All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together. And ultimately, pulled by the invisible thread of destiny, their suspenseful solo stories converge in an orchestral crescendo.Richly imagined and masterfully crafted, Echo pushes the boundaries of genre, form, and storytelling innovation to create a wholly original novel that will resound in your heart long after the last note has been struck.

    Disfigured and covered in a blanket of bees, little Simonopio is for some locals the stuff of superstition, a child kissed by the devil. But he is welcomed by landowners Francisco and Beatriz Morales, who adopt him and care for him as if he were their own. As he grows up, Simonopio becomes a cause for wonder to the Morales family, because when the uncannily gifted child closes his eyes, he can see what no one else can—visions of all that’s yet to come, both beautiful and dangerous. Followed by his protective swarm of bees and living to deliver his adoptive family from threats—both human and those of nature—Simonopio’s purpose in Linares will, in time, be divined.Set against the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution and the devastating influenza of 1918, The Murmur of Bees captures both the fate of a country in flux and the destiny of one family that has put their love, faith, and future in the unbelievable.

    There's no electricity, no plumbing, no cars, just day after day of pasturing goats. And now, without his sister and mother, eleven-year-old Teo's life feels even more barren.And then one day, the mysterious young Esma, who calls herself the Gypsy Queen of Lightning, rolls into town like a fresh burst of color. Against all odds, her caravan's Mistress of Destiny predicts that Teo and Esma will be longtime friends. Suddenly, life brims with possibility. With the help of a rescued duck, a three-legged skunk, a blind goat, and other allies, Teo and Esma must overcome obstacles-even death-to fulfill their impossible destiny.Inspired by true stories derived from rural Mexico, The Lightning Queen offers a glimpse of the encounter between two fascinating but marginalized cultures—the Rom and the Mixtec Indians—while telling the heart-warming story of an unlikely friendship that spans generations.

    Finally, Grandpa Ephraim offers proof. The Circus is real. And the Lightbender owes Ephraim a miracle. With his friend Jenny Mendoza in tow, Micah sets out to find the Circus and the man he believes will save his grandfather.The only problem is, the Lightbender doesn't want to keep his promise. And now it's up to Micah to get the miracle he came for.

    When his family moves to the Texas Hill Country, though, Peter finds a tranquil, natural valley where he can, at last, hear himself think. There, he meets a girl his age: Annie Blythe. Annie tells Peter she’s a “wish girl.” But Annie isn’t just any wish girl; she’s a “Make-A-Wish Girl.” And in two weeks she will begin a dangerous treatment to try and stop her cancer from spreading. Left alone, the disease will kill her. But the treatment may cause serious, lasting damage to her brain.  Annie and Peter hatch a plan to escape into the valley, which they begin to think is magical. But the pair soon discovers that the valley—and life—may have other plans for them. And sometimes wishes come true in ways they would never expect.

    Autumn Bishop was just your average grad student...who happens to be a Seer. When she moves in with her long lost aunt and cousins, they look like a relatively normal family from the outside, however they turn out to be so much more. When ancient traditions, longstanding magickal feuds, ghostly visitors, and Witches with malicious intentions start coming out of the woodwork, Autumn finds herself smack in the middle of the action as everything she thought she knew is turned upside down. Drawn, as if by fate, into her family’s legacy of magick, a new world unfolds for her, as her old one is left irretrievably behind.

    Frankie’s life story is told from the perspective of music, a fictional narrator. This is fitting, given that Frankie was one of the world’s greatest guitarists.The story, however, begins at its end: Frankie has died during a music festival. During a performance, his body levitates and then drops to the stage. The novel opens at Frankie’s funeral, where music-industry figures—including nonfictional musicians such as Lyle Lovett and Ingrid Michaelson—have gathered to pay their respects and share their thoughts about the deceased guitarist. Music, the narrator, uses the opportunity of the funeral to reflect on Frankie’s life…  PLEASE NOTE: This is a summary and analysis of the book and NOT the original book.    Inside this Instaread Summary & Analysis of The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto:  • Summary of book • Introduction to the Important People in the book • Analysis of the Themes and Author’s Style  About the Author With Instaread, you can get the summary and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. We read every chapter, summarize and analyze it for your convenience.

    But when she writes a question in the margin of her math quiz, she hears a clear answer in a voice no one else seems to hear.With the help of her friend Sophie, Ava figures out that the pencil will answer factual questions only – those with definite right or wrong answers – but won’t predict the future. Ava and Sophie discover all kinds of uses for the pencil, and Ava's confidence grows with each answer. But it's getting shorter with every sharpening, and when the pencil reveals a scary truth about Ava's family, she realizes that sometimes the bravest people are the ones who live without all the answers...

    He is, above all, the most unlikely hero ever known. Through friendship with alien outcasts, Moojie discovers his healing powers and a surprising destiny ... if only he can survive one, last terrifying trial. Welcome to Moojie's mythical world of mayhem and merriment, where miracles are standard fare, mistaken identity is rampant, and the desire to belong can be dangerous.   From screenwriter and award-winning novelist, Robin Gregory, comes a masterful debut about family and first love--brimming with compassion, lyricism, and originality. Winner of 24 awards.

    There is a commonly held belief these natural disasters are not natural at all. Rather, these massive storms and the damage and fatalities they cause are intentional -- retaliation by restless spirits impacted by the transatlantic slave trade. Their destruction sweeping through the Middle Passage, Caribbean and many Southern slave holding states. Awiti is one of these spirits. But there is more to Awiti than creating hurricanes. As those who have encountered her love and wrath will attest - there is so much more. The Truth About Awiti is a historical fantasy novel that will leave readers questioning the impact of the transatlantic slave trade on the physical and spiritual realms.

    There's no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again.Crenshaw is a cat. He's large, he's outspoken, and he's imaginary. He has come back into Jackson's life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?Beloved author Katherine Applegate proves in unexpected ways that friends matter, whether real or imaginary.

    Featuring Newford fiddler Geordie Riddell, it's a gentle story of love, loss and the bonds of friendship.First published in Post Mortem edited by Paul F.Olson and David B. Silva, 1989; also appears in Dreams Underfoot and The Very Best of Charles de Lint.Timeskip is where Newford began: "Newford was not planned out in advance. It started (unbeknownst to me) with“Timeskip,” a short story that I wrote for an anthology. I wanted to set the story somewhere other than the Ottawa area where most of my stories had taken place, but I didn’t feel comfortable writing about a city that I couldn’t physically visit. So I decided to use various aspects of large urban centers that I had visited, and create a fictitious setting."–Charles de Lint, from an interview with FairyRoom.com"I can never recapture the feeling of first arriving in Newford and meeting the people and seeing the sights as a newcomer. However, part of the beauty of Newford is the sense that it has always been there, that de Lint is a reporter who occasionally files stories from a reality stranger and more beautiful than ours. De Lint also manages to keep each new Newford story fresh and captivating because he is so generous and loving in his depiction of the characters. Yes, there are a group of core characters whose stories recur most often, but a city like Newford has so many intriguing people in it, so many diverse stories to tell, so much pain and triumph to chronicle."— Challenging DestinyCharles de Lint is the modern master of urban fantasy. Folktale, myth, fairy tale, dreams, urban legend—all of it adds up to pure magic in de Lint's vivid, original world. No one does it better.— Alice HoffmanCharles de Lint writes like a magician. He draws out the strange inside our own world, weaving stories that feel more real than we are when we read them. He is, simply put, the best.— Holly BlackDe Lint is probably the finest contemporary author of fantasy– Booklist, American Library AssociationUnlike most fantasy writers who deal with battles between ultimate good and evil, de Lint concentrates on smaller, very personal conflicts. Perhaps this is what makes him accessible to the non-fantasy audience as well as the hard-core fans. Perhaps it’s just damned fine writing.– Quill QuireDe Lint’s evocative images, both ordinary and fantastic, jolt the imagination.– Publishers WeeklyIt is hard to imagine urban fantasy done with greater skill– Booklist, American Library Association

    ‘Murder, myth and Mr Ordinary meet up in this extraordinary novel. However bad the weather is here, Ansbro’s vivid writing will transport you to a sun-drenched tropical island – with darkness at its heart. I loved it!’ -Karen Holmes, editor 2QT Publishing

    But Esther Ka’awai, a psychic and gifted wise woman of the ancient culture has seen the future. She knows of the devastation that will come to the island. She has warned those she loves; now all she can do is pray. As she struggles to accept this gift of knowing, Esther discovers that even the most wonderful gift can sometimes break your heart. A story of love, faith and a belief in the future.

    But her meticulous process is shaken when torrential rain hits Mystic Water for twenty-six hours, forty-four minutes, and two seconds, leaving parts of the town, and her condo, drowning in floodwater.While seeking a more permanent residence, Tessa temporarily moves into an empty apartment above the Borellis’ diner. Then she receives a package containing a set of tarnished keys belonging to the neglected historic mansion Honeysuckle Hollow, and a whole new set of troubles arise. When the Borellis’ prodigal son visits Mystic Water and wants to stay in the apartment, Tessa tosses her numbered lists aside and makes a surprisingly reckless decision: she uses her entire life savings to buy Honeysuckle Hollow. But this historic home has a few surprises of its own.Nearly everyone doubts Tessa’s sanity, but she finds unlikely support in an ancient Cherokee spear, a traveling mint plant, and a handsome architect on the run from his past. Will Honeysuckle Hollow outlast its naysayers and survive the town’s capricious weather? Will Tessa be able to save the house and finally learn to follow her heart? Filled with charm, unexpected twists, and just a touch of magic, Honeysuckle Hollow is an enchanting tale of listening to one’s heart, camping out indoors, and the difference acts of kindness can make.

    She knows because she’s been granted the unique gift of finding and caring for those forgotten memories. But now she’s nearing ninety, and Browne women seldom live beyond ninety. Before time runs out Ophelia must find a successor. Someone who can take hold of the gifts and keep the memories from fading. When broken-hearted Annie Cross shows up on the doorstep of The Memory House Bed and Breakfast, Ophelia knows she is the one. The two women forge a bond of friendship as they sip magical dandelion tea and share stories. When Annie starts to sense the memories Ophelia is delighted, but then a thread of violence begins to unravel and Ophelia fears things have gone too far.

    The way the sisters fight and love in equal measure, as well as their basic need for one another, rings poignantly true in this touching and heartwarming story, which contains a ‘tiny bit of magic, right here in the real world.’” —Booklist (starred review) In the tradition of Sharon Creech and Wendy Mass, Corey Ann Haydu's sparkling middle grade debut is a sister story with a twist of magic, a swirl of darkness, and a whole lot of hope.Silly is used to feeling left out. Her three older sisters think she's too little for most things—especially when it comes to dealing with their mother's unpredictable moods and outbursts. This summer, Silly feels more alone than ever when her sisters keep whispering and sneaking away to their rooms together, returning with signs that something mysterious is afoot: sporting sunburned cheeks smudged with glitter and gold hair that looks like tinsel.When Silly is brought into her sisters' world, the truth is more exciting than she ever imagined. The sisters have discovered a magical place that gives them what they truly need: an escape from the complications of their home life. But there are dark truths there, too. Silly hopes the magic will be the secret to saving their family, but she's soon forced to wonder if it could tear them apart.

     Thanks to her aunt’s unwanted generosity, policewoman Lei Texeira has embarked on a vacation—of the supernatural sort. She’s staying on the beach in a frothy mansion that resembles a baker’s confection. Pixie, a Southern belle with enough bling to open a shop on Rodeo Drive, manages the place. When Pixie reveals a local woman reputed to have psychic powers wants to meet Lei, the invitation is anything but welcome. What Lei discovers about the sorcery of belief, and the love promised to her future will begin to heal wounds she’s carried for far too long. Q & A with the Author What motivated you to write in the Lei Crime World? I adore Toby Neal’s superb Lei Crime novels. I’m an adoptive parent, and the troubled family life surrounding Toby’s unique protagonist, Lei Texeira, are issues close to my heart. When I heard Lei Crime would become a new Kindle World, I jumped at the chance to contribute. What was the inspiration behind The Shell Keeper? I wanted to add elements of fantasy and magic to the Lei Crime series of police procedurals, which are set squarely in the mystery & thriller genre. As Lei evolves throughout the series, she carries grief and a sense of loss due to an abusive childhood. I enjoy writing stories that inspire readers to view the world in a positive light, and felt Lei’s background provided the perfect elements for an uplifting read. In The Shell Keeper, Lei begins healing wounds she’s carried for most of her young life. When does The Shell Keeper take place? We meet Lei two weeks before she joins the South Hilo PD in Hawaii. She’s preparing to move from her aunt’s home in California to Hawaii. The vacation she takes in South Carolina is totally unexpected, a surprise gift from her aunt. Will you write other stories in the Lei Crime World? Count on it! The Shell Keeper is my first foray into magical realism, a genre I’ve thoroughly enjoyed exploring, and The Shell Keeper begs for a second, longer installment. I’ve already begun work on Lei’s Magic, Part Two.

    Torrents of alien language and remixed fragments of science fiction hauntology merge in the valley of the shadow of unguessable metaphysics, while atomized characters scramble for self and meaning only to find themselves overwritten or revised out of reality.

    Considered a birth defect, her wings were surgically removed, leaving only the ghost of them behind.At fifteen years old, confused and unmoored, Prudence meets her long-estranged Lithuanian grandfather and discovers a miraculous lineage beating and pulsing with past Lithuanian bird-women, storytellers with wings dragging the dirt, survivors perched on radio towers, lovers lit up like fireworks, and heroes disguised as everyday men and women. Prudence sets forth on a quest to discover her ancestors, to grapple with wings that only one other person can see, and ultimately, to find out where she belongs.Above Us Only Sky spans the 1863 January Uprising against Russian Tsarist rule in Eastern Europe to the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Lithuania gaining its independence in 1991. It is a story of mutual understanding between the old and young; it is a love story; a story of survival, and most importantly a story about where we belong in the world. This “is a raw, beautiful, unforgettable book” (Lydia Netzer, bestselling author of Shine, Shine, Shine).

      Twelve-year-old Sophie Brown feels like a fish out of water when she and her parents move from Los Angeles to the farm they’ve inherited from a great-uncle. But farm life gets more interesting when a cranky chicken appears and Sophie discovers the hen can move objects with the power of her little chicken brain: jam jars, the latch to her henhouse, the entire henhouse....   And then more of her great-uncle’s unusual chickens come home to roost. Determined, resourceful Sophie learns to care for her flock, earning money for chicken feed, collecting eggs. But when a respected local farmer tries to steal them, Sophie must find a way to keep them (and their superpowers) safe.   Told in letters to Sophie’s abuela, quizzes, a chicken-care correspondence course, to-do lists, and more, Unusual Chickens is a quirky, clucky classic in the making.

    The local witch is mistrusted by the townsfolk, but that doesn't stop them from coming to her for potions, spells, and quick fixes. However, time has marched on, and Iris is aware that her days are beginning to fade. Her sumptuous garden is turning against her, the sweet scent of rot potent, and now a young girl has come begging for a solution at her door. The problem she brings causes Iris to remember a man from long ago - a man she loved, the man she could never trust...

    Malik is a fantasy novella about a disenchanted young Pakistani professor who grew up and lives in the United States, but is haunted by the magical, mystical tales his grandfather told him of a princess and a Jinn who lived in Lahore when the grandfather was a boy.

    He only knows the witch-like old woman who snaps and snarls and eats her birthday cards. He desperately wants to make everything better, but he can't.Escaping the house one evening, Liam discovers an old stone gargoyle in a rundown church, and his life changes in impossible ways.The gargoyle is alive. It moves unseen in the night, acting out Liam's stories. And stories can be dangerous things . . .But Grandma's illness is getting worse, Liam's mum isn't coping, and his sister is skipping school.What if the gargoyle is the only thing that can save Liam's family?

    With Mary in his thrall, he ruthlessly kills all those who threaten his grand plan to bring Mary to Carnegie Hall where her talent will be hailed as supreme.Mary Granger grows up shackled to a redeemer-murderer. How can she save her music and herself?Ghost story, horror story, thriller, fantasy, fairy tale noir--this novel defies classification in its originality and exuberance.

    The fast-footed. The broken. The overgrown. The fox-eyed. The children of the forest. The suicidal magicians. The sage smoke lovers. Someone like me. Someone like you. Something Like The Desert is a collection of coming-of-age stories that have been growing like vines in my ribs and have finally, surely, swiftly, made their way to the tip of my pen. Here, inside, I’ll invite you to sit down at my table. I’ll pour you something warm to drink. And maybe, hopefully, you’ll find a bit of familiarity between the inky lines. “Something Like The Desert makes the tangible and relatable seem ethereal and magical.”- Annabelle Praznik

    Cassidy, the best-selling author of Spilt Milk: A Collection of Stories, continues the story of some of the characters that first appeared in Spilt Milk. Everyone believes in their own version of reality. Will the past deeds of Caleb, Joy, and George come back to haunt them? Discover realities on the spectrum between normal and fantasy. Earlier experiences shape the present and future. Choices change lives. • Can a murderer decide to stop killing? • Can a woman regain the confidence she had in her twenties? • Can a lonely man find the perfect companion? Welcome to the world of Curious Reality. Are any of your realities curious?

    Among them are a mute woman who believes that the photos of starving children in the newspaper are speaking to her, a loading-dock worker who sits in a cemetery and ponders the meaning of life, and a man who finds his perfect match only to be accused of her murder. An elderly couple clings together as flood waters rise, and a lone fireman fights off a pack of wild dogs before the book concludes with a young woman who returns home and discovers messages in the storm's debris that illuminate her past and future.

    There's nothing good about staying with Nell, except for the beautiful Darkling Wood at the end of her garden - but Nell wants to have it cut down. Alice feels at home there, at peace, and even finds a friend, Flo. But Flo doesn't seem to go to the local school and no one in town has heard of a girl with that name. When Flo shows Alice the surprising secrets of Darkling Wood, Alice starts to wonder, what is real? And can she find out in time to save the wood from destruction?

    Despite his many positive attributes, Lloyd has reached the age of 32 years, seven months, four days, and six hours without finding Miss Right and converting her into Mrs. Lloyd Schifflebein. Yes, Schifflebein. A surname decidedly lacking romance in addition to being difficult to spell and way too long a signature for checks and the backs of credit cards. Supposing Miss Right is found and is willing to overlook the awkward appellation, there is one other impediment to wedded bliss. Lloyd devotes his whole life to his children. Children he doesn’t yet actually have, but he is working on it. He has been filing adoption applications all his adult life. This devotion to his as-yet-unadopted children leads many people to deduce that Lloyd Schifflebein is crazy. Big and strong, sure. Cute, maybe, but loony nonetheless. When Lloyd convinces the Social Worker From Hell that he really is good father-material, things are looking up. Soon Lloyd is the happy father of six, count ‘em, six special needs children and their six pet bunny rabbits. The Schifflebein household is a regular day at the circus. And they’ll be a forever family, provided they can get through a probationary period with surprise inspections at any time. Then things begin to go wrong. First, the Teapot arrives. The talking Teapot. The one that Lloyd is certain will get him labeled “insane” and remove all chance of finalizing the children’s adoptions. Simultaneously, Miss Right arrives and sweeps the entire Schifflebein family off their multiple feet – then reveals she is engaged to someone else. At the same time, dishonest political schemers threaten Lloyd’s new home business, and the same people contrive several false legal complaints against him. The social worker separates Lloyd from his children pending his day in court. And that turns out to be not only the day he must fight to keep his children, but also the day his business could fail if he’s not present to fulfill a contract, as well as the day Miss Right is going to marry the wrong guy. Lloyd definitely needs supernatural help – even if it comes in the form of a snarky talking Teapot.

    For readers of Ursula K. Le Guin, Milan Kundera, Virginia Woolf, Tove Jansson, and Italo Calvino. Over 800 pages covering Leena Krohn's entire career. “One of the most important books published in the U.S. this year. [Leena Krohn’s Collected Fiction] is as important a publishing event in its own way as New Directions’ release... of Clarice Lispector’s Complete Stories.” - The Mumpsimus “An extraordinary writer who deserves to be better known to readers in English—which, thanks to this excellent collection, is now possible. Reminiscent of Calvino, Borges, and Lem.” - STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Translations by: Eva Buckwald, Bethany Fox, Hildi Hawkins, Anselm Hollo, Vivii Hyvönen, Leena Likitalo, Herbert Lomas, J. Robert Tupasela, and Anna Volmari. Nonfiction by Minna Jerrman, Desirina Boskovich, Matthew Cheney. From cities of giant insects to a mysterious woman claiming to be the female Don Quixote, Leena Krohn’s fiction has fascinated and intrigued readers for over forty years. Within these covers you will discover a pelican that can talk and a city of gold. You will find yourself exploring a future of intelligence both artificial and biotech, along with a mysterious plant that induces strange visions. Krohn writes eloquently, passionately, about the nature of reality, the nature of Nature, and what it means to be human. One of Finland’s most iconic writers, translated into many languages, and winner of the prestigious Finlandia Prize, Krohn has had an incredibly distinguished career. Collected Fiction provides readers with a rich, thick omnibus of the best of her work. This collection includes several previously unpublished English translations, foremost among them the novels Pereat Mundus and The Pelican's New Clothes. Other novels included are: Tainaron, Dona Quixote, Ophir City of Gold, and Datura.

    A story about a haunted family, published as a poker deck and written to be read an infinite* number of ways.A project years in the making, “The Family Arcana” is the portrait of a sprawling family bound to their decaying farmhouse by a web of passions and strange obsessions. Each shuffle of the deck reveals a new pattern of secrets, confessions, anxieties, indictments, and dreams. The family grows, shrinks, and changes, trapped forever in its haunted house of cards.

    Discard evidence. Deny the truth.Mysteries deepen as a cursed valkyrie investigates the source of her condition, a young woman goes missing, and monsters are reported in the lands of the north. Lindworms, jotun, and ettin have been seen, along with wolves the size of horses. Surely, this means Ragnarok is at hand.And yet, it's not just the gods who are making trouble. Groups like Potentia ad Populum and the Carthaginian Liberation Party take radical steps to throw off yoke of Rome. . . and bring the power of the gods into every mortal hand.Rejoin Sigrun Caetia, Adam ben Maor, Trennus Matrugena, Kanmi Eshmunazar, and Minori Sasaki in the world of Edda-Earth. They'll gain new allies, such as the enigmatic dragon, Niðhoggr. Make new enemies. Confront prophecy.And realize, in the end, that you can't deny your true nature forever . . . .__________"Goddesses shorn of their wings. Mad gods and mankind. Curses, and legacies denied. All these elements are wound up in a story that is compelling, involved, and well-done: perfect for the fantasy reader who wants more of a literary work than the typical quick read affords."--Diane Donovan, Senior eBooks Reviewer, The Midwest Book Review

    Then there's the story of the story, and there's no arguing with that. -#6There are few things in life I am sure of.I am sure that books have the answer.I am sure that lightbulbs on string are dancing. I am sure that well-lit basements hold the songs of all of us.--On 6th & 7th October 2015, author Jen Campbell wrote 100 Poems in 48 hours to raise money for The Book Bus - a charity which funds mobile libraries across Africa, Ecuador and India. These poems were made into a limited edition pamphlet & you can also read them over here: http://100poemchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

    But moments after her mom's funeral, an antique phone rings in the farmhouse where her mother grew up. When Megan answers, the operator tells her it’s a time telephone that she can use to call her mom in the past. Which launches her on a high-stakes quest to save her mother’s life and salvage their relationship. Her dream is that her mother will come home instead of gallivanting around the globe, year in and year out, as a foreign correspondent. This is a coming of age story about a teenager dealing with feelings of rejection and abandonment. But can you change someone you love? Megan is going to find out. "The Time Telephone" will appeal to fans of Teen & Young Adult fiction and magical realism novels for adults.

    But Mateguas is more than just pristine beaches nestled between rocky shores. No, Mateguas is something quite different as the Andersens will soon find out.An arcane locked box, a strange and foreboding trail leading deep into the woods, a seductive young woman, and tales of malevolent Native American spirits are just some of the perils Karen Andersen must face if she is to find a way to save her family."Linda Watkins is a gifted author who creates believable characters and paints a story with every scene. This book is a must read for fans of American Gothic and suspense novels! ~Chanticleer Book Review and Media's review of MATEGUAS ISLAND."RETURN TO MATEGUAS ISLAND picks right up with the same intrigue, suspense, drama and mystery that Mateguas Island contained. A page turner from the beginning, this is a tale you will not want to walk away from...High suspense and flashes of horror beckon American Gothic readers to Return to Mateguas Island, the second book in Linda Watkins trilogy –a stunning success leaving readers posed in anticipation for the next installment." ~Chanticleer Book Review and Media's review of RETURN TO MATEGUAS ISLAND"Ghosts of Mateguas is a haunting novel packed with realistic characters and unpredictable twists placed on the backdrop of a spooky, magical island... This gripping saga is highly recommended for horror and Gothic fiction enthusiasts and those who enjoy romantic thrillers." ~Chanticleer Book Review and Media's review of GHOSTS OF MATEGUAS

    A Mexican grandmother tells creepy yet fascinating ghost stories to her granddaughters as a way to make them sit still ("How Some Abuelitas Keep Their Chicana Granddaughters Still So That They Can Paint Their Portraits in Winter"). A Polish grandfather spends the night in a Mexican graveyard after a Día de Muertos celebration to discover if ghosts really do consume the food that has been left for them ("Even This Title Is a Ghost").Unforgettable characters inhabit these cross-border tales filled with introspection and longing, as modern sensibilities weave and wind through traditional folktales creating a new kind of magical realism that offers insights into where we come from and where we may be going.A native Californian, Myriam Gurba earned a BA with honors from UC–Berkeley. Her writing has been published by Manic D Press, Future Tense, City Lights, and Seal Press. Her first book, Dahlia Season, won the Publishing Triangle's Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction and was shortlisted for a Lambda Literary Award. She blogs often for the Rumpus and Radar Productions.

    but fearful of her future.At the age of eighteen, Charley Lane fled the small town of Lake Caywood, Pennsylvania. She left behind a grandfather who loved her dearly and a young boy who counted on her for all the things his mother couldn't give him.Now, ten years later, Charley finds herself revisiting her hometown in order to attend her grandfather's funeral, once again staying in her childhood home of an old farmhouse with ever-changing rooms. Charley's uncertain as to whether her return is temporary or permanent; she struggles to blend her past, present, and future. What Charley does know, however, is that she has already hurt people, and although she doesn't want to, she also knows that she is bound to hurt again.

    One woman will be freed from purgatory once she writes the perfect book; another abides in a world devoid of physical contact. With wry prose and skewed humor, an emerging feminist writer explores post-Soviet promises of knowledge, freedom, and power.

    "We're going to change the world," the Troll tells the narrator. Soon we're introduced to an assortment of off-beat characters: a red-haired, one-eared, female temptress; a pot-smoking tech reporter; a computer-generated Halfling; and a few venture capitalists who are all interested in finding the Troll. Mostly taking place in San Francisco, Hunt for the Troll is a quirky hybrid of mystery, pulp, and modern fairy tale.

    With war spreading throughout the realm of Gaban, she fears for the future. Then, evil Lord Cerin invades her kingdom, turning her world upside down. Forced to flee, she reunites with an old friend, Crown Prince Niam of Monick, who vows to do everything in his power to help the princess and her kingdom. When an ancient prophecy is revealed, Briala discovers a world beyond her wildest imagination that contradicts everything she thought true, one where the fate of the realm rests on her shoulders. Can she be the Light of the magi that saves Gaban, or will she be the Darkness that destroys it?

    Raised by a loving and doting grandmother, and in love with the blue-eyed boy of her dreams, Mara couldn't pinpoint what was lacking. Hiding the truth from you is no longer protecting you. Sit and I will tell you what you need to know. With these words, the secrets of her great-grandmother, Genevieve Silver, were unburied, and her role as a Protector of the Elemental Magic was revealed. Unseen worlds exposed and memories restored, Mara sheds her ignorance to face things both fantastical and frightening. Little did Mara realize the secrets would transform her life and the world she lived in forever!

    They do everything together: riding their bikes, beachcombing outside their house, watching their favourite episodes of Star Trek.But Ned is sick, and one day, he may leave Jamie behind.When they discover a strange creature on the beach, Ned wants one more adventure and decides to keep him secretly in their garage. But Jamie begins to hope that the creature might bring some miracle, and stop his brother from going where he can no longer follow . . .

    They spend their time telling stories to the unborn baby, trying to pass on the lessons they've learned: tales of circuses and stargazing, selkie fishermen and domestic werewolves, child-eating witches and broken-toothed dragons. But each must keep their storytelling a secret from the other, as they've agreed to only ever tell the plain truth. Ruth tells her stories when Liska is at work, to a background of shrieking seabirds; Liska tells hers when Ruth is asleep, with the lighthouse sweeping its steady beam through the window. As their tales build and grow along with their child, Liska and Ruth realise that the truth lives in their stories, and they cannot hide from one another. A Portable Shelter is a beautifully produced collection of elegant, haunting short stories from one of Britain's most exciting new talents. Each story is accompanied by an illustration by award-winning artist Liz Myhill. Produced with the assistance of the Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship.

    And hurricanes, astronauts, evil twins, bootleggers, Ouija boards, iguanas, The Wizard of Oz, superheroes, the pyramids...The Summer People is a bite-sized sample of Link's incomparable writing, telling the story of Fran, her friend Ophelia, and their adventures at the house belonging to the mysterious and rarely glimpsed 'summer people'. As the tales Fran tells about the house and its inhabitants become ever stranger and more magical, it gets harder and harder to tell what is real and what exists only in her imagination, and the lines between truth and fantasy become deliciously blurred.

    From a woman who awakes from a short kidnapping with an unquenchable need for risk to a concrete boat ride gone off the rails, from Los Angeles to the Bronx, from the Midwest to North Korea, these stories explore the absurd in real spaces and the real in absurd spaces, seeking a way into something else entirely.   Here environments participate in agency, and voice compels movement forward, through, and in. Richly patterned language refuses singularity and the finger trap of the binary, seeking permeability in its reflection, a soft net to catch collective echoes. The collection begins and ends with stories that literalize descent and ascent, bookending the mirrored shape of the book’s arrangement as a vision of an inverted arc. The shape of story is literalized. We slide down from a mountaintop all the way to the inside of a womb and back, slipping on slopes unmarked by signs, catching stunning glimpses along the way. The journey along the track of desire might be frightening if it weren’t for all the water, if it weren’t for the bounce of the ride.

    Since he died two-thousand years ago, not one atom of his beautiful body has succumbed to the natural decay of the flesh. But the planet is not so fortunate. In a small church in Dubrovnik, Silvan lies in state for the veneration of the faithful while nation after nation succumbs to the rising tides of climate change. When an immortal dandy calling himself Az offers Silvan a job boosting humanity's morale by prettifying the revered dead, Silvan is eager to offer his talents, unaware that someone may be playing him for a holy fool. From Imperial Rome to Soviet Russia, Silvan crosses the worlds of the living and the dead to uncover his past and divine his future in a dying world. This is a story of magic and makeup, crypts and clownfish.

    . . except her own. It's a peculiar predicament, considering how much she could use a few wishes. New friends help Genuine give her family a boost--and then she takes her gift global! Life finally seems to be on the mend. But when she's faced with unexpected trouble that no amount of wishing can fix, Genuine must puzzle out the difference between wishing for a better life and building one.

    A man pregnant with a kangaroo, a woman raising a baby dragon. A twenty-first century Virgin Mary reimagined as a queer single mother giving birth in a petting zoo. In this collaborative short story collection, Carol Guess and Kelly Magee magically and playfully subvert assumptions about gender, sexuality, parenting, and family. These lyrical fictions bare teeth and spare no claw. They'll leave you questioning the lines between human and animal, parent and child, love and dominion.

    It just might come true. In the forbidden West Woods, Ava stumbles on the secret fountain that has granted wishes to St. Augustus students for generations. Unknowingly, she watches the coin she tosses disappear and with it the world around her as she knows it.In a quest to undo the damage she’s done, she and alumni kid Ethan break every campus rule unravelling a tangled web of history. Ava discovers that what’s right isn’t always clear and finds herself torn between a love she’s always known and one she has yet to explore.The Fountain is a Prix Aurora Award 2016 Finalist For Best Young Adult Novel.

    A re-imagining of the "fall" from the snake's point of view, this unique novella is a spiritual fairy tale by Lyra Shanti, author of The Shiva XIV Series, and features the stunning cover art of Jennifer Juniper Varon.

    27 year old Ella Taylor is having a tough time:• Her mum’s recently died• She’s been cheated out of a promotion at work• Her new boss is a Barbie doll who models herself on Gwyneth Paltrow• She’s living in a horrible bedsit• The hot guy upstairs thinks she’s an idiot in a Kermit the Frog onesieAnd now she’s inherited a run down cottage in a hick village with a bunch of conditions attached.Definition (British): onesieNounA loose-fitting one-piece leisure garment covering the torso, legs and arms, usually fashioned in fleece, often in the shape of an animal.If you're a fan of Sophie Kinsella or Bridget Jones' Diary, or just love a quirky British romcom, you'll love this!

    They traverse the connected dreamworlds where reason is banished and the imagination holds sway.But tonight, one Sleepwalker has gone rogue. Abandoning her oath to protect the dreamscapes, she devotes herself to another cause, threatening to unleash a nightmare older than manOnce a feted musician, Manderlay lives in an Edinburgh care home, riddled with arthritis. He longs for his youth and the open seas, to regain the use of his hands and play the violin again.For too long, Manderlay's nights have been host to dark, corrupted dreams. His comrades in the retirement home fear Manderlay is giving in to age and senility - but the truth is much worse. The dreamworld is mapped with music – and one of Manderlay's forgotten compositions holds the key to an ancient secret. The Sleepwalkers are closing in on him. He might be their saviour, or his music might be their damnation...

    Beagle, 10 of which are collected for the first time.The reprints in this book were originally gathered together in Beagle’s 1997 fiction/nonfiction set, THE RHINOCEROS WHO QUOTED NIETZSCHE. That book is never going to be reissued in any format, so the stories were given a new home here. They include the title piece, which very nearly invented the entire subgenre of urban fantasy; “Professor Gottesman and the Indian Rhinoceros” (Beagle’s personal favorite among all his short fiction); the exquisite “Come Lady Death,” which inspired Neil Gaiman to make Death a young woman in his SANDMAN comic series; and the deceptively simple, heartbreaking/heartwarming truth of “My Daughter’s Name is Sarah.”The 10 new pieces are all from 2009 through 2012, part of Beagle’s astonishing 21st century outpouring of short fiction, during which he has written five times as many stories in just 10 years as he wrote in the previous 40. More amazing still is the diversity of the work, even for an artist long-recognized as hating to repeat himself. In “Music, When Soft Voices Die” Beagle moves beyond the surface trappings of steampunk to reach the dark heart of the world; in “Trinity County, CA” he offers an alternate modern-day California where illegal backwoods meth labs use dragons as fiery watch dogs; and in “Underbridge” he reveals the horrific truth behind a popular Seattle tourist attraction. The seven other new tales in this set are equally wide-ranging, leaping from 17th-century Maine to Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Africa and Barsoom. There’s never any guessing where a Beagle story will start, or where it will go—but adventurous readers can be assured they are in the hands of a master. CONTENTSProfessor Gottesman and the Indian RhinocerosMy Daughter's Name is SarahCome Lady DeathLila the WerewolfThe NagaJulie's UnicornMusic, When Soft Voices DieThe MantichoraOlfert Dapper's DayUnderbridgeKaskiaThe Way It Works Out and AllTrinity County, CA: You'll Want To Come Again, and We'll Be Glad To See You!Tarzan and the Virginian [aka The Ape-Man of Mars]Great-Grandmother in the Cellar (an Innkeeper’s World story)The Queen Who Could Not Walk