In this in depth look at hymns, Brian Wren explores the theological significance of congregational song, asks how music has meaning for its singers, and considers the importance of contemporary worship music. He argues that a hymn is a complex art form, deserving of recognition and study for its contributions to worship, education, and pastoral care.

Electrifying, dark and delicious! I devoured every tantalizing word...” Renee Rose, USA Today Bestselling author Cruel, powerful, and wealthy, Caspian meets my desperate gaze and smiles. Because he grasps that no matter how I might bargain, my life now belongs to him. Lips brushing my ear, he offers me a fair exchange. He’ll release my wards from his service… if I take their place. But the untrustworthy kingpin who rules The Syndicate wants so much more than free labor. The male who possesses no morals, no restraint, and no qualms, demands what no other has had. My body. Keywords: MF Omegaverse, Omegaverse, Omegaverse romance, possessive alpha male dark romance, Dark romance, psychological romance, gothic romance, paranormal romance, dystopian, dystopian romance, complete power exchange, seductive romance, A/B/O, Alpha Omega. Alpha Hero, Antihero, antihero romance, antihero dark romance, Suffering Heroine, Obsessive Hero, abduction to love, Abuse of Power, beauty and the beast, blackmail, passionate lovers, knotting, tortured heroine, tragic past, unrequited love, virgin, sexually romantic books, series, romantic suspense, collections, anthologies, jealous possessive romance, forbidden romance, hunted female, angsty alpha romance

"In this elegant narrative, celebrated naturalist Ted Floyd guides you through a year of becoming a better birder. Choosing 200 top avian species to teach key lessons, Floyd introduces a new, holistic approach to bird watching and shows how to use the tools of the 21st century to appreciate the natural world we inhabit together whether city, country or suburbs." -- From book jacket.

Fiction. From interdisciplinary writer and performer Jacob Wren comes POLYAMOROUS LOVE SONG, a novel of intertwined narratives concerning the relationship between artists and the world. Shot through with unexpected moments of sex and violence, readers will become acquainted with a world that is at once the same and opposite from the one in which they live. With a diverse palette of vivid characters--from people who wear furry mascot costumes at all times, to a group of 'new filmmakers' that devises increasingly unexpected sexual scenarios with complete strangers, to a secret society that concocts a virus that only infects those on the political right--Wren's avant-garde POLYAMOROUS LOVE SONG (finalist for the 2013 Fence Modern Prize in prose) will appeal to readers with an interest in the visual arts, theatre, and performance of all types.

The story of a middle-class, immigrant pianist who has fallen on hard times, and now finds himself washing dishes to make ends meet. He awakens to the possibility of a solution to his troubles and begins to formulate a plan of attack, in which the only answer is to get rid of the 1%.

Celebrate the amazing world that’s waiting for you each and every day! Discover the special and unique talents waiting inside of you to share with each and every person you meet! From the mind of beloved author Sally Lloyd-Jones comes this beautifully illustrated picture book with a much-needed and inspiring message to any child who wonders, "What can I do?" Follow along as tiny wren marvels at the incredible wildlife around her—from fish to eagles, insects to plants—all the while wishing she had a special gift of her own to share. As she takes in the beauty of the world, she discovers a unique talent that’s been inside her all along. Baby Wren and the Great Gift combines the sweet and gentle words of bestselling author Sally Lloyd-Jones with the beautiful illustrations of Jen Corace. This rich and colorful picture book encourages each and every little boy and girl to discover the amazing gifts within them to share with this wonderful world. Baby Wren and the Great Gift: Is written by Sally Lloyd-Jones, bestselling author of the beloved Jesus Storybook Bible, which has sold over one million copies Contains inspirational text that inspires children to recognize and bask in the wonders of the world while encouraging them to discover and share the unique wonders within themselves Features the work of Jen Corace, the illustrator of many books for children

"Sherwin Bitsui's new poetry collection, Flood Song—a sprawling, panoramic journey through landscape, time, and cultures—is well worth the ride."—Poets & Writers “Bitsui’s poetry is elegant, probative, and original. His vision connects worlds.”—New Mexico Magazine “His images can tilt on the side of surrealism, yet his work can be compellingly accessible.”—Arizona Daily Star “Sherwin Bitsui sees violent beauty in the American landscape. There are junipers, black ants, axes, and cities dragging their bridges. I can hear Whitman's drums in these poems and I can see Ginsberg's supermarkets. But above all else, there is an indigenous eccentricity, ‘a cornfield at the bottom of a sandstone canyon,’ that you will not find anywhere else.”—Sherman Alexie Native traditions scrape against contemporary urban life in Flood Song, an interweaving painterly sequence populated with wrens and reeds, bricks and gasoline. Poet Sherwin Bitsui is at the forefront of a new generation of Native writers who resist being identified solely by race. At the same time, he comes from a traditional indigenous family and Flood Song is filled with allusions to Dine (Navajo) myths, customs, and traditions. Highly imagistic and constantly in motion, his poems draw variously upon medicine song and contemporary language and poetics. “I map a shrinking map,” he writes, and “bite my eyes shut between these songs.” An astonishing, elemental volume. I retrace and trace over my fingerprints Here: magma, there: shore, and on the peninsula of his finger pointing west— a bell rope woven from optic nerves is tethered to mustangs galloping from a nation lifting its first page through the man hole—burn marks in the saddle horn, static in the ear that cannot sever cries from wailing. Sherwin Bitsui’s acclaimed first book of poems, Shapeshift, appeared in 2003. He has earned many honors for his work, including fellowships from the Witter Bynner Foundation and Lannan Foundation, and he is frequently invited to poetry festivals throughout the world. He lives in Tucson, Arizona.

From a "born storyteller" (Seattle Times), this playful and moving bestselling book of essays invites us into the miraculous and transcendent moments of everyday life. When Brian Doyle passed away at the age of sixty after a bout with brain cancer, he left behind a cult-like following of devoted readers who regard his writing as one of the best-kept secrets of the twenty-first century. Doyle writes with a delightful sense of wonder about the sanctity of everyday things, and about love and connection in all their forms: spiritual love, brotherly love, romantic love, and even the love of a nine-foot sturgeon. At a moment when the world can sometimes feel darker than ever, Doyle's writing, which constantly evokes the humor and even bliss that life affords, is a balm. His essays manage to find, again and again, exquisite beauty in the quotidian, whether it's the awe of a child the first time she hears a river, or a husband's whiskers that a grieving widow misses seeing in her sink every morning. Through Doyle's eyes, nothing is dull. David James Duncan sums up Doyle's sensibilities best in his introduction to the collection: "Brian Doyle lived the pleasure of bearing daily witness to quiet glories hidden in people, places and creatures of little or no size, renown, or commercial value, and he brought inimitably playful or soaring or aching or heartfelt language to his tellings." A life's work, One Long River of Song invites readers to experience joy and wonder in ordinary moments that become, under Doyle's rapturous and exuberant gaze, extraordinary.

There once lived a little bird who loved words. He loved them more than he loved worms. Shiny words-"Star, Moon." Happy words-"Kiss, Smile." Colorful words"Rainbow, Sunshine... " Every day in the palace garden, the princess shares stories with her firend. The little bird loves these tales, and lines his nest with all the happy words he hears. But one day the princess falls sad and silent. Her friend has gone away. What can the birds do to make her smile once more? The peacock shows off his beautiful plumes, the magpie brings silver and gold, the jackdaws put on an aerial show, but the princess barely lifts her head to look. Then the little bird thinks of all the special words he tucked away. Stringing them together, he trills a soothing tune. The princess realizes she never has to be lonely-old friends can be found in comforting memories and, if she listens, new friends can be found for a song.