Showing results by narrator "April" in All Categories

Dr. Ree Ryland is an engineering professor who loves her job and plays by the rules. Her life is reassuringly predictable - until an enemy hiding in plain sight decides her squeaky-clean reputation is the perfect cover to commit a crime. When Agent Parker Landon and his FBI team discover that someone at the university has been procuring military-grade hardware by disguising it as test equipment, all evidence points to Ree.

Cindy slowly peels off her clothes, eagerly awaiting the three security men to ravish every inch of her sweating body! Cindy's busy weekend is quickly thrown awry. As a store manager of a busy retail outlet, the busty blonde is rushed off her feet tending to the store's busiest weekend. As so when a petty thief attempts to yank fistfuls of cash from the till and make a run for it, Cindy is glad she had ramped up security to protect both staff and customers. The unfortunate thief is quickly hoisted into a dark room for questioning.

Katherine knew she was walking into the lion’s den. The underground dungeon, the leather whips, the cold chains, the steel cuffs. There was no mistaking. All signs pointed to a dark and erotic universe that was alien to her. She quietly reminds herself, a dare was a dare. Break in, snap a few pictures, and then disappear. But when the dungeon door slams shut behind her, she finds her innocent and untouched world is shaken to it’s core as it collides with the dark, erotic, and twisted mind of Sebastian.

As leaders in education, teachers face unprecedented challenges. Yet, they remain at the forefront of shaping future generations, cultivating thinkers, problem-solvers, communicators, and innovators. Unfortunately, the rising stress, lack of support, and difficulties in maintaining classroom engagement have driven teacher resignation rates to an all-time high. This is why Channon Essex, April Sabral, and Angee Costa joined forces to bring the education community a groundbreaking system—one designed to motivate students to learn and reignite teachers' passion for teaching.

AI is becoming ubiquitous. Whatever its arrival portends for our future, whether riches or ruin, it cannot be avoided. The Artifice of Intelligence explores two questions at the heart of a theological response to AI. Is it possible for human beings to have authentic relationships with an AI? How does the increasing presence of AI change the way humans relate to one another? In pursuing answers to these questions, Herzfeld explores what it means to be created in the image of God and to create AI in our own image.

When fourth grader Alex Schwartz first met his cello, his eyes lit up with wonder, and a smile appeared on his face as bright as the potential his new cello teacher saw within him. The cello positively impacted all aspects of his development, including focus, fine motor, and gross motor skills.

Twenty years ago, Isabelle DiSanto ceased to exist and Sloane Matthews took her place. Since then, she's spent her life hoping the world would forget all about her former identity and leave her alone. She never wanted to be the heir to a serial killer dynasty, but someone else does, and they want to make Sloane pay for turning her back on the DiSanto name.

Paisley always wanted to be a features writer, but when her New York magazine is taken over by a hip media conglomerate, she finds that the only thing they want is salacious stories about sex and sleaze. Well, if that’s what they want, that’s what she’ll give them! Her trip to a woman’s only night at a local adult cinema gives her plenty to write about, as she finds herself falling into a world of celluloid fantasy. In the darkness of the movie theater she begins to explore her bubbling fantasies of femdom and BDSM.

After facing off with the Roman Numeral Killer, Sloane Matthews is teetering precariously close to the edge. She doesn't want to give in to the darkness she's fought so hard to control, but it might be the only way she can stop what's coming. Sloane is bound and determined to slay her demons once and for all. Even if it costs her everything.

In The Day One Executive, strategic leadership advisor April Armstrong explains how long-term success requires getting results, building mutually beneficial relationships, and cultivating reserves of resilience. It empowers you to hit the ground running in all three of these areas starting on Day One. Early in her career, Armstrong discovered a huge gap between what is taught in school and what it takes to be a successful executive. This book aims to close that gap through insight, research, and stories from more than a dozen top executives who share secrets from the C-suite to help you know:

The trick of accepting redemption is finding something in yourself to redeem. A scary Halloween-themed ghost tale from Michael Lynes in The Trick.

Innovation requires solving big problems from a new perspective, but many struggle to successfully innovate in their work or personal life when faced with a problem that requires innovative thinking. Author and researcher April Bell has zeroed in on the power of empathy and the ability to embrace risk when solving big problems in the unknown. In her book, The Fire Starter: Igniting Innovation with Empathy, Bell combines engaging personal stories with research to provide listeners with a simple framework helping them connect to greater human truths to solve big problems.

Thrust into a fight 700 years in the making, Chelsea and her friends find themselves against an immortal emperor. If they return the true heir of Ione to her rightful throne, then they will finally be free of the magical world of Amar. But that’s easier said than done. They will need the support of the other kingdoms of Amar if they hope to stand a chance at defeating Axius. But who would follow four kids into battle? Survival isn’t enough. They have to find a way to start this war. And they have to win it. Or else they will never get home.

The premise is simple; the execution is passionate: 13 short stories of fiction from eight emerging women writers. This anthology is a wonderful example of women lifting up other women, of writers supporting writers, of a community coming together to fulfill ambitions and dreams.

Pi's just like any other kid robot: they love to listen to music, play with their dog, and hang out with their friends. And when their teacher announces a field trip to Olde Silicon Valley, Pi couldn't be more excited! They daydream of all the awesome things they want to see and do there—but also begin to worry about all the things that could go wrong. Then, on the way home, Pi feels a ZAP! They try to avoid the strange feeling, but the Zaps keep happening. Pi doesn't understand. They have a firewall installed! What could be going on?

On the brink of World War II, Jane Benjamin wants to have it all. By day she hustles as a tomboy cub reporter. By night, she struggles to raise her toddler sister, Elsie, and protect her from their mother. But Jane’s got a plan: she’ll become the San Francisco Prospect’s first gossip columnist and make enough money to care for Elsie. Jane finagles her way to the women’s championship at Wimbledon, starring tennis phenom Tommie O’Rourke. But then she witnesses Edith “Coach” Carlson, Tommie’s closest companion, drop dead in the stands of apparent heart attack.

The story of Mara in Elle is one marked by mystery and intrigue. She experiences the city as both paradise, yet also a utopian prison. Discover the story of her hometown and unravel the mystery behind the city in the clouds. Will Mara climb to the heights of her potential or will she descend down to the rugged wastelands below?

After surviving a week trapped in the magical world of Amar, Chelsea, Easton, Clint, and Bobby are still no closer to accomplishing the mysterious quest that binds them to Amar. In a desperate attempt to figure out what this quest is, they decide to follow the instructions of an ominous book of poetry that was written over 700 years ago. Inside this book are several mysterious, almost prophetic poems that tell of four heroes who are the only ones who can save Amar from a dark fate.

Retail is the heartbeat of a thriving economy and community. Without it, the gears come to a grinding halt. But when it is functioning at its highest capacity, the millions of people it employees learn skills that shape their future in amazing ways.

Earl the Squirrel and Tim the Gecko are best friends living in a tree by the bay. Tim is happy roaming the woods with his best friend, except for one thing…. When he shouts his name, he gets no reply. Find out what happens on one of their hikes into the woods and what Tim ultimately learns about communication and friendship.