Search results for ""author mark wagstaff""

Everything is just a little more difficult for poor thirty-something Margaret Rudge. Adjusting to single life after her no-good husband Tommy leaves her for a shrink, Margaret manages to snag a job slinging coffee on the street. "Everyone hooks up waiting for their latte," her sometimes-fabulous friend Cindy advises. And maybe it's good advice because it's while working at Frank's coffee cart that she meets a handsome young dancer and is drawn into the exhilarating and slightly unhinged world of a NYC modern dance company. Margaret is stuck in a jack-in-the-box, and author Mark Wagstaff expertly mans the crank, turning the lever over and over, letting eerie circus music slowly fill your head. Will she find what she's looking for? Is it hiding in the strangely lit aisles of her downstairs grocery store? Maybe it's avoiding her calls, holed up with a new girlfriend, the cognitive psychology graduate, in a condo in Phoenix. Or maybe, just maybe, it's coffee-stained and unexpectedly expected. In Attack of the Lonely Hearts, each character is broken in their own forlorn way. A master of the dark and witty one-liner, Wagstaff manages to spin a hilarious and off-kilter story about what can happen when lonely hearts discover they're attached to even lonelier bodies.

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Tough teen Riz Montgomery plays high stakes roulette as London burns. With bugs in her skin and noise in her head, Riz is real and the rest are fake. What matters to her: Mark Rothko’s art. So despite the horror of family time, it’s a fine thing that a major Rothko show coincides with the global conference where her so-called Dad is such a big wheel. Holed up with VIPs at a heavily guarded hotel, Riz collides with a sharp-dressed assassin she calls The Man. As she plunges into a world of covert deals and power plays, Riz is befriended and betrayed by Russian and Syrian agents. And emotionally bruised by the leader of a violent anti-capitalist group in town to protest the conference. Told in Riz’s breathless, insistent voice, the edgy friendship between the isolated teen and the travelling killer drives a thrill-ride through riot-torn London.

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Controversial Issues in Adventure Programming offers an engaging approach to the consideration of enduring, current, and emerging issues in the field. Written primarily for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students, the text presents 20 issues in a debate format, challenging students to participate in critical discourse concerning these issues as practitioners in the field of adventure programming. Respected authors Bruce Martin and Mark Wagstaff have assembled a team of more than 50 contributors from around the globe to reassess some of the underlying assumptions on which adventure programming is based. They have critically examined implications of new developments for emerging practice and discussed how best to position the field of adventure programming in addressing broader societal concerns. To set the stage for the debate, each issue is prefaced with a general overview, including the evolution of the issue and its significance in light of broader social concerns. Then, contributors present the pros and cons of each issue. A debate format helps students develop an understanding of the key points around each issue while also becoming familiar with current research pertinent to these issues. This approach also encourages students to grapple with these issues and begin to develop their own informed, thoughtful perspectives as they prepare for careers in adventure programming. Controversial Issues in Adventure Programming is divided into two parts. Part I begins by discussing issues of ongoing concern in the field, including the certification debate, motorized versus nonmotorized forms of outdoor recreation, and program accreditation. In part II, contemporary and emerging issues are presented, such as the use of online educational programming in the field of adventure programming. As a reference for practitioners and policy makers, Controversial Issues in Adventure Programming offers new and updated perspectives on enduring and emerging issues as well as a synthesis of the most recent related scholarly literature. In addition, the text serves as a resource in understanding how the adventure programming industry can contribute to addressing issues of broad concern in society, such as public health, global climate change, stewardship of public lands and waterways, and education reform. Controversial Issues in Adventure Programming encourages readers to participate in some of the central debates occurring in the field. In particular, this timely resource will help students broaden their understanding of the field as they critically examine and respond to a range of enduring, contemporary, and emerging topics in adventure programming.

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Outdoor Leadership, Second Edition, is the definitive text for developing student leadership in outdoor and adventure settings throughout the world. Crafted by an author team internationally recognized for their research, teaching, and experience in outdoor and adventure leadership, this new edition provides students with the foundational knowledge they need to develop as competent professionals in the field. Grounded in Eight Core Competencies Through Outdoor Leadership, Second Edition, students are introduced to eight core competencies that the authors consider essential to outdoor leadership: 1. Foundational knowledge 2. Self-awareness and professional conduct 3. Decision making and judgment 4. Teaching and facilitation 5. Environmental stewardship 6. Program management 7. Safety and risk management 8. Technical ability This unique approach to outdoor and adventure leadership will help students meet current professional standards in the field as they prepare for careers in education and recreation. The students move step by step through the materials and assignments, gaining and demonstrating leadership competencies, which they will document through a portfolio of their course experiences. The development of these portfolios is a highly practical and valuable takeaway for students looking to get a leg up as they ready themselves for their careers. New to the Text This latest edition of Outdoor Leadership offers new features, material, and resources, including: • The expertise and perspectives of new author Marni Goldenberg • A new chapter on program assessment • A new chapter on developing cultural and social justice competencies as an outdoor leader • A redistribution of the content on values and ethics (formerly a single chapter) across multiple chapters • An increased emphasis on international perspectives • A stronger focus on outdoor leadership in the area of ecotourism • Revisions to address critical issues in the evolving field of outdoor and adventure leadership • New ancillaries, including an instructor guide (which includes learning and portfolio activities for each chapter, as well as other new learning experiences), a test package, and a presentation package Emphasizing Both Theory and Practice While primarily directed at novice outdoor leaders, Outdoor Leadership, Second Edition, is useful for more experienced outdoor leaders as well, including administrative and supervisory personnel in outdoor leadership organizations. The authors have created a balance between theory and practice as they explore the eight core competencies by doing the following: • Introducing students to a wide variety of theories and concepts integral to outdoor leadership • Using chapter-opening vignettes to illustrate the theories and concepts addressed in the chapter • Acquainting readers with numerous organizations and agencies in which outdoor leaders work • Offfering a series of learning activities and professional development exercises to transform the theoretical into the practical Preparing Students for Successful Careers The result is a highly useful resource that grounds students in the theories, concepts, and competencies that they need in order to be successful leaders in outdoor and adventure settings. This competency-based approach will help aspiring outdoor leaders plan safe, enjoyable, and ecologically responsible expeditions; acquire and showcase their leadership abilities, culminating in a professional portfolio; and develop the knowledge and expertise they need to be effective leaders.

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Aerial Adventure Environments: The Theory and Practice of the Challenge Course, Zip Line, and Canopy Tour Industry With HKPropel Access provides a comprehensive and practical introduction to the aerial adventure industry. The first of its kind, this text combines the key components of high and low ropes challenge courses, zip lines, canopy tours, and aerial adventure parks into one essential guide for students and existing professionals.Written by leading experts with both practical experience and theoretical knowledge in the field and endorsed by the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT), the Professional Ropes Course Association (PRCA), and the European Ropes Course Association (ERCA), this complete resource contains the foundational information needed to understand the industry of aerial adventure environments. It provides practitioners with the tools they need to lead successful adventure experiences whether they are working directly with participants, designing and building structures, training staff, or conducting operational and marketing activities.Readers will learn about the historical beginnings and global development of the industry, the theory and fundamentals behind aerial adventure programming, facility and equipment management, personnel training, and operational guidelines. The text presents practical information on understanding the desired outcomes of a variety of clients and how to design and deliver safe, effective, and inclusive adventure experiences with consideration for self-directed, guided, and facilitated experiences. The discussions of professional competencies and current industry issues and trends, as well as tips on how to obtain training, equip readers for success in the profession.Chapter objectives, summaries, and review questions reinforce learning, and Putting It Into Practice elements illustrate practical applications of the content. Related online materials delivered via HKPropel include 21 checklists and forms that provide real-world value and include sample participant evaluation forms, job descriptions, challenge course questionnaires, program plans, and more. Special features throughout the book highlight four themes critical to the aerial adventure environment profession: Risk Management sidebars demonstrate how the management of risk must be embedded in every stage of the experience. Active Participatory Experience sidebars emphasize the hands-on nature of aerial adventures, whereby participants choose their level of challenge and their own adventures. Industry Standards sidebars cover best practices for subjects such as equipment selection, facility development, practitioner competencies, and management decisions. Social Justice and Human Diversity sidebars focus on the recent expansion of participants in aerial adventure experiences and the importance of inclusivity. Aerial Adventure Environments is at the cutting edge of this exciting and fast-growing sector of the outdoor adventure industry and is an invaluable resource for navigating the industry and understanding current practices, philosophies, and trends.Note: A code for accessing HKPropel is included with all print books.

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