The economic imperative of sustainable tourism development frequently shapes life on small subtropical islands. In Okinawa, ecotourism promises to provide employment for a dwindling population of rural youth while preserving the natural environment and bolstering regional pride. Footprints in Paradise explores the transformation in community and sense of place as Okinawans come to view themselves through the lens of the visiting tourist consumer, and as their language, landscapes,...

She can’t escape her past . . . or her future.After Vivian Cartwright’s aunt is killed by the same mysterious man who caused her mother’s death, she flees to protect those she loves.Searching for the father she’s never seen, she spends months on the road, working her way from one rundown motel to another and trying to move on with her lonely life.Vivian must face her past when the very people she’s trying to protect walk through the door of...

She will finally learn the truth, but it will change everything.After barely escaping the Liaisons’ facility with their lives, Vivian Cartwright and her friends are on the run.Vivian is determined to find her long-lost father armed with the clues she stole from her uncle’s twisted mind.But before she can begin her quest, she must help Wyck locate his mother. The journey brings them closer than ever and creates growing tension between Wyck a...

They will risk everything, even challenging the all-seeing eye of the Omni government. But will the prize be worth the cost?Seventeen-year-old Pierce is a Drudge, the lowest social stratum in society. For over two years, he’s hoped—prayed—that his upcoming aptitude test will finally free him from his virtual slavery and give him a chance at a better existence. When he rescues Harmony, an Artist and member of the most successful stratum, his life takes an u...

I heard the weather reportOn the TV today.The weatherman saidThere's a storm on the way!It's the kind of stormThat I love most -Not wind, not rain,But a storm of french toast!A "French Toast Storm" happens when heavy snow is in the forecast. People are concerned about snow amounts and road conditions, so they rush to the store to get their necessities which always include milk, bread and eggs - the ingredients needed to make f...

From Darrell Award Finalist and Book Country's About the Book Runner-Up author Andrea MurrayThe Vivid Trilogy takes readers on a twisting adventure that fans of superheroes will devour.Sixteen-year-old Vivian Cartwright fears her power and its connection to her mother's murder.Vivian only wants a normal life, a chance to graduate high school, hang out with her friend Abby, and find a cute boy to break her heart. However, her extraordinary a...

"Hold your brakes and give your engine all the power you have. When I tell you to release the brake, you're going to run down the runway as fast as you can! Can you feel yourself ready to lift off?"Come on an aerial adventure to the clouds with Fiona!Based on a true story about a real airplane and a girl who became a pilot so she could fly like the boys!

In the sequel to the young adult dystopian novel, Omni, one young couple will do anything to stay together, and one man will do anything to control them.After barely escaping death in Omni, eighteen-year-old Pierce has left behind his place in the Artist stratum in exchange for sanctuary with his family. However, when Harmony goes missing, he can’t help but think it’s just another ploy of the Omni government to force him to return.With Harmony on h...

Ria thought it was only a necklace, a gift from a stranger.Turns out she was wrong.Now, Ria must break her connection to a vengeful spirit or suffer the same fate.Seventeen-year-old Ria Gabriel always maintains control. Her life is predictable and organized, just the way she likes it, but receiving a gift from a mysterious stranger turns her life into a living nightmare.Her once or...

Ria thought it was only a necklace, a gift from a stranger.Turns out she was wrong.Now, Ria must break her connection to a vengeful spirit or suffer the same fate.Seventeen-year-old Ria Gabriel always maintains control. Her life is predictable and organized, just the way she likes it, but receiving a gift from a mysterious stranger turns her life into a living nightmare.Her once orderly days plunge into chao...

Nailfold capillaroscopy allows non-invasive assessment of the finger microvasculature. At the nailfold, capillaries run parallel rather than perpendicular to the skin surface, allowing their structure to be visualised under magnification.The main clinical indication for nailfold capillaroscopy is the assessment of the patient with Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP). Normal nailfold capillaries are reassuring, consistent with primary (‘benign’) RP, whereas abnormal capillaries (dilated capil...

There is now a certain tradition of Anglo-German comparative research on new technology-based firms (NTBFs). Two of the most influential studies in this area have both been sponsored by the Anglo-German Foundation for the Study of In dustrial Society (AGF). Starting in 1977, the first AGF project on NTBFs, which was carried out by the consultancy firm Arthur D. Little, has been one ofthe most important early contributions in this field (Little 1977). This report was the first public docume...