" ReadingsA grieving daughter navigates the morning commute, her mind bursting with memories pleading to be shared.A man made entirely of well-cut suits and strictly enforced rules swims his regular morning laps and fantasises about his self-assured promotion.A young lawyer sits in a fluorescent-lit office, typing indecipherable jargon and dreaming of everything she didn't become.A failed news hack hides under the covers from another looming deadline, and from a past that will not relent its pursuit.And a young woman seeking asylum sits tensely on an unmoving train, praying that good news waits at the other end of the line...In this charming, moving and affectionate novel, Claire Varley paints a magical portrait of five ordinary people, and the sometimes heartbreaking power of the stories we make of ourselves.PRAISE FOR THE BIT IN BETWEEN"Tragic, mysterious, insightful, sometimes humorous and often heartbreaking." Daily Telegraph"Varley writes with confidence and brio, and her main characters are believable and loveable." The Age"Full of heart and humour." West Australian

    Returning to the Paris hotel where he spent his honeymoon six years earlier, he decides to take what seems like the only way out - suicide. But a chance encounter with a Russian in a similar predicament leaves Nick with an unlikely obligation to fulfil, one that will take him to Italy, and offer him a chance at something like redemption. www.kevinwignall.com

    In the second part, Petal's grandson, Solomon, describes how he surveyed the best route down the mountain in preparation for building the region's first road. In the third part, Solomon's son David, tells of building the first turnpike through the wilderness.

    

    Hard working and honest to the core Ricky Richardson, taught by one of the best, is injured in a freak horse accident that leaves him in the hospital and the horse dead. After six weeks of recovery and without work he is desperate for a job. An offer comes with a catch, he must show up with a horse to ride and the only horse in his price range is a mistrusting black with a history of having been mistreated. He is cheap for a reason as Ricky would soon learn. Both stubborn, one will have to give. Which one will it be?A tender and emotional story of the bond that develops between a horse and his owner. That bond is tested as the young man and his horse endure an almost unbearable hardship. It will take all the fortitude Ricky can muster and all the help his friends can give as he faces the possibility of losing his favorite horse forever.If you’ve ever owned a horse, or ever wanted to, this book is for you.

    At least it is for a guy like me. As a talent agent in New York, I know how to wine and dine with the best of them. Unfortunately, work has been my main thing for a little too long. And my body is showing signs of it. Doc says I need to take a summer off. Hell yes, I do. Lucky for me, I run into my latest wedding fling as my time frees up. And the pretty girl just can’t get enough of me. She needs a plus-one for an upcoming wedding and wants to up the ante of our deception. Be her fake fiancé. She’s tired of being the bridesmaid and never the bride. Why would I ever say no? I’m a no-strings-attached kinda guy, but with her, I want to be tied up—forever. The more time I spend playing the part, the more I want to hit my knee and offer her a ring. It started with us promising nothing, but now, I want her to promise it all—to me.

    But a few strong people are determined to change their fate. The Bear, a veteran Russian mafia boss, hopes for a peaceful retirement but is dragged back to Moscow when his son is seduced by the wealth and power of the corrupt Russian state. Ambitious MI6 agent Rose Clarke targets the Bear's mysterious daughter-in-law, but this leads her into a horrific and life-threatening trap. Mercenary and rebel John Fairchild unlocks the secrets of his past and wakes a potent and cruel force lying dormant since the Cold War. In untangling a mystery he has unleashed a monster which threatens everyone he cares about. Can they resist Moscow’s power, or will they all be obliterated by its ruthless determination to control everything? Book 2 in the Clarke and Fairchild series of gripping spy thrillers.

    

    But a chance meeting at Logan Airport introduces them to Aoife, an elderly Irish widow who is returning home to the joys and stresses of her tight-knit family. Encouraged by their conversation with Aoife, the sisters are determined to see more than the usual tourist attractions. By veering off the beaten paths, they find holy wells and unexpectedly encounter ghosts and fairies. They sing in pubs and have fun meeting interesting people. Their new experiences ignite passions both spiritually and physically. Through rich descriptions of Ireland’s beautiful scenery and the stories told by its people, this tale brings readers along on a colorful and engaging journey.

    Marcus wants nothing more than to indulge in drink, drugs and women.But when he meets the plot-holders on the Butterfly Lane allotments--Sophia, a charming, but troubled, woman in the midst of a spiritual crisis; Alex, his fiery, Greek neighbour, who covets both Marcus’s plot and a mysterious book that belonged to his grandfather; and Benjamin, a shadowy recluse--the reason for his inheritance becomes clear.

    It tells the story of Bailey, from her own viewpoint, who begins her life in circumstances beyond her control. She longs for love and to live in home where she will be cared for. This short story follows her adventures from her start and through the trials she faces to reach her Forever Home. This is the first book of a new series that will introduce you to Bailey and each of her friends and how they all find their way home. I hope you enjoy her journey.

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

     *Includes a free extract from Katherine Heiny’s debut novel, Standard Deviation* 'Just as Jane Austen believed that four people cannot comfortably walk abreast, Charlene believes that three people cannot amicably move one person's belongings. At least not when two of the people used to be married to each other, and the marriage resulted in a bitter divorce in order for one of them to marry the third person' When Forrest's ex-wife Barbara calls on him to help her move out of the home they once shared, his second wife Charlie finds herself carrying not only dozens of boxes, but also the weight of their shared past. Barbara and Charlie first met twenty years ago when they volunteered at a suicide crisis hotline, and one night in particular is seared into Charlie's memory…From the author of Standard Deviation comes a wryly tender story of crises and cardboard boxes; of marriage and moving on.

    Neil is a dentally challenged, reluctantly hip downtown scribe whose life's work is "Dusted, " the 'zine that once earned him the title of New Jack Poet Warrior. But when the mag folds, Neil is left with an aching mouth and the realization that the icons of his time are either dying young, cashing in or dropping out. It's a time of reckoning— the perfect moment to cancel dental appointments and take off on a drift through the global ghetto. From the gritty grind of New York to the dark glitter of Hollywood, through the tropical wilds of Indonesia and the crumbling squats of East London, Neil embarks on a soulful search for a woman to love and a place to call home. But answers will remain elusive until the roaming writer tests both his friends and his beliefs, and commits to a plan to make peace with his teeth.With deft insight, sly humor, and dazzling prose, Hugh Gallagher captures the conflict of finding one's way in a culture that mocks ambition while craving celebrity. At once a saddening chronicle of childhood's end and an epic dental saga through a world of possible futures, "Teeth" is a touching resonant anthem for all those truly hungry for a solid bite out of life.

    His fierce jealous mother hates and fears her as does his brother, an Islamist hardliner. A feminist, an idealist, and very much in love, Sarah aims to live with integrity. Can she—dare she— in the kingdom where women are kept veiled and secluded? This love story of cultural collision is also a spiritual quest for Sarah, who is both fascinated and repelled by Islam. Former Middle East journalist Jean Grant takes us behind the locked doors of Saudi Arabian society. She presents a picture of the controversial kingdom on the cusp of change and of the men and women, both expatriates and nationals, who either embrace or courageously confront their destiny.