Fall has fallen upon Judith McMonigle Flynn, leaving her Hillside Manor nearly devoid of guests. And what better cure for the off-season blahs than a brief bout of B&B sifting for a friend amid the quiet rustic splendor of secluded Chavez Island? Judith and cousin Renie both are more than ready for some relaxation. But their peace goes to pieces when Renie conks an odious interloping blowhard on the noggin with a heavy china dish-and, moments later, the woozy lout takes a fatal tumble down an inconvenient staircase. Judith suspects that death by dinnerware was not the real cause of this fellow's demise. But to prove her cantankerous cuz innocent, she'll have to uncover the real killer from among the motley island crew. And that could pile a lot more nastiness on Judith's plate than the harried bed-and-breakfast hostess can consume in one sitting!

Having committed many murders and brutal crimes, Zoe Lacking, a former gang member and paid street fighter, is on the run hiding from the law, former gang members, and a bounty hunter called “Traitor.” She also suffers from sleep deprivation that will lead to her drug, alcohol abuse, and personality disorder. In her new dysfunctional life, she’ll find comfort in the arms of many men, an assassin, a murdering doctor, a serial killer, and a fast-food robber. But her life will be forever changed when she moves to New York and gets a job as a window washer in lower Manhattan using a fake identity. There she will meet the lost and confused spirit of a man who died during the 9/11 attacks, also stuck between the spiritual and physical realm. She agrees to help him find out who he is; he agrees to help her find her daughter.

Brimming with humor and heartbreak, hope and healing, this enchanting novella takes you deeper into the world of the Catalains and the magic that binds them. Every one of Helena Catalain's handmade candies carries magic. Her black currant truffle with the deep purple center removes all symptoms of menopause. Her Bittersweet Money bar lights the path to riches. But when a mysterious pain appears in her left breast, Helena doesn't want to trouble anyone about it, not even herself. So ashamed is she by the secret she's keeping that she can't see the true love Artemis Hartshorn Buckley offers her. When the quarter-century revelation of snakes descends upon Faith Falls, they bring with them an abundance of unwanted clarity, as they always do. Realizing she's about to lose everything, Helena must face the possibility that love is the only magic strong enough to save her. If you enjoyed Seven Daughters, you'll love The Catalain Book of Secrets, a full-length novel featuring the powerful Catalain women and never-before-seen spells from their secret book.

What meaning can be found in calamity and suffering? This question is in some sense perennial, reverberating through the canons of theology, philosophy, and literature. Today, The Politics of Consolation reveals, it is also a significant part of American political leadership. Faced with uncertainty, shock, or despair, Americans frequently look to political leaders for symbolic and existential guidance, for narratives that bring meaning to the confrontation with suffering, loss, and finitude. Politicians, in turn, increasingly recognize consolation as a cultural expectation, and they often work hard to fulfill it. The events of September 11, 2001 raised these questions of meaning powerfully. How were Americans to make sense of the violence that unfolded on that sunny Tuesday morning? This book examines how political leaders drew upon a long tradition of consolation discourse in their effort to interpret September 11, arguing that the day's events were mediated through memories of past suffering in decisive ways. It then traces how the struggle to define the meaning of September 11 has continued in foreign policy discourse, commemorative ceremonies, and the contentious redevelopment of the World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan.

If you've ever thought turning forty was a mixed bag, Gravy Days is for you. With insight and humor, Sue Ann Crockett maintains there's not only life on the other side but good stuff along the way.Gravy Days sounds familiar, reminds you of yourself or someone you know, convinces you you're far from alone, and cuts to the heart of things personal, thoughtful, and even ridiculous. Sue Ann's short, crisp essays will entertain and inspire. Gravy Days is for anyone who appreciates irony, honesty, and the often absurd state of being human.