From Granny Panties To Thongs

It has been said that, over the course of a lifetime, a person will use only a fraction of the brain's capacity to learn. This would also be true of the heart's boundless capacity to love. This book is a collection of true stories spoken from the hearts of widowed women. Each was eager to crack open the door to her private world, and allow us an entrance inside. Many of the ladies have never told these stories to anyone, including immediate family. Their individual reasons for wanting to contribute vary, but they all share a common thread... to empower other widowed women. They speak candidly about being the single one at the dinner table, their desire to date again, and even the first time between the sheets. This treasured book will offer insight to those who are curious about dating and moving forward. From Granny Panties to Thongs is the portable paperback cheerleader for widows who hope to one day find love again.

"Granny Panties" is set in the picturesque hill country community of Fredericksburg, Texas and features Willie Stroh, a big-city girl stuck in a small-town world, or as Willie would say, "A Rizzo in a world of Sandys". Willie is an ace at managing other people's lives, mainly that of her friends, mother, grandmother and always-in-trouble brother, but sucks at her own. Stuck in the family business due to the untimely death of her father, she dreams of something more, not unlike the plots of the romantic films she adores. When her loser fiancée of five years boots her out his apartment and life, and after an unfortunate incident with her Grandmother's underwear, Willie discovers a strength she never knew she had. Motivated to have her ex come crawling back on his hands and knees, she begins not only a physical self-transformation but also an emotional one. With the help of self-professed rascal and ladies man, Donovan Quinn and her best friend Stephanie Domenico, Willie soon discovers that getting her fiancée back is the last thing she wants and that, at the most unexpected time, dreams really do come true.

Growing up in a world of wealth and pastel-tinted entitlement, fifteen-year-old Carly has always relied on the constancy—and authenticity—of her sister, Anna. But when fourteen-year-old Anna turns plastic-perfect-pretty over the course of a single summer, everything starts to change. And there are boys involved, complicating things as boys always do. With warmth, insight, and an unparalleled gift for finding humor even in stormy situations, beloved author Lauren Myracle dives into the tumultuous waters of sisterhood and shows that even very different sisters can learn to help each other stay afloat.

It happens to the best of us. On a day like any other, you look in the mirror and find a cranky, worn-out, middle-aged woman staring back at you. A woman who is firmly strapped into a giant pair of GRANNY PANTIES. Yes, aging is inevitable, but looking, and acting, like your grandma is not. So join Mary Fran Bontempo and learn a new set of Commandments that will enable you to avoid the Granny Panties and love life in the middle years. You'll laugh, learn a few things and with any luck, bid a permanent goodbye to GRANNY PANTIES and the old hag in the mirror!

For generations, Chinook Indians camped in the area that is now Oysterville, gathering oysters from the shallow waters of Shoalwater Bay. When tribal elder “Old Klickeas” introduced two young adventurers, Robert Hamilton Espy and Isaac Alonzo Clark, to the oyster treasure, the pioneer boom years began. Oysters were marketed in gold-rich, oyster-hungry San Francisco, where a plateful sold for $50. Within months, there were several hundred settlers, and in 1855, Oysterville was chosen as the seat of Pacific County, Washington Territory. Oysterville had many county firsts: a school, a college, a newspaper, a post office, and a church—but never a bank. When schooners arrived to pick up their oyster cargoes, oystermen were paid in gold coin that then might be buried or stashed under floorboards for safekeeping. Often there was more gold in Oysterville than in any town on the West Coast except San Francisco. Today the peaceful vistas along the lanes and shoreline of the village belie its tumultuous history. Oysterville was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

The very thought of Christmas is enough to darken Carrie Jones's day. "Jingle Bells" and eggnog? Not for this girl; not anymore. But running into a handsome old crush might make this year different… Home to celebrate with his parents, Nick Johnson loves the holidays and all that comes with them, from trips to the tree lot to the very last strand of tinsel. Stunned to bump into Carrie while on a coffee run, he realizes that his former study buddy has grown into a drop-dead-gorgeous woman. One with whom he'd like to share all the joys—and hidden pleasures—of the season. Spending time with Nick and his warm, close-knit family, Carrie can't help but feel the very beginnings of that elusive Christmas spirit. She's falling in love with all of them...until an unexpected visitor arrives. It will take putting her trust in Nick—and all her newfound happiness—to overcome the ghosts of Christmases past. 32,000 words

Snowy days and steamy nights This year, a modern-day Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas with the help of a suddenly sexy old friend. A down-on-his-luck baseball star finds a beautiful new beginning with a hometown girl. And a prim-and-proper teacher is determined to bring out the holiday spirit in a grumpy tree farmer. Settle in for the season with this collection of very merry short fiction. Edited by Angela James, this anthology includes: A Christmas for Carrie by Alison Packard Christmas Curveball by Shari Mikels Kissing Her Scrooge by Kinley Cade Stories also available for purchase separately. 107,000 words

This wide-ranging overview of design in everyday life demonstrates how design shapes our lives in ways most of us would never imagine. The author, a leading expert in social and psychological issues in design, uncovers the gender, age, and body biases inherent in the designs of common products and living spaces that we all routinely use. From the schools our children attend and the buildings we work in to ill-fitting clothes and one-size-fits-all seating in public transportation, restaurants, and movie theaters, we are surrounded by an artificial environment that can affect our comfort, our self-image, and even our health. Anthony points out the flaws and disadvantages of certain fashions, children's toys, high-tech gadgets, packaging, public transportation, public restrooms, neighborhood layouts, classrooms, workplaces, hospitals, and more. In an increasingly diverse populace where many body types, age groups, and cultures interact, she argues that it's time our environments caught up. This fascinating book--full of aha moments--will teach readers to recognize the hidden biases in certain products and places and to work for more intelligent and healthy design in all areas of life.