Is It Just Me Or

First published in 2007 with the title: I thought it was just me: women reclaiming power and courage in a culture of shame.

“Tired of The Chattering Class explaining things they don’t understand? So am I. That is why we NEED this book. In IS IT JUST ME…OR…, retired US Navy Commander Richard Montgomery, a carrier pilot and seasoned novelist, takes on the most maddening issues of our time—Climate Change, The Eco-Loonies, Racism, the IRS—and MAKES IT ALL CLEAR. In short, sharp, and often funny essays, Montgomery takes a razor’s edge to thirty different maddening problems of our time, cuts straight to the core, peels off the lies and the stupidities, and SHOWS you how things really are. Read IS IT JUST ME…OR and win every argument on these complex subjects for the rest of your life! —Carsten Stroud, author of The Niceville Trilogy

Have you ever wondered if you’re the only one who’s hurt, struggling, lonely, and confused? It’s not just you. Grace Valentine wants you to know one thing for sure: You’re not alone in your struggle. You’re not the only one feeling freaked out by the future. You’re not the only one dealing with crap. You’re not alone! Many women joke about having trust issues—laughing at their struggle because it feels common but secretly feeling there is no hope. Grace Valentine was one of them. In her twenties, she realized her trust issues were not humorous because, in reality, hers were trust issues with Jesus, her community, her family, and herself. And they were destroying her faith. Grace told herself she was simply being realistic, but the truth was, she was entangled with doubt and lies. In Grace’s second book, Is It Just Me?, she’ll walk you through how to handle rejection, stop joking about your issues, and find peace and healing for your scars by answering five deeply felt questions: Am I the only one who is tired, overwhelmed, doubting, and fearful? Am I the only one who feels hurt and lonely? Am I the only one who still is struggling to find my purpose? Am I the only one struggling to trust that God is there? Am I the only one confused about how to be an adult? Grace’s prayer is that as you journey with her through early adulthood, you’ll remember you have a Savior who loves you, flaws and all. By learning to trust in God’s design and His plans for your future, you’ll find you have everything you need to thrive in your twenties—and beyond.

THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER 'It will certainly raise what I call a smile in her thousands of fans' DAILY MAIL 'Miranda Hart will carry you along with the sheer force of her charm, bumbling cheer and charisma.' SUNDAY EXPRESS Well hello to you dear browser. Now I have your attention it would be rude if I didn't tell you a little about my literary feast. So, here is the thing: is it just me or does anyone else find that adulthood offers no refuge from the unexpected horrors, peculiar lack of physical coordination and sometimes unexplained nudity, that accompanied childhood and adolescence? Does everybody struggle with the hazards that accompany, say, sitting elegantly on a bar stool; using chopsticks; pretending to understand the bank crisis; pedicures - surely it's plain wrong for a stranger to fondle your feet? Or is it just me? I am proud to say I have a wealth of awkward experiences - from school days to life as an office temp - and here I offer my 18-year-old self (and I hope you too dear reader) some much needed caution and guidance on how to navigate life's rocky path. Because frankly where is the manual? The much needed manual to life. Well, fret not, for this is my attempt at one and let's call it, because it's fun, a Miran-ual. I thank you.

Have you noticed that things aren't as civil as they once were? Or that rudeness is no longer an exception but a lifestyle? Sure you have. All you need to do is set foot outside your door to see that bad manners are taking over everywhere. People are yakking on cell phones in restaurants, even at church. Folks in carpools wear enough cologne to make our eyes bleed. Complete strangers think it's OK to rub a pregnant lady's belly. Passengers abuse flight attendants, family outings to the ball park are ruined by rowdy drunks . . . a congressman heckled the President of the United States. Well, Whoopi Goldberg has noticed all this and more and asked herself, "Is it just me?" Unleashing her trademark irreverence and humor, her new book of observations takes a funny and excruciatingly honest look at how a loss of civility is messing with the quality of life for all of us. So if your pet peeve is folks who talk in movie theaters like it was their living room, or if you get bugged by people clipping their nails and performing other personal hygiene next to you on the bus, or if you cringe when "please" and "thank you" get replaced by "gimme" and "huh" . . . you have found a kindred spirit. Because Whoopi has witnessed the growing disrespect and rudeness in our lives and realized she is not alone. And, as you'll discover in these pages, neither are you.

More antics from the much-loved TOP GEAR presenter, and the No.1 bestselling author of ON THE EDGE. "There is, I discovered, a technique to performing a low-rent, comedy motorcycle jump with a bad hip joint following a low-speed fall off a horse on to your wife's Land Rover keys..." More of the wry, honest and often hilarious chronicles of Richard Hammond - TV presenter, adventurer and general drawer of the Short Straw. Continuing where AS YOU DO left off, OR IS THAT JUST ME? focuses on just a few of the many hair-raising stunts, expeditions and encounters experienced by Richard Hammond over the last eventful year.

As I sit here and think of all the memories I could write about, I wonder, why do I choose these stories? I guess one could say it’s because days go by so quickly that before you know it, we’re old. Those turning points I thought about in our lives have turned in the blink of an eye. Whether or not you choose to complete reading this book is completely up to you. However, know just one thing: this book was put together with a lot of heart, soul, heartbreak, love, and, yes, tears. This book is written from three very different perspectives yet much the same woman, with very different stories of heartbreak and laughter. There is one very common thread, my love for God, along with my strength as a woman to persevere through some of the most horrific times of my life, not on my own accord—although at times I thought so—but by the grace and mercy of our Holy Savior, Jesus Christ! I would like to take this time to thank all those who went on my journeys with me—those who supported me, those who held me, those who cried with me, and yes, even those who gave me a kick on the rump when I needed it! I would also like to thank my church for being our rock on those days our lives turned into nothing more than a swamp. I dedicate this book to the ministry that has been helping me throughout the years, for all the goodness you gave to me and others. In his loving grace, Ava Alexandria

This book includes original poems and diary entries from a, at one time, very disturbed mind. Many readers will be able to associate with the writer in their own way. This book talks of love, loss, and lessons of life from a unique point of view.