In doing so, the book triumphed over a very strong shortlist, including collections by one Booker Prize winner in Anne Enright and two authors who have been Booker shortlisted in Shena Mackay and Ali Smith (the latter a winner of the Whitbread Prize).When announcing the winner, one of the judges – James Walton, journalist and chair of BBC Radio 4’s The Write Stuff – said, “I suspect Chris Beckett winning the Edge Hill Prize will be seen as a surprise in the world of books. In fact, though, it was also a bit of surprise to the judges, none of whom knew they were science fiction fans beforehand.”In 2012 the Sunday Times named Chris’ latest novel Dark Eden the best science fiction novel of the year, and it is currently shortlisted for the BSFA Award in the same category. NewCon Press are delighted to be publishing The Peacock Cloak, the latest collection from one of Britain’s most distinguished and accomplished genre authors. Contains twelve stories (85,000 words) all previously uncollected.

    But their greatest wish is to bring holiday happiness to those around them. To you, our dear readers, we offer these gifts of joy at Christmas time. New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors have mingled Christmas dreams and composed beautiful love stories that range from sweet to spicy, with romance and suspense, to keep you entertained and dreaming in Unforgettable Christmas Dreams. Firelight Confession: .Rebecca York, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author: Mail order bride hiding a secret that can destroy her marriage before it has a chance to succeed. Christmas Delivery: .Patricia Rosemoor, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author: He “returned from the dead” seeking revenge...only to reconnect with the girl he loved, and the daughter they conceived thirteen years ago. A Rancher in her Stocking: .Leanne Banks, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author: When a holiday-happy school teacher gets stuck staying with a sexy, grumpy rancher at Christmas time, can she persuade him to embrace the season – and her? Please Keep Me: .Mimi Barbour, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author: A homeless pup adores the child & his new master falls for her Mom. Christmas Miracle: .Patrice Wilton, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author: Can these two wounded people, an ex-marine sniper and a broken heart nurse, open their hearts to the miracle of Christmas? Secret Santa By The Sea: .Traci Hall, USA Today bestselling author: Now back in her small town, Serenity faces the man who’d broken her heart. She finds out the truth behind why he’d once set her free. Christmas in the Sand: .Jen Talty, USA Today bestselling author: Not only could her dreams go up in smoke, but if she’s not careful, she’ll end up giving her heart away. Lost and Found Family: .Dani Haviland, USA Today bestselling author: Sometimes it takes decades to find your true family …but only a moment to lose them. A Complete Family: .Mona Risk, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author: Her hands full with a little daughter, a ferocious German Shepherd, a meddling sick neighbor, and a charming but nosey boss, Nurse Melody dreams of a happy family. Three French Hens: .Nancy Radke, USA Today bestselling author: When you find something precious —like love— you give everything you own to keep it. Sparkles of the Season: .Susan Jean Ricci, USA Today bestselling author: Two unlikely couples rediscover love and commitment, after a magical meeting with Saint Nick.

    Rocky Mountain Courtship by Jillian Hart Joseph Brooks suspects his mother of bringing a pretty young lady to town - as a mail-order bride. But Clara Woodrow is not that lady! Enchanted by her and determined to have no other, Joseph must use the magical last few days of spring to make Clara admit the desire they share for one another...2. Courting Miss Perfect by Judith Stacy Fleeing a humiliating incident in Virginia, the last thing Brynn O'Keefe needs is an interfering Pinkerton detective suspecting her of some ridiculous crime! Concerned for her reputation, Brynn is horrified when handsome Travis Hollister tells the locals she is his sweetheart - and even more astonished when she begins to like the very idea of it.3. Courted by the Cowboy by Stacey Kayne (Bride, #3) Constance Pauley becomes enamored with the man who once saved her life - then finds out the very same dashing Kyle Darby had inadvertently caused her injuries all those years ago! Now she can't forgive the way he has stolen her heart, and how easily she wants to become his bride...

    A haunted mansion. A haunted woman. Three unforgettable tales of terror. THE HARROWINGFive troubled college students left alone on their isolated campus over the long Thanksgiving break confront their own demons and a mysterious presence... that may or may not be real.Nominated for Bram Stoker and Anthony Awards for Best First Novel"Poltergeist meets The Breakfast Club as five college students tangle with an ancient evil presence." - Kirkus Reviews"Absolutely gripping... it is easy to imagine this as a film. Once started, you won't want to stop reading." - The London TimesTHE UNSEEN"A creepy haunted house, reports of a 40-year-old poltergeist investigation, and a young researcher trying to rebuild her life take the "publish or perish" initiative for college professors to a terrifying new level in this spine-tingling story that has every indication of becoming a horror classic. Based on the famous Rhine ESP experiments at the Duke University parapsychology department that collapsed in the 1960s, this is a chillingly dark look into the unknown." —Romantic Times Book ReviewBOOK OF SHADOWSA cynical Boston homicide detective and a mysterious witch from Salem must join forces in a race to solve a series of satanic killings."A wonderfully dark thriller with amazing 'Is-it-isn't-it?' suspense throughout." — Lee Child-----------------------------------------

    Big secrets. Welcome to Sweet Ridge.The Cooper brothers receive the shock of their lives when their deceased father, owner of the lucrative Guac Ole company, wills away their inheritances to three random women, leaving them each only a mysterious object and a riddle to solve. You don't want to miss a sexy minute of their search for answers--and love.Sweet Texas Kiss: Gavin Cooper can't wrap his mind around why country music superstar Macy Young would end up inheriting his family home. Seeing his childhood memories handed over to his high school rival--the first woman to break his heart--stings, especially when Gavin is left only a pair of old reading glasses. Luckily, Macy can't sell the house for one year--plenty of time for him to find a way to get it back. Can a country star and a country veterinarian find a way to bury their animosity and rediscover their first love in the process?Sweet Texas Fire: Gage Cooper has always wanted the family cabin. Instead, his business nemesis, environmental analyst Charlotte Wilkinson, inherits this valuable property with its oil-rich land and its secrets, and Gage pockets a useless key. He'll do anything to reverse this fortune, including eloping to Vegas for a sham marriage. But as they discover common ground and a surprising chemistry together, suddenly Gage must decide what's worth more: the land he's always coveted or a future with Charlotte.Sweet Texas Charm: Becca Nash has no idea why kind, old Jack Cooper left her half of his company since she never had more than a few polite conversations with the guy. Neither does Grayson Cooper, Guac Ole's CEO, who is seething over the strawberry-shaped charm his dad willed him. He goes undercover boss to find out how he can steal back those shares, but surprisingly loses his heart to Becca instead. What he does discover is a secret that could blow apart not only Becca's world but his whole family. Now Grayson must determine whether it's better to follow his head or his heart.Sensuality Level: Sensual

    But what of its opposite -- the moment when it becomes clear that things are indisputably over? Dumped is a survey of every type of romantic crack-up, a group of stories full of the hilarity, wisdom, insight, and sometimes, yes, fierce revenges of some of the most memorable broken hearts in recent literature. Dumped sheds light on what can be the toughest part of human relations -- whether newly elucidating the misery we've all endured, or merely reminding us that others have had it far worse -- from the mother in Elizabeth Berg's Open House absurdly attempting to tell her son his father has left, to the betrayed wife in Roald Dahl's "Lamb to Slaughter," who beats her husband to death with a leg of lamb, then cooks it for the police. With contributions from such notable authors as Will Self, Saul Bellow, Alice Munro, Raymond Carver, Lorrie Moore, Dorothy Parker, Andre Dubus, and Tobias Wolff, as well as rising stars like Lucinda Rosenfeld and Steve Almond, Dumped spans every variety of romantic catastrophe and every possible response to it; from the wise to the hilarious, the bitter to the bittersweet. This book is the panacea for problems of the heart.

    Some of them are so delicious they might just melt your chocolate . . . while others are like a shot of cold ice cream to your system.No matter what strikes your fancy, you'll want to grab a cup of hot cocoa and snuggle up with the men of this limited edition anthology.Featuring a wide variety of stories from April Canavan, Elizabeth Knox, H.J. Marshall, Flora Burgos, C.N. Marie, E.C. Land, K.C. Stone, Jewelz Baxter, Cedar Rose, Charlene Raquel and Claire C. Riley.

    Take a walk on the wild side with hunky alpha heroes who will stop at nothing to win over their fated mates. All stories start off a series from USA Today and National Bestselling authors. Bad Boy Fire Bear - Bella Love-Wins Nevada firefighter bear shifter, Jax Carson never believed settling down was in the cards for him. That was right up until his bear caught sight of the new waitress, Joleen Emery, and roared with a lust to claim her. FURever: BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance - Kate Kent Are you ready to have your toes curled? One curvy, sexy woman plus two hunky Alpha wolf shifters = scorching, hot menage romance! Shifted Undercover - C.E. Black Secret agendas, and hidden plans, begin to unravel after chaos erupts on a plane. Nikki isn’t willing to lose the love she’s found in Adam over a flight plan gone wrong, and Adam is determined to risk it all for the love of his woman; revealing the beast that resides within. The Werewolf’s Bride - Michele Bardsley To honor her town’s 150-year-old pact with the werewolves, Arabelle Winton dutifully marries Shadow Pack alpha Greyson Burke. Their marriage of convenience might well turn into true love. But only if the pack's most dangerous enemy doesn’t destroy them first. Chief Bear - Scarlett Grove On Fate Mountain, Levi Blackthorn is alpha of the search-and-rescue crew the Rescue Bears. Juliet Hernandez is a sassy, sweet woman who’s been unlucky in love. Can Juliet let go of her past and trust the wild heart of her shifter mate? Redeem the Wolf - Harmony Raines Kurt has made mistakes, big mistakes, and he paid the price, but one woman saved him, coaxing him back from the brink. Then she left, before he could thank her, all he has to hold onto, is the memory of her face, a face he paints over and over again. Now she needs his help, can Kurt save her, and somehow redeem his wolf? Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love (Melissa) - Ariana Hawkes When Melissa Ericson has a panic attack as her best friend is giving birth, sexy shifter Doctor Harley is on hand to calm her down. But there's something about him that keeps tugging at her mind, and suddenly she's drawn back into a place she never wanted to think about again. The past is so confusing and painful, but will the smoking-hot werewolf prove to be her destroyer or her savior? Brindle - V. Vaughn Becoming a werewolf the night of senior prom isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. When Katie realizes what’s she done she runs. But mating season has arrived, and Brindle is the only one that can satisfy the needs of her fever, and her heart. Dietrich (Bear Dating Agency I) - Becca Fanning A family of single Bear Shifter men, a secluded state park and a matronly grandmother who is sick of not having any grandchildren. Come along for the lip-biting, hair-pulling, sweaty-riding Bear Dating Agency series!

     Detective Harry Bosch has retired from the LAPD, but his half-brother, defense attorney Mickey Haller, needs his help. The murder rap against his client seems ironclad, but Mickey is sure it's a setup. Though it goes against all his instincts, Bosch takes the case. With the secret help of his former LAPD partner Lucia Soto, he turns the investigation inside the police department. But as Bosch gets closer to discovering the truth, he makes himself a target.

    Bitten and dumped, BBW Alicia Morgan has experienced a lot of heartbreak in her life. She longs to find her forever man but she’s afraid to take another chance on love. When temptation comes calling in the form of two hunky alphas she has to fight off her lustful feelings. FURbidden He’s 22 hot, sexy and fully loaded. She’s 32, curvy, divorced and tempted! But he’s her best friend’s little bro and forbidden! BBW wolf shifter Evie Allen has just gone thru a messy divorce and is looking for a “sensible guy”to love. But the young, hunky bear shifter Chad has his own passionate plans in mind for her. FURgiven He’s a rich, hunky bear shifter. She’s a beautiful, curvy mom of two. And when they meet – the heat level sizzles off the charts! BBW Stacy Winston is struggling to support her 14 year old twins. When the opportunity to enter a marriage lottery comes up, the gorgeous bear shifter thinks it may be the solution to her problems. FURocious(Menage) Oohlala! Angel aka Angie Wade is a sweet slice of heaven to hunky bear shifters Kyle and Monty in this blazing hot menage! BBW auction reseller Angel Wade is fed up with Kyle Collin’s roaming eyes. The delicious ‘Bite Me Bar’ bartender is just too hot for his own good. When her handsome new online friend Monty Lawrence comes to town to meet her, she is ready and open to love. FURgotten 1 Hot Rich Dude + 1 Pretty BBW = Nail Biting Romance! Chloe Roberts has a secret. A big one…she’s Chloe Roberts not her twin sister Courtney Roberts. BBW Bite Me Bar bartender Chloe Roberts is having a normal day shopping at the mall when the hottest guy on the planet, wolf shifter Drake Roma, grabs her sweet body from behind. FUR: Complete Edition features all 5 Sexy in Fur spicy standalone BBW paranormal romances with covers. The collection includes lots of sexy scenes and language. Enjoy!

    Could the earl resist a woman who wouldn't take no for an answer?Love at First Step by TERRI BRISBINWhile visiting friends in England for the holidays, Lord Gavin MacLeod cast his eye upon the mysterious Elizabeth. She was more noble beauty than serving wench, and Gavin vowed to uncover her past at any cost....A Christmas Secret by GAIL RANSTROMMiss Charity Wardlow expected a marriage proposal from her intended while attending a Christmas wedding. But when Sir Andrew MacGregor arrived at the manor, Charity realized she wanted no one but the Scotsman with the sensual smile....

    Fall in love with our Unforgettable Heroes and fantasize about them for months. They don’t come along very often, but when they do, they can turn your world upside down and rip the heart out of every woman who dares to love them. The variety of stories we’ve chosen to add to this collection are meant to entertain you. We present the Unforgettable Heroes... Eight romances by eight award-winning authors with heroes who will live in your heart forever. Donna Fasano guides you on how to 'Take Love in Stride,' Patrice Wilton cooks up a 'Catered Affair,' Mona Risk shares what a wonder it is to get 'Babies in the Bargain,' Mimi Barbour asks you to help her 'Find Me a Home,' Traci Hall gives a lesson on love in 'Dancing By the Sea,' Susan Jean Ricci tempts everyone with 'Dinosaurs and Cherry Stems,' Nikki Lynn Barrett crowns the 'Queen of My Heart,' and Leanne Banks instructs readers how to become ‘The Five-Minute Bride’.

     Sweet Cowboy Kisses by Stephanie Berget Can two wounded souls find a sweet future together? Bucked Off for Love by Lacey Wolfe What happens when a bull rider seeks physical therapy from the one woman who brings his body to life? Heart Rush by Lisa Huffman When two hearts collide, can anything happen? A Cowboy to Love by D’Ann Lindun Can a women dreaming of a family and a cowboy who is sterile find a way to build a life together?

    Contributors include Russell Banks, James Lee Burke, Brendan DuBois, Lou Manfredo, Ed McBain, Joyce Carol Oates, and many others.

    One click to secure your limited edition copy today.