Shortly before Christmas, Dan reluctantly agrees to help Astrid Desmarais, a World Bank executive, who asks him to steal five books from the locked collection of "Forbidden Books" in a monastery in Prague.  The very existence of these books is a secret that has been kept for centuries.  But from the moment he enters the monastery, events spiral out of control.  Dan must draw on the former life that he tried to bury, as he faces decisions that pull at every fiber of his being.

    A young man finds out from a fortune teller that there’s always a price to be paid. A rich man doesn’t quite have the 25th high school reunion experience he expected. Beware of strangers on a train. A dog may not be man’s best friend. An aging hitman takes a trip down memory lane.

    When the system begins to misfire under the workload, the ill-equipped representatives of God and the Devil tasked with managing the process are given an ultimatum. Fix The Afternet or go back to your previous afterlives. They begin an odyssey through the hordes of souls awaiting judgement and the oblivious living in search of a solution. Rich in comic detail and populated with characters real and imagined from throughout time, their quest is never going to be straightforward…

    A collection of 45 ridiculous 911 emergency calls, submitted by 911 Call Center Operators across the U.S.Dedicated to you, the Taxpayer who funded these calls.Note: A quick 10-minute read of humorous quotes from real calls.Just enough for a grin of the day!

    But someone wants to stop him from pursuing it. Meanwhile on Earth, a monk of the Citadel discovers a strange ancient artwork. Could it lead to truth of the myth of the Moon Men? Finding out the truth could kill him.

    It takes a horrific incident like 26/11 to make each of them realize the shortcomings of the parties they swear by and to look at the larger picture.

    What should be easy work for kindly employers quickly turns sour when Gus discovers that the neighboring Slash-M ranch have been rustling the Aronsons' cattle. Even worse, Gus becomes the corrupt sheriff's main suspect in a string of violent crimes plaguing the county. Gus finds an unlikely ally in beautiful Libby, but she has her own reasons for wanting to take down the Slash-M, and the Aronsons' seductive daughter Sara has secrets that could get Gus killed if he lets himself get too close.... This is a new release of an edition originally published by C.J. Petit.

    Bill, Brian, and Cathy had the perfect camping trip planned. It was supposed to be a weekend filled with good friends and healing. But when an unexpected collision with fate leaves them stranded deep in the wilderness, they find a deserted town not listed on any map. Somewhere time doesn't exist and nothing seems quite right. Somewhere no one ever leaves and insidious things wait in the dark. When they meet a desperate man searching for his lost love and a suspiciously prepared stranger they are forced to work together to find an escape. A vacation soon becomes a fight for survival when a mysterious figure from Bill's past returns and the true nature of the town is revealed.

    Ten years ago, he strangled several women, but he was never caught by the police. He eventually promised his daughter that it would never happen again, and their lives seemed to go back to normal. But now there's another body... Timid and shy, Lisa struggles to make sense of the world. Everyone tells her that she's different, that she's a little slow in the head. Last time her father killed, she was an impressionable young girl who believed all his excuses. Having just lost her mother, she was terrified of being left all alone. Now, however, Lisa's a young woman, and ignoring the truth isn't so easy. Can she still stand by while her father commits terrible crimes? Or will she take a stand and try to stop him? Is he even telling the truth about why he kills? And if she finally disobeys his instructions, how far will he go in order to keep his deadly secrets? Could Lisa be his next victim?

    In this distinct selection of stories marked by struggle and compassion, Pieces Like Pottery is a powerful examination of the sorrows of life, the strength of character, the steadfast of courage, and the resiliency of love requisite to find redemption. Filled with graceful insight into the human condition, each linked story presents a tale of loss and love mirroring themes from each of the five Sorrowful Mysteries. In Expect Dragons, James Hinri learns that his old high school teacher is dying. Wanting to tell Mr. Smith one last time how much his teaching impacted him, James drives across the country revisiting past encounters with his father's rejection and the pain of his youth. Disillusioned and losing hope, little did James know that Mr. Smith had one final lesson for him. In The Gravesite, Lisa and Mike's marriage hangs in the balance after the disappearance of their only son while backpacking in Thailand. Mike thinks the authorities are right--that Chris fell to his death in a hiking accident--but Lisa has her doubts. Her son was too strong to die this young, and no one can explain to her why new posts continue to appear on her son's blog. Twenty-Two looks in on the lives of a dock worker suffering from the guilt of a life not lived and a bartender making the best of each day, even though he can see clearly how his life should have been different. The two find their worlds collide when a past tragedy shockingly connects them. A collection of nine stories, each exquisitely written and charged with merciful insight into the trials of life, Pieces Like Pottery reminds us of the sorrows we all encounter in life and the kindness we receive, oftentimes from the unlikeliest of places.

    Unmarried, he’s keen to settle and as he and Gerda spend more and more time onboard together they realise that each has found someone very special.But it’s the afternoon before they dock in Liverpool, and tragedy strikes. As the torpedoed ship lists to one side Jack and Gerda must make frightening decisions that become a matter of life or death …A beautiful, romantic and moving tale based on a true story.***This is a short story, which you can also buy as part of the Love…Maybe Eshort Collection***

    But her world suddenly comes crashing down. First, someone is sabotaging her company. Next, her enemies are moving in. And then someone begins to kill using the most insidious means possible--cosmetics that bear Vera's name. Martie Phelps is estranged from Vera, her mother. A military doctor in the first Gulf war, Martie has scars and demons she holds close. As a single mother, all she wants is a quiet life with her daughter. Now, the glamorous, complicated Vera Hart is making overtures to her: Vera wants Martie back in her life. Greta Hart wants her sister, Martie, to stay gone. Greta has always been the dutiful daughter who Vera has taken for granted. This current crisis is helping Vera pull Martie closer. And Greta doesn't like it. All three women are searching for answers. Who wants to bring down Vera Hart? How intense can a rivalry between estranged sisters get? And when will the killer strike next?

    While other stories have been told about the real Dracula, Foia's account benefits from the unique perspective of a Transylvanian native and neighbor of the dark prince. Under Foia’s pen, the “Dracula Chronicles” finally pierces the veil of mystery that has shrouded Dracula for over 500 years. The multivolume historical novel unfolds in vivid detail Dracula’s metamorphosis from a naïve and trusting prince to the ruthless law-and-order king whose deeds have spawned the enduring vampire legend. The series takes place on the backdrop of the dying Middle Ages and the blossoming of the Renaissance. It is replete with towering passions, unbridled ambitions, vile betrayals, and righteous revenge. And, as one would expect, blood. "Son of the Dragon", Book One of the series, provides a first ever origin story of the mysterious character whose fame has survived for half a millenium. It begins Dracula's epic journey that will ultimately see the young prince become the famed strongman, warrior, and object of women's desire who has conquered the imagination of millions. Skilled at arms and often reckless, young Dracula seeks out danger to prove his readiness to be a man. An avid reader of history and lover of languages, he uses wit to overcome impossible odds facing him. Then, with a single impulsive step he launches himself into a hostile world capable of devouring even the strongest men. The book resembles a chess game in the intricacy of its historical context lurking beneath the surface. Yet, written with an economy of words that belies its hidden complexity, it reads with the ease of a game of checkers, making it hard for the reader to put down.

    These stories span characters and emotional states with canny details that touch the depths of your soul. Picturing the complexities of love, misery and mystery, the stories try to gnaw your heart like never before.• What does a flower teach us we often fail to see?• “The belly is an ungrateful wretch.” Is it true?• Ever wondered about the sparseness and illusions in life?• Does death put an end to true love?• Have all the ascetics won over their emotions?With the power of simple language, this book transports the readers to a world scarcely thought of in our bustling lives. The allegories maintain an intense rhythm of life prompting the readers to perceive things from a unique angle.“A whole bookful to make you think, cry, think again and move on.”

    The city is theirs to enjoy as Jack struggles to pursue a writing career and Chloe works downtown, applying herself to the world of high finance. While Jack aspires to be the perfect husband, his own self-doubts and Chloe's office flirtations cast shadows. Jealousy and misbehavior undermine their notions of themselves and of each other, and their lives take on uncomfortable parallels with the volatile, chaotic existence of their raffish, menacing neighbors. In the intense heat of one Chicago summer, Jack and Chloe's marriage roils into a queasy chemistry of vanity, lust, and greed. Thompson writes with piercing insight and emotional truth, setting off literary fireworks.