Ordinary Magic

From a pioneering researcher, this book synthesizes the best current knowledge on resilience in children and adolescents. Ann S. Masten explores what allows certain individuals to thrive and adapt despite adverse circumstances, such as poverty, chronic family problems, or exposure to trauma. Coverage encompasses the neurobiology of resilience as well as the role of major contexts of development: families, schools, and culture. Identifying key protective factors in early childhood and beyond, Masten provides a cogent framework for designing programs to promote resilience. Complex concepts are carefully defined and illustrated with real-world examples.

Uprooted from his home in India by a tragedy, Ganesh begins a new life in the Midwest where his experiences with Hinduism, Yoga, and mantras are considered alien.

Olivia Dunne, a studious minister's daughter who dreams of being an archaeologist, never thought that the drama of World War II would affect her quiet life in Denver. An exhilarating flirtation reshapes her life, though, and she finds herself banished to a rural Colorado outpost, married to a man she hardly knows. Overwhelmed by loneliness, Olivia tentatively tries to establish a new life, finding much-needed friendship and solace in two Japanese American sisters who are living at a nearby internment camp. When Olivia unwittingly becomes an accomplice to a crime and is faced with betrayal, she finally confronts her own desires. Beautifully written and filled with memorable characters, Creel's novel is a powerful exploration of the nature of trust and love.

Spiritual practice and meditation are often thought of as being the province of priests, monks, and nuns—those few individuals who have returned from the preoccupations of day-to-day life. This inspiring book reveals how the simple practice of mindfulness can be a magical and transformative part of anyone's daily life. Thirty-five wide-ranging essays written by well-known spiritual teachers, therapists, and creative artists show how learning to focus awareness can bring a new richness to ordinary activities; how mindfulness can heighten creative pursuits such as painting, journal writing, or playing music; how contemplative awareness enhances both physical and psychological well-being; and how meditation can contribute to better relationships with family, community, and the world at large.

A terrifying diagnosis. An unbreakable bond. And one unforgettable journey. Cameron Powell has always struggled with goodbyes. On the day his marriage ends, he finds out his mother's cancer has returnedand this time there may be no escape. Faced with the prospect of more chemo and surgery, his Germanborn mother, Inge, vows to conquer a 500mile trek across Spain, and Cameron pushes aside his fears to walk by her side. Joined by a misfit band of adventurersa politically incorrect Spaniard, a theatrical Frenchwoman, a teenager who's never been far from homeCameron and Inge write a fierce and funny travelogue about the rocky heights and hidden valleys of the Camino de Santiago.

Myra Reed's life is going great. Being a cop is great. Guarding the library of arcane secrets is great. Even dealing with the monsters and gods vacationing in the little beach town of Ordinary, Oregon is great. Then the demon, Bathin, strolls into town and steals Myra's sister's soul. So much for great. Luckily, Myra has a plan to evict the demon and save her sister's soul. Step one: shut down the portals to hell popping up in town. Step two: get rid of the pink know-it-all unicorn. Step three: don't die while teaching Death how to be a cop. Oh, and there's a step four. Absolutely, positively, no matter what, do not fall in love with the handsome, charming, jerk of a demon she's trying to kick out of town. Logically, it's a good plan. But when it comes to Bathin, Myra's very illogical heart has some plans of its own. Great.

In Abby's world, magic isn't anything special: it's a part of everyday life. So when Abby is discovered to have zero magical abilities, she's branded an Ord-ordinary, bad luck, and quite possibly a danger to society. The outlook for an ord isn't bright. Many are cast out by their families, while others are sold to treasure hunters (ords are impervious to spells and enchantments) Luckily for Abby, her family enrolls her in a special school for kids who must learn how to get around in the world without magic. But with kidnappers and carnivorous goblins lurking around every corner, Abby's biggest problem may not be what she's going to do with her life - it's whether she's going to survive the school year.

In ORDINARY MAGIC Jack Daly, atheist and movie 'special effects' expert, creates holograms of Jesus and famous saints to preach the Sunday sermon at Holy Redeemer Church in a last ditch effort to keep the poor parish out of bankruptcy. Tickets to the service cost up $250 each. His uncle, Fr. Frank Shymanski, the pastor, is tormented over this as he believes they are committing a sacrilege against God and will be severely punished for it. Bizarre murders soon take place. A policeman is levitated to his death in the church. An altar boy is mortally torched by a blast of psychokinetic energy. A beautiful woman is strangled in a Black Mass ritual at a synagogue by a killer who can be in two places at the same time. Rabbi Ari Zabel, a student of Kabbalah, is asked by the NYPD to consult on the strange case as the killer seemingly has mystical powers similar to those possessed by certain prophets in the Bible. The evidence points to a Demon as the likely culprit. In a climactic confrontation at St. Patrick's Cathedral, the killer's formidable powers are pitted against Jack's 'special effects' movie magic and the sparks fly.