Just released: “Odd Apocalypse. A Novel”

Odd Apocalypse: A Novel

Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas has seen danger and he has seen death. He lives between two worlds, communicating with the lingering dead. He stands between us and our darkest fears, never failing the tests that confront him, whatever the cost. This is the fifth Odd Thomas thriller from the master storyteller. Odd finds refuge at a rundown mansion, but soon discovers a frightening presence. => http://bit.ly/RnAbWU

Just released: "Odd Apocalypse. A Novel"

Odd Apocalypse: A Novel
Dean Koontz
Odd Thomas has seen danger and he has seen death. He lives between two worlds, communicating with the lingering dead. He stands between us and our darkest fears, never failing the tests that confront him, whatever the cost. This is the fifth Odd Thomas thriller from the master storyteller. Odd finds refuge at a rundown mansion, but soon discovers a frightening presence. => http://bit.ly/RnAbWU

Coming soon – a groundbreaking novel

The Yellow Birds

Kevin Powers

"The war tried to kill us in the spring," begins this breathtaking account of friendship and loss.
With profound emotional insight, especially into the effects of a hidden war on mothers and families at home, THE YELLOW BIRDS is a groundbreaking novel about the costs of war that is destined to become a classic. => http://bit.ly/PyQ0JH

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The Ability that Will Change You Forever

Just like riding a bike or playing piano, motivation is a skill that can be learned and mastered - and with ease. It's not that getting yourself to act is difficult; it's simply that no one has ever shared with you the entire process in a way that was easy to understand and apply, if they taught you at all.

To solve this problem for the millions of people just like you who want to live richer, more rewarding lives, I dedicated several years to uncovering the secrets and outlined every step of the process in The Motivated Mind - and made the entire guide easy to understand and even easier to use.

Simply by following six short steps you will gain the rare ability of instant motivation. You will actually be able to overcome all of your fears and worries and instantly feel driven to act toward your goals.

Just imagine what you could achieve in your lifetime with the ability to motivate action at the drop of a hat. You could be like one of the many readers who have made The Motivated Mind a part of their lives and enjoy experiences like...

A career you absolutely love. Challenging, exciting, and satisfying work you can't wait to get to in the morning. Co-workers you count as good friends and a knowledgeable boss who greatly admires you and your work.

A brand new body - in shape, attractive, and healthy. More energy and juice than ever before, without a hint of the old aches and pains, not to mention the worries that come from living an unhealthy lifestyle. And best of all - a longer life.

Earning enough money to save, invest, and prepare for a comfortable retirement. Being able to donate to those in need and provide for your loved ones. And finally, enjoying a few perks in life - a new home, a new car, and vacations to the tropics.

Finding it easy to make new friends and develop relationships that make you feel on top of the world. No more worrying about fitting in or trying to live up to everyone's expectations. Being comfortable in your own skin and in every situation.

Feeling happy. Truly happy with who you are and where you're going. Enjoying the peace of mind that comes from being in total control of your life and its future.

How would you like to experience these things on a daily basis for the rest of your life? You can, and The Motivated Mind will show you exactly how to make it happen.

From the Pivotal Book Club Archives: the winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and an addictive mystery

A Visit from the Goon Squad

Jennifer Egan

Readers will be pleased to discover that the star-crossed marriage of lucid prose and expertly deployed postmodern switcheroos that helped shoot Egan to the top of the genre-bending new school is alive in well in this graceful yet wild novel. http://bit.ly/NGzg08

When We Have Wings

Clair Corbett

This book is intoxicating; it made me imagine things I never imagined before. The world of flying is so complete, so detailed and real, it was as if I was flying, as if I could feel my wings. This is an addictive mystery, clever and compelling.' Jane Campion, director of The Pianoand Bright Star
=> http://bit.ly/fgzrK9

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Want to make outstanding presentations?

Presentations in Action

Jerry Weissman

Want to make outstanding presentations? See how others have done it! Legendary presentations coach Jerry Weissman shares powerful examples from the media, sports, politics, science, art, music, literature, the military, and beyond. Weissman's examples reveal universal truths about effective communication--and help you supercharge everything from content and graphics to delivery! => http://bit.ly/ONyZLv

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Learn from 12 of Australia’s finest coaches

Tap into the SPORTS WISDOM of 12 of Australia's finest coaches as they reveal their personal stories and success philosophies. 

Discover valuable lessons from sport and how to fast-track your child's personal and sporting development for a successful journey through life!

Their secrets can take you to the top of your sports parenting or coaching game!

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Learn from 12 of Australia's finest coaches

Tap into the SPORTS WISDOM of 12 of Australia's finest coaches as they reveal their personal stories and success philosophies. 

Discover valuable lessons from sport and how to fast-track your child's personal and sporting development for a successful journey through life!

Their secrets can take you to the top of your sports parenting or coaching game!

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Delivering Powerful Presentations with or without Slides 

The Naked Presenter

By  Garr Reynolds

When we learn to present naked, we reach our audiences by communicating the essence of the message, stripping away all that is unnecessary and embracing the ideas of simplicity, clarity, honesty, integrity, and passion. If "slideware" is used, the slides never steal the show or rise above serving a strong but simple supportive role. The ideas in the presentation may or may not be radical, earth shattering, or new, but there is freshness to the approach and content that makes a lasting impression. 

In this invaluable resource from the author for the best-selling books Presentation Zen andPresentation Zen Design, you will discover how to get to the core of your message and deliver presentations that are as natural as they are memorable. Whether you are just in the planning stages or need advice for a talk that begins in an hour, you'll find wisdom in The Naked Presenterthat you can use to connect deeply with your audience and deliver a great presentation. => http://bit.ly/ewrrwk

Hope Can Be Found In Unexpected Places

 

In this extract from Tim Costello’s new book, he writes that hope can be found in unexpected places.

Hope by Tim Costello 
Hope is a powerful and transforming force – it’s the liberating change that happens when people are able to imagine and believe in a future. It’s the driving emotional strength that sits beneath resilience and purpose. From demoralised and marginalised people in Australian cities to rural communities in Africa, I have encountered people being touched by hope, often in times and circumstances that are totally unexpected.
A year or two ago, I drove five hours south of Addis Ababa into the Ethiopian highlands – the region where coffee was first cultivated 3,000 years ago. With me were two philanthropist friends, the Australian actors Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness, and together we began exploring this ancient settled landscape and meeting some of the local coffee growers.
The farmers here are poor and 90 per cent of the trees are gone – cut down for firewood, the only source of fuel and energy for cooking. Of course, it is the women who must collect the firewood and, because of the scarcity of trees, they are venturing further from home to find timber. Their long journeys exacerbate their risk of injury, rape and abduction. The farmers’ cottages have thatched roofs and no chimneys or windows.
On the trip down, we saw smoke leaching through the thatched roofs of the cottages. The fires that burn in the centre of the homes, providing light and heat for cooking, also give respiratory illnesses to the children inside.
World Vision had provided some of the farmers with a methane digester. A simple trap to be placed over the rubbish-and-manure pit, it captures the methane produced from the waste and then pipes it into the hut. Immediately the family is cooking on gas, eliminating the need to cut down trees and breathe in the smoke, and the women are no longer putting themselves at risk travelling huge distances to collect wood.
For a few hours, Hugh stripped down and toiled with a farmer called Ducale. They wheeled rubbish into his manure pit, patting it down with a spade as they did so. All of this was done by Hugh in his Gucci boots, mind. Ducale did not speak a word of English and had no idea who Hugh was.
I watched as later they sat having coffee together in Ducale’s hut holding hands, laughing and hugging – all without a word in common. Thanks to the methane digester, Ducale has opened a coffee shop in his hut and has become an energy exporter to the village. His income has skyrocketed, his children get to study by smokeless gaslight at night, and they are doing better at school.
As Hugh and Ducale sat and drank coffee together after their sweaty work, I learned that physical work transcends words and culture. And it was refreshing to see once again that hope can pop up in the most unlikely places.
I have found it spring to life among people coping with homelessness and mental health challenges in St Kilda and in Aboriginal communities in outback Australia. And now on the rooftop of Africa it flowers too for a coffee grower named Ducale.
Hugh and Deb planted two coffee trees at the back of Ducale’s hut and named them after their kids, Oscar and Eva. They promised to bring them to Ducale’s farm in a few years. Two families separated by global extremes, so different and yet all part of the one humanity, celebrating joy and family.
Hope always springs to mind whenever I smell coffee.
Hope by Tim Costello was published by Hardie Grant.