Based on the true story of Harriet Ann Jacobs, Letters from a Slave Girl reveals in poignant detail what thousands of African American women had to endure not long ago, sure to enlighten, anger, and never be forgotten.Harriet Jacobs was born into slavery; it's the only life she has ever known. Now, with the death of her mistress, there is a chance she will be given her freedom, and for the first time Harriet feels hopeful. But hoping can be dangerous, beca...

Fooled you! Bruh Rabbit is always playing tricks. He tricks Bruh Bear out of bed and eats his fish. He tricks Bruh Wolf out of the butter from his butter tree--then he proves that it was Wolf who ate it. He even serves oven-fried wolf to his children. But sometimes Bruh Rabbit gets fooled too.Retelling six authentic Bruh Rabbit stories that were recorded in Beaufort County and Murrells Inlet in South Carolina, author Mary Lyons has captured their madcap spirit. A longtime reading t...

In this companion novel to Letters from a Slave Girl, Joseph’s stirring quest for freedom and identity is told through letters against the backdrop of some of the most exciting and turbulent times in American history.Like his mother and grandmother before him, Joseph Jacobs was born into slavery. Joseph lives with his grandmother and sister in North Carolina, but he has not seen his mother for more than seven years. Unbeknownst to Joseph, his mother, Harri...

Between 1849 and 1859, Virginia raced to pierce the Blue Ridge Mountains by rail and reach the Ohio River. At least 300 enslaved people labored involuntarily toward that goal, along with 1,500 Irish immigrants. The state leased the labor of enslaved Virginians from local slaveholders, including four connected with nearby University of Virginia. Blue Ridge Tunnel and Blue Ridge Railroad historian Mary E. Lyons explored hundreds of primary documents to write the first nonfiction book about s...

The true story of the construction of the historic Crozet railroad tunnel—as seen through the eyes of three Irish immigrant families who helped build it.In one of the greatest engineering feats of the time, Claudius Crozet led the completion of Virginia's Blue Ridge Tunnel in 1858. More than a century and a half later, the tunnel stands as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, but the stories and lives of those who built it are the true lasting triumph.

In 1849, Virginia began a bold railroad expansion toward the Ohio River and its lucrative trade connections. The project's plan covered 423 miles and called for piercing two mountain chains with three railroads. The Blue Ridge Railroad was the shortest of these but crossed the most mountainous terrain. At times, hired slaves, who prepared the tracks, and Irish immigrants, who blasted the tunnels, faced challenges that seemed almost insurmountable. Many were killed by explosions and falling...

Louisa May Alcott, Charlotte Forten, Kate Chopin, Sarah Jane Foster, Alice Dunbar-Nelson, Ida B. Wells, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman were 19th century young women who grew up to be novelists, poets, essayists, or journalists. Keeping a private diary helped each girl find her public voice."A collection of seven literary biographies liberally sprinkled with brief quotations from the subjects' diaries, written when they were young adults." - School Library Journal, starred rev...

The Indie Author Potluck Cookbook is a privately operated charity project designed to raise funds and awareness for the Food Bank of South Jersey. All contributors to this collection have donated their time and recipes in support of the project. This cookbook features a true "potluck" feel with a variety of appetizers, main courses, and desserts, as well as short stories, book excerpts, and author anecdotes.

An examination of two seemingly incongruous areas of study: classical models of argumentation and modern modes of digital communicationWhat can ancient rhetorical theory possibly tell us about the role of new digital media technologies in contemporary public culture? Some central issues we currently deal with—making sense of information abundance, persuading others in our social network, navigating new media ecologies, and shaping broader cultural currents—also pre...

Infamous playboy announces engagement!At eighteen, Olivia Johnson had a brief, passionate affair with the infamous, rich socialite Dominic FitzCharles. Madly in love, she'd never forgotten him-even though it seemed he had forgotten her….Now twenty-eight and a successful businesswoman, Olivia had no time for love affairs. When she met Dominic again at a society wedding, she vowed she'd stay in control. But Dominic had other ideas. He announced their engageme...

Gina works as a branch manager for her grandfather’s wine-importing company. One day when she hears the name of the client company’s new president, she’s immediately flustered. Antonio Ramirez! He’s the man who trampled her innocent heart eight years ago. And after all these years, Antonio has only become more attractive. He looks as if he has completely forgotten the past, and approaches Gina boldly. When Antonio ultimately proposes marriage to her, Gina hopes he is serious about her this...

Flora, a fashion model on the way to a shoot in the Caribbean, is shocked when she learns the name of the man who owns the island—Ross Duncan Whitney, her husband! He walked out on her years ago. She never expected to run into Ross in a place like this! To make matters worse, her current contract requires that she be single. Even after living apart for so long, Flora and Ross are still technically married. If their secret gets out, the breach of contract will mean more than just the loss o...