New Releases by James Dick

Whether its parental, platonic, or passionate, we all experience love at some point in our lives―as well as all the ups and downs that go along with it, from blissful to agonizing. In all of its myriad forms, love has been one of the greatest inspirations for poetry for as long as there have been poets, because its abundance, or lack thereof, profoundly impacts our lives in ways that are otherwise difficult to articulate. This collection of thoughtful and heartfelt poems speaks with a simple elegance, resonating with sincerity that is hard to deny, giving words to thoughts and feelings we might struggle to find on our own, and perhaps more importantly, offering comfort and assurance that, for better or worse, we are not alone. “Our thoughts, feelings, wants, needs, and fears are valid and worth sharing. All too often, we hide our thoughts and feelings from others and take on a burden that can sadly be too much for some to bear ... I want people to know that they are worthy of love, and that they need to convey their thoughts and feelings when they are struggling, so they do not have to go through those struggles alone.” ~ Rodney James Dick

The cold damp weather in Hampton Roads reminds Police Officer Andrew Dick of just how miserable an unimposing evening can sometimes be. Some nights, the cold air triggers his thoughts to drift into the distant past--to an incident so dreadful he pretends the images are remnants of someone else's nightmare. Tonight, a concerned citizen has requested that the police check on the welfare of her elderly neighbor because she hadn't seen him for several days. A short time after arriving, his routine call turns into a death investigation case when he discovers the neighbor has committed suicide. After considering the visual evidence, he has a sense that he didn't want to die and believed just as much that he didn't want to live. Either way, the end is the same, but there is a difference. After the holidays, Officer Dick accepts an early retirement from the police department. His newfound situation at home unexpectedly exacerbates his already strained marriage. Unable to reconcile, his wife moves in with their oldest daughter. The separation proves overwhelming, so he opts to leave his home of thirty years for a small apartment nearby. His sterile existence is perplexing and leaves him unable to anchor his thoughts to the present. Directionless and incapable of dealing with the day-to-day task of living, he finds solace sitting in his favorite chair where he incessantly, stares out the bedroom window. Each night, he plunges into a voyage of changing paths, allowing his thoughts to travel back in time while growing up in Pittsburgh. A long and fruitful life had given him many moments to reflect upon, but something was missing. It was the therapeutic quality of hearing someone else's voice in his voiceless world. The more he dreams, the more he wants to remember long-forgotten moments. In his quest to understand his current situation, he discovers there are faceless memories hidden in his past. These were moments his eyes could not see but felt inside his heart. After a series of sleepless nights, he eventually fell into a deep slumber and pulled into a never-ending stream of dreams. Images appear out of thin air, each more pleasing than the one before until he senses something wrong. After waking, he realizes that the worst of all his memories had found its way into his dreams. Sometimes life doesn't make sense, and events don't always happen for the best of reasons. The inexplicable occurs just because it does, and when that happens, it can pull the unsuspecting into a never-ending nightmare.

"The Long Road Forward" is the second book in Author James Dick's Coastal Carolina series, following "The Long Road Back." The series traces the return of fictional former Confederate soldier Josh Eldridge to life in Currituck County, North Carolina and his trials, tribulations and successes as he finds his way forward. It picks up where book one left off in late 1873 and covers his determining how to weather the Great Depression of 1873 for his tugboat transportation business and his dedication to growing the faithful. It contains joy and excitement, pain and suffering, a look at family life in those days and the importance of faith. It is a time when the unknown and isolated Outer Banks of North Carolina begin recognition as a destination for sportsmen and vacationers and faces the difficulties required to overcome the force of nature in that fragile coastal area. James writes about this beautiful area based upon his experiences and the stories he was told in youthful summers living there. His first book on the area, a true story entitled "Summers at Old Nags Head," detailed his personal adventures and fun times on that beautiful shore in the 1950's and '60's.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would marry a "Horse Lady," a beautiful but stubborn woman who lived, breathed and dreamed horses. But from the day I met her, I felt her impact on my life and it was profound. It convinced me first to spend considerable time at the barn, a place which I never even thought of previously. And it motivated me to want to learn how to care for and learn to love horses as well, since all " horse ladies" live by the motto: "Love me, love my horses." So, after nearly seventeen year of being a "Horse Husband", I decided it was time to document this lifestyle which has changed me so much. Who says old dogs can't learn new tricks?Confessions of a "Horse Husband" is a story of learning, making mistakes, paying for those mistakes with bruises and painful toes among other body parts, but also having fun, enjoying the fresh air and open space and experiencing love like I never knew before. It is my story in my own words about some of the most memorable moments in my life. Living with a "Horse Lady" is never dull, it's full of surprises and it covers many situations, many wonderful and some not so much. Many extremes are faced such as feeding horses on cold, frosty mornings as well as hot and humid oppressive Florida summers; from enjoying a trail ride with my wife and other equestrians to having a big toe crunched by a twelve hundred pound mare; or even waking up to find that over a dozen stalls must be stripped and re-bedded or even directing parking for participants at an equestrian event where the ground is a quagmire under a cold, pouring rain. And, of course, for laughs there's the story of the pony and goat getting loose in the feed room after devouring roses, or sitting up all night with a sick horse or a mare preparing to foal. The book includes beauty, pride, joy, love, humor, sadness and so much more.There's Hailey the "Boss Mare", who rules the herd completely. Then there's the old man, Gabe, a gelding in the twilight of his years yet still capable of causing a surprise when he wants. Or what about Flannel Jams, the retired track horse who has a wonderful disposition unless you come on to strong. And we can't leave out the ponies, like bulky and strong Charm, a beauty who loves to tease, just like her mother who gained the nickname, the "Pony of the Corn". And these are just a few of those wonderful animals that "The Horse Lady" and I have fed, watered and cared for as part of our family.But make no mistake, the real "Boss Mare" of our family herd is not a horse, but "The Horse Lady" jerself. Come take a ""look see" at our story, if you love horses it's a "no brainer". If you know nothing about horses you might learn something of interest and have some fun to boot. It's about living an active lifestyle and loving it. You can't sleep in on Saturday with horses but you find that you don't want to.Come join us and find out why this "Horse Husband", despite a few questioning moments, wouldn't change his lifestyle for anything.

Virology -- Innate Immunity -- Poxvirus.

Is economic freedom a necessary condition for political freedom? What can the government do about unemployment? Why would governments limit international trade? Students use questions such as these to help them make essential connections between economics and civics/government.