This short story was originally published in Joe Hill's collection 20TH CENTURY GHOSTS.

    Whether fictionalizing his dramatic exploits as a Royal Air Force pilot during World War II or concocting the ingeniously plotted fables that were dramatized on television as Tales of the Unexpected, Dahl was brilliant at provoking in his readers the overwhelming desire to know what happens next—and at satisfying that desire in ways that feel both surprising and inevitable.In this collection:-A Fine Son-Death of an Old Man-Parson’s Pleasure-Poison-The Hitch-Hiker-The Wish-Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat-Dip in the Pool-The Landlady-Skin-Lamb to the Slaughter-Man from the South-The Way Up to Heavan-The Umbrella Man-Taste-The Swan-William and MaryFilled with devilish plot twists, his tales display a tantalizing blend of macabre humor and the absurdly grotesque. Dahl’s creations amuse and shock us in equal measure, gleefully reminding us of what might lurk beneath the surface of the ordinary.

    But it's hate at first sight for Jane and Cal Langdon, and neither is too happy at the prospect of sharing a villa with one another for a week, not even in the beautiful and picturesque Marches countryside. But when Holly and Mark's wedding plans hit a major snag that only Jane and Cal can repair, the two find themselves having to put aside their mutual dislike for one another in order to get their best friends on the road to wedded bliss €”and end up on a road themselves ... one neither of them ever expected. Queen of Babble Gets Hitched: Things are looking up at last for Lizzie Nichols. She has a career she loves in the field of her choice (wedding gown restoration), and the love of her life, Jean-Luc, has finally proposed. Life's become a dizzying whirl of wedding gown fittings, not necessarily her own as Lizzie prepares for her dream wedding at her fiance's chateau in the south of France. But the dream soon becomes a nightmare as the best man, €”whom Lizzie might once have accidentally slept with . . . no, really, just slept €”announces his total lack of support for the couple, a sentiment the maid of honor happens to second; Lizzie's Midwestern family can't understand why she doesn't want to have her wedding in the family backyard; her future, oh-so-proper French in-laws seem to be slowly trying to lure the groom away from medical school and back into investment banking; and Lizzie finds herself wondering if her Prince Charming really is as charming as she once believed.

    They are strong and fierce with the ability to shift into dragon form. But when they encounter the strong and intelligent women of Earth, they must have them. They must mate with them. Through a registry program it is possible, but nothing ever goes at it should. How can any woman resist their silver hard scales, silver wings, and the firm muscular physiques of such tall intense warriors? Follow the journeys of strong heroines as they journey through the Drackon worlds and experience the wildest passions a dragon shifter has to offer in this fantasy hot series! Jarith (Drackon Mates #1) What’s hotter than an alpha alien warrior? An alpha alien dragon shifter, with a body to die for... As a Drackon Prince set to inherit the throne, Prince Jarith Rykor is a dragon shifter reluctant to take on the responsibility of being king. He only wants to fly and indulge in debauchery. But when his father makes him take an assignment that takes him to Earth, Jarith has to do his duty and visit the Gladonetics Corporation, even though he despises the humans of Earth. It all changes when he meets the CEO of Gladonetics, human female Marissa Volander with a desirable pheromone scent that drives him crazy. But Marissa is a femme fatal and has no interest in being anyone’s mate, until she is forced to go on a mission with the prince back to his home planet. Jarith wants her, but he realizes that his father sent him to fetch Marissa for his own needs. Marissa can’t be his because she belongs to his father, the king. But when there’s a mutiny in Jarith’s family, he has to protect her from danger that will forever change her life. Many think Jarith should not be the rightful king and want to take Marissa from him. Can he gather enough forces to fight the battle to end all battles? Or will he fail and expose Marissa to a prison she can never escape from while losing the right to his throne? Terik (Drackon Mates #2) Terik found his match, but she belongs to his enemy. But it’s never too late… Dr. Adriana Adams is a geologist with a chance to study a rock from an alien world. But the only way to get to the alien world is to register as a bride to a Drackon weredragon. She finds a registration match in Captain Mordikye Nezis and follows him to Sala, but she was not expecting to fall for another weredragon, Land Sentinel Terik Vuna in the process. His long dark hair, rugged looks, muscular form and a passion for land have her torn between two desires - her career aspirations and her heart. Land Sentinel Terik Vuna has never found a human female match, but when he sees a photo of Dr. Adriana Adams he knows that she is the one for him. He jumps at the chance to make his first match in her. But it’s too late she’s already matched. Now, he must concentrate on arresting the illegal cargo carrier Captain Mordikye, his enemy. But when he captures the captain he’s surprised to see that the dark haired human female Adriana is with him. Terik knows that Adriana should rightfully be his, but can she be trusted? When Mordikye breaks out of prison and takes Adriana with him, Terik will do whatever it takes to get her back. Even if it means killing his enemy who holds information that can stop illegal trade once and for all... Drin (Drackon Mates #3) Drin couldn’t have her, because of the promise he made. Now they might die… Dr. Felicity Maltra is on board a research vessel that answers a distress call from a Drackonian ship. The wounded Drackon weredragons on board need her care, but their reason for being in a disabled ship seems suspicious. She doesn’t buy into Captain Drin Ky-Vesa’s lies, especially because he is constantly arguing with his younger brother about something that seems to do with her. But although she must do her duty as a doctor, it does not require her to fall so damn hard for this attractive powerful Drackon Captain, but she can’t help herself. Captain Drin Ky-Vesa has had no interest in mating with a human female, especially after the promise he made to his father on his deathbed. But now there is a threat from a radical faction known as the purist who seek to stop the Drackon from mating with human females at all costs, even death. As an alien and human weredragon hybrid, Drin feels more conflicted than ever, but his conflict is escalated when he is drawn to the human female doctor that treats his wounds. Now he must protect her even though it goes against everything he’s ever been loyal too. When the threat of the purist reaches earth, the catastrophic devastation forces war upon the Drackon, the earthlings, and the purist and Felicity and Drin are right in the middle of it, but will they survive? Eniv (Drackon Mates #4) Eniv must find his fiancé, with a sexy detective. Now he might lose them both… Detective Melinda Katiama has finally received the promotion of a lifetime to the Intergalactic Special Forces Agency. But her first case forces her to partner with a Drackonian alien weredragon in the search to find his missing bride to be. She is furious that she has to partner with such an arrogant rogue, but even more so that her body is betraying her every time he is near. He is already promised to another, and not just anyone, he is promised to the very woman they have been assigned to rescue. Commander Eniv Handor is an intelligent agent in the Drackonian battalion. His father has matched him with a diplomat’s daughter from Earth, it is important for his career. But when he shows up to fetch his bride he finds that she has gone missing, along with five other brides. He discovers that brides have gone missing before and the whole thing reeks of a cover-up. Now he is on a mission in space to find the diplomat’s daughter, but he’s not alone. He is with a feisty Latina detective that is unlike any female he has ever known, and her scent drives him wild. How can he fight giving into his temptations when she is so near, and his guilt of betraying his fiancé is so strong? When they crack the case and find themselves in the heart of an outlaw planet, the threat of battle looms near, and Eniv and Melinda must solve the case, rescue the missing women, and keep their feelings from destroying it all. Kuvo (Drackon Mates #5) Andrene put everything at risk, including him. Now, she will lose him forever… Ambassador Representative Andrene Novan is tired of her oppressive and powerful father, so she devises a plan to leave his grasps forever. But her plans are complicated when her father assigns a gorgeous Drackon warrior to be her security detail. Now her plans are put into jeopardy when she allows her desires to get the best of her. Why did it have to be him to guard her? Now she has too much to lose in order to gain her freedom. Special Ops Squadron Leader Kuvo Bane is running away from his past on Mooreah, and goes into the private sector of security detail. He figures guarding a human on Earth would be easier than what he has seen on the Drackonian battlefields. With his shifting abilities into a weredragon, he can guard the best of the best, but he’s not expecting his assignment to look like her. Now he must test his restraint in mixing business with pleasure. But he realises exactly what he would risk for her, when he fails her. When an outlaw Drackonian villain captures them, Kuvo Bane must save them all, but he doesn’t realise that it has all been a trap, a betrayal. Kasian (Drackon Mates #6) Kelly fell hard and fast for weredragon Kasian. Now, her past will destroy it... Kelly Perkins is finally doing it! After having doubt about registering as a bride to a Drackon warrior from the alien weredragon race on Mooreah, she’s finally putting her heart out there. But she never thought that one last fling, as a single woman would jeopardise the relationship with her new husband. It was her personal bachelorette party, what could go wrong? But when she falls hard, fast, and instantly for Commander Kasian Jade, she finds out just how detrimental her one night stand was to her future happiness. Commander Kasian Jade is on Earth to oversee a massive engineering project and decides to take a human female as a bride to offset the loneliness of being out in the wilderness. But Kelly Perkins is unlike any female he has ever met, and her scent lets him no they are a match. It’s so easy for them to slip straight into a passionate romance in a matter of hours. But he has no idea that she has a secret, a secret that will make him feel so much rage that he doesn’t think he can ever be with her again. Until he realises that she was the pawn of a sibling rivalry feud with his brother that goes deep into his past. When his brother Orik steals power receptors from the engineering project, Kasian must hunt his brother, but now it’s a matter of vengeance for what he did to Kelly.

    Earth was in danger. Gargoyles, a winged humanoid race of warriors, had spent thousands of years ensuring the survival of the planet. Rhodack Gahnoth, leader of Clan Gahnoth, demanded his gargoyles defend the realm against a new threat. Sending his most trusted warrior to investigate the unexplainable, he was left speechless when the warrior returned with a little wisp of a female with golden hair by the name of Rina Smith. Her powers were the strongest of any being, and something was hunting her down. To make matters worse, she was under a powerful spell, believed herself to be human, and she was Rhodack’s mate. Once the spell was removed, Rina’s true identity was revealed, and no one was more shocked than her. She would need a crash course in the world of paranormal to bring her up to speed. One thing she didn’t need help with was her attraction to the tall, brooding gargoyle. He didn’t hide the fact he wanted her. Her hesitance was met with his persistence. What Rhodack wanted, he claimed. Because of who she was, a war that had no place on Earth would spill into the realm. It would be up to Rhodack and his gargoyles to meet this new enemy head-on. Rhodack vowed to protect Rina, but as fate would have it, she wouldn’t need his protection after all—he would need hers.

    But he knows there are some things money can’t buy, like Kendra Shepherd’s heart. Can a rough-and-tumble cowboy and a ladylike divorcée find lasting love? Crazier dreams have come true under the vast Montana sky. Bad News Cowboy by Maisey Yates If Kate Garrett could choose her dream man, he wouldn’t be her older brother’s best friend, Jack Monaghan. Sexy and shameless, Jack is the kind of trouble you don’t tangle with unless you want your heart broken. But when Kate lassoes him into giving her some flirting tips, the two of them get caught up in the kind of trouble he’s spent his life avoiding. Can Kate convince Jack that love is the best risk of all?

    Wild magic, unexpected allies, a conflagration of sorcery and shifter magic the likes of which has not been seen in centuries... That's what awaits the peaceful town of Grizzly Cove. That, and love...lots and lots of love. This anthology contains books 4 thru 6 of the Grizzly Cove series. Book 4 is novel-length, while books 5 and 6 are slightly shorter. The titles are: Alpha Bear What’s a bear to do when he learns the woman he wants is a witch, and already knows he’s a shifter? Can a town full of bear shifters deal with having a mage in their midst? And when evil attacks from the sea, can they afford not to have a witch willing to give of herself to protect them? Or will the Alpha have to give up Grizzly Cove in order to keep the woman he loves? Saving Grace Jack never expected to find a badly injured mermaid washed up on shore. Grace never expected to live through her encounter with the leviathan. When she wakes up in Jack’s care, she finds herself drawn to the handsome grizzly shifter, though the sea, and the leviathan, calls to her. Can she resist the allure of the ocean? Can she stay with her bear, on land, or will she break both their hearts? Bearliest Catch Drew spends his days fishing in the Pacific, far from Grizzly Cove, seeking the peace of the ocean. Jetty lives in the ocean, part of a hunting party of mer folk, in near-constant danger now from the evil creature that roams the deep. When they meet, sparks fly and the ocean comes alive with danger. Can they get her people to safety?

    But when her perfect husband turns out to be a lying, cheating slimeball - and bad in bed to boot - Savannah kicks the jerk to the curb and embarks on life on her own terms. With a new apartment, a new career, and a brand new outlook on life, she's all set to take the world by storm. If only the world would stop throwing her curveballs... CLOSE TO HOME - book #4 Savannah's late. The kind of late that comes with midnight feedings and the pitter-patter of little feet. And while it's a circumstance that should make everyone happy - now she can finally settle down and marry Todd Satterfield, the way everyone's been hoping and praying! - it isn't Todd's baby. And Rafe, whose baby it is, didn't sign on for fatherhood. Add in the murder of Savannah's sister-in-law Sheila, the trial of Sheila's friend Marley, and the disappearance of Rafe's twelve year old son David - the kid he never knew he had! - and things get complicated fast. And there is worse to come: When Rafe comes back to Nashville to help look for David, and learns that Savannah's pregnant, things do not work out the way Savannah had hoped. In the end, she's left with nothing she wanted and a whole lot of trouble she didn't, and for once, Rafe's not there to save the day. A DONE DEAL - book #5 Silver bells, silver bells... It's Christmas time in Nashville, and all Savannah wants to unwrap on Christmas morning is Rafe Collier. Unfortunately, things don't look so good. He's back in town, but not alone: on his arm is a stunning brunette, just the kind of woman Savannah always suspected was his type. When Alexandra Puckett asks her help in figuring out a way to stop Maybelle Driscoll from marrying Alex's father Steven, Savannah jumps on the chance. It'll give her something to think about other than Rafe and the mysterious Carmen, and anyway, she doesn't like Maybelle much herself. Between investigating Maybelle's past, helping her clients Aislynn and Kylie buy a house, and stalking Carmen and Rafe, Savannah soon has her hands full. And that's before someone starts gunning for her. Suddenly it's not a question of unwrapping anything on Christmas morning anymore; it's a question of whether she'll even survive to see another Christmas. CHANGE OF HEART - book #6 It’s late February, just two months after Savannah Martin and Rafael Collier finally worked things out between them, and Rafe is already sneaking out of bed in the wee hours. Catching fellow realtor Tim Briggs rinsing blood from his hands in the office sink makes for a welcome distraction, and when Tim disappears just as one of his clients is found dead in a nearby park, Savannah throws herself into the investigation with abandon. But even the murder mystery taking place right under her nose can’t completely distract her from worrying about personal problems. Has Rafe changed his mind about their relationship, or is something else going on? And what are the chances of Savannah coming out of this latest debacle with her life – and her heart – intact? *** Contains an excerpt of Savannah Martin Mystery #7, Kickout Clause ***

    It’s erotic, it’s romantic, has wonderfully suspenseful plots, and amazing characters (including so many yummy sexy alpha men—I did say I LURVE them, didn’t I?). But even more than that, I think it’s a wonderful introduction to the BDSM genre of Erotica, or even the lifestyle.– The Romance ReviewsMasters of the Shadowlands 1: Club ShadowlandsHer car disabled during a tropical storm, Jessica Randall discovers the isolated house where she’s sheltering is a private bondage club. At first shocked, she soon becomes aroused watching the interactions between the Doms and their subs. But she’s a professional woman—an accountant—and surely isn’t a submissive …is she?Master Z hasn’t been so attracted to a woman in years. But the little sub who has wandered into his club intrigues him. She’s intelligent. Reserved. Conservative. After he discovers her interest in BDSM, he can’t resist tying her up and unleashing the passion she hides within.Masters of the Shadowlands 2: Dark CitadelAfter Kari breaks up with her date during Beginner’s Night at Club Shadowlands, she’s given the option to continue with an experienced dominant. Despite her steamy fantasies about BDSM, the inexperienced schoolteacher plans to simply observe. Yet under the unyielding hands of Master Dan, she not only participates, but gives him everything he asks for. There is nothing she can hide from him. Not her passion.or her love.Still mourning the death of his wife, Master Dan avoids getting involved with women and he never takes a sub twice. But this modest little beginner is such a sweetie, one night is far from enough. As he plumbs her responses, taking her ever deeper into the world of BDSM, the gentle submissive begins to show him how barren his life has become and what a dark citadel he’s made of his heart.During their three nights together, the teacher will learn to submit…can she teach the master to love?Masters of the Shadowlands 3: Breaking FreeA sadistic husband left Beth scarred, inside and out. Only at the Shadowlands BDSM club does she feel like a woman. But her fears limit her to Doms who won’t overwhelm her—the very ones who cannot arouse her. The Master of the Shadowlands gives her an ultimatum: accept the Dom he assigns or lose her membership. The last thing Beth wants is a ruthless, powerful Dom, but that’s just what she gets.Asked to take on a problem sub, Nolan sees the issue immediately—although truly submissive, the little redhead is too scared to relinquish control and her Doms have let her get away with it. That will change right now.As Master Nolan takes Beth under command, compelling her submission, she’s terrified, but the experienced Dom brings her pleasure, not pain. His only demand is that she never lie to him. Under his capable hands, her body comes alive, and she begins to heal. As he pushes her limits, she learns to trust…and then to love. And she realizes he is beginning to care for her in return.But now her cruel husband has found her, and Master Nolan discovers she’s been lying and lying and lying.

    Gorri, P.T. Macias, P. Mattern, Yolanda Olson, Ariel Marie, Savannah Morgan, Amanda Kimberley, Heather Kirchhoff, Aimee Shaye.Featuring Shifters, Dragons, Werewolves, Bears, Vampires, and more!*All Proceeds go to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital“The holidays only come once a year, but this crazy couple plans to make it last forever.” Dragon Got Run Over By A Reindeer by Julia Mills“Some gifts are worth waiting for.”Gift of the Gods by Tami Lund“She doesn’t want anything to do with a soulmate, but he’s determined to convince her otherwise.”Solstice Magick by Heather Marie Adkins“His heart is frozen, can she change his mind about love?”The Dragon’s Christmas Gift by C.D. Gorri“Carina rapidly learns that a magical night with a dragon surpasses a white Christmas in New York.”The Dragon’s Magical Gift by P.T. Macias“It was her father’s debt……but Princess Calista has the Devil to pay!”12 Magical Nights of Bedevilment : My Demon Lover by P. MatternUnderneath a Fallen Sky by Yolanda Olson“Will her secret destroy their chance for love everlasting?”A Beary Christmas by Ariel Marie“A love sanctioned by the Gods or a dynasty mired in a new threat, Alpha female Lexie Wolfe has 12 days wrapped in Majick to decide which is her true path.”Wrapped in Magick by Savannah Morgan“Cures sometimes have a bite.”The Cure by Amanda Kimberley“Christmas is supposed to be a magical time.”A Magical Christmas by Heather Kirchhoff“Being enchanted never felt so wicked.” Kiss of Winter by Aimee Shaye

    Catherine Coulter The Legacy Trilogy 1-3 #1 New York Times bestselling author of Prince of Ravenscar Catherine Coulter brings you three Regency romances "brimming with drama [and] colorful characters" (Publishers Weekly) in the acclaimed Legacy Trilogy.The Wyndham Legacy The Nightingale Legacy The Valentine Legacy

    Surrender to Sasha White's sensual world, where red-hot passions simmer - and desires are unkleashed with sinfully wicked pleasure.

    Together, the cookbooks contain over 550 of Paula’s classic, down home, Southern recipes and this boxed set makes a tempting addition to any cookbook collection, and a great gift for friends!

    

    She's had enough of her husband's lies and she's done with his family's weird rules. She's getting a divorce, and she's taking her 8-year-old daughter with her. Oh, and she's determined to stay away from men. For now at least. But her best friend, Rebecca, has other things in mind. She takes her to the one place where Amber can find what she's truly looking for: Shift Your Fate. Instead of advising her to leave her past behind, the empath Kassandra reminds her there was someone else before her ex-husband, someone who could have made her happy, if only she had given him a chance. Tyler Atwood lost contact with Amber ten years ago, when she married Stephan Castell. He had a choice to make then: tell her the truth about her husband, or step aside and leave them be. He chose the latter. Amber wouldn't have believed him anyway. Bear-shifters? An Assassins' Guild hunting supernatural people? On second thought, it was better if she never knew. Now, Amber is back into his life. Being with her puts both of them in danger, but how could he resist? She's always been the only woman who could tame his bear. Bear Unbound is the first book in the Shift Your Fate series of standalone novels. What you should expect: hot, steamy scenes, growly Alpha males, beautiful, curvy heroines, and well-deserved happily ever afters. Intended for readers 18+.