The lone survivor of a tragic car accident, Elona has since been a recluse, with the exception of her parents. Though her memory is fogged, she is finally in a place where she can begin to piece together her life again. She felt that moving miles away from home would help her do that. She thought she was prepared for anything...until she met him. Michael is a young man with a rough past, a past that's left him pained and broken. He shoulder's the guilt of his former circumstances. He's accepted that he will never find someone deserving. Then he lays eyes on her and his whole life suddenly changes. Will Elona be able to love, after she's lost so much? Can Michael move past the pain enshrouding him? To get through tragedy they must feel the pain, but getting through the pain will be tragic.

Most people think talent is genetically determined. Either you can sing or you can't. You get calculus or it's beyond you. You have what it takes to succeed -- or you don't. The truth about human performance is far more encouraging, says Dr. Bob Rotella in Life Is Not a Game of Perfect. Dr. Rotella, the bestselling author of Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect and Golf Is a Game of Confidence, believes that talent, as conventionally defined and measured, plays a secondary role in determining one's fate. Far more important is real talent, a combination of character, attitude, and devotion, which makes greatness possible. And the good news is that anyone can develop real talent. As always, Dr. Bob Rotella speaks from experience. He has made a career of helping people chase and catch their dreams. His authority as a sports psychologist is well known. Golfers from Tom Kite to David Duval to Pat Bradley have relied on him to help them break through to triumphs on the PGA Tour. But Bob Rotella's practice extends beyond the sports world. He is a consultant on performance enhancement to leading businesses such as Merrill Lynch, General Electric, and PepsiCo. He has worked with successful people in businesses ranging from law to entertainment. From hundreds of clients and countless students, Dr. Bob Rotella has learned what works. In Life Is Not a Game of Perfect, he shares what he has learned and what he teaches his clients. Real talent, he explains, is "brilliance of a different sort." It is the nerve to choose a career doing something you love or the ability to learn to love what you do. It is courage, persistence, and determination. It is the ability to handle failure and honor commitments. Whether you think so or not, real talent is within your grasp. In Life Is Not a Game of Perfect, Dr. Bob Rotella will help you make it a decisive element in your life. He can show you how to identify and cultivate the qualities that lead to success, prosperity, and happiness.

The Path to Being a Better Man Many modern men are consumed by anger, frustration, aggression, and fear. We are unable to connect effectively as a spouse, a father, a friend, and even a leader. We push people away, lash out at those we love the most, and keep our inner struggles to ourselves. This disjunction from the outside world poisons our relationships and threatens our ability to find true fulfillment. But there is a path to a better version of the modern man. By confronting the inner challenges that inform our outward behaviors, we can reshape ourselves. With help and courage, we can set off on a new journey toward better relationships, more honest and effective communication, and an overall better life. Tony C. Daloisio harnesses over thirty years of professional experience as a practicing psychologist and researcher, as well as his own personal journey, to illuminate the road to a well lived life. The path—and the journeyman—will never be perfect, but the journey itself will lead to lasting positive change for ourselves and for our loved ones.

When Salon.com published Faulkner Fox’s article on motherhood, “What I Learned from Losing My Mind,” the response was so overwhelming that Salon reran the piece twice. The experience made Faulkner realize that she was not alone—that the country is full of women who are anxious and conflicted about their roles as mothers and wives. In Dispatches from a Not-So-Perfect Life, her provocative, brutally honest, and often hilarious memoir of motherhood, Faulkner explores the causes of her unhappiness, as well as the societal and cultural forces that American mothers have to contend with. From the time of her first pregnancy, Faulkner found herself—and her body—scrutinized by doctors, friends, strangers, and, perhaps most of all, herself. In addition to the significant social pressures of raising the perfect child and being the perfect mom, Faulkner also found herself increasingly incensed by the unequal distribution of household labor and infuriated by the gender inequity in both her home and others’. And though she loves her children and her husband passionately, is thankful for her bountiful middle-class life, and feels wracked with guilt for being unhappy, she just can’t seem to experience the sense of satisfaction that she thought would come with the package. She’s finally got it all—the husband, the house, the kids, an interesting part-time job, even a few hours a week to write—so why does she feel so conflicted? Faulkner sheds light on the fear, confusion, and isolation experienced by many new mothers, mapping the terrain of contemporary domesticity, marriage, and motherhood in a voice that is candid, irreverent, and deeply personal, while always chronicling the unparalleled joy she and other mothers take in their children.

My book is an autobiography, which describes my recollection of events and experiences I have encountered throughout my life, from the time I could recall them as a child up to the present time. Some experiences were good, and unfortunately some were bad. It tells about my immediate family, my relatives, all the friends that I have met throughout my life, in all the areas I have lived, as well as at all the places I have worked. Last, but not least, I talk about all the pets I have had from the time I was young, up until the current time. It explains all the bad luck, obstacle courses, trials and tribulations and hardships I endured, and how I was able to overcome them. I sincerely hope that you find my book interesting, as well as enjoyable!

During Beth Stedman's formative years in the late 1940s and early 1950s, she wonders if the families depicted on the weekly television shows-Leave It to Beaver, Father Knows Best, The Donna Reed Show-existed in real life. The fathers in the sitcoms had good-paying jobs. The mothers stayed home and vacuumed in dresses and high heels. The brothers and sisters were respectful and obedient. They lived in perfect harmony in perfect houses in perfect suburbs. Once she was old enough to visit friends, she realized that other families do, in fact, resemble those blissful television portrayals. But hers certainly doesn't. Growing up in her deranged East Coast household, Beth feels like an outsider-but a grateful outsider because her family is riddled with alcoholism, poverty, and an abundance of insanity. Beth has her defenses, though: her faith, a positive attitude, and a penchant for putting a comedic spin on life. She also harbors a secret escape plan and, eventually, the knowledge as to why she has always been the black sheep of the family. Beth survives a deadbeat dad, a defeated mom, an overindulged sister, and a villainous brother to demonstrate that the School of Hard Knocks doesn't have to ruin you for life. If fact, it can almost guarantee success.

What can the Bible’s most flawed men and women reveal about who God is and how he reaches out to less-than-perfect people? In Less Than Perfect, bestselling author Ann Spangler takes us beyond cardboard cutouts of 38 biblical characters to show us how these were real individuals who had dreams, temptations, and weaknesses just like us. Whether considering the murderous Herodias, the scheming Jacob, or the doubting Sarah, Spangler approaches both familiar and lesser known characters with fresh eyes. We meet each of these individuals again as if for the first time as Spangler offers a dramatic retelling of their lives, insight into the historical and cultural context of their time, and key takeaway points for our lives today. Each chapter includes questions for discussion or reflection, making Less Than Perfect ideal for individual or group Bible study. Entertaining, informative, and inspirational, Less Than Perfect gives you a big picture view of the Bible even as it takes you into the hearts and minds of people with struggles just like yours. As you learn more about the individuals who are part of your spiritual family tree, you’ll discover why God loves to use imperfect people to tell his perfect story of redemption.