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Inside Lonely Planet's Route 66 Road Trips:Up-to-date information - all businesses were rechecked before publication to ensure they are still open after2020's COVID-19 outbreakLavish color and gorgeous photography throughoutItineraries and planning advice to pick the right tailored routes for your needs and interestsGet around easily - easy-to-read, full-color route maps, detailed directionsInsider tips to get around like a local, avoid trouble spots and be safe on the road - local driving rules, parking, toll roadsEssential infoat your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, pricesHonest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, hidden gems that most guidebooks missUseful features - including Stretch Your Legs,Detours, Link Your TripCovers Los Angeles, Chicago, St Louis, Kansas, California, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois and moreThe Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet Route 66 Road Trips is perfect for exploring Route 66 in the classic American way - by road trip!Planning a Route 66 trip sans a car? Lonely Planet's USA guide, our most comprehensive guide to the USA, is perfect for exploring both top sights and lesser-known gems.Looking for a guide focused on a specific Route 66 city? Check out the Lonely Planet Chicago guide or the Los Angeles, San Diego & Southern California guide for a comprehensive look at all that these cities have to offer, or Pocket Chicago and Pocket Lose Angeles, handy-sized guides focused on the can't-miss sights for a quick trip.There's More in Store for You:For more road-tripping ideas, check out Lonely Planet's USABest Trips guides to Southwest USA, Florida & the South or New York & the Mid-Atlantic's Best Trips guide or Road Trips guides to Pacific Coast Highways, to San Antonio, Austin & Texas Backcountry or the Civil War TrailAlso, check out Lonely Planet's European Best Trips guides to Europe or Road Trips guides to Iceland's Ring Road, Normandy & D-Day Beaches, or the Amalfi CoasteBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones)Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data chargesEffortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviewsAdd notes to personalize your guidebook experienceSeamlessly flip between pagesBookmarksand speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flashEmbedded links to recommendations' websitesZoom-in maps and imagesInbuilt dictionary for quick referencingAbout Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveler since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and phrasebooks for 120 languages, and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travelers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, videos, 14 languages, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more, enabling you to explore every day.'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' – New York Times'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveler's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' – Fairfax Media (Australia)

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The Only Innovation Guide You Will Ever Need--from the Award-Winning Minds at Mayo ClinicA lot of businesspeople talk about innovation, but few companies have achieved the level of truly transformative innovation as brilliantly--or as famously--as the legendary Mayo Clinic.Introducing Think Big, Start Small, Move Fast, the first innovation guide based on the proven, decade-long program that’s made Mayo Clinic one of the most respected and successful organizations in the world. Thisessential must-have guide shows you how to: Inspire and ignite trailblazing innovation inyour workplace Design a new business model that’s creative,collaborative, and sustainable Apply the traditional scientific method to the latest innovations in "design thinking" Build a customized toolkit of the best practices, project portfolios, and strategies Increase your innovation capacity--and watch how quickly you succeed These field-tested techniques grew out of the health care industry but are designed to work with any complex organization. Written by three Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation insiders--Dr. Nicholas LaRusso, BarbaraSpurrier, and Dr. Gianrico Farrugia--the book offers a wealth of transformative ideas and strategies.The concise, easy-to-implement methods can help jump-start your employees' creative potential, involve them in the collaborative process, and pave the way to the future of sustainable innovation. You get step-by-step advice on building leadership teams, accelerator platforms for speeding up results, and fascinating case studies of innovation in action from the files of the Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation.In today's fast-moving world, it's innovation that drives success. This book gives you the keys.ADVANCE PRAISE FOR THINK BIG, START SMALL, MOVE FAST:"Truly great organizations do not just achieve great results; they are also relentless in the pursuit of continual improvement. This book offers both methods and motivation to leaders in any industry who understand that the pursuit of excellence is never-ending." -- Donald Berwick, M.D., MPP, President Emeritus and Senior Fellow,Institute for Healthcare Improvement"Do you want your organization to deliver a shockingly better customer experience? Here is Mayo's method that transformed the patient experience by making innovation systemic, the human side of innovation." -- Scott Cook, Cofounder and Chairman of the Executive Committee, Intuit"A powerful set of actionable, yet importantly nonprescriptive, principles for transformative change that will inspire and challenge all of us to reenvision a system that delivers health, not just care, for all our patients." -- Rebecca Onie, Cofounder and CEO, Health Leads"This book should serve both as a how-to guide for medical professionals and an inspiration for other innovators all over the country." -- T. R. Reid, reporter and author of The Healing of America"Powerful insight on how to deliver meaningful innovations time and again." -- Frans van Houten, CEO, Royal Philips"Leaders who seek to accelerate new innovation competencies can benefit from this hands-on guide." -- Sarah Miller Caldicott, great grandniece of Thomas Edison,and CEO, Power Patterns of Innovation"Read this book. . . . Copy its practices. It will save you years of misery and missteps as you build your own innovation revolution." -- Larry Keeley, Cofounder, Doblin Inc., and Director, Deloitte Consulting LLP

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Whether you’re 22 or 52, learn all the things about adulthood they didn’t teach you at school in this accessible and encouraging workbook. Being an adult is hard. And it’s not just the big things like buying your own home, getting married, having children, or saying goodbye through death or divorce that make us feel like grown-ups—it’s all the necessary little things along the way that nobody celebrates, but that are hard nonetheless. When 63% of Gen Zers and Millennials (representing ages 18 to 42) report not feeling like they were prepared for the responsibility of being an adult and that they're already feeling burned out by adulthood, something has to change. The Adulting Workbook gets it, and is here to help. It's one part habit tracker, one part advice guide, and one part cheerleader, giving you tips and tricks on a variety of adulting subjects. You'll also find celebratory reward badge icons for adult milestones, such as: “I made a shopping list and followed it.” “I made a phone call.” “I put on clothes that weren't pajamas.” “I didn't waste my afternoon scrolling on social media.” “I worked out.” “I paid a bill on time.” “I put the dishes away.” “I updated my resume.” "I drank water." By earning these “I did it!” successes along the way, you’ll feel good about the small steps you take on your path to full-fledged adulthood. Comfortably arranged by topic, you can jump to the chapters that affect you the most, so you can learn just what you need for this moment. Subjects include: Financial Management (budgets, taxes, 401(k) & IRAs, savings, handling debt, buying big-ticket items); one in three Gen Zers and Millenials say they do not feel financially independent Employment and Career (resumes, how to dress appropriately, how to act/speak in meetings, office relationships) Health & Wellness (regular checkups and screenings, preventive medicine, diet and exercise) Relationships (romantic, platonic, friendships, neighbors, roommates) Home (down payments, furnishings, what to stock in the cupboards, cleaning and maintenance 101); half of Gen Zers and Millenials feel they will never be able to afford a home, and this book will show them the path Within each topic are guided writing prompts to explore why you’re stuck and actionable "Adulting Challenge" exercises to get you moving again. A layflat binding makes the workbook easy to write in and its compact size means you can work on your grown-up skills everywhere you go. Even if you don’t yet feel like an adult, this guided workbook will help get you on your way. With so much of our lives and contact going digital, the Guided Workbooks offer an intimate way to nurture your connection with yourself and the people around you. Other books in the series include: Finding Your Authentic Self, Stop Overthinking, 5-Minute Productivity Workbook, 3-Minute Positivity Workbook, 52 Weeks to Better Mental Health, Tarot: A Guided Workbook to Unlock and Explore Your Magickal Intuition, Astrology: A Guided Workbook to Understand and Explore the Wisdom of the Universe, and Finding Your Balance: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Workbook.

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Keep your friends close and your enemies closer…Early one morning DI Clare Mackay receives a message from her boss DCI Alastair Gibson telling her to meet him in secret. She does as he asks and is taken from St Andrews to a secure location in the remote Scottish hills. There, she is introduced to ethical hacker Gayle Crichton and told about a critical security breach coming from inside Police Scotland. Clare is sworn to secrecy and must conceal Gayle’s identity from colleagues until the source is found.Clare already has her hands full keeping a key witness under protection and investigating the murder of a university student. When a friend of the victim is found preparing to jump off the Tay Road Bridge it is clear he is terrified of someone. But who? Clare realises too late that she has trusted the wrong person. As her misplaced faith proves a danger to herself and others, Clare must fight tooth and nail to protect those she cares about and see justice done.A page-turning crime thriller perfect for fans of Alex Gray, D. K. Hood and Rachel Amphlett.What readers are saying about Lies to Tell ‘One of Scotland's top up-and-coming crime writers’ The Scottish Sun'DI Clare Mackay is a brilliant character. I’m looking forward to more from Marion Todd’ Graeme Hampton, author of The Darkness Within ‘A gripping addition to the crime genre’ Scottish Field‘With Lies To Tell, Marion Todd is, or should be, firmly in the company of premier league crime fiction writers. Long may the series continue.’ Reader review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘Marion Todd has delivered an excellent third novel in her DI Clare MacKay series… the ending resolutions are completely satisfying and leave the reader frustrated only with how long they have to wait for the next book in the series… A top-notch book’ Reader review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘With so many twists and turns the story romps along at a breathless pace, who can she trust? A brilliant thriller, and an ending I didn’t see coming.’ Reader review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘With its polished pacing and plotting, I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable, original and difficult to put down novel from Marion Todd. She is a gifted storyteller who can provide readers with thrills, sophistication and a story packed with substance. A very highly recommended five star read’ Reader review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘Over the last three books, Marion has nurtured Clare into someone of real substance and she has become one of my all time favourite female lead characters.’ Reader review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘Could not put this book down at all… this one has to be Marion Todd’s best book to date, a police procedural with non stop action, twists and so many suspects that I was reeling with what was going to happen next’ Reader review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘A book that you just can’t fault … a real not to be missed read’ Reader review⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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The 25-year-old case of a missing girl sees Varg Veum dig deep into the past to find her kidnapper, as the secrets and lies of a tiny community threaten everything … Gunnar Staalesen’s award-winning, international bestselling Varg Veum series continues in this chilling Nordic Noir thriller. ***WINNER of the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year*** 'Mature and captivating’ Herald Scotland ‘One of the finest Nordic novelists – in the tradition of Henning Mankell’ Barry Forshaw, Independent ‘Masterful pacing’ Publishers Weekly _________________ September 1977. Mette Misvær, a three-year-old girl disappears without trace from the sandpit outside her home. Her tiny, close middle-class community in the tranquil suburb of Nordas is devastated, but their enquiries and the police produce nothing. Curtains twitch, suspicions are raised, but Mette is never found. Almost 25 years later, as the expiry date for the statute of limitations draws near, Mette’s mother approaches PI Varg Veum, in a last, desperate attempt to find out what happened to her daughter. As Veum starts to dig, he uncovers an intricate web of secrets, lies and shocking events that have been methodically concealed. When another brutal incident takes place, a pattern begins to emerge… Shocking, unsettling and full of extraordinary twists and turns, Where Roses Never Die reaffirms Gunnar Staalesen as one of the world’s foremost thriller writers. _________________ Praise for Gunnar Staalesen 'There is a world-weary existential sadness that hangs over his central detective. The prose is stripped back and simple … deep emotion bubbling under the surface – the real turmoil of the characters’ lives just under the surface for the reader to intuit, rather than have it spelled out for them’ Doug Johnstone, The Big Issue ‘Gunnar Staalesen is one of my very favourite Scandinavian authors. Operating out of Bergen in Norway, his private eye, Varg Veum, is a complex but engaging anti-hero. Varg means “wolf ” in Norwegian, and this is a series with very sharp teeth’ Ian Rankin ‘Staalesen continually reminds us he is one of the finest of Nordic novelists’ Financial Times ‘Staalesen does a masterful job of exposing the worst of Norwegian society in this highly disturbing entry’ Publishers Weekly 'The Varg Veum series is more concerned with character and motivation than spectacle, and it’s in the quieter scenes that the real drama lies’ Herald Scotland 'Every inch the equal of his Nordic confreres Henning Mankell and Jo Nesbo' Independent ‘With an expositional style that is all but invisible, Staalesen masterfully compels us from the first pages … If you’re a fan of Varg Veum, this is not to be missed, and if you’re new to the series, this is one of the best ones. You’re encouraged to jump right in, even if the Norwegian names can be a bit confusing to follow’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘With short, smart, darkly punchy chapters Wolves at the Door is a provocative and gripping read’ LoveReading ‘Haunting, dark and totally noir, a great read’ New Books Magazine ‘An upmarket Philip Marlowe’ Maxim Jakubowski, The Bookseller ‘Razor-edged Scandinavian crime fiction at its finest’ Quentin Bates

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In his previous book, the author discussed a little-known and insufficiently examined area in the history of the Second World War: the fighting in Hungary during the winter of 1944 and 1945 and notably the war's final German offensive, initiated by the 6th Panzer Army in mid-March 1945. In this new work, the author tackles a subject which is the antithesis of his previous one as much from the geographical as the reputational perspective: the famous Battle of the Bulge. This is the first volume to be offered to readers, with an examination of the northern edge of this offensive launched by the 6th Panzer Army. Its deployment during the Battle of the Bulge represented its baptism of fire. Drawing on the examination of thousands of pages of archives focusing as much on American as on German forces, as well as an analysis of the most recent studies combined with site visits, the author reviews the northern sector of the battle for us - a sector which was to be the main axis along which Hitler hoped for nothing less than to shatter the American front, speed towards Antwerp and reverse the course of the war to his benefit. Throughout these pages, the author invites us to follow the fierce and bloody run of the Kampfgruppen from the I.SS-Panzer Division, the failure of the Hitlerjugend in the face of the GIs' determined resistance and the charge ofthe II.SS Panzer Korps. However, this book also specifically provides a detailed review of the special operations which were to facilitate the 6th Panzer Army's achievement of its aims: von der Heydte's paratroopers' night jump or the operations of Otto Skorzeny's 150th Panzer Brigade. Finally, the author provides a detailed survey of preparations for the offensive, the combatants' logistical challenges, the Allied information service fiasco or the suffering of Belgian civilians trapped within this inferno, in the middle of an especially harsh winter. Through this research, the author is able to reveal new factors to us, reexamining cliches and dismissing misconceptions. The reader will find among these pages, alongside a wealth of illustrations and precise maps, answers to many questions including, for instance: how was Patton able to redirect his army so quickly to go to Bastogne's aid? Could the 6th Panzer Army really have reached Antwerp or even the Meuse river? Why could the victorious 1940 offensive not be replicated in 1944, although the Americans were completely taken by surprise? What were the factors explaining the failure of an army seemingly as powerful as the 6th Panzer Army, which represented the Reich's last strategic Panzer reserve and yet still assembled four full SS Panzer divisions, at least in terms of men? Finally, the appendices to this volume offer enthusiasts a wealth of information to enhance their knowledge: for those curious to examine history a little more closely, a series of archive documents has been translated and reproduced - both reports and telegrams, often from or received by the SHAEF. These enable us to approach history from a different angle. We will also find the translation of the surviving fragments of Hitler's harangue to his generals on the 12th of December to strengthen their resolve in this battle in which the fate of the Reich would be played out.

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The ultimate collection of stunning photographs documenting the career of one of the world’s greatest superstarsThere has never been or will there ever be an artist like Prince. “A 5' 3? Mastermind . . . satiated with virtuosity, controversy, stubbornness, and poise . . . His influence on Music transcended any and every category given titles by industry wizards and musicologists. Pop, Rock, Rhythm & Blues, Classical, Funk, Jazz, Soul, and Rap . . . He did it all and he did it well . . . and in his time . . . He did it first,” writes Randee St. Nicholas. For twenty-five years, this legendary photographer, with a storied career of her own, worked closely with Prince, capturing some of his most intimate and revealing moments both on and off stage. Now, the fruits of their numerous collaborations are on full display in My Name Is Prince, the largest collection of the most iconic photographs that will ever exist of one of the world’s greatest superstars.In this dazzling collector’s edition, readers are treated to a front-row seat to their innovative and awe-inspiring projects, from his music videos Gett Off and My Name Is Prince; to their impromptu photo shoots…just because; their adventures around the world from London to Tokyo to Prague, and his breathtaking, showstopping live concert appearances from great stages at Coachella and the 02 Arena to intimate nightclubs.Many of the trips, we will discover, are either unplanned or hastily arranged. And yet you will marvel at the results—as Prince expected nothing less than the best.When they met, Prince was ready for a change. The quixotic performer was known for seizing a moment and then on to the next.After their initial 1991 photo shoot in her Los Angeles studio, Prince assured St. Nicholas, “Don’t worry, I’ll be back.”Over the next twenty-five years he would return again and again, challenging himself and St. Nicholas to reach higher and to go further with every original pursuit.My Name Is Prince is the story of that unique working relationship and artistic evolution that produced many stunning images and lasted from their first meeting until the end:He had incredible timing, not just musically but spiritually, emotionally, and creatively . . . that Prince rhythm fueled a spontaneity that was contagious, enabling you to be more fearless and flexible than you thought you ever could be. When he would call . . . you had to be ready for anything . . . to jump on a plane with an hour or two notice, to put together a crew in a city you had never worked in before without any preparation time . . . or to simply just go outside your house at four in the morning where he was parked in his car, waiting for you to get in and listen to new music he had just recorded. One never knew what to expect . . . but it was always an inspired adventure.Told through 384 pages of striking visuals and poignant, intimate stories, the insights revealed in My Name Is Prince show a side of the enigmatic megastar that few have ever seen.We go beyond the genius and meet the man—playful, moody, disciplined, sensual, serious, and soulful. And in hundreds of photographs, we see that incandescent light behind his hypnotic eyes; that sly smile, strong hands, and transformative and transcendent presence that connected people from every part of the globe through his music. As his sound lives on, My Name Is Prince is a visual testimony to his greatness and a space that can never be filled.

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'When I tried Joanna's approach during the first lockdown, I was both comforted and excited by how such a small change could have such a big impact.' Dr. Suzanne McCleanParenting through the teenage years can be challenging and overwhelming. With over twenty years of clinical practice, psychotherapist and parenting expert Joanna Fortune has devised a simple and proven 15-Minute parenting model packed with practical, playful and creative communication techniques to strengthen your relationship with your teenager.Is it really possible to play with your teenager? Well, the answer is yes. Not only is it possible, it is a crucial to nurturing the surge in growth and brain development in this stage of childhood.Combining neurological insights into the key stages of adolescence with a road map for playful connection, Joanna shows you how to navigate your way through the teenage years and adolescent behaviour including how to: Build self-esteem and confidence Establish a relationship of trust and respectEncourage emotional resilienceDeal with mental illness including anxietyHandle teenage friendships and when they turn toxicBrave conversations about sex, gender and sexuality Tackle the dark side of social media15-Minute Parenting The Teenage Years is a vital toolkit that will enable you to better understand your relationship with your children as they grow and ensure that your parenting is growing with them.Read what everyone is saying about the 15-Minute Parenting series:As featured in Grazia's 21 of the Best Parenting Books in 2020'Joanna's books give you every answer to every question you have as a parent with practical methods to tackle every obstacle and connect with your child and help them flourish.' Madeleine Shaw'Now that we have to be teachers and coaches as well as parents - and feel guilty and overburdened - it's the perfect time for psychotherapist Joanna Fortune's new book.' Sunday Independent'In an "Age of Anxiety" for parents, Joanna was able to dispense reassuring advice and practical tips from her 15 Minute Parenting Model for time-pressed parents who want the very best for their children's development and well-being.' Marena Duffy, Chairperson of Cuidiu (the National Parent to Parent Voluntary support network) Dublin North West'Makes you reflect on your own childhood and how this can influence your parenting. Some interesting and thought-provoking sections.' Goodreads Reviewer'Absolutely love this! I've read multiple parenting books as a daddy blogger and this is BY FAR one of my favourites!' Amazon Reviewer'A must read for all parents! Absolutely loving this book. Joanna has a no frills, relaxed attitude towards parenting and brings fun into it. She made me realise that we don't need to question ourselves as much as we do.' Amazon Reviewer'It's expert advice but advice that's accessible and smart and actually kind of fun. All the exercises are easily implemented and kids respond to them immediately. A parenting book can seem like "work" after a long day, but this book is well broken down so that whatever crisis you're dealing with today you can jump straight to the few pages (and solutions) about that issue.' Amazon Reviewer'Simple and effective. Totally love this book, such simple creative and inspiring ideas on how to just come back to your kids in this crazy busy world we live in. Fabulous chapter on relationships covering how to stay connected to your partner which I feel gets left out from other books I've read.' Amazon Reviewer'A gentle and kind book...Certainly think it can help parents that feel they can't find their own way back.' Goodreads Reviewer

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It takes one moment to call for help. So why did he wait? 'The rare gift that delivers it all' ASHLEY AUDRAIN'Truly gripping and deeply satisfying' CHRIS WHITAKER'I was hooked' JANE CORRY'A new thriller writer to watch' ROBYN HARDING'Left me in awe' JO LEEVERS___________THE QUESTIONFor the last ten years, the small town of West Wilmer has been struggling to answer one question: on the night of the crash that killed his sister, why did it take Grant Dean twenty-seven minutes to call for help? If he'd called sooner, Phoebe might still be alive.THE SECRETAs the anniversary of Phoebe's death approaches, Grant is consumed by his memories and the secret that's been suffocating him for years. But he and Phoebe weren't the only ones in the car that night. Becca was there too - she's the only other person who knows what really happened. Or is she?THE TRUTHEveryone remembers Phoebe, but local girl June also lost someone that night. Her brother Wyatt has been missing for ten years and, now that her mother is dead, June has no one left - no family, no friends. Until someone appears at her door. Someone who knows what really happened that night. And they are ready to tell the truth.With a shocking twist that will leave you breathless, Twenty-Seven Minutes is a gripping story about what happens when grief becomes unbearable, dark secrets are unearthed, and the horrifying truth is revealed.___________'Taut, raw, powerful' SAMANTHA M. BAILEY'Unputdownable' PATRICIA WOLF'Tense and deeply affecting' ROSEMARY HENNIGAN'All-consuming' CAROLINE MITCHELL'The TWIST in this book' CAILEAN STEED'Grabs hold of you and doesn't let go' JENNY HOLLANDER___________ Readers are loving Twenty-Seven Minutes :'It is such a rare treat to read a genuine, page-turning thriller with considered prose, characters and setting . . . moody, atmospheric and cinematic with a tension that simmers in every scene and an ending that is powerful and devastating. It was a joy from start to finish and is proof that you really can have it all.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'Never have I become so invested in a book's opening pages . . . And what made this so good was the fact the thrills never let up . . . Fantastic debut novel' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'The twistiest, most engrossing read of 2024! West Wilmer just comes to life as a location and sucks you in to the mystery . . . A huge success' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'OMG I loved this! An amazing story, fantastic characters! A must read in 2024!!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'This isn't just a thriller. It's a story about grief and love and loss. With characters that jump out of the pages . . . Ashley's debut is absolutely stunning. I can't wait to see what she writes next' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'Brilliant! . . . I loved all the characters involved, and I think the author spun a brilliant story that kept me guessing . . . I really enjoyed it and especially the unexpected twist right at the end' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'An intriguing and thought-provoking debut ... There were many times in this story that I thought I had it all figured out, only to be blindsided when the actual truth was revealed. I thoroughly enjoyed this one' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review

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The date is the 6 June 1944. The paratroopers on board the aircraft are crammed together, joking and singing over the drone of the engines, none of them dwelling on the gnawing fear in their guts. They reach the French coastline, and everyone goes quiet when loud explosions and flashes erupt around the aircraft. Pilots desperately dodge and swerve through the cool night air while the men hold firm, preparing to jump. They reach the open door; the green light flicks on and they leap without hesitation into a sky lit up by flak, ready to meet their fate. One after another, thousands of white parachutes billow out and the men fall through the air not knowing where they might land or if they will even survive the drop; but their minds are set. They are clear about their mission and its critical importance as part of the bigger picture. Some 'chutes do not open, weapons and kit are torn off in the slipstream, and anti-aircraft guns pick men off and many never make it to the ground alive. The Normandy landings of 1944 were just one of the many famous operations in the stunning history of the Paras. This book by former paratrooper Jason Woods gives the reader an unprecedented snapshot of the role that these brave and determined paratroopers have played throughout their history, demonstrating not only the courage, strength and fitness of the men who make up this mighty regiment, but also their intelligence, compassion, and wicked sense of humour. This powerful journey through aspects of all the key wars and conflicts that the regiment has been engaged in over the last eighty years is made through the eyes of those who served. The book reveals how the Paras have become seen as an elite fighting force, feared by those who have had the misfortune to come up against them on the field of battle. This book covers challenging operations in Northern Ireland, the Falklands, Kosovo, and Sierra Leone. It includes an exciting overview of Operation Telic in Iraq, the epic battles in Afghanistan, and subsequent withdrawal of all British citizens and troops from Kabul in 2021, on Operation Pitting. Packed with short interviews and poignant quotes, many original and never seen before, from current and former Paras, the author highlights the regiment's constant evolution, as the battlefield conditions have changed, into today's modern 16 Air Assault Brigade Rapid Reaction Force and Special Forces Support Group, whilst always maintaining the core standards and ethos embodied in the regimental motto Utrinque Paratus 'Ready for Anything'. Finally, get a glimpse into the transition many Paras make when they eventually leave the regiment and join the secretive private security industry, known as the 'Circuit'. AUTHOR: Following a successful career within the British Parachute Regiment, Jason Woods worked as a body guard for a number of high net-worth families in the UK and Europe before joining the European Commission security team as they entered Afghanistan in 2002. Over the following two decades he operated in most of the world's hot spots such as Iraq, Sudan and Nigeria, culminating in Libya where he setup and ran one of the first international security companies to enter the war torn country based in Benghazi during the 2011 revolution. Jason eventually sold his business to a large US firm in 2017, retiring to Cyprus where he has written two other successful books prior to penning this book, his toughest challenge to date. 32 b/w illustrations

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Begin your epic poetry adventure today with engaging writing prompts that will have you turning out verse in no time. No doubt you’ve fallen in love with a poem at some point in your life. Whether it was a nursery rhyme from childhood or something you read in a high school English class, something about poetry’s form has captured your attention. And now you’d like to try writing a poem yourself. But where do you start?From the moment you put pen to paper, you’re a poet! And like other poets, your goal is to express yourself in a way that’s different from how you would write a short story or letter. But it’s easy to let your inner critic take over and silence your creative voice before you even begin. That’s where the Write Away! Poetry journal comes in. The 101+ writing prompts and exercises will help you find inspiration, try new approaches to writing, and learn to play with language. They’ll encourage you to think creatively and look at your world (and yourself) in a new way. Use these prompts to get your creative juices flowing and shut down that inner critic. Remember, this is your journal—there is no right way to follow these prompts. Do them in order or jump around; do one a day or several in a row. Featuring a layflat binding for easy writing and a compact size perfect for writing on the go, Write Away! Poetry includes prompts like: Write a poem about lost or forgotten things. Write an acrostic poem—a poem in which the first letter of each line spells out a word—to your parent or grandparent, using their first name. Write a poem about your favorite season. Write a poem that plays around with onomatopoeia (a word that sounds like its meaning, such as “sizzle”). Write a poem to your 13-year-old self with advice for living a good life (or avoiding heartache). Write a poem using couplets, which are two-line stanzas. Write a poem that describes how it sounds when snow, leaves, or rain falls. Write a poem that is not about food or cooking but written in the form of a recipe. Once you’ve gone through the book, challenge yourself by going back and writing fresh material in response to the prompts to see how your writing has evolved. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find the start of a brand-new poem to fall in love with. With so much of our lives and contact going digital, the Guided Workbooks offer an intimate way to nurture your connection with yourself and the people around you. An entertaining way to get off your screen, the pages in these guided prompt books are great for writers and first-timers alike. Each workbook offers content around a different, compelling theme, filled with thoughtful questions, inspiration for composition, and interactive prompts to learn about yourself and the world around you. Beautifully designed on high-quality paper stock and full of mindful prompts, channel your inspiration as you put pen to paper to learn more about what inspires you. Other books in the series include: The Adulting Workbook, Finding Your Authentic Self, Stop Overthinking, 5-Minute Productivity Workbook, 3-Minute Positivity Workbook, 52 Weeks to Better Mental Health, Tarot: A Guided Workbook, Astrology: A Guided Workbook , and Finding Your Balance: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Workbook.

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When a one-night stand leads to a long-desired pregnancy, Susan will do anything to ensure her husband won’t find out … including the unthinkable. But when something horrendous is unleashed around the globe, her secret isn’t the only thing that is no longer safe…‘The first half is a high-concept thriller; the second edges into science fiction as a generation of genetically optimised children respond to the social pressures they are under … an astute, well-researched and convincing novel of ideas’ The Times'If you could create a "perfect" baby through genetic engineering, would you? A disturbing and interesting thriller, perfect for book club discussions' Nina Pottell, Prima‘A fantastic exploration of the ethics and allure of genetic engineering woven into a captivating, thought-provoking thriller. Provocative, pacy and scarily all-too-possible’ Philippa East––––––––––––An unthinkable decisionA deadly mistakeIn an all-too-possible near future, when genetic engineering has become the norm for humans, not just crops, parents are prepared to take incalculable risks to ensure that their babies are perfect … altering genes that may cause illness, and more…Susan has been trying for a baby for years, and when an impulsive one-night stand makes her dream come true, she’ll do anything to keep her daughter and ensure her husband doesn’t find out … including the unthinkable. She believes her secret is safe. For now.But as governments embark on a perilous genetic arms race and children around the globe start experiencing a host of distressing symptoms – even taking their own lives – something truly horrendous is unleashed. Because those children have only one thing in common, and people are starting to ask questions…Bestselling author of The Waiting Rooms, Eve Smith returns with an authentic, startlingly thought-provoking, disturbing blockbuster of a thriller that provides a chilling glimpse of a future that’s just one modification away…_____________‘An effective thriller that will keep you hooked to the very end … more than that, it’s a nuanced, believable examination of how human genetic engineering might play out...’ SFX Magazine ‘A brilliantly chilling work of speculative fiction – a disturbing but all-too-possible vision of the near future, where each of us gets to play God. Superb!’ Guy Morpuss‘Sharp, intelligent, frightening and original’ NB Magazine‘An eerily prophetic near-future viewed through a compassionately anchoring lens ... As tempting and tantalising a read as the vision of the future it presents’ SciFi Now‘This is what speculative fiction should be – plausible, pacy, and with a story that packs real emotional punch’ Louise Mumford‘When a writer’s work is compared to Michael Crichton’s, there’s reason to sit up and pay attention … a cautionary tale that’s full of thrills’ LoveReading ‘With jaw-dropping twists, high stakes and so much heart, this is a book that everyone will be talking about’ Awais Khan‘Fast-paced, emotional, disturbing. Lovers of cleverly plotted speculative fiction should jump on this’ Catherine McCarthy‘Eve Smith has done it again! A brilliant read’ J.M. Hewitt‘One of the most exciting writers around … master of the high-concept thriller’ Chris McDonald‘Eve Smith has crafted a world that feels not only lived-in, but utterly plausible’ Russel McLean‘Captivating’ Professor Joanna Verran‘Eve Smith is becoming the Jodi Picoult of speculative medical thrillers’ The Reading ClosetPraise for The Waiting Rooms*****‘Combines the excitement of a medical thriller à la Michael Crichton with sensitive characterisation and social insight in a timely debut novel all the more remarkable for being conceived and written before the current pandemic’ Guardian‘STUNNING and terrifying … The Waiting Rooms wrenches your heart in every way possible’ Miranda Dickinson‘Chillingly close to reality, this gripping thriller brims with authenticity … a captivating, accomplished and timely debut from an author to watch’ Adam Hamdy‘Engrossing and eye-opening, with heart-stopping plot twists … a stunning medical thriller set in a terrifying possible future’ Foreword Reviews For fans of Emily St John Mandel, Robin Cook, Tess Gerritsen and Louise Dought

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This book is written for financial analysts who have a working knowledge of Excel and VBA and who wish to enhance their marketability by improving their modeling expertise. The goal of the book is to broaden the reader’s VBA skills and at the same time to progressively integrate Access, PowerPoint, and Outlook into an existing model. Significant attention is also directed to the design and execution of an Excel/VBA interface employing detailed UserForms. In addition, the construction of various reports, first in Excel, then Access, and finally PowerPoint is undertaken. Regardless of your area of financial expertise, this book serves as an essential guide to mastering leveraging the effects of Microsoft products in whatever applications you choose to build. The focus of the book is a case study containing a structured finance model. The case study model was originally designed for the securitization of a portfolio of commercial small business loans. This model now needs to be expanded to securitize a much larger portfolio of residential mortgages. The Original Structuring model will be bifurcated into a Sources of Funds model, the assets of the collateral pool, and a Uses of Funds model, the liabilities waterfall model. This will give the reader experience working with an existing model as a base departure point of development rather than the less common “start from scratch” approach. Once the Base Asset Model (BAM) and the Base Liabilities Models (BLM) are complete, each model will serve as the platform for future development. From the BAM and BLM a pair of much more robust models, the Collateral Cash Flow Generator (CCFG) and the Liabilities Waterfall Model (LWM), respectively, are created. The CCFG is designed to process a significantly greater quantity, variety, and complexity of collateral types. It also introduces the analyst to Geographic based prepayment methods as well as those using Financial/Demographic factor approaches. The LWM, operating independently of the CCFG, reads the collateral cash flow scenarios and applies them across a two tiered, six tranche bond structure. The liabilities waterfall contains provision for an interest rate swap, performance triggers and a variety of other credit enhancement features. With the CCFG and LWM now complete Access is introduced. Access will replace various Excel/VBA code modules in the CCFG such as the collateral data management, data scrubbing and reporting, data sufficiency testing, and eligibility screening. Access is also employed to export and the various collateral cash flows. In the LWM Access is used to import the cash flows, store the liability structure specifications, and export/save the resultant structure performance. PowerPoint is then introduced in the CCFG to allow for the fully automated production of presentation report packages. Last Outlook is added to the models to inform the analyst of model performance and to automatically distribute the various report packages to pre-designated mailing lists. The book contains over 750 exhibits of reports, menus, calculation, and algorithmic examples and most of all code. The complete Excel, VBA, Access, PowerPoint, and Outlook code for all of the models is included on the Web site. The Web site also includes Web chapters containing detailed instructions on how to create and populate a directory environment to store this code, run the models, and organize the results. Lastly there are other Web chapters containing supplemental information explaining the structure and function of the original model, bond and mortgage math (with calculation examples), representative line generator programs, and a tutorial on the construction and integration of UserForms. This book is the intermediate level companion volume to A Fast-Track to Structured Finance Modeling, Monitoring, and Valuation: Jump Start VBA; Preinitz; Wiley 2009, an introductory work on the subject.

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*THE THEAKSTON'S OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2021**WINNER OF THE CWA GOLD DAGGER FOR BEST CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR**WINNER OF THE NED KELLY INTERNATIONAL AWARD*A GUARDIAN BEST THRILLER OF THE YEARAn EXPRESS BEST THRILLER OF THE YEARAn i BEST THRILLER OF THE YEARA MIRROR BEST BOOKS OF THE YEARA WATERSTONES THRILLER OF THE MONTHREAD THE BOOK EVERYONE IS CALLING A MASTERPIECE! 'A beautifully written mystery, packed with unforgettable characters' JANE HARPER'Contender for thriller of the year' SUNDAY EXPRESS'An accomplished and moving story of crime, punishment, love and redemption' GUARDIANFor fans of Jane Harper's The Dry comes a powerful novel about the lengths we will go to keep our family safe. This is a story about good and evil and how life is lived somewhere in between.Thirty years ago, Vincent King became a killer. Now, he's been released from prison and is back in his hometown of Cape Haven, California. Not everyone is pleased to see him. Like Star Radley, his ex-girlfriend, and sister of the girl he killed.Duchess Radley, Star's thirteen-year-old daughter, is part-carer, part-protector to her younger brother, Robin - and to her deeply troubled mother. But in trying to protect Star, Duchess inadvertently sets off a chain of events that will have tragic consequences not only for her family, but also the whole town. Murder, revenge, retribution.How far can we run from the past, when the past seems doomed to repeat itself? WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT WE BEGIN AT THE END: 'Magnificent . . . an instant classic, a West Coast Where the Crawdads Sing . . . a special, vital novel. I'm grateful to have read it' A J FINN'Surely destined to conquer the world' RUTH JONES'A magnificent crime novel. It deserves to win a hatful of awards. A BIG hat. Consider me a major fan' MARK BILLINGHAM'So beautifully written' LYNDA LA PLANTE'Incredible writing, characters so brilliantly drawn they jump off the page. Outstanding' BA PARIS'I LOVED this book . . . This is a book to be read and re-read and an author to be celebrated' LOUISE PENNY'A stunning and heartbreaking book - will keep you gripped until the last moving page' CLAIRE MCGOWAN 'An exceptionally beautiful and accomplished crime novel' ALI LAND'One of the best books I've ever read' FIONA CUMMINS'An absolute masterclass in crime writing and story-telling' JO SPAIN'One of the year's best crime reads' VASEEM KHAN'One of my favourite books of all time' M. W. CRAVEN, winner of the CWA's Gold Dagger Award'Breathtakingly beautiful. Another stunning story from the genius of Chris Whitaker' COMPULSIVE READERS 'A spellbinding masterclass in storytelling . . . one of the best books I have ever had the joy to read' ALEX J BOOKS BLOG'A masterpiece . . . a contender for my top book of 2020' FOR WINTER NIGHTS BLOG'I was totally seduced by this absolute masterpiece . . . took my breath away' SUIDI'S BOOK REVIEWS'This book is bound to become a classic . . . Reader, Chris Whitaker's book made me cry . . . such is the power of this writing' LIVE AND DEADLY BLOG'Utterly brilliant . . . This isn't just crime fiction, this is a masterclass' MELANIE READS BLOG'A masterpiece of storytelling with clever twists and an ending to knock you sideways' CANDIS MAGAZINE 'This heart-rending story . . . is among the most powerful and moving I have read in years' DAILY MAIL 'Cements Whitaker's status as one of the most talented authors writing today' HEAT MAGAZINE'Masterly novel' SUNDAY EXPRESS'A dark yet painfully human tale that is impossible to forget' CRIME MONTHLY'Beautifully written and deeply moving' SUNDAY TIMES CRIME CLUB'A gorgeous, crystalline novel' JEANINE CUMMINS, author of AMERICAN DIRT'Heartbreaking and profound, this is my thriller of the year' MIRROR

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As featured in Grazia's 21 of the Best Parenting Books in 2020'Joanna's books give you every answer to every question you have as a parent with practical methods to tackle every obstacle and connect with your child and help them flourish.' Madeleine Shaw 'When I tried Joanna's approach during the first lockdown, I was both comforted and excited by how such a small change could have such a big impact.' Dr. Suzanne McCleanA mindful and practical parenting roadmap for busy, time-poor parents. Based on a simple and effective formula, it will transform family life in just fifteen minutes of daily play, resulting in less tears and more laughter. Middle childhood, the period for those aged 8-12 years old, is often the most overlooked phase of a child's development but it's the age where play continue to serve an important role in their emotional growth. It's also an age where we are most likely to stop playing with our children.With over twenty years of clinical expertise and neuroscientific research, psychotherapist and parenting expert Joanna Fortune shares her proven techniques that will enable you to better understand your relationship with your children as they grow and ensure that your parenting is developing with them.Packed with 15-minute games and activities that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine, Joanna also explores the neurological, physical and emotional development of 8-12 year olds and offers parents hands-on advice on how to deal with:Friendships and bullyingSibling relationships Difficult conversations (the ones that catch you off guard!)Risk-taking behaviourBuilding independence, self-esteem and emotional resilience Resistance15-Minute Parenting 8-12 years will show you how to keep play alive with your child, foster great communication and help to secure strong foundations for adolescence.Praise for the 15-Minute Parenting series:'Now that we have to be teachers and coaches as well as parents - and feel guilty and overburdened - it's the perfect time for psychotherapist Joanna Fortune's new book.' Sunday Independent'In an "Age of Anxiety" for parents, Joanna was able to dispense reassuring advice and practical tips from her 15 Minute Parenting Model for time-pressed parents who want the very best for their children's development and well-being.' Marena Duffy, Chairperson of Cuidiu (the National Parent to Parent Voluntary support network) Dublin North West'Absolutely love this! I've read multiple parenting books as a daddy blogger and this is BY FAR one of my favorites!' Amazon Reviewer'A must read for all parents! Absolutely loving this book. Joanna has a no frills, relaxed attitude towards parenting & brings fun into it. She made me realise that we don't need to question ourselves as much as we do.' Amazon Reviewer'All of my friends love this. It's expert advice but... accessible and smart and actually kind of fun. All the exercises are easily implemented and kids respond to them immediately... this book is well broken down so that whatever crisis you're dealing with today you can check the chapter outline and jump straight to the few pages (and solutions) about that issue...' Amazon Reviewer'Simple and effective reading. Totally love this book... Fabulous chapter on relationships covering how to stay connected to your partner which I feel gets left out from other books I've read... my friend already has her hands on it so I will definitely be passing on.' Amazon Reviewer'A well thought out and written book to nudge you and guide you to better parenting without any self-flagellation... a gentle and kind written piece of work...Certainly think it can help parents that feel they can't find their own way back.' Goodreads Reviewer

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AN INTERACTIVE GUIDE AND INTRODUCTION TO THE CHRISTIAN LIFE – WARTS AND ALL! The First Steps series provides an innovative and engaging guide to the Christian Life for people who are just starting out on it, perhaps with no Church background or previous information whatsoever. Possibly excited and nervous at the same time. Each of the ten titles uses everyday language to clearly explain some of the key areas people need to grasp, but commonly struggle with. A unique feature is that you are introduced to a person in each book, who we see trying this out in real life situations. You can almost imagine being there with them. These ten titles can be followed step–by–step as a path, or in the order that seems most relevant to where you are right now. God – Is He Out There? War – Why Did Life Just Get Harder? Voices – Who Am I Listening To? Bible – Can We Trust It? Believe – What Should I Know? Character – How Do I Change? Training – How Do I Grow As A Christian? Church – Do I Have To Go? Relationships – How Do I Make Things Right? Service – How Do I Give Back? Each book will grab your attention using six symbols that run throughout each one. A person experiencing what’s in the book, before you have to. Illustrations that really bring it to life. Stop signs to ensure you’ve grasped it. Key Bible verses to give you confidence in what you’ve read. One significant and relevant Bible verse to easily remember and hold onto. A brief summary of what you’ve just covered, before going any further. Let’s jump in and take a look at what’s instore for us. GOD – IS HE OUT THERE? Probably the best title to start with as we need to be sure that God exists in the first place, discover who He is and what He’s like, and how this affects me, my life and my world. WAR – WHY DID LIFE JUST GET HARDER? As with anything that is new, we may come up against unexpected problems that risk throwing us off course. Being aware of this is key, and also knowing that anything this amazing is worth fighting for, combined with the surprising news is we’re not left to do this on our own! VOICES – WHO AM I LISTENING TO? We’re bombarded with messages demanding our attention and it can be difficult to know who to listen to, or what is the best decision to make. God is well aware of this and has provided loads of clarity. BIBLE – CAN WE TRUST IT? The Bible may have all the answers we’re looking for, but if we don’t trust it, we’re not going to believe it. How can we be sure it’s true and trustworthy? BELIEVE – WHAT SHOULD I KNOW? Nobody understands the whole Bible right away – so what are some of the key truths we need to grasp, to get started? CHARACTER – HOW DO I CHANGE? None of us wants to be a hypocrite, so how can my character match who I say I am? TRAINING – HOW DO I GROW AS A CHRISTIAN? This looks at the wonderful opportunities we get, to grow and mature as a Christian, at just the right time and pace. CHURCH – DO I HAVE TO GO? Here comes a trick issue! Love it or dread it, it is home for the Christian on this planet. Let’s blow away some myths and false expectations, so we can really feel at home there. RELATIONSHIPS – HOW DO I MAKE THINGS RIGHT? How do we deal, as different people now, with all the various relationships we have? How can we heal broken ones, protect all the ones that are good, and accept that some will always be difficult? SERVICE – HOW DO I GIVE BACK? We’re told its good to give back, but what does that actually mean and how do we do it? Especially when we have to serve people we have a problem with. SUITABLE FOR: People Exploring For Themselves One–To–One Mentoring Small Group Discussions Training Courses

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'A terrific read from a very original voice' - Daily Mail'THE name to look out for in psychological thrillers' - Sun'Tightly plotted with great characters and pacing' - Prima'A compelling psychological thriller' - Crime MonthlyFor fans of Gillian McAllister and Lisa Jewell comes a powerful and haunting novel about family, secrets and murder.Is blood thicker than water?At five a.m. one summer's morning, police diver Jen Harper wakes to find herself submerged in the silt of a river with no memory of how she got there.Forty-eight hours later, she's called to dive in the same river in search of a missing woman, Claudia Franklin.But for Jen, this is no ordinary job. Her and Claudia's families were entangled for decades - there is unresolved resentment between them, unspoken secrets.Jen hasn't seen Claudia for twelve years now. Or has she? ___________PRAISE FOR SILENT WATERS:'Brilliantly plotted, utterly compelling and where nothing is as it seems. Add to that some whip-smart dialogue and you have everything you could possibly want in a thriller.' - John Marrs'Silent Waters is a highly addictive, ever-engrossing, one-sit-read thriller - once you dive in, you won't want to come up for air.' - Jack Jordan'You'll be spellbound from the first SENTENCE ... Simply wonderful.' - Jonathan Whitelaw'An utterly engrossing novel that will leave you as breathless as its characters!' - Sarah Lawton'A fascinating, constantly surprising mystery novel that pulls you in like a hidden riptide and builds to a heart-pounding and hugely satisfying finale. A wonderful read!' - C.M. Ewan'Propulsive and intricately plotted, Silent Waters is the thriller to watch for in 2023.' - Ella King'A tightly plotted and skilfully rendered story with strong characters that jumped off the page. Beautifully claustrophobic.' - Imran Mahmood'A compelling and atmospheric story of toxic friendships, secrets and divided loyalties all set around the competitive world of diving - loved it.' - Catherine Cooper'Fiendishly clever, fascinating and with a host of fully realised characters, Silent Waters is one of the most original and atmospheric thrillers I've ever read. I absolutely love L.V. Matthews' writing - it always takes you by surprise.' - Charlotte Duckworth'A police diver, a thwarted Olympic dream, a missing woman, and a body in a watery grave. [...] A thrillingly murky tale of tainted love and betrayal, an edge-of-the-jetty read. I dare you to jump in!' - Janice Hallett'Silent Waters is a brilliant, beautifully written thriller with an unusual premise and shocking twists. I loved it! Her best yet!' - Claire Douglas'A gripping intensity on every page that will have you racing through this book!' - Lauren North'Beautifully written, perfectly paced and as absorbing as the silent waters the novel describes! Had me hooked from page one to the gripping finale.' - G R Halliday'Silent Waters is dripping in menace. An exhilarating and immersive look into the highly competitive world of female diving. The delicious prose along with some heart-stopping twists and turns will keep you up all night. I loved it!' - Emily Freud'Haunting, visceral writing, a pulse-pounding plot, and characters you will take into your heart. Stunning.' - Lizzy Barber'With a captivating cast of characters - some I loved to hate! - I thoroughly enjoyed this dip into the murky world of police diving. Utterly compelling.' - Sam Holland'It me less than 24 hours to read this and I'm still reeling - so intense, so tangled, so beautifully written and utterly, brilliantly claustrophobic.' - Emma Christie'L.V. Matthews has done it again with a truly dark and complex thriller that will have you gasping for breath.' - Sophie Flynn'An original, compelling foray into the toxic world of Olympic diving, with Matthew's signature stunning characterisation and gripping plot. Silent Waters should be at the top of every crime/thriller lover's TBR next year.' - Mira Shah'Terrific, memorable suspense writing that draws you in. Silent Waters is a real up-all-night thriller.' - B P Walter'I was immediately obsessed with this brilliant, murky but warm story of deep-buried secrets and impossible choices. Gorgeously real characters and relationships and a compelling mystery with heartbreakingly high stakes. Loved it!' - Gytha Lodge'I loved the chilling, atmospheric and expertly plotted Silent Waters. A wonderfully intriguing mystery and a definite must-read!' - Karen Hamilton'I adored delving into the murky world of police diving as L.V. Matthews caught me in a fascinating tale of rivalry, lies, and long buried secrets.' - Sarah Bonner'So clever and claustrophobic with very smart twists ... A razor-sharp read!' - Kate Gray'Absolutely loved it. A twisty page turner ... Great premise, compelling plot, brilliant characterisation.' - Sarah Turner, aka The Unmumsy Mum, bestselling author of Stepping Up

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Discover a world of magical storytelling from a twice Costa-shortlisted author“One of our finest children’s writers.” Phil Earle“A master storyteller.” Aisling Fowler“Another absolute triumph from one of my favourite children’s authors.” Catherine DoyleThe greatest magic is hidden in plain sight...Evie is used to not being noticed. But when she meets the mysterious Wainwright, she discovers that going unnoticed might just be what makes her unique. Recruited into a secret magical organization, Evie finds herself at the heart of an ancient and magical battle. Evil is returning to the land, and Evie is the only person who can stop it. But how can she defeat the most dangerous magician in the world, when she doesn’t even know her own powers? Don't miss Ross's other fantasy novels for young readers: The Midnight GuardiansThe Chime SeekersPRAISE FOR SPELLSTONE"Vividly atmospheric with delightful characters... [A] spellbinding story.” Daily Mail “The very definition of a page-turner: riveting, punchy, with surprises around every bend. Ross is a flawless storyteller.” Carlie Sorosiak“Another absolute triumph from one of my favourite children’s authors. Spellstone is both heartfelt and humorous, while fizzing with magic and fun.” Catherine Doyle“A cinematic roller-coaster ride of a book, magical through to its shining core.” Katharine Orton“Infused with magic, adventure and imagination. This is Ross Montgomery on top form, and the result is spectacular.” Katya Balen“A magical book that is both clever and gripping. A joy!” Lisa Thompson“Montgomery's playful imagination floods every page, creating a magical adventure full of high stakes, charming characters and unexpected twists.” Joseph Elliott“A spellbinding adventure, brimming with original magic and the most charming cast of characters.”Jenny Pearson “Sparkling with magic, danger and that wonderful Montgomery wit, Spellstone is one to jump into, full throttle. A fabulous, crackling adventure.” Amy Wilson“Ross Montgomery just gets better and better! Crackling with magic and swirling with mystery, Spellstone had me enchanted from the first page.” Jennifer Bell“Magical storytelling – bold and brilliant.” Sophie Anderson“A brilliantly inventive tale of good versus evil that weaves magic and mystery with a cast of loveable characters. I loved every page of it.” Struan Murray"From the extraordinarily vivid opening scene to the heart-stopping climax, every page proves you're in the hands of a master storyteller. I couldn't put it down!" Aisling Fowler“Ross is one of our finest children’s writers, and this is a magnificent piece of fantasy storytelling. Gripping, quirky and with characters you won’t forget.” Phil EarlePRAISE FOR THE CHIME SEEKERS“Cracking adventure from the wildly imaginative Montgomery.” Daily Mail"Funny, terrifying, full of folkloric strangeness hiding in everyday corner, this sparkling homage to David Bowie's Labyrinth is just as satisfying as last year's The Midnight Guardians." Guardian"[A] whirlwind adventure." Daily Telegraph"Richly imaginative." The Week Junior“A quest like no other: Ross Montgomery is on spectacular form in this brilliant, edge-of-your seat story.” Emma Carroll"Fast-paced and hilarious." Ross Welford"Deliciously creepy, wonderfully imaginative." Sophie Anderson“Very page-turny, with enough funny bits to stop it being too scary.” Philip Reeve“All the hallmarks of an instant classic.” Carlie Sorosiak“A fantastic adventure with shades of Jan Mark, Susanna Clarke and Neil Gaiman ... A brilliant example of the best children's fiction.” Christopher Edge"Ross Montgomery is a true master of storytelling." Jenny Pearson“FLAWLESS. Witty, emotional, beautifully written, pacey, punchy, and a story that just keeps delivering.” Nicola Skinner"A modern classic." Phil Earle“Rich in detail, humour and feeling. Ross Montgomery is a singular talent in writing brave and magical adventures." Katya Balen“Fantastic! A brilliant cast of characters ... a whirlwind adventure and a fae world brimming with darkness, wonder and faerie tricks.” Aisling Fowler“[An] enchanting masterpiece ... Charming, hilarious and brimming with magic." Catherine Doyle“A tricksy, whirlwind of an adventure from start to finish with twists and turns I didn’t expect!” Aisha BusbyPRAISE FOR THE MIDNIGHT GUARDIANSShortlisted for the 2021 Costa Children's Book AwardWaterstones Children's Book of the Month for Christmas 2020Hive Children's Book of the Month for November 2020A Toppsta Children's Book of the Month for November 2020"An enthralling, Narnia-flavoured novel with the folkloric feels of a Christmas classic." Children's Books of the Year, Guardian"Beautifully drawn fantasy characters ... a story of hope and love underpinned by witty humour.” Daily Mail"A magical slice of historical fantasy fiction.” i Newspaper"This lovely adventure story has the feel of a classic children's book." Book of the Week, The Week Junior“Beautiful writing and epic storytelling.” WRD Magazine"A real triumph of the imagination." Editor's Choice, The Bookseller

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From the Preface: The argument of this book ranges from highly theoretical speculations to highly topical problems of modern art and practical hints for the art teacher, and it is most unlikely that I can find a reader who will feel at home on every level of the argument. But fortunately this does not really matter. The principal ideas of the book can be understood even if the reader follows only one of the many lines of the discussion. The other aspects merely add stereoscopic depth to the argument, but not really new substance. May I, then, ask the reader not to be irritated by the obscurity of some of the material, to take out from the book what appeals to him and leave the rest unread? In a way this kind of reading needs what I will call a syncretistic approach. Children can listen breathlessly to a tale of which they understand only little. In the words of William James they take 'flying leaps' over long stretches that elude their understanding and fasten on the few points that appeal to them. They are still able to profit from this incomplete understanding. This ability of understanding- and it is an ability may be due to their syncretistic capacity to comprehend a total structure rather than analysing single elements. Child art too goes for the total structure without bothering about analytic details. I myself seem to have preserved some of this ability. This enables me to read technical books with some profit even if I am not conversant with some of the technical terms. A reader who cannot take 'flying leaps' over portions of technical information which he cannot understand will become of necessity a rather narrow specialist. It is an advantage therefore to retain some of the child's syncretistic ability, in order to escape excessive specialization. This book is certainly not for the man who can digest his information only within a well-defined range of technical terms. A publisher's reader once objected to my lack of focus. What he meant was that the argument had a tendency to jump from high psychological theory to highly practical recipes for art teaching and the like; scientific jargon mixed with mundane everyday language. This kind of treatment may well appear chaotic to an orderly mind. Yet I feel quite unrepentant. I realize that the apparently chaotic and scattered structure of my writing fits the subject matter of this book, which deals with the deceptive chaos in art's vast substructure. There is a 'hidden order' in this chaos which only a properly attuned reader or art lover can grasp. All artistic structure is essentially 'polyphonic'; it evolves not in a single line of thought, but in several superimposed strands at once. Hence creativity requires a diffuse, scattered kind of attention that contradicts our normal logical habits of thinking. Is it too high a claim to say that the polyphonic argument of my book must be read with this creative type of attention? I do not think that a reader who wants to proceed on a single track will understand the complexity of art and creativity in general anyway. So why bother about him? Even the most persuasive and logical argument cannot make up for his lack of sensitivity. On the other hand I have reason to hope that a reader who is attuned to the hidden substructure of art will find no difficulty in following the diffuse and scattered structure of my exposition. There is of course an intrinsic order in the progress of the book. Like most thinking on depth-psychology it proceeds from the conscious surface to the deeper levels of the unconscious. The first chapters deal with familiar technical and professional problems of the artist. Gradually aspects move into view that defy this kind of rational analysis. For instance the plastic effects of painting (pictorial space) which are familiar to every artist and art lover tum out to be determined by deeply unconscious perceptions. They ultimately evade all conscious control. In this way a profound conflict between conscious and unconscious (spontaneous) control comes forward. The conflict proves to be akin to the conflict of single-track thought and 'polyphonic' scattered attention which I have described. Conscious thought is sharply focused and highly differentiated in its elements; the deeper we penetrate into low-level imagery and phantasy the more the single track divides and branches into unlimited directions so that in the end its structure appears chaotic. The creative thinker is capabte of alternating between differentiated and undifferentiated modes of thinking, harnessing them together to give him service for solving very definite tasks. The uncreative psychotic succumbs to the tension between conscious (differentiated) and unconscious (undifferentiated) modes of mental functioning. As he cannot integrate their divergent functions, true chaos ensues. The unconscious functions overcome and fragment the conscious surface sensibilities and tear reason into shreds. Modern art displays this attack of unreason on reason quite openly. Yet owing to the powers of the creative mind real disaster is averted. Reason may seem to be cast aside for a moment. Modern art seems truly chaotic. But as time passes by the 'hidden order' in art's substructure (the work of unconscious form creation) rises to the surface. The modern artist may attack his own reason and single-track thought; but a new order is already in the making.

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This textbook evolves from the intersection between ‘Research’, ‘Educational Information Technologies’ and recent ‘Best Practices’. It offers diplomacy and erudite rhetoric in order to harvest from innovation projects and see how new professional needs for teachers are emerging day by day. The volume launches the compact background for the 21st century education that every teacher faces after being in charge for 3 or 6 years after pre-service training. ‘Sources for a better education’ refers to the deep understanding and to the incentives for encouraging teachers to leave the comfort zone and experiment the next steps into a further sophisticated professionalism, without the threat of feeling in a ‘Dilemma’.The first candidate for extending one’s teaching effectiveness is to tailor one’s teaching to the test to be expected. ‘Teaching to the Test’ is an understandable tactic, however it endangers the students’ full understanding of underlying concepts and analogies. The second candidate for professionalism is the deeper layer of knowledge on how curricular domains are related. In simpler terms: better teachers know how to ‘bridge’ topics and subjects so that students develop a deeper understanding on the patterns and structure in knowledge. The 21st century education prioritizes higher degrees of flexible-, divergent and abstract thinking, so that creative problem solving comes into reach. ICT tools for making prior knowledge explicit is a major example on how learners harvest upon prior knowledge, thinking and intuition. The third source for a better education is the courage to envisage one’s meta knowledge in order to see patterns in learning and understanding. The more conscious prior knowledge gets decompiled into genetic metaphors; the better future learning can be anticipated. The fourth asset for meta-cognitive skills is the wide spectrum of tools that the web offers for building knowledge infra-structures so that knowledge becomes transformed into problem solving skills; the availability of knowledge is no longer sufficient for finding creative and authentic solutions in future situations. This is the case for both students and teachers. By tradition, the bottom-up strategy from reproductive factual learning up to the levels of problem solving and creative thinking has been favoured. The ‘one-click away’ access to information on the web asks a more strategic attitude from learners and practitioners to cope with the periphery between known and unknown, so that a more effective meta-cognition develops. The fifth stimulus for more effective learning is the expanding impact of social media. Social media tend to intimidate learners with incomplete understanding to jump on biases as delivered through political and conspiracy agendas. This books aims at the challenge to build upon learners’ existential needs and developing interest for a longer-term learning perspective.“Renaissance man and philosopher Piet Kommers presents us with an interesting question: What makes education exciting? His book covers a range of lessons learnt through research and practice, covering philosophies and paradoxes, ranging from learning to learn to machine learning for learning. In 35 chapters he takes us on an exciting, comprehensive journey of just about every conceivable aspect of technology and education. This is a must-have for every 21st Century bookshelf!” By: Johannes Cronjé, professor of Digital Teaching and Learning in the Department of Information Technology at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa.“Piet Kommers has in 400 pages provided an overview of teaching based on practical experience. It is not a summary of pedagogic models, but a guide to important factors in how to motivate students and thus improve their learning. New technologies changes teaching, and we need to understand how application of such technologies can improve the learning. This book provides such knowledge and I wish I had it when I started teaching at university many years ago.” By: Jan Frick, Professor Business School, University of Stavanger, Norway."Piet Kommers delivers a very thorough book with a holistic perspective on Learning Technologies. This book is a result of many years of experience that the author has in Higher Education. It comprises lessons learned from the author´s professional career, including inputs from European Union research projects, as well as diversified interactions with a wide range of Peoples and Cultures. The result is a unique perspective that is a must-read for anyone interested in Learning Technologies, past, present, and future!" By: Pedro Isaias, associate professor at the Information Systems & Technology Management School of The University of New South Wales (UNSW – Sydney), Australia. “Distinguished Professor and Thinker Dr. Piet Kommers presents the academic community with a new horizon on education that reflects the current and future technology trends in the e-Learning and Fast Internet ubiquity. The Book discusses the current and most recent advances in research and application of most effective learning methods in conjunction with the future directions in machine learning in support of learning. The Book's 35 chapters present cutting-edge technologies and state-of-the-art learning methods in support of best educational practices and the student's best learning experience. The Book is most valuable asset to educator's community pursuing the mission of excellence in the Third Millennium!” By: Eduard Babulak, Professor, Computational Sciences, Liberty University, Lynchburg, USA."Well-known scientist, (e-)learning expert and philosopher Piet Kommers presents us with an interesting question: What makes education exciting? His book covers a range of lessons learnt through research and practice, covering philosophies and paradoxes, ranging from ‘learning to learn’ to ‘machine learning for learning’. In 35 chapters he takes us on an exciting, comprehensive journey of just about every conceivable aspect of technology and education. This is an interesting and useful publication for all educators as well as learners and must-have for every 21st Century bookshelf!" By: Eugenia Smyrnova-Trybulska, Dr. hab., associate professor, Institute of Pedagogy, Faculty of Art and Sciences of Education, University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.“The book presents a mosaic of assets reflecting the vast international experience in research and realization of learning technologies of the author, honourable professor of the UNESCO Chair in New information technologies in education for all, Piet Kommers. Describing various aspects of learning strategies, approaches, techniques and technologies in a concise way, he engages the readers into the mental construction of a "big picture" and makes them reconsider routine processes of teaching and learning. Exciting and thought-provoking reading for educators, researchers, and devoted learners.” By: professor Volodymyr Gritsenko, Director of the International Research and Training Centre for Information Technologies and Systems, National Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Head of the UNESCO Chair.

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