Painful Beauty

For over 150 years, Tlingit women artists have beaded colorful, intricately beautiful designs on moccasins, dolls, octopus bags, tunics, and other garments. Painful Beauty suggests that at a time when Indigenous cultural practices were actively being repressed, beading supported cultural continuity, demonstrating Tlingit women’s resilience, strength, and power. Beadwork served many uses, from the ceremonial to the economic, as women created beaded pieces for community use and to sell to tourists. Like other Tlingit art, beadwork reflects rich artistic visions with deep connections to the environment, clan histories, and Tlingit worldviews. Contemporary Tlingit artists Alison Bremner, Chloe French, Shgen Doo Tan George, Lily Hudson Hope, Tanis S’eiltin, and Larry McNeil foreground the significance of historical beading practices in their diverse, boundary-pushing artworks. Working with museum collection materials, photographs, archives, and interviews with artists and elders, Megan Smetzer reframes this often overlooked artform as a site of historical negotiations and contemporary inspirations. She shows how beading gave Tlingit women the freedom to innovate aesthetically, assert their clan crests and identities, support tribal sovereignty, and pass on cultural knowledge. Painful Beauty is the first dedicated study of Tlingit beadwork and contributes to the expanding literature addressing women’s artistic expressions on the Northwest Coast.

The Beauty of Pain is a collection of reflections on life through the eyes of a human who has experienced most of life in pain, fear, and heartbreak. It is written in the words of a person who came from a place of utter despair and brokenness to complete healing and wholeness. It is written in the voice of every person who has been hurt, betrayed, abandoned, misjudged, and mistreated. But also in the voice of every person who didn't give up even when giving up seemed easier. The book contains one-page entries as reflections on different topics that we encounter in our everyday lives; love, relationship, self-love, hurt, betrayal, forgiveness, inspiration, respect, motivation, integrity, honesty, and more. Beauty begins the moment we embrace our pain. The darkness you're in today will lead you into the light and your biggest lessons will turn into your greatest blessings, and the pain that you've been feeling now can't compare to the joy that's coming. Find out more on www.noorniami.com

1991, in another dark room with a doctor. History repeating itself. “There’s nothing more we can do. Take her home and love her. She won’t live to be two.” Amber Stewart was born under impossible odds. Spinal Muscular Atrophy type one had her down for good. Every doctor, every specialist, they all underestimated her. Little did they know they were dealing with extraordinary forces and a girl with unwavering faith. This is a story unlike any you’ve ever read, about Amber’s tumultuous life filled with hardships and victories and joy unspeakable. Hope is more than a word; it has a name. Filled with wisdom and encouragement, follow her story of grace and you’ll never view miracles the same way.

Valerie Peterson is in middle of a nap on the living room couch when she hears her ten-year-old daughter say, Mommy, mommy, you need to get up. Seconds later, Valerie learns that her sister, June, is clinging to life inside a hospital roomthe victim of a car accident involving a drunk driver. It is Saturday, April 22, 2006, and Valeries life has been forever changed by tragedy. As June lies helplessly in bed, the Peterson family believes they are all in agreement as to what is best for June. Unfortunately, they are not. Soon all the family members are victims themselves of the never-ending turmoil that surrounds life and death decisions. Comforted by her memories and overcome with trepidation, Valerie begins a tumultuous journey through the worst days of her lifea journey that culminates four days later with the horrifying news that June is dead. Now she must rely on her faith and inner strength to lead her through the darkness of grief to the light of healing and forgiveness. Based on true events, Beauty in Pain is the compelling and inspiring tale of one womans personal fight to survive in the aftermath of loss.

This book is a compilation of poems about grief, mental health and growth. The purpose of the book is to help others who might have similar feelings that are portrayed through the poems. Writing helped Simrin come to terms with events that happened in her life and allowed her to heal. Simrin hopes her poetry can touch others and help them heal as well.

Pain is something human. Everyone deals different with it, some better, some worse. The poems and short stories written in here speak of suffering, pain, loneliness and romance mixed in an unique writing style. The perfect daydream book for hopeless romantics in a modern world and people who enjoy horror.

A New York Times and USA Today Bestseller...They agreed on three months... but their love knew no boundaries.Jack McLachlan is a winemaking magnate and easily one of Australia's most eligible bachelors. His success and wealth makes him no stranger to the complications of romantic relationships and that's why he goes to extreme measures to avoid the hassle. He prefers simplicity in the form of a beautiful female companion with no strings attached. He arranges relationships like business deals and they're always the same. No long term relationships. No real names.It's his game and his rules. He's content to play as usual, but when Laurelyn Prescott enters his life, his strategy must change because this player is like none he's ever encountered. His world is turned on its head after he begins a three month affair with the beautiful American musician. Nothing goes according to plan and as he breaks more and more of his own rules for her, she's exceptionally close to becoming something he never thought possible. His ultimate game changer.