His universe spans the Stormlight Archive, the Mistborn series the tales of Elantris, and others, comprising a unique constellation of vividly imagined realms known as the Cosmere.Now for the first time anywhere, stories representing each of these planets, and their fully realized and distinct magic systems, have been collected in a single spectacular volume. Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection brings together tales spanning the known limits of Sanderson's universe--including the never-before-published Edgedancer, a thrilling new novella of the Stormlight Archive--along with charts, illustrations, notes...and secrets.The Cosmere Collection encompasses six worlds in all, explored across nine astonishing works of short fiction: Sel ("The Hope of Elantris" and The Emperor's Soul); Scadrial ("The Eleventh Metal," "Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania, Episodes Twenty-eight Through Thirty," and Mistborn: Secret History); Taldain ("White Sand"); Threnody (“Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell”); First of the Sun (“Sixth of the Dusk”); and Roshar (Edgedancer).These exciting tales will catapult you onto an unprecedented journey across a cosmos only Brandon Sanderson could have envisioned. Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection is an indispensible volume no Sanderson fan can do without.

    This mesmerizing collection features all of Ken’s award-winning and award-finalist stories, including: “The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary” (Finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, and Theodore Sturgeon Awards), “Mono No Aware” (Hugo Award winner), “The Waves” (Nebula Award finalist), “The Bookmaking Habits of Select Species” (Nebula and Sturgeon award finalists), “All the Flavors” (Nebula award finalist), “The Litigation Master and the Monkey King” (Nebula Award finalist), and the most awarded story in the genre’s history, “The Paper Menagerie” (The only story to win the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards).A must-have for every science fiction and fantasy fan, this beautiful book is an anthology to savor.

    We had beaten the common cold. But in doing so we created something new, something terrible that no one could stop. The infection spread, a man-made virus taking over bodies and minds, filling them with one, unstoppable command...FEED.Countdown"Everglades"San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California BrowncoatsHow Green This Land, How Blue This SeaThe Day the Dead Came to Show and TellPlease Do Not Taunt the OctopusAll the Pretty Little HorsesComing to You Live

    William McGonagall is celebrated as the worst poet in British history. There was something irresistible to me about his name, and the idea that such a brilliant woman might be a distant relative of the buffoonish McGonagall.’ – J.K. RowlingPottermore Presents is a collection of J.K. Rowling’s writing from the Pottermore archives: short reads originally featured on pottermore.com with some exclusive new additions. These eBooks, with writing curated by Pottermore, will take you beyond the Harry Potter stories as J.K. Rowling reveals her inspiration, intricate details of characters’ lives and surprises from the wizarding world.These stories of heroism, hardship and dangerous hobbies profile two of the Harry Potter stories’ most courageous and iconic characters: Minerva McGonagall and Remus Lupin. J.K. Rowling also gives us a peek behind the closed curtains of Sybill Trelawney’s life, and you’ll encounter the reckless, magical-beast-loving Silvanus Kettleburn along the way.Cover art by MinaLima

    This book brings together a selection of these stories, along with fascinating historical details about the Mughal court, the emperor and his witty courtier. With well-researched introductions to each aspect of Mughal life, Amita Sarin recreates Akbar’s court in all its grandeur and vitality. The stories in this collection are both amusing and thought-provoking, both historical and timeless

    Le Guin, an icon in American literature, collected for the first time in one breathtaking volume.Ursula K. Le Guin has won multiple prizes and accolades from the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters to the Newbery Honor, the Nebula, Hugo, World Fantasy, and PEN/Malamud Awards. She has had her work collected over the years, but never as a complete retrospective of her longer works as represented in the wonderful The Found and the Lost.CONTENT "Vaster Than Empires And More Slow" "Buffalo Gals, Won’t You Come Out Tonight" "Hernes" by Ursula K. Le Guin "The Matter Of Seggri" "Another Story Or A Fisherman Of The Inland Sea" "Forgiveness Day" "A Man Of The People" "A Woman’s Liberation" "Old Music And The Slave Women" "The Finder" "On The High Marsh" "Dragonfly" "Paradises Lost"This collection is a literary treasure chest that belongs in every home library.

    If you notice anything glowing, followed by an inviting humming noise, don't be afraid! That is just the book's magic. Enter the world of fairy tales in this stunning illustrated gift book that includes more than thirty-five beloved stories and rhymes retold by #1 New York Times bestselling author Chris Colfer.This gorgeous, full-color companion book to the Land of Stories series will appeal to new and old fans alike, who will delight in favorite classics such as "Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Jack and the Beanstalk," and more. Here is the beloved fairy-tale treasury that Alex and Conner fall into in The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell--a beautifully designed addition to the series, and the magical book that started it all!

    A little glimpse into the past, when two of our favorite dangerous angels were just beginning to grow into their wings.Guild Hunter Short story featured in the April Newsletter.

    A special entry in the the best-selling Romantic Times Sapphire award winning Elfhome series. Contains some of Wen Spencer's best shorter works including gems "Bare Snow Falling on Fairywood," "Pittsburgh Backyard and Garden," "Peace Offering,” and more tales set in the world of best-selling Elfhome series entries Tinker, Wolf Who Rules, Elfhome, and Wood Sprites!Pittsburgh: a sprawling modern Earth city stranded in the heart of a virgin forest on Elfhome. Sixty thousand humans, twenty thousand black-winged tengu, ten thousand elves, an unknown number of invading oni, four unborn siblings of an elf princess, three dragons, and a pair of nine-year olds geniuses.For every story written, there's a thousand others not told. Lives interweave. Fates intersect. People change one another, often without realizing the impact they've made on others. They come together like a mosaic, little pieces creating a greater picture.Project Elfhome tells the stories of those impacted by Tinker and Windwolf as they struggle to make Pittsburgh a safe haven. Some of the characters are familiar: Stormsong, Pony, Blue Sky, and Lain. Others are new to readers.Law forages for wild plants and fish to sell to elf enclaves. A social misfit, she drives a hundred year old Dodge, has a pet porcupine, and saves damsels in distress in her spare time. A mysterious phone call sets her on a collision course with danger as she races to save a young female elf.Jane Kryskill is the producer for the popular TV series Pittsburgh Backyard and Garden. She spends her days keeping her host, Hal Rogers, from getting himself killed as he takes on man eating plants. She's not happy when the network drops famed naturalist Nigel Reid and his cameraman in her lap to film Chased by Monsters.Olivia is sixteen, a runaway wife of a religious cultist, illegal immigrant, and soon to be mother. As Pittsburgh plunges into war, she makes a desperate bargain with the mad elf lord, Forest Moss.As the war between the elves and the oni builds to a head, these three women struggle with their own problems, supported by a circle of unique friends, yet entangled with each other.The Elfhome SeriesTinkerWolf Who RulesElfhomeWood Sprites

    Wealthy cannibals who dine on the discarded limbs of peculiars. A fork-tongued princess. The origins of the first ymbryne. These are but a few of the truly brilliant stories in Tales of the Peculiar—known to hide information about the peculiar world—first introduced by Ransom Riggs in his Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series.Riggs now invites you to share his secrets of peculiar history, with a collection of original stories, as collected and annotated by Millard Nullings, ward of Miss Peregrine and scholar of all things peculiar.

    D. Wilson (100 Cupboards)- Jennifer Trafton (The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic)- Douglas McKelvey (The Angel Knew Papa and the Dog)- A. S. Peterson (The Fiddler's Gun)Featuring illustrations by Justin Gerard, Cory Godbey, John Hendrix, Nicholas Kole, Aedan Peterson, Joe Sutphin and Doug TenNapel.Here are untold stories of the distant past, lost adventures, forgotten songs, and heartbreaking histories. The Shining Isle is restored, but Aerwiar is vast—and there are tales yet to tell.

    With the Nazi Party at the height of its power, the occupying army empties Poland’s towns and cities of their Jewish populations. As neighbor turns on neighbor and survival often demands unthinkable choices, Poland has become a moral quagmire—a place of shifting truths and blinding ambiguities.Blending folklore and fact, Helen Maryles Shankman shows us the people of Wlodawa, a remote Polish town: we meet a cold-blooded SS officer dedicated to rescuing the creator of his son’s favorite picture book, even as he helps exterminate the artist’s friends and family; a Messiah who appears in a little boy’s bedroom to announce that he is quitting; a young Jewish girl who is hidden by the town’s most outspoken anti-Semite—and his talking dog. And walking among these tales are two unforgettable figures: the enigmatic and silver-tongued Willy Reinhart, Commandant of the forced labor camp who has grand schemes to protect “his” Jews, and Soroka, the Jewish saddlemaker and his family, struggling to survive.

    Only, this simple arrangement soon begins to go sideways, and....

    Impress your friends and family with next-level Harry Potter knowledge and history.

    It stands at the highest peak of Mount Greylock, where it is concealed from non-magic gaze by a variety of powerful enchantments, which sometimes manifest in a wreath of misty cloud.

    Award-winning author Sudha Murty reintroduces the fascinating world of India s greatest epic through the extraordinary tales in this collection, each of which is sure to fill you with a sense of wonder and bewilderment.

    though I did leave out some of the original "diary" entries that appeared on an earlier version of the Morganville website, simply because they were just scenes and not stories, and were generally really short snippets. This is all short fiction, and it's been carefully organized into the timeline, so you can read from the earliest adventures (some of which belong to vampires) all the way through some post-Daylighters goodies.MIDNIGHT BITES includes a total of more than 50,000 words of brand new content, which makes me very happy indeed (and I hope will also make you happy, too). From stories featuring our favorite bunny-slipper-wearing mad scientist to a mystery solved by police chief Hannah Moses, I think you'll find this is a diverse group of stories that will shine a little more light in the murkiest corners of Morganville.

    "The Bone Collection" presents her trademark artistry in this collection of thrilling short fiction. In "First Bones, " a prequel to Reichs s first novel, "DejaDead," she at last reveals the tale of how Tempe became a forensic anthropologist. In this never-before-published story, Tempe recalls the case that lured her from a promising career in academia into the grim but addictive world of criminal investigation. (It all began with a visit from a pair of detectives and a John Doe recovered from an arson scene in a trailer.) The collection is rounded out with three more stories that take Tempe from the low country of the Florida Everglades, where she makes a grisly discovery in the stomach of an eighteen-foot Burmese python, to the heights of Mount Everest, where a frozen corpse is unearthed. No matter where she goes, Tempe s cases make for the most gripping reading. Praise for Kathy Reichs and the Temperance Brennan series Nobody does forensics thrillers like Kathy Reichs. She s the real deal. David Baldacci Kathy Reichs writes smart no, make that brilliant mysteries that are as realistic as nonfiction and as fast-paced as the best thrillers about Jack Reacher or Alex Cross. James Patterson Every minute in the morgue with Tempe is golden. "The New York Times Book Review""

    This American Gods world novella will thrill Games of Thrones devotees and Terry Pratchett fans alike. Illustrations by celebrated artist Daniel Egnéus.'It followed me home,' he said, conversationally.In a rural northern village, legend tells of a ghostly black dog that appears from the darkness before you die.Shadow Moon has been on the road a while now but he can't walk any further tonight, not with the rain lashing down. Gratefully, he heads home with a nice English couple, who offer a box room, hot whisky and local tales.But when the man collapses en route, Shadow realises that something about this place has been left untold.Something ancient, something within the very walls of the village.Something shadowing them all.

    As the daughter of the groom and maid-of-honor it’s up to Tory to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. She expected to resolve last-minute wardrobe emergencies or venue issues but wherever the Virals go nefarious adversaries follow. Tory and her friends will need to stop a clever saboteur dead set on ruining the big day, whatever the cost. Featuring Tory's famous great-aunt Temperance Brennan, this exciting story shows the lengths the pack will go to when their loved ones’ lives are on the line.

    Squire. Hockey fan. Canadian. And Crown Prince to the entire continent of North America, known as “the Westlands” to the fae, currently ruled by his parents, High King Aethlin and High Queen Maida. Not that most people know that, since he’s a blind foster squired to a changeling—not exactly something that screams “hidden royalty.”But with a new Queen on the throne in the Mists, his parents have finally come to town to see how he’s doing…and to take him home with them. That’s going to be a problem, since Quentin doesn’t particularly want to leave, and his knight, Sir October Daye, doesn’t particularly want to let him go.Set after Chimes at Midnight and before The Winter Long, it’s finally time to meet the parents in our first-ever story narrated by Quentin himself.

    In these stories, reminiscent of Shirley Jackson and Julio Cortázar, three young friends distract themselves with drugs and pain in the midst a government-enforced blackout; a girl with nothing to lose steps into an abandoned house and never comes back out; to protest a viral form of domestic violence, a group of women set themselves on fire. But alongside the black magic and disturbing disappearances, these stories are fueled by compassion for the frightened and the lost, ultimately bringing these characters—mothers and daughters, husbands and wives—into a surprisingly familiar reality. Written in hypnotic prose that gives grace to the grotesque, Things We Lost in the Fire is a powerful exploration of what happens when our darkest desires are left to roam unchecked, and signals the arrival of an astonishing and necessary voice in contemporary fiction.

    During the storm she learns the true meaning of Christmas with the help of her new friends, Stanley and Rosie.

    Stories of longing and belonging, they culminate with the heart-wrenching and unforgettable title story.

    This endlessly pleasing edition, expertly translated, is especially faithful to the meaning of Chekhov’s prose and the unique rhythms of his writing, giving readers an authentic sense of his style and a true understanding of his greatness.This edition contains The Lady with the Toy Dog Small Fry The Requiem The Bet Misery At Christmas Time The Huntsman A Malefactor Ward No. 6 The Looking-Glass A Story Without A Title A Daughter Of Albion Fat and Thin The Murder A Dead Body A Tripping Tongue After the Theatre A Lady’s Story The Student A Day in the Country A Work of Art A Joke A Country Cottage

    In an alternate Cairo infused with the otherworldly, the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities investigate disturbances between the mortal and the (possibly) divine. What starts off as an odd suicide case for Special Investigator Fatma el-Sha’arawi leads her through the city’s underbelly as she encounters rampaging ghouls, saucy assassins, clockwork angels, and plot that could unravel time itself.

    I was working as a bellboy at the Trump Hotel in Hong Kong on an internship program. This was my first time in a big city. It was all I could have ever dreamed of, and more. But little did I know, it was all about to change.

    What if life was neverending? What if you could change your body to adapt to an alien ecology? What if the pope were a robot? Spanning galaxies and millennia, this must-have anthology showcases classic contributions from H. G. Wells, Arthur C. Clarke, Octavia E. Butler, and Kurt Vonnegut, alongside a century of the eccentrics, rebels, and visionaries who have inspired generations of readers. Within its pages, you'll find beloved worlds of space opera, hard SF, cyberpunk, the New Wave, and more. Learn about the secret history of science fiction, from titans of literature who also wrote SF to less well-known authors from more than twenty-five countries, some never before translated into English. In The Big Book of Science Fiction, literary power couple Ann and Jeff VanderMeer transport readers from Mars to Mechanopolis, planet Earth to parts unknown. Immerse yourself in the genre that predicted electric cars, space tourism, and smartphones. Sit back, buckle up, and dial in the coordinates, as this stellar anthology has got worlds within worlds. Including: . Legendary tales from Isaac Asimov and Ursula K. Le Guin. An unearthed sci-fi story from W. E. B. Du Bois. The first publication in twenty years of the work of cybernetic visionary David R. Bunch. A rare and brilliant novella by Chinese international sensation Cixin Liu Plus: . Aliens!. Space battles!. Robots!. Technology gone wrong!. Technology gone right!"

    Publishers Weekly called it "a sterling collection" while singling out "The Silence of Sorrow" as "an understated masterpiece."Two years later, Subterranean Press published a mini-collection from Chizmar entitled Monsters and Other Stories. In his introduction, acclaimed genre critic Edward Bryant said, "When all is said and done, this book should leave you in utter silence, giving you time and opportunity to contemplate what you just read. Tough storytelling from a tough writer; but a writer who is not calloused. Chizmar possesses a finely honed gift of empathy. With utter grace and loving kindness he'll put you right inside the life (and soul) of the monster."Now, nearly two decades later, Chizmar assembles thirty-five stories, including a previously-unpublished novella, and presents us with A Long December. This massive new collection features more than 150,000 words of Chizmar's very best short fiction and includes 8,000 words of autobiographical Story Notes.Eerie, suspenseful, poignant, the stories in A Long December range from horror to suspense, crime to dark fantasy, mainstream to mystery.As New York Times bestselling author Scott Smith (A Simple Plan, The Ruins) notes: "It's an idyllic little world Richard Chizmar has created. Boys fish in the shallows of a winding creek. A father tosses a baseball with his young son in the fading light of a summer day. There's the smell of fresh-cut grass. And then, well...just beneath the surface? There are those missing pets whose collars turn up in a shoebox. Or the disturbing photos the dead can leave behind. Or the terrible thing you might find yourself doing when a long lost brother suddenly returns, demanding money. Chizmar does a tremendous job of peeling back his world's shiny layers, revealing the rot that lies underneath. His stories feel like so many teeth: short and sharp and ready to draw blood."

    His humor and short fiction appear in various publications throughout the Southeast.

    Some stories have won awards; some have been included in various 'Year's Best' anthologies; some have been well reviewed by critics and readers; and some are simply Ken's personal favorites. Many of the authors collected here (with the obvious exception of Liu Cixin) belong to the younger generation of 'rising stars'.In addition, three essays at the end of the book explore Chinese science fiction. Liu Cixin's essay, The Worst of All Possible Universes and The Best of All Possible Earths, gives a historical overview of SF in China and situates his own rise to prominence as the premier Chinese author within that context. Chen Qiufan's The Torn Generation gives the view of a younger generation of authors trying to come to terms with the tumultuous transformations around them. Finally, Xia Jia, who holds the first Ph.D. issued for the study of Chinese SF, asks What Makes Chinese Science Fiction Chinese?.

    Join us this season for funny stories and lots of pie. Contains some adult content. These characters are from the Mitchell Family Series and Mitchell Healy Series.

    New issues are released on the first Tuesday of every month. Extra large Customer Appreciation issue! TABLE OF CONTENTS FICTION The Tomato Thief—Ursula Vernon The Open-Hearted—Lettie Prell Soursop—Chikodili Emelumadu Bones of the World—Jennifer Hykes That Lucky Old Sun—Carrie Cuinn Razorback—Ursula Vernon Kutraya’s Skies—Dave Creek Riding Atlas—Ferrett Steinmetz Paper Tigers (Novel Excerpt)—Damien Angelica Walters NONFICTION Interview with Ursula Vernon—Andrea Johnson Interview with Chikodili Emelumadu—Andrea Johnson Interview with Lettie Prell—Andrea Johnson Interview with Matt Davis, Cover Artist—Russell Dickerson An Exploration of Racism in Heart of Darkness—Lucy A. Snyder POETRY RX-200 Series: It’s Everything You Need—Samson Stormcrow Hayes Upside of the Cataclysmic Meteor—Zebulon Huset The Doctor’s Assistant—Anton Rose In the Far Future, Billy Experiences the Most Powerful Drug Known to Man—Greg Leunig Automaton—Bianca Spriggs Maxwell’s Demon—Annie Neugebauer Various Kinds of Wolves—J.J. Hunter Editorial Words from the Editor-in-Chief — Jason Sizemore

    King illuminates the hidden corners of her beloved Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series in this dynamic short story collection.In nine short stories, seven of which have never previously been available in print, and one brand-new, never-before-seen Sherlock Holmes mystery available together for the first time Laurie R. King blends her long-running brand of crime fiction with historical treats and narrative sleight of hand. At the heart of the collection is a prequel novella that begins with England’s declaration of war in 1914. As told in Mary Russell’s teenage diaries, the whip-smart girl investigates familial mysteries, tracks German spies through San Francisco, and generally delights with her extraordinary mind until an unimaginable tragedy strikes.Here too is the case of a professor killed by a swarm of bees; Mrs Hudson’s investigation of a string of disappearing household items and a lifelong secret; a revealing anecdote about a character integral to The God of the Hive; the story of Mary’s beloved Uncle Jake and a monumental hand of cards; and a series of postcards in which Mary searches for her missing husband, Sherlock Holmes. Last but not least, fans will be especially thrilled by Mary's account of her decision, at age ninety-two, to publish her memoirs and how she concluded that Ms. King should be the one to introduce her voice to the world.

    And yet, given the level of secret knowledge she now posses, she is reduced to waiting to reveal her new academic discovery until royal decrees can be lifted and a fraught political situation avoided. In her idle frustration, Isabella vents her spleen upon the shoddy research published by lesser men with swollen heads in local journals. Enjoy the following collection of letters, found in a trunk of mislaid scholarly documents left behind when she removed to Linshire for the season.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

    It was not a murder, which was a pity - but I did solve it very cleverly, and so I decided it ought to be written down, so that other people could read it and be impressed.Camilla Badescu is in the fifth form, and has pale skin, dark hair and red lips. She comes from Romania (which is practically Transylvania). She doesn't eat at meals. And she seemed to have an unhealthy influence over another pupil, Amy Jessop. Now, I do not believe in vampires - I am the Honourable Daisy Wells, after all. But when I heard the rumour that Camilla was seen climbing head-first down a wall, I knew it was time to investigate...

    Then $3,000,000 goes missing. And a couple dressed as condiments—he’s Mustard, she’s Ketchup—might be behind the spooky shenanigans. What’s a Holiday Host to do? Call in the flying monkeys? July turns to the highest level of casino security and meets a boy named Baylor. Just Baylor. From there, it’s all thrills and chills. Books in the Davis Way Crime Caper Mystery Series: • DOUBLE WHAMMY (#1) • DOUBLE DIP (#2) • DOUBLE STRIKE (#3) • DOUBLE MINT (#4) • DOUBLE KNOT (#5) • DOUBLE UP (#6) March 2017 Part of the Henery Press Mystery Series Collection, if you like one, you'll probably like them all…

    In the title story, a fraught friendship between an exchange student and her host sister follows them from adolescence to adulthood. In A Song from Afar, a young woman grapples with the death of her lover, traveling to Russia to search for information about the deceased. In Secret, the parents of a teacher killed in the Sewol ferry sinking hide the news of her death from her grandmother. In the tradition of Sally Rooney, Banana Yoshimoto, and Marilynne Robinson--writers from different cultures who all take an unvarnished look at human relationships and the female experience--Choi Eunyoung is a writer to watch.

    If he can accomplish that, maybe his father will finally see him as a worthy son. He's completed the grueling trek from Germania to Tokyo before, but this time is different. Luka never expected to meet Adele Wolfe, another racer posing as her twin brother and with a singular dream--to live life on her own terms.When Luka and Adele form an alliance, an unlikely bond forms, and even possibly love. But only one person can win the Axis Tour....Can everything Luka and Adele built together survive the race?Word count: 24000

    When he takes a new case it’s like he’s accepting the client into his ‘pack’. And Sam will do anything to protect the members of his pack. Dogs are like that. So are wolves. And so, too, are werewolves. Like Sam.Sam is a benandanti, an ancient race of werewolves who fight evil. And evil comes in all shapes and sizes; it comes at people from all directions. The cases Sam takes range from saving the world from genetically-engineered super soldiers to saving a young boy from the very real monster in his closet.The Sam Hunter Case Files gather together the weird, strange, funny, heartbreaking and disturbing adventures of a low-rent private investigator taking on very odd jobs. These stories include cameos by fan-favorite characters from Maberry’s bestselling Joe Ledger thrillers and The Pine Deep Trilogy

    From neighbourhood yetis to military robots, this terrifying collection has it all and will leave you sleeping with the lights on! Get the No 1 bestselling collection today, but be warned, it might give you nightmares. Don't look under your bed! Collection includes 1. A is for Antichrist 2. B is for Bogeywoman 3. C is for Clown 4. D is for Detour (Empire of the Tooth) 5. E is for Exterminator 6. F is for Feral 7. G is for Genome 8. H is for Hell 9. I is for Ice 10. J is for Jaws 11. K is for Klutz 12. L is for Lamia 13. M is for Matty-Bob 14. N is for Nightmare 15. O is for Orifice 16. P is for Peeling 17. Q is for Quarantine 18. R is for Revenant 19. S is for Sand 20. T is for Troglodyte 21. U is for Urinary Tract 22. V is for Vulgar (Offensive!) 23. W is for Waste 24. X is for X-22 25. Y is for Yeti 26. Z - Zion "Iain Rob Wright scares the hell out of me." - J.A. Konrath, author of Afraid Keyword categories: horror anthology, horror collection, occult, supernatural, thriller, suspense, urban legends

    Teens form an all-girl band in the face of an impending comet.A woman faces giant spiders to collect silk and protect her family.New friends take their radio show on the road in search of plague survivors.A man seeks love in a fading world.How would you survive the apocalypse?Defying Doomsday is an anthology of apocalypse fiction featuring disabled and chronically ill protagonists, proving it’s not always the “fittest” who survive -- it’s the most tenacious, stubborn, enduring and innovative characters who have the best chance of adapting when everything is lost.In stories of fear, hope and survival, this anthology gives new perspectives on the end of the world, from authors Corinne Duyvis, Janet Edwards, Seanan McGuire, Tansy Rayner Roberts, Stephanie Gunn, Elinor Caiman Sands, Rivqa Rafael, Bogi Takács, John Chu, Maree Kimberley, Octavia Cade, Lauren E Mitchell, Thoraiya Dyer, Samantha Rich, and K Evangelista.Table of ContentsAnd the Rest of Us Wait by Corinne DuyvisTo Take Into the Air My Quiet Breath by Stephanie GunnSomething in the Rain by Seanan McGuireDid We Break the End of the World? by Tansy Rayner RobertsIn the Sky with Diamonds by Elinor Caiman SandsTwo Somebodies Go Hunting by Rivqa RafaelGiven Sufficient Desperation by Bogi TakácsSelected Afterimages of the Fading by John ChuFive Thousand Squares by Maree KimberleyPortobello Blind by Octavia CadeTea Party by Lauren E MitchellGiant by Thoraiya DyerSpider-Silk, Strong as Steel by Samantha RichNo Shit by K EvangelistaI Will Remember You by Janet Edwards

    He knew that one day he might inherit his family's estate, but as that day was hundreds of years and most of a continent away, he was content to spend his time fiddling in his workshop and trying to keep his friend Simon from doing something foolish enough to get himself killed. He was happy; he had no aspirations. So how did he wind up married to a mermaid?When King Gilad holds a ball in honor of the abdicating Duke of Saltmist and his daughter, the Duchess-in-waiting, there's no real way for the nobles of the Mists to avoid attending. All Patrick is hoping to do is survive the night without utterly embarrassing either himself or Simon, or attracting the wrath of Simon's wife. Alas for him, things are going to get a lot more interesting than he's counting on...Heaps of Pearl is best read after The Winter Long. It is a historical story, but contains character relationship spoilers through book eight.

    Many residents call the island home year-round, but day visitors and tourists bring plenty of excitement with them. Like other resort islands, there are quaint shops, cool restaurants, and friendly bars. There are several resorts on the island, but the queen of them all is the elegant Grand Hotel on a bluff with an ocean view. Owned by the extensive, multi-generational Phillips family, the Grand Hotel offers elegant service, five course dinners, and plenty of romance. White Pine Island Novella #1: Ned & Bethany Sometimes the heart hits a hole in one… Bethany Hinkle arrives at White Pine Island’s Grand Hotel for her sister’s wedding and to do a little environmental snooping. She snaps pictures of the hotel’s pristine golf course to ensure its compliance with EPA standards. Soon, she realizes that the course’s manager is as attractive as the course he so carefully protects. Ned Phillips feels the weight of family expectations squarely on his broad shoulders. The Phillips Family has owned and operated the Grand Hotel for three generations. For now, he manages the hotel’s golf course and makes plans for its future—plans that could be destroyed by Bethany’s spying. He gets close to the lovely environmentalist to watch for her next move until he gets too close to let her go. ***** White Pine Island Novella #2: Ellen & Pete What happens when you fall in love with your best friend just when it’s too late? All her life, Ellen Phillips has loved working for her family’s Grand Hotel on White Pine Island. Flying the hotel’s airplane and piloting the island ferryboat while knowing someday she will inherit the luxurious resort is a fairy tale existence she has no desire to change. She’s always loved Pete McCormack, too. After all, he’s her best friend, confidante, and playmate. Until she suddenly sees him in a different light just before Christmas. Pete McCormack has made sacrifices for his family’s golf cart rental business on the island, choosing to stay home and run it instead of pursuing his dream of his own career on the mainland. When his parents announce their plans to sell the business so Pete can leave the island, he has to choose between the future he thought he always wanted and his newfound love for the woman he would be leaving behind.

    This collection of classic and newly reprinted stories provides readers with more of her unsettling, dark tales, including the "The Possibility of Evil" and "The Summer People." In these deliciously dark stories, the daily commute turns into a nightmarish game of hide and seek, the loving wife hides homicidal thoughts and the concerned citizen might just be an infamous serial killer. In the haunting world of Shirley Jackson, nothing is as it seems and nowhere is safe, from the city streets to the crumbling country pile, and from the small-town apartment to the dark, dark woods. There's something sinister in suburbia.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

    The people of Enith are not. The two countries have been at war for decades, but now peace has fallen, and Calla of Enith seeks to renew an unlikely friendship with Gaantish officer Valk over an even more unlikely game of chess, in Carrie Vaughn's novella That Game We Played During The War.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

    Come along for the ride to meet feisty Boston city girls who know what they want, and rugged Montana men who just need to be loved. It's 1900, and things are changing fast in sleepy Sun River. As the town begins to expand, its inhabitants are getting restless, looking for love and adventure. A Bride for Carlton Why would an accomplished governess respond to an advertisement in the Matrimonial Times? Myra Gilbert had never considered such a thing, but something has awoken within her and she is determined to take her chance on love. Carlton Green claimed his lands, and now has the deeds in his grasp. But something is missing in his life. Will his quest to find love fill that hole, or is there something from his past that could change everything and leave him with nothing? A Bride for Mackenzie Annie Cahill has had a tough life, forced to leave home and work from an early age to support her sick Mama and younger siblings. Always the one everybody else could rely on she decides to finally reach out to take something for herself. But will she find the courage to see it through? A Bride for Ethan Maggie Smith left her home and family behind her to forge a successful career. But she is beginning to wonder if it truly was worth all the sacrifices she has made. But her desire for a family and loving partner may be a challenge to far. Has she already had everything she dreamed of, and foolishly pushed it away? A Bride for Thomas Catherine Parker has been brought up in the lap of luxury, and has always expected she would someday make an expedient marriage, but when her Papa insists she marry a man she knows he despises she has no choice. But will she find the love and companionship she craves, or is she merely trading one kind of hell for another? Can she trust a stranger to care more for her than her own father? A Bride for Matthew Emily Wilkins has led a glamorous life, part of a famous Circus family she has her own Act and a loving family. But a dramatic accident in the Ring means she has to face up to the fact that she never felt she fitted in. With her faithful donkey Claude she sets out for Montana to heal and find herself, but she gets much more than she ever bargained for. A Bride for Daniel Alice Springham has worked as a maid in a top Boston hotel since she was a girl. But she is feeling restless. Not knowing what she wants she answers and advertisement in the Matrimonials that made her smile. She has no idea if it is love she is missing, or if she even wants to wed. Will she ever learn what it is she truly wants? A Bride for William Madelaine Crane has led a life of privilege, but her comfortable life has been ripped apart by scandal. Can she overcome the gossip and forge her way to a life of fulfilment and love despite their censure? A Bride for Aaron Frederica Milton has been struggling to find her place in the world since the tragic deaths of her parents. Her Aunt is making her life a misery, though she knows her kindly Uncle loves her - but it is time for her to take her destiny into her own hands. Our feisty heroine places an advertisement for a husband, but will she finally find what she truly longs for? A Bride for Gideon Alberta Freemont, the daughter of a prominent Boston politician knows all about the need to marry well and that love isn't always a consideration.

    Violet Darby - one of the Big Girls - recently asked me to solve a most puzzling romantic mystery. I knew I'd be able to crack the case, and I did, in just a day and a half. It was one of my greatest triumphs (Hazel Wong, my Vice-President and best friend, is telling me that this is boasting, but it is also the truth). Hazel didn't believe I would have the patience to write the account of it, but of course, she was wrong. I did write it down, and it came out very well. I now, therefore, present to you: the Case of the Blue Violet.

    There is a concert pianist who defies death by uploading his soul into his piano. There is the person who draws his mother’s ghost out of the bullet hole in the wall near where she was executed. Another character has a horn growing out of the center of his forehead—punishment for an affair. But he is too weak to end it, too much in love to be moral. Another story recounts a panda breeder looking for tips. And then there’s a border patrol agent trying to figure out how to process undocumented visitors from another galaxy. Poignant by way of funny, and philosophical by way of grotesque, Hernandez’s stories are prayers for self-sovereignty.

    By tracing rivers in ink on paper, Oona pins the land down to one reality and betrays her people. Can she escape the bonds of gold and blood and bone that tie her to the Imperial American River Company?At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

    Straddling the border between civilization and the wild, they all struggle to make sense of their loneliness and longings in the stark and often isolating enclaves they call home—golden fields and white-veiled woods, dilapidated farmhouses and makeshift trailers, icy rivers and still lakes that rouse the imagination, tether the heart, and inhabit the soul.In “Creek Dippers,” a teenage girl vows to escape the fate that has trapped her eccentric, rough-living mother. “Maggie in the Trees” explores the aftershocks of a man who surrenders to his passion for a wild, damaged woman—his longtime friend’s partner. In “God’s Country,” an elderly woman is unexpectedly reminded of a forbidden youthful passion and the chance she did not take. Returning to her childhood house when her mother falls ill, a daughter grapples with her own sense of belonging in “The Women Where I’m From.”In striking prose powerful in its clarity and purity, MacArthur effortlessly renders characters cleaved to the land that has defined them—men and women, young and old, whose lives are inextricably intertwined with each other and tied to the fierce and beautiful natural world that surrounds them.

    Valente's blog:"Ever since the election, people have been telling me to shut up and go back to Fairyland. Be silent. Be good. Accept. Submit. Stop talking about politics. Stick to fairy tales. (As if fairy tales have ever not been about politics.) Go back to Fairyland. Go back to Fairyland.So I did. Please enjoy this story set before the events of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making. If you’d prefer to read this elsewhere, see the bottom of the page for downloads."

      It is also full of useful things that will help organize your year, including dates, numbers, and pictures of dogs.

    Join the O'Reilly family once again as they meet around the Jack O'Lantern on Halloween night and share ghost stories that will make you shiver and have you looking over your shoulder to see if there is "a little something extra" wandering through your home tonight.

    government spies can turn on your phone and use the microphone to listen to your conversations? ... that lesbian and gay relationships are illegal in 78 countries and can be punished by death? ... that Amnesty recently recorded the highest number of executions globally for more than 25 years? Through short stories and poetry, twenty-five leading authors and illustrators explore the top human rights issues facing young people today. Now is the time to take a stand and make a difference. Full list of contributors: Tony Birch, John Boyne, Sita Brahmachari, Kevin Brooks, Kate Charlesworth, Sarah Crossan, Neil Gaiman, Jack Gantos, Ryan Gattis, Matt Haig, Frances Hardinge, Jackie Kay, AL Kennedy, Liz Kessler, Elizabeth Laird, Amy Leon, Sabrina Mahfouz, Chelsea Manning, Chibundu Onuzo, Bali Rai, Chris Riddell, Mary and Bryan Talbot, Christie Watson and Tim Wynne-Jones.

    See the books that made APJ Abdul Kalam

    Appel introduces readers to a a diplomats wife who attempts to seduce her chimney sweep through Norwegian lessons, a minister whose dead wife is romantically involved with Greta Garbo and a landlord menaced by a rent-delinquent mime.

    In these stories, Brian Evenson unsettles us with the everyday and the extraordinary—the terror of living with the knowledge of all we cannot know.

    The eight stories in THE TOPLESS WIDOW OF HERKIMER STREET are smart, funny, and humane. In "Bioethics for Dunces," which takes its name from the title of a college course its main character Leonard teaches, Leonard suddenly finds that academic and abstract issues are all too real when his own daughter goes on life support. He and his wife disagree about what to do. A quote from this story speaks to the philosophical quandary that many of these stories explore: "The underlying problem was that Leonard's situation lacked a governing social convention." Many of Appel's stories feature characters grappling with moral, ethical, and philosophical situations that lack governing social conventions. His stories show how ethics something that sounds like an academic abstraction can be concrete, visceral, and immediate. With compassion, wit, humor, and intelligence, these stories explore the gray areas of our lives. Echoes of myth, fairy tale, and fable flavor them, underscoring the eternal nature of both the human condition and storytelling itself. In a starred review Kirkus Reviews described Jacob Appel's THE TOPLESS WIDOW OF HERKIMER STREET as a collection of "well- constructed stories that sharply but compassionately observe people trying to make sense of life's disruptions" and that "come to...thoughtful, often wrenching conclusions."

    Czentovic easily defeats him, but during the rematch a mysterious Austrian, Dr B., intervenes and, to the surprise of everyone, helps the underdog obtain a draw. When, the next day, Dr B. confides in a compatriot travelling on the same ship and decides to reveal the harrowing secret behind his formidable chess knowledge, a chilling tale of imprisonment and psychological torment unfolds. Stefan Zweig’s last and most famous story, ‘A Game of Chess’ was written in exile in Brazil and explores its author’s anxieties about the situation in Europe following the rise of the Nazi regime. The tale is presented here in a brand-new translation, along with three of the master storyteller’s most acclaimed novellas: Twenty-four Hours in the Life of a Woman, The Invisible Collection and Incident on Lake Geneva.

    In “The Fabric Diary,” the new owner of a Manhattan bed-and-breakfast discovers a mysterious scrapbook of fabric swatches, compelling her to discover the connection between a beautiful antique quilt and the original owners of her historic brownstone. “The Runner’s Quilt” tells the heartwarming story of a young mother who discovers fitness and fulfillment by becoming a runner—and by making a special quilt for a new friend. Originally published in Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine and Quiltmaker, these two charming short stories appear together for the first time in one eBook edition.

    From bewildering assemblies in school auditoriums to the murky waters of a Depression-era health resort, Beams’s landscapes are tinged with otherworldliness, and her characters’ desires stretch the limits of reality. Ing énues at a boarding school bind themselves to their headmaster’s vision of perfection ; a nineteenth-century landscape architect embarks on his first major project, but finds the terrain of class and power intractable ; a bride glimpses her husband’s past when she wears his World War II parachute as a gown ; and a teacher comes undone in front of her astonished fifth graders.As they capture the strangeness of being human, the stories in We Show What We Have Learned reveal Clare Beams’s rare and capacious imagination—and yet they are grounded in emotional complexity, illuminating the ways we attempt to transform ourselves, our surroundings, and each other.

    TELBAT takes us to a distant land where danger knows no boundaries. Now working for COIL, Agent Titus Caspertein has left the criminal underworld to carry the cross of Christ, but survival has never seemed more unlikely for this new Christian. Assumed dead after a bungled humanitarian airdrop, Titus fights for his life against hyenas, wild dogs, and isolation in the African savanna. With two broken limbs, and predators prowling for his blood, Titus relies on a young boy to keep him alive. Unless his wife, Annette, finds him before a heavily armed rhino poacher does, Titus will become a casualty of the Zimbabwe wilderness. We pray you enjoy this exciting Prequel to The COIL Legacy, and discover that there is truly no redemption without sacrifice. At 18,000 words, DISTANT BOUNDARY includes a note from Author D.I. Telbat, 2 maps, and a Bonus Chapter from Distant Contact, Book One of The COIL Legacy. Cover design is by Streetlight Graphics.

    That music, that voice calling on the edge of static and distortion-it might lead you to that blasted and damned path toward the Real and Truest heart of Leeds, Massachusetts. This is WXXT. It's the witching hour, when shadows take wing and nightmares stalk. Turn your radio up. Point your antennas to the infinite sky. And stay tuned for Weather on the Sixes. WXXT. The bubbling blisters on the tongue of the Pioneer Valley.

    Some are hallmarks of summer, when your skin is warmed by more than the sun. There is the after-Thanksgiving dinner nightcap, and the feel of the smooth, sultry burn of whiskey warming your chest, rendering your limbs heavy. Or lazy kisses and wandering hands beneath your best dress on a romantic Valentine's Day date.But sometimes, Grandma gets boozed up and passes out at the table, your brother gets caught rubbing one out under the fireworks, your kids catch mommy kissing Santa (and not on the lips), your special new toy winds up in the wrong gift bag, a goat steals and wears your sexy new thong and watching the ball drop takes on a whole new meaning.In other words, the holidays can be magical, but sometimes, they're also just f*cking awkward.

    A 24/7 non stop medical roller coaster of thrills, pills, and nasty spills. We've got fights, bites, and flashing lights. Think you've heard it all? Think again. Get ready for the all the over the top stories I still don't believe and the patients that come with them.

    Are you feeling lucky?*ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT National Alliance on Mental Illness*WORTH THE CHASE by J.L. BeckGia King and Chase Winchester come together in an explosive romance with one chance encounter at love.College, romance, and two families who were hell bent on being enemies. Can love between these two really transpire or will everyone else have the last say? Sometimes you have to chase what you want.UNLUCKY IN LOVE by RD BergTwo days ago Chloe James considered herself the luckiest woman alive, as she excitedly did the final preparations for her dream wedding. How did she end up in the back of an ambulance in her wedding dress with the brazen paramedic, Braden Dean, on her wedding night? Chloe soon discovers her luck well has run dry, and she just might have become Unlucky In Love.CHANCE ENCOUNTER by LB Dunbar Liars and cheats, that's what Americans were to me, Chance Fitzgerald. My first impression was a bit skewed then of Keli Donagel. She was breathtakingly beautiful, until I heard that damn accent. Nothing good ever came from the Americans I encountered, most of all those who possessed something I want returned. What a corker that Fate is, though? She had other plans for me.LUCKY STUD by Rebecca EliseWhen Kurt Davis let Briony Jensen move in as a favor to his cousin, it was only supposed to be temporary. He never expected to fall for her, but he is determined to make her his. Just when he thinks he is getting close, Briony drops a bomb on him, forcing him to make a a difficult decision. Does he let her go or beg her to stay?LOVE AT LUCKY STABLES by Ashley HamptonMystery surrounds Lucky Stables. Many, like Emily Lane’s parents, fell in love there. After tragedy struck, Emily ran far away, believing the stables were cursed. In Emily’s absence, Shane Patterson has stepped in to help Emily’s aging father. When Emily returns home, will Shane help her believe in love and luck again?LUCKY ME by Kelly MoranDeclan O'Leary's family is cursed. For the past one-hundred years, bad things happen if they fall in love. So Declan lives his life one woman at a time. Until he meets Lily Durand and he finds himself wishing for a forever that can never be. Yet their fate encounter and one week of sexual, intimate bliss just might be enough to turn his luck around.RIGHT KIND OF WRONG by K. ReneeDannicka Grady has no idea she’s in trouble. When her sister Sage sends in a friend to protect her, the sparks fly. Sawyer “Saw” O’Brien is a dirty talking biker, and Dannicka never expected to be drawn to a man like him, especially since their worlds are so different. Can Sawyer protect her and win her heart at the same time?LUCKY FOR YOU by Mayra StathamReady for a fresh start, single mom Keira Jennings has discovered a slice of in heaven in the mountain town of Whispering Springs, California. Police chief Rex Malone is smitten at first sight for the charming new resident of his hometown. After a routine stop sparks fly. Has Keira’s Luck changed for the better? Or is Rex just like every man she’s ever met?WISH ME LUCK by Shantel TessierI’ve always considered myself a lucky man. Women and money both come easily. That is until I meet Ashlyn. What was supposed to be fun and simple turns hard and complicated. I’m Ryder O’Kane, and I have fallen for a woman who made one night more memorable than any woman before her. It’s funny how luck runs out when you need it the most.*ANTHOLOGY AVAILABLE FROM 3/15/16 to 6/15/16*

    His signature style is simplicity itself, but the themes he tackles are big, deep and universal—love, loss, happiness, grief, and all the shades of emotion in between. These are stories of city and small town, mountain and lowland, and of life lived slowly and lightly. For over fifty years, these tales have charmed and beguiled several generations of readers. Last year, Ruskin Bond made a selection of his favourite stories (from the several hundred that he has written) that were published in a book entitled A Gathering of Friends. It proved to be enormously popular, selling out in a matter of weeks. Encouraged by its success, the author has made a further selection of his favourite stories and non-fiction sketches, leavening the mix with several pieces that have never been published before. It is a collection that will burnish his reputation as one of the world’s great storytellers.

    military. He's about to get his wish.  The government knows that a massive solar flare could plunge the entire world into darkness for decades to come, but few believe it will ever happen. The governor of Texas is hoping it won't, but planning that it could. She implements her brainchild, the top secret Operation Nightshade, and Gabe suddenly finds himself chosen to train for the end of modern society.  When the government learns their darkest fear is about to become a reality, Gabe can't warn anyone of the impending disaster—but he can stock his shelves and do everything in his power to ensure his neighbor, Lenora Diaz, will survive as long as possible.  Gabe must race against a cataclysmic solar clock if he hopes to be in position when the blackout descends.

    These inventive and compelling stories contain tales of transcending cyborgs, shapeshifting bears, sentient hands, rogue GPSs, superhero moms groups, zombie chipmunks, and a story told from the point of view of a paddle in Pong. Her stories have been described as original, charming, delightful, unexpected, poignant, mystifying, beautiful, horrific, intricate, darkly funny, imaginative, fascinating, and just plain weird. The 25 stories and 3 poems include her prequel story to her YA Seriously Wicked series from Tor Teen, as well as one new story exclusive to the collection

    “Stone Mattress,” from her collection of the same name is witty, grotesque, and utterly hilarious—an exemplar of Atwood’s tremendous capacity for capturing our darkest impulses on the page.Verna, aging widow, boards a cruise ship bound for the Arctic in search of her next husband. The last four had suffered regrettable tragedies and left Verna wickedly wealthy in their wake. But, instead of finding another wealthy suitor, Verna finds unwitting Bob, the first man to have ever wronged her. Single, reasonably near his grave, ordinary, and attracted to her like all the others—Bob is all-too-easy prey for Verna’s merciless revenge. An ebook short.

     Hsissh is a member of The One. There are some newcomers to The One's homeplanet. They call themselves "humans," and they are, frankly, mentally deficient--they can't warp the quantum world with their minds. However, Hsissh is becoming attached to one of them, a Miss Noa Sato. When The One decide they will wipe out the humans and Noa's life is on the line, Hsissh is forced to take sides ... he might find intelligent life where The One least expect it.

    For the Twelve Days of Christmas—a time of celebration, sharing, and giving—she offers these twelve plus one: a personal story of her own Christmas memories. These tales give the reader a portal into the spirit of the season, where time slows down and magic starts to happen. From trees with mysterious powers to a tinsel baby that talks, philosophical fairies to flying dogs, a haunted house and a disappearing train, Winterson's innovative stories encompass the childlike and spooky wonder of Christmas. Perfect for reading by the fire with loved ones, or while traveling home for the holidays. Enjoy the season of peace and goodwill, mystery, and a little bit of magic courtesy of one of our most fearless and accomplished writers.

    In "Know the Mother," author Desiree Cooper explores the complex archetype of the mother in all of her incarnations. In a collage of meditative stories, women-both black and white-find themselves wedged between their own yearnings and their roles as daughters, sisters, grandmothers, and wives.In this heart-wrenching collection, Cooper reveals that gender and race are often unanticipated interlopers in family life. An anxious mother reflects on her prenatal fantasies of suicide while waiting for her daughter to come home late one night. A lawyer miscarries during a conference call and must proceed as though nothing has happened. On a rare night out with her husband, a new mother tries convincing herself that everything is still the same. A politician's wife's thoughts turn to slavery as she contemplates her own escape: "Even Harriet Tubman had realized that freedom wasn't worth the price of abandoning her family, so she'd come back home. She'd risked it all for love." With her lyrical and carefully crafted prose, Cooper's stories provide truths without sermon and invite empathy without sentimentality."Know the Mother" explores the intersection of race and gender in vignettes that pull you in and then are gone in an instant. Readers of short fiction will appreciate this deeply felt collection.

    Out of desperation, Ruby responds to an ad, hoping this could be the answer to her prayers. Running out of plan, she took the risks and traveled out West with her daughter to meet her anonymous husband and courageously face their unknown future. Why is a blackberry patch so important to them? Will she get through the challenges that will test her strong faith? Where had Matthew been the past couple of days that had him terribly injured? Feel at home and get comfy in their small humble cabin where you can collect chickens eggs and berries at the barn to make a perfect pancake for breakfast, milk the cows and make some cheese and butter for lunch, and get cozy in the fireplace at night. Y'all get to know Mr. Matthew Allen's, a strong, well-built man with a long beard covering his lips. Pete, his dark and mysterious friend who's always giving Ruby the chills and that sweet Eliza, her beloved daughter who's always eager to help them with the chores. ....“a story of hope, fear, romance, suspense and true love.”.... While this book is part of a romance series, it can definitely be read as a standalone book.Kat Carson: #1 Best Seller in Historical #1 Best Seller in Religious #1 Best Seller in Religion & Spirituality ALWAYS FREE on Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime Kat Carson’s Clean and Wholesome novelette American mail order bride historical Western book romance series are enjoyment for all ages from Teen & Young Adult to a more mature audience.

    Where nature rubs against small towns, in mountains and woods and bedrooms, here is strangeness seen through a poet’s eye.They say there are always greener pastures. These stories consider the cost of that promise.

    A retired librarian takes a life and Mercy takes her case under duress, of course. Soon she’ll be drawn in by this unusual criminal and she’ll have a choice to make with painful consequences.

    Petersburg in 1872, adopted the pen-name of Teffi, and it is as Teffi that she is remembered. In pre-revolutionary Russia she was a literary star, known for her humorous satirical pieces; in the 1920s and 1930s, she wrote some of her finest stories in exile in Paris, recalling her unforgettable encounters with Rasputin, and her hopeful visit at age thirteen to Tolstoy after reading War and Peace. In this selection of her best autobiographical stories, she covers a wide range of subjects, from family life to revolution and emigration, writers and writing. Like Nabokov, Platonov, and other great Russian prose writers, Teffi was a poet who turned to prose but continued to write with a poet’s sensitivity to tone and rhythm. Like Chekhov, she fuses wit, tragedy, and a remarkable capacity for observation; there are few human weaknesses she did not relate to with compassion and understanding.

    I know, that sounds like the dramatic ramblings of a seventeen-year-old girl, but it’s the absolute truth. Until today, I was an orphan, an uneducated ward of the government with no employment prospects on her horizon. But as of today, at least one of those is no longer true. I may never know the parents who abandoned me at the age of four. And by most people’s standards, I will always be more streetwise than book-smart. But I have been offered a job. For the first time in my life, I am looking ahead to the next phase of my life, instead of focusing on a past I cannot change. Ironic, considering how little I know about my new employer and the position I’ve been offered…which is precisely nothing at all. **2446-89: Stassi’s Diary is the prequel novella to The Syndicate (Timewaves Series, #1)**

      A construction worker on the run from the shady local businessman whose dog he has stolen; a Custer’s Last Stand reenactor engaged in a long-running affair with the Native American woman who slays him on the battlefield every year; a middle-aged high school janitor caught in a scary dispute over land and cattle with her former stepson: Callan Wink’s characters are often confronted with predicaments few of us can imagine. But thanks to the humor and remarkable empathy of this supremely gifted writer, the nine stories gathered in Dog Run Moon are universally transporting and resonant.   Set mostly in Montana and Wyoming, near the borders of Yellowstone National Park, this revelatory collection combines unforgettable insight into the fierce beauty of the West with a powerful understanding of human beings. Tender, frequently hilarious, and always electrifying, Dog Run Moon announces the arrival of a bold new talent writing deep in the American grain.

    Janet Kagan was a unique voice in the business, bringing her witty sense of humor and refreshing outlook to stories that tackled political intrigue, murder mysteries, and ecological puzzles. Her stories are thought-provoking, often funny, and always entertaining.“Janet Kagan explores the interfaces of culture, language, intelligence, and what it means to be human.”—Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, coauthors of the best-selling Liaden Universe® series“An absolute delight.”—Mike ResnickAt the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

    Soon, Dusty is able to accomplish a great deal: she works long hours and is made senior partner at her firm, she keeps her own flat, and she falls hopelessly and irresponsibly in love with a married man. But, when her father telephones to report some disturbing news, Dusty must return home for the winter. There, heartbroken but still dutiful, Dusty finally reunites with her oldest friends.         First published in the US as part of her encouraging book of missives to aspiring writers, The Maeve Binchy Writers’ Club, “Dusty’s Winter” is essential Maeve. Inspiring and down-to-earth, her stories are full of the stuff of everyday life. Ireland’s “best-loved writer of her generation,” Maeve Binchy often wrote about ordinary life in small-town Ireland, and she is fondly remembered for the warmth and generosity of her prose.   Maeve Binchy has received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Book Awards in 1999 and the Irish PEN/A.T. Cross Award in 2007 and is the author of many bestselling books including Maeve’s Times, Chestnut Street, and A Week in Winter.   An eBook short.

    So the kind and character of his works: very rare, exceptional, unique, maverick, exceedingly original fiction: rara avis that's a quantum leap away and departure... At least three or four in this collection already strike one as veritable classics." - GREGORIO C. BRILLANTES

    (Previously published in 2011 Anthology - Every Witch Way But Wicked)

    Tied to their ancestral and adopted homelands in ways unimaginable in generations past, these memorable characters straddle both worlds but belong to none.From a Hong Kong movie idol fleeing a sex scandal, to an obedient daughter turned Stanford imposter, to a Chinatown elder summoned to his village, to a Korean-American pastor with a secret agenda, the characters in these ten stories vividly illustrate the conflict between self and society, tradition and change. In “What We Have is What We Need,” winner of The Atlantic student fiction prize, a boy from Mexico reunites with his parents in San Francisco. When he suspects his mother has found love elsewhere, he fights to keep his family together.With insight and wit, she writes about what wounds us and what we must survive. Her searing stories explore the clash of cultures and the complex, always shifting allegiances that we carry in ourselves, our family, and our community. Deceit and Other Possibilities marks the emergence of a remarkable new writer.

    Lansdale, his ownself, HAP AND LEONARD delivers six previously uncollected tales of mayhem, violence, and adventure told in the uniquely Lansdale manner.Soon to be a television miniseries starring Michael K. Williams (The Wire), James Purefoy (Rome), and Christina Hendricks (Mad Men).Hap and Leonard don’t fit the profile. Any profile.Hap Collins is complicated. He looks like a good ’ol boy, but his politics don’t match. After a number of careers, Hap has discovered that what he’s best at is kicking ass.Vietnam veteran Leonard Pines is even more complicated: black, conservative, gay, and an occasional arsonist. Well, just the one time.As childhood friends and business associates, Hap and Leonard have a gift for the worst kind of trouble: East Texan trouble. And the Dixie Mafia and small-time crooks alike had best be extremely nervous.TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction by Michael KortyaVeil’s Visit Death By ChiliHyenasDead AimThe Boy Who Became InvisibleBent TwigJoe R. Lansdale Interviews Hap Collins and Leonard PineAfterword by Joe R. Lansdale

    But when another version of himself appears and kidnaps Gary's wife before his very eyes, Gary must decide whether or not to use the strange mechanical devices his duplicate has left him ... and then live with the choice. YOUR NAME IS IN THE BOOK: When John was eleven years old, he came home to find a book he'd never seen before lying on his bed. The cover had been torn off, and inside it were endless lists of names - some of which belonged to people he knew - with a single number behind each one. That was his first glimpse into a darker reality than he could have ever imagined, because even though couldn't know it at the time, that mysterious book would go on to affect every facet of the rest of his life. And potentially, hold the key to his death.

    The words haunt him as he studies the Kaiju (Japan’s giant monsters) on an island reserve, attempting to understand the beauty his wife saw.“The Return to Monsterland” opens 'Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone,' a collection of twelve fabulist and genre-bending stories inspired by Japanese folklore, historical events, and pop culture. In “Rokurokubi”, a man who has the demonic ability to stretch his neck to incredible lengths tries to save a marriage built on secrets. The recently dead find their footing in “The Inn of the Dead’s Orientation for Being a Japanese Ghost”. In “Girl Zero”, a couple navigates the complexities of reviving their deceased daughter via the help of a shapeshifter. And, in the title story, a woman instigates a months-long dancing frenzy in a Tokyo where people don’t die but are simply reborn without their memories.Every story in the collection turns to the fantastic, the mysticism of the past, and the absurdities of the future to illuminate the spaces we occupy when we, as individuals and as a society, are at our most vulnerable.

    However, her husband Darius is too pigheaded to work on it, since—in his mind—he is not the problem. Tired of being kept under lock and key—and completely controlled by Darius, Safa makes a trip back to her old neighborhood to see her grandmother against Darius’s wishes, and everything changes. Safa meets Kordell, a sexy, street boxer who gives her what she's been missing out on. They begin an affair that pulls Safa even further away from her marriage. After some major flare ups, Safa finds herself questioning everything. Was her marriage a mistake? Is Kordell the one? Could she really give up everything for him? And what will happen if Darius finds out? So many things are shaken up when a woman gets fed up.

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     A woman is preparing breakfast for her children when she hears a dangerous voice in her head... Late one night, an old man meets a strange girl on a canal towpath... Twisted Little Things and Other Stories is a collection of short horror stories. These are tales of the hidden darkness that can lurk in the modern world, threatening to lash out and destroy lives. Some of the stories are about ghosts, others are about the way evil spreads from mind to mind, and some are about vast and powerful secrets that exist on the edges of human perception. In each of the stories, a life is about to be changed forever, with terrifying results. Twisted Little Things and Other Stories contains the new stories Twisted Little Things, The Third Voice, The Ghost of Terry Willow, Victoria and The Towpath, as well as Table 9 and a revised version of The Ferry. This book contains scenes of violence, as well as strong language.

    But now to move on with her life and accept a proposal of marriage, she must confront the one man who holds the key to the wounds of her past. Fire Captain Carl McGuire can put out any flame, except for the one Hope sparks within him. As she stirs up his life and heart, Carl knows some things never change. Even a past he'd rather keep hidden. When a new neighbor moves in across the street who would be a perfect fit for their family, Mary and Brody form a plan to bring their dad and Hope together. But how will it work if Hope keeps pushing him away?

    For the first time ever, Darkness There showcases some of his most famous tales with stunning digital illustrations. Each story explores a different twist of madness, murder, and melancholy, from the horror of being buried alive in “The Fall of the House of Usher” to the desperate case of two gruesome killings in “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” The heartbeat of paranoia in “The Tell-Tale Heart,” the razor-sharp claustrophobia in “The Pit and the Pendulum,” and a mourner’s torment in “The Raven” reveal—and revel in—life’s creepiest and craziest. These tales are not for the faint of heart or the thin of skin.

    He’s bold and reckless, and leaves a trail of broken hearts in his wake. She should stay away, but she soon discovers they have more in common than she ever dreamed. They’re both living with painful secrets, and a true self they keep hidden, not letting anyone in – until she takes a leap and risks it all…Finn knows Eva is too good to be true. He’s been counting down to the day he can turn his back on Oak Harbor for good, and finally escape all the dark, painful shadows of his past. But this girl is impossible to ignore. Her smile makes him forget himself, and just one kiss could redeem it all. He’s determined not to fall, but then one night changes everything…Two unlikely hearts. One intoxicating romance. This epic love story is only just beginning.** Heartbeats is a novella story set before the events of Heartbreaker. Both books are written as stand-alone stories, so you can enjoy them in whichever order you like. **OAK HARBOR LOVE STORIES:#1 Heartbeats#2 Heartbreaker#3 Reckless Hearts

    They pine for lost loves and pop music romances, Hollywood heartthrobs, and sunnier towns. They flee from failed relationships and looming violence, adulthood and other deaths. Written with dark humor and incisive, voice-driven prose, Kara Vernor's stories will stick in your head like a song. "Kara Vernor's "Because I Wanted To Write You A Pop Song" is hilarious, dark, and beguiling. These wonderful stories crackle with hard-earned wisdom and wit and will, like all the very best songs, become forever etched on your heart." --John Jodzio, author of Knockout "Reading Kara Vernor is like being in a fast car that reveals the deepest secrets of its passerby. You rubberneck and yearn for more. You're spinning, you're flying, you're exhilarated and sad and brimming with thrill. Hail this book and hold on tight." --Lindsay Hunter, author of Ugly Girls "Kara Vernor says so much in so few words with these stories that I felt myself becoming a better reader as I read them. Her writing feels like a knife, cutting through so many of the falsehoods of American life and leaving only the truth, somehow leaving it both gently and determinedly at the same time. The stories in Because I Wanted to Write You a Pop Song do not flinch and do not seem to even remember how." --Siamak Vossoughi, author of Better Than War (winner of the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction) "The stories in "Because I Wanted to Write You a Pop Song" dazzle and tenderize. They are strange little worlds that invite you in...Kara Vernor writes with gut, heart, and striking beauty." --Jensen Beach, author of Swallowed by the Cold "If I could leave a few things in a capsule for the civilization coming next, I think I’d maybe pick Kara Vernor’s stories. Beings of the future might know us that way: how we thought; how our words arranged themselves on our tongues when we were only half thinking; what we were after, and how messed up that all was, but how vital in a deeper way. Like some of my favorite writers, Vernor is able to bring to the page a voice you’re shocked to recognize, for it seems so totally new. All of the stars, is what I’m trying to say. All of the hearts and cherries."--Scott Garson, author of Is That You, John Wayne?

    From a young boy with with an unhealthy fixation on what could go wrong to a man who can't accept that his wife wants to leave him, traipsing through The Corpse Garden certainly isn't for the faint of heart. Author S.H. Cooper presents a combination of works popularized on Reddit's NoSleep and four, previously unreleased stories for brand new thrills and chills that are best read with the lights on.

    The end of the world as we know it. Some say it will end in fire, some say in ice. Some say it will end with a bang, some with a whimper. In this title in the acclaimed Future Chronicles series of speculative fiction anthologies created by award-winning author Samuel Peralta, fifteen authors confront the Apocalypse, the end of days, the undiscovered country from which no traveler returns. The Doomsday Chronicles features stories by Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy award-winning and bestselling authors Ken Liu (the Dandelion Dynasty series), Seanan McGuire (the InCryptid series), plus thirteen more of today's top authors in speculative and science fiction.

    Each one is suffused with astonishing wit and tenderness. Well worth the wait!” —Jenny Offill, New York Times bestselling author of Department of Speculation“Reminiscent of George Saunders…These ingenious and lovable stories crack open the world.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)From the celebrated author of Who I Was Supposed to Be comes twelve beautiful short stories celebrating the everyday truths of people facing unusual or challenging situations…often of their own making.In Why They Run the Way They Do, critically acclaimed author Susan Perabo illustrates the triumphs and tragedies of daily life. Perfectly distilled into moments of sharp humor and poignancy, her latest collection features ordinary people in sometimes extraordinary circumstances. Two young students try their hand at blackmail upon learning an illicit secret; a woman grapples with feelings of betrayal after discovering her spinster sister’s pregnancy test; the ghost of a couple’s past comes back to haunt them in the form of their toddler’s stuffed toy.Weaving the banal and bizarre together, “Perabo’s clear, wry sentences meld a prose style that's reminiscent of Raymond Carver’s with a sensibility that's informed by People” (The New York Times). Here, this “literary talent” (The Boston Globe) captures the human condition through struggles that are quiet and grand; dark and provocative. Brilliantly crafted, Why They Run the Way They Do is ultimately an homage to the philosophy that life without humor is no life at all.

    writes with humor, dripping Southern charm that you can’t miss.” (The Greenville Examiner). A collection of short stories from the author of Sean of the South, and Lyla. Columnist, humorist, and novelist, Sean Dietrich, is known for his commentary on life in the American South. In his newest work, Small Towns, Labradors, Barbecue, Biscuits, Beer, and Bibles, he delivers a set of quirky tales filled with smiles and a hefty dose of heart.

    Adam doesn’t believe he would be a good father and says he never wants children. A Christmas Miracle just might prove both of them wrong. A Sweet Western Romance from #1 Best Selling Author Emily Wood Ruby has never fit in with the socialite society that has cast her aside because she cannot have children. When she travels west to marry Adam, a man who professes to never want children, it seems like a match made in heaven. Together, they might find that both of their fears are unfounded. Can a Christmas Miracle show them both a happiness they never dreamed of? Christmas Miracle Baby is a clean western romance from #1 Best Selling author Emily Woods. If you like clean, historical fiction about women who risked everything to find love on the Western frontier, you will love this sweet romance! Buy Christmas Miracle Baby and get lost in another sweet western romance today. Specially priced at only $0.99 Always FREE on Kindle Unlimited