It's time for her to meet the parents. Of course, that means flying to the other side of the country, in a plane packed full of humans, to spend time in someone else's territory. What could possibly go wrong?Unfortunately for Istas, the humans aren't the problem. When confronted with the stark reality that she and Ryan will never be members of the same species, will she be able to continue with the relationship? Or will she be forced to admit that blood will always tell, and that in the cryptid world, she will always be a monster?

    In the O. Henry award-winning title story, "Heat," young twin sisters are murdered, and both they and their killer remembered by a woman who was their contemprary and, in a way, a victim as well...In "Leiila Lee," a young woman who married an older man tried to develop a relationship with her husband's angry teenage son...In "House Hunting," a husband perplexed by his disintegrating marriage goes househunting without his wife, and embarks on a quest - not only for a house, but for his future. From small towns to big cities, from the working-class to the upper-class, there is scarcely an aspect of the American experience that Joyce Carol Oates has not magically made her own. Her stories shock, provoke, and astound us with their commentary on the human condition.

    His only hope for a cure is to accept a innovative treatment which he campaigned against funding, a decision for which he will be branded a hypocrite. The decision has placed him in the crucible of his life.

    This collection includes thirteen lean and mean stories from the fingertips of Garnett Elliott, Glenn Gray, John Hornor Jacobs, Patricia Abbott, Thomas Pluck, Brad Green, Ron Earl Phillips, Kent Gowran, Amy Grech, Benoit Lelievre, Kieran Shea, David Cranmer, and Wayne D. Dundee and a boiled down look at hardboiled fiction in an introduction by Ron Scheer. Edited by David Cranmer and Scott D. Parker.

    The wanderer Soukyan chooses to confront his past after the latest attack by a trio of assassins in this novella set in the world of The innkeeper's song.

    How will the future unfold for both species? Are the undead capable of controlling their urges? Can we resist the desire to stake them through the heart? Will we be the best of friends, or will our sinfully-seductive new neighbors literally have us over for dinner?In this shocking, sometimes amusing, always thought-provoking anthology, 22 of the world’s finest horror and dark fantasy writers reveal the future as they imagine it, moving from this century to the next. Whether vampires help or hinder us, affect or infect us, editor Nancy Kilpatrick is sure you will agree: we definitely have not seen the last of the undead!

    The Incrementalists are an ancient conspiracy to make the world better -- just a little bit at a time. "Fireworks in the Rain" tells a story not found in the novel, and serves as an equally beguiling introduction to the Incrementalists and how they work...At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.

    Only she didn't really know why. TJ Walker and Mila Antonia Brookstone have known each other for years. He's her brother's best friend and she's admired his muscular body and handsome good looks since she was a teenager. Only he was never interested, until now. In a game of cat and mouse, TJ and Mila find themselves going back and forth like they always do, only this time something is different. They become closer on a summer trip to the lake house, only neither one really knows who is pursuing whom. And the secrets behind both pursuits are well hidden. TJ wants her to be his fake fiancé for a reason, but the reason she accepts might well surprise everyone. In the game of romance, can secrets ever truly lead to love? NOTE: This novella is a free prequel to the full-length standalone novel Four Week Fiancé, that will be released on June 23rd. It will also be included in Four Week Fiancé when it is released, so you can read it first as a free download or you can read it as part of the novel on release day.

    So when the group's mechanical genius Emily is abducted, he'll plunge into England's darkest places to rescue her….But his old flame Wildcat is turning London town upside down to find her missing sister, and Jasper finds the attraction between himself and the fierce beauty as tempting and dangerous as ever. Their trail leads deep into the city's most unusual circus. Soon, Jasper will find his loyalties—and future—tested more than he could ever imagine….And don't miss Jasper's continuing exploits in The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross, available now from Harlequin TEEN.

    It was first published in the anthology Far Horizons in 1999.

    New frontiers discovered. What it means to be human reimagined.Dreams of tomorrow become reality in this third collection of bestselling authors and newly emerging writers from Sci-Fi Bridge. From the inner worlds of unforgettable characters to alien planets at the farthest reaches of our galaxy and beyond, our writers examine the human experience from within and without. They hold up a mirror to the human experience. Who are we as a species? Who do we want to be? How do we achieve that greatest vision of ourselves for us and our children?You'll wonder at the possibilities of what we can accomplish together. You might even come to believe that a better tomorrow can be more than a dream....Foreword by Chris Fox"Centurion" by M.G. Herron"Geospermia" by Patty Jansen"Storming the Norse Wind" by M.D. Cooper"The Far Side of Psyche" by Rhett C. Bruno"Sparkle Ship Shine" by Hall & Beaulieu"Latecomers" by Chris Ward"Fool's Gold" by Zen DiPietro"The Tribe" by Andreas Christensen"The Theta Patient" by Chris Dietzel"The Last Ship" by Chris Pourteau"Taken For a Walk" by Justin Sloan"Playing Doctor" by Robert Jeschonek"Awaken Me, Paper Robot!" by A.K. Meek"Refurbished" by Artie Cabrera"Steel's First Temper" by David VanDyke"Siren Song" by Jon Frater"Digital Commander" by J.S. Morin"Little Blue" by Chris ReherWant to know more about Sci-Fi Bridge? Visit our site at scifibridge.com and subscribe to receive giveaways and great Sci-Fi deals straight to your inbox.

    Lee Weston—a young Paul Newman with a Colt revolver at his hip—is as good-looking as he is quick tempered, and he’s got a lot to be angry about.His father murdered, his family ranch torched, he goes gunning for Harvey Dodge—the man who he’s convinced is the killer—and it’s Lee who ends up on the wrong side of the law. Shot in a gunfight, on the run and running out of time, he holes up in a mountain hideout and waits for death to come find him.But he wakes up in the arms of a beautiful woman who has beat death to his door and nursed him back to life. She’s the first and only woman he has ever fallen for, and her name is Ellen Dodge—Harvey’s daughter. Can a great loss lead to a great love? Can the search for revenge lead to redemption? The answers lie in the wild heart of the Wild West—in Branded Outlaw.L. Ron Hubbard was so prolific, and his stories so much in demand, he occasionally had to publish under a pseudonym to ensure that his name wouldn’t appear twice in a single issue of a magazine. Thus did Branded Outlaw originally appear as being written by a writer named Barry Randolph. But as is clear from the action and authenticity of the story, it was Hubbard behind the curtain pulling the levers. This is one of sixteen westerns Hubbard wrote in 1938—all influenced by a foray into New Mexico to round out his research. His unsurpassed knowledge of the West originated in his years growing up—and riding on—the range. “Packs a ton of action and some priceless shootout scenes.” —EZReader.com

    Williams (The Wire), James Purefoy (Rome), and Christina Hendricks (Mad Men).Hap and Leonard don’t fit the profile. Hap Collins looks like a good ’ol boy, but his liberal politics don’t match. After a number of failed careers, Hap has discovered that what he’s best at: kicking ass. Vietnam veteran Leonard Pine is even more complicated: black, conservative, gay . . . and an occasional arsonist.Join in on Hap and Leonard's gritty Texan crime-fighting adventures, including four pieces of bonus material only found in this edition. The Dixie Mafia and small-time crooks alike had best be extremely nervous.

    It is a place of contradictions—the bright lights mask the peeling paint; a carnie in greasy overalls slinks away from the direction of the Barker’s seductive call. It is a place of illusion—is that woman’s beard real? How can she live locked in that watery box?And while many are tricked by sleight of hand, there are hints of something truly magical going on. One must remain alert and learn quickly the unwritten rules of this dark show. To beat the carnival, one had better have either a whole lot of luck or a whole lot of guns—or maybe some magic of one’s own.Featuring stories grotesque and comical, outrageous and action-packed, Carniepunk is the first anthology to channel the energy and attitude of urban fantasy into the bizarre world of creaking machinery, twisted myths, and vivid new magic.RACHEL CAINE’s vampires aren’t child’s play, as a naïve teen discovers when her heart leads her far, far astray in “The Cold Girl.” With “Parlor Tricks,” JENNIFER ESTEP pits Gin Blanco, the Elemental Assassin, against the Wheel of Death and some dangerously creepy clowns. SEANAN McGUIRE narrates a poignant, ethereal tale of a mysterious carnival that returns to a dangerous town after twenty years in “Daughter of the Midway, the Mermaid, and the Open, Lonely Sea.” KEVIN HEARNE’s Iron Druid and his wisecracking Irish wolfhound discover in “The Demon Barker of Wheat Street” that the impossibly wholesome sounding Kansas Wheat Festival is actually not a healthy place to hang out. With an eerie, unpredictable twist, ROB THURMAN reveals the fate of a psychopath stalking two young carnies in “Painted Love.”

    Dive into these adventurous, fantastical, romantic stories with strong heroines and plenty of action. Seven Sparks books are all compelling reads without explicit descriptions or swearing, making these books perfect for YA readers or anyone in the mood for a marvelous adventure! This multi-author bundle contains more than 2,200 pages of great reading.Combined, these books have over 900 *5-star reviews* on Amazon, with an average ranking of 4.4 stars.FEYLAND: THE DARK REALM - USA Today bestselling author Anthea Sharp (Urban Fantasy/Science Fiction/YA Romance/Fae Adventure/Fairytales)What if a high-tech computer game was actually a gateway to the Realm of Faerie? Jennet Carter soon finds herself battling the Dark Queen, falling for the perfect hero, and trying to save her own world from unspeakable danger!STARSTRUCK - USA Today bestselling author Brenda Hiatt (Science Fiction/Sweet Romance/Coming of Age)The middle of nowhere gets a lot more interesting for an orphaned astronomy geek when the hot new quarterback inexplicably befriends her and strange things start to happen: her acne clears up, her eyesight improves, and when they touch, sparks fly—literally! The incredible truth will change her mundane life forever—if she survives!THE GATEKEEPER’S SONS - Bestselling author Eva Pohler (Greek Myths & Legends/Teen Fantasy/Paranormal Romance)Fifteen-year-old Therese Mills is heading home in the car with her parents when someone begins shooting at them, sending their car into a lake. She finds the strength to escape, and winds up in the coma that introduces her to the twin sons of Hades... and plunges her into the center of a war brewing between the Gods on Mount Olympus.SWORN TO RAISE - New York Times bestselling author Terah Edun (High Fantasy/Sword & Sorcery/Coming of Age/Action Adventure)When peasant girl Ciardis is chosen for a position at court, she travels across the empire to begin a new life. To survive, she’ll need to master intrigue, befriend a crown prince, and learn to control magical abilities she never knew existed.ATLANTIS RIPTIDE - Bestselling author Allie Burton (Mermaids/Clean Romance/Sci-Fi Fantasy/Genetic Engineering)Pearl ran away from the circus, tired of her adoptive parents’ abuse of her special skills. Unknownst to her, a battle rages under the ocean and each side wants to use her powers for their cause. As Pearl discovers her talents she must choose her destiny – ignore the churning seas or swim into battle.RIPPLER - Bestselling author Cidney Swanson (Science Fiction/Teen Romance/Action Adventure)Discovering she can turn invisible terrifies Samantha, especially when she learns a geneticist who murdered her mom wants her too. Handsome Will Baker offers help and secrecy, but soon Sam will have to choose between keeping her secrets and keeping Will in her life. Suspenseful and romantic, Rippler and its sequels capture the collision of the beautiful with the dark. RUNES - Bestselling author Ednah Walters (Norse Mythology/Paranormal Romance/Angels & Demons/Clean Romance)Seventeen-year-old Raine Cooper has enough on her plate dealing with her father’s disappearance, her mother’s erratic behavior and the possibility of her boyfriend relocating. The last thing she needs is Torin St. James—a mysterious new neighbor with a wicked smile and uncanny way of reading her.