Torrential Rains

My mother was worried sick about me. She thought it would be a good idea for my brother Johnny to come and stay with me and Louis. She believed that Johnny would be able to protect me. I felt a little safer with Johnny there even though I still cried myself to sleep every night. One day Johnny told me he was leaving and going back to Gary. Instantly, I felt the fear rushing back into my body. He must’ve gotten into it with Louis. Johnny said he couldn’t stay there because Louis had a bad attitude.

My children don’t often ask me about their father. Maybe it’s because they’re grown now, and they somehow knew not to ask when they were younger. I did love him. And my children are here because of him. I’m thankful that God saved me and preserved my life in order for me to take care of my children. Maybe I forgave him because of them.

Toward the Bigger Half

Toward the Bigger Half: Equity in Public Education explores what makes equity and schooling uncomfortable but necessary companions. Dr. Beth Godett theorizes about the goal of equity in public education and provides a vital window into history and the law. The term “equity” is demystified by introducing historical figures as if they were alive today.

Her book will make you angry, curious, and also hopeful. Challenging her readers to embrace opportunities, Dr. Godett details pragmatic ways that teachers (like herself) can make a difference in K-12 education.

Enjoy it in one sitting or break it into small bites; either way you will be eager to share new ideas with colleagues.

Trailer Trash

Heidi Nolan lives with her mother and her latest ‘uncle’ John in a rundown trailer next to a stream which overflows after a storm. She hates being poor and does not want to end up like her mother, working in a tavern, with no husband, and labeled as ‘trailer trash.’ One night, her mother disappears after work; folks saw her getting into a Mercedes after her shift, but Heidi thinks John murdered her.

History seems to repeat itself as Heidi begins to work in the tavern until she gives birth to a baby girl. The town hosts monthly auctions of cattle and horses, which attract ranch owners from the surrounding area. It is at one of these auctions that Heidi meets Darryl Hanson, a prosperous ranch owner who falls in love with her and offers her a perfect life on his ranch and a beautiful mansion.

Heidi, equally in love with Darryl, accepts his marriage proposal, but she faces one problem: a baby girl conceived in hate. As Heidi navigates the complexities of her past and the promise of a brighter future, she must decide whether she can embrace the love and stability Darryl offers while coming to terms with her own difficult history.

Transformation of a Village

In Transformation of a Village, experience the evolution of Adoma, an African village on the brink of change. When the elders alter the age-old system of selecting rulers, choosing merit over lineage, a ripple of discord sweeps through the community. Reluctantly crowned the new chief, city-bred John navigates a path of tradition and modernity, aiming to uplift his village through self-help projects. But as he soon discovers, the road to progress demands alliances beyond the village borders, pulling the Central government into their fold to accelerate Adoma’s journey towards a new dawn. Through a blend of suspense and drama, this tale explores the pulse of a community amidst a changing world.

Trapped in Heavens

Max Engler, our audacious protagonist, alongside his loyal colleague, Chou Wong, are pioneering physicians nestled within a reputable biochemistry department on the West Coast. Their invention – a sophisticated machine orchestrated by a network of lasers and magnets – holds the promise of unraveling the mysteries veiled within unknown substances. A serendipitous discovery propels them into uncharted territory, unveiling a novel physical transformation that disrupts the strong nuclear force within solid atoms, transmuting them into pure energy.

A twist of fate and a flick of a switch later, Max finds himself disintegrated by his own invention, vanishing into the unknown. The sudden disappearance casts a long, accusatory shadow on Chou, dragging him into a whirlpool of accusations and police interrogations. The ordeal intensifies as spectral attempts by Max to communicate further entangle the reality around them.

Eventually, a breakthrough: Max reestablishes contact, unveiling a celestial domain – dubbed the ‘Heavens’ – that he’s been traversing. His newfound ability to escort others through these ethereal realms via special arrangements unveils a vista of cosmic exploration. However, with knowledge comes scrutiny. As tales of Max’s celestial sojourns ripple through media and religious circles, a barrage of questions and incredulity follows suit.

Tre

In the grand American tradition of agrarian writers such as Ken Kesey, Gary Snyder, William Kittredge, Wendell Berry, and Wallace Stegner, these three expansive stories follow a cantankerous and feisty farmer striving to make a decent living in the challenging terrain of California. The narratives, set against the backdrop of growing wine grapes and producing commercial wine, draw from real events and vividly capture the unpredictable nature of farming in this demanding state.Beyond the personal struggles of our protagonist, these tales explore the broader agricultural issues that plague farmers everywhere: government regulation, labor laws, land-use policies, irrigation standards, and the ever-rising costs of water, fertilizer, and fuel. Written with a humorous and comic touch, some readers might even find the stories veering into the realm of slapstick.

Trick or Treat

Dive into a whimsical Halloween adventure with Trick or Treat, as Natalie navigates the challenges thrown her way by the notorious Cool Kids. When their taunts threaten to dampen her spirit, Natalie realizes the solution lies not in changing herself, but facing the external turmoil. Amidst Halloween mischief, unexpected visitors, and the antics of The Cool Kids, it’s the wisdom of true friends and her inner voice that guide her. Will Natalie’s resilience blossom amidst the chaos, or will she wilt under pressure? Discover the magic of self-belief and friendship in this heartwarming tale.

Trouble Rumbles at Dawn

Welcome to the tranquil yet precarious town of Indigo Flats, nestled in the vast expanse of west Texas. Its peaceful façade shatters when a prominent businessman is brutally murdered, unearthing a cache of guns and drugs that send shockwaves through the region, putting the feared Mexican Ortega Cartel on high alert. However, the stakes intensify exponentially when a second murder rocks the town—a member of the cartel’s own family falls victim, igniting a relentless race against time for determined Detective Sharon Case.

With the relentless cartel crossing the border into Indigo Flats, Detective Case finds herself thrust into a perilous battle on multiple fronts. She must navigate the treacherous landscape of solving the murders while combating the vicious intruders and scrambling to safeguard her own family. As the clock ticks relentlessly, the line between right and wrong blurs, forcing Detective Case to make harrowing choices to uphold justice and protect all that she holds dear.

Tubby Tilda Tooth Fairy

She is not your average girl fairy. She is an ill-tempered, funny, and red-headed young feminist. If you keep an eye open, she will try to get you to fall asleep. She is not good at waiting, so you better not be awake when she comes around.

Tuk with a Red Scarf

Dive into a heartwarming journey of miracles, divine twists, and a dash of luck in this captivating tale. Meet Tuk, a charming black Labrador adorned with a red scarf, whose simple act of curiosity sets the stage for an extraordinary adventure when he wanders off through an open gate. Left behind is the irritable Scottish Terrier, Scotty, unwittingly embarking on a chain of events that intertwine fates and unveil the tender magic of serendipity. From mistaken identities to life-saving encounters, discover how a single inadvertent moment can unfurl a tapestry of heartening tales. Tuk with a Red Scarf is a true story which celebrates the unassuming yet profound impacts of everyday actions, promising to keep you enchanted till the last page.

Tulip for Tebeau

Pioneers and their schools have long had a mutually beneficial bond. This symbiosis was eloquently articulated by a Duke University resident, Broadbent, at the dedication ceremony for the Samuel DuBose Cook Center for Social Equity: “You have led a remarkable life and we are today annexing your name to the fame of this school. Some might say we are honoring you by naming the Center after you, but everyone knows the truth - we are honoring ourselves and this Center by appropriating your enduring legacy.”

Cook, a distinguished political scientist, made history in 1966 as the first Black professor to receive tenure at a predominantly White southern university in the United States. By affiliating themselves with his pioneering work, schools like Duke aim to share in the honor and social capital of civil rights icons. Yet as Broadbent suggests, the true beneficiaries of such naming opportunities are arguably the institutions themselves.

Tusk

This story opens with the unfolding tragedy of a young woman coming to Alaska in 1957. Her life is marked with the birth of three children from three separate men - one who is her husband, one who takes her by force, and a third who becomes her common law husband in the wild north. In such a short period of time, Ella G dies a tragic death, but her children become the protagonists of the emerging story. Their characters are developed separately, and through their outrageous Alaskan trials, they ultimately meet at the 25th anniversary of their mother’s death at a graveyard in Anchorage.

This book centers on the gold in the Alaskan hills, its mining and claim jumping, the rivalry between the antagonist (McKenzie) and the protagonist (Cayote) resulting in substantial violence – multiple gunfights, fist fights, arson, car crashes, and so forth. Ultimately, the protagonist loses his life in a plane crash exploring the mystery of the book (which will not be revealed here). The children have, however, gone their own way – RT becoming a politician, Bethra a criminal defense attorney, and Ernie a gold and ivory smuggler. They find a huge cache of gold in the midst of this adventure which is lost, stolen, found, and relocated, and in the middle of this they come upon a cache of woolly mammoth tusks. The remainder of this story concerns itself with smuggling these tusks out of Alaska to exchange them for weapons. While the vulgar culture, the street violence, and the crass relationships are the center of the story, the tusk found in the wild is the thing upon which it all centers.