From comedian and actor Sebastian Maniscalco—star of the film About My Father with Robert DeNiro—an inspiring, honest, uproarious collection of essays tracing his career from playing boxing rings and bowling alleys to reaching the pinnacles of comedy success. At twenty-four, Sebastian Maniscalco arrived in LA with a suitcase and saved up minimum wages. He knew no one and nothing about standup comedy, but he was determined to go for it anyway. Two decades later, he’s on the Forbes’ list of highest earning comedians, selling out arenas, and starring in numerous hit comedy specials including Why Would You Do That? and Is It Me?. Stay Hungry tells the story of the twenty years in between. On the way from clueless rube to standup superstar, Seb was booed off stages; survived on tips and stolen food; got advice from mentors Andrew Dice Clay, Vince Vaughn, Tony Danza, and Jerry Seinfeld; fell in love; and stayed true to his Italian-immigrant roots. The one code that always kept him going: stay hungry, keep focused, never give up, and one day, you’ll make it.

A rich new tapestry of worlds from the acclaimed author of the Black Jewels trilogy. Long ago, in a time that has faded from memory, a mother's tears forged the bridge that, ever after, connected the power of the living, ever-changing world to the human heart. A story set in the world of Ephemera, in which the link between the land and the human heart is unbreakable, and the world is nothing more or less than a reflection of the people's fears and desires. Once, the Eater of the World caused great destruction and horror until it was able to be contained; now that horror is about to be unleashed again. And those who create the landscapes may not be strong enough to resist the evil. Sebastian lives in the Den of Iniquity, a town for demons created by the most famous landscaper of all, Glorianna Belladonna. Sebastian is restless and yearning for more in his life, but until he comes to terms with his father's hate and with his own latent powers, Sebastian will be of no use to anyone. An emotionally powerful story about the difference between the heart's truth and one's expressed desires - sometimes the outcome of this difference is not at all what we want ...

A child-sized doll is the object of his mother's obsession. He's beginning to wonder why... "Decidedly creepy, insidious and unsettling, but even more important, it's such a mature, perceptive and compassionate novel."Thomas Tessier, author of Fog Heart and Bram Stoker Award finalist The son of a world-renowned photographer, Morgan Riley is familiar with his mother’s creative eccentricities. Having been the subject of one of her photographic series, he knows all too well how focused she can become with a new project. So he’s not overly concerned when his mother shows him her newest series that spotlights a small, featureless white plastic manikin the size of a two-year-old child that his mother has named Sebastian. However, as Morgan watches his mother’s obsession with the manikin grow, he begins to question her sanity and fear for her safety… FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing Independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress.

Describes how Johann Sebastian Bach survived the sorrows of his childhood and composed the music the world has come to love.

We have a strong instinct to belong to small groups defined by clear purpose and understanding--"tribes." This tribal connection has been largely lost in modern society, but regaining it may be the key to our psychological survival. Decades before the American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin lamented that English settlers were constantly fleeing over to the Indians-but Indians almost never did the same. Tribal society has been exerting an almost gravitational pull on Westerners for hundreds of years, and the reason lies deep in our evolutionary past as a communal species. The most recent example of that attraction is combat veterans who come home to find themselves missing the incredibly intimate bonds of platoon life. The loss of closeness that comes at the end of deployment may explain the high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder suffered by military veterans today. Combining history, psychology, and anthropology, Tribe explores what we can learn from tribal societies about loyalty, belonging, and the eternal human quest for meaning. It explains the irony that-for many veterans as well as civilians-war feels better than peace, adversity can turn out to be a blessing, and disasters are sometimes remembered more fondly than weddings or tropical vacations. Tribe explains why we are stronger when we come together, and how that can be achieved even in today's divided world.

Jules is one of those people you meet & instantly love. She speaks from the heart, with such warmth and truth. A brilliant book.' - Sally Obermeder 'Jules writes with vulnerability and such a lovely honesty. Many people will cherish this book.' - Elyse Knowles, Model & Author, From Me To You 'Jules is the best listener in the room, listening out for those honest moments, and the admissions and words that go unsaid. If anyone can get to the soul of a conversation, Jules can.' - Bonnie, Lana and Erin, Three Birds Renovations 'By sharing our journeys, we realise there is very little that separates us. Tea and Honesty; what a great ritual and, frankly, a necessary daily practice.' - Deborra-Lee Furness, Actor, Director & Philanthropist On her much-loved Tea With Jules programme on Youtube, presenter, stylist and philanthropist Jules Sebastian captures beautiful conversations, many of them with Australian icons, women and men from all walks of life about their pivotal experiences. These stories range the full spectrum - covering motherhood, relationships, career, lifestyle, health and more - and are at times both raw, moving and poignant. These conversations have shaped Jules' own life, helping her navigate her role as a career woman, mother, daughter and wife of one of Australia's most popular musicians, Guy Sebastian. Like a good catch-up with your girlfriends, Tea & Honesty relays many of these conversations as well as sharing some of the most personal and vulnerable moments of Jules' own journey that she has kept close to her heart - until now. Inspired by these conversations, her book covers the knotty emotions of guilt, comparison and identity to passion, purpose, community, kindness and more. Offering snippets of heartfelt life advice from well-known contributors such as Kate Ritchie, Emma Isaacs, Camilla Franks, Rachael Finch and Neale Whitaker, with beautiful quotes and break out inspiration, this is the perfect treat to curl up on the sofa with, cup of tea in hand, or to give your favourite friend or family member to let them know that they are not alone.

Terra the magical half-human. Shadow the mysterious assassin. Celes the tough, tender general. Kefka the fool who would be god. Each of the many unforgettable characters in Final Fantasy VI has made a huge impression on a generation of players, but why do we feel such affection for these 16-bit heroes and villains as so many others fade? The credit goes to the game’s score, composed by the legendary Nobuo Uematsu. Armed with newly translated interviews and an expert ear for sound, writer and musician Sebastian Deken conducts a critical analysis of the musical structures of FF6, the game that pushed the Super Nintendo’s sound capabilities to their absolute limits and launched Uematsu’s reputation as the “Beethoven of video game music.” Deken ventures deep into the game’s lush soundscape—from its expertly crafted leitmotifs to its unforgettable opera sequence—exploring the soundtrack’s lasting influence and how it helped clear space for game music on classical stages around the world.