This book marks the first time that the poetry of Curtis Wayne Parris appears in print. The poems were selected to showcase Parris’ mastery of verse and provide readers with a broad range of poetic styles from Parris’ diverse catalog. Readers should be advised—and forewarned—that they are about to enter into a world of hauntingly beautiful prose and verse that spans the spectrum of human emotion, from zeniths of bliss to nadirs of sorrow. In his cosmic meanderings, Parris wanders through psychedelic dreamscapes of sublime beauty but also descends into the deepest gorges of despair. Through linguistic alchemy, Parris skillfully blends subject, sound, syntax, and syncopation to create naturally rhythmic poems charged with pure emotion. Blessed with a gift for alliteration and cadence, Parris uses simple, everyday words to convey the most intimate and horrifying details of his life. Parris does not seek exposure nor notoriety, for he lives in a world of night, of moonscapes and shadows. Instead, Parris writes because he has a tempest inside. Parris injects metaphysical concepts into his poems, frequently traveling through time, space, and other dimensions as he explores the mysterious universe within his mind. In these respects, his poems can touch upon ancient nerves; for we are all, to some degree or another, just fellow travelers in time, journeying through life, seeking solace, and awaiting final destinations. Into this abstract poetic tapestry, Parris weaves his observations on life, death, religion, and politics. Come along and take a journey through the land of dreams.

New York Times bestselling author Rainbow Rowell's epic fantasy, the Simon Snow trilogy, concludes with Any Way the Wind Blows. In Carry On, Simon Snow and his friends realized that everything they thought they understood about the world might be wrong. And in Wayward Son, they wondered whether everything they understood about themselves might be wrong. Now, Simon and Baz and Penelope and Agatha must decide how to move forward. For Simon, that means choosing whether he still wants to be part of the World of Mages — and if he doesn't, what does that mean for his relationship with Baz? Meanwhile Baz is bouncing between two family crises and not finding any time to talk to anyone about his newfound vampire knowledge. Penelope would love to help, but she's smuggled an American Normal into London, and now she isn't sure what to do with him. And Agatha? Well, Agatha Wellbelove has had enough. Any Way the Wind Blows takes the gang back to England, back to Watford, and back to their families for their longest and most emotionally wrenching adventure yet. This book is a finale. It tells secrets and answers questions and lays ghosts to rest. The Simon Snow Trilogy was conceived as a book about Chosen One stories; Any Way the Wind Blows is an ending about endings—about catharsis and closure, and how we choose to move on from the traumas and triumphs that try to define us.

An anthology of verse in both modern and traditional styles by the prize-winning poet and artist, Margaret Havill Reid, including original artwork created especially for this edition.

THE HOTLY ANTICIPATED SEQUEL TO THE NO. 1 BESTSELLER CARRY ON Simon Snow is back and he's coming to America! The story is supposed to be over. Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do. He beat the villain. He won the war. He even fell in love. Now comes the good part, right? Now comes the happily ever after... So why can’t Simon Snow get off the couch? What he needs, according to his best friend, is a change of scenery. He just needs to see himself in a new light. That’s how Simon and Penny and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, tearing across the American West. They find trouble, of course. (Dragons, vampires, skunk-headed things with shotguns.) And they get lost. They get so lost, they start to wonder whether they ever knew where they were headed in the first place. With Wayward Son, Rainbow Rowell has written a book for everyone who ever wondered what happened to the Chosen One after he saved the day. And a book for everyone who was ever more curious about the second kiss than the first. It’s another helping of sour cherry scones with an absolutely decadent amount of butter. Come on, Simon Snow. Your hero’s journey might be over – but your life has just begun.

TC'S TALES is a collection of short stories ranging from murder and mystery to humor. "Jacqueline Found" outlines the problems of a young unmarried mother giving up her baby daughter for adoption and their final reunion as adults. "Lights Out" details the chaotic life of the Foley family living in a lighthouse on Georgian Bay. "Pushed" is a mystery thriller about an architect falling from a 60 story building. Was his death accidental or was he pushed? "Tithing" is a story about a charismatic preacher discovered as a thief. "Lobster Tales" is a humorous tale about Larry the lobster, who overcomes a disability by doing good deeds. "Checkmate" is a story about how the desire to win at any cost can lead to murder. "I'm a Piano" is a humorous story about the life story of a piano. In "Red Surge", Burton Davis has a compulsion to secretly kill anyone who annoys him. "Love Letters Lost" is a collection of letters, poems, songs and quotations exploring the meaning of love. And "Karen Calling" is a thrilling story about love, sailing, racing, hostage taking, escape and rescue.

#1 New York Times bestselling author! Booklist Editors’ Choice 2015 - Youth! Named a "Best Book of 2015" by Time Magazine, School Library Journal, Barnes & Noble, NPR, PopSugar, The Millions, and The News & Observer! Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen. That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right. Half the time, Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon's face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here -- it's their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon's infuriating nemesis didn't even bother to show up. Carry On is a ghost story, a love story and a mystery. It has just as much kissing and talking as you'd expect from a Rainbow Rowell story - but far, far more monsters.

In All I Want Is Loving You: Popular Female Singers of the 1950s, author Steve Bergsman focuses on the white, female artists of the 1950s, a time that predated the chart-topping girl groups of the early 1960s. These popular performers, many of whom graduated out of the big bands of the 1940s, impacted popular music in a huge way. As the last bastion of traditional pop and the last sirens of swing, they undeniably shined in the spotlight. Yet these singers’ fame dimmed relatively quickly with the advent of rock ’n’ roll. A fortunate few, like Doris Day, Patti Page, Peggy Lee, and Debbie Reynolds, experienced some of their biggest hits in the late 1950s, and Eydie Gormé broke out in the 1960s. The luckiest, including Dinah Shore and Rosemary Clooney, ventured to television with varying degrees of success. Others would become major attractions at nightclubs in Las Vegas or, like Teresa Brewer, shift into the jazz world. Though the moment did not last, these performers were best-selling singers, darlings of the disk jockeys, and the frenetic heartbeat of fan clubs during their heyday. In a companion volume, Bergsman has written the history of African American women singers of the same era. These Black musicians transitioned more easily as a new form of music, rock ’n’ roll, skyrocketed in popularity. In both books, Bergsman reintroduces readers to these talented singers, offering a thorough look at their work and turning up the volume on their legacy.