A fascinating new volume of messages about motherhood, from the author of the bestselling Letters of Note collectionsTK

    In recent times the argument has evolved from one of constructive discussion to one of a refusal to engage - where the bomb speaks louder than the word. This volume collects pieces from Kureishi's work which respond to this change, providing a historical perspective for the times in which we live. 'Kureishi has a particular appreciation for the complexity of modern British Muslim identity that comes from having a mixed-race family . . . Here, Kureishi's experience turns to insight.' Observer

    She is lost, being bullied in school, and seen as an outcast by the town people. Life for her is difficult but things complicate further when she finds someone tied to her neighbor's backyard. Everything changes when she goes to rescue this grey eyed man and finds out he is a demon instead. What will happen when this demon develops a thing for her and she has nowhere to go?

    At an age when most babies are cooing "Mama, " Popo was speaking in complete sentences. He was reading college textbooks when he was still too young for nursery school. Popo may just be the smartest human being on Earth. And he spends all his time listening to the radio . . . to white noise that comes drifting down from the sky like stardust. Chill Bent is a two-time loser with a hair-trigger temper. After the death of Popo's mother, the ex-con assumes responsibility for his nephew, vowing to protect the boy from a government eager to strip away his African-American heritage and exploit his genius like a natural resource. Together, Popo and Chill are about to embark on an extraordinary journey into the farthest reaches of the mind and the soul . . . a journey you will never forget. In this stunning new speculative fiction short story by the bestselling author of Blue Light, part of an interconnected collection of stories called Futureland, a young African-American genius searches for God with the tools of cutting-edge science. Look for the complete volume of Futureland, available now.

    

    Her papa made certain she knew every despicable detail. She wanted to hate Aidan Langley. She needed to hate him. It was her duty to her family to hate him. But, ever since that hot summer day when she and Aidan caught each other swimming nude, she has had a hard time convincing herself what she feels for Aidan Langley is hate. It feels like so much more. Now, her parents have agreed to a business arrangement with the Langleys. She and Aidan will marry and have a child—the link that will bind the families together. But can she keep her part of this arrangement without losing her heart to the handsome enemy? Aidan Langley’s life had been pretty good up to this point. But when financial setbacks threaten to rob his family of everything his parents and the generations before them worked so hard to claim, he was agreeable to do just about anything—even when his parents asked him to marry Maura Jackson, the great niece of the man who accused his dad of ruining him and caused a black mark on his family’s name. Could their union truly unite these two feuding families, or will their animosity toward each other tear them even farther apart? Aidan wasn’t convinced it could work but he would do his duty to his family’s legacy. One thing was for certain, his heart would never belong to Maura Jackson—and as soon as he lived up to his end of the bargain, he would set her free. A story of perseverance and discovering love in the last place you expected to find it. “ Beare and Forbeare”

    

    Linde's Cruel Truth.I’m not prepared to meet someone as sexy as Sam Rutherford on the first day of my new job.Then I find out we’re sharing an office…for the next year.I can’t deny that I’m intrigued by his charming Southern drawl and rugged good looks. Normally I would have jumped at the chance.But there’s only one problem.He has no idea who I am. I’m not just Lark, the cute girl at work.I’m a multibillion-dollar heiress. And I made a deal with my parents: one year away from the city and then I take over the family business.Despite everything, I want to risk it for him.I don’t care if I break my cruel promise.Note: Originally titled His for a Season.

    

    Poverty-stricken but rich in love Mr. and Mrs. Paul love the tiny child as their own until hard times and tragedy drive them to the workhouse. From this slavery, Gwendoline flees her present horror only to run headlong into her unknown past, with consequences that tumble through the generations. Shocking secrets unravel and family ties flail and unfurl in a Victorian saga that flows deeper than the river Gwen was thrown into as a child. Will the truth prevail to prevent further tragedy? Can love be found in the web of lies that has followed the innocent girl from her first breath until now? Immerse yourself in the historical Victorian saga of the Saltwick River Orphan and find out.

    He told her he would make her his wife and protect her. In her state of haze, she agreed.The stranger was her savior and she was thankful but was he really her husband? How did the handsome, charming man end up becoming Her Unexpected Husband?Note: This is a short and sweet romance with a happy ending.

    Lisa hears a knock at the door. When she opens it, she finds a mysterious man in need of shelter. He got caught out in the storm while hunting, unaware of the storm that was bearing down on the small town. Lisa gives him shelter, happy to have some company to ride out the storm. Both people are there for their own reasons and as they get to know each other, the storm outside is matched by the one inside the small cabin. Late at night, Will goes to Lisa and the two find something to keep themselves warm during the long, cold night.

     Farzana is one of the prostitutes at Begum's kotha and Ramakant Bannerjee, the writer, loves her deeply. He's promised to marry her once he has enough money. He's currently writing his most ambitious novel, the story of Kaneez. As the story of Kaneez unfolds, so does the intriguing life of Farzana. What fate does she meet? Read on to find out.

    

    Everyone thinks he's a laughing stock now, including his ex-wife and even his agent. When it seems things couldn't get any worse, a chance encounter results in Robinson moonlighting as a hitman. But that's when things take a surprising turn, because the more people he kills, the more the art world seems to fall back in love with him. This blackly comic short story was first published in "Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine" in August, 2005.