Others come from Mother Earth. Some gain their powers from radiation, cosmic rays, or toxic waste. Others are supreme athletes driven by superhuman dedication. They take colorful names. Don colorful capes. And they save us from ourselves...Contents:Introduction / John Varley --A clean sweep / Laurell K. Hamilton --Time for a hero / Brain M. Thomsen --Peer review / Michael A. Stackpole --Shadow storm / Micky Zucker Reichert --Empowered / Alan Dean Foster --Handing on the goggles / B.W. Clough --She who might be obeyed / Roland J. Green and Frieda A. Murray --And the sea shall cast him out / William Marden --The defender of central park / Josepha Sherman --Reflected glory / Paul Kupperberg --Super acorns / Mike Resnick and Lawrence Schimel --Vets / Richard Lee Byers --(to be continued). (Continued) Four tales of many names / Gerald Hausman --The long crawl of hugh glass / Roger Zelazny --God save the king / P.J. Beese and Todd Cameron Hamilton --Contract hit / Richard A. Knaak --Origin story / Dwight R. Decker --Tu quoque / John DeChancie --Theme music man / Jody Lynn Nye --Bicycle superhero / Dennis O'Neil --Captain Asimov / Steve Antczak --Press conference / Brad Linaweaver --Basic training / Jerry Bingham --One of the boys / Lawrence Watt-Evans --Truth, justice and the politically correct socialist path / John Varley.

    

    How do you keep a cowboy at Christmas?Don’t miss this holiday collection of modern-day cowboys and the women they love, featuring the same USA Today, Amazon Bestselling, and Award-Winning authors from “A Cowboy to Keep,” which garnered 55 reviews with an average rating of 4.5 stars.CHRISTMAS, LIBERTY, AND THE THREE MINUTE MAN by Carra CopelinDaniel Dylan Layman is determined to show headstrong city girl Liberty Ann Hart that a country life in Mistletoe, Texas, is the perfect Christmas gift.A CHRISTMAS CAROLE by Andrea DowningCarrie Matheson and her son are trying to settle into a new life in Wyoming. Tate Schrugge is trying to ditch his Scrooge and play Santa to the young boy. But will there be a Dickens of a romance by Christmas?THE PEPPERMINT TREE by Kristy McCaffreyLawyer Skye Mallory returns home for the holidays due to an unexpected inheritance, and cowboy Joe Carrigan stands in her way.THE DEVIL’S CHRISTMAS KISS by Devon McKayWhen Kristen Kelly receives a Christmas kiss from Cole Lawson, she doesn’t believe it means anything. But Cole sets out to make things right with the woman of his heart.SLAY BELLS by Hildie McQueenAt a small-town Christmas festival sparks fly between Carmen Dias and Detective Jared Bowden, but a dead body and a pesky ex-girlfriend don’t exactly spell romance.THE BEST CHRISTMAS by Hebby RomanAll Sofia Rossi wants is to re-connect with her estranged son. But can Gar McCulloch, a handsome cowboy who runs a juvenile rehab ranch, be the answer to her problems?COUNTING DOWN TO CHRISTMAS by Patti Sherry-CrewsWedding planner Melody Evans views happily-ever-after endings with a skeptical eye. Veterinarian Leland Jennings IV thinks Christmas is for kids. Can the holiday spirit bring them together?

    It’s finally time to get up close and personal with this hot couple in their very own novella, Walkout. Get ready to discover what happens when Dallas chases Melissa all the way to Sydney to claim her back. From her one visit to Melbourne and the Hawks MC compound, Melissa Stevenson knows Dallas is who she wants. There’re just a few problems with that: he’s a douche, a pain in the arse, and a stubborn, sexist pig. Still, it’s a whole heap of fun to tease her Viking man. Relationship. Dallas Gan hates the word. As far as he’s concerned, women are nothing but a good time between the sheets. It’s only when the sassy Melissa shows up that he realises some women give as good as they get. Now she’s under his skin and he can’t seem to get her out. Even with the warning from Dallas that once he claims her, he will come for her wherever she is, Melissa leaves. It’s now just a matter of time before he makes good on his promise. Wading through lies and danger, Dallas has a decision to make. Is it easier to walkout on love and never look back, or will he give that dreaded “relationship” word a chance? Hear Me Out Fear keeps the truth away from his brothers. Fear and pain keeps him away from the man he loves. Hawks MC member Maddox “Beast” Lawson had a difficult time growing up. Tired of being ridiculed because of his effed-up brain-to-mouth connection, it was easier to say nothing at all. Living in silence worked out just fine until that b*tch called Fate took his hearing, not only that, but she also threw him into the arms of the man who refuses to acknowledge that one hot night they shared. Jay Conger, Knife to his brothers, loves pussy. Licking, fingering, screwing, he’ll take it any way it’s offered. After one surprising night with Beast, to say he’s freaked out is an understatement. Hell, even bananas have taken on a new meaning, and thinking about a certain someone’s body is too much. Unable to think straight, Knife is at an impasse, not only with his traitorous desire but with his heart. Both lives are going to change. Only will it be for the better? Break Out (novella) Pain. It was something Finn “Handle” Kaidion knew well after losing his wife. Pain was what kept him guarded against any further relationships. Pain was also something Mardella “Della” Kent felt after losing her sister and from being dragged into the pits of hell by a madman. Only he was no longer an issue. Instead, having her parents turn their back on her was a new reason pain kept beating at her door. Can two people learn to trust and live free from their past sorrows? Fallout Poppy Torian has been in love with Jerimiah since she moved to Caroline Springs. Only he didn’t know she existed until her dad joined his father’s MC club, the Venoms. Friends. It’s what she's been resigned to, but Poppy wants more. Biding her time, a few years to be exact, she goes to make her move. But when she overhears Jerimiah saying things that crack her heart, she runs. In an emotional state, she makes a grave mistake and heads directly into the path of trouble. Poppy has no choice but to leave town; it’s the only way to protect the people she loves. Jerimiah “Fang” Liang has dealt with a lot of crap in his life.

    Growing up in less than desirable circumstances has made him no stranger to the hard knock life but his determination to leave it behind is fervent. He sees an opportunity to snag a college football scholarship when he’s transferred to East Franklin High School but Forbes Henderson has other plans. The player Jesse intends to replace doesn’t plan on giving up his spot as starting quarterback so a rivalry is born. Jesse is determined to show his nemesis that he’s not only going to take his position as first string quarterback, he’s going to take his girl, too. Claire Deveraux is perfection at its best. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and unaware she just became Jesse Boone’s conquest to settle a score with her boyfriend. Like her flawless performance as the perfect daughter and student, Claire’s production of being the perfect girlfriend has everyone fooled, except Jesse Boone. She fears this tattooed bad boy will see her secret desire to explore his crude threats and promises of rocking her perfect world. If she decides to give in to one uninhibited moment with Jesse, will she learn too late that it was all an act of vengeance or will Jesse learn that the taste of first love is sweeter than that of revenge? Shallow- Nick Hawke wants his car fast and his girls faster. He blows through them quicker than his muscle car races down the drag strip in Collinsville and he wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s determined to avoid the devastation he has watched his father endure in the aftermath of his mother’s abandonment. He believes there is no room in his life or his heart for a relationship lasting more than one night. He seeks happiness in things that won’t let him down––fast cars, adrenaline highs, and one night stands. All of that changes when he unexpectedly runs into an old friend and is introduced to Payton Archer, the first girl he ever wanted for more than a night. There’s only one catch––she’s completely immune to him and his smooth talking ways. Payton Archer is looking for love––the true, mad, deep kind. She’s given up on finding it, at least until she leaves for college because she’s certain that is where she’ll find the ideal guy to fit into her perfect world. Her summer plans include nothing more than three uneventful months of fun but it turns out to be anything but ordinary when Payton meets Nick Hawke, one of Jesse’s old Collinsville friends. She’s shocked by her immediate and intense attraction for “Hawke” because nothing about him is on her checklist for the perfect love. Sure, he’s hot and sexy but he comes from Collinsville and that is definitely not on her list of prerequisites. Everything about him makes Payton’s heart speed. He’s exciting and dangerous but his fast car and chance taking aren't what scares Payton the most. It’s the way Nick Hawke makes her feel every time he looks at her. Can Payton find the courage to leave the safe, shallow end of love and risk going under completely?

    King, Lawless & Preppy Part One King: Homeless. Hungry. Desperate. Doe has no memories of who she is or where she comes from. A notorious career criminal just released from prison, King is someone you don’t want to cross unless you’re prepared to pay him back in blood, sweat, sex or a combination of all three. King’s future hangs in the balance. Doe’s is written in her past. When they come crashing together, they will have to learn that in order to hold on, sometimes you have to first let go. LAWLESS: Ruined. BROKEN. LOST. Thia’s lost it all. With no options left she turns to the biker she met as a kid to cash in the favor he swore to return all those years ago. Bear’s best friend is dead. His old man wants to put him to ground. He has bigger things on his mind than the pink-haired girl from the gas station he never thought he’d see again. Until her battered body is tossed onto his doorstep. Keeping his promise to Thia means Bear has to be willing to risk everything, including his life...and what’s left of his heart. Thia’s bruised and battered. Bear’s leather and lawless. It will never work between them. It’s a lie they ALMOST believe Preppy, Part One: 2016 GOODREADS CHOICE AWARDS NOMINEE FOR BEST ROMANCE Samuel Clearwater, A.K.A Preppy, likes bowties, pancakes, suspenders, good friends, good times, good drugs, and a good f*ck. He’s worked his way out from beneath a hellish childhood and is living the life he’s always imagined for himself. When he meets a girl, a junkie on the verge of ending it all, he’s torn between his feelings for her and the crippling fear that she could be the one to end the life he loves. Andrea ‘Dre’ Capulet is strung out and tired. Tired of living for her next fix. Tired of doing things that make her stomach turn. Tired of looking in the mirror at the reflection of the person she’s become. Just when she decides to end it all, she meets a man who will change the course of both their lives forever. And their deaths. For most people, death is the end of their story. For Preppy and Dre, death was only the beginning.

    Dating him was a mistake. Watching him become a drug addict put me through hell. Running was my only option. *** I'm running from my demons and when I find out she's trying to escape her past, I know what I have to do. One broken cop. One woman fighting for her life. A fragile love. Sinister secrets that threaten to tear them apart. They've been to hell. The hard part will be finding their way back together. Pieces Of Heaven Marissa I didn’t want this life. But sometimes you’re forced to make the best of the crappy hand you’ve been dealt. I wanted to teach my daughter that. No matter what happens you face your problems head-on.  Never cower. Never give up.  Then someone took her and I had to put my faith in a system that had failed me, and my hope in a man I didn’t know.  Mick Serve. Honor. Protect, are the only things I’ve ever cared about until her case was dropped on my desk. As we searched for her missing daughter, the last woman I thought I’d fall in love with became my reason for living.  Then the world came crashing down around us. One secret would change everything, but I had one more hand to be dealt. And if I played my cards right, maybe, just maybe we’d get our piece of heaven.

    But the dream quickly turns into a nightmare when she’s forced to work with Ryan Raynard - the arrogant, reclusive artist who refuses to co-operate with her. When Ryan’s paintings don’t show up at the gallery on time, Alex heads out to his crumbling, gothic manor to give him a piece of her mind. Billionaire artist Ryan Raynard hides a dark secret. He is a fox shifter, who shuns the company of humans and hunts alone at night in the forest surrounding his home. But the moment he laid eyes on Alex, he can't help but be drawn to her. He can sense that she’s the descendent of a powerful shifter clan, and she is destined to become his mate. If only he was ready to fall in love again ... As Ryan and Alex are drawn together, they realise they are facing bigger problems than Ryan’s stone-cold heart. Crookshollow is being overrun with a different kind of shifter - ruthless and deadly, these shifters are killing humans indiscriminately for no apparent reason. And they are hot on Alex’s scent. Can Ryan keep Alex safe from harm, or will his need for her endanger them both? Reader Warning: Art of Cunning is the first book in the 3-part Crookshollow Foxes serial. This book contains scorching sex, adult language, and a cliffhanger ending. If you like dirty, raunchy sex with a hot fox and one clever, sarcastic heroine, then this book will have you howling for more. Enjoy!

    Will her brothers really insist she marry him?

    Kenner is a roller-coaster ride of sinful secrets and sweet seduction. RT Book Reviews raved that “readers who need more of Kenner’s racy, sizzling Stark novels will delight in this new series, set in the same decadent, lavish world.” And now the full series is together in one riveting ebook bundle:   SAY MY NAME ON MY KNEES UNDER MY SKIN Also includes a preview of the first book in J. Kenner’s hotly anticipated new trilogy, Dirtiest Secret!   I never let anyone get too close—but he’s the only man who’s ever made me feel alive.   Meeting Jackson Steele was a shock to my senses. Confident and commanding, he could take charge of any room . . . or any woman. And Jackson wanted me. The mere sight of him took my breath away, and his touch made me break all my rules.     Our bond was immediate, our passion untamed. I wanted to surrender completely to his kiss, but I couldn’t risk his knowing the truth about my past. Yet Jackson carried secrets too, and in our desire we found our escape, pushing our boundaries as far as they could go.   Learning to trust is never easy. In my mind, I knew I should run. But in my heart, I never felt a fire this strong—and it could either save me or scorch me forever.   Praise for J. Kenner’s Stark International Trilogy   “Readers who need more of Kenner’s racy, sizzling Stark novels will delight in this new series, set in the same decadent, lavish world. . . . Kenner has crafted a hero whose compassion is remarkable, and who is strong enough not only to apologize and to change, but to offer her the kind of love she wants and needs, as well. . . . Fans of dark, intense and emotionally scorching romances will surely adore this series opener.”—RT Book Reviews, on Say My Name   “Hot! Running the gamut from fast and wild to slow and tender, the love scenes were intense and wonderfully written. . . . This trilogy is just getting better and better as we learn more about Sylvia’s resiliency and Jackson’s caring side.”—Harlequin Junkie, on On My Knees   “Red-hot and angsty . . . Kenner keeps readers guessing.”—Publishers Weekly, on Under My Skin   “Kenner does a wonderful job of displaying both Jackson’s and Sylvia’s secrets, pains, insecurities and the mechanisms they use when the stress is overwhelming. . . . A great series about determination, strong personalities, perseverance and standing strong under adversity . . . a wonderful read!”—Fresh Fiction, on Under My Skin   The Stark International Trilogy is intended for mature audiences.

    Leonard Goldberg bursts onto the literary scene with a compulsively readable, medical thriller with a serial killer twist. When someone starts killing nurses at a prestigious L.A. hospital, forsenic pathologist Joanna Blalock decides to investigate and is thrown into a spiraling vortex of deceit and danger that pits her against a murderer who may also be her boss.

    Forced to become my own worst enemy. With so much blood on my hands, I was surprised I could still see my own skin. I killed. I tortured. I loved… I played God while I was rotting in a fiery inferno . Thriving on control and power was the only way I knew how to live. There were no other options. If you weren’t my friend, you were my foe. If you weren’t with me, you were against me. Traitors, as I called them. There were no imaginary lines. I’d crossed them all. No boundaries. No second chances. No redemption. Not for me. For them. For anyone. Only for her… She loved me. Always convinced I was a saint, never believing I was just another sinner. A monster. Until it was too late. Except, I didn’t choose this life. It. Chose. Me. El Pecador Book Two So here you are… Turning the pages, opening the next chapters of my life—wanting to know the next truths of my sins. As if the first half of my life wasn’t enough. You. Need. More. You want my redemption. My heart. My soul. Your happily ever after… You. Want. Answers. And I will grant you the very first one you’re dying to know. Why did I leave her? So go ahead. Turn the page. I dare you. You just might not like the answer. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

    These full length, Romantic Suspense stories come from NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, AND NATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHORS and is only $0.99 for a limited time!Accidental SEAL by Sharon Hamilton: Navy SEAL Kyle Lansdowne goes looking for his missing SEAL Team 3 buddy Armando who has been kidnapped by a drug gang intent on buying specialized military equipment. Newbie Realtor Christy Nelson holds her first Open House but is given the wrong address, and finds a hot naked SEAL in the master bedroom. Their little misunderstanding leads to a hot affair until the gang uses Christy as bait to lure Kyle into a trap to ransom his honor.Pick Your Poison by Roxanne St. Claire: Meet Benjamin Youngblood - he’s sexy, smart, spectacular and ... about to lose his job for the best security firm in the world. He’s got one chance to prove himself and nothing will stop him. Not even a flower farmer. When Ben sets out to track and trap an assassin, he's forced to trust a feisty farmer who could be as dangerous as her homegrown poison. Ben and Callie join forces to zero in on the killer, taking a few heated detours along the way. Can they stay alive long enough to save Ben’s job, stop an assassin, and find true love? Protective Custody by Paige Tyler: Someone is stalking reporter Paisley McCoy, and police detective Gray Beckham is the only man who can protect her. Having a dad on the force has led to one hard and fast rule – she doesn’t date cops. And while she might be sexy as hell, there’s no way he’s going anywhere near the captain’s daughter. Paisley and Gray can’t deny the chemistry between them, though. But as that connection turns into romance, they find out the stalker is a far greater threat than they had originally thought. And that if he can’t have her, no one will.Hot Pursuit by Lynn Raye Harris: When someone starts shooting at Evie Baker, there's only one man dangerous enough to help her--the man who broke her heart ten years ago. Hostile Operations Team soldier Matt Girard uses all his considerable black ops skill to protect Evie from someone who thinks she possesses information that could bring down a crime syndicate. But working together shows Matt what he gave up--can he claim Evie for his own after what he did in the past?SEAL's Honor by Elle James: Two Navy SEALs jeopardize their lives and hearts in a battle-torn land when they vie for the love of one sexy Night Stalker helicopter pilot.Against the Dark by Carolyn Crane: Angel is an ex-safecracker forced into one last heist. Cole is an undercover agent with big plans for his gorgeous thief—he'll make her pose as his girlfriend to help with a dangerous mission.Hidden Prey by Cheyenne McCray: Tori flees an abusive relationship and heads to her hometown in Arizona. When she arrives, she’s in the wrong place at the wrong time and witnesses the execution of a Federal agent by the son of the head of the Jimenez Cartel. Special Agent Landon Walker rescues Tori and sets out to protect her, but soon protecting her isn’t enough. He’ll go to the ends of the earth for her—and never let her go.Dangerous Curves by Nina Bruhns: A spec ops transporter for STORM Corps takes on drones, bad guys, and car chases on the coast of Italy—and falls for a beautiful scientist whose curves are far more dangerous than the road!Deadly Pursuit by Misty Evans: One year ago, rookie FBI agent Celina Davenport pulled off the ultimate undercover operation…she seduced Emilio Londano – the dangerous leader of the San Diego Mafia – and destroyed his illegal empire. When Londano escapes a maximum security prison and begins picking off Celina’s friends and coworkers, everyone she knows becomes a target. Including DEA agent Cooper Harris, the man who once broke her heart and is now assigned to be her bodyguard. Cooper must risk his career – and his heart – to keep Celina alive. But will their past, with its forbidden passions and impulsive choices, put them directly in the killer’s crosshairs?Protecting Caroline by Susan Stoker: Caroline helps foil a terrorist plot when she finds herself on a plane that’s hijacked (with the help of three members of a SEAL team), but after she gets home she finds herself still in the sights of the terrorists. She can only hope Wolf and his team will be able to save her in time.One Night Stand by Parker Kincade: Amanda Martin decides to have a one-night stand. No relationship, no promises … just hot, indulgent sex. What she doesn’t anticipate is meeting a handsome-as-sin stranger who gives her pleasure unlike she’s ever known. A stranger with a deadly secret…Brody by Mandy Harbin: Brody thinks the skittish Xan is sexy as hell, but it’s not her hot body that has him rocked to his core. He knows her from somewhere, and in his line of work, that’s a dangerous thing. Following orders have never been this hard, but when he finds out she’s his next assignment, he will protect her at all costs … even if what she needs protection from most is him.Enemy Mine by Megan Mitcham: Born in the blood of Sierra Leone's Civil War, enslaved, then sold to the US as an orphan, Base Branch operative Sloan Harris is emotionally dead and driven by vengeance. With no soul to give, her body becomes the bargaining chip to infiltrate a warlord's inner circle. As son of the warlord, Baine Kendrick will happily use Sloan's body if it expedites his father's demise. Yet, he is wholly unprepared for the possessive and protective emotions she provokes. In the Devil's den with Baine by her side, Sloan braves certain death and discovers a spirit for living.Caught In The Crosshair by Barb Han: On a tropical island with a hurricane brewing and dangerous men closing in, private security firm owner Jaden Dean will need to work side-by-side with Lauren James to survive and find her brother. The cartel he's associated with seems to be one step ahead and Jaden’s operatives are being killed one-by-one. He will have to use all his specialized training and risk everything, including his heart, to outwit the deadly group and keep Lauren safe. Their magnetic attraction isn't helping matters...because even a slight distraction might just get them both killed.

    Do you crave the dark world of paranormal romance, supernatural thrillers, and otherworldly adventures? Discover excerpts from five new books from authors Kiersten White, Claudia Gray, Amy Garvey, Jocelyn Davies, and Anna Carey—all on tour this fall! For more information on the books, authors, and Dark Days tour, visit pitchdarkbooks on Twitter or Facebook.

    For three generations, the Giambelli wines have been renowned for their quality - from Napa Valley to Italy, and throughout the world. But things are about to change at Villa Giambelli. Tereza, the matriarch, has announced a merger with the MacMillan family's winery - and Sophia will be assuming a new role, working with Tyler MacMillan. Midnight Bayou: Declan Fitzgerald had always been the family maverick, but even he couldn't understand his impulse to buy a dilapidated mansion on the outskirts of New Orleans. Determined to restore Manet Hall to its former splendor, Declan begins the daunting renovation room by room. Only the companionship of the alluring Angelina Simone can distract him from the mysterious happenings in the house, but Angelina too has her own surprising connection to Manet Hall - uncovering a secret that's been buried for a hundred years. Three Fates: When the Lusitania sank, more than one thousand people died. One passenger, however, survived to become a changed man, giving up his life as a petty thief but keeping a small silver statue that would become a family heirloom to future generations. Now, nearly a century later, that heirloom, one of a priceless, long-separated set of three, has been snatched away from the Sullivans. And Malachi, Gideon, and Rebecca Sullivan are determined to recover their great-great-grandfather's treasure, reunite the Three Fates, and make their fortune.