Showing results by narrator "Courtney Patterson" in All Categories

Sarah Calhoun paid a hard price for her entry onto the stage of the Empire's politics, but she survived. Now she rides north into the Ohio and her father's kingdom, Cahokia. To win the Serpent Throne, she'll have to defeat seven other candidates, win over the kingdom's regent, and learn the will of a hidden goddess - while mastering her people's inscrutable ways and watching her own back. In New Orleans, a new and unorthodox priest arises to plague the chevalier and embody the curse of the murdered Bishop Ukwu.

Oriana Coleman is one of the most sought-after art dealers on the east coast, renowned in New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo. She fought tooth and nail to get to the top—and didn't always play by the rules. At the beginning of Oriana's career, her best friend and coworker swapped out a multi-million-dollar painting for a very convincing forgery. When she confessed to the crime, Oriana knew better than to tell anyone she hadn't noticed the painting was a fake. It would have destroyed her reputation and dropped her back on square one.

Losing a parent is a traumatic blow, and the grief can seem unbearable. But you are not alone, and you can get through this. In this first book dedicated to the experience of adults who have lost a parent, expert on grief Katherine Fair Donnelly shares intimate, telling interviews with surviving sons and daughters and presents practical ways in which surviving family members can take steps toward recovering from their devastating loss.

Foster Boyd wants control of the family business before his brother's escapades ruin their reputation. Since he can't force his brother out, he needs to distract him - or reform him. Where can he find a woman willing to do anything to save his business? Natalie Stolen was at the top of her game as image consultant to the stars. But when one of her client's reveals a juicy secret, the media went on a feeding frenzy, taking down Natalie's career faster than she could say "scandal." Now in dire straits, she's been given an offer she can't refuse....

There's something special about Genesis Baker, owner of The Sister's popular New Beginnings Cafe. With her dimpled smile and twinkling blue eyes, Genny has practically the entire town eating from the palm of her hand. But Genny is hiding a secret. Despite her sunny disposition and golden touch, there is heartache in her past. And on top of it all, someone is stalking Genny, determined to make her life miserable.

Madison Reynolds can't wait for Christmas this year. Rebuilding her life as a single mom hasn't been easy, but after a challenging 12 months, she's excited about the holidays. She and her twins have settled quite nicely here in The Sisters, renovations on the house are complete, her business is slowly growing, and, best of all, Chief of Police Brash deCordova is in her life.

After nearly 30 years of being a socialite wife and mother, Ellen is left alone to rattle around a mansion of a house with only the dog for company. It’s time to make a change, but to what? While she ponders what to do, she starts hearing her dog talk. Has she finally lost it? No, according to her mother. It’s an inherited gift that usually manifests at menopause, but, well, Ellen isn’t there, yet. And it’s not just the dog, but most animals. Then there’s the ability to actually see paranormal species, like gnomes, fairies, and yes, vampires. Lucky her.

Madison's newest client at In a Pinch Temp Service is a suspicious wife, up against a formidable foe - the lovely Caress Ellingsworth, former soap opera queen. When the star is murdered and Madison is eyewitness to the deed, she wonders if the shadowed person she saw commit the crime might really be her client. Now Madison is torn between uncovering the truth and keeping her client's name off the suspect list. Caress is not the only star in town these days. With a little help from Granny Bert and Madison's best friend Genesis, the popular television show Home Again arrives.

Within every human exists patterns and habits that bring us into cycles of misery, pain, and self-destruction. Yet within us all is also the ability to show up every day, leaving behind those patterns that no longer serve us, while stepping into the highest versions of ourselves. No matter where we are on our journey, in order to break undesirable patterns, we must be aware of what our own patterns actually are.

Wedding preparations are underway, but the aisle to the altar gets rockier by the minute. Though the community's support is humbling, their enthusiasm soon hijacks the wedding. Squeeze in a suspicious death during a Texas Independence Day celebration, the needy new widow Madison befriends, and the unscrupulous politician trying to unseat Brash as chief of police, and the path seems littered with obstacles.

Darcy Evans is getting married. In a week. To a man who is her childhood dream come true. But a late-night confession from her best friend changes everything and before she even has time to unpack it, she must endure a road trip to the ceremony with her estranged mother, Marja. It was always the two of them against the world…until Marja ghosted Darcy three years ago. No car in the world has enough room for all of their baggage.

When an old college roommate invites Claire Britten to join her on an archaeological dig at a Florida peat bog, it's an offer the renowned forensic psychologist can't refuse. Claire's husband, criminal lawyer Nick Markwood, is comforted to see Claire working on a prehistoric burial site instead of an open grave for once. But Claire's investigative instincts kick in when some of The Black Bog's perfectly preserved corpses show signs of a grisly fate. What really happened to these people?

At 26 years old, Kat is still living in the shadows of her family in Bayou Bend, Louisiana. Still working shifts at her Aunt Maggie's bakery. Still wondering what to do with her passion for baking and her business degree. And still single. But when Lucas Brannen, Kat's best friend, signs her up for a reality TV bake-off on Cupcake Combat, everything Kat ever wanted is suddenly dangled in front of her: creative license as a baker, recognition as a visionary...and a job at a famous bakery in New York. As the competition heats up, Lucas realizes he might have made a huge mistake.

Looking for natural and organic ways to support your mind, body, and spirit? Then look no further than the ancient practice of aromatherapy! In Essential Oils & Aromatherapy For Dummies, 2nd Edition, you'll find simple and easy advice on everything from therapeutics to cosmetics, as well as the recreational use of essential oils. Internationally known herbalist and aromatherapist Kathi Keville offers straightforward remedies for dozens of common conditions you can use immediately to make yourself—or someone you love—feel better.

Madison Reynolds is looking forward to a few days of rest and relaxation. Her best friend, Genny, is judging a celebrity bake-off near DC, so it's the perfect opportunity for a girl's getaway. With fun-loving Granny Bert in tow, the trio heads to the very heart of the intel community. A mix-up at the airport leaves Madison with the wrong luggage, and a last-minute change in accommodations lands them at The Columbia Inn at Peralynna. How can they know its ties to the spy world will soon spin them into its web?

In December 2008, twentysomething Jill Grunenwald graduated with her master’s degree in library science, ready to start living her dream of becoming a librarian. But the economy had a different idea. As the Great Recession reared its ugly head, jobs were scarce. After some searching, however, Jill was lucky enough to snag one of the few librarian gigs left in her home state of Ohio. The catch? The job was behind bars as the prison librarian at a men’s minimum-security prison. Talk about baptism by fire.

WHEN ANNE HANSON'S DAD FIRST ASKED her to investigate the secret past of his parents, little did she know what she was getting into. For two decades, despite all her digging, she failed to unearth even the tiniest speck of evidence that the families of her grandparents, Frank and Ida Hanson, had ever existed. If her quest were a detective novel, its title would have been, "The Case of the Missing Ancestors."

Reports of burnout, stress, and compassion fatigue are on the rise. Healthy leaders who learn balance can create motivation, confidence, quality collaboration, and enthusiasm among staff and other stakeholders. Principal in Balance offers principals strategies and tools to take more ownership of their lives at work and home, so everyone in the K-12 educational community can thrive. Nationally distinguished principal and author Jessica Cabeen shows you how to navigate leading at work and having a fulfilling life.

What happens when we reach out into the vastness of space? What hope for us amongst the stars? Multi-award winning editor Jonathan Strahan brings us 14 new tales of the future, from some of the finest science fiction writers in the field. The 14 startling stories in this anthology feature the work of Greg Egan, Aliette de Bodard, Ian McDonald, Karl Schroeder, Pat Cadigan, Karen Lord, Ellen Klages, Adam Roberts, Linda Nagata, Hannu Rajaniemi, Kathleen Ann Goonan, Ken MacLeod, Alastair Reynolds, and Peter Watts.

A murder in Braxton, Tennessee? Poor little town. If it's not one thing, it's another. An untimely death under nefarious circumstances spawns an odd lineup of potential suspects. Who killed one of Braxton's favorite sons? New resident and Pastor Peyton Gellar has already conducted more than his share of funerals for such a small town, but this one hits close to home.