Burlsworth excelled in high school football, made All-Conference and All-State, and walked on to the University of Arkansas to become the first All-American from that program in a decade. Selected in the third round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts, he went to mini-camp but was killed a few days later in an auto accident. His motivation and drive to be the best stemmed from his character of integrity and the stand that he took as a Christian.

In this study the author analyses similarities, differences and contradictions in the cultural norms about gender expressed in proverbs she has found in oral and written sources from over 150 countries. Grouping the proverbs into categories as the female body, love, sex, childbirth and the female power, the author examines shared patterns in ideas about women and how men see them.

"Love the writing, characters and story." --Kevin Anderson, author of the Dune novels about the Icefire story on which this fantasy series is based. Deep under the City of Glass in the frozen southern land, an age-old machine called the Heart of the City radiates a power which locals call icefire. Most citizens are immune to it, but a few, always born with physical disabilities, can bend it to their will. For fifty years, the ruling Eagle Knights, who fly on the back of giant birds, have killed these Imperfects, fearing the return of the old royal family, who used icefire to cut out people's hearts, turning them into ghostly servitors. The old king's grandson Tandor only sees the good things icefire brought: power and technology now forgotten while the people of the south live in dire poverty. He's had enough of seeing his fellow kinsfolk slaughtered by ignorant Knights, of Imperfect babies being abandoned on the ice floes to be eaten by wild animals. His grandfather's diary tells him how to increase the beat of the Heart the first step to making the land glorious once more. Arrogant as he is, he sets the machine in motion. All he needs is an army of Imperfect servitors to control the resulting power. Isandor is Imperfect, an ex-Knight apprentice, betrayed by his best friend and running for his life. The queen Jevaithi is Imperfect, living like a prisoner amidst leering Knights, surviving only because the common people would rebel if their beloved queen were harmed. Both are young and desperate and should be grateful that Tandor wants to rescue them from their hopeless situations. Or so he thinks. The youngsters, however, have no inclination to become heartless ghosts, but while they defy Tandor, the Heart beats, and he alone cannot control its power. For people who like their fantasy dark and gritty. Think Joe Abercrombie, Karen Miller, Robin Hobb, George R.R. Martin. free, freebie, dark fantasy, steampunk, post-apocalyptic, magic, sorcery, epic fantasy, knights, eagles, bears, fantasy free books, fantasy series

A collection of series starters by Patty Jansen. This big bundle of almost 400,000 words contains the following: Ambassador 1: Seeing Red Fire & Ice, book 1 of the Icefire Trilogy Watcher's Web, Return of the Aghyrians book 1 Innocence Lost, Ghostspeaker Chronicles book 1 Charlotte's Army, a novella in the ISF-Allion world Contamination, Space Agent Jonathan Bartell 1

All three volumes of the dark fantasy trilogy in one book. "Love the writing, characters and story." --Kevin Anderson Where magic is dark and gritty, characters troubled and twisted, and victory comes at a heavy price. Deep under the City of Glass in the frozen southern land, an age-old machine radiates a power which locals call icefire. Most citizens are immune to it, but a few, always born with physical disabilities, can bend it to their will. For fifty years, the ruling Eagle Knights, who fly on the backs of giant birds, have killed these Imperfects, fearing the return of the old royal family, who used icefire to perform evil magic. Across the border in steam-age, science-focused Chevakia, people have built barriers to protect themselves from the radiation, which kills them. Chevakia also harbours the old southern royal family’s only surviving members, and they are planning their return to power, taking both countries to the first war in fifty years. If you like the dark and twisted characters of George R.R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie or Robin Hobb, why not try the Icefire Trilogy today?

Life is tough for veterans, especially female veterans. They have much to deal with and much to heal from: combat, physical and psychological wounds, sexual harassment and assault, trauma, stress, chains of command, the VA. Now more than ever these veterans are facing their problems head on. In this inspiring new book, Kirsten Holmstedt, trusted chronicler of women soldiers and veterans, tells the ups-and-downs stories of veterans struggling with the aftereffects of military service.

Through Eyes Like Mine is the story of a childhood told through the present-tense voice of Nori Nakada. Born to a Japanese American father and German-Irish mother in rural Oregon, Nori0́9s family becomes increasingly diverse when they adopt a six-year-old boy from Korea. She struggles to find comfort within a family, a community and a world that is both simple and complex. By examining her family's silences, she begins to understand life, death and her own identity. The joys and challenges of growing up invite the reader to recall the world through eyes like mine.