Books with author Don Thompson

Pacifica, 2415As told by Wick, royal cat of the House of BlackshearOn a plaza at the edge of downtown San Francisco, Finn--arriving with a broken down, burned out egg-shaped ship--steps out of a time portal and is found by teen royals Oz and Drew. With no memory of who or from which When he is, Finn becomes a puzzle that time-traveler Oz wants to solve, with the help of Drew, a cat named Wick, and the extremely touch-phobic Emperor.As they come closer to the answers Finn needs, Oz realizes that the question isn't who Finn might be and When he's from, but about who the Emperor is. He saved her father's life when he was a little boy, but while her father aged the Emperor did not, and no one knows where he came from or why he refuses to be touched.Oz has described him as an icon of the city and protector of all, but now she wonders: where did he come from, and who is the Emperor, really? She has the ability to move through time, and she's willing to go back and find out.

This book is a re-telling of the classic poem by Clement Clarke Moore and features the Gnomes that inhabit Placerville, California.In 1849 miners flocked to what is now Placerville, California, in search of gold. Before the prospectors arrived, the forests and streams were home to little curious gnomes. Throughout the town's history, these gnomes have hidden in plain sight and delighted in the antics of humans, borrowing items from them to decorate their homes, and living in unused space. In modern times, the gnomes of Placerville have come out of hiding and can be found people-watching on Main Street, or wherever large crowds gather. These gnomes, and their exploits can be found on social media by searching the hashtag #PVGnomey.

Ministering to troubled youth can easily tarnish a person's reputation.Mr. Bones, always striving to reach those falling through society's cracks, often finds his head on the chopping block.He isn't stupid; he knows all too well that it only takes one false allegation to ruin his career and his reputation throughout the community. But it's worth the risk... or is it?Carlos Estrada, his newest client, is different than most of the others the young probation officer supervises. With Carlos having a history of acting out sexually, Mr. Bones must proceed with caution.It's difficult to persuade a person to change his life around when he doesn't think he's doing anything wrong. Can Mr. Bones help Carlos before Carlos gets the best of him?If you've already read the first two books in the Worthy Battle series, you won't want to miss this one! Buy your copy of Reprogramming Carlos today to see if it's possible to redeem the teen before he ruins his own life.

Alice Cooper is an American rock star whose career has spanned more than four decades. With a stage show that features guillotines, electric chairs, boa constrictors and baby dolls, Cooper has pioneered a grandly theatrical and violent brand of hard rock designed to shock. Drawing from exclusive and unpublished interviews with a variety of names and faces from throughout Alice’s career, the book follows Cooper’s tale from his life growing up as a preacher’s son in Arizona, through the early years of struggle in Phoenix and then Los Angeles, and then onto the rollercoaster ride that has been the years since then. Includes interviews with original bandmates Michael Bruce and the late Glenn Buxton, drummer Neal Smith, the late Frank Zappa, manager Shep Gordon and producer Bob Ezrin. Includes tributes and recollections from many of the artists who call Alice an influence - from the Damned and the Cramps, to White Zombie and Gwar. Session players and songwriters who have made their own contributions to the Alice story recall their days spent with this Prince of Hell-raisers. Includes full discography and bibliography.

The $12 Million Stuffed Shark delves into the economics and psychology of the contemporary art world – artists, dealers, auction houses, and wealthy collectors. If it’s true – as so often said – that 85 percent of new contemporary art is bad, why were record prices achieved at auction for works by 131 contemporary artists in 2006 alone, with astonishing new heights reached in 2007? The $12 Million Stuffed Shark explores money, lust, and the self-aggrandizement of possession in an attempt to determine what makes a particular work of art valuable while others are ignored. In the style of the bestselling Freakonomics, Thompson uses economic concepts to explain the unique practices employed, to great success, in the international contemporary art market. He discusses branding and marketing and how various strategies are tailored to a wealthy clientele, driving a "must-have" culture. Drawing on exclusive interviews with both past and present executives of auction houses and art dealerships, artists, and the buyers who move the market, Thompson launches the reader on a surprising journey of discovery.From the Hardcover edition.

Some might describe him as a spoiled wealthy brat overcome with entitlement issues.Dawson prefers to view himself as an attractive biracial male who just so happens to belong to the upper class.At fifteen, the boy has learned that money has many advantages. It can be used for bribing authorities, getting his peers to wait on him hand and foot, and even for plotting revenge.When Mr. Bones practically forces the teen into a mentoring relationship, Dawson’s rebellion rises to new heights. If he can’t buy the guy off, he’ll anger him to the point where Mr. Bones will voluntarily walk away.If only someone would have warned him about how stubborn that probation officer could be!This is going to be war!Reforming Dawson is a clean, inspirational novel about the power of one individual to make a difference. If you enjoy fiction stories that offer hope, encourage spiritual growth, and challenge you to get out of your comfort zone, you will love not only Reforming Dawson, but every book in the Worthy Battle series. Get your copy today!

Meet Peanut, a tiny lamb born on a farm one summer. The farmers, Jim and Laura, soon noticed that Peanut was different than other lambs. She stayed close to her mother and showed no interest in playing with the other lambs. She bobbed her head and appeared to be listening to even the smallest of noises. That’s when Jim and Laura realized: Peanut had been born blind. How would she survive? This is the joyful and true story about how a lamb overcame a lot of hard challenges to become a happy and healthy member of her flock. And she also became the star of Blind Faith Farm.

The Adventure Comic Strip is Back -- With a Twist -- in "Rip Haywire." This is a collection of Rip Haywire's first year of comic strips— Rip Haywire is a soldier of fortune, a brave, square-jawed man of honor who lives for danger. Accompanied on adventures of chance by his cowardly dog TNT and his venomous ex-girlfriend Cobra, Rip tracks down lost treasure, takes down madmen and takes on any job that promises heart-pounding action, peril and intrigue! And, of course, humor.

The Dark Eve returns to the high seas and the notorious Captain Acantha struggles with how to move forward. After Acantha’s capture by the witch in Woodmor and the lives lost, she becomes consumed with a revengeful road. While working to recover, Acantha finds a fortuneteller who reveals the path she must travel. The soothsayer points to an ancient lost treasure, The Golden Catacombs, which hold the secrets of her past and future. During their journey the conjurer strikes again. Acantha is seize by the witch’s spell repeatedly through their travels throwing her back into the haunted past to thwart her progress. The obstacles seem overwhelming, especially with the dark power lurking uncontrollably inside and Acantha finds deciding who lives and dies hard to govern. Acantha discovers they are all trapped in a curse and until it is broken, she is an instrument, and her family is leverage.