Lou Aronica – författare

The groundbreaking international bestseller that will help you fulfil your true potential. The Element is the point at which natural talent meets personal passion. In this hugely influential book, world-renowned creativity expert Ken Robinson considers the child bored in class, the disillusioned employee and those of us who feel frustrated but can't quite explain why - and shows how we all need to reach our Element. Through the stories of people like Vidal Sassoon, Arianna Huffington and Matt Groening, who have recognized their unique talents and made a successful living doing what they love, Robinson explains how every one of us can find ourselves in our Element, and achieve everything we're capable of. With a wry sense of humour, Ken Robinson shows the urgent need to enhance creativity and innovation by thinking differently about ourselves. Above all, he inspires us to reconnect with our true self - it could just change everything.'The Element offers life-altering insights about the discovery of your true best self' Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People'A book that lightens and lifts the minds and hearts of all who read it' Susan Jeffers, author of Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway

From the international bestselling author of The ElementKen Robinson is one of the world's most influential voices in education. In this inspiring, empowering book, he sets out a new vision for how education can be transformed to enable all young people to flourish. Filled with practical examples and groundbreaking research, it will inspire the change our children urgently need.'Compelling ... an elegant, powerfully written manifesto for change' Tristram Hunt, Guardian 'Inspires and brings a new sense of possibility to the goal of transforming education . . . This is a global game-changer' Brené Brown, author of Daring Greatly'Wonderful and enjoyable' Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Prize Laureate

The groundbreaking international bestseller that will help you fulfil your true potential. The Element is the point at which natural talent meets personal passion. In this hugely influential book, world-renowned creativity expert Ken Robinson considers the child bored in class, the disillusioned employee and those of us who feel frustrated but can't quite explain why - and shows how we all need to reach our Element. Through the stories of people like Vidal Sassoon, Arianna Huffington and Matt Groening, who have recognized their unique talents and made a successful living doing what they love, Robinson explains how every one of us can find ourselves in our Element, and achieve everything we're capable of. With a wry sense of humour, Ken Robinson shows the urgent need to enhance creativity and innovation by thinking differently about ourselves. Above all, he inspires us to reconnect with our true self - it could just change everything.'The Element offers life-altering insights about the discovery of your true best self' Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People'A book that lightens and lifts the minds and hearts of all who read it' Susan Jeffers, author of Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway

From the international bestselling author of The ElementKen Robinson is one of the world's most influential voices in education. In this inspiring, empowering book, he sets out a new vision for how education can be transformed to enable all young people to flourish. Filled with practical examples and groundbreaking research, it will inspire the change our children urgently need.'Compelling ... an elegant, powerfully written manifesto for change' Tristram Hunt, Guardian 'Inspires and brings a new sense of possibility to the goal of transforming education . . . This is a global game-changer' Brené Brown, author of Daring Greatly'Wonderful and enjoyable' Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Prize Laureate

International bestselling authors of The ElementAs a parent, what should you look for in your children's education? How can you tell if their school is right for them, and what can you do if it isn't? In this important new book, Sir Ken Robinson, one of the world's most influential voices in education, offers clear principles and practical advice on how to support your child through the education system, or outside it.Dispelling myths, tackling controversies and weighing up the main choices, You, Your Child, and School is a key book for parents to learn about the kind of education their children really need and what they can do to make sure they get it.

International bestselling authors of The ElementAs a parent, what should you look for in your children's education? How can you tell if their school is right for them, and what can you do if it isn't? In this important new book, Sir Ken Robinson, one of the world's most influential voices in education, offers clear principles and practical advice on how to support your child through the education system, or outside it.Dispelling myths, tackling controversies and weighing up the main choices, You, Your Child, and School is a key book for parents to learn about the kind of education their children really need and what they can do to make sure they get it.

Raise the bar to become the best version of youMost of us set the bar too low in our lives, both personally and professionally. Bob Deutsch, a cognitive neuroscientist/anthropologist turned entrepreneur, has spent a lifetime studying people and found that we choose not to pursue our greatest ambitions because we feel we are incapable of reaching them. But he has also found that we are each born with the fundamental abilities to live the full, creative, dynamic lives we dream about.  Curiosity, Openness, Sensuality, Paradox, and Self-Story—these are our five inner resources. Through interviews with inspiring people, including Wynton Marsalis and Richard Feynman, and case studies of personalities like Bruce Springsteen and Anna Quindlen, Deutsch shows us how to access and use these resources to open our lives to unimagined possibilities.

An essential book for parents to help their children get the education they need to live happy, productive lives from The New York Times bestselling author of The Element and Creative Schools Parents everywhere are deeply concerned about the education of their children, especially now, when education has become a minefield of politics and controversy.  One of the world’s most influential educators, Robinson has had countless conversations with parents about the dilemmas they face. As a parent, what should you look for in your children’s education? How can you tell if their school is right for them and what can you do if it isn’t? In this important new book, he offers clear principles and practical advice on how to support your child through the K-12 education system, or outside it if you choose to homeschool or un-school.  Dispelling many myths and tackling critical schooling options and controversies, You, Your Child, and School is a key book for parents to learn about the kind of education their children really need and what they can do to make sure they get it.

The power to live a pain-free life of health and well-being is stored deep in the limitless human mind. Miraculous Health is the revolutionary blueprint for accessing this power. Dr. Rick Levy systematically guides the reader through a specific program to heal physical illness or injury. His sequence of proven prescriptive mind-body healing techniques leads to immediate results and miraculous changes in long-term vitality. Dr. Levy''s methods are easy to learn and can be customized for individual needs. The exercises in this book come with cogent explanations of why they work, complete with their scientific underpinnings, and are illuminated by true healing stories and personal anecdotes. To maximize the power of the work in this book, the author provides twelve potent mind-body tools to the reader as free audio downloads accessed via the Web. Most important, the reader can do this with no more specialized training than a commitment to better health. Not just a feel-good theory, and much more than the revelation of a phenomenon, Miraculous Health unleashes the power within to heal in dramatic and enduring ways.

USA Today Bestseller: This "emotionally rich" novel of a father, a son, and a lesson in love is "pure pleasure from beginning to end" (Susan Elizabeth Phillips, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Dance Away with Me).Jesse Sienna doesn''t believe that love can last. His parents'' marriage was caring but passionless, and his own romantic history tells him that love can burn bright, but that it cannot burn for long. So when his elderly father, Mickey, moves in with him and seems unable to understand Jesse''s no-strings-attached relationship with Marina, his current girlfriend, Jesse barely pays attention. It''s just another example of how different they are—and more evidence that he and his father will never connect on any meaningful level.But the truth is, Mickey Sienna knows more about love than most people learn in a lifetime. Over half a century ago, he discovered the endless rewards of investing your heart and soul in someone . . . and he knows the devastating costs of letting the perfect someone slip by. Mickey sees Jesse taking an extraordinary woman for granted and decides it''s time to tell Jesse his story—a story he''s never shared with any of his children before. It is a tale that will change both of them profoundly."A wry, tender, beautifully written novel. . . . Once I started, I couldn''t put it down." —Lisa Kleypas, New York Times–bestselling author of Secrets of a Summer Night"Better than Nicholas Sparks''s best. There''s more wit, more wisdom, and yes, there are tears." —John R. Maxim, New York Times–bestselling author of The Shadow Box"A warm, engaging story [that] is well structured and funny and keeps you turning the pages till the very end. . . . It may even make you rethink your own attitude toward love." —Suzanne Vega, multiplatinum recording artist

“Nicholas Sparks fans will rejoice to hear there’s a new male author on the scene who writes beautifully about love and emotionally charged relationships.” —RT Book Reviews Only a few months ago, Gerry Rubato had everything he thought he needed from life. After nearly twenty years of marriage, he was still passionately in love with his college sweetheart, he had a bright, independent-minded daughter, and he had the surprising addition of a new child on the way. Then everything changed with stunning rapidity. With little explanation, Gerry’s daughter ran away with her older boyfriend. Then, only a month after giving birth to their son, his wife died suddenly. Now, Gerry needs to be everything to his infant child while he contends with two losses he can barely comprehend. And when a woman walks into his life as a friend and their relationship verges on something more, Gerry must redefine all that he knows about himself, about love, about loyalty, and about his dreams. “Lou Aronica writes with deep sensitivity of the power of love to transform and heal in the face of overwhelming tragedy. A lovely read.” —Susan Wiggs, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Lost and Found Bookshop “Tears of sadness and joy go hand in hand in this immensely satisfying story.” —RT Book Reviews

New York Times–Bestselling Author: A "mesmerizing," deeply emotional novel of secrets, sacrifice, and a love beyond time (Long and Short Reviews).Ken and Melissa are at the dawn of a magnificent life together; a passionate romance has led them to the doorstep of marriage. While searching for the perfect wedding present for Melissa, Ken stumbles into a mysterious shop. There, he is given an extraordinary opportunity: to look in on Melissa when she was a little girl. Ken has always wished he could have known Melissa from the day she was born and this seems like a blessing—until he discovers a terrible secret in Melissa''s past, one so awful it''s no surprise she has failed to mention it to him.Now Ken has another incredible chance. He can go back in time and change the horrible event that has left an indelible mark on Melissa. He can free her of this burden—but doing so could change things so completely that they might never meet. Ken has repeatedly told Melissa that he would do anything for her. But can he do this?"A beautiful romance novel." —Crystal Book Reviews"A mix of magic and magnificent love. . . . An incredible love story of soul mates finding their way to each other through a maze strewn with obstacles." —Long and Short Reviews"[Anything] is a terrific whimsical romance as caring Ken learns sometimes even a knight in shining armor regretfully gets what he wished for." —Midwest Book Review

A moving and insightful novel about an impossible love triangle by the “exceptionally gifted,” New York Times–bestselling author of Anything (Fresh Fiction). Hugh Penders has been stuck in neutral for nearly a decade since his brother, Chase, died in an accident. He carries with him two secrets that he’s never been able to share with anyone: that he believes he might have been able to prevent the tragedy, and that he was deeply in love with Chase’s girlfriend, Iris. When Hugh’s father suffers a debilitating heart attack, Hugh must return to the New England home he’s been running away from for the past ten years. One day, he encounters Iris—who has long since moved away—on the street. They begin a friendship, and Hugh believes he’s falling in love with Iris all over again. But the ghost of Chase haunts them both. And when each reveals a truth the other never knew, their lives, their visions of Chase, and their chances for a future together will change forever, in this soulful, romantic novel charged by the power of desire and the impact of loss. “A joy to read.” —Long and Short Reviews “This emotional story is about a man coming to terms with his past and trying to figure out his future. Excellent.” —RT Book Reviews

USA Today–Bestselling Author: A “simply beautiful” novel of three lost people looking for the elusive paths that will lead them to where they need to be (Minding Spot).Newly revised and expanded, including four recipes! Joseph, in his late thirties, awakens disoriented and uneasy in a place he doesn’t recognize. He doesn’t know where he is and has no way to contact his wife. He sets out to find his way home with no sense of where he’s going and only the precious, indelible vision of the woman he loves to guide him. Antoinette is an elderly woman in an assisted living facility. In the last few months, the world has seemed increasingly confusing. So she retreats inside her head. There, her body and mind haven’t betrayed her. There, she’s a young newlywed with a husband who dotes on her and an entire life of dreams to live. There, she is truly home. Rene, Antoinette’s son, is going through the toughest year of his life. His marriage ended, he lost his job, and his mother has recently gone from hale to increasingly hazy. With too much time on his hands, he decides to try to recreate his memories of home by attempting to cook his mother’s greatest dishes and eat them with her. Joseph, Antoinette, and Rene are three people on different searches for home. How they find it, and how they connect with each other at this critical stage in their lives, is the foundation for this profound and deeply moving story from the author of The Forever Year and Flash and Dazzle. “Hauntingly poignant and beautifully moving.” —Coffee Time Romance “Nicholas Sparks fans will love this heartwarming read.” —Book Loons

From the New York Times–bestselling author of The Forever Year, a “poignant” novel about best friends in crisis (Long and Short Reviews). Rich Flaster and Eric Dazman—aka Flash and Dazzle—have been friends since their college days, and they remain as tight as ever as their work starts attracting praise and attention in the advertising industry. Now Rich is being wooed by a high-profile agency in downtown Manhattan—but they have no interest in hiring his creative partner. Before Rich can bring himself to tell his best friend about the job offer, Eric receives a far more devastating piece of news: an upsetting medical diagnosis. His shy, beautiful sister arrives to give him support, and Rich is faced with an emotional challenge. He’s deceived his friend—however, there are a lot of things Eric hasn’t shared with him either. Suddenly, breaking up this two-man team takes on a more painful meaning—and, with time a precious commodity, Flash and Dazzle have to get past the superficial and connect on a deeper level.Flash and Dazzle is a story of men who have known the best of times as they come to grips with the worst of times, and of the friends and lovers who enter their orbit in relationships both brief and enduring. It is a story of legacies, burdens, and the kinds of secrets that are only revealed when there’s nothing left to tell. Funny, moving, and honest, it will inspire you to call everyone you care about and thank them for what they’ve given you. “A master storyteller. . . . He stirs emotions and senses that bring tears and laughter.” —Long and Short Reviews “A dynamic contemporary novel . . . fully engaging and worthwhile reading. Lou Aronica is a talented writer who uses subtlety rather than explicit description to depict the normalcy, quirkiness and fluctuations of honest characters.” —Crystal Book Reviews “Rich Flaster and Eric Dazman are so real; the reader will feel like they are part of the duo’s close knit friends.” —Literarily Illumined

A carefree man takes on an unexpected commitment, in this book by a USA Today–bestselling author of “deeply emotional, totally romantic novels” (Susan Elizabeth Phillips, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Kiss an Angel). Dylan Hunter has it made. At twenty-nine, he has great friends, a fantastic job, all the women he can handle, and no commitments. A public relations executive, Dylan has dashed up the ladder of success by mastering the art of the spin—bending the truth to his and his clients’ needs. So why does he feel restless, unsatisfied, dreaming of something more? Then a former lover steps back into his life with a three-year-old girl named Spring—no, she’s not his—and Dylan suddenly finds himself in a situation he can’t talk himself out of. When Dylan unexpectedly becomes the child’s sole guardian, he starts to feel like a circus performer keeping all his spinning plates from crashing to the ground. In what seems like the blink of an eye, Dylan Hunter’s life has changed completely—whether he’s ready for it or not . . . “Humor that sparkles, and characters that stir up a wealth of emotions.” —Long and Short Reviews “A talented writer.” —Crystal Book Reviews on Flash and Dazzle

A father and son find new meaning in Christmas, in this uplifting and poignant novella by the author of When You Went Away. The New York Times–bestselling author revisits the characters in When You Went Away in this heartwarming holiday novella. Gerry Rubato has been marked by loss and revived by love, and his son Reese, now six, is a happy, joyful child—but Reese is just beginning to understand that he was robbed of the chance of ever knowing his late mother. Reese is old enough now to get caught up in the excitement of the Christmas season, and he throws himself into it with abandon. His sense of celebration takes on entirely new levels of meaning, though, when it leads him to an unexpected and most remarkable discovery . . . At once buoyant and moving, and filled with irrepressible Christmas spirit, A Winter Discovery is a story that will take you to new places in your heart.Praise for the Hearts of Men novels “Deeply emotional, totally romantic.” —Susan Elizabeth Phillips, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Simply the Best and Kiss an Angel “Wry, tender, beautifully written.” —Lisa Kleypas, New York Times–bestselling author of the Wallflower novels

Transform your life through twenty-six gratitude practices—one for each letter of the alphabet—designed to spark positive change in your daily life and help you feel more thankful every day. The Gratitude Shift offers a fresh, modern approach to gratitude that moves beyond clichés and into practical,  approachable advice readers can use in real life. Built around twenty-six actionable practices, one for each letter of the alphabet, the book’s A-to-Z structure makes it easy to jump in anywhere, revisit often, and use whenever a mindset reset is needed.Each chapter offers a focused gratitude concept through a compelling pull quote with the author's guidance woven throughout, followed by a real-world story from an accomplished guest.  Readers are introduced to clear, thoughtful guidance that guides them through how to apply each idea. Every chapter concludes with an interactive element such as an exercise, quiz, or reflective prompt to help turn insight into action.Written by wellness expert and media personality, Jamie Hess, host of the Gratitudeology™ podcast, The Gratitude Shift reflects both professional expertise and lived experience. After overcoming addiction, Jamie rebuilt her life by applying the gratitude-centered principles that form the foundation of this book, leading to a successful career working with major brands and regular national media appearances.Accessible and results-focused, The Gratitude Shift positions gratitude as an active tool for resilience, confidence, leadership, and emotional strength. This is a gratitude guide readers can return to again and again, with practices that feel relevant, empowering, and achievable.

The 2014 AuthorsFirst writing contests brought submissions from a wide range of profound and wildly entertaining talent. From this group of nearly a thousand entrants, we have chosen seventeen works of short fiction that will dazzle the imagination and thrill the heart. What happens when the most remarkable woman you've ever met disappears for weeks at a time leaving only magic and mystery in her wake? What happens when a hostel worker slowly loses his sense of identity? What happens when a woman's reinvention leads her away from her husband and children? What happens when a veteran rocker meets the inspiration for one of his biggest hits -- his long-estranged daughter? You'd be surprised. PORTABLE MAGIC is a rich anthology of rewarding stories from names you're going to want to remember. ABOUT AUTHORS FIRST We believe in authors, and we understand that building a community for authors to explore and improve their craft is key to a vibrant future for books. To support this belief, in 2013 The Story Plant launched the website Authors First to provide a home for writers created by writers who understand all of the iterations of the writing life.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER Only a few months ago, Gerry Rubato had everything he thought he needed from life. He was passionately in love with his college sweetheart after nearly twenty years of marriage, he had a bright, independent-minded daughter, and he had the surprising addition of a new child on the way. Then everything changed with stunning rapidity. With little explanation, his daughter ran away with her older boyfriend. Then, only a month after giving birth to their son, his wife died suddenly. Now, Gerry needs to be everything to his infant child while he contends with two losses he can barely comprehend. And when a woman walks into his life as a friend and their relationship verges on something more, Gerry must redefine all that he knows about himself, about love, about loyalty, and about his dreams. An emotionally charged story filled with warmth, humor, wisdom, and unforgettable characters, WHEN YOU WENT AWAY is a novel you will take to your heart. PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS MICHAEL BARON