With her partner Kevin off on assignment, she’s lured into taking a case involving a missing fisherman. Nothing about the man’s disappearance is as it seems. Although Julie is no stranger to the dark currents that churn below the surface, can she count on her friend Jimmer, and her lover Tony Martinez, to keep her from getting in too deep?

    Isabella is a beautiful Mexican woman that everyone in town loves, including the hapless Pete and the wealthy, powerful Jack...but most of all, Carl.Part romance, part police procedural, IN THE SHADOW OF EL PASO contains two short stories by Frank Zafiro. Both stories explore love, race, class and the ambiguity that exists on the southern border.

    Having lost both her parents and grandparents, and with nowhere else to go, Layla is moving from Florida to a small town in North Carolina to live with the only family she has left: her estranged uncle and aunt. The last five years of Layla’s life were spent appeasing her less-than-loving grandmother, followed by being her grandfather’s caretaker. Growing old before her time, Layla lost her identity. Now she must learn how to allow herself to be the one cared for and loved. Life takes an unexpected turn when Layla meets Will Meyer. His breathtaking good looks are enough to catch her eye, but his sincerity and passion are everything she needs to find the strength and confidence she lost — and lead her into love. When tragedy once again strikes Layla’s life, her hope is all but completely crushed. Through it all, Layla learns what it means to truly love and be loved. Troubled Waters (The Lake Trilogy, Book 2) College life for Layla Weston isn’t starting the way she’d intended. She’s revisiting the plans she once had to be the reclusive girl she wanted to be at Heyward Prep, and Layla is more than confident in her ability to succeed this time. After all, she’s got a whole new bag of secrets to keep. Still reeling from Will’s disappearance, Layla is doing her best to adjust to life back in Florida. She continues to hold out hope, confident she was meant to find Will’s ring for a reason. Just as Layla is starting to accept that she must keep moving forward, secrets from the past threaten Layla and her family. As Luke and Claire join with Layla to protect their family, Layla discovers that her uncle may not be the man she thought he was – and that there’s more to Will’s disappearance than she ever could have imagined. Safe Harbor (The Lake Trilogy, Book 3) Layla Weston was supposed to be planning her wedding, not waiting for her fiancé’s father to die. As Luke prepares to defend Holly for the shooting of Gregory Meyer, Layla and her family weigh the possibility of being able to return home to North Carolina. Only Layla isn't quite sure that's what she wants. Will and Layla are faced with a new set of challenges for their future - including the status of their upcoming wedding. And when new revelations about his father come to light, Will finds himself questioning his own destiny as a man. With Layla's help, he must learn that his identity is not determined by his DNA. Now that they are on the brink of their happily-ever-after, will Layla and Will get everything they dreamed of? Or will their happiness continue to be just out of reach? Anchored: A Lake Series Novella They've been to hell and back again, but now Will and Layla are beginning the biggest adventure of their lives: parenthood! It's only been a few short months since Will and Layla welcomed their twins. And while Layla is excited for all that awaits her in motherhood, she's feeling a little disconnected from the friends who have stood by her from the moment they met. Reintegrating into her social life and balancing motherhood may be a bit of a challenge, but Layla isn't going to miss her opportunity to help her dearest friends find their Happily Ever After, too. But what would life be without a curve ball once in a while? When someone from their past surfaces and asks for help, Layla isn’t sure telling Will is the best thing to do. He spent years protecting her, now it’s her turn to protect him from further heartache. She knows she won’t be able to keep the secret from Will forever, but no matter what happens, Layla is confident they’ll walk through it together, remaining just as anchored together as they’ve always been.

    Gopal Hosur, Rtd. IPS at Bengaluru ; Mr. Ramana, National Award Nominee and Scientist at Hyderabad ; Dr. Col. Prakash & Dr. Khan at International Conference of Medical Sciences and Social Sciences, Mysuru ; Sri. Somaraju, Prl District and Sessions Judge,Vijayapura ; Dr. M. S. Dayanandaswamy (Principal of Sri Siddhartha Institute of Management Studies), Dr Muddesha B T (Director of Sri Siddhartha Center for Media Studies), Dr B. Azmathulla (Professor and Placement Officer of Sri Siddhartha Institute of Management Studies) at TumkurInvited Speaker - Prajati TV & Community Radio Media coverage - Leading regional (Kannada) newspaper, The Covai PostSet in the backdrop of 1990 Calcutta, She is a story about finding one’s own identity in spite of all odds. The story spins around the life of Kusum, a brave heart whose identity is often untitled and blurred; it does not belong anywhere, definitely not under the ‘he’ or ‘she’ bracket, thanks to our social conditioning. Will she be successful in her mission? Find out in She, an utterly absorbing read that derives inspiration from Tagore’s “Ekla Cholo Re” song, which urges everyone to move on despite the fear of abandonment from others. "She is one of the finest book to read" - Sujeeth Kumar, Project Manager, MNC Bengaluru "A story often untold. Appreciate the team for presenting She in the best possible harmonious way!" - N K Narasimhan, CEO and Co-Founder, Nascor Technologies, Bengaluru "Don't miss the ending!" - Raghunath Babu Are, Employee at Microsoft, Bengaluru

    Each book in the series has been designed with today's young reader in mind. As the words come to life, students will develop a lasting appreciation for great literature.The humor of Mark Twain...the suspense of Edgar Allan Poe...the danger of Jack London...the sensitivity of Katherine Mansfield. Creative Short Stories has it all and will prove to be a welcome addition to any library.

    48-year-old Nantucketer Dabney Kimball Beech has always had a gift for matchmaking. Some call her ability mystical, while others - like her husband, celebrated economist John Boxmiller Beech, and her daughter, Agnes, who is clearly engaged to the wrong man - call it meddlesome, but there's no arguing with her results: With 42 happy couples to her credit and all of them still together, Dabney has never been wrong about romance. Never, that is, except in the case of herself and Clendenin Hughes, the green-eyed boy who took her heart with him long ago when he left the island to pursue his dream of becoming a journalist. Now, after spending 27 years on the other side of the world, Clen is back on Nantucket, and Dabney has never felt so confused, or so alive. But when tragedy threatens her own second chance, Dabney must face the choices she's made and share painful secrets with her family. Determined to make use of her gift before it's too late, she sets out to find perfect matches for those she loves most. The Matchmaker is a heartbreaking story about losing and finding love, even as you're running out of time.

    She understood that her mother was ill and needed to be taken care of. That her father was a waterman, a life she envied. And she understood that her little sister, Rebecca, was unabashedly beautiful. And she was not. When Annie's father suddenly dies, no one questions which sister will take his place aboard the family oyster boat. And for the first time, Annie falls comfortably and easily into the only place in life she thought she could ever fit in-as a waterwoman. And then she meets Nathan... "Sensuous [and] funny...Hart's flavorful dialect, her knowledge of working the water, and her understanding of the complexity of relationships-particularly the ones between sisters-are masterful." (Sheri Reynolds, author of The Rapture of Canaan)

    He needs to move fast to make sure everyone around him believes he is getting married for real and to the right woman, even if it’s for only two years. Anjali never expected a complete stranger to propose a marriage contract as if he were offering her a job with a salary and benefits package, especially the first time they meet. What he offers is tempting enough for her to give in, so she can fulfill her dream and keep the promise she made to a loved one. For their friends and family, Dheeraj and Anjali are a loving couple who fell in love at first sight, but they both have an agenda. Their reasons for the marriage contract were different, but what they never expected is what happens when two people start living under the same roof pretending to be a couple. Sparks fly and butterflies flutter between stolen kisses, but when they start to find out more about each other’s reason for the fake marriage, will they still honor the contract? Will love make its way into the contract as a clause? Note: This is a stand-alone romance with a passionate couple who finds their HEA. This book is recommended for mature readers.

    There’s no doubt in her mind that if given another chance, she can make a success of homesteading. She will not fail this time. People scoff, saying ranching is too much of a job for a lone woman to undertake. But Rose is no ordinary woman. She may be petite, stylish, and beautiful, but she is also strong and driven. Every aspect of ranching brings joy to her heart. Then why is she here in Wise River, Montana, taking orders from a mean-spirited school board and attempting something she has no clue how to do? Teaching? Jesse Rivers carries his own baggage on his wide shoulders. He’s been called home by a dying stepmother to take over the Rocking R Ranch and the care of a belligerent and wounded brother. A rugged, lanky cowboy, Jesse is also demanding, surly, and afraid to love. No, he can’t love. What if he has buried inside him the same volatile anger as his father, resulting in brutality by strong fists or a whip? Then Jesse meets Rose. Strong willed, outspoken, determined, and oh-so-desirable.

    Now at seventeen, she is still haunted by memories of that day, and driven by the need to understand why it happened. She lives a life full of secrets, and her family and friends have no idea of the supernatural world she is immersed in or of Sara’s very powerful gift.In her quest for answers about her father’s death, Sara takes risks that expose her and her friends to danger, and puts herself into the sights of a sadistic vampire. On the same fateful night she meets Nikolas, a warrior who turns Sara’s world upside down, and who is determined to protect her even if it’s the last thing she wants.Sara’s life starts to spin out of control as she is hunted by an obsessed vampire, learns that her friends have secrets of their own, and reels from the truth about her own ancestry. Sara has always been fiercely independent, but in order to survive now she must open herself to others, to reveal her deepest secrets. And she must learn to trust the one person capable of breaking down the walls around her.RefugeTo keep the people she loves safe, Sara left everything she knew behind. She soon learns this new world is nothing like her old one, and she struggles to make a place for herself among the Mohiri. But it soon becomes apparent to Sara and to everyone one around her that she is not your typical warrior.As the weeks pass, Sara builds new relationships, copes with her new trainers, and tries to manage her ever-changing powers, while keeping her unique heritage a secret. Looming in the background is the constant shadow of the Master who will do anything to find her.Sara finds herself on a journey of self-discovery that uncovers her true strengths and awakens a part of her she never knew existed. She experiences the delight of new friendships, the sweetness and pain of first love, and a loss so deep it could be the thing that finally breaks her. At the end of it all, she discovers that the one place she was supposed to be safe might not be the refuge she thought it was.RogueSara Grey is done hiding and done being afraid. The Master thinks he has her running scared, but she’s taking matters into her own hands and taking her life back. With the help of her friends, she sets out to find the one person who can answer her questions about her past, and who may be able to lead them to the Master.On her journey, Sara faces new challenges and dangers, and learns that the world of good and evil is not as clear cut as she had believed. She makes new friends, unexpected allies, and reconnects with people from her past. As her powers continue to change and grow, she transforms from a struggling girl into a strong young warrior.But at what cost? How much is Sara willing to sacrifice in her need for independence and her quest for the truth? And will her newfound strength be enough to save her and the people she loves when she finally comes face-to-face with her powerful nemesis? Nothing could have prepared her for what is to come, and it will take everything in her to survive the final test of courage and love.

    Henry, throughout its history this annual collection has consistently offered a remarkable sampling of contemporary short stories. Each year, stories are chosen from large and small literary magazines, and a panel of distinguished writers is enlisted to award top prizes. The result is a superb collection of seventeen inventive, full-bodied stories representing the very best in American and Canadian fiction. And in celebration of this distinguished literary form, Prize Stories 2001 a Special Award for Continuing Achievement is presented to Alice Munro.FIRST PRIZEMARY SWANThe DeepSECOND PRIZEDAN CHAONBig MeTHIRD PRIZEALICE MUNROFloating BridgeFRED G. LEEBRONThat WinterT.CORAGHESSAN BOYLEThe Love of My LifeJOYCE CAROL OATESThe Girl with the Blackened EyeDAVID SCHICKLERThe SmokerANTONYA NELSONFemale TroubleELIZABETH GRAVERThe Mourning DoorPICKNEY BENEDICTZog-19: A Scientific RomanceRON CARLSONAt the Jim BridgerLOUISE EDRICHRevival RoadWILLIAM GAYThe PaperhangerDALE PECKBlissMURAD KALAMBow DownGEORGE SAUNDERSPastoraliaANDREA BARRETTServants of the Map

    His teenage friend Claire is an ace with numbers, and is always eager to help him with his homework. Max adores her, and loves when she visits him in the old house on Hollow Street. Claire can also weave a ghost story like no one else. But her favorite tale always sends chills down his spine, and hits a little too close to home...

    But that’s before she sees the perfect child. There he sits in his stroller, angelic and beautiful, magnetic and serene– and he makes Jane question everything she has and everything she thought she wanted. Suddenly all she can see are babies and pregnant woman everywhere. Were there always so many of them? And while there was once a man in her life–her one true love, Sam, gone from this world too soon–there is no man now. Jane must make a choice: possibly become a bitter and childless old lady, letting her biological clock tick on ’till menopause, or tend the ache in her heart now, by becoming a single mother. As Jane struggles to make the most important decision of her life, friends and family offer no shortage of opinions. There’s Ray, her “hubstitute” and gay best friend who would be jealous of any kid who got Jane as a mom; Sheila, her sister, who went from zero to sixty when she eloped with Raoul–who had two young twin sons– and has mixed feelings about being a new mommy; her strict, Catholic father who can’ t imagine what level of hell Jane would banish herself to if she becomes a single mother; and the women of Families with Children from China who are preparing to adopt orphan daughters–without a man in sight. Just as she thinks she’s made up her mind, Jane discovers one small wrench in her plans: handsome, charming, funny Peter, who just happens to be (unhappily) married. . . . And Baby Makes Two is a heartbreakingly honest, wonderfully addictive, and funny novel about love and loss, family and friendship. Judy Sheehan, co-creator of the smash hit Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, has perfectly captured the delights and dilemmas of the scariest job in the world: motherhood.From the Hardcover edition.

    Hopefully, the enticement of winning his house and the magic of the holidays will lure in just the right person! Holly Kirby was a bit shocked when she read the ad. The winner of the Christmas contest would receive a house! Knowing this might be some sort of scam, she still can’t help but imagine all the wonderful things she could do with a beautiful house on Nantucket. Holly decides to go ahead and enter, hoping that the Christmas angels will bring her a miracle. Jack Anderson immediately knew something was wrong with his grandfather after reading the ad for the Christmas contest. Maybe it was time to take a break from work and pay him a visit. Somebody has to talk some sense into him! Only, when he gets there, he realizes Grandpa’s plan is already in full swing. The clock is ticking but can Jack stop it in time, or will his family home be lost to him forever?

    No fantasy--however dark and dirty and depraved it may be--is forbidden. You have no past, no inhibitions, no morals...and no memory.All you have to cling to is the memory of a scorching touch, a searing kiss, the wet slide of skin on skin, and the heat of breath across your flesh.Step forward...Turn the knob...Step through into THE BLACK ROOM.