Books with author Lisa McCombs

All our lives we are cautioned about "opening a Pandora's Box"; but in order to regain lost memories and overcome the devestating grief that drives her into unbearable dispair, Abby must tempt fate and open her own box of misery. In this conclusion to Lisa A. McCombs' diary trilogy, life issues of unexpected death, unavoidable depression, and an intense need for frienship bring Abigail Van Buren Masterson's school years to a close.

In life we try to avoid opening Pandora's Box in lieu of the easy life, but after the tragic death of her best friend, Abigail Van Buren Masterson is faced with the necessary decision to unlease her own Pandora's box of memories. As she battles the stages of grief to rejoin the land of the living, Abigail learns that everything has a purpose, even death.

The United Arab Emirates is a federation made up of seven small kingdoms--Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, al- Fujairah, and Ras al-Khaimah--located on the coast of the Arabian Peninsula. The UAE is considered one of the more liberal countries in the Gulf, and it has become a key ally of the United States and other Western nations.Though the UAE is small compared with its Arab neighbors, it has become important for several reasons, among them the oil controlled by the UAE and the strategic location it occupies along the Arabian Gulf, one of the world's major shipping lanes.

Throughout history tiny Qatar (pronounced "cutter" or "gutter") has at times been overlooked or forgotten. Today, however, this small country, located on a peninsula that juts into the Arabian Gulf, has become an important strategic partner of the United States. In recent years Qatar has gained international stature in part because of its vast reserves of oil and natural gas. Since coming to power in 1995, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani has made Qatar one of the more liberal Gulf states. Though the country is by no means a democracy in the Western sense, Qatar appears to be moving slowly in that direction. One day Qatar may provide a successful example of democracy for the Arab world. Discusses the geography, history, economy, government, religion, people, foreign relations, and communities of Qatar.

Bahrain is one of the smallest countries of the Arab world, but its size does not reflect its importance. This tiny nation, made up of 33 islands in the Arabian Gulf, is a key regional ally of the United States. In addition, Bahrain is one of the few countries in the Middle East that allows its people-both men and women-to participate in government, through an elected national assembly. Bahrain is far from a democracy, and the country has struggled with a religious division that has led to violence in recent years. But if Bahrain can move successfully toward a more open government, it may inspire other Middle Eastern nations to experiment with democratic principles as well. Discusses the geography, history, economy, government, religion, people, foreign relations, and major cities of Bahrain.

Video games are one of today's most popular forms of entertainment. According to the Entertainment Software Association, the U.S. computer and video game industry had software sales of $9.5 billion in 2007—an increase of more than 300 percent since 1996. Two major trends are the growth of mobile gaming and online gaming. Producing and selling successful video games is a huge collaborative effort, often requiring the skills of numerous artists, marketing specialists, musicians, producers, programmers, salespeople, and writers. Video Games examines the complexities of this highly creative industry and identifies what it takes to succeed. Featuring essential information everyone in the field should know, fast facts, tips for effective business communications and networking, and much more, this helpful new resource is written in conversational language from an insider's perspective. It provides a capsule history of video games as well as an overview of the current state of the gaming industry, a breakdown of key jobs in this field, and an extensive glossary with industry jargon.

The history of the Middle East is long and complex. In the MAJOR MUSLIM NATIONS series, the term "Middle East" refers to the region encompassing 23 countries?Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.This book provides an overview of the history of the Middle Eastern countries, along with information about the region's geography, central religious beliefs, governments and economies of the various states, cultural groups, and important communities.