You may see some of these characters and places again, but Wardstone has always been intended to remain a trilogy. Without further adieu, please enjoy the HUGE free sample of book one. Enjoy the journey, M.R. Mathias

    In our own time the impeachment hearings of President Clinton and the rise and fall of Newt Gingrich revealed, quite starkly, just how vital the House's constitutional powers remain.Violence, acrimony, triumph, and compromise litter the House's varied and illustrious past. Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, John Randolph, "Uncle Joe" Cannon, Sam Rayburn, and Tip O'Neill are just a few of the figures who have brought glory as well as ignominy to the House of Representatives. These leaders mastered the rules and folkways of the House and bent them to their own or the people's wills and needs. They are generally less well known than many of the Senate's leaders but their contributions and eccentricities are no less important and intriguing.The founders of our country created the House to reflect the will of the people. Out of chaos could emerge a national consensus that could bind the country together after first revealing the deep fissures between North and South and, in our day, among the Midwest, the South and the coastal regions. Over the centuries the powerful hold the Founding Fathers gave the House over the purse strings of the nation has forced its members to be conciliators and even statesmen in times of crisis. The essential drama of democracy – the struggle between principle and pragmatism – is showcased throughout the book and through it the history of America's successful experiment with democracy unfurls.

    Surveys the full history of the American Indians, examining Indian personal, social, religious, and cultural characteristics and conduct, their relationships with whites, and emerging new roles, identities, and goals.

    Many people were elated when Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren delivered Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka in May 1954, the ruling that struck down state-sponsored racial segregation in America's public schools. Thurgood Marshall, chief attorney for the black families that launched the litigation, exclaimed later, "I was so happy, I was numb." The novelist Ralph Ellison wrote, "another battle of the Civil War has been won. The rest is up to us and I'm very glad. What a wonderful world of possibilities are unfolded for the children!"Here, in a concise, moving narrative, Bancroft Prize-winning historian James T. Patterson takes readers through the dramatic case and its fifty-year aftermath. A wide range of characters animates the story, from the little-known African Americans who dared to challenge Jim Crow with lawsuits (at great personal cost); to Thurgood Marshall, who later became a Justice himself; to Earl Warren, who shepherded a fractured Court to a unanimous decision. Others include segregationist politicians like Governor Orval Faubus of Arkansas; Presidents Eisenhower, Johnson, and Nixon; and controversial Supreme Court justices such as William Rehnquist and Clarence Thomas.Most Americans still see Brown as a triumph--but was it? Patterson shrewdly explores the provocative questions that still swirl around the case. Could the Court--or President Eisenhower--have done more to ensure compliance with Brown? Did the decision touch off the modern civil rights movement? How useful are court-ordered busing and affirmative action against racial segregation? To what extent has racial mixing affected the academic achievement of black children? Where indeed do we go from here to realize the expectations of Marshall, Ellison, and others in 1954?

    Yet these qualities have, paradoxically, prompted people to share intimate insights with him- perhaps because he is not a rival, a competitor, or a threat. Sometimes this made him the prey of con men like conspiratorialist Mark Lane or civil rights leader James Bevel. At other times it led to close friendship with such people as William F. Buckley, Jr., or singer Beverly Sills. The result is the most personal book Wills has ever written. With his dazzling style and journalist's eye for detail, Wills brings history to life, whether it's the civil rights movement; the protests against the Vietnam War; the presidential campaigns of Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton; or the set of Oliver Stone's "Nixon." Illuminating and provocative, "Outside Looking In" is a compelling chronicle of an original thinker at work in remarkable times.

    Everything you need to hear, but already know.

    By analyzing four examples of escape artists—a young girl who hides from others by closing her eyes; a grown man incapable of a relationship; Emily Dickinson, recluse extraordinaire; and Harry Houdini, the quintessential master of escape—Phillips enables readers to identify the escape artists lurking within themselves. Lucid, erudite, and audacious, Houdini's Box is another scintillating and seminal work by one of the world's most dazzlingly original thinkers.

     Book 13 Ice Warrior: Bhric Tarakesh is drowning at the bottom of a scotch-filled barrel. One bad decision after another has led him to alcoholism, bar fights, alienation of his family, and, the cherry topper of his shit sundae, impregnating a female he abhors. As he spirals out of control, a cataclysmic event thrusts him into a human hospital and into the hands of a sexy doctor that sets his icy soul on fire, guaranteeing his world will never be the same. Book 14 Fire Warrior: Breslin Tarakesh isn’t your typical Vampire Princess. She loves designer clothes and bling, but is at home in her fighting leathers with her sais in hand. Court politics are not her thing and she eschews everything to do with the simpering suck-ups that want to use her family to gain favor. She’s meant for more than elaborate crowns and parties. She wasn’t given the power to wield fire simply to light candles. She prefers frying demons instead. As the only female Dark Warrior in the Seattle compound, she is accustomed to dealing with males and their quirks. If only centuries of living with flirtatious males prepared her for meeting her Fated Mate. She has never dreamed of being wooed with hearts and flowers, but she imagined her mate would be loyal and true. Enter her sexy fire demon and her survival hangs by a singed thread. Book 15 Ramiel: Ramiel , a newly-appointed Angel of Retribution, is out for his pound of flesh...demon flesh. When his charge Isobel is kidnapped and taken to the Underworld he is determined to get her back, no matter the cost. Even ally with a Fallen Angel, the antithesis of everything he fights for. Their mission places them in the Inner Circles of Hell and pulls Rami to the razor's edge of passion with Zakara. If the challenges of the Underworld don't destroy him, succumbing to her seductive touch could be his fatal mistake. Book 16 Rivaled Warrior: Identical twins share a special bond, and vampires Cade and Cael are no exception. The two are rarely seen apart, and their closeness is unmistakable. As Dark Warriors, their success on the battlefield is attributed to their ability to anticipate each other's moves, as well as, a telepathic connection. The duo defeats their enemies with their collaborative skill. They are invaluable to the Tehrex Realm, protecting innocent humans and supernaturals from the archdemons plaguing their world. As the demons continue to terrorize supernatural children, Cade and Cael must rely on their strong connection to remain vigilante. That is, until the sexy harpy, Brianne, swoops into their lives, threatening to shred their brotherhood, and hearts, to pieces.

    This special boxed set offers the first three full-length novels in the series. Each book is filled with Barbara Freethy's unique blend of page-turning romance, family and mystery—unforgettable stories that will touch your heart. ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS: The second oldest of the Callaway clan, Aiden Callaway veered from the family tradition of urban firefighting and became a smokejumper, never questioning his choice until the job took the life of his friend, Kyle, and left Aiden with injuries and fractured memories. Everyone blames Aiden for what happened, but he doesn't remember, nor is he sure he wants to remember. The truth may clear Aiden of blame but destroy Kyle's reputation and hurt the people he left behind. 
 Aiden seeks help from an unlikely ally. Sara had always been untouchable, sweet, innocent, his sister's best friend, and the girl next door. But one reckless night in their youth took their relationship to a new level. Sara has never forgiven or forgotten the way Aiden brought it crashing down, but she's no longer that girl with the crazy crush. She's a woman in search of her own truth. The sparks between Aiden and Sara have been smoldering for a very long time. Sara is afraid to take another chance on a man who broke her heart, and Aiden knows better than anyone how dangerous an intense fire can be. As teenagers they weren't ready for each other. Are they ready now? SO THIS IS LOVE: Emma Callaway, a hot fire investigator clashes with Max Harrison, a cool homicide detective in SO THIS IS LOVE, the second book in the Callaway Series. For Max Harrison, love seduces and then destroys. His brother went to prison for love. His father left his family for love. And Max is determined not to follow in their footsteps, until he meets Emma… Emma runs into burning buildings without an ounce of fear and embraces life as if every day is a new adventure. But while she's fearless on the job, Emma is a coward when it comes to love. Betrayed by an ex-boyfriend, Emma has no intention of putting her heart on the line again, until she meets Max… As the fires around the city rage, the heat between them ignites in a blaze of passion that's far more dangerous. Will it destroy them or will they finally get everything they ever wanted… FALLING FOR A STRANGER Ria is as sexy and sultry as a warm tropical night and as beautifully dangerous as the island drinks she serves at the beachside bar on Isla de los Suenos -- The Island of Dreams. But Ria is not as carefree as she appears, and the pretense is wearing her down. One night she risks everything to escape from reality. Drew Callaway is a former Navy pilot looking for his own escape from a life that has seen too much tragedy. Meeting Ria is like embracing the sun, and their single night together is life-changing. But the dream quickly fades when Ria is killed in a tragic accident at sea. Months later, thousands of miles away from where they first met, Drew sees a woman who looks just like Ria. She claims her name is Tory, and that they've never met before, but he can see that she's in trouble, and he can't walk away. He's going to save her whether she wants it or not. Drew isn't afraid of a little danger, but can he risk losing his heart to a beautiful stranger? Also Available in the Callaway Series: Between Now and Forever (#4) Nobody But You (A Callaway Wedding Novella) All A Heart Needs (#5) That Summer Night (#6) W

    

     War is raging across the rest of Europe, but the people of idyllic Guernsey are going about their daily lives. Even with the Third Reich steadily increasing in power, the island continues as normal, blissfully unaffected by Nazi expansion. Sarah and Greg and their young daughter, Suzanne, are the perfect family, spending their days playing tennis together and enjoying picnics on the beach. But when the evil spreading across the continent finally - and unexpectedly - reaches the Channel Islands, their lives implode before their eyes. With their beloved island about to be occupied by German forces, it is arranged for Suzanne to be evacuated to England and the family is torn apart. Life is almost unbearable for Sarah and Greg without their only child, and it only worsens as food becomes scarce and crime rates soar. Forced to watch the home they'd loved disintegrate, how much longer can they survive? The first in Diana Bachmann's compelling Guernsey Saga series, A Sound Like Thunder is an evocative, poignant story of adversity, family, and survival. If you liked The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, you'll love this moving series! Diana Bachmann was born in Guernsey in 1950. She has three children and six grandchildren, plus a large family of stepchildren and step-grandchildren. Having lived in the Bahamas and Spain with her second husband, bestselling author Christopher Nicole, she has since returned to Guernsey. Inspired by her own experiences as a child evacuee during the Nazi occupation of the island, she authored the popular Guernsey Saga series.