The Mahogany Pod

The Mahogany Pod is a moving portrayal of a joyful love affair that was cut short by a terminal illness after just one exhilarating year – and an inspirational account of vulnerability, reconciliation and learning to live fully after loss. “Gorgeous … her narrative packs a world of feeling within it, rendering a poignant look at how love can unfold even amid immense loss.” Publishers Weekly, starred review "A work of literature: beautifully written, meticulously structured and heart-rending." Guardian What if you knew from the beginning how your relationship was going to end? When Jill Hopper first met Arif, they were living in a shared house on the island of Osney in Oxford, on the River Thames. Surrounded by willow trees, birds and reflections, it was an idyllic home. But no sooner had they begun to fall in love than Arif was given the news that he had only a few months to live. Everyone told Jill to walk away, but she was already in too deep. Years later, Jill rediscovers Arif's parting gift—an African seedpod—and finally sets out to trace the elusive patterns that shaped their relationship.The Mahogany Pod is a tender and vital account of what it means to live, and love, fully.

In order to explore the fundamental nature of hydrofoil flutter, a hydroelastic instability which is a potential cause of structural failure of lifting surfaces operating at high speeds in water, a series of hydrofoil models was tested in a towing basin. Flutter data were obtained from four surface-piercing hydrofoil strut models with various pod and foil configurations. Flutter occurred in two independent hydroelastic modes having predominantly first bending and first torsion mode shapes, respectively. The unstable modes were found to exist simultaneously in at least one strut. Flutter inception speed of the bending flutter mode was affected by strut submergence and the presence or absence of a foil. Flutter inception speed of the torsional flutter mode was dependent on strut cavitation pattern, strut submergence, pod moment of inertia, pod length, and the presence or absence of a foil. (Author).

This is Book 1 of a trilogy about Zwane, an African scarab beetle who goes on a long journey of spiritual discovery. The journey is also a physical one. Book 1 deals with Zwane's early life and the adventures he has to prepare him for the journey.

The Search for Paradise Lost is a collection of uplifting and amusing reminiscences of Liz's travels with her husband, Alan, in Central Africa, searching for an unconventional rural environment to raise her family. In spite of many setbacks caused by the unsettled political situations, her exciting journey proves to be one of self-discovery, opening new worlds beyond her limited expectations, and leading to unusual friendships. The journey starts in 1960 in the earthy African town Zomba, Nyasaland. There, Liz discovers Paradise and revels in its untamed natural magnificence. She learns to deal with many challenges, including coping with the colonial lifestyle, nasty insects, unhygienic conditions, and encounters with leopards and witch doctor curses. Unfortunately, the magic waned with the new African independence. On returning to Rhodesia, an en-route terrorist ambush didn't dampen their enthusiasm, but taught them to cope with the ensuing war years in an isolated school in Somabula. There they adapted to pastoral life and formed friendships with locals, who were greatly amused by their lack of farming knowledge and unconventional teaching methods. Holidays were spent exploring the mystical Matopos and enjoying halcyon weeks camping in ancient Sofala in Mozambique. The tranquil palm-studded golden beaches, Portuguese wine, and abundant seafood made the perfect playground for the family. Once again, political changes forced them to leave their beloved paradise, but they carried with them heartwarming lessons and memories of a lost, unsophisticated era that can never be repeated.

A city-sized prison with little oversight and a snitch economy is the worst place for an ex-cop. Especially one who is losing his mind. Once a respected police officer, Mason Shaw’s father threw away his career by going rogue and landing himself in Revival’s privately-run prison, HRO22. Now Mason is following in his father’s footsteps — he’s an inmate with no hope of parole and only two ways out: Chamber Therapy or a body bag. Chamber Therapy promises the miracle of criminal rehabilitation, curing prisoners of their criminal tendencies. But the flip-side of Chamber Therapy’s success is its ultimate failure: Pattern Black — the total disintegration of identity that drives the prisoner insane. Worse, Revival seems to be hiding what happens to the prisoners once they go Pattern Black. As Mason makes his way through his new reality, a mysterious Preacher seems to haunt his every move. His only hope is Immunity, a rebel group led by a hacker named Calliope, who’s trying to fight the system from inside. Can Mason find the truth — and expose the dark secret behind Chamber Therapy — before Revival finds a way to shut him up forever? It’s Escape from New York meets The Matrix in this fast-paced, heart-pounding SciFi thriller by best-selling authors Johnny B. Truant and Sean Platt. Johnny B. Truant is also the author of Fat Vampire, a new television series coming to the SyFy channel in 2022.