It all starts the summer Christy vacations on a California beach and meets two friends who change her life forever. But after moving across the country with her family, Christy must begin her sophomore year of high school uncertain where she’ll fit in. A red-headed new best friend, a try at cheerleading, a job at a pet store, and expectations for the prom fill Christy’s high school years with a string of laughter-and-tears moments. Fireball Katie keeps everyone guessing what she’ll do next, and surfer Todd keeps showing up while popular Rick has determined to get her full attention! As these memorable years unfold, Christy and her God-loving friends find out what it means to be a “peculiar treasure.” Follow Christy Miller as she stays true to her identity in Christ, drawing closer to God for help in realizing her dreams and dealing with her disappointments.Book Details: Format: Box Set Publication Date: 12/22/2005 Pages: 496 Reading Level: Age 12 and Up

    You got to fight it with your heart."An internationally famous photographer, Tucker Mason has traveled the world, capturing things other people don’t see. But what Tucker himself can’t see is how to let go of the past and forgive his father.On a sprawling Southern estate, Tucker and his younger brother, Mutt, were raised by their housekeeper, Miss Ella Rain, who loved the motherless boys like her own. Hiring her to take care of Waverly Hall and the boys was the only good thing their father ever did.When his brother escapes from a mental hospital and an old girlfriend appears with her son and a black eye, Tucker is forced to return home and face the agony of his own tragic past.Though Miss Ella has been gone for many years, Tuck can still hear her voice—and her prayers. But finding peace and starting anew will take a measure of grace that Tucker scarcely believes in.

    But nothing was ordinary about the day she met ten-year-old Nick Anderson, a boy from the wrong side of town. Armed with only a tin of bee balm and steely determination, Alix treats the raw evidence of a recent beating that mars his back, an act that changes both of their lives forever.Through childhood disasters and teenage woes they cling together as friendship turns to love. The future looks rosy until the fateful night when Frank Anderson, Nick's abusive father, is shot to death in his filthy trailer.Suddenly, Nick is gone—leaving Alix alone, confused and pregnant. For the next fifteen years she wrestles with the pain of Nick's abandonment, a bad marriage, her family and friends. But finally, she's starting to get her life back together. Her divorce is almost final, her business is booming, and she's content if not happy—until the day she looks up and sees Nick standing across the counter. He's back…and he's not alone.Once again Alix is plunged into turmoil and pain as Nick tries to win her love, something she resists with all her strength. Only one thing might break the protective wall she's built around her emotions—the truth about Frank Anderson's death. But when that truth comes out and those walls crumble, neither Alix nor Nick is prepared for the emotional explosion that could destroy as well as heal.

    So when the last remaining relative of Miz Raven died and the Paradise was put on the market, she bought it, an old house that had been a brothel during the cattle trial days in Spanish Fort, Texas. Joe Clay Carter had just retired from twenty years in the Marines, Special Forces. He'd lived through wars and rumors of wars and decided to go home to Nacona to do nothing but play poker, draw his retirement check and enjoy life. Two weeks later he was bored stiff, his motel room closing in on him, and he was seriously thinking of reenlisting until high old high school crush, Mary Jane, came to his door asking him to remodel her new house.As teenagers Mary Jane never gave Joe Clay a second glance, so he was surprised by her offer. Immediately they shook on the deal and he moved into her house to get started. Much to his surprise, the house came filled to the roof with little girls, good food, and crazy conversation, all wrapped up in a house that needed a minor miracle to fix by Christmas. He wasn't sure if he could get it done in time but he was willing to try. If only Mary Jane was willing to give him a chance too.

    No one knows, and Mia wants to keep it that way. But when trouble at school finally forces Mia to reveal her secret, she must learn to accept herself and embrace her ability, called synesthesia, a mingling of the senses.

    Botox” to the bored rich women of Chicago, plastic surgeon Max Jordan was shocked by the decision of his son, Joshua, to focus his medical talent on Haitian orphans. Embittered by Joshua’s death, Max searched for resolution in the very place his son called home. The selfless labor of Joshua’s coworkers stunned Max. He was particularly taken by American volunteer Valerie Austin, whose dream of a honeymoon on a tropical beach had been crushed, replaced by a stint working in the impoverished orphanage. But Valerie’s view of Joshua’s sacrifice—and her own—challenged everything Max had lived for. Transformed by his visit to Haiti, and especially by his encounters with Valerie, Max wondered if he could ever return to his “Max-a-Million” lifestyle, or if the doors to his gilded cage had finally opened. Originally published in 2005

     John William Dalhart, a Texas oil baron himself, out to prove his father and new business partner both wrong, was also born into wealth. There's been no Neither has met nor knows about the other. Until fate, and their meddling fathers, intervenes. Ivy makes a bet with her friend that she most certainly can work in a menial, minimum wage job for a month. Meanwhile, Will picks up the challenge thrown out by his father and Red Marshall daring him to live in a small town and get a woman to say she'd marry him while knowing nothing about his wealth. Both wind up in Murray County, Oklahoma---Cameo as the manager of the Strawberry Moon, a small burger joint on Highway 77; Will, a chief cook and dish washer. She thinks he's in the witness protection program. He thinks she's a poor country girl from the boonies. But they've agreed there'll be no past or future...only today while they're working at the Moon. When the month is over they'll both go their separate ways and never look back at what they shared. What they don't realize is that their future is together, in work, and in love.

    Thrown into this strange semblance of family, Sean McGuire and Lily Robinson work together to establish some kind of normalcy for the grief-stricken children—and in the process discover the possibilities that make everything seem worthwhile.

    Doretay is a state within a kingdom called Vidien, which Angelica's and Francesca's great uncle, King Oscar, rules. Pellrue attempts to keep control of his wicked, evil daughters as they keep entering his city and raising havoc by torturing and murdering the common citizens within. Angelica and Francesca is an excellent, dramatic play, which will never be forgotten.

    Tall, Dark and Dangerous by Suzanne Brockmann released on Nov 29, 2005 is available now for purchase.

    After Andés Segovia's parents are killed in a car accident when he is still a young boy, his older brother decides to steal the family away to Juárez, Mexico. That decision, made with the best intentions, sets into motion the unraveling of an American family.Years later, his family destroyed, Andés is left to make sense of the chaos -- but he is ill-equipped to make sense of his life. He begins a dark journey toward self-destruction, his talent and brilliance brought down by the weight of a burden too frightening and maddening to bear alone. The manifestation of this frustration is a singular rage that finds an outlet in a dark and seedy El Paso bar -- leading him improbably to Grace Delgado.Recently confronted with her own sense of isolation and mortality, Grace is an unlikely angel, a therapist who agrees to treat Andés after he is arrested in the United States. The two are suspicious of each other, yet they slowly arrive at a tentative working relationship that allows each of them to examine his and her own fragile and damaged past. Andés begins to confront what lies behind his own violence, and Grace begins to understand how she has contributed to her own self-exile and isolation. What begins as an intriguing favor to a friend becomes Grace's lifeline -- even as secrets surrounding the death of Andés' parents threaten to strain the connection irreparably.With the urgent, unflinching vision of a true storyteller and the precise, arresting language of a poet, Sáenz's In Perfect Light bears witness to the cruelty of circumstance and, more than offering escape, the novel offers the possibility of salvation.

    More than a stalking. It was personal. When a stranger targets his wife and two daughters, journalist Jack Crittendon must uncover who the person is and what his motives are — if he's to protect the ones he loves. The investigation leads Jack into a world of behind-closed-door secrets and into a news story about a missing pastor whose apparent suicide is more than it appears. Each move Jack makes weaves him tighter and tighter into a web of lies, greed, hypocrisy, and danger. Holding onto his faith and keeping his family safe might require Jack to cross lines he never fathomed crossing. With tension on every page, Amazon #1 Best-Selling author Creston Mapes demonstrates why he is a "Top Pick" among mystery, fiction and thriller lovers. Praise for FEAR HAS A NAME “It takes a lot for a suspense novel to impress me, but this one definitely did. Anyone who likes my books will love Fear Has a Name. The plot is skillfully woven, and the story has a spiritual depth that will resonate with readers. Creston Mapes is an author to watch in the suspense genre.” Terri Blackstock, author of Intervention, Vicious Cycle, and Predator “Fear Has a Name is an exceptional treat, a story of unrelenting tension that dares to stare evil in the face. Mapes has a gift. He reveals wickedness and vice yet sprinkles it with something rare that kept me riveted: the hope of redemption.” Harry Kraus, MD, best-selling author of The Six-Liter Club “Creston Mapes is one of my favorite authors. Fear Has a Name mesmerized me from the first page. Multiple plot twists and terrific characters kept me glued to the page. I loved it and highly recommend it!” Colleen Coble, author of the Rock Harbor series and the Lonestar series “Captivating from breathless start to throat-clenching finish, Fear Has a Name possesses everything a great thriller should, and more. A must-read for fans of Terri Blackstock and Brandilyn Collins.” Tamera Alexander, USA Today bestselling author of To Whisper Her Name and A Lasting Impression

    The one she loved. The one she wanted but couldn't have. Not without revealing the truth. That's why she left. Why she's stayed away. And why she has to return... Seth Rowland doesn't want her to see him like this. Of all people, why her? But Grace is relentless. Challenging. He never could resist a challenge. Or her. Maybe if he cooperates, he'll be able to walk again. Maybe he'll get to the truth of why she'd left. Maybe this time he'll be able to convince her to stay...

    Her no-nonsense aunt, a nun, appears by her side and suggests Yu-Jung accompany her on a charitable visit to death row. At her lowest ebb, Yu-Jung is resistant. But something compels her to go to the prison. There she meets Yun-Soo, a convicted murderer who will soon be put to death. Though she is repulsed by his crimes, something about the depth of his suffering strikes a chord in her. Shaken by their encounter, she returns to visit him the next week. And the next…Through their weekly, hour-long meetings, Yu-Jung and Yun-Soo slowly reveal to each other the dark secrets of their pasts and the hidden traumas that have shaped their lives. In doing so they form a deep, unbreakable bond, helping one another overcome their demons. But Yun-Soo’s hands are always in cuffs, the prison officers are always in the background, and they can never lose sight of the fact that their happy time together is tragically brief.Gracefully poetic and ideal for fans of Kyung-Sook Shin’s Please Look After Mother, Our Happy Time is a passionate and heartbreaking love story as well as an important, hard-hitting, and compassionate fable.

    Too bad his heart won't stay out of the way. With a little girl's life and national secrets hanging in the balance, Jim and Lacey must trust God to help them flee the secrets of the night.

    Taking her five-year-old son, she has fled across the country -- seeking freedom, safety, and a fresh start. But Max's father isn't giving up so easily.Preston Holman understands the lengths a parent will go for his child. He's given up everything to pursue the man he believes killed his son.When Preston meets Emma, he wants nothing to do with her or the boy who reminds him so much of his own child. Yet he can't abandon them -- and as he's drawn into the danger that surrounds them, Preston begins to wonder if he's finally found something to live for beyond revenge.

    Questions about Julie's own complicity, about a devastating secret her mother kept from them all. Questions about the person who went to prison for Izzy's murder -- and about the man who didn't.Now Julie must harness the courage to revisit her past and untangle the shattering emotions that led to one unspeakable act of violence on the bay at midnight.

    Eliza's reverence for rock is equaled only by Paul's, and the two fall wildly in love. When Bananafish is signed by a big corporate label, and Paul is on his way to becoming a major rock star, Eliza must make a heartbreaking decision that leads to Paul's sudden disappearance and a surprise knock-your-socks-off ending.

    She’s too busy running her mother’s diner and raising her wild teenage sister. She doesn’t like to dwell on the dreams she once had, dreams she put on hold. Then Owen Miller walks into her diner and changes her life.She doesn’t know what to think when Owen hands her a letter from her father—a father she thought was dead—requesting they meet. As if that wasn’t enough, her sister has become more than she can handle. It’s time for Willa to figure out what’s happened to her life. And maybe, with Owen around, she can finally believe in happily ever after…Originally published in 2005.

     Bookworm Bailey Chambers is a pacifist who believes there’s good in everyone. Falling for daring SWAT door-kicker Conall O’Rourke wasn’t in her plan. A glimpse of Con’s risky, violent job scares Bailey into breaking up with him…just when he was about to propose to her. Con never surrenders, and is determined to woo, win, and wed the woman he loves. After all, he smashes barricades for a living. But he can’t win this battle with his usual weapons. Sidelined to await the outcome while Bailey fights to slay her fears is the hardest thing Con’s ever done. When the couple are trapped in a deserted mall with a crew of ruthless bank robbers—who’ve taken their friends hostage—they must work together to overcome formidable odds. As the clock ticks toward the final countdown, Bailey and Con each offer the ultimate sacrifice, desperate to ensure the other will survive the night. But even if they live…will the terrifying battle be the final kill shot that dooms their relationship? Just 24 hours can change your life. Book 1 of 4 in the "24 Hours - Final Countdown" Series. Previously published as Midnight Hero.

    Must be irresistible, good with his hands, and know how to handle any situation... in or out of the bedroom.Honk If You Love Real Men is a contemporary erotic anthology featuring some of the brightest up and coming names in contemporary romance and erotic romance."Naughty Girl" by Carrie Alexander:When a sexy, sassy woman driving in her convertible catches the eye of a gorgeous construction worker, they indulge in a delicious afternoon tryst."WANTED: One Hot Blooded Man" by Pamela Britton:A sexy firefighter is responsible for lighting more fires than putting them out!"Reno's Chance" by Lora Leigh:Ever since she was a little girl, Raven McIntire has secretly pined and longed for her best friend's sexy older brother, Reno, a Navy SEAL who has just returned home from duty. What she doesn't realize is that his only true mission is to get into her heart and get her into his bed."Mercy Me" by Susan Donovan:A heated encounter with an irresistibly handsome doctor.

    When Mary finds a framed motto promising that “It’s never too late to be who you might have been,” she is haunted by the memory of an old flame and guilt over the way things ended between them. In a desperate attempt to reconcile the past and find a new future, Mary returns to Paris, the city where she won and lost her first love. Paris will change everything for Mary and her daughter, in ways neither could imagine.

    Bryce and Ashley are ATV-riding tweens from Colorado who unearth action-packed mystery and adventure wherever they go. From clearing the name of a local miscreant to thwarting a gold-stealing heist, the twins' growing faith and the strong example of their parents guide them through even the most life-threatening situations. With the trademark page-turner style used by Jerry Jenkins and Chris Fabry in the Left Behind: The Kids series, these fast-paced books will keep even reluctant readers on the edge of their seats. Readers will definitely get hooked by the unbelievable cliff-hanger at the end of book one, Haunted Waters. Perfect for ages 8-12.

    But it gets even more hectic when she's hit by a double whammy– dead drug dealers floating ashore and Christian Delacroix, an undercover cop sent to investigate the murders. She doesn't need Mr. Tall, Dark and Dangerous on her mind–or messing with her lust-meter–while she's dealing with mayhem. On their first meeting Lolly makes quite an impression by zapping Christian with a taser–talk about shocking! Her dream is to meet a quiet, respectable man, not someone who wears a gun and deals with the dregs of society. Christian, on the other hand, is cozying up to Lolly's white picket fence kind of life with kids and a black shaggy dog. Set in a small beach town with an eccentric cast of characters, A Texas State of Mind is a fast-paced, fun story of love and family relationships. And BTW, who is that villain? "A Texas State of Mind is sexy, it's sassy, it's full of action and outrageous characters. The perfect summer read!" Debbie Macomber, New York Times bestselling author

    The news shatters the peace of his world and awakens memories that have been dormant for years.

    Michel have come to London separately in pursuit of their dreams. Michel is haunted by the man who abandoned him as a child. Driven by his determination to forge a life for himself outside the shadow of his father’s famous name, he’s ambitious, talented, and dangerously attractive–but suspicious of emotional attachments. Full of courage but naïve, Jonni is determined to excel as an actress. Just nineteen, she’s made up her mind to escape the narrow, parochial life her parents have planned for her. When Michel rescues Jonni one night and takes her home, there’s an immediate attraction. Jonni soon finds herself embraced by an exciting new world filled with bohemian dancers and musicians, a family of planets orbiting around their sun–Michel. But before Michel can commit to any kind of future–with or without Jonni–he must free himself from his past. And when tragedy brings him to the edge of a fiery burnout, Jonni and the pair’s friends must rally to save all they have come to count on.

    It's not her fault trouble seems to follow her around. Okay, it is her fault, but why quibble over details? When Brandy (a puff piece reporter for a local Los Angeles TV news station) returns to her hometown, after a four year absence, she is thrilled to be reunited with friends and family. But her joy is short-lived when her best friend, John, becomes the victim of a tragic accident. Brandy is alone in thinking that the death is no "accident," and as she sets out to prove her theory, she stumbles upon a political scandal of major proportions. Things begin to heat up when it appears that her former boyfriend, police detective Robert Anthony DiCarlo, is involved in sabotaging the investigation. The one thing Brandy knows for sure is that people keep turning up dead, and if she doesn't get some answers, fast, she could end up on the short list. As Brandy searches out the truth, she gains some unexpected allies, including sexy, dangerous, street-savvy Nicholas Santiago, and the now-married Bobby, who still holds a torch for his former girlfriend. With humor, guts and determination Brandy tackles each challenge, be it dodging a bullet or resisting that box of Tastykakes in the cupboard. Murder, mayhem and romance abound in Shelly Fredman's novel, proving there really is No Such Thing as a Secret.

    Understanding that history is nothing but a fable purged of grit and grime, Ruland transforms historical fiction into something slick, brutal and weird. Whether he's spinning a lurid yarn about the previous adventures of Popeye, imagining Dick Tracy as a San Fernando Valley police detective, or retelling the story of Little Red Riding Hood in Nazi Germany, Ruland's tales are full of crime and punishment. He isn't afraid to set a teenage mob story in St. Petersburg, Florida, or tell the story of an unlucky pair of pants in the style of a catechism--and every line resonates with the truth of lessons learned the hard way.

    But, beneath the cosy contentment of their lives lies tensions that threaten to erupt at any moment. Andrew, Laura's handsome brother, has just returned home from Crete with his bride in tow, the surprisingly timid Ruth, who is finding it hard to fit in with Andrew's overbearing mother, Cecily. And, to her increasing concern, Andrew doesn't seem to have his mind entirely on her... Laura is desperate to have a family, and can't understand why Donal doesn't seem to share her only wish. And the beautiful, glamorous Breffni, with her lovely husband, Cian, and the golden child, Polly, well, she has the greatest surprise in store...

    But through a series of exhilarating tales Ram explains to his lawyer how episodes in his life gave him the answer to each question.Ram takes us on an amazing review of his own history - from the day he was found as a baby in the clothes donation box of a Delhi church to his employment by a faded Bollywood star to his adventure with a security-crazed Australian army colonel to his career as an overly creative tour guide at the Taj Mahal.Vikas Swarup's Q & A is a beguiling blend of high comedy, drama, and romance that reveals how we know what we know - not just about trivia, but about life itself. Cutting across humanity in all its squalor and glory, Vikas Swarup presents a kaleidoscopic vision of the struggle between good and evil - and what happens when one boy has no other choice in life but to survive.

    . . Each summer, Kate Livingston returns to her family's lakeside cottage, a place of simple living and happy times -- a place where she now hopes her shy little boy can blossom. But her quiet life gets a bit more interesting with the arrival of an intriguing new neighbor, JD Harris. Although she is a confirmed single mother and knows little of JD's past, Kate is soon drawn into the sweetness of a summer romance and discovers the passion of a lifetime. JD has good reason for being secretive. In a moment of sheer bravery the Washington, D.C., paramedic prevented a terrible tragedy. Overnight the intensely private man became a national hero. He's hardly able to remember who he was before the media frenzy . . . until he escapes to this lovely, remote part of the Northwest. Now Kate Livingston and her son have rekindled the joy of small pleasures and peace, something he thought he'd never have again. But how long will his blissful anonymity last before reality comes banging at his door?

    His wrongful conviction cost him his job, his fiancée, his reputation, and his hope for the future. His name has been cleared, but after everything he’s lost, he doesn’t know how to find his way back to the life that was taken from him. Parker Campbell is raising his 9-year-old niece, Emma, on his own.  Working for a homophobic boss in a gay-unfriendly town, he treads carefully, knowing that his job security has to be his priority when he’s all Emma has. Parker has never considered starting a relationship with another employee… until he hires Nate. It should have been easy to avoid getting involved, since Nate keeps insisting that he's not gay. Parker is used to life not being easy, though, and Nate may find that what he really needs isn't at all what he thought he was looking for. (Restitution is a standalone m/m contemporary gay romance of approximately 60,000 words containing profanity, mature adult content, two men who deserve love, and a happily ever after ending.)

    Renovating the home, Dock stumbles upon a treasure trove of Civil War memorabilia squirreled away in an old root cellar, including pictures and possibly even a recording of Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg. As he's forced to defend his new find from the onslaught of collectors, history buffs, and media hounds, Dock discovers that, much like Honest Abe himself, he's the right man for the fight--independent, funny, loyal, and stubborn as a Missouri mule. When the scallywags and opportunists--including an easy-on-the-eyes television reporter with one hell of an attitude--start crawling out of the woodwork, he'll need all of that and a bit more.

    She gives the adult dating world a go, but finds she'd rather trade in her stiletto heels for fuzzy slippers. Will she ever find love again, and if so, after the disaster of her first marriage, would she know what to do with true love if it ever found her? Josh Gregory is a pastor who longs for the loving family that his parents never provided. Because he grew up in a broken home, he's always been ultra-careful about the women he dates. Besides, in his profession, a carefree dating relationship is a bit of an oxymoron. When he wins a date with Regan at a Charity Auction, he never expects to fall in love with her. After all, she's not really preacher's wife material. But God has a different idea.

    Miles “Pudge” Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave “the Great Perhaps” even more (Francois Rabelais, poet). He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then. . . . After. Nothing is ever the same.

    Three Down the Aisle by Sherryl Woods released on Jan 25, 2005 is available now for purchase.

    Broken, stripped and broken again, they each stumble through a journey of healing and self-discovery the merciful hand of the only One who can help them up after a fall.

    Accompanies an Academy Award-winning documentary.

    Once she had stirred his world-weary soul. Now, years later, seeing the blond beauty again sparks dormant desires. But he has to push his emotions aside -- he has new ties that can't be broken.Phoebe thought her feelings for Cortez were buried as deep as the artifacts she studies in her museum. An expert in Native American culture, she has her doubts when an anthropologist claims to have discovered a Neanderthal skeleton on a nearby reservation. But before Phoebe can pursue the matter, the professor in question turns up dead -- and the FBI sends Cortez to investigate.Now, as the two delve further into the murder, they find themselves entangled in a world of conspiracy, deception...and a love more powerful than anything they've ever known.

    That’s until her best pal Nia suggests a blind date with her fiancé’s best friend: charismatic William Kennedy, owner of the hot nightclub Millennium. Sparks certainly fly, when they meet…but they burn a bit too hot – Lexie thinks sexy, confident Will is arrogant, while he’s convinced she’s gorgeous, but shallow. When Lexie’s put in charge of her company’s fashion show and needs a venue, Will offers Millennium. Lexie reluctantly agrees, but as they work together, she realizes she misjudged him. Can Will convince the love ‘em and leave ‘em Lexie that they’ve got what it takes to last a lifetime?

    HillSavannah was groomed from birth to take the reins of her father's manufacturing empire. Her emotional armor is as tough as the steel used in her factories, and nobody is allowed past it. Business partner Matt realizes that the key to entry is to command her submission. Calling on the unique sensual talents of his four-man management team, he engineers an aggressive and erotic takeover, determined to rescue the woman he's loved from the steel cage she's manufactured around her heart. Masked and lost to the sensations the team arouses in her, Savannah is theirs, at least for this one night.Hidden Desires By Elizabeth LapthorneLily had to admit she was desperate. Here she was in New Orleans on a two week vacation, she made the trip especially for the Mardi Gras, and she didn't have a mask! Everything she found seemed wrong.As a last ditch effort, she entered a small shop and found the perfect mask…until it showed her visions of herself getting ravished by a masked highwayman.But when that highwayman turned up at the Mardi Gras bash, she knows the chemistry between them could only lead to one place.The only things between them that remained hidden were their true desires.Mardi Gras By Lacey AlexanderMia Sanderson has been in love with her boss, Ty Brewer, for years, but ladies' man Ty only sees her as a friend and even worse, a good girl. So when Mia and Ty are invited to the same Mardi Gras party, Mia decides to live out a fantasy. Donning a Mardi Gras mask and wig, Mia masquerades as the seductive Mistress Mina, the bad girl of Ty's dreams. But what will happen if Ty discovers her true identity? Mina's risking their friendship and her job, but for a night with Ty, it's worth it.

    The neighbors think it strange that a grown man enjoys a Tarzan like swing from the roof, but then again, they all think Henry is a little strange. Recently widowed, Henry is an emotionally challenged father being sued by his daughter for financial control of the estate. Henry must prove he is normal - not an easy thing to do when you are not. Henry is different, not quite normal, not quite special. Rumors explaining his behavior run from PTSD in Vietnam to losing his son to SIDS. But Henry has a special gift. In a town divided by the have and have-nots, Henry alone can inspire and touch even the most jaded lost soul. But when tragedy strikes, can he unite his own family?

    To stay in touch while they're gone, Emma makes Jake and Mattie promise to send a postcard back to her once a week. Each postcard has to have a new Love Rule uncovered that week. In the process, Jake and Mattie discover that love was right under their noses.

    All the while, she is haunted by dreams of a man whose place in her life she is yet to discover.When she literally comes face-to-face with the man of her dreams, it’s as if time stands still. Her long-dormant heart is finally awakened. But will she ever be truly free from the dangerous life she left behind?

    It is a place know to most as Savannah. It is a place know to me as home. I wish I could tell you it was my love for this city that precipitated my return. But I did not return out of a mere longing for home. I returned because I have something to prove to home. I am Savannah...from Savannah. Savannah Comes Undone Seeing my mother as the lead story on the six o'clock news was no great cause for alarm...until the camera revealed her chained to a downtown monument! I thought I knew my mother—but right now I'm not sure I even know myself. I'm currently a journalist for the Savannah Chronicle. And I don't need drama. Really. I can create my own. Who needs extra? But in spite of the mind-boggling events in Savannah this week, the truth is going to be revealed by one of its very own. I am Savannah...from Savannah.

    Now, three novellas about BAD agents are collected in one volume! In the all-new "One BAD Night" the bureau believes that agent Jason Banks has sold them out. Agent Samantha Winslow has never particularly cared for Jason and she volunteers to bring him in. Under orders to infiltrate his rogue mission and kidnap him, she is also trying to pull off the ultimate double-cross. But who would have guessed that Jason would be so pleased to be her captive?In "BAD to the Bone" Marianne wins the Hideaway Heroine Sweepstakes and a chance to pretend to be the heroine in her favorite romance novel. Whisked away to a remote island, Marianne's daydreams become real when BAD agent Kyle Foster kidnaps her.In "'Captivated' by You" BAD agent Rhea must go undercover as a dominatrix to capture a deadly terrorist. Fortunately, Agent "Ace" Krux, whom she has long desired, is her training partner. Immediately, the roles of master and slave are blurred, and Rhea and Ace unleash a wealth of hidden desire.

    For Ellie, ballet isn't just a dream, it's become a way of life. She's danced for almost as long as she can remember and started ballet lessons when she was four. Now Ellie is presented with the opportunity of a lifetime-a chance to audition for a spot to dance with the Royal Ballet. But Ellie knows that even if she won a place, it would mean moving to London and leaving her ill-stricken mother behind with no one to care for her. When the day of the audition finally arrives, Ellie must decide between pursuing her dreams or sacrificing her goals of joining the Royal Ballet to be with her mother. What will Ellie do?

    For photographer Richard Bowen, that thread led him to China's state-run welfare institutions, where there are thousands of children, primarily girls, growing up without families to take care of them. Mei Mei presents a poignant glimpse of just a few of these remarkable children. Composed against neutral backgrounds, these portraits capture the girls inner lives, away from their often bleak surroundings. The images show an almost endless range of expressions: small faces filled with longing and hope, joy and sadness, humor and mischief, defiance and despair. Through the camera's eye these young children are no longer orphans, but individuals whose personalities are as vital, distinct, and beautiful as any mother's child. When that unique human being comes into focus, the connection is made and the red thread becomes visible. And once seen, the bond can never be broken.

    Kate Megason is about to prosecute the case of her career when someone starts sending her terrifying messages. Someone who obviously knows her deep, dark secret. Now, she needs the help of Frank Matrone--an investigator with his own shadowy past--or else Kate may have no chance of surviving a killer's brutal wrath.

    But little did he know the effect this new pal, soon-to-be named Norton, would have on his future: celebrity encounters, transatlantic, jet-setting excursions, and lessons about love and commitment that extended way beyond the usual relationship between a man and his feline.The Norton Trilogy is the complete chronicles of Norton, the perfect Scottish Fold who won the hearts of hundreds of thousands through the endearing tales of his adventures with his not-so-perfect human in the three bestselling titles, The Cat Who Went to Paris, A Cat Abroad, and The Cat Who'll Live Forever. Bound together in one complete volume for the first time, these books let readers revel in Norton--his loveable nature, rebellious streak, and very uncatlike demeanor--and follow his often hilarious escapades across two continents.From outshining Sir Anthony Hopkins at a movie premiere in the Hamptons and being feted with a Pounce pizza at Spago by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, to making canine friends at the dog run in Washington Square Park and charming the hotel staff at the ritzy Tremoille Hotel in Paris, Norton's uncanny genius and unique relationship with the author touch everyone they meet.Traveling together through France, Italy, Holland and Spain, and culminating in their last cross-country trip in America, we learn about Norton's deeply moving last days and the lessons they taught his devoted human about death and grief and how to appreciate the joyful times we have here on earth.The Norton Trilogy is more than a story about a cat--it is a tribute to true friendship and the extraordinary bond between people and their pets.Peter Gethers, in addition to being the chronicler of his wonderful Scottish Fold cat Norton, is a novelist, screenwriter, and book publisher. He is the author of two novels, The Dandy and Getting Blue. Under the pseudonym Russell Andrews, he is the author of four internationally bestselling thrillers: Gideon, Icarus, Aphrodite and Midas.

    Merle Banning vowed to conduct the Holiday Hookers homicide investigation based on cold, hard evidence, not psychobabble from the department's "crackpot" consultant. So, despite their smoldering attraction, he scoffed at Kelsey Ryan's unsettling visions of one of the murders. But even he couldn't discount the truth when Kelsey provided a break in the case that had stymied the Fourth Precinct for years. As their pursuit of the twisted killer led them down the seedy back alleyways of Kansas City, the flamboyant beauty bewitched T's battle-scarred heart...and propelled him to breach her isolated world. Could these partners in passion unravel the killer's web of darkness before it ensnared them both?

    She is in love…and she has committed a great sin. Cody has been playing with fire and she’s about to get burned. Hungry for attention, she allowed a wonderful man to fall in love with her. Their only contact has been on the internet and telephone conversations. Cody put a good spin on her life by telling half-truths and sending photos of a woman with a beautiful body and a pretty face, only the woman wasn’t Cody. Scarred by abuse, she hides from prying eyes.Cody loves Hunter enough to let him go. Full of guilt, she is prepared to disappear from his life. Hunter begs to meet her, but she refuses. But if Cody won’t come to him, Hunter will come to Cody.Louisiana is in the midst of Mardi Gras, a time of love, laughter, and letting the good times roll. Masks are worn at Mardi Gras, and the mask Cody wears will hide more than a pretty face

    Deputy Hill is devastated over his open-ended assignment to the graveyard shift, his just desserts for having nearly wrecked a car and a wedding in one unfortunate mishap.Then tragedy strikes: the Gallagher twins are fighting for their lives after a fall through the ice--one on life support and the other in a coma. Doc Hammond is waging his own battle for life while helping the twins. More than ever, Dorsetville needs a miracle.

    Haunted by her turbulent past, she takes refuge in a remote Hebridean island community where she cocoons herself in work, silence and solitude in a house by the sea. A new life and new love are offered by friends, her estranged daughter and most of all by Calum, a fragile younger man who has his own demons to exorcise. But does Rose, with her tenuous hold on sanity, have the courage to say “Yes” to life and put her past behind her?REVIEWS“The emotional power makes this reviewer reflect on how Charlotte and Emily Bronte might have written if they were living and writing now.”Northwords Now“Complex and important issues are played out in the windswept beauty of a Hebridean island setting, with a hero who is definitely in the Mr Darcy league!”www.ScottishReaders.net

    This touching story will help both young and old talk about this sensitive issue.

    Comprised almost entirely of never-before-collected poems, Scarlet Tanager is Bernadette Mayer's first collection of new work in nearly a decade. Mayer, "one of the most original writers of her generation" (The Washington Post), has mixed together here delightful epigrams ("The Mammal Epigram": "Sexually / it's cute"), long-line free verse, and her astonishing sonnets. There are also curious translations of Mayer poems into joking, free-styling French, which are then re-translated back into English, landing somewhere extremely witty and quite some ways from the original. There is no one writing today who can touch Bernadette Mayer for sheer pleasure and throw-away brilliance.

    It is a place where anything can happen, and does. In those mountains Alana and Rafestruggle against their tangled past of tragedy and betrayal. Together they solve the twin mysteries of a savage death and the terrifying blankness of amnesia. Together they find danger, forgiveness, and transcendent love.Beautiful Dreamer is my love song to the men and women of the modern American West. A woman called Hope is fighting to keep alive a ranch that is dying for lack of water. A mysterious drifter known as Rio comes to her and offers to find water on her land. She accepts, never knowing that she will find in Rio a man to match her dreams, a man who gives her everything and takes nothing, a man who believes he loves only the wind sighing over the land, calling his name, calling him away ...

    Will this uncontainable desire lead to the possession of the other, or to the dissolution of the self? Such are the book's ethical, cultural, and spiritual imperatives.

    Welcome to the Future Widows' Club--a secret society of women who've been treated like trash by their no-good husbands and prefer waiting for widowhood over divorce. But sometimes waiting can be murder… Jolie Marshall's husband Chris is definitely no good. He conned Jolie into an "I do"--and her mother out of her life's savings! Now Jolie is sticking out the marriage--with a little help from the Future Widows' Club--while she gathers evidence to send him to prison. Then Chris is murdered--and Jolie's the prime suspect. And her alibi, a meeting of the FWC, isn't likely to convince anybody of her innocence. But when she discovers the detective on the case is Jake Malone--the man Jolie ditched to marry Chris--she knows she's really in trouble. Because all of a sudden, she's thinking that a life sentence wouldn't be too bad…with him!

    A Season of Miracles by Rochelle Alers\Adrianne Byrd\Kayla Perrin\Janice Sims released on Sep 27, 2005 is available now for purchase.

    Control is everything to Logan Storm. Control over the family business, the Rising Storm Hotel in New Orleans, control over his emotions, and control over the magic within him. Sophie Breaux is the granddaughter of a voodoo princess and welcomes the supernatural powers that live within her. She's been having visions about hot and sexy Logan Storm. Visions of destiny and of danger. When she tries to warn him, Logan thinks she's a con artist and wants no part of the raven-haired goddess. The one thing Logan can't control is Sophie's fiery passion. She melts his walls of ice with her sultry heat, threatening everything that is orderly in his life. His control begins to slip away with every touch, every inflamed kiss, and he's powerless to stop his feelings. Sophie knows that in order to save Logan she must melt his cold heart with scorching love. And when a woman is determined to get her man, nothing will stop her. Note: The second book in the A Storm for All Seasons series is "Devlin Dynasty 2: Fall Fury". That story brings together characters from both series. A Storm for All Seasons - Spring Rain By Jaci Burton Book 4 in the Storm For All Seasons series. Kaitlyn Storm has loved Brett McGregor since she was seventeen, even before he pulled her into his arms and kissed her until she was breathless. But Brett pushed her away, not wanting to subject Kaitlyn to the demons inside him. Ten years later Brett is a widower with a dark secret he hides from everyone, especially Kaitlyn. He doesn't want her to get close, doesn't want to risk hurting her. Though he owns a prominent New Orleans art gallery, he no longer paints. Not since that black day six years ago when his wife died. And no matter how much Kaitlyn begs him, he won't paint her nude portrait, even though her lush body and sensual nature haunt his dreams at night. But Kaitlyn won't take no for an answer. She's determined to use all her powers of magic to convince Brett to start living and loving again, even if she has to seduce him while posing nude for a painting. And in the game of seducing the man she loves, Kaitlyn is relentless.

    From his highly controversial and seminal performance works of the early 1970s, to his complex, imaginative installations and monumental sculptures, the art of Chris Burden uniquely informs as well as incorporates the major artistic undercurrents of the last three decades. Not only has the artist made a major contribution to the history of body-related performance art, but the artist's fascination with systems of power, societal organization, architectural structure and technological systems, have resulted in an extraordinary body of sculptural objects and environmental installations over the last 35 years. In compiling this publication the artist has worked closely with curator and long time associate Fred Hoffman, taking this opportunity to re-examine his work afresh and revealing images that are unpublished or rarely seen.

    Delighting in the corporeal use of language, these pieces explore the surface tensions of our encounters with the processes of recognition. Each piece has previously been initiated as part of a performance work or collaborative installation and short prefatory notes reflect on these different writing practices.

    Miller moves from the headlines to the classroom, focusing in on how teachers and students alike confront the existential challenge of making life meaningful.  In meditating on the violent events that now dominate our daily lives—school shootings, suicide bombings, terrorist attacks, contemporary warfare—Miller prompts a reconsideration of the role that institutions of higher education play in shaping our daily experiences, and asks us to reimagine the humanities as centrally important to the maintenance of a compassionate, secular society. By concentrating on those moments when individuals and institutions meet and violence results, Writing at the End of the World provides the framework that students and teachers require to engage in the work of building a better future.

    Her sister's nuptials and recent childbirth experience spring to life emotions and desires that she never realized where hidden deep inside her. As she tries to come to terms with what can only be described as her 'biological clock ticking' a routine physical alters her life forever. Dr. mason Penney is running from his past trying to make important decisions about his future when he finds himself dangerously close to falling in love. Running home to the safety of family proves to be an eye-opening experience for him as he unexpectedly finds the answers to questions that have plagued him for some time. As Abigail fights a deadly disease she discovers something totally unexpected, almost unbelievable and absolutely unconditional.

    . . Truth Or DareSatisfy MeAsia Michaels and her friends find themselves tantalized by a quiet new arrival in their small town--and by its possibilities. One thing leads to another as truth leads to dare, and Asia's in the arms of a man who gives her answers to all of the questions she could never ask . . .Indulge MeShy Becky Harte has a private wild side. But she never thought she'd run into a secret crush like George Westin while buying some rather surprising items. George is more than intrigued at her purchases and would love to show the blushing Becky a thing or two. But it's George who becomes the student when Becky starts calling the shots . . .Drive Me WildAssertive Erica Lee is used to having the upper hand in business, her love life--everything. On a dare, she boldly approaches hunky, mischievous Ian Conrad with a scandalous proposal. Ian isn't intimidated in the least by Erica--and he's been hoping for just this opportunity. Seems like Erica might have finally met a man who can keep up with her . . .

    J. Williams finds new meaning when she inherits a bookstore--and meets manager Blake Sullivan. Although they instantly clash, A.J. and Blake soon find common ground when a blizzard strands them together.

    This part recounts the staging of a verse play in a grim inner-city setting by an unusual company of actors. The work was later revised by Lyacos and called With the People from the Bridge.

    Over the years, I've recorded quite a few Paul Overstreet songs. I consider myself very fortunate each time I stand before and audience and sing his songs. More often than any other time, I see the powerful effect his words have on people."— From the Foreword by Randy TravisSeldom has an American Country musician changed the face and tenor of the modern-day genre with as much impact as has Paul Overstreet— the humble songwriter who chose to stop writing songs about misery and start writing songs that affirm family, the joys of marriage, staying faithful and finding happiness, and honoring your parents. These songs have gone on to become huge hits for Country artists such as Randy Travis, Tanya Tucker, Paul Davis, and the Judds. In his own words— and with the voluble agreement of his hundreds of fans, who wrote e-mails to his website— Paul tells how he was inspired to write such hits as "I Fell in Love Again Last Night," "Same Ole Me," "Forever and Ever, Amen," "Heroes," "On the Other Hand," "Sowin' Love," "Til the Mountains Disappear," "When You Say Nothing at All," and so many others. Forever and Ever, Amen is a celebration of life once lost, now found— and a man who has written songs that have touched so many others in their everyday lives.

    Collins New Artist's Manual covers all the painting and drawing materials available to the artist today and also conveys the sheer joy and excitement of creating art. In addition, it contains a structured painting course from simple exercises to more advanced projects, with demonstrations by well-known practising artists who share their successes (and setbacks) with the reader. Contents include: Supports Drawing media Painting media Colour and composition Setting up your studio Drawing and sketching Techniques What shall I paint? The studio Gallery of art Reference: health & safety Glossary of terms Suppliers Collins New Artist's Manual is visually rich and exciting, practical and comprehensive, and no artist's studio should be without it.

    A book of poems by Danijel Dragojević

    It's no wonder the Pug is still one of the most popular breeds today. With The Everything Pug Book you'll learn all there is to know about your best friend! From adoption methods and training techniques, to specific tips on diet, exercise, and basic care, you can anticipate your Pug's every need and be prepared for any situation. The Everything Pug Book covers: Common diseases and health issues Proper grooming and handling Effective methods for disciplining your dog How to encourage socialization Caring for older Pugs Whether you've owned a Pug for years, or you're considering adopting one, The Everything Pug Book is the authoritative text for keeping your dog healthy and happy for years to come. Kim Campbell Thornton is the author of several books, including Why Do Dogs Do That? The former editor of the award-winning magazine Dog Fancy, she is the president of the Cat Writers' Association of America and belongs to the Dog Writers' Association of America and the National Writers Union.

    Consider the story of Jack Weiss, who, at the age of fourteen, was deported from Hungary to the notorious death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Desperate to stay with his father, and barely able to pass as a grown man, he recounts the horror of inspection upon arrival at Auschwitz by a man he remembers as Joseph Mengele. His period in the camps would be shorter than that of many others, but it ended no less dramatically, with a death march westward as Nazi officers forced inmates of the eastern camps to make a retreat before the advancing Russians. Finding himself alone at the end of the war, he traveled through orphanages and refugee camps dotted across Europe until, finally, at the age of seventeen, he was brought by the Canadian Jewish Congress to Winnipeg, Manitoba, to build a new life for himself. Prompted by his family to preserve his story, Jack Weiss began work on his autobiography. Torn between the desire to forget his Holocaust experience and the need to have his children and grandchildren understand it, Weiss confronted his demons. In the author's own words, "if those who know the truth remain silent, the truth will be lost."

    When his father is killed in the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Centre, Oskar sets out to solve the mystery of a key he discovers in his father's closet. It is a search which leads him into the lives of strangers, through the five boroughs of New York, into history, to the bombings of Dresden and Hiroshima, and on an inward journey which brings him ever closer to some kind of peace.

    She can see the psychic signature of vampires. This power comes with a price, a debilitating disease pushing Killian toward her own destruction. When her federal homicide team, dubbed “The Blood Squad,” is called to solve a heinous crime, the case takes them into the dark underworld of the Sangerian Vampire clan. Suddenly, Killian’s abilities become useful. Instead of working with her own squad, Killian is forced to team up with the vampire clan Chief of Security, Dacon Sangerian. Dacon Sangerian’s people have been providing protection for the Sangerian Clan since its formation. Bred from a long line of warriors, Dacon toes the line of the blood clan laws and takes his responsibilities seriously. Clan regulations dominate his life. In the 21st century, vampires no longer require human blood to survive, but some vampires choose to follow the old ways. Humans listed in the “Book of Willing Donors” are welcome into the clan; and so they have become a necessary annoyance for Dacon to manage. The first blood rule of the Sangerian Clan is simple: turning an unwilling human into a vampire is punishable by death. It is Dacon’s job to ensure this rule is followed. As Killian and Dacon work to solve a case that could start another war between humans and vampires, they battle with forces of evil that could destroy them both.

    She's furious. They're in for the ride of their lives." Rising star Roxanne St. Claire puts the pedal to the metal in a story of intrigue and passion that will get your heart racing!When sexy NASCAR racer Beau Lansing tracks down high society debutante Celeste Bennett, it's a matter of life or death. Stunned at the secret Beau reveals, Celeste is forced to make a life-altering decision. But with her love life on the skids and her family life in a tailspin, escaping incognito into Beau's world is just what she needs -- especially if she can get answers about her past.Beau needs Celeste to save a man's life -- he never expected a high-octane attraction that could wreck his well-protected heart. And when Celeste's life is threatened by someone who clearly knows her real identity, Beau has to risk everything -- including his own life -- to save her. With menacing forces in the driver's seat and time ticking too fast, the two must win the biggest race of all...the race for their lives and their love.

    It is also a love story, a road novel, a romancer's romance and an alleviative threnody. It is long on hope and short on structure. It is, in the words of David Swing, the world's truth with a beautiful woman walking through it. It is made out of watermelon sugar.

    Now, seventeen years later, Irene has received a shocking new lead about their deaths—and is determined to discover the truth of what happened on that long-ago night. Staying at a local lodge, she finds herself confiding in handsome Luke Danner—an ex-marine who’s as used to barking orders as Irene is to ignoring them. But Luke sees the terror beneath her confident exterior—and can’t help but want to protect her. He is also driven by passions of his own, and as they’re drawn together into the heart of danger, they will risk far more than either of them expected.

    And she's on a permanent vacation. From men Having just broken things off with her latest dating disaster, Paul the Prick, Stella vows to never again be seduced by the charms of a man. Then she meets Jake, her ultra domineering kickboxing instructor. Ten minutes with Jake in the equipment room of his gym is enough to convince Stella that maybe she should give the whole man/woman thing another go. What she doesn't know is Jake has secrets that would make Paul the Prick look like a saint. Rating: Contains graphic sexual content, adult language, and mild bdsm.

    

    Paranoia closes around her as her life is threatened from another direction. She is lured to a disused medical institute where her partner Matt is in danger and what she discovers there surpasses any fears she had already imagined. Somebody knows her every move before she makes it. Somebody is out to get her. The gripping climax to Rat-a-tat-tat will give her all the answers but only one of them can survive.

    Every Inch a Cowboy by Madeline Baker released on Mar 08, 2005 is available now for purchase.

    Crooker’s lyrics, ranging in tone from hushed to exuberant, catch the richness and grace of the world in their varied lines about art, about nature, and about experience.

    The Tilt, a collection of short stories, is the winner of the 2004 Michael Rubin Chapbook Award.

    RemusTonks romance through OOTP and HBP. Started before DH.

    Extraordinary things happen in Woodford when kind and timid pianist, Barney Barrington, and his enemy, Jasper Jellit, both want to buy the same painting.An extraordinary tale...on toast

    She drew in a deep breath. She would not let her fear take over. She couldn't. She had too much to lose. She had to be strong, to be brave. For once in her life she had to think of someone other than herself.' Roxy is wild, uncontrollable. She hates her parents - and her goody-two-shoes sister. Her only solace is her equally wild friends, Pat, Tracey and Jacqueline. Then there is the night of the party, where she lets that boy kiss her, and more and Roxy is pregnant. Wilfully, she won't tell her mother, her family. She decides to run away to London. And in London Roxy is found by Mr and Mrs Dyce. They are understanding, sympathetic, and promise her a way out of her troubles. They will take her to a comfortable place, along with other girls in the same position and look after her and her baby - which is exactly what happens. Roxy cannot believe her luck. But Roxy eventually works out the dark truth of the outwardly genial Dyces. They are 'farming' the babies in a truly horrible way, and selling the baby organs. There is only one dramatic way out for Roxy - and it's dangerous. But she is dealing with dangerous people and she has to take it. And now she has her baby to look after. A gripping and completely compelling story of a girl forced to grow up and think of others other than herself in the most nightmare of circumstances. These circumstances would seem too horrible to be true - were they not based on fact. A network doing exactly this was discovered to be operating in Italy in 2003, causing outcry, and has formed the basis for this story.

    Two bullets. Three runaways.Addy Michaels, living her careful life on a forgotten back road, thinks she's safe--that the past and its corpses are long buried. Surely after fifteen years the cops have quit looking for the street kids believed to have kidnapped a baby and killed their prostitute foster mother¬, Belle Bliss.Addy couldn't be more wrong.A cold case.Hot again, when the missing child's grandmother hires renowned profiler Cade Harding to find her grandson. Cade tracks Addy to her safe haven in a remote area of Washington state. Their attraction to each other is immediate, dangerous, and badly timed because...Cade isn't alone.A twisted killerFaceless and unknowable, a murderer follows in Cade's footsteps--on the hunt for anyone who can tell the truth about killing Bliss.All roads lead to Addy.

    Yet, another man posing as her knight has swallowed the key to keep her safe and pure until their pending nuptials. Set mostly during the transition between the Civil War and the Great Depression, Hidden Princess chronicles the daily travails of a nation – and its people– in flux. The Johnson family soon succumbs to the lure of the Great Migration, joining millions of other poor Black families who are seeking the gifts promised to them under the spell of the North Star.Hidden Princess is breathtaking, historically accurate, and the most compelling love story imaginable.

    He put her in jail for harboring a teen offender and never looked back. Eleven years later, she’s a thorn in his side as an anti-gang specialist trying to get kids out of gangs. While Clay wants to put them in jail, Bailey is determined to help these troubled teenagers make good lives for themselves. But when Bailey and Clay are thrown together on the mayor’s task force, the impossible happens—they’re attracted to each other. Their passion erupts early on, and only grows stronger the further they get into a relationship. When they fall deeply in love, their conflicting views drive a wedge between them. Both the Street Angel and the Senator must find a way to deal with their differences in order to make a life together.

    At home on his parents' farm in South Africa, he has lots of pets, including a parrot, several lizards, and a snake. When he and his dad find a cheetah cub lost by the side of the road, they don't hesitate to add him to the family. They name the cub Duma, the Swahili word for cheetah, and Duma and Xan are soon inseparable. But when tragedy strikes, Xan is forced to come to terms with something his dad always told him: one day Duma would need to go home to the wild. Join Xan and Duma as they set off on an adventure-filled journey across the wilderness of southern Africa that will change both of them forever.

    Observing life perceptively both globally ("Goat Transaction") and locally ("The Man Across the Street"), Cook's writing is smart and funny, with a subtext of serious social commentary.Selections from this book have been heard on Garrison Keillor's Writers Almanac, broadcast on NPR.

    It wasn't in her to obey Maria Zammit and 'Go England!' But Malta just wasn't bearable now that she no longer had Giorgio, his smile, his love, the feeling of being alive in his arms. In a cruel twist of fate, fifty-one year old Judith loses her younger lover, Giorgio in a diving accident, and with it the intoxicating life she'd shared with him in Malta. With nothing but him to keep her there, Judith returns to England and moves to her sister's spare bedroom in Northamptonshire, distressed and desperate to avoid reminders of her past. Judith struggles to regain her love of life, but a road that's uphill all the way can bring exhilarating views, especially when you find someone who wants to travel it with you...

    Adventure. Love.It's all found within The Arms of the Law...Detective Isabella Knowles, a tough-as-nails cop, lives by the law, and knows what she wants out of life. And it doesn't include marriage or all that comes with it. Everything Isabella has ever known seems like an illusion when a new relationship makes her feel more alive than ever before. She isn’t happy about it and fights it every step of the way.Burned by his fiancée years ago, seer and P.I., Brady Jacobs never wants another commitment in his life. But his bachelorhood and heart are threatened when he has one of his visions and see a killer striking too close to the woman he has recently come to love.Danger lurks close to home and neither Brady nor Isabella like that they can’t control every situation…especially matters of the heart.

    But there is pressure. The people of Munson, her small Florida town, make their needs known: Ray, her boyfriend who is "overfocused on world history"; Mal, the horsey, earnest fry cook at Mal's Pico diner, who offers her his cabin; Palmer, the town doctor who can find no cure for the mysterious scar Frances bears; her mother, speaking to her through "the mechanical screeching" of Munson's patched telephone lines. Nearby, a volcano the townspeople call "Sharla" spews lava and stones, lighting the night sky with its portentous burning. At once measured and suspenseful, Frances Johnson is a comedy of manners in the tradition of Jane Bowles.

    The fictional territory of Carrying the Torch, is in short, Brock Clarke’s, one in which the surreal and the hilarious share a neighborhood with the painfully real and the sweetly ironic. Here readers will encounter characters dislocated by work and love, by huge losses and life’s small dramas, men and women who have migrated South in search of redemption—or at least in the hope of leaving the worst behind. In these tales about what people try to leave and find they can’t, about the lies we tell the people we love and the myths we create to make life livable, Marly Swick cites an “exceptional originality” as well as an “amazing emotional resonance, a haunting quality.” “Notable for their balance of sentiment and restraint, the music of their language, and the haunting human longing that coexists with the irony and the humor,” as Lee Martin remarks, these remarkable stories carry forward a tradition reaching from Flannery O’Connor to John Cheever and Donald Barthelme—and arrive at a brilliance all their own.

    These poems--ranging from meditative narratives to improvisational lyrics--explore art's capacity to embody as well as express contemporary culture. Stein embraces subjects as various as his father's death, magazine sex surveys, Kandinsky's theory of art, the dangling modifier, Jimi Hendrix's flaming guitar, racial bigotry, and a teacher's comments on a botched poem. Presiding over this miscellany are ghosts of a peculiarly American garden of dreamers and beloved misfits, those redeemed and those left fingering the locked gate.

    When a sizzling-hot furnace repairman named Earl arrives, it turns out he knows all the right switches to flip.From Jingle Bell Rock anthology as Turning Up the Heat

    Grand museums and families lost countless valuables and works of art to Nazi lootings in what has been called "the rape of Europa." Parker's story begins just outside the Bavarian salt mines as the American and Russian armies are closing in. Amid the chaos, SS officers scramble to hide ill-gotten treasures that will finance the "Fourth Reich." Only a precious journal detailing an inventory of treasure caches around the Tirol holds a clue.Forty plus years later, the hunt for Europe's lost art falls to a husband and wife team who become entangled in this web of stolen treasures. Dix and Maria Connor face down a secret and deadly network trafficking in Titians, Bruegels and remnants of Peter the Great's magnificent Amber Room. From northeast Italy to Brussels, these amateur detectives risk everything to right the wrongs of history. Crisscross Europe's past and present in this thinking man's action novel.The lust for loot crosses paths with history’s ghosts in this high-octane thriller.

    Oki is the most fashionable girl in the group. She's also a fun and fantastic friend. Gwen is a forever-late but lovable and spunky girl, and Reese's best friend. Vanessa is the know-it-all leader of the pack, and Yvette is her BFF. Yvette is a would-be actress who loves to be center stage! Vanessa is her best friend.