A Change Of Tune

Violinist Victoria Pearson dreams of attending Johann Conservatory of Music in New York City for graduate school. As the oldest of five sisters, she hopes to escape her Midwestern college town and hectic family situation to fulfill her passion in life—music. But when she decides to participate in Belton University's Concerto competition to bolster her chances of acceptance, Victoria finds herself competing against her sister Adrienne and lifelong cellist friend Jerry Chang. This sets in motion a rivalry that questions the roles of sisterhood, friendship, and maybe love. Victoria wants to maintain the rigors required of a professional classical musician without losing her family and friends, not to mention her sanity, in the process. The demands of her large family might hinder her ability to achieve her dreams. What sacrifices will she make to reach her goals, and are they worth the cost? A new, twenty-first-century generation of little women takes the stage in A Change in Tune.

Trill is tall, shy, and awkward. Only music makes her feel at ease. And she loves to create music on different types of instruments--like using cooking pots as drums. Full color.

After dropping out of art school Andy finds himself unemployed and living with his overbearing parents, but things become more interesting when he is offered an unknown job from two strange out of towners.

From the author of the acclaimed Roll with It comes a moving novel about a girl with a sensory processing disorder who has to find her own voice after her whole world turns upside down. Lou Montgomery has the voice of an angel, or so her mother tells her and anyone else who will listen. But Lou can only hear the fear in her own voice. She’s never liked crowds or loud noises or even high fives; in fact, she’s terrified of them, which makes her pretty sure there’s something wrong with her. When Lou crashes their pickup on a dark and snowy road, child services separate the mother-daughter duo. Now she has to start all over again at a fancy private school far away from anything she’s ever known. With help from an outgoing new friend, her aunt and uncle, and the school counselor, she begins to see things differently. A sensory processing disorder isn’t something to be ashamed of, and music might just be the thing that saves Lou—and maybe her mom, too.

"A handbook for compassion... a Must-Read Music Book.” —Rolling Stone Country "Generous and big-hearted, Gauthier has stories to tell and worthwhile advice to share." —Wally Lamb, author of I Know This Much Is True "Gauthier has an uncanny ability to combine songwriting craft with a seeker’s vulnerability and a sage’s wisdom.” —Amy Ray, Indigo Girls From the Grammy nominated folk singer and songwriter, an inspiring exploration of creativity and the redemptive power of song Mary Gauthier was twelve years old when she was given her Aunt Jenny’s old guitar and taught herself to play with a Mel Bay basic guitar workbook. Music offered her a window to a world where others felt the way she did. Songs became lifelines to her, and she longed to write her own, one day. Then, for a decade, while struggling with addiction, Gauthier put her dream away and her call to songwriting faded. It wasn’t until she got sober and went to an open mic with a friend did she realize that she not only still wanted to write songs, she needed to. Today, Gauthier is a decorated musical artist, with numerous awards and recognition for her songwriting, including a Grammy nomination. In Saved by a Song, Mary Gauthier pulls the curtain back on the artistry of songwriting. Part memoir, part philosophy of art, part nuts and bolts of songwriting, her book celebrates the redemptive power of song to inspire and bring seemingly different kinds of people together.

The last century has seen radical social changes in Ireland, which have impacted all aspects of local life but none more so than traditional Irish music, an increasingly important identity marker both in Ireland and abroad. The author focuses on a small village in County Clare, which became a kind of pilgrimage site for those interested in experiencing traditional music. He begins by tracing its historical development from the days prior to the influx of visitors, through a period called "the Revival," in which traditional Irish music was revitalized and transformed, to the modern period, which is dominated by tourism. A large number of incomers, locally known as "blow-ins," have moved to the area, and the traditional Irish music is now largely performed and passed on by them. This fine-grained ethnographic study explores the commercialization of music and culture, the touristic consolidation and consumption of "place," and offers a critique of the trope of "authenticity," all in a setting of dramatic social change in which the movement of people is constant.

Set in the mid-1970s, this musical odyssey and coming-of-age story follows the adventures of a struggling rock band as they try to make it big. Band leader Daniel Travers' life is a mess and he can't find a way out. His band, the Killjoys, is going nowhere and the amphetamines he's popping are making him crazy. Then out of nowhere, an agent calls with a week-long gig at a hot club in Washington where he was told Jimi Hendrix and Heart got their starts. With an imagined Pete Townshend whispering encouragment, Daniel and the Killjoys are off to a tumultuous week filled with inner-band turmoil, a cheating club owner, bar-brawling bikers, and lots of women.

Connect with your Spirit with practical, daily routines that will unleash your true spiritual self. Join New York Times best-selling author and internationally renowned teacher and intuitive guide Sonia Choquette as she reveals a simple four-step plan for achieving lifelong inner transformation. In this revised and expanded edition of her book The Power of Your Spirit—and distilled from more than 35 years of helping others get in touch with their true selves and discover their souls’ purpose—Sonia provides profound yet accessible wisdom to those seeking to transcend the strictures of an ego-driven existence and experience the joy and fulfillment of an intuitively guided, Spirit-driven life. Illuminated with even more engaging and powerful stories of personal transformation from her life and practice than in the original version, this invaluable book instructs seekers at all stages of their spiritual journeys how to directly tune in to their intuition. Sonia also provides additional practical exercises and rituals—including breathing techniques, visualizations, journaling questions, and a step-by-step guide to setting up and using a personal altar—to help us place our intuition at the helm of our spiritual quests and in the heart of our daily lives. Whether you’re just beginning to tap into your intuition or are already living in the flow, Tune In offers a wealth of inspiration that will enable you to engage more deeply with your inner Spirit, your authentic Self, and live a more rewarding, fearless, and compassionate life.