He decides to make a wish. He wishes that he had some friends to keep him company. Moments later the Christmas decorations begin to disentangle themselves from the tree behind him, ready to wreak a little havoc...

    It lurks in the shadows, spreading fear and icy cold – and it carries a sharp and very solid dagger...The headmaster wastes no time in enlisting the help of ghost-hunters Anthony Lockwood, Lucy Carlyle and George Cubbins.Can Lockwood & Co. survive the night and save the day?

    It looks set to be a Christmas to remember. And it is – but for all the wrong reasons.As the 25th December draws closer, Lola unexpectedly finds herself missing some key components:1. A job (but who needs one of those anyway, when you’ve got the ultimate family Christmas to prepare for?)2. Money (no job equals no money, it turns out.)3. A boyfriend (yup, Nathan the hunk has said adios to Lola – and in the *most* embarrassing way possible…)4. Somewhere to host her fabulous family Christmas (because of course, no Nathan means no des res apartment.)Lola’s at a loss about what to do. But one way or another, she’s going to make this the happiest Christmas her family’s ever had…

    Now for the first time thirteen of these tales are collected here, including a wide range of stories from a diverse group of authors, some well-known, others anonymous or forgotten. Readers whose only previous experience with Victorian Christmas ghost stories has been Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol will be surprised and delighted at the astonishing variety of ghostly tales in this volume. “In the sickly light I saw it lying on the bed, with its grim head on the pillow. A man? Or a corpse arisen from its unhallowed grave, and awaiting the demon that animated it?” - John Berwick Harwood, Horror: A True Tale“Suddenly I aroused with a start and as ghostly a thrill of horror as ever I remember to have felt in my life. Something—what, I knew not—seemed near, something nameless, but unutterably awful.” - Ada Buisson, The Ghost’s Summons“There was no longer any question what she was, or any thought of her being a living being. Upon a face which wore the fixed features of a corpse were imprinted the traces of the vilest and most hideous passions which had animated her while she lived.” - Walter Scott, The Tapestried Chamber

    Winning means a lot to everyone involved - talented cake-shop owner Katie dreams of baking stardom, Rachel wants to prove she's more than a stay-at-home mum, and John hopes his culinary skills will impress the woman he loves. But when the judges discover that some cakes have been tampered with, the villagers' loyalties are called into question - whose ambition would stretch to sabotage, and why?The Christmas Bake-Off is an exclusive short story from Abby Clements, author of Meet Me Under the Mistletoe. This ebook edition also includes bonus recipes for cinnamon cookies and vanilla and almond biscuits.

    Karratha is a mining town a long way further north. The landscape is extraordinary, being composed of vast heaps of dark red earth and rock poking out of the never-ending bush. I imagine that Mars must have a similar feel to it. I went exploring and discovered the bronze statue to Red Dog outside the town of Dampier. I felt straight away that I had to find out more about this splendid dog. A few months later I returned to Western Australia and spent two glorious weeks driving around collecting Red Dog stories and visiting the places that he knew, writing up the text as I went along. I hope my cat never finds out that I have written a story to celebrate the life of a dog.’ Louis de Bernières.‘If you love Australia it will have you aching for the scent of gums and sight of the Southern Cross, while if you love dogs it is sure to make you highly indulgent towards the one you love’ Observer

    But things are starting to look up when my catering business finally gets local recognition.When my oven overheats in the middle of baking cookies for the annual gingerbread house decorating contest, the smokin’ hot guy next door offers to help with my goodies.Drake is a steamy cup of hot cocoa and I’d love to dip my cookie in his cream.But can I trust my heart to a guy with a notorious reputation and bachelorhood emblazoned across his chest?DrakeVoted Cranberry Corner’s most eligible bachelor is an honor, but it’s not who I aspire to be.Full disclosure: I’m tired of serial dating and one night stands. I want the deluxe relationship package with all the sprinkles and cream filling.Problem is I’ve found the red-headed woman of my dreams, but she thinks I’m nothing more than a smooth talking player.Hope is a curvy swirl of cinnamon and sugar and I’d love to taste her candied ginger center.Can I convince her there’s more to me than what greets the naked eye?Sugar & Spice Nights is a multi-author series of holiday inspired instalove, curvy woman and hot guys stories. Come find out how hot and sweet the nights can get today!Don't forget to meet ALL the hunky sweeties!Sugar Cookies & the Single Dad by Brynn HaleShortbread & the Scotsman by Lana DashGingerbread & the Guy Next Door by Piper CookEggnog & the Engineer by Elsie JamesCupcakes & the Cowboy by Scarlett WoodsPeanut Brittle & the Prince by Kate TilneyMacarons & the Mountain Man by Tarin LexBiscotti & the Bad Boy by Krysta FoxLemon Bars & the Lawyer by Layne DanielsFudge & the Firefighter by Sadie KingBrownies & the Billionaire by R.K. CovenXOX Piper

    But the darkly handsome Mr. Edward Sharpe is no run-of-the-mill London merchant. He’s grim and silent. A man of little emotion—or perhaps no emotion at all. After two months of courtship, she’s ready to put an end to things. A Last Chance for Love But severing ties with her taciturn suitor isn’t as straightforward as Sophie envisioned. Her parents are outraged. And then there’s Charles Darwin, Prince Albert, and that dratted gaslight. What’s a girl to do except invite Mr. Sharpe to Appersett House for Christmas and give him one last chance to win her? Only this time there’ll be no false formality. This time they’ll get to know each other for who they really are.

    

    Another heartwarming tale from the American educator and writer, famous for her children's works including Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. The story begins: Edgewood, like all the other villages along the banks of the Saco, is full of sunny slopes and leafy hollows. There are little, rounded, green-clad hillocks that might, like their scriptural sisters, skip with joy; and there are grand, rocky hills tufted with gaunt pine trees-these leading the eye to the splendid heights of a neighbor State, where snow-crowned peaks tower in the blue distance, sweeping the horizon in a long line of majesty. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.

    The father has a story to share before it’s too late. He tells his son about a courageous little girl lying in a hospital bed a few miles away. She’s a smart kid—smart enough to know that she won’t beat cancer by drawing with crayons all day, but it seems to make the adults happy, so she keeps doing it. As he talks about this plucky little girl, the father also reveals more about himself: his triumphs in business, his failures as a parent, his past regrets, his hopes for the future. Now, on a cold winter’s night, the father has been given an unexpected chance to do something remarkable that could change the destiny of a little girl he hardly knows. But before he can make the deal of a lifetime, he must find out what his own life has actually been worth, and only his son can reveal that answer. With humor and compassion, Fredrik Backman’s The Deal of a Lifetime reminds us that life is a fleeting gift, and our legacy rests in how we share that gift with others.

    Curl up with old friends like Washington Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker" or Charles Dickens's "Chips." Or make the acquaintance of "The Serpent Woman" and "The Skull That Spoke"--but beware of spectral visitors like "The Blood-Drawing Ghost." There's something here for everyone who likes a good shudder. . . but be prepared for goose bumps!Delightfully creepy illustrations by Katherine Coville and Jacqueline Rogers highlight this second collection of scary stories.

    Hoffmann in 1816, has fascinated and inspired artists, composers, and audiences for almost two hundred years. It has retained its freshness because it appeals to the sense of wonder we all share.Maurice Sendak designed brilliant sets and costumes for the Pacific Northwest Ballet's Christmas production of Nutcracker and has created even more magnificent pictures especially for this book. He has joined with the eminent translator Ralph Manheim to produce this illustrated edition of Hoffmann's wonderful tale, destined to become a classic for all ages.The world of Nutcracker is a world of pleasures. Maurice Sendak's art illuminates the delights of Hoffmann's story in this rich and tantalizing treasure.

    When everything goes wrong are you still meant for each other?After being dispatched to Blanchard Creek, Wyoming by her mother as a mail order bride, Christina Mills tumbles from one mishap to another. As if arriving in Wyoming with a fever, losing luggage and being accosted by the hotel owner isn’t already bad enough, her to be groom decides to back out of the marriage.Alexander Barrett Patterson is a man of honor. However, the scars from battle are more than skin deep. Rather than tying the beautiful woman to a cripple, he decides to give her up and suffer the consequences of a decision every ounce of his being protests. Now, if only half the town would stop trying to make him change his mind.A story of hurt, scars and the healing power of love.

    She and her two young children must now face a holiday season filled with so many reminders of what they've lost. But when a coworker who’s raising his young nephew moves next door, Rae discovers that the support of a good friend, and the gift of a child, can bring back some of the joy of the season.