What I Call Life

I haven't even explained yet about the Knitting Lady. Who is she? How did I wind up on her doorstep? How did I meet the other girls who became my friends—no, they became more than friends—despite the fact that they drove me absolutely crazy. I need to take a giant step back, return myself to the police car and explain how I, Cal Lavender, came to be living a life that wasn't my own. A witty and moving first novel that uncovers another side of the foster-care system Cal Lavender is perfectly happy living her anonymous life, even if she does have to play mother to her own mother a whole lot more than an eleven-year-old should. But when Cal's mother has one of her "unfortunate episodes" in the middle of the public library, she is whisked off by the authorities and Cal is escorted to a seat in the back of a police car. On "just a short, temporary detour from what I call life," Cal finds herself in a group home with four other girls, watched over by a strange old woman everyone refers to as the Knitting Lady. At first Cal can think of nothing but how to get out of this nuthouse. She knows she doesn't belong there. But it turns out that all the girls, and even the Knitting Lady, may have a lot more in common than they could have imagined. A fresh new voice in middle-grade fiction—Jill Wolfson's unforgettable characters will blunder their way into readers' hearts.

Don’t give up till you reach the end, or you will miss the message. Introduction My poems are inspired by life’s experience, the good times and the not so good times. Recapping significant bits of life and events that have absolutely no significance at all. Sometimes one of my poems will introduce a life changing truth next will lead you down the garden path to some humorous event that’s really out for a laugh. I suppose it’s not really fair to play with the dynamics of people’s emotions but life’s not always fair. Anyway if your reading my book and it has touched you enough to move your mind away from reality for a short time it has achieved the desired result. And also paid a small amount to help feed my family. This will also give me the opportunity to write another verse that just may be the poem that touches the hearts of the people that needs a slight encouragement at that particular moment......so don’t get up off the lounge or out of that comfy chair.

Like so many others in life, Dustin Ahlers, a senior in high school, found himself lost in the world with no sense of direction or clue what to do next with his life. Troubled by the vast approaching "real world" reality and beaten down by life, Dustin had finally reached his breaking point when he decided it was time to make a change. By altering his perception and taking a chance, he soon found himself having an experience of a lifetime at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, which would forever change his life. Now, Dustin hopes to enrich the lives of others by sharing his heartfelt story, as well as the lessons he has learned along the way. Follow him through his journey through life, from a senior in high school through graduation from college, as he discovers how truly life can be a roller coaster ride. Learn to search your soul, discover your purpose, and chase your dreams so that you may enjoy the wonderful ride we call life!

This work is a walk and a journey into the realities of life. It shares reflections from tragedy and grief to hope and healing. The different pieces of this work, challenge the reader to succor the self, despite the problems and pain of life and in the process, persevere to a place of wellness. This work challenges us to redefine our role in the world and in our relationships. It calls on us to reconstruct our rubric so we can look beyond the casual that we have been taught, to paying attention to the constructive and consequential that we must know. It summons us to give ourselves a chance to be carefully prudent enough to succeed. It reminds us of our responsibility and at the same time focuses us on our finality. It calls us to authenticity, reminds us of life’s adversity, but also points us to our possibility. It calls us to get away from being gullible and from the gimmicks of our space and from the aura of grandiosity in our interactions, to a place of growth and well-being. It challenges us to get in touch with ourselves and embrace the opportunity of the genesis of a much brighter and fulfilling life in our tomorrow.

For fans of My Ideal Bookshelf and Bibliophile, The Call Me Ishmael Phone Book is the perfect gift for book lovers everywhere: a quirky and entertaining interactive guide to reading, featuring voicemails, literary Easter eggs, checklists, and more, from the creators of the popular multimedia project. The Call Me Ishmael Phone Book is an interactive illustrated homage to the beautiful ways in which books bring meaning to our lives and how our lives bring meaning to books. Carefully crafted in the style of a retro telephone directory, this guide offers you a variety of unique ways to connect with readers, writers, bookshops, and life-changing stories. In it, you’ll discover... -Heartfelt, anonymous voicemail messages and transcripts from real-life readers sharing unforgettable stories about their most beloved books. You’ll hear how a mother and daughter formed a bond over their love for Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, or how a reader finally felt represented after reading Gene Luen Yang’s American Born Chinese, or how two friends performed Mary Oliver’s Thirst to a grove of trees, or how Anne Frank inspired a young writer to continue journaling. -Hidden references inside fictional literary adverts like Ahab’s Whale Tours and Miss Ophelia’s Psychic Readings, and real-life literary landmarks like Maya Angelou City Park and the Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum. -Lists of bookstores across the USA, state by state, plus interviews with the book lovers who run them. -Various invitations to become a part of this book by calling and leaving a bookish voicemail of your own. -And more! Quirky, nostalgic, and full of heart, The Call Me Ishmael Phone Book is a love letter to the stories that change us, connect us, and make us human.