Small Town Odds


Book Description

"With winning wit and compassionate, delightful prose" (Publishers Weekly), Jason Headley tells the story of a young man trapped in a small West Virginia town. Enormously likable and a habitual screw-up, Eric Mercer has settled into a sometimes raucous, underachieving life in his one-stoplight hometown—a life cobbled together from his part-time activities as bartender at the American Legion, assistant mortician, and father to his beloved 5-year-old daughter, Tess. Tess seems to be the main reason smart, talented, twenty-four-year-old Eric is staying in town, though her mom, a centerfold-quality beauty, would have it otherwise. When Jill, the lost love of his life, returns to Pinely in the same week that the town goes nuts in preparation for the high school football team's Big Game, life unexpectedly shifts into high gear, and Eric must blunder his way toward enlightenment—fast. Authentic and refreshingly unpredictable, Small Town Odds is written with an acute sense of place and character reminiscent of Richard Russo.




Small-Town America


Book Description

A revealing examination of small-town life More than thirty million Americans live in small, out-of-the-way places. Many of them could have joined the vast majority of Americans who live in cities and suburbs. They could live closer to more lucrative careers and convenient shopping, a wider range of educational opportunities, and more robust health care. But they have opted to live differently. In Small-Town America, we meet factory workers, shop owners, retirees, teachers, clergy, and mayors—residents who show neighborliness in small ways, but who also worry about everything from school closings and their children's futures to the ups and downs of the local economy. Drawing on more than seven hundred in-depth interviews in hundreds of towns across America and three decades of census data, Robert Wuthnow shows the fragility of community in small towns. He covers a host of topics, including the symbols and rituals of small-town life, the roles of formal and informal leaders, the social role of religious congregations, the perception of moral and economic decline, and the myriad ways residents in small towns make sense of their own lives. Wuthnow also tackles difficult issues such as class and race, abortion, homosexuality, and substance abuse. Small-Town America paints a rich panorama of individuals who reside in small communities, finding that, for many people, living in a small town is an important part of self-identity.




Against All Oddsagainst All Odds


Book Description

In fulfillment of an old Dahomeyan prophesy, the 7th generation of the lineage must return to the place of ancestral birth; to the beginning of an uneasy journey. Nearly two centuries later, the `Anchor' who is the 7th Amazon, must respond to that internal call despite the rigorous demands of modern living. To find her own 'place', she must complete the cycle of her 'mothers' and make an oar for the next generation. AGAINST ALL ODDS is the tale of 7 generations of a royal line whose strong women stand their ground; defying social norms and tribal stereotypes; defending forbidden love and unwittingly fulfilling the predictions of the ancient oracle. This fictional biography takes flight from the pre-colonial campaigns of the Amazons of Dahomey (female warriors whose codes defined a matriarchal society) through the years of slavery in the Americas, leading to the Abolition and subsequent `return'; into unfolding socio-economic drama and evolving religious beliefs, all the way to the harsh realities of modern day West Africa. Written with a poetic tone, this book will take you on a journey across the many cultures and different experiences that come together to define today's African.




Crime Trends in Bulgaria


Book Description




Prove Yourself


Book Description

My vision pulls me along and fuels my desire to continuously educate myself on how to succeed in life and business, to rise far above the low level that I started out at in life. How does my vision continue to drive me even though I have risen to much success? I have made it a habit to pursue success and to not become comfortable with past successes. The way you get success is from success, no matter how small. So I am always working on success, and as I achieve successes, I am able to see more opportunities to succeed. Daily, I look myself in the mirror to remind myself I am underachieving, and I must keep learning and staying relevant in the world today so I can make an impact and be influential. I know I can achieve more because when I compare what I know today versus a few months ago or a year ago, I see that I could have done better in the past if I had the knowledge I have today. You also don’t know what you don’t know you don’t know, so I want to learn fast so I can achieve more. Achieving more is not just a quantity; for me, it is being able to win trophies and close out many of my opportunities.




Defying the Odds


Book Description

When struggling waitress Melody Dylan gives a handsome, lonely stranger a simple gift she has no clue her life is about to take a drastic turn. The stranger ends up being Clay Powers, a famous UFC heavyweight fighter. Clay's large build and dangerous fists have always intimidated. People in his hometown keep their distance and Clay is fine with that. Everything changes when a new waitress at the local diner buys him a piece of pie on Thanksgiving. Touched by the gesture when it's obvious she can barely afford to survive, her warm smile and lush body churn up powerful feelings that leave Clay wanting more from her than pie. Melody is running from her past and the small, country town of Garnet is the perfect hiding place. With an ex-husband after her and scars from her abusive marriage etched deep, the last thing she expects is to fall for a man who makes a living with his fists, but she can't resist Clay or the tender connection they share. Finding love in the most unlikely of places, the passion is undeniable, but Clay and Melody know their haunted pasts and unpredictable futures leave the odds stacked against them.




The Mighty Odds (The Odds Series #1)


Book Description

From the renowned author/illustrator of the Popularity Papers series, Amy Ignatow, comes the first installment in a new series about a diverse crew of middle school kids who develop very limited superhero powers after a strange accident and manage to become unlikely friends on the adventure of a lifetime. When a sweet nerd, an artsy cartoonist, a social outcast, and the most popular girl in school are involved in a mysterious bus accident, this seemingly random group of kids starts to notice some very strange abilities they did not have before. Artsy Martina can change her eye color. Nerdy Nick can teleport . . . four inches to the left. Outcast Farshad develops super strength, but only in his thumbs. And Cookie, the It Girl of school’s most popular clique, has suddenly developed the ability to read minds . . . when those minds are thinking about directions. They are oddly mighty—especially together. This group—who would never hang out under normal circumstances—must now combine all of their strengths to figure out what happened during the bus accident. With alternating narratives from each of the heroes, including illustrated pieces from Martina, and featuring bold female superheroes and a multicultural cast, The Mighty Odds is The Breakfast Club for a new generation. For more books by Amy Ignatow, check out her critically acclaimed Popularity Papers series: Book One: Research for the Social Improvement and General Betterment of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham Chang; Book Two: The Long-Distance Dispatch; Book Three: Words of (Questionable) Wisdom; Book Four: The Rocky Road Trip; Book Five: The Awesomely Awful Melodies; Book Six: Love and Other Fiascos; and Book Seven: The Less-Than-Hidden Secrets and Final Revelations.




Small Town Moons - A Savannah Brown Novel


Book Description

In a quiet, southern town, the resilient Savannah Brown finds herself at a crossroads after a traumatic attack leaves her shattered. "Small Town Moon" is a poignant exploration of strength, healing, and self-discovery as Savannah, a Black lesbian werewolf, embarks on a journey to reclaim her life. Haunted by the shadows of the past, Savannah grapples with the aftermath of a vicious assault that threatens to eclipse the vibrant spirit within her. As she navigates the complexities of recovery, while on the run, Savannah discovers the small southern town occupied by werewolves where life and death is decided daily. The small southern town becomes both sanctuary and battleground as Savannah confronts her trauma, guided by the moonlit path of self-rediscovery. Against a backdrop of magnolia blossoms and the haunting call of the pack, Savannah's journey unfolds. Disclaimer: Mention of rape and violence







Small-Town America


Book Description

A revealing examination of small-town life More than thirty million Americans live in small, out-of-the-way places. Many of them could have joined the vast majority of Americans who live in cities and suburbs. They could live closer to more lucrative careers and convenient shopping, a wider range of educational opportunities, and more robust health care. But they have opted to live differently. In Small-Town America, we meet factory workers, shop owners, retirees, teachers, clergy, and mayors—residents who show neighborliness in small ways, but who also worry about everything from school closings and their children's futures to the ups and downs of the local economy. Drawing on more than seven hundred in-depth interviews in hundreds of towns across America and three decades of census data, Robert Wuthnow shows the fragility of community in small towns. He covers a host of topics, including the symbols and rituals of small-town life, the roles of formal and informal leaders, the social role of religious congregations, the perception of moral and economic decline, and the myriad ways residents in small towns make sense of their own lives. Wuthnow also tackles difficult issues such as class and race, abortion, homosexuality, and substance abuse. Small-Town America paints a rich panorama of individuals who reside in small communities, finding that, for many people, living in a small town is an important part of self-identity.