For Jazzmyne Buckels, AKA Gourmet Mommie, food means family.

Growing up between Evanston, Illinois and Southern Louisiana, she learned how to marry classic Southern flavors with the warmth of Northern influences—all under the loving guidance of her mother, grandmothers and aunts. Now, in A Touch of Jazz, she brings those influences together, giving a glimpse into family traditions and the lessons passed down through generations.

In this warm, empowering guide for cooks of every skill level, you’ll find

recipes for roux and rib tips, hushpuppies and banana pudding—all the

wholesome, comforting foods that keep families coming back for more. Accessible gourmet dishes, complete meal plans, kid-friendly recipes, and allergy-friendly alternatives make for a comprehensive resource, while short, meaningful stories transform recipes into a celebration of culture and connection. Using everyday ingredients to create beautiful, delicious meals, this cookbook shows that anyone can cook: all you need is A Touch of Jazz.

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Every institution relies on Facilities Management. Few understand it.

Yet when FM sneezes, the entire campus catches a cold.

Facilities Management is most visible when something goes wrong. When it performs well, it fades into the background. When it struggles, it dominates attention. This imbalance skews how the function is perceived, judged, and governed, reinforcing the belief that FM is reactive rather than systemic. Just Because You’re Necessary Doesn’t Mean You’re Important reframes Facilities Management as the campus’s immune system: essential, protective, and taken for granted until failure makes it impossible to ignore.

This book is written for institutional leaders who want to understand and fix the systems that underpin Facilities Management’s performance and harness the functions’ full potential to improve institutional outcomes.

Drawing on decades of senior leadership and consulting experience, Grant Sommerfeld exposes the contradiction at the heart of Facilities Management’s identity: relying on an essential, high-profile, and costly function while organizing and governing it as if it were not important. He shows how this error fuels instability, escalation, and mistrust and how fixing the underlying system restores control and reliability, enabling Facilities Management to control costs, improve service delivery, enhance stakeholder confidence, and support institutional priorities with greater consistency and impact.

Through clear explanations and practical frameworks, this book helps leaders:

• see Facilities Management as an institutional system, not a technical service

• diagnose the upstream conditions that shape downstream performance

• understand FM organizational maturity and why it predicts reliability

• redesign roles, workflows, and decision rights to restore control

At a time of financial pressure, rising expectations, and increasing operational risk, post-secondary leaders can no longer afford to overlook one of the most underused and consequential strategic resources on campus.

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‘Grampie’s Heart’ is a gentle and heartwarming story written by a grandfather for his grandchildren. It is a story about love, family, and remembrance. It follows Grampie as his heart grows bigger throughout his life, making room for everyone he loves—from his parents and pets to his wife, children, and grandchildren. When Grampie passes away and goes to heaven, his love lives on in a magical way, leaving a piece of his heart with the family he cherishes most. Through the comforting metaphor of “super sparkly magic glitter,” this touching story helps young children understand loss while celebrating the enduring power of love, family connections, and cherished memories.

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“Unbelievable,” Painter said. “Is this place for real?”

Reinhold replied, “Totally believable. You haven’t been here long enough to understand the local thought process.”

A massive black space ship is hovering over a thinly populated region of southern Alberta. Its only apparent interest? Eating coal. It makes no attempts to communicate and leaves people alone. It just sends drones to grind away at thin seams of coal in the side of a deep river valley. The federal government sends several top experts to figure out what is happening.

Franklin Hattori, a cultural anthropologist on the edge of a mental breakdown, is surprised when he’s called to join the expedition. The reason for his inclusion is initially as transparent to him as that ship that looks like an ebony ink blot in the sky, but he’s not one to turn down an opportunity of a lifetime.

Soon, he finds himself on a team with a chemist, a National Defence liaison officer, a recently returned astronaut, a political troubleshooter still coping with trauma suffered in Lisac’s earlier novel Where the Bodies Lie, and an Ottawa lawyer whom Hattori knows well.

After they start to investigate, the ambiguity of their situation quickly sinks in. Will they learn more about the mysterious visitors, about the strange province where they have been sent to work, or about themselves?

It’s magic realism, and a nuanced, tragi-comic satire.

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The Healer's Guide To Doing The Work You're Meant To Do is a practical and reflective handbook for both aspiring and practicing healers, who want clarity, confidence and realistic guidance as they develop their healing path. Drawing from over a decade of personal experience, the author explores what it truly means to be a healer, challenges common myth around healing, and emphasizes that healing is a shared human capacity rather than a mystical title. The book blends philosophical reflection with grounded real-world advice on certification versus licensing, ethical practice, self-care, and building a sustainable healing business rather than promising instant success. It encourages patience, intuition, integrity and professionalism.

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One beautiful spring day, Mooch and Suze go outside to play, where they quickly find … the mud. For this brother and sister mouse duo, the mud is a very fun place. Until it’s not!

When Mooch and Suze become cold and wet, they’re filled with regret. So they run off to their mother to get all cleaned up. Still filled with love for the mud, the little mice wonder: Should they go back outside to play? Turns out, Mom has a plan to save the day.

Told through memorable rhymes, Mooch and Suze Discover the Mud is a lighthearted children’s story about exploring the world with your siblings while your parents are always there to lend a helping hand.

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Thanks for thinking of buying this book or for purchasing it already. Below is what the author has provided the publisher to give you a snapshot of what you will find within, including a small biography.

This book of 317 poems by Robert J. Mack represents a creative period in the author’s life over the course of 2023 through the first part of 2026. The poems examine all facets of life, including our current culture. There are reflective and astute observations here about what makes us human beings and about the wisdom necessary to keep that humanity, with some wise words from the fictional character Uncle Runt, a West Texas rancher. Many have allusions to God’s influence. All of the poems have a short introduction.

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500 years ago, elemental crystals belonging to the thirteen Guardians of the Elements have been scattered across Elenar and now, they call on a new generation to arise.

After learning about the three missing students from Centouria City, Aiden’s mundane life gets turned upside down after nefarious devil-like creatures, Ereliyas, attack his city, dragging him and his friends into the perilous search for the thirteen elemental crystals. However, as the gears of fate tick into motion and destiny lays its silken threads around their wrists, a strange glowing woman whose face is obscured by a dawning hot pink light, follows Aiden wherever he goes, and a haunting voice whispers into his ear “Come find me.”

“What light can illuminate a darkness as piercing as fate?”

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Ricky loves adventures, playing with his dog Buster, and being part of everything, but maybe a little too much! He wiggles, blurts, and buzzes right into other people’s space without meaning to. At school his excitement sometimes gets him into trouble, and making friends feels harder than it should. Then one night, a pesky mosquito won’t leave him alone, and Ricky has a surprising thought: What if he’s acting just like that mosquito? The next day, Ricky looks at things a little differently, learning that small changes can make a big difference.

Don’t Be a Mosquito! explores self-awareness, self-regulation, impulsive behaviour, empathy, and belonging in a gentle and humorous way. Using a playful and memorable metaphor, Ricky’s story helps children notice how their actions affect others. Don’t Be a Mosquito! also encourages self-acceptance and growth, celebrating the small moments that help children feel proud of who they are.

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I was raised to believe a woman is defined by the men in her life: the father who shelters her, the brother who overshadows her, the husband who is meant to complete her. I was told a woman is nothing on her own, that her value is measured by how well she fulfils assigned roles, how much she endures, and how deeply she sacrifices.

I believed it. I carried it like a second skin through childhood, adolescence, and the years leading up to marriage. And when this belief collapsed, I was left with the most terrifying question: Who am I on my own?

It didn’t come easily. It was buried beneath years of conditioning, whispers telling me to be quiet, to endure, to not ask for more. But silence doesn’t protect you; it makes it easier for others to diminish you, to shape you into something small and manageable.

A woman can endure only so much before she realises endurance is not strength, but survival. And survival is not the same as living.

A bad marriage doesn’t only break your heart; it breaks your sense of self. It makes you question your worth, your voice, your right to exist beyond someone’s shadow. And when a man refuses to stand up for you, he is silently telling you that you are not worth the fight.

Over time, I began to understand that identity is not something granted by others, but something reclaimed. Piece by piece, I started unlearning the voices that told me to shrink, and relearning the quiet power of choosing myself, even when it felt unfamiliar and unsteady, even when it cost everything.

But I was worth the fight.

I am Aeiza, and this is a story of being told I was insignificant and learning that I never was.

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Charlie Martin is an idealistic young landscape architect fresh out of college. He dreams of finding ways to provide a better future for all humankind. His first client, a wealthy businessman with an international organization, offers him a parallel profession of being a paid assassin using his design profession as a cover. Charlie agrees, but he weaves the two professions together like a magician. He keeps the obvious in focus while secretly propelling his own ideals and vision into action. Charlie’s skills at designing assassinations merits his code name, the Designer, yet his real design baffles everyone including the FBI, and offers the world so much more.

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Baelhast once flourished with magic. Now it withers in the wake of the Cull, when it was hunted to extinction.

Arland is one of many cities that rots beneath its new rulers—the Houndsguard—who have put wolves in every alley and blood in every home.

Wulf has survived this far in gutters and on rooftops. Stubborn and reckless, he has always learned the hard way—one day, it won’t give him back. With his adoptive brother and a crew of thieves to pick up the slack, it’s just enough to survive a world already coming apart.

Until Stix is taken.

To get her back, Wulf leads his crew into the kennel—the prison no one escapes. What follows is not a rescue, but a collapse. Cells open. Blood runs. Debts are settled. And something long buried in his blood answers.

The band on his arm splits.

Fire answers.

And he hears his true name for the first time.

Aeowulf Osric.

Now—the Hounds no longer hunt a thief.

But something far worse.

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Motherless baby

Fatherless son

A spark in the void

Where once there was none …

Using original metaphor and lyrical language, PJ Starling examines the deepest sorrows and the greatest triumphs of the human experience. His work touches on the struggle to forgive oneself for past wrongs, the search for hope amidst the chaos of the modern world, and the desire for true intimacy. Each poem is a reflection of personal healing and transformation, providing unique insight into universal struggles. These heartfelt verses invite readers into a space where they are seen and free to feel without judgment.

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I must be off to the sea again

Where the waves are rolling high,

To feel the wind against my cheek

As it scatters the spray in the sky.

Whispers of Nova Scotia is a collection of Bernard W. Manzer’s verse, capturing his love for his native Nova Scotia as well as his thoughts and feelings about nature, history, and the many lessons of a long life. In this varied collection, meditations on life and death rub shoulders with playful poems about Jack Frost and water drops, as well as poems that ring with praise and gratitude. Written in the 1970s, they remain as relevant today as ever.

In calm or storm, what does it matter?

As long as I am on the water.

When I die, I hope I'll be

Riding the briny waves and buried at sea.

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“You’ve met your match, Stahlker!” I shout, holding the shiny wand in my hand tightly. It glows rapidly, feeling like an extension of my own arm.

“You wouldn’t dare,” Stahlker snarls, taking a few steps backwards. “Put it down!” she cries out, before turning and running nervously in the opposite direction.

“Never! I will never back down!” I yell, picking up speed. “You’ve eaten your last child! You’ve sucked your last soul! You’ve . . . well, whatever other crazy things you do!” I run as fast as my feet will carry me. My wand fires out beams of concentrated energy as Stahlker swiftly leaps around to dodge them. “I’m not afraid of you anymore!”

Captain Awesome is back, everybody! My broken arm is finally out of that itchy cast, and I can write again! Just in time too, because I’m still trying to get out of the sixth grade alive!

My allies are increasing, yet the number of villainous, interstellar threats has never been greater! Hard as I try to be a hero, my brain keeps getting taken over by evil forces that make me do wild things, and everyone is starting to hate me.

I have discovered why all of these bad things keep happening to me, though. It’s the adults! They ruin everything! With my faithful companion, Bearosaurus Rex, my awesome allies, and a mighty imagination, we can solve the mystery of why adults have set out to destroy my life. Join me, as I try to survive another far out week as a middle school author.

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If a person is being dragged to the bottom of the sea, manacled to an anchor, is it better that they should scream away their air in wasteful bubbles, or to find in their pocket the key to the lock that shackles them?

With the many flaws and failings of our modern society becoming more blatant every day — and more tragic with every news cycle — the original theory for social change introduced in this book is as timely as it is needed.

Although the future of humanity seems bleak, The Social Blueprint defends an ember of hope to improve society for the next generation, which doubles as a "self-help" guide to individual fulfillment and enlightenment. Abi and Ian stray from the beaten path by answering the question of how human nature became "damaged", and identifying the purpose of a human life, using original theory distilled from airtight logic, scientific inquiry, and even useful religious tenets.

Illustrated beautifully with short and insightful parables that help lead the reader along, The Social Blueprint shines light on the roadmap to improve our collective future, in 50 storied steps.

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In a world where the echoes of the past shape the trajectory of the future, Stewart F. Brennan's The Shard of Asclepius emerges as a standout addition to the supernatural, mystery thriller genres. This action-packed debut novel, the first in the New Horizons Series, is captivating readers and sparking new conversations about history, technology, and the human spirit.

Blending ancient mysteries with high-tech intrigue, Brennan introduces readers to David Collins, a Montrealer driven by intuition to unearth a technologically advanced artifact of ancient origin. This discovery plunges David into a secret war between the Order of Hermes—keepers of lost knowledge—and the Collective, a ruthless organization seeking to exploit the artifact for global dominance.

With allies and enemies across Quebec and New York State, David's journey is one of survival, discovery, and the search for humanity's place in the cosmos.

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Embark on the journey of naming your child with this beautifully illustrated and interactive journal, designed to become a cherished keepsake as it guides you to the perfect name. Inspired by Shakespeare’s timeless question “What’s in a name?” this book is the ideal gift for parents looking to make an intentional choice. Tired of showing up with blankets, bears, and bibs? This book is sure to be a baby shower must! Peek inside here: lookingoutlookingin.ca/mabey_made

Naming a child is a momentous task, one that takes more than just a moment. Parents can spend weeks and months carefully considering choices. But once the baby is born so much of the loving thought that went into the naming journey becomes forgotten and lost. This book captures that love so that it can be passed down and cherished forever. With each turn of the page your child will discover another part of what’s held in their name.

Beyond simply recording and preserving, this book aims to provoke and guide your thinking. To that end, we have taken all the possible reasons for loving a name and broken them down into six categories: Legacy; Language, Culture & Meaning; Fit: Middle & Surname; Nicknames; Associations; and Aesthetics. Our probing questions encourage deeper reflection, and the brainstorm chart allows you to compare and organize your ideas as you narrow down your top picks towards the eventual favorite. Each page is filled with hand drawn illustrations and every rhyme comes with the guarantee of being written wholly AI-free.

Every name, a story holds. All too often seldom told. But each name picked with loving care, deserves to have its story shared. That’s the guiding hook behind this unique book.

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Come along and play with me.

I wonder who we’ll chance to see. (I think I spy a rabbit.)

Hip hop, the rabbit hops

Lightly o’er the clover tops.

Springing down the garden trail,

Flashing white his fluffy tail,

Hip hop, the rabbit hops.

Come along and play with me.

I wonder who we’ll chance to see. (I think I spy a mouse.)

Tiptoe, the mouse will go

Softly through the meadow so.

From fairies and elves to snowflakes and snails, Poems and Rhymes for Special Times with Children is a collection of seasonal verses and playful rhymes for a parent or teacher to share with children ages four to eight. The poems celebrate connection to nature and the seasons as well as imagination and fun, and can be brought into movement in circle time, or accompany other learning and creative activities both at home and at school. Suggestions for how the verses can be used and enjoyed are provided throughout the book, with sections at the end on the importance of poetry for children and notes for teachers.

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What if the brightest light in the world was already shining within you?

Join George and his Gram on a joyful adventure to discover the “light within” – the warm, special feeling that comes from being yourself, doing what you love, and sharing kindness with others. As they wander through the neighborhood, George meets friends who brighten their lights in different ways - building, baking, painting, flying kites, reading, and playing. With each joyful moment, George learns that everyone’s light is unique, and that his grows brighter when he shares it with the world.

Written by Karlee J Hall, a neuroscience researcher (PhD candidate) and registered Physical Therapist, Your Light Within gently brings science-informed ideas about emotional awareness and nervous system regulation into a child-friendly story. Through George’s journey, children are invited to notice their feelings, nurture self-connection, and celebrate their unique gifts.

Created with love, this heartwarming story encourages children to feel grounded in themselves, confident in who they are, and safe to shine. A perfect read-aloud for nurturing self-love and connection, a regulated nervous system, emotional awareness, authentic expression, and a sense of inner calm - reminding us that when we connect with our own inner light, we naturally brighten the world around us.

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