New Releases by Kimberly King

"I Said No to Hugs! A Kid-to-Kid Guide to Consent" empowers children by teaching them the importance of setting personal boundaries in a fun, approachable way. Through the bold and relatable main character, Gigi, kids learn that their bodies belong to them, and they always have the right to say "no" to physical touch, like hugs, even when it''s hard to say. This playful, yet meaningful, story simplifies complex concepts like body autonomy, consent, and respectful communication for children ages 3-8. The book encourages kids to confidently make choices about their own comfort, while reinforcing the message that it''s okay to prioritize their feelings.--Publisher.

A TIME MUST-READ BOOK OF THE YEAR • A young mother, in denial after the death of her sister, navigates the dizzying landscapes of desire, guilt, and grief in this darkly comic, highly anticipated debut novel from Kimberly King Parsons, author of the story collection, Black Light (long-listed for the National Book Award). "Kimberly King Parsons sings the lushest, cruelest, kindest, weirdest, darkest and most hilarious songs on paper; I want to hang these sentences in my house and admire them like the interdimensional multisensory illuminated artworks they truly are." —Karen Russell, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Swamplandia! The trip was supposed to be fun. When Kit’s best friend gets dumped by his boyfriend, he begs her to ditch her family responsibilities for an idyllic weekend in the Montana mountains. They’ll soak in hot springs, then sneak a vape into a dive bar and drink too much, like old times. Instead, their getaway only reminds Kit of everything she’s lost lately: her wildness, her independence, and—most heartbreaking of all—her sister, Julie, who died a few years ago. When she returns home to the Dallas suburbs, Kit tries to settle in to her routine—long afternoons spent caring for her irrepressible daughter, going on therapist-advised dates with her concerned husband, and reluctantly taking her mother’s phone calls. But in the secret recesses of Kit’s mind, she’s reminiscing about the band she used to be in—and how they’d go out to the desert after shows and drop acid. She’s imagining an impossible threesome with her kid’s pretty gymnastics teacher and the cool playground mom. Keyed into everything that might distract from her surfacing pain, Kit spirals. As her already thin boundaries between reality and fantasy blur, she begins to wonder: Is Julie really gone? Neon bright in its insight, both devastating and laugh-out-loud funny, We Were the Universe is an ambitious, inventive novel from a revelatory new voice in American fiction—a fearless exploration of sisterhood, motherhood, friendship, marriage, psychedelics, and the many strange, transcendent shapes love can take.

Matt Harper was the worst. Once Rosie Palmer''s childhood friend, he grew to become her number one enemy, throwing spitballs and slamming her locker shut every time he passed. But what could possibly be worse than enduring two entire years of torture? Getting set up on a blind date with him when he returns to Honeyville several years later. Everyone is sure Matt has grown out of his antics and is the perfect guy for Rosie, but when the nicknames and the locker slamming start up again, she knows she''s in for another rough year. So why does he insist on spending so much time with her when he constantly reminds her he''s not interested? Sparks fly when two people perfect for each other finally come together, until an unforgivable truth comes out that just might keep them apart forever.

Talking about sexual abuse is the key to preventing it. Avoiding talking about body safety and sexual-abuse prevention is what abusers want. Body Safety for Young Children: Empowering Caring Adults gives parents, guardians, caregivers, and teachers the information, resources, tools, and helpful real-life tips to help keep children safe. This book takes the fear out of sexual-abuse prevention and makes it approachable by making a partnership between parents and teachers.

Using techniques from acting scholars and practitioners, this practice as research study seeks to lesson anxiety in actors by measuring the actor’s preparation, rehearsal and performance process against each of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s conditions of flow. Csikszentmihalyi’s flow theory describes flow as an “optimal experience” in which a person is so invested in their goals, there is “no threat for the self to defend against” (M. Csikszentmihalyi 76). His research identified conditions that when present, can induce a state of flow. However, actors can be plagued by negative thoughts and self-consciousness. While a certain amount of anxiety is expected and normal, for some actors it can become debilitating, preventing them from entering a state of flow. Why? What causes this anxiety and how does it interrupt flow? Is there a way to stay in flow and stop anxiety from effecting performance? In rehearsals, directors guide actors on a quest to enter flow. However, few known pedagogies use flow theory as a basis for training. This thesis documents one actor’s quest to create conditions that will allow a higher frequency of flow, thereby stopping anxiety from overtaking the process.

Want to date a rockstar? Just don''t lose your heart. Val Hartman can hardly believe it when dreamy Zac Miller, lead singer of the Spud Rockets, is in town for the summer. Even more shocking is when they hit it off and he asks her out. But dating a rockstar has its own set of rules, and she''ll have to follow them to stay in the game. It doesn''t take long to discover that nothing is fair when dating a celebrity, and when a secret is exposed, all that they''ve built falls apart. Add in a troubling phone call that takes Val out of town in a hurry, and everything important in her life is about to be lost for good. The only way to make things right again will have to be something huge, but it will be the last thing Val ever expects.

Getting dumped right before Valentine''s Day is bad enough, but things only get worse for cheerleader Carlee McAdams when an incriminating picture of her lands in the school paper. In the middle of her public, very complicated break-up, someone is desperate to see her fall, and they''ll stop at nothing until she hits rock bottom. Just when life can''t get any more messy, ex-model Alex Coleman enters the picture: cute, interested, and totally off-limits. He''s everything she doesn''t want in a guy, so staying away should be easy. But that proves harder than it looks. The more she gets to know him, the more she starts to question if he''s really the guy she thought he was. Can she put her prejudices aside and give him a chance? But before she can decide, the one person she thought she could trust ends up being the one who''s about to bring everything down.

Just as there is a process to graduating high school, marriage, and life in general; please understand that there is a process to becoming who Christ desires and has destined us to be. While the process is not easy and may very well be didn''t for each of us, at some point we can all agree that we were a mess.From a Mess to a Miracle was birth out of the heart to grow into who Christ really called me to be but not what my process wanted me to become. From a Mess to a Miracle will help to *Restore the heart for the original plan of God for your life*Revive the ambition within you to get up and move from that place of barrenness* Rebuild the real you from the inside out All because there is purpose in our pain and God gets the glory.

Single mother, Emma Sanders is not looking for love. She is too busy raising her eleven-year-old son, who is highly active in sports, and working to have time to date. Besides hanging out with her two best friends, Melinda and Cole is enough for her. What more could she need?A chance meeting with a gorgeous guy in the park soon has Emma second-guessing that theory. Jackson Riley, aka "Hot Park Guy" and his beautiful dog have captured Emma''s attention, and soon capture her heart as well.She is excited to go on this trail of love with Jackson, until someone very close to her also professes his love for her and throws her life into a whirlwind of paths and options.Faced with an extraordinarily hard choice, and not wanting another failed marriage, she must choose which man she loves the most and wants to spend the rest of her life with.

The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog : Great gift for Kids Girls Teens. Perfect For Journaling to do lists, sketching, creative writing ideas/thoughts/dreams,organizing, doodling, drawing, prompt book, journaling, listing things to doand brainstorming. A wonderful gift to show your appreciation! Ideal gift forall gift giving occasions - New Year, Christmas, Secret Santa, Gift Exchange,Gift Giving Occasions - Birthday, Back to School, Holidays, Valentines, OfficeEvents, etc. Features: · ♥ 6" x 9" letter size ♥ Premium Matte Soft Cover · ♥ Perfect Paperback Binding ♥ 100 college-ruled lined pages Scrollup and click the "add to cart" button to buy now!

Kat Ellison is sure she''s the only person on earth whose grandma still flirts with the pool boy. But she''s got bigger problems now that Sam Buxton, Senior Class President, keeps coming around. From the moment she laid eyes on him, she''s had nothing but bad luck, but there''s no getting rid of him. Gram has decided they''re a perfect match and is bound and determined to get the two together.From her baking mishaps at home to mortifying moments in the halls of Honeyville High, Kat''s convinced Sam is a bad penny the way he keeps showing up. But she has a plan: win over recently single Hunter Hayes, convince Gram that he''s a better match, and get rid of her bad luck-and Sam-once and for all.The trouble is her fate is written in the stars. How can she change it when everything keeps bringing her back to the one person she can''t stand?

Sophie Clayton is a kind woman who has never been married. She recently lost both of her parents and in the process was left with their small town store to run or sell. She is a loyal friend and everyone that meets her is drawn to her by her personality, her beauty and her liveliness. She is witty and spunky and loves to laugh at life and the things it throws in her direction. Holden Fuller is funny and charming and one of the most handsome men that Sophie has ever seen. When he is around women stop and stare, but he does not let it go to his head. His wife died unexpectedly while away for a weekend with her friends and Holden doesn''t think he will ever love again.Sophie and Holden have seen each other around town but have never officially met until the day he is heading to a meeting and comes across her with her headphones on, singing out loud. The situation is both mortifying and humorous to Sophie. She wants to hide, but instead decides to step out of her comfort zone and strike up a conversation with Holden. They hit it off instantly and it appears that Sophie has finally met her man.They are happy until Holden''s wife suddenly returns, alive and well. Though he chooses to try to work things out with wife, his heart remains with Sophie. Meanwhile Sophie starts dating other guys and is eventually asked to marry one of them.Lurking in the dark is someone that Sophie only met once, but he fell in love with her immediately. He sends her letters and calls her phone. She thinks it is creepy, but he says it is meant to be sweet.Will Sophie and Holden end up together or will they each find love in other people?

Aubrey Carson’s life was full. In the past year, she had met the handsome co-host of WZCM’s popular morning show, Grayson Grant and was now engaged to marry him. Her fiancé had just finalized the adoption of a wonderful ten-year old boy, Jake, whose parents were killed in an automobile accident, giving her a chance at being the mother she had always dreamed of. Now, with the help of her favorite event planner, Horton Jackson, aka HJ, and her sister Annie, she was preparing for a life of happiness with Grayson and Jake. Yes, Aubrey Carson was on top of the world, until someone from Grayson’s past sends her world spinning out of control.

First the janitor''s foot was inside the brick wall. Then there was the mysterious ring. But the strangest of all? That was yet to come. Jazzy Allen''s already complicated life suddenly gets messier when class clown Evan Rice gets both of them sent to the principal''s office. Fearing she''ll lose her scholarship, Jazzy is determined to avoid him at all costs. But when Evan gets hold of a wish-granting ring, he pulls her into his mischievous mayhem while the school becomes his playground. His magical pranks seem harmless enough, but behind mud-slinging cheerleaders and a food fight of epic proportions, something sinister lays waiting. With their school on the brink of destruction, Jazzy must learn to work together with the most infuriating guy in Forest Hills High before the power behind the ring destroys them...and everything else.

LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD “The stories in Black Light are grimy and weird, surprising, utterly lush. . . . I loved every moment of this book.” —Carmen Maria Machado, author of Her Body and Other Parties With raw, poetic ferocity, Kimberly King Parsons exposes desire’s darkest hollows—those hidden places where most of us are afraid to look. In this debut collection of enormously perceptive and brutally unsentimental short stories, Parsons illuminates the ache of first love, the banality of self-loathing, the scourge of addiction, the myth of marriage, and the magic and inevitable disillusionment of childhood. Taking us from hot Texas highways to cold family kitchens, from the freedom of pay-by-the-hour motels to the claustrophobia of private school dorms, these stories erupt off the page with a primal howl—sharp-voiced, acerbic, and wise.

Aubrey Carson spent her days writing love stories. A decade and a half after her first marriage failed, she had started to lose hope that she would ever have a chance to live another love story again. Her sister, Annie, however, was on an endless mission to find Aubrey a love like she deserved. She went to great lengths to find a man for Aubrey, including asking the morning host of a popular television station to date her sister. In the blink of an eye, Aubrey went from being alone to having the attention of three men…two morning show co-hosts, and her ex-husband. Will she choose a love in the spotlight with one of the co-hosts, or will she go back to the dark days with her ex?

Sixteen-year-old Nikki Baker finally has everything she''s always wanted: confidence, popularity, and the hottest guy at Forest Hills High. Thanks to her fairy godmother''s help, happily ever after is hers for the taking. But being at the top of the food chain is a dangerous place to be. Gossip, lies and betrayal lurk at every corner while she struggles holding onto a boyfriend everyone wants for themselves. Expectations run high with a guy who''s used to getting what he wants, but Nikki''s not so sure she''s ready to meet his demands. She must decide whether to trust her own heart, or rely on the fairy godmother who got her there in the first place.

All Nikki Baker wants is her first kiss. All her fairy godmother wants is to get the job done as quickly as possible. Hilarious adventures follow when Nikki discovers her fairy godmother''s magic isn''t quite up to par...along with her taste in boys. Nobody is safe as spells bounce around from the school''s biggest nerd to the biggest jerk in ninth grade, and everyone else in between. As love triangles grow ridiculously complicated, Nikki soon discovers that being a boy magnet has its downside. One best friend starts hating her, and another stops at nothing to prevent Nikki from getting her happily ever after. Is love really worth the cost of friendship? Nikki must decide for herself, but that means betraying either her best friends...or her impatient fairy godmother.

According to statistics from the huff-post, 20 people per minute are victims of violence by an intimate partner. 1 out of every 4 women, and 1 out of every 7 men are victims. Yet only about 25% are actually reported. While these numbers may be alarming, they continue to increase. In this book I share my personal experience with domestic violence. While I am apart of the statistics reported on domestic violence, I am NOT a statistic, because I overcame! God has blessed me to share how I made it through to the other side. I am sharing my experience to let someone know, you can make it! You can escape and you don''t have to remain a victim! My hope and prayer is that someone will be encouraged, strengthened, and have renewed hope that not only is there life after domestic abuse, but there is freedom, wholeness and restoration. There Will Be Glory After This!

An encouraging, thought provoking book to open your mind to changing your life and finding balance.

The story line of Finding Your Fit is engaging and defines basic terminology in a way that is easy to comprehend for children. Children identify with the main character Gabby, as she learns to live a healthy lifestyle and develop positive self-esteem. Woven through the story are talking points and reflective journaling writing opportunities where children can express their thoughts and emotions, while parents can keep gather valuable information through this form of communication. Finding Your Fit opens the lines of communication and support that children are often lacking as they begin to develop self-esteem and identity. Bibliotherapy (using books to assist in problem solving relevant to the therapeutic process) is a valuable intervention for helping children cope with stressors and can provide structured communication between caregivers and children. Finding Your Fit is a valuable resource for families, therapists, school personnel, and other professionals who work with children on the topics of fitness, nutrition, and development of positive self-esteem and acceptance.

Ana, a 14 year old girl, goes through a life changing event. The devastating nightmare seems to consume her whole life. Read to find out what happens!!!

Has life brought to you challenges where you have questioned God? Have you become angry and bitter at God because of circumstances that he has allowed in your life? I have found myself in these places right alongside of you. Yet, a very loving and gracious God has been with me every step of the way. He has brought and developed a tenderness back to my heart, a sweet spirit back in my life and has shown me a path to follow in helping me stay close to him when life''s challenges are hurtful and do not make sense. Unexpected Journey is the story of my life. How you can go through difficult circumstances enabling you to still be that vibrant, effective, joyful Christian that you desire to be.

A family learns how to deal with divorce.

People change, that''s a given. People look back at the experiences of their lives differently with time, that''s also a given. The stories in this slender volume each look back on various life-changing youthful experiences. Some look back on the events of young adulthood, others look back on the events of childhood from the perspective of young adulthood. What these stories share in common is their insightful exploration of the often unanticipated twists of fate that shape our lives. These explorations of personal history are what the ancient philosopher Socrates would describe as triumphs of the examined life. Fred Phillips opens the volume with "Zero-Sum World," a story both as pessimistic and as optimistic as any piece of literature ever penned. Phillips watches a cynical old drunk sip away his life-and his young friend''s money-in a self-pitying life of televised baseball games and around-the-clock beer-guzzling. However, not even this life is exhausted by what a casual observer might conclude about it. Perhaps goodness and an ironic sense of justice will spring from the grave. Gary Dean Jennings and Bryan Valera each looks back on the care-free days of an uninhabited youth. Jennings''s "Where the Mod Look Began" looks back upon the days which preceded his army service, neither praising nor condemning his own indulgences in the impulses of youth. Valera''s retrospective on the early 90s reminds the reader that one never knows where the future may lead people. "One Classic Mission" delightfully reveals the beach life in San Diego and invites the reader to reconsider the people who are most easily dismissed by the dominant, status-conscious, elements of society. Sometimes, our humanity is found in our willingness to defy common sense in order to respect our common humanity. Samuel Madson''s "Tiny Hearts" affords the reader a nostalgic look back on the unlikely outcomes of a college romance. Things may begin with too much drinking and too little nobility, but it''s amazing what can develop from even the shakiest of foundations. Kimberly D. King''s "Hound Dog" reminds us that not all parents are perfect. In fact, maybe no parents are perfect, but even the most emotionally stunned and intellectually stagnant of parents have dreams for their children. This mother longs for her children to have one final glimpse at the King of Rock-n-Roll, Elvis Presley. Our final story, Jason Petersen''s "Sadman," allows a more seasoned and more mature man to reflect upon the complex dynamics of college courtship. The gracious angels of an aging mind bless the misguided wanderings of a hormone-crazed, alcohol-obsessed, young man with some lasting insights-not exactly a "live-happily-ever-after" story, but insightful nonetheless. As always, these stories have won the highly competitive Phyllis Scott short story contest. We are thrilled to bring these emerging authors to our readers! Phyllis Scott, series editor

Come with the authors as they take a whirlwind three-day wine tour in Oregon''s spectacular wine country. Featuring sixteen fabulous wineries all over the state, this is a trip not to be missed! One hundred pages of full-color photographs with a charming narrative make this book a must read and a must display! The book is an excellent coffee table book and gift for all occasions.

Written from a child''s point of view, advises young readers on ways to handle a variety of problematic situations, provides an easy-to-use system to help children rehearse and remember appropriate responses to keep them safe, and includes coverage of where to go for help and how to deal with shame and guilt.