An emotional, funny, and fabulous memoir by trailblazing and award-winning Trans actor and activist Alexandra Billings. Born in 1962, Alexandra Billings grew up in a decade in which being herself was illegal. When she started transitioning in 1980, the word "Transgender" didn't exist. With no Trans role models and no path to follow, Alexandra did what her family, teachers, and even friends said was impossible: Alexandra forged ahead. Spanning five decades, from profound lows to exhilarating highs, This Time for Me captures the events of a pioneering life. An award-winning actor and history-making LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS activist, Alexandra shares not only her own ever-evolving story but also the parallel ways in which queer identity has dramatically changed since the Stonewall riots of 1969. She weaves a true coming-of-age story of richly imaginative lies, of friends being swept away by a plague that decimated the community, of her determination to establish a career that would break boundaries, and of the recognition of her own power. A celebration of endless possibilities, Alexandra's bracing memoir is a fight-to-the-death revolution against all expectations.

NOW THE HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES ORIGINAL TIME FOR ME TO COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS! The fireplace is lit, the snow is falling, and sleigh bells echo in the distance—it’s Christmas, and it’s time to come home in this charming holiday novel based on Dorothy Shackleford and Blake Shelton’s hit song. Thirty-five-year-old Heath Sawyer has finally made it to the big-time as a country music star. After a year full of the kind of success he could only dream of, it’s December 23, and he’s headlining a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden. It’s only as the lights on the stage go down and the Christmas lights outside come on that Heath realizes there’s just one place he wants to be for the holidays: back home in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. But journeying anywhere on Christmas Eve is never easy, and with flight delays, inclement weather, and the unexpected company of a feisty young woman who’s about to become his traveling companion, Heath will need a Christmas miracle to make his way home in time to open presents. Filled with touching anecdotes inspired by the real holiday memories of Blake Shelton and Dorothy Shackelford, Time for Me to Come Home is a sweet and funny story that celebrates the spirit of Christmas and the true meaning of finding your way back home. “It’s funny how going back can get you back to where you belong. It’s the difference between just a melody and my favorite Christmas song.”

Women are notorious for taking care of everyone else first, exhausting themselves and losing their spark in the process. The story of this dilemma, and how one Ms. Owl found her way to renewal and vitality, will inspire working women to put themselves first from time to time and give them a shot of much-needed energy. Ms. Owl is a working mom with a good job, a husband and son she loves and a comfortable nest. But she's so exhausted she can barely enjoy her life. One day she receives an anonymous gift certificate for a weekend at a spa. What she discovers there changes everything-not only does she come back rested and revitalized, but she learns to make time for herself. In the spirit of bestselling parables Who Moved My Cheese and Fish!, Time for Me is a powerful self-help tool, tackling the biggest problem that working women face today. Call it the time bind, the sandwich generation, or just plain old self-sacrifice, every womancan use this refreshing tale. Includes a four-step process for women to follow to renew their energy whenever they need to.

Culver presents a model for getting to the heart of why people never seem to have enough time --and how to create the time they actually need. A past workaholic, successful business owner, and consultant to large corporations, Culver's solution is to first redefine the beliefs that drive the behavior and from there reset priorities, create better systems, practice better habits, and finally, invest in reflection, review, and renewal.

Loss becomes remembrance in this book that offers tender ways to pay tribute to, and meaningfully incorporate, a loved one’s lost presence into present and future life experiences. Be it departed friends, family, pets, and more, memories can carry us beyond the precious moments we have together to keep the ones we loved before in mind forever. Throughout the book the omnipresent narrator encourages thoughtful reflection on the empty spaces left by the loss. The gentle scenes portrayed inspire recovery from sadness and honor those who are absent. This lyrical heartful story provides consent and gently encourage readers to move to a place of peace and acceptance despite the absence.

“A music-snob’s dream come true . . . One of the best multi-subject music books to come down the pike in years . . . a fresh and deeply informed approach.” —Variety A great cover only makes a song stronger. Jimi Hendrix’s version of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower.” The Beatles rocking out with “Twist and Shout.” Aretha Franklin demanding “Respect.” Without covers, the world would have lost many unforgettable performances. This is the first book to explore the most iconic covers ever, from Elvis’s “Hound Dog” and Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help from My Friends” to the Talking Heads’ “Take Me to the River” and Adele’s “Make You Feel My Love.” Written by the founder of the website covermesongs.com, each of the nineteen chapters investigates the origins of a classic cover—and uses it as a framework to tell the larger story of how cover songs have evolved over the decades. Cover Me is packed with insight, photography, and music history. “Delves into the complicated legacy of artists performing other people’s music . . . his research adds fresh context and intriguing background to many of these songs . . . Astute ruminations on evolving cultural perceptions of the cover’s place in the music canon.” —AV Club “This engaging nostalgia trip is sure to appeal to discophiles and cultural historians.” —Library Journal

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 I am not a liar, but I have a hard time admitting and living in the truth. I prefer the world I create to the world I inhabit. If I don’t like the way the story’s going, I simply change it. #2 I knew my life was half planned and mostly dreamed, because my mother spent an extraordinary amount of time making things pretty. I was always aware of how I differed from my mother and grandmother, who were both perfectionists. #3 I learned to do whatever I had to do to remain afloat as the family outcast. I was ten years old when I was told directly by the person I loved the most that what I was doing was not to be seen. #4 I had to make a choice: I could either keep going or stop. I decided to keep going, and I began to lie.