Books
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A story of stolen innocence.
The book Stolen Beauty is a picture in words, told from an adult perspective, of the abuse I experienced. My purpose in writing this book is to explain how I was able to deal with the pain, shame, and anger of that experience. I use the word experience, because it’s important to understand that the experience of child abuse does not make us who we are. It is only that–an experience, a bad one, no doubt, but the experience itself doesn’t make us a bad person. If I were to use the word victim to describe my experience, it might lead you to believe that I was blaming someone, so I hesitate to use the word because I believe there comes a time when we have to move from blame to forgiveness in order to get on with the process of healing and loving ourselves.
There also comes a point when each of us needs to recognize that life teaches us many lessons and each person’s lessons are unique. Every one of us has a path in life to achieve our very best. If we can learn to accept, to forgive, to live in the present by turning each bad experience into something of a benefit rather than an adversity, then we will grow. The way I look at it, I had two choices. I could use my experience of abuse to bring positive awareness to others or I could continue living in the past, dwelling on my pain, nurturing it to justify my own actions of inflicting pain unto myself and others and validating my feelings of unworthiness. I spent some time on the latter path. I am now on the path of using my experience to promote positive growth.
I am sharing the unraveling of that process so that I can offer my insight to every child who has been abused.
- Stolen Beauty website
- Order online from Itasca Books
- Order from Amazon.com
- Order from Barnes & Noble
- Order from Borders Books
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Four Years of College Cooking Made Easy
This book will be available July 2007.
When Amy Madden’s son, Mark, went off to college, he would frequently call her for recipes of the home-cooked meals he was missing while learning to live on his own. Amy’s daughter Megan who was already a junior and knew her way around the kitchen also called often for cooking advice. Finally, Amy decided to write down her recipes for Mark and Megan, which gave her the idea to create a resource for helping every college student make fun and nutritious meals to get them through their first years away from home.
Look, Dude, I Can Cook! is divided into four sections: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior. In progressive fashion, students can start with simple recipes and work their way toward fuss-free gourmet pleasers for everyday cooking and fun occasions alike. Look, Dude, I Can Cook! will provide students with the know-how and confidence to cook healthy and delicious meals, along with shortcuts and money-saving tips. Also included are lists of essential cooking utensils and pantry items, as well as a glossary of cooking terms. Perfect high school graduation gift!