Is there an upside to cancer? There is if youre Joan Butman. In her latest collection of faith essays, I Dont Buy Green Bananas! (center stage with cancer), Joan takes on her biggest challenge yet: a cancer diagnosis. Facing a terminal illness hasnt dampened Joans faith or her sense of humor. She takes us along on her road trip with God, through her diagnosis, surgery, and recurrence of her tribble the name she affectionately calls the tumor discovered in her abdomen. Throughout her journey, Joan learns the true meaning of the scripture Do not be afraid, for I am with you, and experiences the peace and joy that come with accepting Gods will: I can say with confi dence that you will fi nd delight in anything you do for Christ, whether it be washing dishes, changing diapers, or battling cancer. When you get to know Jesus, He will give you a role in his show, even though there is no guarantee you wont be written out of the script.

This book speaks to Baby Boomers, Retirees, Seniors and aging parents, as well as the children of aging parents, family, caregivers, and friends. Eight major sections are included: Being Newly Retired, Choosing What To Do With Time, Attitudes and Feelings, Knowing Oneself, Relating To Others, Taking Care Of Oneself, Aging Concerns, and Elderly Seniors. Many insights are offered on dealing with and navigating retirement and growing older. Threads of optimism and reality shine through, organized in a flowing and meaningful conversation. The book is a collection of poetic writings about Retiree and Senior issues: yearnings, concerns, health, thoughts and challenges

“Lopez has the ability to give the reader whiplash with his unconventional and bewitching stories.” —Los Angeles Times “Robert Lopez is the master of deadpan dread, of the elliptical koan, of the sudden turn of language that reveals life to be so wonderfully absurd. Always with Lopez, the voice is all his—enchanting, surprising, at times devastating.” —JESS WALTER, author of Beautiful Ruins “Robert Lopez’s strange, incantatory, visionary stories reveal the mysteries behind the ordinary world. You lift your head from this book and it’s as if a third eye has been opened.” —DAN CHAON, author of Await Your Reply and Stay Awake “Nothing is funnier than unhappiness,” claims Samuel Beckett. To this, we add: nothing is funnier than unhappiness with a heavy dose of amorality, as we learn from Robert Lopez’s unforgettable Good People. In these twenty stories, a motley cast of obsessive, self-deluded outsiders narrate their darker moments, which include kidnapping, voyeurism, and psychic masochism. As their struggles give way to the black humor of life’s unreason, the bleak merges with the oddly poetic, in a style as lean and resolute as Carver or Hemingway. Treading the fine line between confession and self-justification, the absurd violence of threatened masculinity, and the perverse joy of neurosis, Lopez’s stories reveal the compulsive suffering at the precarious core of our universal humanity. Robert Lopez is the author of two novels, Part of the World and Kamby Bolongo Mean River, and the story collection Asunder. He lives in Brooklyn.

Explore effective strategies to improve your mental health, and the health of your colleagues and employees, with this engaging and practical book All Work No Play: A Surprising Guide to Feeling More Mindful, Grateful and Cheerful is a practical and rewarding handbook for reconnecting with joy and happiness daily. The book shares strategies for play-based mindfulness, empathy, and gratitude exercises that will help readers rediscover their inner child; promote good mental health; build and foster more meaningful connections with others; and help combat loneliness and deep-rooted toxic behaviors and thoughts. You’ll learn to: Recognize and become self-aware of thoughts blocking your way to healthy relationships and attitudes Prioritize mental wellbeing in your daily life and put an end to burnout and fatigue Use visual tools and self-assessment forms to guide you through exercises that will increase your happiness, focus, and productivity Perfect for anyone who hopes to improve their ability to take joy and happiness from their daily routines, All Work No Play is also ideal for businesses who wish to improve the health and wellbeing of their employees and colleagues.

A COWBOY'S PRAYER by Ray A. Twist Now I lay me down to sleep And I hope God will give me a break I hope I don't see Satan The next time I awake I hope I hear birds and smell flowers But not the ones given to the dead I hope I see a lone star wavin on a flag Against a blue sky overhead I hope I can see the mustang Drifting along the canyon rim And hear the voices of my old pals Randy, Rusty, Lefty and Slim

Books and bells, midwives, and murder… Maeve O'Reilly Kensington has fully recovered from her heart-pounding escape from a murderer last summer. Now she and her husband, Will, are happily adapting to life as parents of an eight-month-old while also preparing for the birth of their second daughter. Will's catering business, A Thyme for All Seasons, is booming and Maeve's midwifery practice has blossomed under new hospital leadership. It's winter in the seaside New England town of Langford, and the holidays are fast approaching. Maeve decides to make a last-minute dash to the Langford Library just before closing time...and discovers the body of the well-loved library director in the snow! Did she have a medical issue? Did she fall? Is murder on the books? A tangled web is weaved and Maeve and her wealthy, forthright sister Meg are stymied at every turn. At the same time, jewelry thieves may have targeted the Hanville Grove senior center where Maeve and Meg's mother and the "ladies of the lobby" reside. Holidays, murder, and robberies pile up as Maeve's pregnancy marches on. Can the sisters solve the crimes in their limited time frame? Will Maeve have the birth of her dreams? Will the Langford Library ever be the same? "Christine’s writing style is very entertaining with sensory laden description of the various environment, characters, and even the state of Maeve’s cookies and knitting. Clever & Entertaining Gem!" ~ Kings River Life Magazine "Readers will fall in love with this series immediately!! I highly encourage and suggest you grab your copy." ~ Cozy Mystery Book Reviews