Product Description
Ever wondered why most children behave better at school than they do at home? Now, four teachers who are also moms take the wisdom they share most often with parents from the classroom to the family room.

Answer Keys is a practical and authentic guide to parenting as born out of four women's friendship, their shared love of parenting and their passion for teaching. Here are honest, insightful and practical lesson plans from experts who have been in the trenches getting children to behave, feel valued and do their best and have then applied the lessons they learned in the most important laboratory of all - their own homes.

Designed to keep the joy in parenting from early childhood through middle school, Answer Keys consolidates the research and provides insider tips on what discipline and teaching strategies are most effective. In their broad classroom experience, these teachers have seen it all, and they know how to get the results they need to maximize their children's happiness and success. ... Read more

Product Description
When twenty-year-old Meng Ning declares that she wants to be a Buddhist nun, her mother is aghast. In her eyes, a nun's life means only deprivation - 'no freedom, no love, no meat'. But to Meng Ning, it means the chance to control her own destiny, and to live in an oasis of music, art, and poetry far from her parents' unhappy union. With an enigmatic nun known as Yi Kong, 'Depending on Emptiness', as her mentor, Meng Ning spends the next ten years studying abroad, disdaining men, and preparing to enter the nunnery. Then, a fire breaks out at her Buddhist retreat, and Meng Ning is carried to safety by Michael Fuller, a young American doctor. The unprecedented physical contact stirs her curiosity. And as their tentative friendship grows intimate, Meng Ning realizes she must choose between the sensual and the spiritual life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Lovely, elegant, fun
I can't believe other reviewers thought Petals from the Sky didn't live up to its potential. It's one of the most entertaining novels I've read all summer.

The story centers around a young Cantonese woman who becomes torn between a quiet life as a Buddhist nun or the wife of a gweilo doctor from New York. It's true that I was a little worried the Buddhist elements would be a bit heavy for these sultry summer days.

But soon after I started the book, I realized Mingmei Yip dished up exactly what I was looking for: a fun, laugh-out-loud, thrilling novel. Her writing is flowery and poetic and rich with humor. And in the end, I loved the Buddhist part of the story the best.

My favorite character was the protagonist's mother: a glass-is-half-empty matron who has a history of coming up on the losing end of love. She fears the same for her daughter, yet warns her against joining the order of nuns she has set her heart on ever since a childhood accident. Meng Ning, the protagonist, is down to earth, intelligent (Sorbonne PhD), sophisticated, yet innocent. I wasn't too keen on her boyfriend Michael, though I've met more than my share of men like him. He seemed needy and possessive, but Meng Ning doesn't seem to take offense. After all, Michael was orphaned at a young age and Meng Ning understood how it felt to lose a parent.

Petals from the Sky is a fun read and one that I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys cross-cultural romantic stories, learning about Buddhism (but not in a dry or academic way), and a plot that causes you to think about what's important in our short lives.

Exquisitely Portrayed Characters and Exotic Locales
Mingmei Yip's exquisitely portrayed characters and exotic locales in PETALS FROM THE SKY will draw you intimately into the life of 20-year-old Meng Ning, an aspiring Buddhist nun whose life takes unexpected turns. From the mystique of the temples to the streets of New York, this fast-paced novel sweeps across continents and cultures as the protagonist's desire to become a nun begins to fade. The daughter of a troubled marriage, she has vowed to allow no man in her life. At thirty, highly educated, with a Ph. D earned in Paris, she advances toward her original goal to become a nun, guided by her long-time model, nun Yi Kong--Depending on Emptiness. But at a retreat in Fragrant Spirit Temple, she is rescued from a fire by an American doctor and lay Buddhist, Michael Fuller and soon, she is caught between old convictions and new desires. Working through the conflict is no easy love-wins-out scenario, or its opposite. It is difficult, sometimes painful, sometimes illogical as real life can be, but fascinating. Don't miss the final, satisfying resolution!

To Be or Not to Be...
Novelist Mingmei Yip opens a window of examination to the culture and traditions of Eastern religion in her book Petals From the Sky:Between Devotion and Surrender lies a World of Discovery.Main character Meng Ning at the age of thirteen years old confronts her supposed destiny to becoming a Buddhist nun, but as one reads the first few passages of the book, she is not alone in determining what exact path she must take.It is the people, her family and friends, especially her mother, boyfriend Michael Fuller, nuns Yi Kong and Wong Dai Nam, and others she meets during her journey that helps her to deeply question what she really wants out of life.With the fortunate experiences outside of her traditional Chinese culture and customs that take her away from her country to other parts of the world, Europe and the United States, this plays an essential part in her attempting to understand and determining what decision she will eventually make by the end of the novel.

There are several interesting aspects about Petals From the Sky that may draw readers to the storyline that shows that the bridge of understanding between Eastern and Western traditions continues to be told through the art of fiction.Mingmei provides the cultural backdrop but adds more dimension to that element as it relates to ethnic and gender boundaries within the Asian experience that deal with sexuality that have often been taboo or somewhat reserved within conversations or have been quaintly narrated in Chinese classic literature, The Dream of the Red Chamber, that Meng Ning refers to throughout her ordeal; she does a good job presenting those issue within the story, especially with specific chapters that involve Meng Ning's relationships with her mother, Yi Kong, and Michael's former fiancé Lisa.Meng Ning discovers that the path towards the nunnery is more than living a carefree life filled with poetry and mysticism where she has challenges that must be confronted before she could fully commit her life to that particular lifestyle that her mother had wisely suggested and warned her about.

Petals From the Sky is a thought-provoking story that is filled with unpredictable moments that may have readers wanting to read the next page.However, it is one of those stories that may appear to be slow in the beginning but gradually builds by the middle and concluding chapters because of the suggestive themes and issues that are not specifically mentioned but are presented within the characters' dialogues.Indeed, one must read carefully in order to find out what is happening between each character, but otherwise, this is an informative novel.

Choppy Story Line
Maybe this is the Chinese style of writing, but I found the storyline of this book to be very choppy.The main character was all over the place both physically and emotionally with no clear transition or reasoning why she was behaving that way.Although the end of the book pulled most (but certainly not all!) of the pieces together, the disconnect throughout made the entire novel less enjoyable.

Petals From the Sky more than delivers a fabulous tale
A beautiful story of making difficult choices. The heroine Meng Ninga beautiful person looks outside herself to quench her thirst for beauty not knowing she carries it within herself the entire time. Being beautiful includes imperfections along the way. Mingmei Yip developes her characters with such detailand genuine care about their inner turmoil that it reads like a true story. The reader will love the poetry and insights into human nature and the difference between Eastern and Western problem solving and survival skills. Relationships between mother and daughter, romantic relations and friends is intense and moving.It's impossible to guess what will happen because the spiritual world and the real world intersect with interesting consequences. The writing in Petals from the Sky moves flawlessly from moment to moment. It's a wonderful read with beautiful explanations of Buddhist philosophy and Chinese culture.I'd rate Mingmei Yip right up there with Anchee Min and Amy Tan when it comes to telling a spellbinding story. A must read. ... Read more

Product Description

Jessie is book three in bestselling author Lori Wick’s popular new Big Sky Dreams series (more than 215,000 copies sold).Readers will be transported to the vast landscape of Montana Territory in the late 1800s where they meet Jessie Wheeler, whose husband, Seth,abandoned her before their second child was born. As a single mom and the sole proprietor of Token Creek’s general store, Jessie lives day to day with herhands full and her heart broken.

When Seth suddenly returns to town claiming he’s a man changed by faith, Jessie is reluctant to trust him or God with her family’sfuture. But Seth sets out to prove his commitment and his love. This is a timeless story of the transforming power of God’s love and forgiveness.

Customer Reviews (18)

Jessie by Lori Wick

Jessie Wheeler has successfully managed her business and her life without help from anyone for years.When her husband left her eight years ago, she single-handedly took care of her two daughters while running her mercantile.Now her estranged husband, Seth Redding, is back in town and claims to be a different man.Jessie's not about to trust him, but she recognizes that the girls are longing for a father figure and is willing to give Seth a second chance to know his daughters.Not surprisingly, Jessie makes it clear that she is off-limits. When an expected illness confines Seth to Jessie's home, her feelings begin to change, but she's not about to trust the man that left her once before. It will take a miracle to heal Jessie's heart, but is she even willing to accept it?

Jessie by Lori Wick was enjoyable, but it is far from being my favorite book by Lori Wick.I liked the characters of Jessie and Seth very well; however, there were some characters in the book that just did not seem to make sense - characters such as Meg, who had a baby.She did not really interact much with anyone and what was written about her did not contribute to the plot. The romance between Heather and Nate was cute, but it was a sub-plot that really had nothing to do with the main plot. I am not sure there was even any interaction between those two characters and the main two characters, Jessie and Seth.

Disappointed
I have read all of Lori Wick's books and I have recommended her highly to many people.However, I was very disappointed with this one, which was not all near as good as Sabrina and Cassidy in this series.I wonder if Ms. Wick is getting ready to retire, or tired of writing?I could find very little to interest ime in this book.

Not My Favorite By Lori Wick
Although this series is my least favorite of Lori's, it did get better with each book.There was definitely more dialogue between the main characters which I enjoy.I didn't really like Jessie (she seemed too moody and bossy to me) but it didn't keep me from enjoying the book.I really enjoyed the secondary romance with Heather the best.

Jessie
It seems like my opinion of Lori Wick's series are always the same. I really enjoy the first book, love the second book, and then like the third. The Big Sky Dreams series was the same. I really enjoyed Cassidy and loved the people of Token Creek. I loved Sabrina. She was so real and her romance with Rylan Jarvik was very sweet.

The first third of Jessie was great. We get to see Jessie's story from the beginning as well as catching up with the people of Token Creek before the main part of the story really gets started. I enjoyed the rest of the novel and thought Seth was so nice and patient. Unfortunately, Jessie was hard to like near the end. She was just so stubborn and blind to everything going on around her. I was just ready for it to end already.

Near the end when Jessie was annoying me, I took great enjoyment from the subplot about Heather and Nate Kaderly. Their story and the continued appearances of Rylan and Bri are what helped me not completely dislike Jessie and the last 75 or so pages of the novel.

I really think that this third book could have been written as focusing on the town as a whole. Jessie's story could have still occurred while the rest of the town's continued stories could be fleshed out a bit more. I was definitely more interested in Bri and Rylan, Heather and Nate, etc. I think in a way Lori Wick already wrote Jessie that way, but the novel would have been stronger for me if it was more of an equal parts story for all.

Donna
Really loved this book. Lots of fun to read & very clean. There is a message of hope in the pages & the lives of those in this book. I liked it so much I ordered books 1&2 in this series & love them also. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Lovely lovely book. The best one so far on this subject
This book was so helpful in showing me what I needed to do for my sister who has breast cancer.The chemo and scheduled surgeries are overwhelming for everyone - but this book puts everything in perspective and allows loved ones to treat cancer patients like princesses.The illustrations are beautiful. Buy the book now :-) We simply LOVE it!

Kimberley Clayton Blaine, MA, MFT
Founder, [...]
Author: Mommy Confidence: 8 Easy Steps to Reclaiming Balance, Motivation, and Your Inner Diva ... Read more

Product Description
For anyone who has ever dreamed of being able to really talk to their dogs--and 'hear' what they have to say

BONES WOULD RAIN FROM THE SKY

Akin to Monty Roberts's The Man Who Listens to Horses and going light-years beyond The Hidden Life of Dogs or any training manual, Suzanne Clothier takes a radical new direction in understanding our life with dogs...and our mutual love. Drawing on a lifetime of experience with dogs, this nationally renowned dog trainer brings us astonishing new lessons about our animals--and ourselves.

Gently, with intelligence, humor, and unfailing patience, Suzanne Clothier guides us to truly comprehend another creature's mind and heart.

You will discover how our dogs see the world from their uniquely canine perspective, how we can meet their deep need for leadership without using force or coercion, and how the "laws" of canine culture often put our dogs at odds with us and our very human world.Clothier's unparalleled insights into aggression in dogs can help prevent a tragedy, including the unnecessary destruction of a pet.

In these pages, you will meet unforgettable dogs who will capture, and perhaps break, your heart. There is Badger--handsome, curious, and perhaps dangerous. Can his threatening behavior be changed? Though doomed by a congenital heart murmur, the winsome pup McKinley offers an unforgettable lesson in living. Then aging Vali brings us to the moment that all dog owners must someday face: the loss of a devoted companion. But what this old dog teaches us in her last days may change you forever.

As in no other "dog book" or training manual, in BONES WOULD RAIN FROM THE SKYan extraordinary woman shows us how to find a deep connection with another being and to receive an incomparable gift: a profound, lifelong relationship with the dog you love. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (87)

Excellent
This is the first time I've submitted a review, but I felt compelled to say that I sincerely hope this author writes more books.I would buy everything she publishes.I have read dozens of books on dog behavior and training, but for me, Suzanne's book gets to the heart of really connecting to a dog and learning to see through their eyes and mind.She's also a terrific writer with a great sense of humor. I really couldn't put it down.If you're looking for a how-to training book, this isn't it, but if you're looking for an eloquent and frank discussion on what may be missing in your own relationship with your dog, then give this book a read.I loved it.

Bones Would Rain - still reading it eight years later!
I read If a Dog's Prayers Were Answered, Bones Would Rain From the Sky when it was first released in 2002. It's the kind of book that you can't put down, want to hold onto for a lifetime, and that you can open to any page (after you've read it through, of course) and become completely engrossed in all over again.

The book delivers on its promise to help readers deepen their relationships with dogs - it's not really a training book, although it gives countless examples of often astoundingly simple training techniques that worked for many dogs (and a pig!) and it's not strictly a book about dog behavior, although it sheds light on common behavioral issues that seem to confound each new generation of dog owners. Again and again, it teaches the reader how to look at things from another's point of view - another who cannot speak to us in words that we can understand and another who lives by a defined set of rules that may not be exactly our own or what we had expected.

Clothier's book tells the tales of dogs and their people, the challenges they face, and the consequences, sometimes comical, and sometimes tragic, when inter-species misunderstandings occur. It also tells of the unexpected revelations that come about born of our experiences with dogs.

Recently, I picked up the book once again, remembering the many layers of information that lay within it - but what I had not remembered quite so distinctly was the underlying theme woven through its entirety of the importance of compassion; and how through our interactions with animals that we not only experience richer meaning in our relationships with them but also that we gain compassion for other human beings.

While legions of those who struggle with training and behavioral issues will embrace this book, it reaches a far more important place than mere training can ever go, and that is in addressing the spirituality that lies within us all. That, above all, is what makes this work so compelling and timeless.

Bones Would Rain From the Sky
If you own a dog or work with dogs this book should be a prerequisite. It should be a law.

I love this book!!
After I read an excerpt from this book I knew that I had to have it!It is the most thought provoking and thoughtful book I've ever read.I am in the process of completing my certification as a dog trainer and it just reinforces everything that I have been taught and my own beliefs about dogs. I've read more than a few books on spirituality and this one ranks right up there with those.
It is beautifully written and I think would become a favorite with anyone who wishes to deepen their relationships with dogs or anyone.
I am still in the process of reading it, because there are some passages that are so profound I have to go back and read them again.
Anyone who wishes to get to know dogs especially their own, should read this book.You will never look at your dog in the same way again.

Love this book!
Awesome book!Highly recommend it for the dog lover that wants a relationship with their pet. ... Read more

Product Description
"Nikki Burgess has survived a terrible marriage and an even worse divorce. And she's just about given up hope of ever finding love and happiness. But when her ex-husband suddenly dies, she gets custody of her kids again and a chance ot start over and dot it right. Dixie McPherson, on the other hand, has had way too much love. She has eleven tennis bracelets, dozens of trinkets, piles of sexy lingerie and a tarnished reputation when all she ever wanted was true love, a partner and a family. Carlisle Bartlett is loyal, generous, kindhearted and the funniest guy slinging drinks in the back of an airplane. But he has an ugly little secret. The only kind of love he's used to comes with bruises." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

First and last by Robyn Carr
From the back cover description, and even from the cover photo, this sounds like fairly frothy chick-lit, a tale of three friends starting new lives to get away from disappointing or even hurtful pasts. I'd have enjoyed it if this was actually what the book is about.

It's not. It's mostly about a new airline start-up in the post-9/11 world, with frequent jabs at cabin crew and pilots who have the temerity to complain about being underpaid (which, in that industry, unfortunately tends to be very true), and at passengers who dare to expect decent service and respect from staff. (Yes, I'm aware that some passengers do go too far and behave badly enough to deserve public humiliation but, again, there's no need for such a focus on it).

In reality, the only character the author spends much time and attention on is Nikki, the brilliant pilot who never puts a foot wrong in her working life - but is something of a disaster in her personal life, so much so that her gay best friend and her two kids have to find her a house and organise all the moving. We just scratch the surface of Dixie, the experienced cabin crew member with a bad habit of falling for the wrong men, and her romance with Danny Adams, who is very different from her usual type.

As for the third member of the trio of friends, Carlisle barely gets any attention whatsoever. He's a victim of partner abuse, so there could have been a very interesting story there focusing on his recovery process, and also on the way he is viewed by those handling his police and legal complaint - after all, victim support services for relationship abuse are generally geared towards women, and even carry that in their names/service descriptions: support programmes for 'woman abuse', women-only shelters and so on. But, no, Carlisle somehow becomes Nikki's nanny cum babysitter, until he gets a convenient 'happy ending' which is completely out of the blue and ignores any trauma he may still be experiencing.

We get to know minor characters far better than either Dixie or Carlisle, and it's clear that Joe Riordan, the airline owner, is based on Carr's personal hero, lauded in the author's foreword - who, again, gets far more page space and general rounding than Nikki's eventual HEA. As for the incompetent Bob Riddle, what was the point of his inclusion? Or of Nikki's painstaking researching of his faked credentials and of his mistakes around the airline, in the end?

What, too, is the point of the cover photo?

Don't waste your time - or your money. It's not terrible, but it's not what it says on the tin, and what you get instead isn't particularly riveting.

I liked it
I wish I could give it 3 1/2 stars.I didnt' think it was quite up to the standards of the Virgin River series, but still a good read.I personally enjoyed reading all the details about the airline industry. It made me think she had done her research on the topic.Plus, the story is about her job and her role in the company.Romance is there, but sex is not the main part of the story.It is about a strong woman raising her children and dealing with life's surprises. It also involves the true meaning of friendship, trust and family.

Cover doesn't imitate the story.
Good story about a female pilot and a fledgling airline, family and of course, a love affair.Holds your interest.More of a chick book.

This is romance?
I have to agree with an earlier review written.The story was good, but not very romantic.The details of the airline industry did get rather tedious to read about.Wish there had been more of a romance theme since I did buy it in the romance section of the bookstore.

Blue Skies Smilin' At Me!!
I loved this book!!!!From the glimpses into the aviation industry, to the relationship Nikki had with Opal--from the old to the new, Robyn Carr covered it!!Her handling of the 9/11 issue was well done without being maudlin--and without taking political sides.Her characters are witty, sharp and bright--believable!!If you want a wonderful read, I highly recommend you grab a copy of Blue Skies!!! ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Sylvia Fowles, Kayte Christensen, Candice Dupree, Armintie Price, Dominique Canty, Mistie Bass, Jennifer Risper, Stacey Dales, Chasity Melvin, Quianna Chaney, Liz Moeggenberg, Jia Perkins, Ashley Robinson, Nikki Mccray, Stacey Lovelace-Tolbert, Brooke Wyckoff, Monique Currie, Amanda Lassiter, Chen Nan, Bernadette Ngoyisa, Deanna Jackson. Excerpt:Amanda Lassiter (born June 9, 1979 in San Francisco, California ) is a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), currently with the Chicago Sky . After graduating from George Washington High School in San Francisco , Lassiter attended college at University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri and graduated in 2001. Following her collegiate career, she was selected 15th overall in the 2001 WNBA Draft by the Houston Comets . She has also played for the Seattle Storm and Minnesota Lynx . Vital statistics Websites (URLs online) A hyperlinked version of this chapter is at Armintie Price Armintie Ada Price (born April 3, 1985) is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream . Price, who played collegiately at the University of Mississippi , was drafted third overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2007 WNBA Draft. She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin . High school career Having moved to Myrtle, Mississippi before high school , the 5'9" (1.75 m) Price became a star player at Myrtle High School and received numerous honors, including being named to the Clarion-Ledger's Dandy Dozen (Mississippi's top twelve high school basketball players) as a senior. Price averaged 31.0 points, 22.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 5.0 steals as a senior and helped lead Myrtle High to the 2003 Class 1A state title and to two Class 1A state runner-up finishes as a sophomore and junior. Price, who also excelled in ... ... Read more

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200 + pages of information on what it takes to write and sell stories and nonfiction for the childrens book and magazine market.

Doesnt just tell you how to write and sell for children, it shows with exercises, brain storming ideas and writing prompts and, a Basics to Remember section at the end of each chapter.

This book includes many online resources for reference: websites on grammar, creating a bibliography, writer support groups, writing websites, and more!

Written by a childrens author and magazine editor who has 15 years experience in the industry and has published over 20 children's books. ... Read more

Product Description
March 2005 Issue ... Read more