Abe In Arms

A senior in high school, Abe's got a Division I track scholarship awaiting him, a hot girlfriend, and a loving and wealthy adoptive family, including a brother his age. But suddenly, horrific flashbacks and seizures rip him back five years ago to war-torn Africa, where he lost his mother, his sister, his friends, and almost his own life to torturous violence. In therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Abe uncovers even darker moments that make him question why he's still alive. This contemporary young adult novel portrays the pressures of teens to live a normal life, let alone succeed at high levels; while facing mental illness and—in Abe's case—a past that no one could possibly understand… or survive. Pegi Deitz Shea has written a suspenseful, action-filled book that will open teens' eyes and hearts to the lives of young people exposed to violence around the world.

Wannasea Island is a universe almost unto itself. A small independent island, 45 minutes from the mainland. Abe Stolz has spent the entire 70 years of his life lost within the history of his family and the island. Abe knows that he should move forward but fears doing so will disconnect him from his wife and daughter, who were lost at sea 23 years before. Abe’s primary goal has become seeing that his granddaughter, Beth, the only surviving member of his immediate family, does not have her life consumed by the island and family history in the same manner. Neither the progress of the island nor his granddaughter are in tune with Abe’s efforts.

Abe's life at boarding school changes for ever when he magically sets a whole team of 11-year-old footballers free from the 1942 team photograph. Still boys at heart, but now with the appearance of 50-year-old men, they are terrified of the headmistress, the witch who trapped them in the photograph 40 years before. An exciting chase ensues, as Abe and the headmistress's daughter, Alicia, try to save the footballers and get away from the pursuing headmistress and her pack of witchsisters.

The book offers a study of a fascinating political personality, that of Japanese prime minister Abe Shinzôō (2012-2020). Abe's political career was boosted by his predecessor Koizumi Jun.ichirōô and he seemed extremely promising at 51 when he rose to become the youngest Cabinet Secretariat chief, however once in power in 2007 he disappointed by resigning after only one year. Yet, he rose again in 2012 to become the longest-serving prime minister of Japan's history since the end of the Meiji Era (1868-1912), when Japan went through a radical process of modernisation and westernisation, becoming a major military and imperialist power in the process. The book seeks to answer three questions. How could Abe Shinzô remain in power for nearly a decade in a country where prime ministers usually have much shorter terms, in some cases of only one year? He remained in power in spite of the fact that he sought to conduct massive reforms. What was the policy mix devised to keep voters happy, while promoting structural reforms and growth? He was in power for almost ten years. What is his legacy: what remains of his tenure as chief executive?

Japan is shifting onto a new trajectory for a more muscular national security policy, US-Japan alliance ties functioning for regional and global security, and the encirclement of China's influence in East Asia. The author explores how PM Abe Shinz?'s doctrine may prove contradictory and counter-productive to Japanese national interests.

"Seamlessly blends the comic nihilism of Douglas Adams with the heart, pain, and goofball creepiness of The Frighteners. You will never forget your trip to Marble Springs. Just watch out for gators." — Brandon Applegate, author of Those We Left Behind and Other Sacrifices "Apartment 239 is Alley's best work yet. This compelling genre-mash-up is a page-turner of the cinematic sort - a splendid mixture of lovable and despicable characters, horrific and heartfelt scenes, and humorous and witty dialogue. Highly recommended!" —Jeremy Hepler, Bram Stoker-nominated author of Sunray Alice. “Elford Alley is a rare horror writer who can encompass humor, tenderness, and the creepy lurking of our haunted spaces. APARTMENT 239 is book that combines the horrific melancholy of communicating with the dead while also celebrating the absurdity of it. Definitely a spiritual successor to works like THE FRIGHTENERS or IDLE HANDS.” — Kyle Winkler, author of Boris Says the Words Monsters. Mayhem. Minimum Wage. Marble Springs is a town with a hundred missing persons cases, a lake harboring a blood-thirsty monster, and a second-generation serial killer on the loose. When undervalued city employee Abe Barret begins to see the dead, he discovers the loss of his family is linked to these unsolved disappearances, and he only has days to solve it before his time is up. There are a lot of ways you can go in Marble Springs, and none of them are pleasant. Welcome to the City of the Dead!

Paranormal investigator Blair Wyndon is hell-bent on proving that ghosts are real. She posts the evidence she collects on the website, SpiritScientific, a well-known haven for like-minded paranormal believers. Well, like-minded except for Leif Henderson. Leif is a ghost hunter, not some stuffy paranormal investigator. She makes the kind of videos that thrill her audience, not bore them nearly to death. It’s all about clicks, views, and keeping the public watching to grow her fan base. She’s going to prove that ghosts exist with a dash of flair. Not like Blair. When they each receive an exclusive invitation to investigate the famed ghost town of Masonville, they jump at the chance. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity neither is willing to give up, even if it turns out that they must share the glory. But they aren’t the only ones who have been invited. The mystery suddenly turns deadly. Someone or something else is in Masonville, and if Blair and Leif don’t find a way to escape, they might never leave.