Never Say Never

Anthony Mugo's Never Say Never is a compelling story of a teenager's quest for education under the most difficult conditions. Daniel Muthini Njoki, the son of a poor, single mother, is arrested and taken to a remand home in Murang'a, then to Getathuru Reception Centre. He is subsequently transferred to other approved schools: Kericho, Othaya, and finally Kabete, where he sits and passes the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education. The doors to a university are now open. Although he is an innocent inmate, and although textual evidence points in the direction of the mother, the question of who engineered his arrest is part of what makes this work so un-put-downable. The sum total is a superlatively well-written novel about the difficulties, the challenges, and the hopes of getting an education in Kenya.

A sudden shift in a hurricane's course cancels senior citizen Donetta's cruise at the last minute. Thrown together with a young woman named Kai, Donetta leads a group of evacuees back to Daily, Texas, where the charm of the town--and the high school coach--has Kai rethinking her drifter existence. Donetta, on the other hand, is contemplating moving on from her floundering marriage. As more people seek refuge in the small town, can they transition from merely surviving to truly thriving?

Ambitious corporate shark Camila Evans might have just lost her marriage but she decides she doesn't need love to build a television empire and raise her young son alone. What she does need is a nanny, but the incompetent idiots sent her way make her lose faith in ever finding anyone useful. Enter Emily Walker -- fresh out of college, bright, a little naive, and new to New York City. Emily is everything Camila is not and frankly it's a little unsettling how innocent and gentle the young woman is. That's not all that's unsettling. Camila's growing feelings for Emily are making it hard to maintain a professional distance. Surely she can't possibly be falling for the nanny? God, it's such a mid-life crisis cliché. But would it be too impossible? As time goes on, Camila starts to wonder if maybe even she can get her happy ending after all.

NEVER SAY NEVER is a hilarious, magical, and ultimately relatable story that carries readers though a fantastical premise to a satisfying conclusion. ~Sarah Baer for IndieReader After she walks in on her mom doing the horizontal mambo with a man that's decidedly not her dad, Brynn Stark swears to NEVER fall in love. One of her friends--Val-- reveals her true identity--Aphrodite, goddess of love, and promises to show Brynn why she shouldn't lose faith. But when Brynn realizes she's beginning to fall for Adam, Aphrodite's boyfriend, Brynn's forced to decide if she'll choose her goddess-given fate, or risk it all for the wrong-but-right guy. One thing's for sure. Love sucks. And it's all about to blow up in their faces.

The question Mark and Jan Foreman are most often asked is: How did you raise your kids? Never Say No takes you on a personal journey to learn first-hand how they raised Jon and Tim of Switchfoot. They share practical advice for instilling wonder in a media-saturated culture, cultivating specific gifts, and balancing structure with individual choice. Our purpose as parents is the same as our child’s: to live creatively beyond ourselves, bringing the love, beauty and nature of God to this world. Let the adventure begin.

The world first met Ricki Lake in 1988 as Tracy Turnblad in the film Hairspray. Weighing in at just over 200 pounds, the 5'3" teenager challenged what it meant to be an overweight woman in America: this fat girl got the guy, was part of the in crowd, and could sing and dance like nobody was watching. When she got her own talk show at twenty-four, Ricki had been transformed. She was a slender, mature woman whose long-running show changed daytime television forever. And when Ricki left it all behind to follow her heart and produce The Business of Being Born, we once again saw her in a new light, as a passionate advocate who wasn’t afraid to stand up for her beliefs and work for change. Ricki Lake’s life has been a series of rebirths—from fat to skinny, married to divorced, rich to poor, and more. In her intimate, bold, and relatable book, Ricki shows us how her unique life in the spotlight offers wisdom to anyone who has ever struggled in her own skin. She takes us behind the scenes of her troubled childhood—filled with food issues, abuse, and an unabashed yearning for a better life outside of her suburban home. She pulls back the curtain on her talk show and her early days as a “fat actress,” and she shows how she reinvented herself as an author, filmmaker, and much beloved finalist on Dancing with the Stars. Ricki weathered near-bankruptcy and an extremely difficult divorce, but, as she writes, life always hands you the unexpected—so you should never say never. Much to her surprise, Ricki has dated some of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors, appeared on the cover of Us Weekly magazine in a swimsuit, and fell in love when she least expected it. And now she’s ready to talk about it all. Never Say Never is an inspiring, entertaining, and down-to-earth account of one woman who defied the odds and refused to give up. By trusting her gut and following her heart, Ricki Lake turned an unconventional life into an unparalleled triumph, and this memoir stands as a hopeful, hilarious, and honest exploration of how any woman can do the same.

"I don't want to hurt you, Leslie." Sara's words stung me. Of all the ways she could have said it, she'd chosen these specific words. Not "I won't hurt you," or "I'm not going to hurt you." Those words would have calmed my fears. But no. She chose "I don't want to hurt you." Computer analyst Leslie Howard knows all too well that the fastest way to a broken heart is to ignore Lesbian Dating Rule Number One: Never, ever, get involved with a straight woman. Yet, despite her better judgment, and serious warnings from her friends, she finds herself battling a growing infatuation with her very straight - and very attractive - co-worker Sara Stevens. Haunted by memories of past rejection, Leslie is understandably hesitant about coming out to Sara, yet she doesn't want to jeopardize their friendship by being dishonest about who she is. When Leslie finally trusts Sara enough to tell her she's a lesbian, Sara fulfills Leslie's worst fears and cuts her off. Hurt and angry with herself, Leslie vows never to trust Sara again, and seeks solace in the arms of a seductive young golf pro. When Sara sees Leslie with her new lover, she is forced to confront her own hidden desires. Then, a long business trip together turns into an emotional tug-of-war, as Leslie and Sara struggle to control the raging passions that could bring them together - or tear them apart.

Based on his life as a personal security consultant, dietitian, and personal trainer to some of rock's most infamous personalities, Victor Robinson's memoir "Never Say Never...You Could Be Next" takes readers on a journey from the heart of America across the globe filled with loud music, long nights, and unexpected friendships that culminates in a man learning what it means to be a man, and ultimately finding himself again. Focused on the years spent on the road with bands like Twisted Sister and The Rolling Stones, "Never Say Never...You Could Be Next" offers an insider's look at the world of rock & roll during the roller coaster that was the 1970's and 1980's music scene. From Australia to California to New York and back again, harrowing tales from the cutting edge of international music culture blend seamlessly with one man's journey into self-discovery and deliverance. Born in Chicago, Victor's teen years spent in the small Michigan town of Mendon gave no indication that a few short years after leaving the Marine corps he would be wholly enmeshed in the sexy, live-on-the-razor's-edge world of A-list life on the road, be it in a private jet on its way to a gig in Germany or a stretch limo filled with Hollywood elite. Whether partying with Jack Nicholson and John Belushi at The Roxy or helping Dee Snider tone up his biceps in between gigs, Victor's life is a testament to the idea that you should always be as prepared as possible, because you never know what the universe will have in store for you next. Told in the gripping narrative only a memoir can provide, readers from all walks of life will find the exciting, yet relatable journey of a man who survived not only the Marine Corps and Keith Richards, but also a life threatening illness that brought him into a new life as a kidney transplant recipient. Laughter and tears, sorrow and joy, anger and redemption: a myriad of emotions play across the page as Victor's saga unfolds. Sometimes raw, but always heartfelt and honest, "Never Say Never...You Could Be Next" is a non-fiction page turner not to be missed.