Mark Noble plans a surprise proposal to his beautiful girlfriend during a romantic Caribbean vacation. But before he can pop the question, his girlfriend disappears, and his father—a world famous celebrity doctor who seems to have perfected mind-control—is killed in a mysterious fire back home in Pennsylvania.

When Mark investigates both his girlfriend’s disappearance and his father’s death, he realizes that the two events are connected. He attempts to unravel the mystery with the help of his eccentric grandmother and the courageous crew—one a former Navy SEAL—of her luxury yacht, putting all of their lives in danger as Mark faces a rich and powerful foe determined to pry from Mark a secret he doesn’t even know he possesses.

Breakneck pacing and taut plotting mark Greg Smith’s sophomore effort, a top-notch thriller with keen intelligence and shocking twists that create a brooding, vice-like compression that leaves little room to breathe.

A Q&A with J. Gregory Smith

Question: Hypnosis and mind control play a large role in A Noble Cause. What sparked that idea? Have you ever tried being hypnotized?

J. Gregory Smith: Hypnosis has always fascinated me, though I've never tried it myself. With my imagination, it would either work too well or I wouldn't give in for fear of losing control. That said, I've always heard the subjects really can't be made to do anything they really wouldn't do normally--but I couldn't let it go at that, so I came up with a sort of superhypnosis combined with a mysterious concoction that allows access to the deepest reaches of a subject's subconscious. Now we're talking power. Our hero is caught in the middle of a struggle for what such power could offer.

Q: Which character in the book was your favorite to develop?

JGS: That's a tough question for the right reasons. One of the things that was so much fun for me about this book is that the characters fell into place right along with the story. Mark, the central character, is the most "normal," and he's at the epicenter of a storm of "What would you do?" situations, so I loved seeing him forced to rise to the occasion.

Lukasz, the Navy SEAL, might be my favorite not just for his tough-guy abilities but because he has his own code of ethics--foremost loyalty--and he's willing to do anything for a friend. On the flip side, he's about the worst enemy anyone could have. What he's willing to do for Mark says a great deal about what he sees in his friend, even if Mark can't see it in himself.

Q: Your last book, Final Price, was more of a straightforward mystery. What made you decide to write a thriller? Will your Detective Paul Chang fans get to see more of him?

JGS: This book just fell into place and worked better as a fast-paced action tale. I wanted to keep the lead character reeling from one blow after another until he is forced to battle back. The characters aren't cops, but I took the craziest situation I could come up with and tossed them into it. Yes, Detective Chang and his very unconventional sidekick, Nelson, will be back in The Legacy of the Dragon [coming in March 2012], and I'm hard at work on a third installment with Chang, tentatively called Send in the Clowns.

Q: You have also published some short fiction. Do you prefer to write short stories or novels?

JGS: I prefer novels but love writing short stories. Short stories are such a different animal, but I love the way they demand an economy of thought while providing an opportunity to play with cool ideas that don't have the legs for a whole book. I have a story coming out early this year in a twisted anthology, Zippered Flesh: Tales of Body Enhancements Gone Bad.

Q: What are you reading right now?

JGS: Dove Season by Johnny Shaw.

Q: Which books have influenced you and your writing the most?

JGS: I'll skip craft books except Stephen King's On Writing, because I get at least as much inspiration as technique from it. If you want to be a writer, read that book. Then read it again. I try--emphasis on "try"--to write the kinds of books I like to read: King, Koontz, Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, Tolkien, Thomas Harris, etc. I appreciate good writing of any stripe, but I personally like stuff to happen in a story. Preferably right away.

Adam Smith's masterpiece, first published in 1776, is the foundation of modern economic thought and remains the single most important account of the rise of, and the principles behind, modern capitalism. Written in clear and incisive prose, The Wealth of Nations articulates the concepts indispensable to an understanding of contemporary society; and Robert Reich's new Introduction for this edition both clarifies Smith's analyses and illuminates his overall relevance to the world in which we live. As Reich writes, "Smith's mind ranged over issues as fresh and topical today as they were in the late eighteenth century--jobs, wages, politics, government, trade, education, business, and ethics."

Long after the government falls, one city is founded in it’s place. Residents of the city are granted bodies that never age or grow tired. During the day, residents work to reach new potentials and, since sleep isn’t needed, celebrate all night. But living in Utopia does have a catch. Guilt is a crime punishable by death. Air Dressler’s new job description lands him on the city’s firing squad. He finds it impossible to enforce the law without breaking it himself. Through long-forgotten memories and a group of reluctant rebels, Air learns how to break the city. But if he is really going to carry it out, he will have to choose between friends and ideals all the while fighting his own guilt.

What do the Honda Supercub, Intel's 8088 processor, and hydraulic excavators have in common? They are all examples of disruptive technologies that helped to redefine the competitive landscape of their respective markets. These products did not come about as the result of successful companies carrying out sound business practices in established markets. In The Innovator's Dilemma, author Clayton M. Christensen shows how these and other products cut into the low end of the marketplace and eventually evolved to displace high-end competitors and their reigning technologies.

At the heart of The Innovator's Dilemma is how a successful company with established products keeps from being pushed aside by newer, cheaper products that will, over time, get better and become a serious threat. Christensen writes that even the best-managed companies, in spite of their attention to customers and continual investment in new technology, are susceptible to failure no matter what the industry, be it hard drives or consumer retailing. Succinct and clearly written, The Innovator's Dilemma is an important book that belongs on every manager's bookshelf. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

This is a fresh and easy step-by-step guide, set up in an A-Z format. Just look up your specific health challenge and you will find the probable cause for this health issue, as well as the information you need to overcome it by creating a new thought pattern.

This anthology is a thorough introduction to classic literature for those who have not yet experienced these literary masterworks. For those who have known and loved these works in the past, this is an invitation to reunite with old friends in a fresh new format. From Shakespeare’s finesse to Oscar Wilde’s wit, this unique collection brings together works as diverse and influential as The Pilgrim’s Progress and Othello. As an anthology that invites readers to immerse themselves in the masterpieces of the literary giants, it is must-have addition to any library.

Antonio's book is a well written piece that helps people that suffer from vision loss understand where the problem comes from and the possible cures that are out there. Vision loss can be caused by a number of reasons, one of the most popular is age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, this blinding eye disease that affects millions Americans each year and hundreds of millions worldwide.

However there are ways to treat these problems and Antonio looks on most of them even the cutting edge drugs such as Eylea which helps to deal with this problem.

But age-related macular degeneration is not the only cause of vision loss and Antonio explores other causes, the early warning signs and how to prevent this happening to you and importantly if it does happen to you, exactly what to do.

This book is without a doubt one of the most important resources for people who are affected by vision loss and importantly for family members that need to understand exactly how this type of vision impairment works.

Caregivers have given the book two thumbs up in terms of understanding exactly what to do with patients that are affected by this type of disease.

Excerpt:
“Generally, eye specialists will recommend that you use telescopic glasses which are similar to ordinary eyeglasses but which have very small telescope connected to the top of the lenses. The lenses are appropriately prescribed for your particular peripheral vision. Your field of vision is changed when the head is moved up or down slightly just like when you wear bifocals. “

About the Author:
In 1999 Antonio D’Andrea was diagnosed by ophthalmologists with a disease called Central Retinal Vein Occlusion, which blocks blood flow from the retina, resulting vision loss. Antonio struggled with this for years until he decided to try everything he could do to restore his sight. After eight years of going through over forty different types of treatments he eventually settled on using steroid shots to help with weak blood vessels.

During that time Antonio documented everything he learnt about vision loss, the early symptoms, the actual causes, the possible treatments and how to cope mentally with this debilitating ailment.

Antonio now enjoys near perfect vision and can drive and operate as a person with a clear vision. He decided to publish this book so that people who are diagnosed can find an all in one resource to help them overcome vision loss.

Antonio's book is a well written piece that helps people that suffer from vision loss understand where the problem comes from and the possible cures that are out there. Vision loss can be caused by a number of reasons, one of the most popular is age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, this blinding eye disease that affects millions Americans each year and hundreds of millions worldwide.

However there are ways to treat these problems and Antonio looks on most of them even the cutting edge drugs such as Eylea which helps to deal with this problem.

But age-related macular degeneration is not the only cause of vision loss and Antonio explores other causes, the early warning signs and how to prevent this happening to you and importantly if it does happen to you, exactly what to do.

This book is without a doubt one of the most important resources for people who are affected by vision loss and importantly for family members that need to understand exactly how this type of vision impairment works.

Caregivers have given the book two thumbs up in terms of understanding exactly what to do with patients that are affected by this type of disease.

Excerpt:
“Generally, eye specialists will recommend that you use telescopic glasses which are similar to ordinary eyeglasses but which have very small telescope connected to the top of the lenses. The lenses are appropriately prescribed for your particular peripheral vision. Your field of vision is changed when the head is moved up or down slightly just like when you wear bifocals. “

About the Author:
In 1999 Antonio D’Andrea was diagnosed by ophthalmologists with a disease called Central Retinal Vein Occlusion, which blocks blood flow from the retina, resulting vision loss. Antonio struggled with this for years until he decided to try everything he could do to restore his sight. After eight years of going through over forty different types of treatments he eventually settled on using steroid shots to help with weak blood vessels.

During that time Antonio documented everything he learnt about vision loss, the early symptoms, the actual causes, the possible treatments and how to cope mentally with this debilitating ailment.

Antonio now enjoys near perfect vision and can drive and operate as a person with a clear vision. He decided to publish this book so that people who are diagnosed can find an all in one resource to help them overcome vision loss.

You were created for something amazing—and it’s time to discover what it is! Matthew Barnett, son of a well-known megachurch pastor, discovered his own cause in life when he relinquished his dream of building a big, successful church like his father’s and began listening for God’s dream for his life instead. Sensing that God was calling him to serve the poor and powerless of Los Angeles, Matthew founded the Dream Center, a beacon of hope for homeless families, drug addicts, abused women and children, victims of human trafficking, teen runaways, gang members, and many others whose lives were filled with brokenness. If you are hungry for a life full of passion instead of apathy; if you are ready to use your specific gifts and abilities to make a mark on the world; if you need to be reminded that God loves you and has a plan for your life—The Cause within You is the book that can change everything. Through his own story and the stories of others whose lives have been transformed, Matthew Barnett will lead you to the cause of your lifetime.