Have you ever considered the darkness behind a poem? Poetry, for centuries, has been written to entertain, persuade, and inform audiences of their times. It has taken various forms from haikus to freestyle and many others. Yet what have we said about darkness other than it is the absence of light? Adventure into poetry like never before. Watch it breathe life into your soul and show what really hides in the darkness. In this book, poems have been written to persuade you to take another look at darkness. Can light be exposed to it? Is it really possible for my hurts to go away? Having written poems for years, I can say yes, it is. Art has a way to express itself and speaks to each individual uniquely. Read a poem, catch a glimpse of its story, and watch as it brings light into the darkness in your life.

On his sixteenth birthday, Thorn Jack steals a curious crystal from the Treasury of a neighbouring settlement in his coming of age rite-of-passage. Returning home, he finds that his younger sister has been kidnapped. He sets out to find her with Racky Jagger, an enigmatic but wordly-wise individual. Their way leads through Judy Wood, a place of mystery and ill-repute. When fifteen-years-old Jewel Ranson's father, a travelling draper, is murdered at a fair, she sets out to avenge him. Accompanied by Rainy Gill, a juggler, she journeys to Harrypark where she becomes involved in a bloodthirsty wager. As she travels, Jewel discovers that she has been gifted with unusual powers. After many colourful adventures and encounters, their separate quests lead Thorn and Jewel to a momentous meeting - and the discovery of a common enemy...

As Daemon settles into married life with his Witch Queen Jaenelle, he discovers that hosting Winsol for his formidable family can be complicated. And when Daemon loses two of the most important people in his life, it seems that no one can break through the wall around his heart. But love has the capacity to surprise us all...

Robin McKinley's mesmerizing history of Damar is the stuff that legends are made of. The Hero and the Crown is a dazzling "prequel" to The Blue Sword. Aerin is the only child of the king of Damar, and should be his rightful heir. But she is also the daughter of a witchwoman of the North, who died when she was born, and the Damarians cannot trust her. But Aerin's destiny is greater than her father's people know, for it leads her to battle with Maur, the Black Dragon, and into the wilder Damarian Hills, where she meets the wizard Luthe. It is he who at last tells her the truth about her mother, and he also gives over to her hand the Blue Sword, Gonturan. But such gifts as these bear a great price, a price Aerin only begins to realize when she faces the evil mage, Agsded, who has seized the Hero's Crown, greatest treasure and secret strength of Damar.

In the second novel set in the “darkly fascinating world” (SF Site) of Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels Trilogy, ambitions unfurl as the realm’s dreams of a liberator have finally been made flesh... The Blood have waited centuries for the coming of Witch, the living embodiment of magic. But Jaenelle, the young girl singled out by prophecy, is haunted by the cruel battles fought over her—for not all the Blood await her as their Savior. Some dismiss her as a myth. Some refuse to believe. And still others look forward to using her, making her a pawn to their shadowy devices. Only time and the devotion of her loyal guardians have healed Jaenelle’s physical wounds. But her mind is fragile, barely able to protect her from the horrifying memories of her childhood. Nothing, however, can deflect her from her destiny—and the day of reckoning looms near. When her memories return. When her magic matures. When she is forced to accept her fate. On that day, the dark Realms will know what it means to be ruled by Witch.

For devotees of Bird by Bird and The Artist's Way, a memoir-driven guide to healing through the craft of writing Francesca Lia Block is the bestselling author of more than twenty-five books, including the award-winning Weetzie Bat series. Her writing has been called "transcendent" by The New York Times, and her books have been included in "best of" lists compiled by Time magazine and NPR. In this long-anticipated guide to the craft of writing, Block offers an intimate glimpse of an artist at work and a detailed guide to help readers channel their own experiences and creative energy. Sharing visceral insights and powerful exercises, she gently guides us down the write-to-heal path, revealing at each turn the intrinsic value of channeling our experiences onto the page. Named for the painting by Frida Kahlo, who famously transformed her own personal suffering into art, The Thorn Necklace offers lessons on life, love, and the creative process.

What is a cabochon? What are the various types of gilding? What is vermeil? This accessible book—the first of its kind—offers concise explanations of key jewelry terms. The fascination with personal adornment is universal. It is a preoccupation that is primal, instinctive, and uniquely human. Jewelry encompasses a seemingly endless number of ornaments produced across time and in all cultures. The range of materials and techniques used in its construction is extraordinary, even revolutionary, with new substances and methods of fabrication added with every generation. In any given society, master artisans have devoted their time, energy, and talent to the fine art of jewelry making, creating some of the most spectacular objects known to humankind. This volume, geared toward jewelry makers, scholars, scientists, students, and fashionistas alike, begins with a lively introduction that offers a cultural history of jewelry and its production. The main text provides information on the most common, iconic, and culturally significant forms of jewelry and also covers materials, techniques, and manufacturing processes. Containing more than eighty color illustrations, this guide will be invaluable to all those wishing to increase their understanding and enjoyment of the art of jewelry.