James Branson longs to be someone else. Overweight and friendless, James isn’t sure he’s worth much. It doesn’t help that he lives in a town named after his ancestors, but there is much more to James than meets the eye. James will wrestle with what he believes about himself as he uncovers the truth of who he really is and where he comes from.

The Shepherd of the Hills is the classic story of the stranger who takes the Old Trail deep into the Ozark Mountains, many miles from civilization. His appearance signals intellect and culture, yet his countenance is marked by grief and disappointment. What is his purpose in taking on the lowly work of tending local sheep? And how is it that he befriends these simple hill folk, despite his coming from the world beyond the ridges? Mystery and romance envelop this gentle yet compelling story as the identity and purpose of the stranger-turned-shepherd is gradually unveiled.

The Branson Beauty, an old showboat, has crashed in the waters of an Ozark mountain lake just outside the popular tourist destination of Branson, Missouri. More than one hundred people are trapped aboard. Hank Worth is still settling into his new role as county sheriff, and when he responds to the emergency call, he knows he’s in for a long winter day of helping elderly people into rafts and bringing them ashore. He realizes that he’ll face anxiety, arguments, and extra costs for emergency equipment that will stretch the county’s already thin budget to the breaking point. But he is absolutely not expecting to discover high school track star Mandy Bryson’s body locked inside the Captain’s private dining room. Suddenly, Hank finds himself embroiled in a murder investigation, with the county commissioner breathing down his neck and the threat of an election year ahead of him. And as he wades deeper into the investigation, Hank starts to realize he’s up against a web of small town secrets much darker and more tangled than he could have ever imagined. In her captivating debut novel, Claire Booth has created a broad cast of wonderfully compelling characters, and she perfectly blends humor with the emotional drama and heartache of a murder investigation.

This manual contains a wealth of information to help you diagnose abiotic disorders in landscape plants – disorders caused by environmental, physiological or other nonbiological factors. You’ll learn how to diagnose injury symptoms from over 20 different abiotic agents including water deficit, nutrient deficiencies, salinity, pH, sunburn, air pollution, herbicide and other chemical phytotoxicities, mechanical injuries, lightning, wind, and hail. You’ll also learn how to develop a step-by-step diagnostic strategy. Included are strategies, techniques, and tools you can use in diagnosing plant problems, common injury symptoms and their abiotic causes, and plant traits that can resemble abiotic disorders. Illustrated with 319 color photographs and 38 tables, this book is a "must-have" for the library of every landscape professional.

Written by a local author, this guide is filled to the brim with insider information on everything from the top fishing sites to seasonal festivals and the best places to eat, sleep, and play.

The story of Growing Up Hillbilly near Branson Missouri takes place less than ten miles from where the book, the Shepherd of The Hills was written and begins during the same year as it was published. This book will further enhance your knowledge about the people that chose to call these hills their home.