Each story goes off like a tiny depth charge in the mind, leaving you with the trace memory of some new urban myth - comic, absurd and disturbingly true.

    They find themselves in bathhouses, sports bars, grocery stores, and forests in search of exits, pink tennis balls, licorice, and independence. Yet all of her beautifully strange characters are possessed by a familiar and human longing for connection: to their homes, families, God, and themselves.Miniature catastrophes --The rope barrier --Coed picnic --Winners --Grocery story --Garden party --Arranged marriage --American interiors --A house for living --The dance --The nearby place --Invitation --Doorstop --Imaginary museums --Your shining trapdoor --Slovak sceneries --Sabbatical --Flowers for Angelika --Thursdays at Waterhouse --The seamstress --How to eat well --Owls fall in Nitra --Library of lost things --Girls I no longer know --Guest books --Field notes --Rest in pieces --Pets I no longer have --The squinter's watch --Love language

    *Includes Crosby's quotes about his life and career. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. *Includes a table of contents. “I think popular music in this country is one of the few things in the twentieth century that have made giant strides in reverse.” – Bing Crosby A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history’s most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors’ American Legends series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of America’s most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. In 1948, American polls rated Bing Crosby “the most admired man alive”, and it’s no surprise given how popular he was across every major form of entertainment during the decade. With a string of major hits, Crosby was the most popular singer in the country during that era, with classic songs like “White Christmas” helping pave the way for other singers as varied as Bob Hope, Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra. In fact, young Sinatra modeled his clothing and style after Crosby, who was his idol growing up. And as good as he was at singing, Crosby’s work with radio technology helped pave the way for multitracking songs and making it possible to broadcast the same radio programs across the country without cutting another live version. All told, Crosby sold an estimated 500 million records in the 20th century. In addition to being one of America’s most beloved singers and an accomplished radio presence, Crosby not only made popular movies but acted well enough to be critically acclaimed. His Road To… movie series with Bob Hope produced some of the best-selling movies of the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, and he won an Oscar for Best Actor in Going My Way (1944) by playing Father Chuck O’Malley. When he was nominated for the same role in the 1945 sequel The Bells of St. Mary’s, he became one of just 4 people nominated for two Oscars for playing the same role. American Legends: The Life of Bing Crosby examines the life and career of one of America’s greatest and most versatile entertainers. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Kelly like never before, in no time at all.

    “You know I just worked a twelve-hour shift. Gotta get me right before I go to sleep.” He smiled his ugly smile and opened the screen door. “I’ll take you shoppin’ when I wake up; spend a couple bands on you.”He put his key in the lock and turned it… But the door was snatched open before Mone’s hand could even reach the doorknob.Lacresha’s eyes opened wide with fear as she witnessed a tall masked man step from behind the door and raise a gun to Mone’s face.“Payback’s a bitch, ain’t it?” The masked man stated coldly.

    But when illness comes to claim him, she’s left orphaned and alone, with no-one to turn to for help. Saved only by one man’s kindness, Gracie is thrust into a new life as a housemaid for the Reeves family, where she becomes firm friends with the young and charming Charley. Just as Gracie finds happiness and safety with the Reeves, fate deals her another devasting blow. Outcast once more with nothing but her wits to protect her from the harsh London winter, Gracie must now find her own way in the world; or die trying.

    In some way, the essence of the stories address the age-old question of what it means to be human.Therefore, you will easily correlate with the confusion of Lauren as she experiences changes within herself & continuously sees a man in her dream for no specific reason. You will feel excited to unravel the mystery faced by Rachit when he finds a strange draft research paper, which immediately attracts him. You will experience the shock of Nandita when she suddenly watches something in the pages of a book and blurts, 'this is impossible'. You will understand the suffering of Aaron caused by his repeated nightmares & his disappearance to some remote location.Book is available on Amazon. Order your copy.

    He and his mother endured the cold and humiliating attitude of their relatives who like most people were driven by greed.First published in Khawateen Digest, it is now available in Meri Zaat Zarra-e-Benishan.

    In ten captivating and tender stories, E. J. Levy takes readers through the surprisingly erotic terrain of the intellect, offering a smart and modern take on the age-old theme of love--whether between a man and woman, a man and a man, a woman and a woman, or a mother and a child--drawing readers into tales of passion, adultery, and heartbreak. A disheartened English professor's life changes when she goes rock climbing and falls for an outdoorsman. A gay oncologist attending his sister's second wedding ponders dark matter in the universe and the ties that bind us. Three psychiatric patients, each convinced that he is Christ, give rise to a love affair in a small Minnesota town. A Brooklyn woman is thrown out of an ashram for choosing earthly love over enlightenment. A lesbian student of film learns theories of dramatic action the hard way--by falling for a married male professor. Incorporating theories from physics to film to philosophy, from "Rational Choice" to Thorstein Veblen's "Theory of the Leisure Class," these stories movingly explore the heart and mind--shooting cupid's arrow toward a target that may never be reached.

    A high altitude lake is the point of departure for these stories of dark adventure, in which fishing guides, amateur sportsmen, teenage misfits, scientists, mountaineers, and expatriates embark on disquieting journeys of self-discovery in far-flung places.

    Her husband has left her, a schizophrenic alcoholic, to raise their youngest four children without his help. Her children watch through the living room window as the police come and arrest her for disturbing the peace, leaving them alone in the house. Thus begins the astonishing story of a family always living on the brink of disaster. The story unfolds, told through the eyes of Marie's children. Not only are they impoverished, but they are dealing with Marie's erratic and often bizarre behavior. Through it all shines Marie's sense of humor and her unconventional ways of dealing with her difficult situation. How they manage to not only survive, but to grow into well-adjusted adults is a true story that shows how the miracle of love can overcome all obstacles.

    Yet they are engaging and fascinating at the same time.We all had evil thoughts throughout our lives. What is it that makes us different from those who actually act upon it? Is it the act alone? These are questions that many ask themselves, and these stories will help dig into the elements and psychology behind some of the most terrifying killers in history.This collection includes four true crime books, volumes 1-4, and each is filled with a variety of murder cases, from spree killers to massacres to even cannibals. You will explore the background, the act, and the aftermath of their violent acts. Some pages will be painful to read, due to the detailed description of the violent acts and the emotions behind them.

    Never had she imagined it would go by so quickly. Memories of friends that had long since come and gone. Laughter that still echoed through the corridors of her mind. Each thought of those people made her stomach turn on end. The betrayal she felt from them was more than she could comprehend. Xavier was dead. He had passed, and Dawnika knew it before they even got to the hospital. It came as a bit of a shock that he ended up like his father. He was healthy, never did anything that he shouldn’t have. For Christ’s sake he was captain of the soccer and football team. Xavier was as healthy as could be, yet he gave no sign of life. One moment, he was breathing, the next he was lying, sprawled out on the couch. They were watching cheesy horror flicks, and laughing at every flaw, when he started to appear uncomfortable. At first, she wasn’t really worried, of course that was the first mistake that she made. He was her boyfriend, and she should’ve always been concerned, however, she wasn’t. The reason why would remain unknown to her. Twenty minutes later, he was complaining of chest pains and asked her to call an ambulance. She did, but when they arrived, she knew they were too late. He wasn’t breathing. He wasn’t moving. That of course nearly gave her a heart attack. Moreover she passed out, and when she woke up she was at the hospital, lying in a bed.

     That’s what I’ll be, my virginity bought by notorious billionaire Travis Star. I’ve only seen pictures of him on gossip sites and in business magazines, but in the flesh he’s tall and broad-shouldered, with a penetrating stare. Hard muscles under his impeccable jacket, shirt, tie, and trousers. Dark green eyes, as cool as emeralds. Tan skin that he probably got from the exotic trips to his private island in the Bahamas. Thick, short, dark hair, and a dusting of rough scruff around lips that I can’t look away from. He never smiles. His expression is always stoic, never giving anything away. Even so, I can’t help the throbbing between my legs every time I think about what he has paid so dearly to do to me. There’s no denying Travis Star is hot. But his heart is cold. He has demons. The kind of demons that would drive a man to want to buy a woman. And I’m about to find out the hard way just how dark those demons are… Better When It’s Wrong My stepbrother. He’s devastatingly gorgeous. Dark hair. Ripped body. Piercing blue eyes that contrast perfectly with his dark complexion. A smoldering gaze that makes everyone around him fall in love. My friends used to joke that if Cole looked at you, you’d have your panties off by the end of the night. And it was true. He’d slept with most of my friends, and any other hot girl he happened to want. It had been infuriating when we were younger, watching him sneak girls into his room at night, hearing them moaning and screaming his name as he got them off. He’d had things handed to him because he was beautiful and smart and good at sports. I hated him because he was everything I wasn’t. He was outgoing, I was shy. He was smart, I made mediocre grades. He was special, I wasn’t. But the biggest reason I hated him was because he left us. He left me. Five years ago, he’d up and moved out, packing up his things in the middle of the night and taking the bus to New York City with three of his friends. They’d created a messaging app that had taken off, and now he was a billionaire. I haven’t heard from him in years. Until now. Because Cole’s back. Just when my dysfunctional mother decides to kick me out of the house. I have nowhere to go, so Cole agrees to let me stay with him in his penthouse apartment in New York City. Under one condition – that I follow his rules, whatever they are, no questions asked. I know that what he wants from me is wrong. He wants me to strip. To touch him. To put his lips and mouth all over my body. I know it’s twisted. But I love the way he talks to me, love how demanding he is. The tone of his voice, the look in his eyes, the way he assumes he’s going to end up getting whatever he wants– all of it swirls together into an ache that permeates my whole body. I try to resist him, but it’s impossible.

    Peter Freestone and David Evans tie up many loose ends and recall Freddie's last days in 1991 and recount details of the events which followed Queen's lead singer's death involving the people and places Freddie loved and favoured.

    Benjamin Coleman is in love. Jodie Dean has a secret. Will either survive sex with a shooting star?