Recent preliminary trials have showed that parents and caregivers who received this quantitative linguistic feedback spoke and interacted more with their children. Quantitative feedback gleaned from weekly recordings of the home language environment is provided to parents to help monitor progress and set goals. Home visits from coaches, animations that make the underlying science of the project accessible, and videos teaching easy-to-follow strategies lay the foundation for parents to enhance their linguistic interaction with their children. TMW combines education, technology, and behavioral strategies in an interactive multimedia curriculum for parents. Suskind created TMW in 2010 to address this gap by bringing awareness to the importance of spoken language in early childhood development and giving parents the tools and knowledge to enrich their children’s home language environment. Furthermore, this early language exposure is correlated with income: children from lower-income households hear, on average, about thirty million words fewer than their peers from more affluent homes during this critical developmental period, leaving them less likely to achieve academic success. Studies have demonstrated that the number of words a child is exposed to before the age of four is significantly correlated with the child’s eventual IQ and academic outcomes.
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When she’s not reading or writing about books, she’s talking about them, as host of the First Draft Book Club at Changing Hands Bookstore in Phoenix. Visit for details.īarbara VanDenburgh, USA TODAY Books Editor: There aren’t many people around who read more than Barbara VanDenburgh, the former Arizona Republic writer turned USA Today Books Editor. Rachel’s book tour includes dates in Chicago, California, New York and Arizona. STONE COLD FOX is out in hardcover from Berkley, and the audiobook is Penguin Random House audio, read by Carlotta Brentan. Rachel joins the podcast to talk to Olivia about the story, the journey to get a publisher to say yes, and which character in the book is loosely inspired by someone in her life. Rachel Koller Croft, “Stone Cold Fox”: Screenwriter Rachel Koller Croft’s debut novel STONE COLD FOX is a deliciously wicked thriller about a gorgeous woman who has no intention of letting anyone or anything (even her own truth) get in the way of the way of a ring on her finger and millions in the bank. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Fans of dark fantasy, as well as of Carroll’s Alice in all her revisionings (especially Tim Burton’s), will find a lot to love in this compelling and imaginative novel." Get books 1 through 3 in the Splintered boxed set, available now! Read all the books in the New York Times bestselling Splintered series: Splintered (Book 1 ), Unhinged (Book 2 ), Ensnared (Book 3 ), and Untamed (The Companion Novel ). She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers-precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Shawn wants Charley to investigate the Fosters, but Reyes demands that she drop the case. > Charley gets a new client named Shawn Foster, who is yet another kidnapped "foster" child of the infamous Eve and Abraham Foster (the evil couple who kidnapped Reyes and sold him to a child abuser). Once again, Jones spins out a number of story threads, several that coalesce into the main plot and others that are resolved separately. Reyes provides much of the humor in this novel as he takes an extremely nontraditional approach in implementing Charley's power lessons. With the assistance of her handsome, godly husband, Reyes Farrow (aka Rey'aziel ), Charley is learning to use her powers. Charley is still reeling from the news that her otherworldly self was melded from the powers of at least seven (now extinct) gods and that Jehovah wiped out most of her memories of her time on the heavenly plane (before she became human). Too late for love the sunlight was already a memory. From "Scapegoats," which evokes the zombie-island nightmares of Italian exploitation film but is laced with an unexpectedly poetic tone:Īnd I, losing my life with every second, succumbing to the sea absolutely, couldn't take pleasure in the intimacy I'd longed for. A large part of Barker's horror philosophy, if we can call it that, was that horror should subvert our (often wrong) notions of normality and beauty. Instead, there is a polite informality, a deft and dry wit in his writing, as if to make the horrors more palatable, the deformities less alien, the grotesqueries a welcome respite from reality. Nothing of Lovecraft or Matheson, either, I daresay. There was little of the neighborly chumminess of Stephen King's work, or the weighty obliquity of Ramsey Campbell's. His style was unique and took a bit of warming up to. I bought it based on the Berkley 1986 edition cover alone, and can still recall sitting in a mall courtyard reading the first story, "Son of Celluloid," and being a tad put off because Barker's measured, careful prose was so very British. 3, which was the first thing I ever read by him way, way back in January 1987. Clive Barker continued his revolutionizing of the horror genre with Books of Blood, Vol. More glorious short-story mayhem from the best. Perhaps I was careless in my use of the word "sterotypes". I have a suspicion that you didn't read this book or you would realize that the author is trying to disprove stereotypes. Now, having seen so many positive reviews of the book here, I felt that I ought to re-post my exchange with the commenter here, so more people may see a fuller explanation of my sentiments: In my answer to the comment, I elaborated further. It's true that because of my utter distaste for the book, I'd been direct, but brief. Later I received a comment on my review to which I responded. This - above - was my original review of this book. Lord save us from the friends of the colored people. Perpetuates the WORST stereotypes of "gypsies" under the guise of spreading knowledge about the Roma minority. If that sounds good, why don’t you linger with me a while? I want you to know, I just finished praying for you.Ībout Tessa Afshar Photo by Murphy Made Photography Until you become more of the blessing God designed you to be. In my Bible study and DVD teaching, I try to make room for God to carve these truths deeper into your soul until you grow in your faith. But my dearest hope is that by the last page, you are closer to God, and closer to your true self. You may find love stories that capture your imagination. In my novels, you will find laughter and tears. I write books that try to capture these truths. He has set His affections on you and desires to heal your heart, forgive your failures, and renew your hope. He considers you His treasure and calls you His beloved. Whether writing novels or non-fiction, I try to help my readers internalize these truths. Now, He wants to restore you to your true self and fulfill your destiny. That is why Jesus is lovingly pursuing you. You were made to belong, not to be abandoned. This is part of your original design according to Scripture. A universe without you is just not a good enough universe. I want to remind you of a few truths, in case they have grown dim in your heart. But let’s start with something really important. I created more time and comfort in my day I try to have no more than five open tabs at any given time now, which are my email, Canva, Teachable, and one or two Google docs.ģ. I grabbed all of my desktop folders and put them in one "Omega" folder, so now I enjoy a pristinely empty screen that doesn't give me anxiety.įinally - this was the toughest - I began closing all my browser tabs before bed. Plus, all the tasks I start actually get done.Ĭlear's book inspired me to do the same inside my laptop, too. Now everything that crosses my mind is in that one journal rather than spread across 20-odd sticky notes. Getting rid of the clutter has helped me focus, and I no longer lose ideas. I stashed all my "extras" - my Kindle and any hardcover books, pencils, business cards, and highlighters - in my closet. The "essentials" on my desk now are my laptop, a podcasting microphone, a journal with a single pen, and a water bottle. It often indicates a user profile.Īfter reading "Atomic Habits," I set an alarm for 20 minutes so I'd get it done under pressure and separated everything into three piles: essentials, nice-to-have, and extras. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. In August 2018, Rhodes announced that the third book in the series, The Cursed Heir, is "indefinitely delayed" due to failing sales of the previous books. In 2015, a spin-off series was launched with A Book of Spirits and Thieves, followed by The Darkest Magic (2016). The series begins after a shocking murder plunges Limeros and Paelsia into a war against Auranos.įalling Kingdoms, the first novel of the series, was published in 2012, followed by Rebel Spring (2014), Gathering Darkness (2014), Frozen Tides (2015), Crystal Storm (2016), and finally Immortal Reign (2018), which concludes the series. It follows the lives of four teenagers: Cleo of Auranos, Jonas of Paelsia, and Magnus and Lucia of Limeros. First edition of first book in the seriesįalling Kingdoms, Rebel Spring, Gathering Darkness, Frozen Tides, Crystal Storm, Immortal Reignįalling Kingdoms is a fantasy book series for young adults by Morgan Rhodes. But here, his target area was empty and there would be no one to stop him now. The element of surprise was, after all, one of his greatest assets. All his senses were on alert – waiting and watching for anything out of the ordinary – anything which could upset these carefully laid plans. Once again he turned to look out the window. It was like a drug and Saif knew he never get enough of a fix. While anxious, he still enjoyed this time of the mission best of all – the advent to a kill, stealthily stalking the unwary foe, savouring the seconds before pushing that button. Taking a deep breath which helped to steady his nerves, he whispered to himself: It is almost done. Scanning the dark track before him, he knew that the end would be in sight any minute now. Saif felt better now knowing that his task was almost over. Her heart was beating strong and all was well. The little red light on her main control panel continued to blink reassuringly. The thick nylon straps held her securely in place and the firm styrofoam base cushioned her against the frustrating bumps of her final journey. She was still there, lying peacefully, looking almost serene in the stillness of the darkening evening. Gingerly he turned to look back into the cargo bay of the old van. The rough dirt track was filled with potholes and every jolt frayed his nerves even more. RECLAIMED LAND IN CHANGI, SINGAPORE – NOVEMHOURS |