This book is what the world needs now, from a voice we need to hear. Sally Mann is the fourth of five generations living and ministering in one East End community, with a PhD and five lifetimes of stories. Her experiences will make you laugh, cry and, if you pay attention, help you see how much-needed change can happen...Sally brilliantly connects Biblical characters with contemporary people and shows how these individuals have helped shape over 150 years of her family's ministry in one East London neighbourhood.' Ash BarkerExecutive Director Red Letter Christians UKSally and Dave love their community. They have a jealous passion to see it thrive. They have resilience which comes from long-term commitment; knowing their dreams of what God might do will take more than a few years of committed service, but decades, and perhaps generations, to achieve. They seek deep transformation in the places they serve - bringing structural changes like good education, just governance, and improving the health and well-being of all their neighbours. Alongside this they have built lively, inclusive, Christian congregations. We should listen to their story.Steve ChalkeFounder & Leader Oasis GlobalIn all the window dressing around how to fix the church or make it more connected to our massively disruptive times Looking for Lydia changes the conversation. It turns most of our pretensions on their head as it brings us back to the God who radically meets us in the other. The story in this book is grounded in the practiced life of a community of God's people. I can't recommend it more highly. It's the disruptive Spirit calling us to God's future. Alan J RoxburghJournal of Missional Practice & The Missional Network

When Lydia was five years old, she and her family had to leave their home. They hopped from Grandma's house to Aunt Linda's house to Cousin Alice's house, but no place was permanent. Then one day, everything changed. Lydia's mom took her to a new place — not a house, but a big building with stone columns, and tall, tall steps. The library. In the library, Lydia found her special spot across from the sunny window, at a round desk. For behind that desk was her new friend, the librarian. Together, Lydia and the librarian discovered a world beyond their walls, one that sparkled with spectacular joy. Paired with warm art by newcomer Romina Galotta and a foreword by Ira Glass, Dear Librarian is a "thank you" to anyone who has offered a child love and support during a difficult time.

Ash, fear, moments of reconciliation; darkness, hope, moments of regret. What will the Apocalypse bring for you? Apocalypse Chronicles brings together stories, memories, and endings. Woven together by their collective experience, each tale offers a unique and harrowing understanding of what the Apocalypse will mean for their world. Families, worlds, futures and pasts are explored in this unique anthology that brings together fiction from authors from across the globe. Bear witness to the end of the world as you know it; but will you know how it will end? Apocalypse Chronicles features the following stories: The Rosebud by Paul Dawson In the absence of light and electricity, the world has suddenly fallen to darkness. Not even the stars or the moon can be seen in the sky from the top of an office building. Harry has to decide whether to stay put with his fellow colleagues, or to follow Jacob into the unknown. The Library by Adam Kirton An ancient relic living in a bleak future, the Librarian, a grizzled suvivalist, must tend to his dying brother and his precious collection, fending off the horrors of the Wilds and the Old City. Hope by Lydia Sherrer A dark fantasy slant on a post-apocalyptic future where the rules of the jungle are truly "eat or be eaten." What Remains by Joanne Marjoribanks Hours before the world is consumed by nuclear warfare, a young woman returns to a cherished place of her childhood and finds an unlikely companion. Evlyn by Kevin Horsley Twenty five years after a war that has devastated the human population, one young woman, having grown up in its wake fighting for survival, needs to find hope of a future or at least something to live for. Crossing by Benjamin Abbot A veteran survivor of the evacuation of Europe recounts one of his toughest days to a young interviewer. Bring-your-kid-to-work Day by David J. Wing When you choose to take your kid to work, it's best if he's not a little pain in the neck and you don't work at a nuclear missile silo. Unearthed by Ben Wilmshurst The final recorded messages from the International Space Station as Commander Michael King witnesses the destruction of humanity. Pillar of Salt by Alison McBain Scientists discover that the Earth has undergone a nuclear apocalypse in the future - or was it in the past? ...and may more, including: Broken by Kasim Human Denature by Daniel TakyiEverything Old by Andrew Wilmot The Blue Death by Steven Green Enjoy the Pock-o-lips by Andrew Murray Aikman To Elpis by David Kerr Something to tell Jessie by John Lilley The Drone Room by Nicolas Watson Bad Apples by Katriona MacMillan Last Night by Sheila Adamson The War by Jade Dovey Always the End of the World for Someone by Pete Sutton A Veneer of Civilisation by Tim Robson The Anatomy of Desire by Selma Carvalho Four Horseman by Chris Iovenko Before the Crack by Christopher Adams All proceeds from this collection go towards running competitions for aspiring writers. Artwork by Matthias Utomo

Rose Parker's husband has been lying. About everything. When a conversation with her husband triggers questions, Rose Parker uncovers alarming answers that shatter her perfect life. But it is only when she shoves her belongings in her SUV and drives off that Rose realizes just how far from perfect her life actually was. She has nowhere to turn. While debating between distressing sleeping arrangements-her mother's house full of questions or a hotel room with too much solitude-Rose bumps into an acquaintance from her gardening class and allows bubbly, exuberant Becky to indulge her in a wild night full of whiskey, weeping, and whispered confidences. Suddenly, Rose has a new friend, a roof over her head, and two gorgeous men moving her out of her marital home. As Rose struggles to settle into her new life, she remains determined to comprehend her past. And with time and distance and especially wine, comes knowledge. Frank wasn't the only one lying to her. Rose was lying to herself.

Lydia Bennet is the flirtatious, wild and free-wheeling youngest daughter. Her untamed expressiveness and vulnerability make her fascinating to readers who'll love this imaginative rendering of Lydia's life after her marriage to the villainous George Wickham. Will she mature or turn bitter? Can a girl like her really find true love? In Lydia Bennet's Story we are taken back to Jane Austen's most beloved novel, Pride and Prejudice, to a Regency world seen through Lydia's eyes where pleasure and marriage are the only pursuits. But the road to matrimony is fraught with difficulties and even when she is convinced that she has met the man of her dreams, complications arise. When Lydia is reunited with the Bennets, Bingleys, and Darcys for a grand ball at Netherfield Park, the shocking truth about her husband may just cause the greatest scandal of all ... "A breathtaking Regency romp!"—Diana Birchall, author of Mrs. Darcy's Dilemma

An exquisite and profound tale for fans of Anne Tyler and Anna Quindlen Glowingly reviewed everywhere from O, The Oprah Magazine and Good Housekeeping to sites across the blogosphere, Lydia’s Party sparks “a-ha” moments and heartfelt conversations about friendship, regrets, and ambitions. Margaret Hawkins’s earlier books, all published by small presses, have gained her a devoted following, but this gem of a novel will introduce her to the wider audience she deserves. Lydia is hosting her “Bleak Midwinter Bash,” a late Christmas party that has become an annual tradition. Her guests—six friends who bonded twenty years ago over art, dogs, and their budding careers and romances—think they know everything about one another, but tonight Lydia prepares to shock them with a devastating announcement.

Rabbit is afraid of many things, but most of all he's afraid of gigantic, monstery, BEARS! The very nervous Rabbit is soon confronted by his worst fear who appears to be far more interested in making new friends than causing Rabbit any real harm. Despite his apprehension, Rabbit agrees to join his jovial new acquaintance for dinner, but wait a minute . . . is Bear planning to "have" Rabbit for dinner? In this tender story about a very nervous rabbit and a lovable bear, Rabbit discovers that things aren't always as scary as they seem, and sometimes you may just have more in common with others than you think.