Muffled Voices

Contributed articles.

Tembeli is a beautiful island in Muzanga located somewhere in the heart of the Niger Delta, an island so lavishly blessed by nature with natural and material resources. The people lived in perfect harmony until Oilgate, a multinational Oil company struck its first oil well in Tembeli. Ever since then, things have never been the same in Tembeli.For long, the people found it themselves in a period of no peace. Faced with intimidation and marginalization by the military government of Muzanga, who felt that their crude oil revenue base was being threatened by Tembelis outcry for environmental violations by Oilgate, the people vowed to defend their kingdom with the last drop of their blood. This is a story that was never told and will touch even a heart as cold as steel.

A young girl learns how to cope with her noise sensitivity and step outside of her comfort zone in this “thoughtful” (Beth Turley, author of If This Were a Story and The Last Tree Town), heartwarming middle grade novel that’s perfect for fans of Tune It Out by Jamie Sumner and El Deafo by Cece Bell. Ten-year-old Amelia does not like noise. From subway brakes to squeaky sneakers, she is sensitive to sound, just like her dad. Amelia has always worn noise-canceling headphones, but now that she’s going into fifth grade, her parents want her to stop wearing them. To make matters worse, she must learn to play an instrument! Or, as Amelia sees it, make noise on purpose. To help Amelia cope, her father gives her a pair of earmuffs to wear instead. Even with her new earmuffs, Amelia struggles at school…until she gets partnered with Madge in music class. Madge is loud and bold and goofy—everything Amelia is not. And so Amelia is surprised when Madge wants to be friends. Still, it’s not long though before Amelia’s quiet nature clashes with Madge’s loud personality. And when Madge disappears after an argument, Amelia fears Madge might be in trouble. If she’s going to help her friend, she will have to find a way to let in the noisy world she’s muffled for so long.

In the scorching summer of 1976—the hottest since records began—Christopher Norton, his wife Laura and their young daughter Faye settle into their new home in north London. The faded glory of the Victorian house is the perfect place for Norton, a composer of film soundtracks, to build a recording studio of his own. But soon in the long, oppressively hot nights, Laura begins to hear something through the crackle of the baby monitor. First, a knocking sound. Then come the voices.For Norton, the voices mark an exciting opportunity. Putting his work to one side, he begins the project of a lifetime—a grand symphony incorporating the voices±—and becomes increasingly obsessed with one voice in particular. Someone who is determined to make themselves heard . . .

From award-winning author Jessie Haas, nine interconnected tales about kids and their love of animals In “The Wake,” fifteen-year-old Kris tries to comfort her great-aunt Mil, who is grief stricken over the death of Puttins, her old cat and longtime companion. With her grave, golden-brown eyes and long, graceful paws, “The Greyhound” is almost human . . . and Kris’s friend Phillip is determined to save this special, endangered dog. Even if her father doesn’t understand her love of animals, Kris realizes that your “Extended Family” can be as big as you want it to be, including cherished pets and not just your (sometimes unlovable) blood ties. “Horse Man” is James MacLiesh, who believes he was “bred to ride,” just as horses were “bred to be ridden.” And in the title story, James is torn between loyalty to his faithful horse Robbie and his dreams of glory with a sleek, majestic steed named Avatar. Everything changes when horse and rider get lost and James has to depend on Robbie, whose ancient animal understanding lights the trail home and leads them to a surprising destination. These and the other stories in this collection illuminate the powerful, enduring bond between animals and people.

In the unseasonable heat of a spring morning in 80 B.C., Gordianus the Finder is summoned to the house of Cicero, a young advocate staking his reputation on a case involving the savage murder of the wealthy, sybaritic Sextus Roscius. Charged with the murder is Sextus's son, greed being the apparent motive. The punishment, rooted deep in Roman tradition, is horrific beyond imagining. The case becomes a political nightmare when Gordianus's investigation takes him through the city's raucous, pungent streets and deep into rural Umbria. Now, one man's fate may threaten the very leaders of Rome itself.

When Temptation, Secrets, Betrayal and Heartbreak Collide! It seems as if the no strings attached relationship between Marcus and Natalie has left them in quite the predicament. Marcus, the handsome successful bachelor, now finds himself in the role of soon-to-be father while trying to sort out his feelings for three different women. There’s Natalie, the pleasant distraction turned soon-to-be mother of his child; Chanel, his rebound ex-girlfriend and former friend of Lisa, the woman he was once madly in love with and wanted to marry. Deep down, Marcus wants to be a good man but he's finding it hard to be with one woman when his heart is cut into pieces. Natalie, the not-so- innocent bystander in this whole ordeal has a secret she's fighting hard to keep. If she confesses her sins the baby she's carrying might not be enough to hold on to the man she yearns for. But Marcus isn't the only one with options. Jackson, her generous and supportive boss, is offering her a sweet escape from all the drama. Will Marcus choose love with Natalie or head in another direction? And if he does choose Natalie, will she still be there waiting to welcome him home. Delve into part two of this entertaining thought-provoking series that expertly illustrates what can happen when you allow lust to determine your direction. There could be consequences and repercussions of epic proportions that leave you asking the question, "Where Do We Go From Here?"