Galactics should never, ever, display their powers in public. This is the first rule, the one all Galactics follow, and the one that Mano's uncle breaks after having one too many drinks. When his uncle is arrested for violating Galactic law in a bar, Mano Orion, a senior in high school, finally finds out that he is also part of that powerful group: he is also a Galactic. As he learns about his heritage and what being part of the Galactics means, Mano begins hearing about other arrests, too many to be normal. With his friend, Eme, Mano launches an investigation, one that none of the adults want to allow. As they struggle to convince other Galactics to help them launch a rescue mission, Mano and Eme have to learn to harness their own powers as best they can while also coming to terms with how they feel about each other. But nothing can prepare them for the secrets and lies that await them when they find the imprisoned Galactics. With their lives and the entire history of their people unraveling, Mano and Eme will have to trust each other and their powers to be the leaders the Galactics need. Questions & Answers with Everett Peacock Q: "The Galactics," just where did you come up with this title? Everett: A good friend of mine, Shiloh Orion, introduced me to the idea of humans having come to Earth from somewhere in the galaxy, and not just from evolution. The idea slowly grew into a fascination with the religious implications of such a possibility. That along with the holes in our human record, especially the cultural aspects (who built the Pyramids, etc) finally demanded a story be told. Q: Your dedication at the beginning of the book, and I quote: "celebrate the courage of youth, it has saved humanity from the sins of its elders." What does that mean? Everett: I read somewhere that if not for the risk taking aspect of young people, that desire to test the limits, to reject conservative ideas, has contributed more to human evolution, even human survival more than anything else. Older people move into a less risk taking mode as they finally discover their true lack of immortality. Young people don't think like that. They are ready to take it all by the horns and make the world a better place. As for the "sins of its elders" all one has to do is look around at the problems with the Earth, with civilization. Was any of that created by young people? Of course not. We waste this most valuable of all resources, our young people. Who starts the wars, crashes the economy in greed, spies on us, etc, etc? It's the older people, the "elders." Given a chance, young people are our real only hope to fix the things that have been corrupted. Q: Is this a book for pre-teens? Everett: Probably not. There are some serious concepts floated between the characters. There is death, and there is some violence that contributes directly to the story. I'd recommend it for high school on up to "elders" (insert smiley face here). Q: I have to admit that when I got to the end of the book, I was hooked and ready for the next installment. When will that happen? Everett: As you remember then, one of the main characters has evolved into an entirely new persona, intent on correcting the mistakes of some particular people. He'll need a book or two to get that done. 2014 is a very promising year indeed!

Newly widowed Charlotte Figg purchases a double-wide trailer sight unseen and moves to the Paradise Trailer Park with her dog Lucky. Unfortunately, neither the trailer nor Paradise are what Charlotte expected. Her trailer is a ramshackle old place in need of major repair, and the people of Paradise are harboring more secrets than Bayer has aspirin. Charlotte’s new friend Rose Tattoo learns that Charlotte played softball and convinces her to rally the women of Paradise into a team. Reluctant at first, Charlotte warms to the notion and is soon coaching the Paradise Angels. Meanwhile, Charlotte discovers that the manager of Paradise, Fergus Wrinkel, abuses his wife Suzy. Charlotte sets out to find a way to save Suzy from Fergus and in the process comes to a difficult realization about her own painful marriage.

"A powerful, post-apocalyptic tale of lions and tigers, wolves and dragons, where humans are legends and animals walk like men. Embracing and blending the cultures of Dynastic China, Ancient India and Feudal Japan, this genetically-altered world has evolved in the wake of the Fall of human civilization. ... Kirin Wynegarde-Grey is a young lion with a big job - Captain of the Guard in a Kingdom that spans from the mountains of western China to the deserts of the Middle East. When an ancient threat awakens in the West and threatens to overthrow the Empire, he must lead a team that includes his rebellious brother, a lethal swordswoman, an enigmatic Necromancer, an angry priest and a naiive Scholar through a world as old as it is new. This is the journey of six individuals as they travel beyond the edges of the known world into lands uncharted and wild. It is a journey of magic and mystery, of science and swords, romance and intrigue. It is a journey different perspectives and unexpected kharma, of honour and savagery and love found in surprising places. It is a journey that takes place five thousand years or so in the future, naturally in the Year of the Tiger."--Page 4 of cover

Pacific Island Countries have been shown to be especially vulnerable to such external influences as natural disasters, political unrest and downturns in the global economy and their tourism industries have been notably affected. In particular, they typically have a narrow resource base and a fragile and often vulnerable natural environment. While there is some research on islands and small states, there is a dearth of information on the South Pacific and very little research is being undertaken in the region compared to other geographical regions in the world. This volume brings together current work in Pacific Island tourism. In this collection, three main themes arise: Images of the South Pacific; Socio-economic Impacts of Tourism; and Pacific Island Countries and the Outside World. The first focus is on the question of image, namely, stereotypes of a destination held by tourists and potential tourists, the extent to which residents, for their part, really welcome visitors, and the role tourism might play in changing pre-established images. The second theme is tourism's impacts, notably the economic and socio-cultural effects of international tourism's intrusion in the region which, though often hotly debated, have attracted relatively little empirical research. The third focus is on the challenges of how PICs articulate with their external geo-political and physical environment. These involve existing relations with formal colonial centres, geographical isolation, the need for greater air access to the outside world and for more tourists, and the continuing threat to several PICs of global warming, which increased air travel will inevitably exacerbate. This text will be of interest to tourism students, researchers and academics in the fields of tourism, development studies and cultural studies.

An elderly man is left in a Honolulu city park, abandoned by his caregivers, his family and his past. In a bid to help a young woman, he finds himself befriended by a unique group of homeless people making the best of an untenable situation. From Waikiki to Waimanalo beach his adventures help him discover the magic inherent in people who help. Eventually, he discovers a beauty of a deeper source. Just in time.

What went wrong in Free French relations with Americans during World War Two? Two peoples, presumably sharing a common cause in a war to defeat the axis powers, often found themselves locked in bitter disputes that exposed fundamental differences in outlook and intentions, creating a profound misunderstanding or mésentente that was a major source of Franco-American conflict during the war and has persisted since then. The site for this dispute was the South Pacific colony of New Caledonia. By documenting carefully French policy toward the American presence in New Caledonia during the war, the author demonstrates the existence of a deep-seated suspicion, fear, even paranoia about the Americans that colored almost every phase of Free French policy. Revising traditional views, the author lays bare the roots of the antagonism, which stem from perceptions and biases.