What's an honest man to do? Isn't that always the question we find ourselves wondering when we get swept up in something bad... Something overpowering and tangibly wrong, with the ability to corrupt our morals down to the core? These boys, they're not mine, but they might as well be. I'm responsible for them, in a sense. And they couldn't be more different, identical in looks alone. One I've noticed... The other has noticed me. One needs me, the other needs him. Sometimes a hero will fall on his own sword, but in my case... I've fallen on two. ** Double-edged is a full-length taboo standalone novel that is intended for mature readers only. Some of the themes in this book could make readers uncomfortable. Please proceed with caution, and heed the author’s warnings.**

“Playing into the hands of neither the cyber-optimists nor the cyber-pessimists . . . this book makes a major contribution to our understanding.” —Talia Stroud, author of Niche News: The Politics of News Choice The beauty of democracy is not only that citizens can vote a candidate into office but that they can also vote one out. As digital media has grown omnipresent, it becomes more important for political scientists and communication scholars to understand its influence on all aspects of the political process, from campaigning to governance. Catie Snow Bailard argues that the Internet—by altering the quantity and range of information available to citizens—directly influences the ability of individuals to evaluate government performance. It also affects public satisfaction with the quality of available democratic practices and helps motivate political activity and organization. Bailard originates two theories for democratization specialists to consider—mirror-holding and window-opening—which she tests using data collected from dozens of countries and two randomized field experiments. Mirror-holding explores how accessing the Internet allows citizens to see a more detailed and nuanced view of their own government’s performance. Window-opening, however, enables those same citizens to glimpse how other governments perform, particularly in comparison to their own. This book offers a robust empirical foundation for testing the Internet’s effects on democratic attitudes—and reminds us that access to information does not necessarily ensure that democracy will automatically flourish. “An outstanding book on democracy and the Internet...highly original.” —Choice

The line between friend and foe is getting blurry—and that's where the fun begins. **Series complete! (5 books)** Businesman Willem Jaantzen has spent decades trying to shake the notorious reputation he gained from his early days surviving on the streets. He’s finally been accepted by the city's business elite, but that’s all in danger of crumbling when a mystery only he can solve threatens to tear apart the city of Bulari—and endanger his crew. Because Thala Coeur is dead. Almost everyone had a reason to take a hit out on the notorious crime boss, but when she finally gets that bullet to the head, all eyes turn to Jaantzen. Whether or not he finally got revenge for his wife and children's murder isn't the most important question, though. Because Coeur’s death created a power imbalance that threatens to plunge the city into another civil war. And Jaantzen is the only one who can stop it. What started as a turf war quickly spirals out of control, because the puzzle Coeur left behind is way out of Jaantzen’s league. As he and his crew are swallowed up in a web of lies, betrayals, and interplanetary politics, Jaantzen's realizing this secret isn't just worth killing for, it's worth coming back from the dead for. And it’ll only take one stray spark to start another civil war in the underworld. Double Edged is the first book of the Bulari Saga, a five book series featuring gunfights, dinner parties, explosions, motorcycle chases, underworld intrigue, and a fiercely plucky found family who have each other's backs at every step. Perfect for fans of The Expanse, Firefly, and The Godfather. Download Double Edged and start the adventure today.

She was just humoring her friend. She got adventure and a soul mate. Double-Edged joins Kate, a small, independent shop owner on her quest for romance and happily ever after. Against her better judgment, against her wishes, she allows her friend to push her into the world of online dating, where she encounters the most infuriating, stranger, and yet most interesting man she has ever come across. Over several intense months of correspondence, Kate becomes embroiled in a global adventure with a man she knows either too little or too much about and discovers the truth behind the old saying, 'What the heart wants, the heart gets.' Or was that how it went? If not, maybe it should be changed. Discover this sun-drenched romance, the first in the inspirational and wedding series Perfect Halves, which depicts contemporary relationships, love, adventure and conspiracies. As a reader said: "Interesting romance. Plot develops nicely and actually held my attention unlike some recent romance out there. The story itself has something for more than just one age-group. Good for a wide audience. Female lead is amusing and plays along nicely with the rest of the cast. Fun, quite short book for some distraction." If you love a sizzling romance, then buy this book and dive in Kate's adventure.

The possibilities for three-dimensional manipulation of fabric - gathering, pleating, tucking, shirring, and quilting woven materials - are seemingly endless. To describe them all would be to describe the entire history of sewing. In The Art of manipulating Fabric, Colette Wolff has set herself just this task, and she succeeds brilliantly. Working from the simplest possible form - a flat piece of cloth and a threaded needle - she categorizes all major dimensional techniques, show how they are related, and give examples of variations both traditional and modern. The result is an encyclopedia of techniques that resurface, reshape, restructure and reconstruct fabric. • More than 350 diagrams support the extensive how-tos, organized into broad general categories, then specific sub-techniques • Handsome photos galleries showcase the breathtaking possibilities in each technique and aid visual understanding by emphasizing the sculptured fabric surface with light and shadow • Textile artists and quilters, as well as garment and home decor sewers, will expand their design horizons with the almost limitless effects that can be achieved.

Double Edge Sword is a dramatic, fictional adventure of African American Literary Folklore. It realistically depicts situations of unpredictable circumstances that develop during the life of Jason Philips, a young man who suddenly finds his secure way of life being threatened. Disenchanted, he watches a community that was once governed by wisdom, fall prey to a plot toward the demise of its moral structure. Using tactics designed to produce peaceful resolutions, Jason courageously embarks on a self-proclaimed mission to rectify the dilemma. Although sometimes for solutions, he often resorts to dealing with morally questionable collaborations that offer answers, but demand that his spiritual discernment be thoroughly tested. Ultimately, a battle between good and evil is initiated, and to the victor, the prize at hand is the control of the minds of a culture of people.

This original look at the dynamics of international relations untangles the vigorous interaction of domestic and international politics on subjects as diverse as nuclear disarmament, human rights, and trade. An eminent group of political scientists demonstrates how international bargaining that reflects domestic political agendas can be undone when it ignores the influence of domestic constituencies.The eleven studies in "Double-Edged Diplomacy" provide a major step in furthering a more complete understanding of how politics "between" nations affects politics "within" nations and vice versa. The result is a striking new paradigm for comprehending world events at a time when the global and the domestic are becoming ever more linked.