It is a riveting commentary on the way we live now by a spectacular prose artist.Ann Beattie published her first short story in The New Yorker in 1972. Twenty-eight years later, she received the 2000 PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction. She is, as the Washington Post Book World said, "one of our era's most vital masters of the short form." The eleven stories in her new work are peopled by characters coming to terms with the legacies of long-held family myths or confronting altered circumstances -- new frailty or sudden, unlikely success. Beattie's ear for language, her complex and subtle wit, and her profound compassion are unparalleled. From the elegiac story "The Famous Poet, Amid Bougainvillea," in which two men trade ruminations on illness, art, and servitude, to "The Big-Breasted Pilgrim," wherein a famous chef gets a series of bewildering phone calls from George Stephanopoulos, Perfect Recall comprises Beattie's strongest work in years. It is a riveting commentary on the way we live now by a spectacular prose artist.

    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... KICKOUT CLAUSE - #7 When Shelby Ferguson, Savannah’s ex-husband’s new wife, begs Savannah’s help in figuring out what’s going on with Bradley, Savannah can’t in good conscience say no. Shelby has no one else to turn to, no one to whom she can admit that her marriage is on the rocks and that Bradley may be straying. But helping Shelby turns out to be just the tip of the iceberg. With two different sets of buyers vying to purchase Mrs. Jenkins’s house, and an escaped prisoner targeting Savannah, she has more than enough to deal with. And that’s before TBI rookie Manny Ortega is shot down in cold blood. With Savannah’s boyfriend Rafe Collier, and their friend, homicide detective Tamara Grimaldi, busy looking for Manny’s murderer, it’s up to Savannah to juggle buyers and adulterers and vandals and lawyers, and come out on top... without losing her Southern Belle poise or her life in the process. PAST DUE - #8 The sins of the past are coming due, and someone has to pay... Savannah Martin’s high school reunion is supposed to be a fun weekend of catching up with old friends and parading her boyfriend—Sweetwater bad boy Rafael Collier—in front of everyone who used to sneer at him back in the day. Not even the daily battle she’s waging with morning sickness can douse Savannah’s anticipation. But when Rafe won’t come to Sweetwater, Savannah has to face her old schoolmates without his support. And her best friend Charlotte isn’t as happy for Savannah’s new relationship as Savannah had hoped. And when a dead body turns up in the Colliers’ old mobile home in the Bog, Savannah is thankful to be on her own. The sheriff is always looking for a reason to shove Rafe back behind bars, and a fresh homicide is just the excuse he needs. But when another murder takes place at the reunion, even the threat of jail can’t keep Rafe away. Soon old classmates are dropping like bowling pins, and Rafe and Savannah are scrambling to catch up with a killer hell bent on making sure old enemies pay for old sins... all while trying to stay one step ahead of Sheriff Satterfield and the Columbia PD. DIRTY DEEDS - #9 With hotels in downtown filled to capacity months in advance, real estate agent Savannah Martin decides to pick up some extra money renting out her empty East Nashville apartment. She’s living with her boyfriend, and the place is just sitting there, begging to be put to use. But when her latest tenant ends up dead—strangled in Savannah’s bed by what might have been a paying customer—the promise of easy money quickly turns sour. As the hunt for the killer leads to their shared hometown of Sweetwater, Tennessee, Savannah’s boyfriend, TBI agent Rafe Collier, is tapped to help with the investigation.

    One local resident is making vague threats—hypothetically speaking, of course—to unsettle another local resident, who stole the first man's girlfriend. The problem escalates and violence is almost certain, until the sheriff comes up with a brilliant and ironic solution.

    Then he and his wife, Emily, receive news they’ve dreaded: Aaron’s cancer has relapsed.As the family steels themselves for a draining treatment regimen in yet another hospital, Aaron receives the gift of a lifetime—a personal visit from one of his favorite professional baseball players—and the chance to make a bold request, his wish: to see his dad play in one major league game.A former college standout, James fears he doesn’t have the talent it takes, even for one game, and that he’ll miss what could be Aaron’s precious last weeks. Yet how can he refuse his dying son’s wish?Poignant and triumphant, Wish is the story of a father’s love, a family’s perseverance, and the miracles that can happen when you believe in the impossible.

    But it isn't a joke when I go to work for Sullivan Security, and especially when my old mentor and family friend General Young needs my help. It seems his daughter has caught the attention of someone who has been cyber stalking her. I take the job without a second thought, remembering the sweet, slightly nerdy preteen I met years ago.Only, she isn't a preteen anymore. She's beyond beautiful and brilliant. Another thing, geeky girls? They are sooo my thing. Not to mention, she has a wicked sense of humor, and while she seems sweet, she can cuss better than any Sullivan brother.But coming onto her while I'm on the job would be unprofessional and besides, her father might just kill me. And he can do it. I know his history and there's a reason he has enough medals on his chest to sink him to the bottom of the ocean.As the cyber stalker goes into overdrive, we begin to spend all of our time together, and while I said I would resist seducing her, I didn't say anything about not letting her seduce me.

    Alone on an icy road at nightfall, Holly Henriksen puts her trust in a charming stranger and soon discovers he is keeping a dangerous secret.

    When she has the chance to meet him for lunch in his new city, she dreams of finally being able to get naked with the sexiest man she’d ever met. Lexi’s only problem? Her new boyfriend. As Lexi struggles to decide how far she’s willing to go, Austin presents her with an offer she can’t refuse. A night at his beach house, a dip in his hot tub, and a chance to make her fantasies a reality. There’s a definite line between temptation and betrayal, but when Austin reveals the real reason he invited her home, it makes her question everything. Excerpt:“Give me your foot,” he instructed. “I bet those shoes you were wearing today made your feet hurt like hell.” I hesitated, reluctant to surrender to his touch so soon, but I’d be damned if I was going to turn down a foot rub. My heels had hurt like a son of a bitch since the second I’d put them on that morning. I drifted a foot toward him, stopping when my toes brushed against his knee. His fingers gently circled around my ankle, pulling my foot closer to him. One thumb applied steady pressure along the arch of my foot, instantly sending a flash of lightning streaking through my core. His other hand gripped my toes, wiggling them around and threading his fingers between each coral painted nail. I gasped at the strength of his touch, the intensity of his gaze holding me captive. Why did he have to be so fucking sexy? When his fingertips pressed against the sore tendons across the top of my toes, I sighed with pleasure, closing my eyes and letting my head fall back. “That feels incredible,” I breathed.His skillful hands kneaded away every last ache in my tired muscles, and just when I thought he was finished, his fingers brushed my other calf, guiding that foot closer to him. Each stroke along my foot reverberated up my leg and pulsed around my clit, and when he slid his hand up to my knee, I almost lost my mind. As his strong fingers pulled the tension from my calves, all my willpower melted away, leaving behind an uncontrollable urge to touch his incredible body. I opened my eyes, heart pounding with the thrill of anticipation. Things had progressed to the point of no return for me, and I was willing to bet my annual salary he felt the same. All I had to do was give him the green light. “I bet your cock is so hard right now,” I purred, letting my foot wander closer to him, grinning slyly when my toes touched his rigid abs. He didn’t miss a beat. “It’s actually been hard since I saw you at lunch. And hearing you say cock is not helping the situation.” His heated gaze matched mine across the bubbling water, not breaking eye contact. “Big, hard, throbbing cock,” I drawled slowly, watching as his eyes grew heavier by the second. His hand returned to my foot, and just when I thought he was about to continue the foot massage, I found he had other plans. *Reviews*“Is this really Addisyn Jacobs' first book? I like the storyline, really liked the hot scenes, and loved the compassion of the male character, Austin. So many times we wonder- what if? Lexi was lucky enough to get the answer to her question, and have a night she'd never forget!” -Joanne“Loved this story but it needs a sequel. Austin is so hot and the chemistry between these two is amazing! Please Ms. Jacobs don't leave us hanging--we want them to have more than just lunch.

    This is one of them. Seven-year-old Samantha Zaldivar is reported missing in February 1997. Despite the best efforts of the community and law enforcement to find her, it seems the first grader has disappeared without a trace until the forensic evidence leads a multi-agency task force to an ugly possibility. Months later, an unlikely turn of events reveals the young girl’s fate, which rocks the rural county in Western New York. Dedicated and meticulous police work brings a murderer to justice, but not without a cost to those involved. Stephen C. Tarbell, a retired Wyoming County Sheriff’s investigator shares his personal account of the investigation into the disappearance and murder of Samantha Zaldivar.

    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.

    Each one has a HEA and no cliffhanger.

     One day I looked in the mirror and the strong, creative, feisty girl of my childhood wasn’t smiling back at me anymore. In my perfect world… I would be selling gourmet donuts, making art, be married to my high school sweetheart, and live in my dream house…. My aunt must’ve known something that I didn’t, because when she left me her cottage on Sweetwater Island, a tiny spark lit inside me. But the old Victorian house has been sitting vacant for so long, the idea of living there is a pipe dream. What would it take to restore the summer cottage of my childhood to its former glory? My sister thinks it's crazy, but... Could this be a second chance at the life I always dreamed of? TRISTAN From the moment she peeked her head around the corner of that weather-worn Victorian cottage, I knew there was something special about her. Then I realized that she was going to be one of those clients that thought being involved in the renovation project was helpful…when really, she was just going to get in the way. But why did she have to end up being so beautiful, and so…likeable? No, this is a job. Besides, love isn’t in the cards for me anymore. People with dark secrets like mine don’t deserve a chance at true happiness. Yet every time she comes around I can’t help but wonder… What if I'm still salvageable like this old seaside cottage? This Trilogy Includes: ♥ BOOK 1 - For Love…and Donuts ♥ BOOK 2 - To Love…and Renovate ♥ BOOK 3 - With Love…and Reality TV ….. Follow along on Virginia and Tristan’s journey from perfect strangers to unexpected home improvement darlings in the Sweetwater Island Ferry trilogy! Along the way, meet their friends and family, who remind us that a happy, fulfilling life requires having big dreams, faith in the impossible, and a little TLC.

    Many of these characters live in a utopian future of instant connection and technological gratification that belies an unbridgeable human distance, while others inhabit a post-collapse landscape made primitive by disaster, which they must work to rebuild as we once did millennia ago.In “The Cartographers,” the main character works for a company that creates and sells virtual memories, while struggling to maintain a real-world relationship sabotaged by an addiction to his own creations. In “Saying Goodbye to Yang,” the robotic brother of an adopted Chinese child malfunctions, and only in his absence does the family realize how real a son he has become.Children of the New World grapples with our unease in this modern world and how our ever-growing dependence on new technologies has changed the shape of our society. Alexander Weinstein is a visionary new voice in speculative fiction for all of us who are fascinated by and terrified of what we might find on the horizon.

    Not about her city. Not about their leader, Chief Morray. But when Joseph gives her a secret journal from the past, the truth is revealed. She escapes with Joseph to the Outside, sending Chief Morray on an obsessive pursuit to retrieve his property. Ava has to decide if she should keep running, or return to the city center to save her people.

    

    Follow the terror and drama in five short stories that will bring you gravely close to your fears. The winds are howling, can you hear the screams? WARNING: Not the famous Stephen King from Maine.