What happens when a former loan officer-yet another victim of the nationwide mortgage crisis-rejects materialism and moves to a one-room cabin in the woods? In the case of H.T. McMullen\, the 42-year old hero of Naked and Hungry\, he finds his pristine wilderness tainted by dangerous pollutants. And when he dares to complain\, he becomes the target of a deadly game of intimidation by the high-powered villains. The arrival of Jessica Beane\, the sexy environmentalist called to investigate the pollution\, sets in motion a series of comic adventures and increasingly professional attempts to permanently silence H.T. Their budding passion ignites after Jessica reveals a dangerous secret that inextricably links them both to the larger world of hazard-waste trafficking and lands them into the custody of an ambitious young FBI agent. Together\, they hatch a risky plot that eventually brings the culprits to justice and redeems H.T.'s good name in the eyes of his family and friends.
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120521T181543Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111202T233000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111203T003000Z UID:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/gil-ballance-leahs-journey-home URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/gil-ballance-leahs-journey-home SUMMARY:Gil Ballance - Leah's Journey Home DESCRIPTION:Born in 1919\, Gil Ballance is a retired teacher (Central &\; Garringer High Schools) and long-time Charlotte resident. He knows a great deal about southern history not just from studying it\, but from living it. His father was 13 when the Civil War began. Gil was the last of fourteen children and the first to go to college. Leah's Journey Home is his first novel. It was inspired by his mother's life.
Witnessing a violent shipwreck during a savage storm on North Carolina’s Outer Banks in 1899\, 20-year-old Leah\, unmarried and pregnant\, kneels in the sand and prays that her destiny will not be like the ship’s\: that she and her baby will survive in a world which has no tolerance for unmarried mothers. Leah’s faith\, which she learned from a beloved aunt\, will sustain her through many coming storms.
Praise for the book\: "\;This uplifting\, suspenseful\, coastal Carolina tale of young Leah's dramatic journey from despair to joy is richly told . . . A remarkable story of feminine awakening to love and to backcountry advocacy for schools\, birth control\, and mentoring. Leah will capture your heart."\; Mary Kratt\, author of New South Women\, Southern Is . . . and Valley.
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120521T181543Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111203T183000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111203T183000Z UID:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/bill-richardson-valleys-death-memoir-korean-war URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/bill-richardson-valleys-death-memoir-korean-war SUMMARY:Bill Richardson - Valleys of Death\: A Memoir of the Korean War DESCRIPTION:From the devastating counterattack at Unsan to the thirty-four months he spent in captivity-a period of years in which giving up surely meant dying-Col. Bill Richardson's instinct for leadership and stubborn will to survive saw him through one valley of death after the next. Valleys of Death is a stirring story of survival and determination that offers a fascinating\, intimate look at the soldiers who fought America's first battle of the Cold War in the unvarnished words of one of their own. Richardson endured many long months of starvation\, torture\, sleep deprivation\, and Chinese attempts at indoctrination\, yet maintained defiance under conditions designed to break the mind\, body\, and spirit of men.
Colonel William (Bill) Richardson\, U.S.A. (Ret.) and his wife Claire have been married for 56 years and have five children. They live in North Carolina
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120521T181543Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111204T190000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111204T190000Z UID:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/sara-burden-eriks-hope-leash-led-me-freedom URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/sara-burden-eriks-hope-leash-led-me-freedom SUMMARY:Sara Burden - Erik's Hope\: The Leash that Led Me to Freedom DESCRIPTION:Erik's Hope\: The Leash that Led Me to Freedom is a fictional account based on the true story of Andrea Chilcote's transformational journey\, assisted by her beloved dog\, Erik. The book chronicles Andrea's shift from a high-potential professional with little regard for matters of the heart to a passionate and caring advocate for personal change\, growth and healing.
Erik's rescue from the Phoenix animal shelter is far from happenstance\, though Andrea could not comprehend the impact of her decision to adopt the mangy wolf-dog. He's a handful from the start\, immediately testing her readiness to fully engage in life's joys and trials.
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120521T181543Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111205T180000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111205T200000Z UID:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/brian-boyett-new-beginning-journey-faith-through-usmc-boot-camp URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/brian-boyett-new-beginning-journey-faith-through-usmc-boot-camp SUMMARY:Brian Boyett - A New Beginning\: A Journey of Faith Through USMC Boot Camp DESCRIPTION:Through this tale Brian Boyett along with co-author Jonathan Joye hope to dispel the fears and myths about “Boot Camp” and at the same time tell an entertaining story about his life-changing journey. His hope is that he can shed some light on what it takes to physically\, mentally\, and most importantly\, spiritually excel\, not only in Marine Corps Basic Training\, but also in life.
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120521T181543Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111206T000000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111206T013000Z UID:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/zoe-barton-always-neverland URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/zoe-barton-always-neverland SUMMARY:Zoe Barton - Always Neverland DESCRIPTION:School has only been out for one whole day\, and Ashley can already tell her vacation is going to bore her to tears. With her friends out of town and her parents working nonstop\, she finds herself alone and with nothing to do—until one night she wakes up and discovers Peter Pan in her bedroom\, wrestling with his shadow.
Since his original adventure with the Darlings\, Peter Pan has been bringing new “Wendy girls” to Neverland to take care of the Lost Boys. But Ashley’s made of much tougher stuff than the Wendy girls before her—she’d rather befriend the mermaids or fight Captain Hook and his pirate crew. Creating new adventures for her friends\, Ashley is bringing change to Neverland . . . and not everyone is happy about it.
Zoe Barton grew up in Charlotte\, North Carolina\, and graduated from Vassar College. After working in publishing for a year\, she left New York City to write full-time. She currently divides her time between North Carolina and Montana. Always Neverland is her first novel.
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120521T181543Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111206T233000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111206T233000Z UID:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/hilary-jordan-when-she-woke URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/hilary-jordan-when-she-woke SUMMARY:Hilary Jordan - When She Woke DESCRIPTION:Hannah Payne's life has been devoted to church and family. But after she's convicted of murder\, she awakens in a new body to a nightmarish new life. She finds herself lying on a table in a bare room\, covered only by a paper gown\, with cameras broadcasting her every move to millions at home\, for whom observing new Chromes--criminals whose skin color has been genetically altered to match the class of their crime--is a sinister form of entertainment. Hannah is a Red for the crime of murder. The victim\, says the State of Texas\, was her unborn child\, and Hannah is determined to protect the identity of the father\, a public figure with whom she shared a fierce and forbidden love.
A powerful reimagining of The Scarlet Letter\, When She Woke is a timely fable about a stigmatized woman struggling to navigate an America of the not-too-distant future\, where the line between church and state has been eradicated\, and convicted felons are no longer imprisoned and rehabilitated but chromed and released back into the population to survive as best they can. In seeking a path to safety in an alien and hostile world\, Hannah unknowingly embarks on a journey of self-discovery that forces her to question the values she once held true and the righteousness of a country that politicizes faith and love.
In Giving Back\, Valaida Fullwood poignantly chronicles the African American philanthropy experience. Intimate vignettes and candid reflections reveal a myriad of philanthropic practices grounded in faith\, mutuality\, and responsibility. Fullwood juxtaposes personal accounts from a cross section of black philanthropists with fascinating quotes from givers and game-changers across cultures to illuminate transcendent truths and elicit new thinking about philanthropy.
Photographer Charles W. Thomas Jr. beautifully captures images that portray the joy\, aspiration\, remembrance\, and resilience that characterize black philanthropy. Pairing photographic portraiture and narrative\, Thomas and Fullwood give readers over 160 artful page spreads that enliven the soul of philanthropy and honor the legacy of America’s black philanthropists.
A perfect gift book\, Giving Back offers wells of inspiration for generous souls and lovers of photography\, culture\, and humanity. Every book purchased will keep giving\, since the proceeds will be invested in philanthropic causes—and since the stories themselves will inspire readers to give.
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120521T181543Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111208T213000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111208T213000Z UID:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/coleen-christian-burke-christmas-first-ladies-white-house-decorating-tradition-jacqueline-kenn URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/coleen-christian-burke-christmas-first-ladies-white-house-decorating-tradition-jacqueline-kenn SUMMARY:Coleen Christian Burke - Christmas with the First Ladies\: The White House Decorating Tradition from Jacqueline Kennedy to Michelle Obama DESCRIPTION:No home in America celebrates Christmas quite like the White House. Whether adorned with hand-made ornaments or thoughtful crafts\, the White House has warmly welcomed celebrities\, dignitaries\, and hardworking Americans and epitomized the Christmas spirit. And behind each holiday celebration is a First Lady who lends her own style and grace to the festivities.
Christmas With the First Ladies is a look at the holiday magic that happens at the White House\, capturing the Christmas decorating history and techniques from Jackie Kennedy through Michelle Obama. Each first lady’s design aesthetic is profiled\, such as Lady Bird Johnson’s themes of home and family to help heal the nation after John F. Kennedy’s death\; Nancy Reagan’s interest in renewing a child-like sense of wonder\; and Laura Bush’s “Red\, White\, and Blue “ Christmas for a nation banding together.
With anecdotes and intimate photos of the presidential families during the holiday season\, as well as personal craft and recipes used by the first ladies\, Christmas With the First Ladies is the perfect centerpiece for holiday gatherings!
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120521T181543Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111210T000000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111210T000000Z UID:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/mignon-ballard-miss-dimple-rallies-cause-mystery URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/mignon-ballard-miss-dimple-rallies-cause-mystery SUMMARY:Mignon Ballard - Miss Dimple Rallies to the Cause\: A Mystery DESCRIPTION:It's September 1943\, and the town of Elderberry\, Georgia\, including their beloved first-grade teacher\, Miss Dimple Kilpatrick\, has exciting plans for the Bond Rally to support the troops fighting the war abroad. Miss Dimple's friend\, Virginia Balliew\, has agreed to chair the big event\, with the help of Buddy Oglesby. But when children discover a skeleton at the edge of a field\, and Buddy disappears along with the war bond money\, it's clear that something is amiss in the little town\; and Miss Dimple\, along with her fellow teachers\, is soon on the case.
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120521T181543Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111210T160000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111210T180000Z UID:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/aj-hartley-darwen-arkwright-and-peregrine-pact URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/aj-hartley-darwen-arkwright-and-peregrine-pact SUMMARY:A.J. Hartley - Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact DESCRIPTION:Eleven-year-old Darwen Arkwright has spent his whole life in a tiny town in England. So when he is forced to move to Atlanta\, Georgia\, to live with his aunt\, he knows things will be different - but what he finds there is beyond even his wildest imaginings!
Darwen discovers an enchanting world through the old mirror hanging in his closet - a world that holds as many dangers as it does wonders. Scrobblers on motorbikes with nets big enough to fit a human boy. Gnashers with no eyes\, but monstrous mouths full of teeth. Flittercrakes with bat-like bodies and the faces of men. Along with his new friends Rich and Alexandra\, Darwen becomes entangled in an adventure and a mystery that involves the safety of his entire school. They soon realize that the creatures are after something in our world - something that only human children possess.
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120521T181543Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111210T190000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111210T190000Z UID:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/jim-joyce-lavene-spirited-gift-missing-pieces-mystery URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/jim-joyce-lavene-spirited-gift-missing-pieces-mystery SUMMARY:Jim & Joyce Lavene - A Spirited Gift (A Missing Pieces Mystery) DESCRIPTION:As the mayor of Duck\, North Carolina\, Dae is playing host to twenty North Carolina elected officials attending her first Mayors' Conference Weekend at the Blue Whale Inn. When the body of Mayor Sandi Foxx is discovered the morning after a severe storm\, Dae receives a vision through the mayor's ring\; that there's a killer among the guests who's as deadly as any hurricane.
Award-winning (4 NC Press Awards) North Carolina photojournalists Joyce and Jim Lavene write mysteries with family\, a little romance\, and a dash of hometown pride.
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120521T181543Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111214T000000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111214T000000Z UID:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/charles-shields-and-so-it-goes-kurt-vonnegut-life URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/charles-shields-and-so-it-goes-kurt-vonnegut-life SUMMARY:Charles Shields - And So It Goes\: Kurt Vonnegut\: A Life DESCRIPTION:In 2006\, Charles Shields reached out to Kurt Vonnegut in a letter\, asking for his endorsement for a planned biography. The first response was no ("\;A most respectful demurring by me for the excellent writer Charles J. Shields\, who offered to be my biographer"\;). Unwilling to take no for an answer\, propelled by a passion for his subject\, and already deep into his research\, Shields wrote again and this time\, to his delight\, the answer came back\: "\;O.K."\; For the next year—a year that ended up being Vonnegut's last—Shields had access to Vonnegut and his letters.
And So It Goes is the culmination of five years of research and writing—the first-ever biography of the life of Kurt Vonnegut. Vonnegut resonates with readers of all generations from the baby boomers who grew up with him to high-school and college students who are discovering his work for the first time. Vonnegut's concise collection of personal essays\, Man Without a Country\, published in 2006\, spent fifteen weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and has sold more than 300\,000 copies to date. The twenty-first century has seen interest in and scholarship about Vonnegut's works grow even stronger\, and this is the first book to examine in full the life of one of the most influential iconoclasts of his time
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120521T181543Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111215T000000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20111215T000000Z UID:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/kathy-brandon-reichs-seizure-virals-novel URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/kathy-brandon-reichs-seizure-virals-novel SUMMARY:Kathy & Brendan Reichs - Seizure A Virals Novel DESCRIPTION:Kathy and Brendan Reichs are back with their new novel in the Virals series.
Ever since Tory Brennan and her friends rescued Cooper\, a kidnapped wolf pup with a rare strain of canine parvovirus\, they’ve turned from regular kids into a crime-solving pack! But now the very place that brought them together—the Loggerhead Island Research Institute-—is out of funding and will have to shut down. That is\, unless the Virals can figure out a way to save it!
So when Tory learns of an old Charleston legend about a famous she-pirate\, Anne Bonney\, whose fortune was never found\, she can’t believe her luck-—buried treasure is exactly what she needs to save the Institute on Loggerhead! Trouble is\, she and her friends aren’t the only ones looking for it. And this time\, the Virals’ special powers may not be enough to dig them out of trouble . . .
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