TWICE A DAUGHTER: A SEARCH FOR IDENTITY, FAMILY, AND BELONGING BY JULIE MCGUE

When adopted twin Julie faces several serious health issues at age forty-eight, she sets out to find her birth parents and finally gets the family medical history she’s lacking–and she ends up on a years-long quest that ultimately reveals much more than she bargained for.

COVER TO COVER: WHAT FIRST-TIME AUTHORS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EDITING BY SANDRA WENDEL

“Irreverent.” “Funny.” “Essential.” NFAA GOLD Award winner. Read this book before you publish your book.

You just wrote your first book. And there you are. Vulnerable. Wondering what to do next to get your masterpiece published. This is the one book you need to read and follow if you’re writing a book for the first time. Why? Because you’ve never written a book before.

To write a successful book, you need to find and work with an editor who shares your passion for your work and your message and who will help you make your book sing. This book tells you how to find the right editor, what level of edit you might need, how much editing costs, what editing looks like, and coaches you through indie publishing.

HOW SMART PEOPLE THINK: FRAMEWORKS FOR BETTER BUSINESS DECISIONS BY DICK RICHARDSON

How Smart People Think explains through real-world examples how people such as Warren Buffet, Oprah Winfrey, and Jeff Bezos quickly solve problems and make decisions. They use mental frameworks, which are simple tools that help them be decisive.

The book addresses challenges like:
• Having too many problems – then use the Eisenhower matrix to identify what’s urgent and important.
• Too many tasks in a crisis – use goal shedding, which I learned directly from Sully Sullenberger, the heroic pilot who landed the plane on the Hudson river—a flight I was also on!
• Need to think really fast – use the Navy Seals framework of “Say three, pick one.” For example, thinking of buying a car. Three frameworks – Opportunity Costs, Confirmation Bias, and Inversion Framework can ensure you make the right call.

The 20th century fathers of this approach were Harold Hook and Charlie Munger. They canonized many of the frameworks that current users have refined. This book takes those individual pieces like Lego bricks and builds structures. Our minds naturally want to connect the dots to see the picture. This book makes that remarkably easy.

Having these mental structures allows you think more efficiently and in less time.

You’re using a mental framework right now. You have a picture in your head of the characteristics of a successful book. I hope my book fits that picture.

BEFRIENDING CHINA: PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE PEACEMAKING BY DEE KNIGHT

Befriending China, Gold Winner of the Nonfiction Book Awards (International category), tells the story of China’s current effort to “open up” to a flood of visitors, as part of a campaign of “People-To-People Peacemaking.” The story is partially based on three visits to China in 2023 and 2024. It describes the impressive achievements China has made in infrastructure, education, health care, and poverty alleviation. It includes an in-depth eye-witness account of visiting Xinjiang, debunking official rumors in the US of abuse of the Uyghur population there. It also highlights exciting tourism opportunities, with closeup looks at the mountainous Guizhou and Shanxi provinces, and the amazing “megacities” of Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing, Hangzhou and Suzhou. It includes a preface by Carlos Martinez, editor of the Friends of Socialist China website. It also examines China’s democratic system, and its successful foreign policy based on common prosperity and a shared future. Finally, it details ongoing US efforts to slander China and prepare for war against it, arguing that China is not our enemy.

THE JOURNAL OF A PERSONAL CHEF: THE FIRST 52 WEEKS: IDEAS AND MUSINGS FROM THE KITCHEN BY TARA TRIEFENBACH

Step into the kitchen and behind the scenes with The Journal of a Personal Chef, a captivating glimpse into the life of a culinary professional who has traded restaurant kitchens and corporate offices for the intimate world of personal cooking. From custom menus and meal prep to the rewarding challenge of creating unforgettable dining experiences, this book offers a rare, firsthand look at the artistry and business of being a personal chef. Blending personal anecdotes, industry insights, and some favorite ideas, this journal is perfect for anyone curious about the culinary world. Whether you’re a home cook seeking inspiration, a foodie fascinated by the industry, or someone ready to take the leap into a culinary career, The Journal of a Personal Chef delivers a flavorful mix of storytelling, practical advice, and culinary passion.

EMBRACE THE MIDDLE: A WOMAN’S GUIDE TO MINDFULLY NAVIGATING THE CHALLENGES, CELEBRATING THE JOYS, AND FINDING POWER IN MIDLIFE BY SHAYNA GOTHARD KAUFMANN, PHD

 Physical changes, caretaking demands, empty nests, and losing people we love—all on too little sleep—are common midlife experiences. But there is so much more to the story! Dr. Shayna Kaufmann draws from original research on 619 women worldwide, her psychology and Zen backgrounds, and her own midlife metamorphosis to craft an intimate deep-dive into the messiness and joys of the middle decades.

Blending research and anecdotes with humor and heart, Embrace the Middle will reveal:

• The real struggles, rather than pop culture’s narrative, for women in midlife
• The many minimized and disregarded gifts that come with age
• That you have a choice to either accept or reject aging
• A mindful, step-by-step approach called SOFTT for how to embrace midlife:
  • Slow down for perspective
  • Observe your thoughts for insight
  • Feel into your body for presence
  • Apply Tenderness for self-compassion
  • Tune in to your wisdom for direction

Embrace The Middle is accessible, rich, and empowering. You will laugh, cry, and think this book was written just for you.