She may be smart enough to create a battery that never needs charging, but can she outmaneuver those who don't share her vision of community and create something that really lasts? How far is Alex willing to go to achieve her goal? Accessibility featured: All graphics and illustrations have detailed descriptions in their alt-text so if you are reading using voiceover, you will not miss anything.

     For ten long years young Dirk Blackthorn has followed his drunken father from one city to another, always having to cheat and steal for his next meal, and never knowing what the future might hold. A magician turned con artist, Dirk’s father Thad has taught him everything he knows. After being driven out of just about every southern city in Agora, they have come to Kell-Torey in search of a new beginning. With winter on its way, and all but a rusty coin spent on his father’s drinking, Dirk must make full use of his skills if they are to survive the harsh northern cold. As Thad descends deeper into his drunken delirium, Dirk becomes determined to make a name for himself in the city’s criminal underworld. Featuring two of Legends of Agora’s most beloved characters, Blackthorn Rising is a fast-paced coming of age tale wrought with sword and sorcery, it is a story of failure and triumph, and a testament to the unrelenting spirit of defiance and adventure within us all. FROM THE EDITOR Blackthorn Rising is a book that sticks with you. Michael Ploof’s stimulating prose and evocative cast of characters are incapable of boring you on any single page. The plot is sharp, charged with dark wit, adventure, intrigue, and emotion. Enjoy Dirk Blackthorn’s bumbling journey to manhood as he rises to become a great thief, and an even greater man. I loved every minute of editing this tale, and I know you’ll love every minute of reading it. --Holly M. Kothe, espressoeditor.com

    First he had to win admission when only one hundred applicants would be selected from over four hundred. Then Jamie had to learn how to use the power of a Dragon belt and learn to fly with a Dragon. Added to all of this, against all tradition, Jamie has been bonded to a Dragon in his first year. But Jamie overcomes all of those difficulties and even helps his bonded Dragon, Tomith, whom he has nicknamed Tommy, to learn how to fly. Now Jamie and Tommy face the second semester, and in this semester they will continue to struggle— but not only with their classes. They have now been caught up in the Stonebriar House Championship. Each year, the five Houses—Blackburn, Warwick, Aubondale, Waverly, and Pembroke—all compete for the coveted House Championship. Jamie’s and Tommy’s House, Aubondale, has finished in last place for the previous seven years. The overriding passion of every student in Aubondale is to finally get their house out of last place. To help accomplish this, Jamie and Tommy will have to compete in the school’s Dragon races, something they know nothing about. Even as Jamie and Tommy settle into the day-to-day struggles of school life at Stonebriar, they have been marked for capture or assassination by a shadowy organization known at the Sisterhood. For decades, the Sisterhood has been seeking to fulfill a prophecy that will grant the sisters total control over all the nations of Aurellius—along with immortality. But, in order to achieve their goal, they must eliminate Jamie and Tommy. Jamie’s and Tommy’s greatest challenge will not be helping get their House out of last place—their greatest challenge will be to simply survive.

     As Atlanta descends into a war zone, the trio quickly realize that the grid has also gone down across the entire United States... and they find themselves caught completely off guard with no one else to help them other than each other. With society crumbling fast around them and armed gangs taking control of the streets, Holly, Matthew, and Elizabeth decide that their only hope is to bug out to Holly's grandfather's isolated cabin in the lush Blue Ridge Mountains to the north, seemingly the only place of refuge or peace in a world that has turned into an earthly version of hell. But getting out of the rapidly decaying Atlanta will be anything but easy, and with powerful gangs and dangerous thugs around seemingly every street corner, the survival of Holly, Matthew, and Elizabeth or even the hope that they can stick together are far from guaranteed. The Bug Out is the thrilling and action packed story of Holly's attempt to bug out to safety with her two best friends, and is a perfect read for fans of fast paced and exciting apocalyptic fiction.

    They want me dead.And there’s no happy ending here.But I’m the king for god’s sake.I’ll make sure I get my happy ending.I’ll bruise her lips with my kiss.I’ll melt her ice cold wall with my fire.And I’ll rule her heart till the end of time.The City of Dragons is the place of your dreams. Red-hot dragons left, right, and center, waiting for you to explore the concrete jungle with them. Are you ready to enter this city of fantasy, where mates, magic, and more await?

    Unable to remember her past, she trusts no one and relies on instinct to survive. As her awakening approaches, the first time she will transition into her animal, she must evade rogue shifters trying to capture her.Now free from the King’s Army, powerful dragon lord, Jaxon Blackthorn, seeks a peaceful life. Intent on building his lands into a viable plantation, away from war and bloodshed, he is reluctantly pulled back into the fight when he defends the mysterious shifter with no past against an unseen enemy. As evil threatens to destroy the entire realm, can the battle-hardened warrior and coming-of-age noblewoman accept their differences to forge an alliance that will ultimately unite the shifter nations?Please note: Both Rogue Dragon Rising and the subsequent novel, Sleeping Dragon Stirs, end in cliffhangers. The third book in the serial trilogy, Alpha Dragon Awakes, provides a satisfying conclusion to Jaxon and Amari’s story, but broader story arcs continue into the Outside the Veil series. Sleeping Dragon Stirs has an early November release date and Alpha Dragon Awakes is set to release in late December, 2018.

    It’s been too long since anyone saw Tiamat. Her tale has faded into myth.A cult of her followers still remains, though. These dragons believe that someday, a dragon will rise who is the sum of all dragons, with the powers of every dragon. When that dragon comes, Tiamat will be close behind.Kylara knows nothing of these legends, but she’s about to take center stage in a story which began thousands of years ago.Because the Cult of Tiamat is real, their power has not waned as much as most dragons believe, and many among them feel the time of their prophecy is upon them.And that Kylara is the dragon they’ve been looking for.

    The population of London is horrified by the atrocious murder spree being conducted by Jack the Ripper. While Metropolitan Police Commissioner Charles Warren throws the bulk of his investigative resources into the search for The Ripper, another, less well publicized killer is at large. Tucked away on the inner pages of the daily press, a few short articles tell of the strange, unsolved murders taking place on board the carriages of the new-fangled and much-heralded London Metropolitan Railway. Each murder takes place the day after the Ripper killings, as the murderer appears to be taking advantage of the lack of police resources to tackle two major investigations simultaneously. Inspector Albert Norris is charged with bringing the railway killer to justice, but clues are few and the killer's motive unclear. He is forced to carry out his investigations 'quietly and without causing a public panic' as the authorities seek to maintain confidence in the underground railway system's safety. The press is being told even less, and Norris can count on little help from above as he attempts to solve the inexplicable series of murders.

    . .Sixteen-year-old Phoebe Pope has enrolled at the Campus Below: a spy academy for shape-shifters hidden deep beneath the grounds of a boarding school whose humans unknowingly protect it. There, thanks to a carefully planned schedule, she leads a double life: spy trainee Below and normal teenager Above.As if two course loads, concealing a secret power she alone wields, and coping with her father’s recent death weren’t enough, Phoebe finds herself developing major feelings for actor and teen heartthrob Colten Chase, who attends the Campus Above and appears to be majoring in winning Phoebe’s heart. But when officials learn that Phoebe may be at the center of a startling prophecy, she becomes the target of shape-shifting assassins who will stop at nothing to suppress the truth.Now Phoebe’s lessons about Shaper’s enemies and spycraft take on great importance as a menace stalks the campus, with Phoebe as its target. Meanwhile, what began as an unlikely relationship with Colten, quickly morphs into heartache when she suspects that something sinister lurks beneath this movie star’s glitter and fame. Suddenly, Phoebe’s caught in a mesh of lies, betrayals, and danger where she doesn’t know who to trust, and needs to rely on herself—and her secret power—to get to the truth and to stay alive.

    What’s the man to do? Leave the bathroom and say nothing on the matter? Or, take matters into his own hands?THE MEANTIME STORIES is a funny short read series that draws inspiration from Terry Pratchett, Monty Python, and Douglas Adams, all combined with a twist of Nordic Noir (human folly, abrupt and plentiful deaths, snappy dialogue, quirky deep thoughts, and absurd outcomes). It’s glittering darkness, and clouded light.Each story is a stand-alone, ready to be enjoyed when you yearn for 30 minutes of wacky, brainy, and laugh-out-loud entertainment. Longing for surprises, unexpected twists, and silliness with an edge? Look no further, because in the Meantime, anything can happen!

    but can they "Come Up" together? Smooth and China are a "power couple." An urban Gothic modern day Bonnie and Clyde. They know the ins and outs of the streets. But Smooth also knows its consequences. Which is why he wants to get "out" of the life just as quickly as he first entered it. The money? It's always an intricate part of any exit plan. The problem? His childhood sweetheart China. She loves "the life" - the wealth, and street cred it has brought her. Perhaps she has a little hidden passion for the action too. But at the end of the day China is a "paper chaser." Their romantic and business dynamic however has never been more tested until now. The life and its stresses, but most of all... its trappings have caused a fracture in their once impenetrable relationship. Smooth wants her by his side when he gets out for good, but China's addicted to the money. It affects her better judgment. Er go she wants their transition out of "hustling" to be a slow one... if at all. As the pair begin to rise through the ranks... enemies, cops, and rivals become a much larger problem. In addition to one-time friends becoming foes. Together they're unstoppable. But money is the root of ALL evil and make no mistake these two love money. The question is... do they love each other more?

    Having worked both as a U.S. marshal and a bounty hunter he ruthlessly pursues villains who plague the West. The son of a clergyman, Cully has strayed from the faith but not from righteousness.As committed as Cully is to law and justice, shrewd and ruthless outlaw “Smiley” James lives a life of crime. With his hardened gang of killers he has created a horrific mail-order bride scam. Young women are lured from the East to become brides for ranchers or businessmen in the West. When they arrive they are taken captive and forced to work in a profession that has nothing to do with wedding rings.James fancies himself as a rich businessman and is more than willing to kill anyone and everyone who gets in his way. Cully is hired to find a young mail-order bride from Philadelphia who has gone missing. The evidence leads to Smiley and his gang. Cully is outnumbered and out-gunned. This is not the first time he has faced long odds, and it may be the most dangerous and bloodiest hunt of his career.Note: Each book in the Cully the Bounty Hunter series is a standalone story that can be read out of order.

    When Hayden sets out to become a Metallic Dragon Rider he discovers that his dreams are far from reality as he gets ready for the Trials that stand between him and a dragon egg. The Trials test Hayden in every way but he finds that it is what happens after the Trials that he could not have prepared for. War breaks out as the dwarves and their red dragons descend upon Celestial City, home of the Metallic Riders. Hayden and his friends find themselves at the center of the maelstrom and all of Arvain is resting on what they choose to do next.

     QUICK ON THE DRAW Glenister McCreedie was never a lucky man. Imprisoned for a crime he never committed, deserted by the woman he loved and betrayed by his own family. His bad luck seems to be running out when he is released early from prison and finds a job on the railroads. But it doesn’t last long. First he gets into a fight with a man who turns up dead and whilst still on the run, his train is held up by his own brother’s gang. Then he somehow manages to offend the railroad boss’ daughter, the beautiful Elizabeth. With the fates out to get him, Glen has to use all his wits and strength to take control of his own destiny… THE FIGHTING COWBOY Steve Blondel is better known throughout the West as El Cougar – the fighting cowboy. An unbeatable force, he’s winning competitions nationwide and earning a reputation for his skills in the ring. As the first fighting cowboy to come out of the West, Blondel is quickly becoming the one to beat. Huge bets are placed on his success and people travel far and wide to watch him in action. But his career is suddenly interrupted when he learns of the disappearance of his brother, who has mysteriously vanished whilst enroute to a fight. However, it’s not long before Blondel realizes that his brother has been murdered by a gang of vicious train robbers, and his body tossed into the nearby canyon. Blondel vows vengeance, and locates the prime suspects of the attack – the infamous Morton family – who will stop at nothing to get what they want... BATTLE AT BROKEN KNEE Trouble always seems to find Careless O’Connor. But when he comes across a wrecked wagon off a lonely Texan trail, dangerously close to the volatile Mexican border, he has little premonition that this chance encounter will change his life forever. Lying amongst the debris of shattered wagon wheels and dead horses is the woman who will turn Careless’ world upside down. Little did he know the plight of Grace Whitfield, with her blue eyes, blonde curls and fierce desire to avenge the ruthless imprisonment of her brother, was going to lead Careless on many an adventure – both in the harsh desert and in his heart. Battling against terrifying odds, Careless and his crew – the beautiful Grace, brave young Yippee Clay, honest Burt and dastardly Big Mouth – struggle on in their quest for justice. Praise for Gordon Landsborough 'A punchy tale coupled with plenty of action - an engaging read!' - Philip McCormac, bestselling western author 'A must-read collection of western adventures.' – Tom Kasey, bestselling author of Trade Off. Gordon Landsborough (1913-1984) was a publisher, author and bookseller. Writing tales about the exploits of gun-toting cowboys fighting out on the arid sands of the Wild West, Landsborough was himself a pioneer in the English paperback publishing world of the 1950s. He was widely known amongst his peers as the ‘maverick publishing genius’.

    She hopes for a fresh start despite her mom being overseas with the Army, again. But none of that matters when she discovers that her mom has gone missing. On the same day of her mom’s disappearance, Allie finds the necklace her mom was never without. When the necklace magically teleports her new friend Daniel and her to Central Asia, she learns her necklace contains an ancient magic; the power of the ring of Solomon, which she must use to fight off an army of darkness and a giant with eyes of fire. Most important of all, the necklace appears to be the key to finding her mom.