He is more at home in the wilds of the savannah, shooting and sleeping his way across the continent, than amongst the hedonistic colonists of Kenyan society.In a landscape where one false move can cost a man his life, Ryder's skill as a guide is unparalleled, but only the rich or royal can afford his services. When a European prince hires Ryder to help him hunt an elusive leopard Ryder thinks it's just another well-paying job with yet another spoiled voyeur. But this perilous journey is full of dangers that may change Ryder forever....Ryder returns in A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn, where he encounters a woman from a very different world, to explore beauty and darkness and what is truly worth fighting for.

    Even though I do not know you…The correspondence between Carrie Allsop and David Mayer reveals, piece by piece, the painful details of a devastating affair between their spouses. With each commiserating scratch of the pen, they confess their fears and bare their souls. They share the bewilderment over how things went so wrong and come to wonder where to go from here.Told entirely through the letters of two comforting strangers and those of two illicit lovers, Evidence of the Affair explores the complex nature of the heart. And ultimately, for one woman, how liberating it can be when it’s broken.

    This story was originally published in the Black Library Games Day Anthology 2012.

    But when it comes to love stories, things are simpler. A love story can never be about full possession. Love stories depend on disappointment, on unequal births and feuding families, on matrimonial boredom and at least one cold heart. Love stories, nearly without exception, give love a bad name.... It is perhaps only in reading a love story (or in writing one) that we can simultaneously partake of the ecstasy and agony of being in love without paying a crippling emotional price. I offer this book, then, as a cure for lovesickness and an antidote to adultery. Read these love stories in the safety of your single bed. Let everybody else suffer." --Jeffrey Eugenides, from the introduction to My Mistress's Sparrow Is Dead All proceeds from My Mistress's Sparrow Is Dead will go directly to fund the free youth writing programs offered by 826 Chicago. 826 Chicago is part of the network of seven writing centers across the United States affiliated with 826 National, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.

    Gabriel Kane goes from a struggling architect to one of the most powerful men in the world; Armonía Solorsano -- a young Hispanic girl who grew up in a dilapidated suburban McMansion-turned-tenement -- invents one of the most important and influential pieces of technology in history; a non-profit organization goes from a charity to a decentralized domestic terrorist group; and the greatest democracy in the world finds itself falling into the ever-tightening grip of a dictator.As five people come together with the shared goal of changing the world, they discover that their approaches are fundamentally and irreconcilably at odds. Their partnership becomes a bitter political and high-tech rivalry from which only one of them can emerge.This novella by Christian Cantrell (about 16,000 words) portrays an intersection of politics and technology which is both extremely relevant, and frighteningly feasible.

    New scene from Shadow and Bone told from Genya's point of view.

    Not quite the life plan she'd had in mind for herself. Only after securing a job at an independent travel company, does she begin to wonder if life might be on an upward trend.A chance meeting with a handsome stranger, who is not only appealing to the eye but has both charm and a black Amex card, sets her pulse racing.As she jets between London and Marbella, Spain she begins to encounter startling family revelations, love triangles and shocking friendship discoveries. What does the future really hold for Lizzie? Could the handsome stranger be 'The One' she's been searching for? Or will she continue Tripping on Love?

    One cabin on a lake. Four thirtysomething sisters. Anything can and does happen.Imagine spending an entire summer in a cabin on a lake - simply because you can. That’s exactly what Samantha McGreggor, a thirtysomething eco-journalist, does in SUMMER OF FIREFLY MEMORIES. She trades Arizona’s summer heat for Minnesota’s cool lake breezes by spending her summer at the same resort her family used to go to when she was young. Her summer agenda - relaxation, beach reads, soul-searching, bonding with her three grown sisters. Her concerns - she and her sisters haven’t been back to the resort since their parents’ death twenty years ago when they were all practically teenagers, and, well, they tend to act like emotional teenagers when they’re all together. Her summer reality – fun in the sun, secrets, sibling rivalries, lost memories, new love, hope. If you enjoy feeling nostalgic any time of the year, then you'll enjoy SUMMER OF FIREFLY MEMORIES! Come dive in!

    After all, he was instrumental in erasing the memories of several patients—including one he claimed to love. With a lifetime of regret stretched before him, Realm vows to set things right. Along with his friend, James Murphy, Realm will track down those he’s hurt in an attempt to give them back their lives—starting with Dallas Stone. He’s not looking for forgiveness or redemption; he’s not a hero. But Realm hopes that with each recovered past, he’ll be able to reclaim a small bit of his own.

    She's never even been on a romantic weekend away--to anywhere--before. Traveling abroad isn't really her thing. But when Nell's boyfriend fails to show up for their mini-vacation, she has the opportunity to prove everyone--including herself--wrong. Alone in Paris, Nell finds a version of herself she never knew existed: independent and intrepid. Could this turn out to be the most adventurous weekend of her life? Funny, charming, and irresistible, Paris for One is quintessential Jojo Moyes--as are the other stories that round out the collection.

    I'm not making that mistake twice. Leah is my best friend's cousin -- the girl I wanted from the moment I met her. But we were in high school and she wasn't the kind of girl you f* and dump. I knew that an amazing girl like her deserved more than I could give her, then. So I did the only thing I could do: I stayed away. But now I'm back and I'm going to claim her luscious curves. Forever. She's had a string of bad luck and is lost. She deserves the world and I will give her exactly that. If anyone -- especially her sleazy boss -- thinks they're going to come between her and me, they've got another thing coming. And they're going to need stitches. Claiming Her Curves is a short and sizzling second-chance instalove romance, perfect for a pick-me-up during your day or just before bed. Guaranteed sweetness and HEA, no cheating, no past relationship drama -- just one hot alpha and a curvy heroine discovering their perfect match and starting a sizzling future together.

    When disaster strikes, threatening to ruin Cher’s wedding, her best friend, Sybil comes up with a plan. Can the villagers and the sew solid crew from Hettie’s House of Haberdashery and their Singer sewing machines save the big day to give Cher her perfect, country wedding?

    But when my niece sends me on an errand, I might just find the woman of my dreams.Naomi: I might be a pro at baking unicorn cakes, but I'm definitely not one when it comes to talking to handsome customers. Besides, it's not like I have a chance with Blaise, anyway.Sometimes fate needs a little help. Welcome to the files of the Zaftig Dating Agency, where alpha men find the curvy women of their dreams!Each book in the series is a complete, standalone story.This is a sweet but sexy short story romance, complete with insta-love and a guaranteed happily-ever-after. If you’re looking for an escape from everyday life with an alpha older man and the curvy BBW younger woman that he loves, this is the book for you!

    As William Spencer celebrates his birthday each year on December 25--first as a child in rural America in the 1930s, and then as a World War II veteran, husband, and father--he learns that, no matter what his circumstances, happiness is an attitude, not a condition. But as a solitary old man living in a one-bedroom apartment, William Spencer expects this Christmas birthday to be his last. His holiday is one of solitude and reflection, dominated by the echoes of the past and by a single, simple wish. When an unexpected turn of events reminds William of a lesson learned many years ago, he's faced with a choice. Can he find the strength to imagine a new future?

    It had always been her dream to open a cafe on the beach and it was finally becoming a reality - until her husband disappeared into thin air. No calls, notes or clues as to where he went. Now days before the cafe’s opening, a private investigator notifies Jaymee that her husband's disappearance isn’t by mistake and the cafe, along with her life, is part of something much bigger. As more dark secrets start coming to light, Jaymee must act fast to uncover truths and figure out how to save her dream, family and the cafe.With the help of her loving daughter and a handsome investigator, ideas start coming together and the journey to save the cafe begins.Unexpected secrets, new romances and faith create an adventure Jaymee never could have dreamed of. Before the time Spring ends, relationships are strengthened, truths are discovered, and love is renewed in more ways than one.