by Michelle Tolson
-Mongolia-

One night while relaxing at home after a long day of horseback riding, I heard a loud banging on a door downstairs. It was a man adamant to be let in. He was probably drunk. This type of thing had happened before. I thought nothing of it, but then I heard a woman scream. I also heard the man yell and throw things. I wanted to help, but I was too frightened. I did not know what to do.

I wanted to call the police, but I did not know the number. Besides, I was new to the country and did not speak the language. Would they even understand me? What was my address anyway? There were other people in the building who were quiet during the episode. Why did they not do anything? I heard the man leave and the woman crying below.

by Jessica Mosby
-USA-

For almost a year I have been experiencing insufferable allergies. Many doctors’ appointments and medications later, I still wake up in the morning with my skin inflamed and my eyes swollen shut. By the time I watched Farmageddon:The Unseen War on American Farms, I was ready to try just about anything.

by Kate Hughes
-UK-

Ten years ago, Afghan women were promised a bright future. After decades of civil war, and repressive Taliban rule, they entered a new era in which they were once again able to work, send their daughters to school, and even stand for parliament. But now these hard-won gains are under threat, and women fear that they will be abandoned as international military forces prepare to withdraw by the end of 2014.

by Jane Dabel
-USA-

Black Tuesday is a historical novel set in New York City on the eve of the Great Stock Market Crash of 1929. It traces the story of Leila Kahn, a smart and hardworking Russian immigrant who lives on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in a fifth floor walk up. Against her better judgment, Leila falls for banker Roderick Morgan, who is embroiled in a fraudulent financial deal with his uncle, Jack Morgan. Leila learns the truth about Roderick’s dealings and takes a heroic stance, confronting Wall Street's greed, power, and depravity in a manner that is both timely and inspirational in today's turbulent times.

by Alexandra Marie Daniels
-USA-

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the war in Afghanistan. For most of us, this is a relatively insignificant fact in our daily lives. We acknowledge our military as distant heroes, doing important work to protect our safety, over there. Yet for every one affected - the soldiers, their families and close friends - this war has been a brutal, life-altering reality. Repeated deployments, traumatic brain injuries, multiple amputees, and PTSD are devastating families and communities.

by Paromita Pain
-USA-

“We cried the first time I told my family I had Sjögren's syndrome,” says Susan Ross. “Dealing with the pain and fatigue seemed so overwhelming at times, but I was glad to finally know what it was.”

Ross is among the lucky ones. It only took 10 years for doctors to diagnose her with Sjögren’s syndrome. An autoimmune disorder, Sjögren’s is finally making headlines thanks to tennis superstar Venus Williams, who pulled out of the U.S. Open, citing Sjögren's as a cause.