When the nature writer Richard Mahler discovers that wild jaguars are prowling a remote corner of his home state of New Mexico, he embarks on a determined quest to see in the flesh a big, beautiful cat that is the stuff of legend--yet verifiably real. Mahler's passion sets in motion a years-long adventure through trackless deserts, steamy jungles, and malarial swamps, as well as a confounding immersion in centuries-old debates over how we should properly regard these powerful predators: as varmints or as icons, trophies or gods? He is drawn from border badlands south to Panama's rain forest along a route where the fate of nearly all wildlife now rests in human hands. Mahler's odyssey introduces him to unrepentant poachers, pragmatic ranchers, midnight drug-runners, ardent conservationists, trance-induced shamans, hopeful biologists, stodgy bureaucrats, academic philosophers, macho hunters, and gentle Maya Indians. Along the way, he is forced to reconsider the true meaning of his search--and the enduring symbolism of the jaguar.

Embark on a breathtaking adventure with S.IDEA's latest masterpiece, "Shadow of the Jaguar." Join Alexei Vasiliev as he delves deep into the heart of the Amazon Rainforest, fueled by an insatiable curiosity and a deep passion for exploration. Guided by the jungle's whispers and the ancient map clutched in his hands, Alexei's journey is a testament to the wild's untamed beauty and the mysteries that lurk within its emerald depths. From the moment Alexei sets foot in the dense underbrush, he is acutely aware of the perils that shadow his every step. Venomous creatures, treacherous paths, and the omnipresent threat of the elusive jaguar set the stage for an epic tale of adventure, danger, and discovery. With Luisa Mendez, a skilled guide whose knowledge of the jungle is unparalleled, by his side, Alexei confronts the brutal realities of the natural world. "Shadow of the Jaguar" is not merely a story of survival; it's an intricate dance with nature's most primal forces. As Alexei and Luisa navigate through heart-stopping encounters with poachers and come face-to-face with their own inner demons, their journey evolves into a profound exploration of human endurance, the bonds forged in adversity, and the timeless quest for understanding the mysteries of the wild. With each chapter, S.IDEA skillfully weaves a narrative that captures the essence of adventure—the exhilaration of the unknown, the confrontation with fear, and the relentless pursuit of discovery. Will Alexei and Luisa unearth the secrets hidden in the shadow of the jaguar, or will the jungle's ancient guardians reclaim their domain, leaving its mysteries forever veiled in shadow? Join us on this unforgettable odyssey, where every shadow holds a story, every whisper carries the weight of centuries, and the quest for knowledge knows no bounds. "Shadow of the Jaguar" promises to enchant, challenge, and inspire, inviting readers to rediscover their connection with the natural world and the wild that echoes within us all. S.IDEA

Description Reflections on Life is a collection of poems which describes the life experiences of the author who has lived with the personal legacy of child abuse, followed by the descent into mental illness (schizophrenia and OCD) and alcoholism. The poems carry a message of hope by exploring the complex mental landscapes of co-morbidity, dual diagnosis, psychosis, childhood, the power of ideas, emotions, thoughts, pain, loss, actions and relationships. The poems invite the reader on a journey through a world where the experience of mental distress has carved a creative channel through the darkness and loneliness of illness and points to a way forward. The author has experienced mental health problems since early childhood (OCD at five, schizophrenia since his teens). He has experienced stigma and discrimination from family, school and society but has learned to forgive along the way through the medium of poetry. The author has lived with severe and enduring mental illness, suicidal ideation, a plethora of psychotic symptoms, voices and perceptual aberrations, as well as the efforts of a sometimes unhelpful and clumsy mental health system. He has learned from the experience of others and how to put his own suffering and distress into a broader social context. About the Author The author was born on 22 October 1964 in London and, with few exceptions, has lived and worked in London all his life. He is the younger of two brothers born to Polish emigre parents who arrived in the UK in the late nineteen forties, after experiencing traumatic childhoods separated from their own parents and witnessing conflict and war in some of the major theatres of the Second World War. The author lives in Ealing, west London which has a vibrant Polish community and is educated to university level. He is currently a postgraduate student at King's College London. The author's childhood was spent in a family home with a number of lodgers which, by any means, was overcrowded. There were many people in his life from early on; each with different, sometimes difficult, personalities which did little to fuse the immediate family unit into a secure base from which a child could thrive. Soon after starting school, the author began to experience cognitive, behavioural and emotional problems. These went unrecognised for many years, during which the author suffered in silence and fell back on his own resourcefulness in developing coping strategies. The author has had obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) since about the age of five and this had a devastating impact on home life and school. At first it was an obsession with numbers and letters of the alphabet. There was much confusion and anxiety in the young child's life. Soon the obsessions multiplied and mutated into more physical aspects of movement (going in and out of doorways, walking up and down pathways and stairs, opening and closing, repeating things aloud) which were accompanied by thoughts and feelings of doom. On many occasions, the stress was so great that the author's young mind would switch off and become empty of thought and fixed in a void but with the recognition that things had to be put right, sorted out and put back in place.

When the nature writer Richard Mahler discovers that wild jaguars are prowling a remote corner of his home state of New Mexico, he embarks on a determined quest to see in the flesh a big, beautiful cat that is the stuff of legend—yet verifiably real. Mahler’s passion sets in motion a years-long adventure through trackless deserts, steamy jungles, and malarial swamps, as well as a confounding immersion in centuries-old debates over how we should properly regard these powerful predators: as varmints or as icons, trophies or gods? He is drawn from border badlands south to Panama’s rain forest along a route where the fate of nearly all wildlife now rests in human hands. Mahler’s odyssey introduces him to unrepentant poachers, pragmatic ranchers, midnight drug-runners, ardent conservationists, trance-induced shamans, hopeful biologists, stodgy bureaucrats, academic philosophers, macho hunters, and gentle Maya Indians. Along the way, he is forced to reconsider the true meaning of his search—and the enduring symbolism of the jaguar.

Here's an animal lover's one-stop source for in-depth information on jaguars! What do they eat? How do they behave? Are they at risk? This book also includes loads of fun and fascinating facts about jaguars, as well as maps, charts, and wonderful photographs of these powerful creatures.

Originally published by Chipmunkapublishing, and now thoroughly revised, Assignment Yggdrasil is a groundbreaking novel about how far governments can go in the fight against bioterrorism. Set during the presidency of George W. Bush and the height of the War on Terror, the United States Department of Defense has secretly garnered intelligence confirming that, within a decade, groups intent on mass murder will possess bioweaponry capable of annihilating either the USA…or the entire human species. A special operation, Assignment Yggdrasil, has begun in an attempt to avert the so–called ‘Ragnarok,' doomsday. Although they appear human, subjects have been genetically converted from human to transhuman, given immunity to all biological pathogens known to infect humans, as well as special abilities from other species. Only the new species, the transhuman, is predicted to survive the bioterrorist Ragnarok. The government has staked its bets on these transhumans, hoping they will rebuild American democracy in the resulting chaos. Yet the government is performing this transhumanism covertly, infecting thousands of citizens with the virus through their food, drink, and medicine. Some test subjects have died unwittingly under experimentation and the government is hiding everything. An equally furtive resistance has formed, led by various radical groups who dispute the bioethics of the operation. In a precarious showdown with the government, the rebels question whether the removal of humanity is really a gift and if the end justifies the means.

Two lovers are bound by the very desires that could destroy them in this darkly exquisite novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Carpathian series. There’s only one way for Dominic—one of the most powerful of the Carpathian Dragonseekers—to learn the secrets of the enemy: ingest their parasitic vampire blood, infiltrate the camp, and relay the information to the Carpathians before he goes out fighting. There is no more honorable way to end his life. Solange is among the last of the dying species of the jaguar people—fighting to save the remaining shapeshifters from the hands of her own father, a monster who slaughtered everyone she loved. Wounded and weary, she plans one last battle, hoping to stop the man who has aligned with the vampires, and accepting her deathly fate. Now, two warriors from different worlds will find each other at the end of their time, and discover a new reason to battle to the death—and against all odds, make it out alive.