative Christian woman with thoughtful commentary on the real issues confronting American women. “Conservative women have never fit neatly into stereotypes, especially conservative Christian women,” says Penny Young Nance. “We’re not the humorless, dim-witted ‘church ladies’ Saturday Night Live has made us out to be. Today’s conservative women are intelligent, well-educated, compassionate, accomplished, funny, and fearless—and it’s time for us to stand up and be heard. In fact, we have an opportunity like never before to offer words of redemption to a world gone mad.” From Miley Cyrus to campus feminists, it’s clear that women are still searching for their voice in culture today. With Hillary Clinton running for president in 2016, there is even more of a need for a compelling, conservative, and credible female influence in the mix. Penny Nance is that woman. She is direct without being disrespectful, winsome but not shallow, and relevant while still holding to faith and conservative values. Accepting the baton of leadership from their foremothers, today’s conservatives have emerged as intelligent, hard-working women of faith who not only deal with issues like life and marriage, but are also advocates for the free market, for rights of conscience, and for female victims of radical Islam. Passionate about their role in society, they refuse to turn a blind eye to the sexual exploitation of women or the hypocrisy surrounding women’s issues. The time is right for this book—and for conservative women everywhere to be part of the conversation.

From USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy comes a second-chance romance featuring a cowboy hero who needs some serious redeeming, a serious heroine who needs some cowboy lovin’, and a mischievous little boy who needs his parents to find their happily-ever-after. She’s prepared for anything… except for the second chance with her cowboy ex she never saw coming. Clara Carter is the brains behind Three Chicks Brewery. The oldest and most responsible of the Carter sisters, she doesn’t have time for anything but taking care of her son and making sure her family’s top beer, Foxy Diva, gets into bars across North America. Which means getting the brew in front of Colorado’s biggest beer distributor. Unfortunately, that becomes tricky when the man in charge of distribution is none other than Sullivan Kenne, the cowboy who ran out on her seven years ago. Sullivan’s life has been one wrong move after another. First, he tried to prove himself to his bastard father by signing a contract to play professional baseball, a choice Sullivan still regrets. Then he bailed on Clara, the only woman he’s ever loved. Seeing her again makes Sullivan determined to right his wrongs. Unfortunately, he wasn’t counting on one of those wrongs being a six-year-old son he never knew about. Reuniting with Clara and meeting his son is a shocking—and amazing—experience. But as much as Sullivan tries to return to his roots and be the stand-up cowboy of Clara’s dreams, the reality is, she’s having trouble trusting him. Luckily, Sullivan knows the way to Clara’s heart, and he’ll prove to her that a second chance with a cowboy is worth the risk.

There is only one rule in the Wasteland. Survive. This collection contains four stories set in the Wasteland: "The Wanderer, The Whore, The Breeder," and "The Priestess."

"I’m loving it! Laura has managed not only to write a clear and incredibly important book, she’s really funny too! Her way of writing, the images in her language, and the diagrams make this book really stand out; there’s no way to misunderstand the concepts she’s presenting." —Emelie Johnson Vegh, co-author of Agility Right from the Start Some dogs need a little help. Some dogs are afraid, or excited, or reactive. Dogs that “don’t listen” and “go crazy” don’t live the lives we—or they—want. Fired Up, Frantic, and Freaked Out can change that. Simple steps and an accessible, conversational tone from award-winning, internationally-known trainer Laura VanArendonk Baugh CPDT-KA KPACTP make calming the agitated dog not only possible, but pleasant. Inside you’ll learn how to: - Achieve change in short, simple training sessions of a minute or less - Maximize the effects of natural brain chemistry - Know when to call in medical help - “Clean up” unreliable behaviors in both overexcited sport dogs and pets at home - Recognize how fear, aggression, and excitement are variants of the same root problem The conversational tone is both informative and fun—very accessible, and it feels like the reader has a consulting trainer standing at her shoulder! Bring your dog from emotional to thoughtful, and enjoy a calmer, more enriched life with your best friend.

Vault aboard a hinge boat with Marie Duess as she nimbly navigates the historic waters of the Delaware Canal. Any ramble along the nowserene Pennsylvania waterway will show you why its beauty inspired so many famous brushstrokes. But only on a voyage with Duess will you dock at hidden places that doubled as underground railroad stops and Prohibition-era speakeasies and witness the inventive genius of Josiah White and the instinct and muscles of the endearing mules that hauled the nation into the Industrial Revolution. By journey's end, you will be reluctant to part with your newfound boatmates after looking into the hopeless eyes of five-year-old mine laborers and listening to the rousing choruses of boat captains who poured a hearty lifetime into steering coal from Easton to Bristol. Book jacket.

The renowned feline philosopher shares his hard-won wisdom on life as he argues that laziness is its own reward, alarm clocks were made for smashing, maturity is overrated, and if you can't take it with you, eat it now.

From the author of Midlife Cabernet and Frozen Dinners, a guide to life after fifty full of personal anecdotes and laugh-out-loud humor. More than forty million middle-aged women are tumbling over the hill, laughing all the way because the kids are grown, their menstrual periods stopped, and they survived at least four decades of arbitrary rules dictated by a crabby universe. They went to work with varying degrees of success and brought home the bacon but threw it in the freezer and ordered pizza. Now they’re ready to celebrate the freedom of pending retirement because they know it’s more fun to laugh hysterically than to stab someone with a fork and deal with the messy court case and inconvenient jail time. With her irreverent kiss-my-attitude, Elaine Ambrose shares her life experiences through a series of amusing anecdotes created to show women over age fifty that life is worth living out loud. Readers will learn how to remain relevant when the world ignores them, why their children are cute but should grow up and move out, how to cope when their aging parents forget their names, and why it’s never too late to get serious about a passionate love life. She even throws in a few hints for fabulous fashion and decorating ideas for lazy people. This creative collection of humorous, gluten-free, and non-fattening stories will encourage midlife friends to grab an adult beverage and order two laughs for the price of one as the appropriate reward for surviving careers, kids, and chaos. It’s time for Midlife Happy Hour!

“A beach chair worthy read."—New York Times "A hot summer beach book."—USA Today "Bestseller Cook charms again in this lively, warm-hearted look at changing courses mid-life."—People Magazine Just when Jill Murray has finally figured out how to make it on her own, her husband Seth is back, proving he can't even run away reliably. Now Jill has to face the fact that there's simply no way she can be a good mom without letting her ex back into her daughter Anatasia's life. They say that every seven years you become a completely new person, and it takes a Costa Rican getaway to help Jill make her choice - between the woman she is and the woman she wants to be. From Claire Cook, New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author of the much-loved novel turned romantic comedy movie starring Diane Lane and John Cusack, Must Love Dogs. "A beach tote couldn't ask for more."—Kirkus Reviews "Claire Cook told us we 'Must Love Dogs." But must we also love ex-husbands?…Cook takes a closer look at a complex situation."—New York Post “Roll out your beach blanket for this sweet summer read about making mistakes and moving on.”—Publishers Weekly "A lot of fun to read? Definitely!"—Redbook "With wit and tenderness, Claire Cook sweeps us into the life of Jill Murray, a feisty single mom trying to stitch together a future after being abandoned by her husband. This is a delightful story of love, loss, and the surprising events that healed her heart. I cheered for Jill the entire way."—Beth Hoffman "A perfect beach read. Claire Cook once again demonstrates that she's a master in creating funny, warm, relatable characters you root for from the very first page."—Allison Winn Scotch "Smart, truly hilarious, and entirely sympathetic. Like a hot bubble bath or a holiday at the beach, you won't want it to end."—Cecily Von Ziegesar Join Claire’s newsletter list to receive your free welcome gift and stay in the loop for new releases, giveaways and insider extras at ClaireCook.com.

The greater Chicagoland area of the Midwest--Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa--well represented the profuse pop rock playlist of the mid-1960s. This prolific area produced a significant soundtrack from late 1965 into 1972 that reverberated across the country. The vibrant suburban scene produced nearly 40 singles that reached the record charts locally and regionally, with several of the 45s placing on the national listings. Some of the Chicagoland hits include "Kind of a Drag," "Vehicle," "Bend Me, Shape Me," and "Gloria," recorded by the Buckinghams, Ides of March, American Breed, and Shadows of Knight. This book, a geomusicultural chronicle, documents a multitude of Chicagoland bands and their music. They sounded across neighborhoods, thriving teen clubs, television dance and variety shows, renowned recording studios, local independent and major record labels--and through the pervasive AM airwaves of two 50,000-watt downtown radio stations, WLS and WCFL, featuring lineups of dynamic disc jockeys. This period piece portrays a momentous mark within "that toddlin' town's" rich music heritage.