Essays

by Sarah Bantu

**About the Story** What if the key to your survival was locked inside a secret, ancient bloodline?\ Spun from a fascinating true piece of Russian history and set against the brutal, breathtaking backdrop of the frozen north, *Daughter of the Falcon* blends gripping suspense with an unforgettable romance.\ For centuries, deep within the endless, snow covered forests, an elite and hidden clan of warriors lived by their own laws. They did not just survive the winter they ruled it, training lethal military falcons to hunt, fight, and protect secrets hidden from the world. Today, that fierce bloodline legacy is alive, but the isolation of the frozen north is cracking. A dangerous, unpredictable threat is closing in, forcing old secrets into the light and testing the loyalty of a clan that has never bowed to anyone.\ Filled with high stakes twists, deep betrayal, and a slow burn love story that burns hot against the bitter ice, this fiction novel proves that some family histories can never stay buried. Step into a harsh, beautiful world where danger hides in every shadow, trust is a luxury, and you never know what's going to happen next. Discover what happens when the frost bites deep, and the falcon finally takes flight.

by Ed Quest

If you are beginning the journey to college, you will find a lot of misleading information on what is a “Good College.” After visiting over 300 schools over more than a decade and profiling many more virtually during a pandemic, I know what a good college *is not*. - It *is not* the school that ranks highest in a magazine study. - It *is not* the school that denies admission to the vast majority who apply. - It *is not* the school whose graduates earn the highest salaries right out of the gate, or even five or ten years later. - Nor is it the school whose entering freshmen have the highest test scores. \ I wrote *The Good College* to challenge “conventional wisdom” about admissions, value and costs, academics and college reputations and rankings, and help families address critical campus issues, to set "musts and wants," and make their own lists and choices. There’s a lot of learn about such practices as merit aid, honors colleges, “return on investment,” “cost of attendance” and more, to learn why colleges "do what they do." After reading *The Good College*, you will discover that many best practices in higher education are not limited to the most selective schools. A Good College does right by the students it attracts, even if they did not have “perfect” grades and test scores in high school.