Barbi lives in Fort Worth, Texas with her husband and a few cats. Her writing interests include poetry, fi ctional fantasy for young people, and short story picture books prompted by experiences with her grandchildren.

As the woman who trained the great Best Mate to win three consecutive Cheltenham Gold Cups, no one could be better qualified than Henrietta Knight to discover what makes today's top jumps trainers succeed. From eccentric, outspoken Yorkshireman Mick Easterby, to elegant, aristocratic Venetia Williams, from Irish wizard, Willie Mullins, to perfectionist champion trainer, Paul Nicholls and young pretender, Dan Skelton, here is a dazzling cast of extraordinary characters, all with their quirks and foibles, but with one single-minded ambition – finding first-class horses and training them to win big races. Henrietta shares their dramatic journeys, methods and secrets of working in a tough, competitive industry. For the trainers, every win reignites the thrill of the sport and a craving for success that never dies. Their stories are fascinating, each one illustrated with unique photographs from private albums.

Retired racehorse trainer Henrietta Knight probes the secrets of thirty top National Hunt trainers in England and Ireland.

Design accessible and creative games across genres, platforms, and development realities Key Features Implement the skills and techniques required to work in a professional studio Ace the core principles and processes of level design, world building, and storytelling Design interactive characters that animate the gaming world Book Description If you are looking for an up-to-date and highly applicable guide to game design, then you have come to the right place! Immerse yourself in the fundamentals of game design with this book, written by two highly experienced industry professionals to share their profound insights as well as give valuable advice on creating games across genres and development platforms. Practical Game Design covers the basics of game design one piece at a time. Starting with learning how to conceptualize a game idea and present it to the development team, you will gradually move on to devising a design plan for the whole project and adapting solutions from other games. You will also discover how to produce original game mechanics without relying on existing reference material, and test and eliminate anticipated design risks. You will then design elements that compose the playtime of a game, followed by making game mechanics, content, and interface accessible to all players. You will also find out how to simultaneously ensure that the gameplay mechanics and content are working as intended. As the book reaches its final chapters, you will learn to wrap up a game ahead of its release date, work through the different challenges of designing free-to-play games, and understand how to significantly improve their quality through iteration, polishing and playtesting. What you will learn Define the scope and structure of a game project Conceptualize a game idea and present it to others Design gameplay systems and communicate them clearly and thoroughly Build and validate engaging game mechanics Design successful business models and prepare your games for live operations Master the principles behind level design, worldbuilding and storytelling Improve the quality of a game by playtesting and polishing it Who this book is for Whether you are a student eager to design a game or a junior game designer looking for your first role as a professional, this book will help you with the fundamentals of game design. By focusing on best practices and a pragmatic approach, Practical Game Design provides insights into the arts and crafts from two senior game designers that will interest more seasoned professionals in the game industry.

The Barber brothers know their way around a football field—but can they succeed on the basketball court? Find out in this slam dunk with “lively basketball action and life lessons aplenty (Kirkus Reviews)” from NFL superstars and bestselling authors Tiki and Ronde Barber. As Tiki and Ronde count the days until the start of football season, the basketball coach approaches them looking for new recruits, and Tiki and Ronde sign on. While Hidden Valley Junior High has always been a powerhouse in football, the school has never done as well in basketball. Ronde is a good passer, but he needs Tiki to get free to sink his shots. Tiki doesn’t feel the inner confidence he felt on the football field: it’s one thing to play in the driveway, but it’s another to sink one on the court, when so much is on the line. The brothers need a winning attitude—and they need to bring everyone together to win. That is their only way to victory. Can they do it?

Learn all about basketball in this fascinating, nonfiction Level 2 Ready-to-Read, part of a new series that gives fans an insider look at their favorite sports! This book is perfect for young, sports-obsessed fans who, in addition to watching and playing sports, crave the kind of expert knowledge that only an insider would know. It’s game day, and a basketball referee arrives at the arena where he works. There’s a championship on the line, and he is excited. He visits the players’ locker rooms where the players are getting prepared mentally (learning about their opponents, and their own plays) and physically (stretching and getting taped up). He watches the teams warm up with a series of practice drills with their coaches and trainers and observes the court being primed for the game. The game begins with the narrator tossing up the jump ball at center court. Game on… A special section in the back of the book is chock-full of even more facts about the game and its storied history and players. It is custom-made for the fan who absorbs all things basketball!