Audiobooks narrated by Nicole Vilencia

Secret Service Dogs: The Heroes Who Protect the President of the United States

In an age fraught with terrorism, United States Secret Service canine teams risk their lives to safeguard the president, vice president, their families, visiting heads of state, and a host of others. Unprecedented access to these heroic dog teams has allowed a fascinating first-time-ever look at a very special breed of heroes. Wherever the president goes, there will be dogs. They’ll be there no matter what the country or state. They’ll be there regardless of the political climate, the danger level, the weather, or the hour. “If you let down your guard on the job,” says Special Agent Bill G., canine program manager, “it can change the history of the world.” It’s a burden Secret Service dog handlers take extremely seriously regardless of their specialty. Tactical dog handlers on the White House lawn, handlers whose dogs sniff for explosives around the world, and those who walk their amiable floppy-eared dogs up and down Pennsylvania Avenue all live one common mantra: Not on my watch. Or my dog’s. Secret Service Dogs immerses readers into the heart of this elite world of canine teams who protect first families, popes, and presidential candidates: the selection of dogs and handlers, their year-round training, their missions around the world, and, most important, the bond—the glue that holds the teams together and can mean the difference between finding bombs and terrorists or letting them slip by. “These animals will gladly run into a hail of gunfire,” says '"Stew," a Secret Service ERT tactical canine unit supervisor. “All they ask in return is for their handlers to throw the ball with them, pet them, and talk to them in an embarrassingly high voice.” Secret Service Dogs celebrates the Secret Service’s most unforgettable canine heroes. It is a must-read for fans of Maria Goodavage, anyone who wants a rare inside view of the United States Secret Service, or just loves dogs. From the Hardcover edition.

Clint Hill, Maria Goodavage (Author), Nicole Vilencia (Narrator)

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Red Flags: A Kate Reilly Mystery

When Kate Reilly arrives in Long Beach, California, a week ahead of the Grand Prix, she is immediately plunged into a new social scene?as well as a murder investigation. Her cousin Billy is found dead, with Kate's card in his pocket. The cops want to know why, and sponsors and race organizers?anxious to keep racing's image clean?want Kate to investigate. Doubting she can solve another murder, especially that of a relative she despised, Kate reluctantly agrees. At the same time, coaching a gorgeous and talented actress for a celebrity race brings Kate into the orbit of Hollywood's hottest bachelor. And then a local FBI agent takes notice of more than her driving and sleuthing skills. She goes from Sony Studios to Venice Beach and from Rodeo Drive to the Hollywood Hills, attending parties, power shopping, and dodging unwelcome paparazzi. Kate's ballooning media exposure generates national commentary, testing her composure and forcing her to get ahead of the stories?whether critical or flattering. Kate's professional dreams are also coming true. The upcoming Grand Prix is her first race with a new sponsor that is also funding an IndyCar test drive and a ride in next year's Indy 500?along with future possibilities in NASCAR. The downside? New sponsor Frame Savings is owned by her family, and its management, outside of her long-estranged father, is unfriendly to her-even rivalrous. Kate must stay on her toes as the Long Beach race weekend begins. She's negotiating the next steps in her career, driving two race cars and coaching a third, discovering more about the disreputable members of her father's family than she wanted to know, and juggling questions and murder suspects. On the track, red flags fly to warn her of danger. Off track, Kate struggles to interpret warning signs and stay out of a killer's grasp. "The protagonist is a race car driver, and in reading this mystery, you learn about the 'mechanics' of being in the racing world. The plot is well-paced and the dialogue is sassy. A fun read."-NetGalley

Tammy Kaehler (Author), Nicole Vilencia (Narrator)

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Avoidable Contact: A Kate Reilly Mystery

Racer Kate Reilly is suited up and ready for the start of the legendary 24 Hours of Daytona. But what lies ahead is not just a racing challenge but a harrowing test of her will and nerve off the course. Even before the green flag waves over Daytona International Speedway, Kate receives word that her boyfriend, Stuart, is hospitalized nearby in a coma, fighting for his life after a hit-and-run. Stunned by the news, Kate can do nothing better for Stuart than complete her scheduled laps driving her team's car. But more shocks follow as Daytona's clock starts ticking: An on-track accident ends tragically. Some of her complicated family is spotted with other teams-why? And an eyewitness claims Stuart was run down deliberately by someone from the race paddock. Alternating stints behind the wheel of the team's Corvette with stretches of quizzing colleagues and searching for clues, Kate circles the police and taps every possible source-friend, foe, and family-to find out who's after Stuart and why. As the race clock counts down to zero hour, Kate must come to terms with her own fears rising from her past and decide who she's willing to trust. Only then can she identify who's willing to kill to keep a secret buried. "Snappy dialogue, a smart and affable heroine, and pacing reminiscent of 24 combine to make this entry as exciting as a spin around the speedway."-Publishers Weekly

Tammy Kaehler (Author), Nicole Vilencia (Narrator)

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Braking Points: A Kate Reilly Mystery

Kate Reilly can't remember a worse time in her life, on track or off. She wrecks her race car at Road America in Wisconsin, sending a visiting NASCAR star to the hospital, and loses her cool on camera, only to end the day by discovering her boyfriend with a friend of hers-a now-dead friend. With little time to grieve, Kate finds herself the pariah of the racing world and the target of vicious e-mail messages, death threats, and a frenzy of blame on racing sites and blogs, including that of an influential, anonymous blogger who's trying to get her fired. But nothing is as bad as knowing her friend's killer is still out there-and now aiming at her. She's riding a roller coaster of emotion, juggling an exciting new sponsor, a boyfriend she's not sure she can trust, and newfound family she doesn't want to claim. Dodging unfavorable media attention and a pit reporter with a bias against women in racing, Kate redeems herself at the next race by delivering stunning performances behind the wheel at Petit Le Mans, the ten-hour endurance classic. During the championship race weekend, undercurrents of threats from all sides rev Kate's nerves to their limits. From races to sponsor parties and awards banquet, she stays on top of the action-and a step ahead of the murderer-seeking motives, uncovering secrets, and pinpointing powerful ambitions. Ultimately she learns that no one can escape the past-but only a murderer is driven by it. "Kaehler's second Kate Reilly mystery races through a packed plot and skillful dialogue nearly as expertly as driver Kate threads her way through a racecourse...Fast-paced fun."-Publishers Weekly

Tammy Kaehler (Author), Nicole Vilencia (Narrator)

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My First Time: Top Ad Creatives Talk about Their First Commercial (Ad or Site) and What They Learned

All you've heard about the crazy world of advertising doesn't even come close. From the top ad people all over the world-the ones who create the best television commercials and ads: the ones you love, the ones you remember, the ones you wish you had thought of yourself-come their own stories, in their own words, about the first work they ever did ... and lived to talk about, barely. They talk about the zaniness and craziness; they talk about the good guys and the bad girls, and vice versa; they talk about things you think can only happen on television or in the movies but actually happened to these people. You may not believe what you hear, but in the ad world, you may not believe what you see, either. Just a few of the top creative leaders whose stories you'll hear are Mark Fitzloff, Susan Hoffman, Ted Royer, Rosie Arnold, and Jeremy Craigen. Each track includes a bonus section with the authors reading their own stories "in their own voice"

Phil Growick (Author), Mike Chamberlain, Nicole Vilencia, Various Readers, Various Readers (Narrator)

Audiobook

Divider-in-Chief: The Fraud of Hope and Change

When Barack Obama ran on a platform of "hope and change" four years ago, he promised to unite the country. But as Kate Obenshain reveals in Divider-in-Chief, Obama has done exactly the opposite. Rather than seeking common sense, pro-American solutions, he has pursued far-left policies, a radical leftist agenda, and an attitude that's both condescending and dismissive of Main Street America. As a result, America has become a nation of even greater polarization and disillusionment. In Divider-in-Chief, Obenshain exposes how Obama pushed for the HHS mandate, forcing people of faith to violate their conscience; how Obama has condoned the actions of Occupy Wall Street, saying, "You are the reason I ran for office," while he vilifies free markets and businessmen across America; how Obama seizes on opportunities to highlight racial discord and then accuses any critic of being "a racist"; and that, although Obama ran as a champion for the downtrodden, the unemployment rate is disproportionately high among minorities and women. Obenshain paints a picture of a president who promotes class warfare, aggravating racial, gender, and economic differences in order to advance his ideological agenda. Searing and controversial, Divider-in-Chief makes the case that we must defeat Barack Obama before he tears our nation apart. "Kate Obenshain's new book Divider-in-Chief is an outstanding exposé of the hypocrisy, cynicism, and, extremism of the Obama administration. He claimed to be a uniter, but Kate's book identifies where and how he has been the ultimate divider of Americans. If Obama is shown the door after the 2012 election, Kate's book will be one of the reasons why everyone needs to read this before November!"-Sean Hannity, host of Hannity's America

Kate Obenshain (Author), Nicole Vilencia (Narrator)

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Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America's Canine Heroes

A leading dog-blogger offers a tour of military working dogs' extraordinary training, heroic accomplishments, and the lasting impact they have on those who work with them. People all over the world have been riveted by the story of Cairo, the Belgian Malinois who was a part of the Navy SEAL team that led the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound. A dog's natural intelligence, physical abilities, and pure loyalty contribute more to our military efforts than ever before. You don't have to be a dog lover to be fascinated by the idea that a dog-the cousin of that furry guy begging for scraps under your table-could be one of the heroes who helped execute the most vital and high-tech military mission of the new millennium. Now Maria Goodavage, editor and featured writer for one of the world's most widely read dog blogs, tells heartwarming stories of modern soldier dogs and the amazing bonds that develop between them and their handlers. Beyond tales of training, operations, retirement, and adoption into the families of fallen soldiers, Goodavage talks to leading dog-cognition experts about why dogs like nothing more than to be on a mission with a handler they trust, no matter how deadly the IEDs they are sniffing out, nor how far they must parachute or rappel from aircraft into enemy territory. "Military working dogs live for love and praise from their handlers," says Ron Aiello, president of the United States War Dogs Association and a former marine scout-dog handler. "The work is all a big game, and then they get that pet, that praise. They would do anything for their handler." This is an unprecedented window into the world of these adventurous, loving warriors. "Maria has proven her passion for the subject of military dogs with many emotionally engaging stories about these dedicated canines and the people who share their lives. She is the perfect combination of news reporter and dog lover."-Tracie Hotchner, author of The Dog Bible, praise for the author **Please contact member services for additional documents.**

Maria Goodavage (Author), Nicole Vilencia (Narrator)

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Freeing Yourself from Anxiety: Four Simple Steps to Overcome Worry and Create the Life You Want

We all know what is healthy to think and what is not, much like we know that eating an apple is better than gorging on donuts. But once we start thinking anxious thoughts, it is tough to move from disaster to reality. Our brain can ruin our day. The road map to happiness can be found in Freeing Yourself from Anxiety. Unlike most guides, Dr. Tamar Chansky's book explains that the solution is not positive thinking but possible thinking. Armed with her strategies, listeners can achieve accurate perceptions of their lives that can liberate them from fear and perfectionism. For the estimated 25 percent of Americans who have an anxiety problem, Freeing Yourself from Anxiety provides the step-by-step tools for living stress-free, without medications.

Tamar E. Chansky (Author), Nicole Vilencia (Narrator)

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Freeing Yourself from Anxiety: Four Simple Steps to Overcome Worry and Create the Life You Want

Tamar E. Chansky (Author), Nicole Vilencia (Narrator)

Audiobook

Retirement Heist: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers

It's no secret that hundreds of companies have been slashing pensions and health coverage earned by millions of retirees. Employers blame an aging workforce, stock market losses, and spiraling costs-a perfect storm of external forces that has forced them to take drastic measures. But this so-called retirement crisis is no accident. Award-winning investigative reporter Ellen E. Schultz reveals how large companies and the retirement industry-benefits consultants, insurance companies, and banks-have all played a huge, hidden role in the death spiral of American pensions and benefits. A little over a decade ago, most companies had more than enough set aside to pay the benefits earned by two generations of workers, no matter how long they lived. But by exploiting loopholes, ambiguous regulations, and new accounting rules, companies essentially turned their pension plans into piggy banks, tax shelters, and profit centers. Drawing on original analysis of company data, government filings, confidential memos, and more, Schultz uncovers decades of deception during which employers have exaggerated their retiree burdens while lobbying for government handouts, secretly cutting pensions, tricking employees, and misleading shareholders. She reveals how companies siphon billions of dollars from their pension plans to finance downsizings and sell the assets in merger deals; overstate the burden of rank-and-file retiree obligations to justify benefits cuts while using the savings to inflate executive pay and pensions; hide their growing executive pension liabilities, which at some companies now exceed the liabilities for the regular pension plans; purchase billions of dollars of life insurance on workers and use the policies as informal executive pension funds; preemptively sue retirees after cutting retiree health benefits and use other legal strategies to erode their legal protections. This is a scathing exposé of one of the most critical and least understood crises of our time. "For anyone seriously interested in the retirement industry-and that's what it amounts to, an industry-this book should be required reading."-New York Times

Ellen Schultz (Author), Nicole Vilencia (Narrator)

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No Buddy Left Behind: Bringing US Troops' Dogs and Cats Safely Home from the Combat Zone

The love of a dog or cat helps heal soldiers' emotional trauma. One very special woman and program reunites them after the war. "I have sacrificed a lot to serve my country. All that I ask is to be allowed to bring home the incredible dog that wandered into my life here in Iraq and prevented me from becoming terribly calloused towards life."-a soldier requesting help from Operation Baghdad Pups No Buddy Left Behind is an animal book with a difference. It is not only about rescued dogs and cats but also about US soldiers trying to survive the horrors of war and readjust to life back home. It unveils the life-altering relationships American troops serving in the Middle East share with the stray dogs and cats they rescue from the brutalities of war. Overcoming monumental obstacles, Terri Crisp makes it her mission to save these wartime "buddies," get them out of danger, and bring them home to the soldiers who love them. So, how does someone get animals out of a country at war when normal resources are lacking and every step of a plan to transport animals could get you arrested, kidnapped, or blown apart? As Crisp soon learns, each rescue mission from first to last is a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants experience, and no animal is truly safe until its paws touch American soil. Terri and her team have saved the lives of 282 dogs and 58 cats befriended by military personnel since February 2008-and No Buddy Left Behind finally tells this story. Praise for Out of Harm's Way: "Poignant memories from an animal savior…Crisp's highly personalized accounts of daring rescues, incredible volunteer efforts, and the bonds of tenderness that form between humans and animals are quite touching."-Kirkus Reviews

Cynthia Hurn, Terri Crisp (Author), Nicole Vilencia (Narrator)

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Don't Let the Kids Drink the Kool-Aid: Confronting the Left's Assault on Our Families, Faith, and Fr

Liberals always think they know best. Yet never before has the Left been so determined to brainwash our kids, says Washington Times columnist Marybeth Hicks in Don't Let the Kids Drink the Kool-Aid. Whether it's through schools, the media, or so-called parenting experts, this book exposes the myriad ways liberals are indoctrinating tomorrow's voters and the next generation of leaders into a socialist worldview. By destroying our children's ambitions, work ethic, optimism, and faith, liberals are creating a generation of citizens who believe they are entitled to a lifetime of government care. The inevitable result? A society that will succumb to a system that robs them of liberty and prosperity in the name of social order. Revealing shocking stories and offering bold solutions, Hicks calls on all Americans to stand up to the Left and refuse to let them ruin our children.

Marybeth Hicks (Author), Nicole Vilencia (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Nicole Vilencia