Victoria Books

"Three Weeks Last Spring is an enticing read that is romantic and suspenseful."

"Skye Dunbar decides to take a vacation in the San Juan Islands with hopes of regaining some perspective on her life after a devastating breakup of a previous relationship."

"While on vacation at a remote location she meets ands falls head over heals in love with Jedediah Walker. He is a marine biologist who is in the middle of investigating a crime."

"Walker falls deep for Skye, however he becomes suspicious of her and comes to believe that she is directly connected to his investigation. Needless to say, his suspicions take a toll on their relationship and Skye decides that she wants nothing to do with him. However, she agrees to assist Walker in finding the computer hacker that has tapped into his company's files utilizing the software she developed with her partner Ridge."

"When Walker goes after the culprits, his life is endangered. He's left for dead, yet survives after a difficult recovery, determined more than ever to capture the heart of the woman he loves."

"This is an entertaining read that is descriptive and takes readers on a journey towards love that crosses two countries."

I can say in all honesty that Victoria Howard has written a page turner with her debut novel. While reading Three Weeks Last Spring you are not only reading about what is happening to Skye at the present time, but piece by piece you also find out what happened with her before she went to Seattle, about her troubled relationship. This makes your understanding of her sharpen more and more by every piece. So much happens in this wonderful book, too much to write all down in a review. But if it would be possible to rate this book 6 stars, I would do it immediately. This book is filled with so much suspense and of course romance, it deserves more than the maximum score!
- reviewed by Annick for Euro-Reviews

Genre: Fiction

Title: Three Weeks Last Spring

AUTHOR: Victoria Howard

Skye Dunbar is a lovely, auburn haired young woman with a broken heart. In order to avoid being hurt by another man, she has thrown herself into her career. With partner, John Ridge, the two have perfected computer software that will bring them world- wide recognition and great wealth. After months of hard work, Skye takes a vacation to Seattle, Washington but will it put the ghosts of the past to rest, or cause a new more intense set of problems for our heroine?
Mystery, intrigue, environmental disaster and love, await Skye as she settles in the secluded cabin in the San Juan Islands. Meanwhile, marine biologist, Jedediah Walker has problems of his own. Victoria Howard brings her characters and their emotional baggage to life in Three Weeks Last Spring. Her vivid descriptions of the landscape enable readers to experience the beauty of the north- west United States. Readers are drawn to Skye and Walker as their relationship goes from bad to good and back again. Is it true love or simply sexual attraction?
Author Victoria Howard lives in South Yorkshire, where she enjoys writing, travel and gardening. This is her first novel.
An excellent read for a quiet afternoon. Just enough suspense to keep readers interested, as well as a tantalizing romance. Recommended by Reviewer: Shirley Roe, Allbooks Reviews.

Victoria Howard's THREE WEEKS LAST SPRING is a fast moving, exceptionally well crafted Romantic Suspense where hot physical attraction duals with the professional skills of the hero and heroine... whose rapid-fire tempers interferes with their scorching romance.

There are dead fish in the bay and Walker is determined to ferret out the culprit, and he thinks the lady renting his cabin knows more about it than she is letting on. Skye Dunbar, a brilliant computer program designer on vacation, and co-owner of the world renown `Dunbar and Ridge Computer Associates' is so busy running away from herself that she nearly overlooks the love of her life. While Jedediah Walker, owner of `Walker Environmental Research' is so convinced Skye is the mysterious hacker who is bent on destroying his company that he roughs her up, in spite of the sizzling chemistry between them.

Dr. John Ridge, computer geek extraordinaire, who has loved his business partner since high school, is Skye's business partner and co-owner. Like the cavalry, he's always arriving just in time to rescue her. The question is does she really want to be saved this time?

Reviewed by: JoEllen

Victoria Howard has written a fascinating romantic novel set in Washington State's San Juan Islands. Despite a former, disastrous love affair with a US naval officer, London-based Skye Dunbar decides to rent a cabin on one of the islands in an attempt to face her inner demons and lay the past to rest.

But she doesn't bargain on meeting Jedediah Walker, a marine biologist, who reawakens feelings she had thought she would never experience again.

From the first time they meet, it is hate at first sight, undermined by the sizzling chemistry that neither Walker nor Skye can suppress.

The intense physical attraction felt by the feuding couple is not the only chemical reaction occurring on the island. Dead fish with high levels of toxic chemicals are turning up on the island's beaches.

Walker's computer contains important data about the rising level of chemicals in and around the bay. When a hacker breaks into the computer, he suspects that Skye might be involved, especially when he finds out that she is a computer software designer.

Their relationship worsens considerably, exacerbated by the arrival on the island of Skye's business partner John Ridge, who has been in love with Skye since the first day they met. Eventually, Skye is forced to make a choice between the two men. But whom will she choose?

"Three Weeks Last Spring" is an absorbing story that will be loved by all romantic novel readers.

-- Shelagh Watkins

This is probably Knut Hamsun's' masterpiece when it comes to love stories, and possibly one of Europe's most beautiful love stories. The book is about the son of the old miller, and the daughter of the local "nobleman", the owner of the "Castle". From they are very small and all the way up until the very end he loves her. The parts where they are in the cave and on the island are so beautiful and melancholic. But he being the miller's son, and her being part of the "upper-class", the love is an impossible one. Various circumstances increase the distance between them, and the impossibility of their love, but I won't reveal much. The story is just so beautiful and sad, that it should be required reading for all.

Then comes the fun part, the author; Knut Hamsun, probably Norway's greatest author of all time, was a die-hard "right-wing" anti-modern conservative. This is quite amusing, because all the liberal and anti-European readers just can't wrap their mind around the fact that a person that wrote such beautiful prose was so "abhorrent" in their twisted view. One of his 5 best books and one whose story you'll carry with you forever. Highly recommended!

(I read a different edition)

This is probably Knut Hamsun's' masterpiece when it comes to love stories, and possibly one of Europe's most beautiful love stories. The book is about the son of the old miller, and the daughter of the local "nobleman", the owner of the "Castle". From they are very small and all the way up until the very end he loves her. The parts where they are in the cave and on the island are so beautiful and melancholic. But he being the miller's son, and her being part of the "upper-class", the love is an impossible one. Various circumstances increase the distance between them, and the impossibility of their love, but I won't reveal much. The story is just so beautiful and sad, that it should be required reading for all.

Then comes the fun part, the author; Knut Hamsun, probably Norway's greatest author of all time, was a die-hard "right-wing" anti-modern conservative. This is quite amusing, because all the liberal and anti-European readers just can't wrap their mind around the fact that a person that wrote such beautiful prose was so "abhorrent" in their twisted view. One of his 5 best books and one whose story you'll carry with you forever. Highly recommended!

(I read a different edition)

"Victoria" is the tormented story of Johannes Moller, the miller's son, and Victoria, a Chamberlain's daughter living at an unnamed Castle. Although they have known each other since their childhood, their love is bound to fail, mainly for social reasons. Victoria's family want her to marry Lieutenant Otto because they need the son-in-law's money to restore their former glory, a marriage of convenience in other words.
Johannes is deeply in love with Victoria, musing about the fragrance emanating from her body, the shape of her shoulders and body. He is driven to despair by Victoria, her shifting mood, saying she loves him but very often refusing to meet him, avoiding him. Johannes has moments of hallucinatory nightmares, seeing strange figures, human heads rolling on the pavement in front of him, voices shouting at him. He is seized by icy fears and sees barking fish...
Johannes also feels that he doesn't fit in Victoria's world and the society of the castle remains distant to him. "My dear young lady, the place is yours, not mine" he tells her. When Johannes meets Lieutenant Otto, Victoria's fiance, a feeling of utter despair descends on him because the reason for Victoria's attachment to Otto is solely due to the fact that he is "well-bred".
A novel of unhappiness, missed opportunities and loneliness occasioned by greed, social pressure and indecisiveness.

When people ask me who my favorite writers are, I am increasingly beginning my response with the name of "Knut Hamsun". This book is one of the reasons why. It is truly one of the most moving stories I've ever encountered. "Romeo and Juliet" turned backwards and without the release of actual declarations of love. Victoria's final letter to Johannes would make the hardest hearted tyrant break into tears. It's really one of the great injustices of modern literary culture that stagnant, unrealistic, hackneyed, preachy prose like John Steinbeck and empty glitz like F. Scott Fitzgerald is celebrated in the USA while Hamsun is forgotten. There was a reason why he won the Nobel Prize. I strongly recommend this (and all his books)to anyone interested in excellent free flowing prose with a psychological bent.

"Victoria" is an archetypal love story for young people, one might say. Devoid of carnal connotations, the novel is an eerie, poetic portrayal of the complicated feelings of youth. The desire is never matched by the corresponding action; the lovers confused, unsure, uncertain, longing for explanation that is never offered. Torn apart by contradictory sentiments, they attract their loved ones only to push them apart when they come. "Victoria" is an astonighingly accurate account of budding sensuality and the torment of first love. So many of us have no clue how to tame the soul gone wild; whether to let oneself flow with the current, or swim backwards, against all odds - and more to the point - so many of us have no idea how to react to equally wild and incomprehensible behavior of the loved ones.

"Victoria" is only a minor work of Knut Hamsun, overshadowed by other novels and novellas, but after over a century, it's still fresh enough to charm the young, sensitive people. For me, the experience of rereading this novel after fourteen years feels like a postcard sent from my own self; to be read when I am old and wrinkled. Indeed, I feel like the eldest mushroom in the world, one who has forgotten the first love and how different the air smelled back then...

How many of us have had a conversation with God similar to this one?

"God: Do you know that I made everything you see?

Michelle: Oh yes, Lord, and what a great job you did! Down to every last detail --- bravo! Standing ovation, even.

God: Do you know that I made you too?

Michelle: Right. Good job. The human body is pretty amazing. And so is mine, well, all except for my hair. It's a little limp, and the color needs some livening up. But other than that --- and my thighs don't look exactly swimsuit-ready. And now that I think about it, you could have improved slightly on my chest. It's not just like everyone else's. Oh, and my skin's too freckly, and there's the matter of my height, and my hips, and my eyes. Actually, God, I have a short performance review I've typed up for you that might help in your future people making. I mean, really great job in general with humanity. But my particular body could have used a better design."

The Michelle half of the equation here is Michelle Graham and the conversation can be found in her book, WANTING TO BE HER: Body Image Secrets Victoria Won't Tell You. If you can relate to her insecurities about her physical appearance --- and really, what woman can't? --- then you'll appreciate this biblically informed look at the basis of a healthy body image.

Few would argue with Graham's proposition that we're more likely to view our bodies through culture-informed glasses rather than through the eyes of God. And the facts of which the culture is informing us --- via airbrushed magazine covers and television shows like "The Swan" and "Extreme Makeover" --- often lead us to a pervasive sense that we fall short in the looks department. Why else would we Americans spend $20 billion on cosmetics, $2 billion on hair products, $74 billion on diet foods, and $7.4 million on cosmetic surgery each year? We're obsessed with the way we look.

But it would be too easy just to blame the media. "Though a sea of media-promoted beauty surrounds us, it is actually those closest to us who do the most damage," writes Graham. "We pass on our body obsessions to each other like a nasty strain of influenza. New research shows that feelings about body image start very early, long before the media play a significant role in girls' lives. A survey at Kenyon College discovered that elementary school girls who were more concerned about body shape and weight were more likely to have mothers who made weight-related comments. The study quoted Ira Sacker (coauthor of DYING TO BE THIN): 'Some of my patients, who are just out of nursery school, tell me that they're fat. Turns out that their moms are saying the same things about themselves.'"

Graham combats these negative messages with nuanced commentary from Christian thinkers like Lillian Calles Barger and, more importantly, with Scripture. She advocates a balanced approach to our bodies --- neither denying nor elevating their importance --- that's steeped in the stories in the Bible. If that sounds stodgy, or predictable, it's not. There are no sermons here. Just stories of women, including Graham, who have lived and learned a thing or two about what it means to look in the mirror. Reading this book is like getting good advice from a wise, older sister --- you're a bit surprised you're still listening, but you don't want her to stop talking.

--- Reviewed by Lisa Ann Cockrel

Today i met with the author, Michelle Graham, and it was so amazing to talk to her. She is so down to earth and easy to talk to. I feel like this really comes through in her book. Wanting to Be Her is very well written and easy to relate to. Every woman has felt some kind of insecurity about herself and no matter what that insecurity is, she can relate to and learn from this book.

This book really gets to the core of what body-image issues are all about: caring more about what other people say makes us beautiful as women, than what God says. I am a person who highlights and underlines and makes other markings in books as I read them, and there is hardly a page in "Wanting to Be Her" where I did not mark something that resonated with me. My hope is to start a women's discussion group about body image, using this book as a guide. I believe strongly, as the author does, that it is important that we wrestle with these issues in community, as we continue the journey to freedom from societal beauty standards. Thank you Michelle Graham for your honesty and vulnerability, and for calling a spade a spade. For another wonderful book about body-image, I highly recommend "Who Calls Me Beautiful? Finding Our True Image in the Mirror of God" by Regina Franklin.

The term I love the most about the book is when she refers to today's women as being "prostitutes". Prostitutes are lonley and desperate, and they will sell anything they have to get what they want. Many of us do this when we sell ourselves short by trying to look a certain way to please a man, or trying to act a certain way to please people. This is fruitless because you cannot please man, nor can a man please you. God is the only One who can fill our lives with joy, peace, and purpose. In the end, the only person we should please is GOD, because He is the only One who judge you in the last day. Overall, we need to spend our lives pleasing the Lord and stop trying to please this perishing world. Time is running out, and God is fulfilling His word daily in the news and world events. This book has woke me out of my slumber and its high time for the rest of us virgins(and you know who you are) to get our oil filled and lamps trimmed to meet our Bridgegroom!

I have read some books that talk about body image and self-esteem, etc. without really getting much out of them, and I didn't think that I really had any real problems in this area. However, I read this book anyway and loved it. Graham is so real and isn't afraid to put everything out there. It left me feeling encouraged and beautiful. I would recommend it for any female whether she be a teenager or an elderly woman.

I've had the pleasure of experiencing firsthand Victoria Hanley's gift of generously sharing her extensive knowledge with others. Wild Ink takes her gift a step further, guiding aspiring authors through the writing process all the way to submission and publication. This book is packed with advice for finding your writing self, ways to overcome common obstacles, and helpful resources for writers. However, all this information is not exclusive to YA writers. Anyone with an interest in writing will find this book useful. The interviews with agents, editors and other authors are an extra bonus.

The Seer and the Sword
The Healer's Keep
Light of the Oracle
Seize the Story: A Handbook for Teens Who Like to Write

In her newest book, Wild Ink: How to Write Fiction for Young Adults, best-selling author Victoria Hanley provides writers with invaluable information about the craft. Although the title says it is for those who write for Young Adults, I believe the techniques, insight and resources Victoria provides in the book, could apply to any fiction writer.

The first part of the book deals with different aspects of the craft of writing like Finding your Writing Self, Resources for Writers and Submitting your Manuscript. My favorite section in this part of the book was the Overcoming your Obstacles section. Victoria not only identifies those obstacles, but then provides tips on how to get past them.

The second half of the book has interviews with different folks in the publishing industry. What I found unique about the interviews was they included a sampling from all facets of the industry. There were traditionally published authors, self-published authors and authors who hadn't been published yet, but were seeking representation. We also hear from agents and editors and get their insights.

Wild Ink is a great addition to the Cottonwood Press catalog and is a must have for any fiction writer.

Finally, a book geared specifically toward writing YA. Hanley is an accomplished teacher, and the tone she strikes with this book is informative, engaging, and invigorating. Her insights into writing Young Adult books, the revision process, and the publishing process are excellent. This is a great book to help you get started on the road to publishing, as well as a friendly book to use as a companion while you're writing. In addition to Victoria's advice, there are also several interviews and excerpts from published YA authors (look for me --I'm in there!). When I get stuck writing, I often flip through this book and let the encouraging words of Victoria, or the author authors she's collected, guide me on.

As a graduate of two correspondence courses offered by the Institute of Children's Literature I can honestly say that I wish I'd seen Victoria Hanley's book, Wild Ink, before I signed up for my first course. It would have saved me from learning a lot of irrelevant material and it definitely would have saved me some bucks.

Victoria's book covers what any inspiring writer of young adult fiction needs to know, from finding your writing self to getting your manuscript published.

If you have the discipline and dedication to pursue a writing career on your own then this book's for you. Commitment to being a successful writer is definitely needed, whether you take the expensive route, as I did, or take advantage of the priceless information contained within this book.

Ms. Hanley has provided an invaluable resource for the serious wannabe writer of young adult fiction. I highly recommend it.

Quick disclaimer-- I'm one of the authors interviewed for this book, but I would heartily recommend it even it I weren't! I've been looking for a book like this to recommend when I do writers' workshops, and finally, at long last... here it is! Wild Ink definitely fills the gap, and fills it beautifully. This book contains all the hard-earned wisdom and practical advice that I wished I knew before my first book was published. What I love most about Wild Ink is the compassionate, funny voice and the abundance of personal examples. Hanley covers a range of topics on writing for teens-- from overcoming self-doubt (which was a HUGE obstacle for me) to finding an authentic teen voice to submitting your manuscript. She gives a great overview of the sub-genres of young adult literature, and addresses all the common questions, such as the pluses and minuses of self-publishing, whether to include profanity or sex, and how to find your writing self. Hanley also includes interviews with agents, editors, and authors, which bring in a variety of fascinating perspectives. One thing that really sets Wild Ink apart from others of its kind is that it's obviously written from the heart, acknowledging the mysterious role of the spirit/unconscious self in writing... and as a writer who delves into this realm every day, I appreciate the way Hanley weaves it into her book.

As a person who switches between the player and Game Master roles, I know the value of having multiple copies of the basic rules. While my first copy of this book is in a binder with the pages in sheet protectors, two of the other three are in very good condition, and I don't know the current condition of the 4th copy which is currently on loan to a friend. I took advantage of Padwolf Publishing's 3 for the price of 2 deal because I wanted to garned local interest.

Took me a while to decide I actually wanted to purchase this game, I'd glanced through the only copy at a local hobby shop a few times, and after a couple of months decided to buy it. Like other reviewers, I was pulled into the world. Sure, I wanted to know the rules, but I also wanted to read the whole book.

One thing I get tired off RPGs doing is kissing human butt. I do play humans in RPGs, but I prefer not to, the whole reason I'm playing an RPG is to be something I'm not. So, that was a good selling point: NO HUMANS.

Aside from a few editting flaws, there's nothing really wrong with this book.

I also like that it doesn't suffer from "cookie-cutter character types" i.e. Classes, or other arbitrary RPG standbys like Alignment and power levels. Using experience points as skill points? Brilliant! I HATE "sitting" numbers in RPGs. Granted, sometimes, even in a system like this you'll have sitting numbers, but not ones that get arbitarily large forever.

As a long time RPG'er, I was a little skeptical of World Tree and the whole anthro thing in general. Thank goodness I had a couple hours I needed to kill at a con. I was sucked into the setting, a very vivid, alive one. The people, the places! This isn't some quasi-medival clone game. The World Tree setting is refreshingly unique and original. If you enjoy role-playing - or are just looking for a really good read involving history, politics and an alien world - buy this book!

While there is entirely enough originality and detail in the book to satisfy any world-building enthusiast, and an excellent game system as well, it's worth pointhing out that the authors are (deliberately) very light on small-area specifics, and have only a brief bestiary. It's clear they've come up with a lot more than is documented here, and I'd be interested in seeing their other notes; particularly the Kazorm, who are mentioned in passing several times but never described in any detail, besides being sentient and vaguely peaceful.

To be blunt, this is a game which is more then a game, for it is a deep, involved, and very, very beautiful world. This was not something that was slung together in a weekend for the sole purpose of making money. This is something that has taken the talents of many people from gamers to beautiful artists who have all left their touch in this game. Although at first the instructions seem simple, you realize how deep and well rounded they are. The old term 'A minute to learn, a lifetime to master' somes to mind.
On a side note, I have spoken to the creators of this, and they constantly ask for input and advice how to make it better. This shows how much they truly love this game. If you are a gamer, looking for a world to love, look no forther.

"World Tree" is a thoroughly developed fantasy world. There are cities on branches miles wide and thousands of miles long, with people looking down into space and trading with flying ships. Magic is so common that even children use it, and you learn how it's used in ordinary life and not just adventuring. The races aren't just dog-men, otter-men, etc. -- they have unique customs, personalities, clothing, and architecture. Metal is rare, so wood and bone tools have become extremely advanced. Meddling gods look down from the sky.

The book's first hundred pages suck you in and make you want to play in this world, even before you see the rules and huge magic list. There are explanatory notes and one-page stories throughout the book written from the characters' perspective; these are useful and often funny. Even if you're not a gamer, it's worth reading. Writers can learn from this great example of world-building.

The rules are fairly simple, since most rolls are (Stat + Skill + d20) versus some number, though filling out a character sheet can take a long time due to the variety of spells and skills and the odd experience point system. The spells explore all combinations of the 7 magic Verbs and 12 Nouns (e.g. "Change" + "Flesh" = shapeshifting) and let you do many things in multiple ways. There are eight fully playable races with different specialties from the fast, shape-changing Orren with "species-wide ADD" to the physically puny but immortal and magically-gifted Zi Ri, to the armored insect Herethroy who use huge three-handed swords.

This is no generic medieval game with elves and dungeons; it's a complete world. Beware when reading, as I've seen people forget what time it is and where they are!

This is a set of 100 cards, each of which has a very brief description of a tourist destination in Beijing, along with Chinese Characters that describe the location. The cards are grouped into sections (famous tourist sites, shopping, restaurants, etc.). Unless you are part of a tour group, a lot of travel in Beijing is done by taxi and these cards are invaluable if you don't speak Mandarin since you can show one to your driver and that's all they need to know to get you there. We used them several times and it always went smoothly. Each card also points out two other destinations that are nearby, which can help as you plan the rest of your day. The main limitations are (1) these are very quick descriptions - the cards do not replace a guidebook by any means; (2) if you want to go anywhere that isn't one of the 100 listed, obviously you are out of luck! and (3) the ring that binds the cards together is fragile - the Zhao card people say they are working on that.

If you are staying at any of the big tourist hotels, then the concierge there will be used to writing out destinations in Chinese for you to give to taxi drivers, but these cards allow for some spontaneity, and it was nice not to have to ask every time we wanted to go somewhere. It helped us feel more independent - even though we spoke no Mandarin, we could get around on our own.

I go to China very often for business. Moving around is always problematic if you don't hire a translator with you. Taxi drivers never understand when I try to mumble in Chinese and not even restaurants or bars in big hotels are able to take my order. However, on my recent trip, I bought a fantastic pocket guide in Beijing called Zhao Beijing (I was tremendously pleased to see Zhao Shanghai in Amazon and bought it immediately, my next trip to the city was memorable thanks to this guide). The first thing that attracted me was its sleek and practical design. Unlike other so-called pocket guides, Zhao is a very simple, yet clever idea: a ring bounds 99 cards and a map. This way, you can simply remove the cards you need and put them in your wallet without the need to carry the entire book. Being a businessman this has proven to be an invaluable feature; I'm able to secretly carry my guide to meetings with clients without looking like the biggest dork.

But Zhao's real benefit is that all the information in the cards is listed both in Chinese and English -names of sites, restaurants, streets and even menus! This way you just get on a cab and show the driver a card, he/she will take you to your destination without speaking a word! No need to stress out every time you step outside. In addition, Zhao Cards' restaurant list is absolutely superb, the writers recommend a wide range of both prices and cuisines. And in each place they even make a selection of dishes. I would say that if you enjoy eating, this is a fantastic product.

Furthermore, the cards are written in a witty and funny style. Zhao's insight into the city is deep and you can tell this guide was written not only by people that live in Beijing, but most important that love it. My only criticism? Develop more cities!!! Beijing and Shanghai are not enough.

The Ipod of travel guides. Cool, cleverly designed and extremely practical are some of the characteristics that set aside Zhao Cards from other guides. But what makes Zhao truly unique is that it empowers the traveler. This guide will help you move around town with ease, without constantly feeling insecure because you don't speak Chinese. And to my personal delight it's made for people that not only want to discover China, but also its fantastic cuisine. Highly recommended!

We used these cards in Beijing (in August 2008) and found them to be incredibly helpful. Each of the "place" cards (Temple of Heaven, for example) has the name and address of the place in English and Chinese characters. It also has the phone number (which was used by confused taxi drivers on a couple of trips); the subway line and closest stop, and the hours that the site is open. We pulled the cards that were the most useful for us, put them on the included keyring, and carried them with us wherever we went. There are cards for places, hotels, restaurants, shopping....food and beverages - you can just show these cards to the taxi driver, restaurant server, person on the street - they worked like a dream! My best ever impulse buy before heading to China!

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RQAKMZD5GHKLW My husband and I used these cards first in Shanghai. The first night we ate at some restaurant and ordered everything that it recommended. We don't know how to speak so all we did was show them the card and they brought it out. The food was sooooo good! We would have never known to order these local favorite dishes.

This video is of us using the cards sight seeing in Pudong Shanghai.


We also used the cards in Beijing. While my husband was in business meetings I took the cards and visited the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and the Great Wall of China. My favorite Zhao card was the shopping suggestion. When I told a local that I was going to this shopping market, she was surprised and asked me how I find out about it because it's mostly a local's shopping area. The cards suggested it! The cards also warned me about their aggressive sales style and recommended to start negotiating at least 30% below their start price. At first I was overwhelmed, then I totally got the hang of it. I got great items at great prices. I have both sets and am keeping them for my next trip back to Shanghai and Beijing. The language barrier is less daunting with these cards.

My 18-month-old daughter can't get enough of this book; she carries it around the house, begging, "moh moh... jo jo", which is her way of asking for "more Jonah". Her interest wanes after the fish regurgitates our hero, and usually we then start over from the beginning. A single read is never enough, alas. I give this advice to all those in a similar predicament: partial relief from the tedium is had by singing the book's rhymes to the tune of "The ballad of Gilligan's Island." Try it, it works. Coincidence? I doubt it.

This book is outstanding! My 2 toddlers love to hear this one at bedtime. It gives us such a wonderful opportunity to talk on their level about how God requires obedience, but forgives us and still loves us when we don't listen if we say we are sorry. Like someone else mentioned in their review, I'm online today to order several more of these stories for the kids' Easter baskets. The rhyme of the story does not distract from the message, which is great! The illustrations are perfectly suited for a child's imagination. Quit reading reviews and BUY the books- you won't regret it.

My 4 year old daughter absolutely adores this book! She calls it her Bible (she has two real Bibles; however, they don't hold her attention the way this one does) and insists on sleeping with it at night! I am ordering all the other Alice in Bibleland books based on the excellence of this book..

This is a wonderful retelling of one of the most profound gems of the Bible. Most tellings focus almost exclusively on the Whale portion of the story. But the real focus - the boundless love of God - is properly told here. The cadence of the poetry is attractive to young children. It is now one of the favorite books of our seventeen year old toddler!

I generally have stayed away from books other than the Bible to explain its stories, but boy has my mind changed. Alice Joyce Davidson does a fantastic job with her depiction of the Story of Jonah. My daughter only 21 months now, decided this was her favorite book about 6 months ago. She always asks for Jonah at reading time. The book has a rythmn to it that she loves and many parts rhyme. She's even saying several of the words herself on cue. We received the book free in the mail and I'm now on-line here today to order up the rest of the ALICE in BIBLELAND Storybook Series. You won't regret this buy!

This is a truly beautiful and wise book, about what it means for
a woman to give up her own dreams and her deepest
self and "sin against the light". Mrs. Slane has had what
appears to be a perfect and gilded life, but having reached the
end of it, wants to reclaim the true inner life, and the art,
which she has lost. There is a moment of redemption, even as
Mrs. Slane's own story ends. The writing is precise, profound,knowing and
poetic . Anyone who has struggled with self-abdication: the sacrifices of love: the struggles demanded by art should read this--as well as anyone who loves good writing and fine novels.

This gorgeous novel reflects many of the ideas found in "A Room Of One's Own" by Virginia Woolf, with whom Vita had a famous affair. After the death of her husband, the Earl of Slane, Lady Slane shocks her staid family by asserting her own will, leaving the house she kept with her husband, and settling into a small house in the countryside. Finally after seventy years, Lady Slane is determined to live as she chooses, with a life full of contemplation, dreams, and memories. She reflects on her lost ambition to be a painter, but knows that the life she lived was not without merit or value. She finds passion in the freedom to choose, and this gift she bequeaths to the one member of her family who understands its importance.

This curiously overlooked novel was revived by a Masterpiece Theater production starring Dame Wendy Hiller, which like this novel was superb. The gentle story of an elderly woman's retirement while her forceful children squabble over unimportant matters is at once comic and poignant. The author has peppered the tale with curious, memorable characters, among them the eccentric art collector who is allowed to eat in portrait galleries because museums hope he will donate to them when he dies; the benign landlord Bucktrout, who sees Lady Slain's desire for peace at home; and the coffin maker who pictures people dead to reveal their true characters. This fine little masterpiece deserves to be read today.

I meandered my way to this book through Sarah Ban Breathnach's treasure of self-excavation, Simple Abundance. I had read Anne Morrow Lindbergh because of her recommendation too. AML & Charles Lindbergh were good friends with Vita Sackville-West & her husband, Nigel Nicholson. So I finally got around to Vita Sackville-West & this book. It was so moving, wonderful, unforgettable, that I will reread it. I laughed & cried. I will try to find older copies of this to give away to dear friends, old & new. It's one of those books. I'm 41 & have sacrificed much for the men & children in my life that I nonetheless love so dearly. This book helped me bring those feelings of ambivalence into focus. It also helped me realize I'm relatively young & still have time to live the life I've dreamed of since I was a little girl. Maybe this "child-bearing years" thing was just a detour.

How effortlessly Ms. Sackville-West spins her surprisingly moving story of an aging aristocrat who, near the end of her life, decides to do those things she could never do before as she sublimated herself to her strong, successful and controlling husband. This classic British diplomat, who expected to be obeyed because such were the times, was, after all, so much more important than she was and what an interesting life she had in his shadow, didn't she - so conscientious and such a good wife and mother. What she does when he dies, how she perceives her existence and her place in her family - and how they respond - will catch you up in its wake and carry you to the ending, which is perfect and thus bittersweet. I found this a memorable novella.

This book is very motivating and down to earth. The author, Alan Davidson is thoughtful and a great teacher. If you're wanting to improve your life, and feel good about your body--this book will certainly do it.

A great addition to your library, if you're on the road to self-improvement. Very well-written, and engaging. A must-read.

Well-written, well-researched! I find it both inspirational and motivational. A great read for anyone interested in self-improvement and self-realization.

This is a beautiful book. Alan Davidson writes with rich insight, and the book contains a huge number of practical exercises. Highly recommended.

Alan Davidson is an inspirational writer as well as a keenly tuned guide to better health (physical and mental) through his detailed and well-illustrated exercises and modes of meditation. What sets Davidson apart starts in his introduction: he shares a moment from 1987 when he sat in a waiting room for the results of his HIV test. His thoughts and observations of the others in that frightening room set the stage for his discovery that, even though he had every reason to believe that he would be 'positive', his test results were negative - a moment of reality testing that forged his path to work with himself and with others through discipline and training to celebrate the body and the joy of being completely alive. What followed is culminated in this very fine book BODY BRILLIANCE.

Combining philosophy with physical dexterity Davidson leads the reader through all manner of exercises and positions. As the subtitle of the book suggests, these contemplations or attitudes are based on the FIVE VITAL INTELLIGENCES: The Physical, The Emotional, The Mental, The Moral and The Spiritual. Accompanying Davidson's path to wellness are excerpts from famous minds, drawing upon ancient as well as contemporary wisdom. In this setting he invites the reader to participate in a series of exercises that when combined have as a goal to wed all five Intelligences, the result being a state of Harmony.

Davidson even makes this an art book by using photographer Victoria Davis to demonstrate each of the verbally described positions and movements. Davis has selected extraordinarily beautiful male and female models, placed them in near negative space so that the 'brilliance' of each body is celebrated. The combination of caring, intelligent thinking and writing, sound physical judgment in approaching exercise, and beautiful photography make this book far more than just a another self help book (though it certainly is that!). This is a book that treats the body and mind and soul and life as art. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, December 07

I've loved Victoria Bylin's Harlequin Historicals, partly because they have a thread of spirituality. Writing for Love Inspired Historical gives her the opportunity to weave a stronger faith element into the story which only strengthens the depth of the characters and the story line.

The Bounty Hunter's Bride is a wonderful story of redemption and of the healing power of love--love between a man and a woman and God's love for us.

This one is going on my keeper shelf to re-read while I wait for the next one.

Sharon Gillenwater

The Bounty Hunter's Bride by

http://www.victoriabylin.com

Dani Baxter arrives out West to discover the man for whom she is a mail-order bride has died, leaving his orphaned children in the care of his brother. But Beau Morgan doesn't think he wants a family; he wants revenge on the man who killed his wife.

Dealing with love and loss, the balance between justice and revenge, and understanding how God's hand can be amidst the heartache creates a compelling read all on their own. When one adds Vicki's special talent for creating whole characters with whom the reader can relate, her ability to tell a great story, and the message of how the Lord heals the wounded heart, you gain a story that is satisfying from beginning to end.

Victoria Bylin write male characters who are believable. In The Bounty Hunter's Bride, a warm and touching historical romance, I thought I could smell the stink coming off hero Beau Morgan when he came off the range into town badly in need of a bath.

Dani Baxter gets off a train in the Colorado Rocky Mountains expecting to meet the finace she's been writing too, but he's not there. She hires a buggy and goes out to his ranch only to find he died five day before and the fate of the three little girls she's come to love via her letters is now in the hands of a man full of vengence. Beau Morgan is her fiance's brother and a bounty hunter who's too full of hate for the man who killed his wife to let himself love again, even though he begins to realize his attraction for Dani.

An maternal aunt hires Pinkerton detectives to check Beau Morgan out and challenges whether he's fit to have custody of his brother's daughters. So, Beau proposes to Dany, but only as a marriage of convenience. The marriage will be in name only to keep them out of the reach of this aunt who is quick to hit as a way of disciplining chilfen.

As Beau chases the man who killed his wife down a canyon, a flash flood almost kills him and his horse. Then the outlaw aims his rifle at Beau and gets the drop on him, and Beau is sure he's going to die before he can marry Dani.

After Of Men and Angels, I knew this author wouldn't disappoint me.

I thoroughly enjoyed Dani and Beau's story. The author took a few turns that surprised me, and as a writer that's always a plus. I like it when the story heads a direction I didn't expect.

Victoria writes about children well, a skill in itself. I felt as though I knew the secondary characters, too, especially Josh and Adie.

I liked that the tale was a little gritty, because the details made the setting and characters realistic in a time period I love.

I just loved this book. It's a sweet, tender, and inspirational love story set in the old west. It was truly heartwarming to read a book like this and I highly recommend it.