Church, school then a little more church was her life. She wasn’t the girl to get asked on dates or even have a lot of friends. She mainly kept to herself until she was noticed by the one guy she had been dreaming about since she hit puberty. Deon was a force that Jess had no choice but to allow to come in and sweep her away. He was too charming, too handsome, and too tempting. He didn’t have rules and he didn’t let Jess’ young age stop him from getting what he wanted, which was her. Jess fought him off for as long as she could but finally gave in. Her life seemed to change overnight. She became confident. She was able to get the clothes that she wanted and be the girl that other guys liked and females wanted to befriend. Deon was her king and she just wanted to make him happy. She went against her parents’ wishes and everything she believed in to be with him and she would have taken on the world for him if she had to. He gave her everything she ever wanted and she found herself so wrapped up in him that she could see nothing else. Her fairytale soon turned into a nightmare once she learned she wasn’t the only girl he was loving. Next were the fights and the drama. Trying to leave Deon became a war that she wasn’t prepared to fight. What do you do when someone you love so much hurts you? How can you leave them when you can’t even go a day without them? Love is many things but it should never hurt. For Jessenia her life was nice until it wasn’t. She fell in love with a man that really didn’t love her at all and the battle to get back to herself wasn’t going to be an easy one. He said he loved her and she believed him. His type of love was pain most of the time and she started to bleed his love right out of her until one day she noticed the love was gone. To leave Deon, Jess has to find herself and find her strength. Will she succeed or will she forever be wrapped up in a man that really loves no one but himself? Heart of Stone by Mz. Lady P Heart of Stone is a short story that digs into the mind frame of Stone Williams. A heartless, ruthless, and abusive womanizer.K'Yonnah Kyles is his much younger girlfriend who thought she had met her Knight in Shining Armor, but in reality she was dancing with the devil and sleeping with the enemy.Not being able to take it anymore, K'Yonnah decides to do what's best for her. In the process, she'll find out secrets that Stone has been keeping from her. She will have to come to grips and face the fact that Stone never had any good intentions for her or her heart. Will she be able to get out of his clutches or is it too late for her to save her life from the heartless nigga known as Stone.Love Don't Have to Hurt by Lucinda John Aimee's dreams of a professional dancer had to be placed on hold when her father died of cancer. Living paycheck to paycheck, Aimee works to help her mother pay off her debts, take care of her brother, and attend a few classes at a community college. When Aimee's best friend, Shanice presents her with the idea of dancing at a strip club for extra money, she meets Lucas. A punch, slap, and a few kicks is how Aimee can explain her abusive relationship with Lucas. The guy that is suppose to be her safe haven, is the one that is causing her the most pain; physically and emotionally. Aimee feels obligated to stay with Lucas because of how he changed her and her family's lives, but when things turn fatal, will Aimee learns that love is not suppose to hurt? Or will it be too late?Fatal Attraction: The Love I Once RememberedHave you ever been deeply in love? Enduring so much because you thought things would get better? Or because you felt your good days, outweighed your bad? Well here's a story about a young lady dealing

    Together they were best friends with a bond that could never be broken. But when she returns, the three must decide whether to face the fires that burn between them, or forgo their desires forever in Lauren Dane's DIRTY/BAD/WRONG.In Megan Hart's JUST FOR ONE NIGHT, fun-loving couple Kerry and Jeremy find themselves in a triangle of trouble when Kerry's old crush, Brian, returns for a school reunion, and Jeremy gives her his enthusiastic approval to seduce him. But while Jeremy has no trouble sharing Kerry, Brian isn't sure he can handle what's coming.Years ago, Walker walked out on Madeline when she needed him most. Now, the ex-Secret Service agent is back--hired to protect Madeline by her billionaire boss, Tony. Madeline is determined to make him pay for denying her desires--and she's not above bringing Tony in to sweeten the deal in Bethany Kane's ON THE JOB.

    They tell of friendship and love, passion and betrayal and the brilliant writing, warmth and humour of each of the contributions will make The Sunday Night Book Club an utterly irresistible read. Scheduled to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, �1 per copy will go to the charity.

    Stern, enigmatic Edwin Yorke simmers with a heat Gwen longs to unleash. But Edwin knows all too well that forbidden love can end in tragedy….Darkness Unchained by Jane GodmanTorn body and soul between mesmerizing nobleman Uther Jago and his brooding brother Nicco, headstrong Annie van der Merwe flees homeward. Only in sultry South Africa can she conquer an inner darkness borne in blood and bone that threatens to destroy them all.Forget Me Not by Barbara J. HancockMaddy Clark refuses to leave the macabre town of Scarlet Falls after her sister is mysteriously killed. While searching for the truth, she becomes enthralled by handsome sheriff William Constantine-a man held hostage by a jealous ghost.Queen of Stone by Jen ChristieUprooted by the Depression, Zara Pendleton heads south. She's seduced by the steamy wilderness and by Navarre, magnetic leader of a reclusive cult. Theirs is a destiny shot through with feverish desire-and mortal danger.

    If you were an intelligent robot, would the opportunity to become human for a day be worth the risks? If a magic spell switched the bodies of a vampire and a teenage girl, would both savor the experience or search for a way to undo the enchantment? What tests would an angel face if transformed into a mortal for a day? These are just a few of the inventive stories-some humorous, some sad, many thought-provoking, and all unique-to be found in Human for a Day.

    Thank you for all your amazing support. Exposed (Memoirs of a Retired Assassin, Book 1) Jeanine is a private assassin for a secret government organization. She and her partner Liam, who is also her sometimes lover, are tasked with killing a Saudi official. However, they are intercepted before they can complete their mission, yet still framed for the murder. Both are sent to prison and disavowed. Liam manages to escape, but is unable to rescue Jeanine. John, Jeanine’s first love, reads about her situation in the newspaper. He’s been looking for her for ten years, ever since he broke her heart and she ran away from him. He visits her in prison and promises he can help her escape. Can Jeanine let go of her old anger and resentment toward John and accept his help? Heat in the Kitchen (Cooking Up Passion, Book 1) As the billionaire head of a major company, Ethan Richmond feels the weight of his enormous responsibilities crushing down on him, until he meets the one woman who can set him free by tying him up. Jocelyn Ricci is the beautiful and talented chef he hired to work in his kitchen, but she has a passion for more than just cooking and can see the stress that her handsome boss is under. When Jocelyn offers to introduce Ethan to the kinky world of bondage and domination sex games by playing the part of his Mistress, things in the kitchen really heat up! The steamy affair turns Ethan into a new man, but not everybody is happy about it and will do everything they can to ruin him. Will things get too hot for them or are they just getting warmed up? Negotiation (Smith Dynasty, Book 1) Lucy Smith is the only child of Charles and Abigail Smith. After her father’s untimely passing, she is left as the owner of the third largest shipping company in the world. Lucy puts in a proposal that would make her father’s company the second largest in the world. She has one small problem; her father sold 10% of the company to Jake Logan, the most gorgeous man Lucy has ever seen, but also the most hard-headed and stubborn. Lucy needs his signature to complete what will be the company’s largest shipment to date. Jake Logan knew the moment he laid eyes on Lucy Smith that she was the woman he had waited his whole life for. It was love at first sight. Jake has one hurdle to overcome in making Lucy his wife: Lucy herself. She has sworn off relationships and Jake is bound and determined to make her see she can have both; a successful marriage as well as a successful and thriving business. Forests Dark and Deep (Following the Wolf, Book 1) Abandoned by her parents at a nunnery by the side of an ancient forest, Riona has always known that she was different. Despite her innate passion and her natural curiosity, she is resigned to spending her life as a pious sister of the order until a pack of werewolves arrive to show her just how special she really is. Rordan is the wolf king of the Dunclough pack, and for his beloved people, he will cross any line and break any law. He was ready for anything, but when his chosen prey turns out to be a beautiful, curvy woman with a fiery spirit and a wild streak, he finds that his plans need to change. Riona must learn about her sacred heritage while learning about the ways of the werewolves and the heart of the man who abducted her. *** Genre: BBW Romance / Suspense Romance / Erotic Romance / Paranormal Romance / Werewolf Romance / Billionaire Romance, length: 35,390 words. ***

    What happens when you come of age during the zombie apocalypse? Zombie Stories has the answer to that question.Zombie Stories gathers together some of the hottest zombie fiction of the last two decades, from authors including Kelly Link, Jonathan Maberry, and Catherynne M. Valente. These stories focus on those who will inherit a world overrun with the living dead: a young man who takes up the family business of dealing with the undead, a girl dealing with her abusive father... who has become a zombie, a poet who digs up the wrong grave, and a Viking maiden imprisoned with the living dead...

    Fourteen original stories of female vampires.

    You can find all twenty-eight of them in this sizzling hot collection.You will encounter women of all ages, from all over the world, and practicing a myriad of professions--ranging from police officers to rock band singers and from therapists to personal trainers. Just one piece of advice: do not read in public! Table of Contents:1. Reunion Tour2. Alphas3. Overtime4. Neighbours5. Champagne6. Off the Record7. All of Me8. Stair Walking9. Fit for Forty10. Rather11. Lovely Rita12. Wetter13. Dress Code14. Stormy Weather15. New Girl16. Bar Service17. Personal Training18. The Power of Words19. Fair & Square20. The Client21. Match Point22. Freedom23. One-on-One24. A Matter of Inclination25. The Opposite of Darkness26. Stepping Stone27. Commanding Officer28. Not YetWord count: 100.000 words

     A Soupçon of Poison (Kat Holloway Victorian Mysteries) Kat Holloway, a young cook who is highly sought after by the wealthy of Victorian London, becomes embroiled in murder and must clear her name. Only the mysterious Daniel McAdam, who is much more than he seems, can come to her aid. Blood Debts (Leonidas the Gladiator Mysteries) Leonidas, freedman, once the most popular gladiator in Rome and champion of the games, now must fight for his life outside the arena. A man who owed him money was murdered, and Leonidas is a prime suspect. With the assistance of Cassia, daughter of a Greek scribe who has been bestowed upon him as his slave, Leonidas fights for justice in the back lanes of Imperial Rome. The Necklace Affair (Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries) Captain Lacey agrees to help a society matron discover what has become of her cherished diamond necklace and to clear her maid, who has been arrested for its theft. Lacey quickly becomes enmeshed in scandal and past secrets, and finds himself competing with the underworld criminal, James Denis, for the necklace's retrieval. This collection includes three novellas of about 25,000-30,000 words each.

    In settings ranging from the sunken ruins of Venice to the upper reaches of the Himalayas to the terraformed surface of Mars itself, and through themes of environmental sustainability, social justice, personal responsibility, sports, adventure, and fun, Robinson's protagonists explore a world which stands in sharp contrast to many of the traditional locales and mores of science fiction, presenting instead a world in which Utopia rests within our grasp. Kim Stanley Robinson has been an ongoing force in the Science Fiction genre for over twenty years, with his novels (Year’s of Rice and Salt, Forty Signs of Rain) crossing over to the mainstream, and routinely appearing on the New York Times best sellers list. During the 80s and early nineties, his short fiction continued to push the boundaries of science fiction, defining the science-focused side of the science fiction genre. Award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan worked with Kim Stanley Robinson to select the stories that make up this landmark volume. In addition to these reprints, The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson features a brand-new short story, "The Timpanist of the Berlin Philharmonic, 1942." From Kim Stanley Robinson, award-winning author of the Mars Trilogy, the Three Californias Trilogy, the Science in the Capital series, The Martians, and The Years of Rice and Salt, comes The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson. These twenty-two stories, including the Nebula Award-winning "The Blind Geometer," and World Fantasy Award winner "Black Air" represent The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson.

    From Samuel Peralta, creator of the #1 bestselling Future Chronicles anthology series, comes a new speculative anthology series that turns the world you know upside down.In Alt.History 101, thirteen top speculative fiction authors re-imagine the world - as one where the inventor of the smallpox vaccine died before he'd created it, as one where the women's suffragist movement failed to win the right to vote, as one where the death penalty exists but where all forms of capital punishment are ruled inhumane - and ten other compelling stories charting the histories of these worlds.Enter worlds so much like our own, yet so different - where everything you know... is history.

    Immortal? Indeed! Nothing has sunk its teeth into 21st century popular culture as pervasively as the vampire. The fangsters have the freedom to fly across all genres and all mediums - there's even apps for vamps. Whether roaming into romance, haunting horror, sneaking into science fiction, capering into humor, meandering through mystery - no icon is more versatile than the vampire. Slake your insatiable thirst with the best sanguinary stories of the new millennium: terrifying or tender, deadly or delicious, bad-ass or beneficent, classic or cutting-edge. ContentsLa Vampiresse • (1999) • by Tanith LeeThe Coldest Girl in Coldtown • (2009) • by Holly BlackThis Is Now • (2004) • by Michael Marshall SmithSisters • [Ottawa and the Valley] • (2002) • by Charles de LintThe Screaming • (2004) • by J. A. KonrathZen and the Art of Vampirism • [Women of the Otherworld Short Fiction] • (2009) • by Kelley ArmstrongDead Man Stalking • (2008) • by Rachel CaineThe Ghost of Leadville • (2009) • by Jeanne C. SteinWaste Land • (2002) • by Stephen DedmanA Gentleman of the Old School • [Count of Saint-Germain] • (2005) • by Chelsea Quinn YarbroNo Matter Where You Go • (2010) • by Tanya HuffOutfangthief • by Conrad WilliamsDancing with the Star • (2008) • by Susan SizemoreA Trick of the Dark • (2004) • by Tina RathWhen Gretchen Was Human • (2001) • by Mary A. Turzillo [as by Mary Turzillo ]Conquistador de la Noche • [Kitty] • (2009) • by Carrie VaughnEndless Night • (2008) • by Barbara RodenDahlia Underground • (2010) • by Charlaine HarrisThe Belated Burial • (2009) • by Caitlín R. KiernanTwilight States • (2005) • by Albert E. CowdreyTo the Moment • by Nisi ShawlCastle in the Desert: Anno Dracula 1977 • [Anno Dracula] • (2000) • by Kim NewmanVampires in the Lemon Grove • (2007) • by Karen RussellVampires Anonymous • by Nancy KilpatrickThe Wide, Carnivorous Sky • (2009) • by John Langan©2011 Paula Guran (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

    Here are some of the very best short stories and novellas by today's finest exponents of horror fiction—including Kim Newman, Neil Gaiman, Paul McAuley, Glen Hirshberg, Ramsey Campbell and Tanith Lee. The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 16 also contains the most comprehensive overview of horror around the world during the year, lists of useful contact addresses and a fascinating necrology. It is the one book that is required reading for every fan of macabre fiction.Contents:AcknowledgementsIntroduction: Horror in 2004 by Stephen JonesForbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Nameless House of the Night of Dread Desire by Neil GaimanLilies by Iain RowanBreaking Up by Ramsey Campbell"The King", in: Yellow by Brian KeeneA Trick of the Dark by Tina RathThe Mutable Borders of Love by Leslie WhatFlour White and Spindle Thin by L. H. Maynard and M. P. N. SimsTighter by Christa FaustRestraint by Stephen GallagherIsrabel by Tanith LeeThe Growlimb by Michael SheaThis Is Now by Michael Marshall SmithRemnants by Tim LebbonSafety Clowns by Glen HirshbergThe Devil of Delery Street by Poppy Z. BriteApocalypse Now, Voyager by Jay RussellStone Animals by Kelly LinkSoho Golem by Kim NewmanSpells for Halloween: An Acrostic by Dale BaileyMy Death by Lisa TuttleThe Problem of Susan by Neil GaimanNecrology: 2004 (essay) by Stephen Jones and Kim NewmanUseful Addresses (essay) by Stephen Jones

    Experience the spiritual side of the zombie apocalypse in "The Days of Flaming Motorcycles" and transcend both hell and nirvana in "Zen and the Art of Gordon Dratch's Damnation." Look into "The Mad Eyes of the Heron King" to find the beautiful brutality written in the moment of epiphany or "Go and Tell it On the Mountain," where Jesus Christ awaits your last plea to enter heaven--if there is a heaven to enter when all is said and done.Horror's top authors and promising newcomers whisper tales that creep through the mists at night to rattle your soul. Step beyond salvation and damnation with thirty stories and poems that reveal the darkness beneath belief. Place your faith in that darkness; it's always there, just beyond the light.