When Thomas Merton entered a Trappist monastery in December 1941, he turned his back on secular life—including a very promising literary career. He sent his journals, a novel-in-progess, and copies of all his poems to his mentor, Columbia professor Mark Van Doren, for safe keeping, fully expecting to write little, if anything, ever again. It was a relatively short-lived resolution, for Merton almost immediately found himself being assigned writing tasks by his Abbot—one of which was the autobiographical essay that blossomed into his international best-seller The Seven Storey Mountain. That book made him famous overnight, and for a time he struggled with the notion that the vocation of the monk and the vocation of the writer were incompatible. Monasticism called for complete surrender to the absolute, whereas writing demanded a tactical withdrawal from experience in order to record it. He eventually came to accept his dual vocation as two sides of the same spiritual coin and used it as a source of creative tension the rest of his life. Merton’s thoughts on writing have never been compiled into a single volume until now. Robert Inchausti has mined the vast Merton literature to discover what he had to say on a whole spectrum of literary topics, including writing as a spiritual calling, the role of the Christian writer in a secular society, the joys and mysteries of poetry, and evaluations of his own literary work. Also included are fascinating glimpses of his take on a range of other writers, including Henry David Thoreau, Flannery O’Connor, Dylan Thomas, Albert Camus, James Joyce, and even Henry Miller, along with many others.

The magnetic and thrilling sequel to Jessica Lynn Medina's Echo Through the Stars Choose them. When the time comes, you choose your people. It always has to be them. After driving out the corrupt human Federation and halting the devastating war with Earth, Avery now struggles to find solid footing in Echo's newly formed government. When her powers are stripped by the very extremists who helped her master them, conflict reignites between the planets, putting everything she's fought for, and everyone she cares for, at risk. Avery returns to the planet she once called home to look for help among the Reange refugees who dwell beneath Earth's surface. She finds a powerful man who agrees to help her - with certain conditions. Ignoring the protests of Finn and her crew, Avery accepts. If she ever hopes to return to Echo and save its future, she must play his games in his realm, no matter the cost. But Avery may not discover the price until it's too late. When faced with a heart-wrenching choice, where will loyalties lie?

Things aren’t always what they seem . . . From the outside, Victoria Campbell has everything. She is an accomplished, wealthy young professional living in the big city who has reached her career goals and is on track to break the glass ceiling. But under all this seeming success lies a haunted past that has kept her from opening herself up to most people and especially from the men she meets. Will the ghosts of the past continue to haunt her, or can she exorcise them in exchange for real happiness? The answer to this question becomes clearer, as such answers often do, on a trip home to visit family and friends. Things are different in Texas, and Victoria’s long-overdue homecoming with her new boyfriend in tow shines a light on the reality of their relationship and resurrects painful memories of dangers that can be lurking in plain sight. First-time author Rhonda Jolley has created a fast-paced, character-driven novel that will keep you thinking long after you’ve finished the final page.

In "The Birthday Party", a musician becomes the victim of a ritual murder. Everyone implacably plays out the role assigned to them by fate. "The Room" becomes the scene of a visitation of fate when a blind Negro suddenly arrives to deliver a mysterious message.

Haunted by silence, a mute teenage girl is mysteriously given back her voice...and it is divine. "Lyrical and enchanting, SILENT ECHO will resonate in your heart long after you turn the last page. I can’t wait for the sequel!” —Lorie Langdon, author of the DOON series. Rendered mute at birth, Portia Griffin has been silent for 16 years. Music is her constant companion, along with Felix, her deaf best friend who couldn’t care less whether or not she can speak. If only he were as nonchalant about her newfound interest in the musically gifted Max Hunter. But Portia’s silence is about to be broken with the abrupt discovery of her voice, unparalleled in its purity and the power it affords to control those around her. Able to persuade, seduce and destroy using only her voice, Portia embarks on a search for answers about who she really is, and what she is destined to do. Inspired by Homer’s ODYSSEY, SILENT ECHO is an epic story filled with fantasy, romance and original music. "SILENT ECHO is a gripping, original read, with a heroine you won't forget. Katniss Everdeen -- watch out for Portia Griffin." —Erica Wagner, author of SEIZURE

WOW! After spending more than fifty years in the world of aviation and aerospace, Satpal Singh picks up a pen to write. Stories and verses flow right out of his heart. This collection brings out his passion for the study of human behaviour in this world of exploitation and deprivation. Rarely do we find writings that are wake up calls. His presentation Echo of Silence brings out a barrage of questions, and all his poems are bound to create ripples in the minds of its readers. All his poems will touch your heart. Will the silent majority ever break its silence? Will women fight back and come out of the evil of objectification and refuse allurements? He proves that women are not gullible as the leading lady of Only 4 mm spurns lucrative offers to stand up against the mighty corporate so that she is not used as a tool for demeaning women. The hero of the story Love Begets Love, Lucas, back after his journalistic assignment in Afghanistan, meets his love Illaria in the romantic ambience of Switzerland, and the past is forgotten. Two young persons meet by chance, all alone in dire circumstances, and fantastic things are likely to happen as portrayed in And It Happened. A must-read for all to enjoy and think. You may not be able to leave after starting.