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This pre-Raphaelite picture book is a remarkable contribution to the canon of books for the young children of same-sex parents. King Phillip and his husband, Don Carlos, live contentedly for decades until the king is called to the Hero's Journey to earn a baby girl to complete their family. "Sweet characters, skillful storytelling, and knockout illustrations."-- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

In 1815, a 5-year-old girl searches for Utopia in a post-Napoleonic Europe.

The girl, an abandoned love child, finds and then loses her beloved father. Will they ever find each other again? A touching tale of heartache told through a child’s eyes with truth, love and a bit of magic.

Sofia-Elisabete is “[a] sparkling, robust young hero with a distinctive voice—a real winner” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).

Sofia-Elisabete, the illegitimate child of Colonel Fitzwilliam, is a five-year-old firecracker with a true heart, an irrepressible spirit and a passion to be the best drummer girl. An inquisitive child, she senses the dark secrets surrounding her mysterious beginnings as a foundling in Portugal and the strange goings on in the tangled-up world of her troubled father, who adores her while harboring a great affection for someone called Mr. O.P. Umm.

Who is the enchanting Doña Marisa, who lures Sofia-Elisabete away in a search of the perfect world in the moon? Heartsick at being separated from her father, Sofia-Elisabete embarks on an odyssey in a post-Napoleonic continent in the company of Doña Marisa and her ragtag retinue, determined to find the utopia on the moon—a magical place where no one is ever sick or sad—and which she fervently believes will cure her father’s bouts with melancholy. Will Sofia-Elisabete’s childish innocence survive this emotional journey to find the perfect moon world?

I, Sofia-Elisabete, in part, reimagines the life and destiny of Colonel Fitzwilliam, the curiously evasive and opaque character in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Louiesa, an impoverished child, was raised by her unemployed single mother. She was employed part time as a student, earning a lucrative salary. The reason was unclear to her until she was confronted by a furious co-worker. The author explains how siblings from the exact same parents were classified differently and gives details about how children with a darker complexion were abandoned by fair-skinned parents. The author further explains in great detail, deep rooted segregation not previously exposed to the world during apartheid: how racial classification destroyed family unity and friendships. Forceful resettlement according to race destroyed family life and friendships. Apartheid was abolished for 1 day during 1985 and all races lived in harmony next to each other. For once in the history of apartheid blacks were given a privilege denied to whites. South Africa sent two contestants to the Miss World pageant representing whites and non-whites respectively. The outcome of the results stunned the National Party and the entire world. Blacks created their own entertainment with much success, attracting international stardom and subsequently departing from S.A. due to racial biases and political interference with irrational censorships. Journey with the author while experiencing her personal encounters: death penalty, gang violence, teenage pregnancies, alcoholism and starvation. She endured extreme weather conditions without proper clothing. This is truly an inspirational story of hope and transformation. Readers are invited to journey through the remarkable life of the author who dreamt of freedom from poverty barriers, worked hard towards it with dogged determination and succeeded. During the first democratic elections the ANC party did not win an outright majority due to the coloured votes. The author takes the reader on a journey into the lives of the coloured race during apartheid, sparing no detail.

Louiesa Mynhardt is a self-made entrepreneur, founding member and Managing Director of Sterling Debt Recoveries that is a leading collection agency, founded in 1998. She has a 40% shareholding in this business. Sterling Debt Recoveries provides efficient, large scale services on a commission basis to large credit-granting institutions. She is a novice author who was born in Kliptown, Johannesburg on 30 December 1957 and is married to Harold. They have two daughters: Maxine, currently aged twenty-one is studying her fourth year Medicine in Europe and Hayley, currently aged eighteen is studying Accounting in the United States.

A school project begins a journey for Sarafina Garcia that will change her life forever. In an attempt to gain a scholarship to a prestigious school, she is thrown headfirst into a labyrinth of family history that will confuse and deepen her search. Dont dig up old bones, was the response Sarafina received from her mother when she asked for help. What was it in the family history that was so horrible that she wouldnt discuss it? Only by delving into historical records will she solve the lingering mystery of her parentage and mend the broken branches of her childhood one last time.A school project begins a journey for Sarafina Saldaña that will change her life forever. In an attempt to gain a scholarship to a prestigious school, she is thrown headfirst into a labyrinth of family history that will confuse and deepen her search. “Don’t dig up old bones,” was the response Sarafina received from her mother when she asked questions. What was it in the family history that was so horrible that she wouldn’t discuss it? Only delving into history records will she solve the lingering mystery of her parentage and mend the broken branches of her childhood one last time. As a writer, teacher, and family genealogist, Becky Villareal has opened up worlds of which only a few family members were aware. She is now able to share that information with others as her history and knowledge expand through the ages.

Dahlia, a centuries old genie, lies hopelessly trapped in a damaged golden locket charm attached to an ankle bracelet. Its owner, sixteen-year-old Liana, wears it for the first time during her father Jamison’s opening night illusion spectacular. Not only does its presence cause Jamison to folly his performance, but it also starts a chain of bizarre events that lead to a showdown with Dahlia’s mortal enemy, Stefan, and an unsuspecting romance between Liana and his son.

Praise for War World

"*****FIVE-PLUS STARS to War World - deliciously unpredictable fiction from an expert storyteller - it's a well-written winner." --Publishers Daily Review
 
"Killer gnomes, wizards, prehistoric monsters--War Worldgrabs readers from the first page and doesn't let go - the action is high-octane, pulling teens and adult readers alike - about as far from H.G. Wells as you can get."--Midwest Book Review

"Spence has created an exciting world, one that sinks its claws into you - this is definitely one Sci-Fi series that I can get behind."--Abooktropolis
 
 
One planet - 6 teenagers - a million light years of terror. 
School field trips shouldn't be this dangerous.

Jeremy Austin never asked to save a planet--it's bad enough being a "B"average student as the son of a world-famous geneticist for crying out loud! He didn't ask to be attacked by Gnome assassins, didn't choose to become food for a prehistoric monster, would never have thought consorting with wizards a wise concept, and he definitely would never, ever sign up to do sword combat against the bloodthirsty Gnome King. 

Note to self: say NO to portals and wormholes. 

His father's expedition to a planet 2.4 million light years from Earth has gone missing. Jeremy and five high school friends embark on a rescue mission. Surrounded by an army of mercenaries, they travel through a high-tech portal and discover a nightmare planet on the other side--a violent world of alien races and man-eating monsters--a world in despair; anxiously awaiting the arrival of a savior who will defeat the evil Shadow Lord. 

For Jeremy, the search for his father becomes lost in a struggle for survival... and escape from those who would put the mantel of planet savior on his shoulders.

A doomed expedition. Surrounded by aliens. Running out of time.
 
Note to readers: This young adult, sci fi, fantasy contains a lot of action and adventure (think Jurassic Park meets Lord of the Rings), high school teens with issues (murder, bullying and juvenile pranks gone awry), genetic engineering (the world must have a new super soldier) and survival skills put to the test (monsters, aliens and mercenaries... oh my). So if you like a fast pace, some comic banter and a mysterious, deadly world to explore, this book series is for you! 

Includes preview of Book 2 of War World: Paladin. 

Q & A with the Author 
 
Q - How would you describe the War World series? 
A - Survival... in the vein of Crichton's Jurassic Park. Life on planet Genesis was supposed to be controlled, safe. It's anything but... The planet's humanoid races are violent killers. War World sends a group of high school students on a field trip to hell. There is lots of action, adventure, fantasy settings, and magic. There are even nefarious government agents and an army of mercenaries who think they can go through a portal and tame the dangers of the alien planet. Right... 

Q - Where did the idea for War World come from? What was the inspiration?  
A - My first big novel to read as a teenager was The Sword of Shannara- that led to reading The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings novels while recuperating from having four wisdom teeth removed one Christmas. So fantasy became a favorite of mine. Additionally, I've always been a fan of Michael Crichton's novels and his technothriller movies: Westworld, Jurassic Park, Sphere- the idea of technology running amok. 

War World grew out of a 'what if.'
- What if modern weapons interacted with Middle Earth?
- What would normal teenage American high school students do if suddenly thrust into a world dominated by Gnomes, Trolls, Elves, Dwarves, knights and wizards?
- What if this world was a lot like the television series, Lost? Hidden bunkers, new and old technology and a mysterious expedition gone missing.

This book is shortlisted for the Queensland Literary Awards (Australia) for the Premier's Award for a Work of State Significance. The judges said:

"This historical memoir recounts Barbara Miller’s involvement with the aboriginal people of Mapoon on Cape York where the community was forcibly removed from their lands by the Queensland Government in 1963.

The Aboriginal story is a first-hand account of their heartbreaking departure and then triumphant return to their lands 11 years later, aided by Barbara and her friends. Barbara recounts that she was inspired to campaign for the Mapoon people by a meeting with Aboriginal elder, Burnum Burnum, who told her, ‘you may be a white woman but you have a black heart’, and in this book describes not only the Mapoon community’s (Aboriginal Australians) decade-long struggle but her own homecoming in finding her place in a loving aboriginal family.”

Barbara often found herself saying, “the stork dropped me at the wrong house’ only to find she was repeating her mother’s words. In this riveting historical memoir exploring race relations and social change, Aboriginal elder Burnum Burnum, told her, “you may be white but you have a black heart, as you understand my people and feel our heart.’ He suggested to IDA that she take on the Mapoon project and played matchmaker by introducing her to Aboriginal teacher and Australian civil rights movement leader Mick Miller."

The Mapoon Aborigines were forcibly moved off their land by the Queensland government in NE Australia in 1963 to make way for mining. With an effective team behind her, Barbara helped them move back in 1974 to much government opposition which saw her under house arrest with Marjorie Wymarra. It also saw Jerry Hudson and Barbara taken to court.

In helping the Mapoon people return to their homeland, she found her home as part of an Aboriginal family, firstly Mick’s and later Norman’s as she remarried many years later, now being with her soulmate Norman about 30 years. It is a must read for those interested in ethnic studies and political science as an isolated outback community whose houses, school, health clinic, store and church were burnt to the ground rose from the ashes and rebuilt despite all the odds. It is a testimony to the Mapoon people’s strength over social injustice.
…………..
This is a highly engaging and inspiring memoir. At its centre is the story of Mapoon which has all the elements of a great drama with the violent expulsion of the community in 1963 and their triumphant return eleven years later. As the author explains she came almost by chance to be at the very centre of the drama which in turn dramatically changed her life. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in political and social change over the last 50 years.

Professor Henry Reynolds, FAHA FASSA University of Tasmania, eminent historian & award-winning author

The author shows great sensitivity, respect and understanding and manages to convey the petty-fogging autocratic paternalistic control of Indigenous people, which pervaded the period of the Bjelke-Petersen era. One can see what Aboriginal people had to contend with and how, with the re-establishment of Mapoon, that a most positive success story has finally been achieved. This is an engrossing and compassionate memoir of an extraordinary woman who through her actions demonstrates what can be achieved through persistent commitment and faith.

Dr Timothy Bottoms, author of Conspiracy of Silence, Queensland's frontier killing times (Allen & Unwin 2013) and CAIRNS, City of the South Pacific, A History 1770-1995 (Bunu Bunu Press 2016).

Barbara Miller has written this book, a continuum to the trilogy of the Mapoon books. It is a testimony to the endurance and resilience of the Mapoon people and their determination to return to the land of their forefathers.

Ricky Guivarra, former Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Councillor