We're just two women who know what it is to need one." Jane has problems, and this December, keeping her assassin best friend from actually killing somebody isn't the biggest one. Her songwriting muse keeps trying to rise from the dead, they have a new sidekick they can't seem to dislodge from the back seat, and it's that time of year when the ghosts of Christmas shake their chains and make an unbearable season even worse. Peace on Earth isn't what they're good at - but it's coming for them anyhow. Which isn't anything a couple of assassins want for Christmas. (Previously published as Lesbian Assassins, which was a nod to how the story got started, and a terrible description of its contents. Heavily revised to become the tale of holiday redemption Carly & Jane apparently always intended to become!)

    The action of this period romantic mystery takes place in the city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne two years after the end of the war, as Britain is caught in the grip of the worst winter in a thousand years. As blizzards rage and the country grinds to a frozen standstill, on Tyneside a young German woman, Elsa Platten, goes on trial for her life, accused of deliberately burning a man to death... Alexander Galbraith is the lawyer hired to defend her, a man undergoing a personal crisis of his own, since his vengeful wife, Virginia, has discovered evidence of a homosexual affair and is threatening to ruin him... Jack Raisbeck is the owner of the Tyneside shipyard where the murdered man, a Dutchman called Jeroen van Rijn, worked. Jack is a physically scarred and cynical survivor of the war in the North Atlantic but his developing romantic relationship with Elsa in the months before the murder has rejuvenated him. Yet, as Elsa begins her trial, Jack is also struggling to keep his shipyard business alive, beset with a rebellious workforce led by union leader Ernie Wilmot, and with the financial future of his yard hanging in the balance after a recent arson attack and an act of embezzlement by his former chief accountant, George Hetherington. As the evidence against Elsa unfolds in the course of the trial, she re-lives her past life in Germany and Holland: the rise of the Nazis and the invasion of Holland, her subsequent betrayal and deportation to the East, and her escape and struggle to survive the fall of Berlin. Jack and Alexander Galbraith both believe in Elsa’s innocence but that belief is strongly tested as the evidence against her grows. The trail to find the truth leads both men in unexpected directions. For Jack it leads to a confrontation with his brother-in-law on a frozen cliff top, and to other disturbing family revelations. For Galbraith it is something even worse - he has to make the ultimate choice between preserving his own career and reputation, or saving his client from the hangman...

    Caleb himself falls into a dark place. Brilliant, athletic, and charismatic, he begins to use his talents to manipulate those around him. Turning his back on everyone, Caleb descends into a world of drugs, sex, and violence. Rising to be the greatest college quarterback in the nation and playing for the National Championship, Caleb has power, wealth, and women but he continues to inflict pain on everyone around him until in the depths of despair he finds hope. THE MANIFESTATION OF CALEB LEWIS is a magical story of triumph, hope, love and perseverance

    His past life experiences have made him the man he is today. It was never glamorous but it was necessary. Forced to be the man of the house at a young age, East has always handled business and family before anything. Settling down with one woman, has never fit into the hierarchy of his needs. Joi loves hard and at times too much. Her loyalty has kept her in a relationship with a man who does not value her as he should, but with no evidence of any wrong doing, Joi cannot bring herself to leave. Having something at the end of the day is better than nothing and Joi only has gut feelings. Joi’s best friend, Nyelle is all about her son. After news of her long time boyfriend’s infidelities comes out in the worst way, she is no longer concerned with a relationship. Taking care of home and making sure her son is happy is her only focus. In Vega’s mind it will always be loyalty over anything. That mind frame caused him to lose three years of his life. Now that he is home, Vega’s way of thinking has changed. No longer concerned with the fast life, Vega is ready to try something different. Each of these four have their own insecurities and doubts that they have to work through in order to see what’s in front of them. Each guarded for their own reasons, they must decide if the potential benefits of a new relationship outweigh the risks. Will they decide to take that leap or will the past stand in the way of what could a beautiful future?

    After finding out that once again the love of her life had taken advantage of her heart, Jaz packed her things along with her daughter and left town. Sick and tired of his games, she was ready to move on and with the help of a certain someone, whom was making it more and more easier by the day. That is until Jaz found out about Jordan’s kidnapping. Rushing back to town, she runs into the arms of a very depressed and saddened Justice. Battling between the love she still has for Justice and the growing feelings she has for her new flame, she finds herself in one tight situation. With dealing with the fact that Jordan is actually missing, Justice does whatever he has to, to get his son back. From killing to ripping the city to shreds, he still come up empty. It seemed like everything he did, he was doing for nothing. His son was missing and his girl left him. After fighting hard to try to win Jaz over, nothing seemed to work. He did everything in his power to get her back but when he finds out he has a long lost brother; he starts to question her loyalty. Not only did Jaz know about it, but he finds out that she was in between his sheets. Mya and Harlem had been through a lot. After finally getting rid of the problem at hand, they were finally happy and living together stress free… or so they thought. While battling with demons, Mya finds out she is pregnant with the devil’s seed. She was torn between honesty and burden; she doesn’t know what to do. It was either tell Harlem the devastating news or go against what he believes in and have an abortion. Which should she choose? Harlem is fighting hard to protect his family and to keep them as safe as possible but when the past and old love ones comes back from the dead, things take a turn for the worst. Join these two couples and few others in a jaw dropping roller coaster ride as they battle never ending secrets, lies, deceit, and treachery! Will they be able to battle whats being thrown or let it destroy everything they’re trying to build? Find out in part 3 of Treat Me Like Somebody!!

    In 55 B.C. the Roman Senate orders their most honored general, Demetrius Varinica, to cease mourning his wife and return to Rome to lead a fleet on an ill-fated invasion. The general and a handful of survivors from the devastated Fifteenth Legion wash up on an unknown shore and find themselves in a terrifying new world where every moment is a battle to stay alive. Befriended by a peaceful tribe, these hardened warriors learn a different way of life, existing with nature, without war, without fighting. But even as a new day dawns, a terrifying evil falls upon the land and confronts Demetrius with an unthinkable choice, honor his oath and return with his men to Rome or remain in this strange country and pick up his sword once again to face impossible odds in a desperate attempt to save the lives of these gentle people and the woman who has won his heart.

     As usual, Maupin’s tone is both bittersweet and achingly funny in this tale of a post-catastrophic San Francisco and a young man’s resilient love for his mother. Cover Design by Darryl Vance

    

    This collection of delightfully twisted, supernatural short stories will captivate your imagination and entertain your darker side. A monster with a love of bakery, an old woman living in fear with her ex-con nephew, a widow with only one chance left, and a demon with a dark and powerful heart, are some of the characters wrestling with their darker selves in this enjoyable collection.

    Hayes was then an undergrad at a small South Carolina college. He has since published four highly honored books of poetry, is a professor of poetry at the University of Pittsburgh, has appeared multiple times in the series, and is one of today’s most decorated poets. His brazen, restless poems capture the diversity of American culture with singular artistry, grappling with facile assumptions about identity and the complex repercussions of race history in this country. Always eagerly anticipated, the 2014 volume of The Best American Poetry begins with David Lehman’s “state-of-the-art” foreword followed by an inspired introduction from Terrance Hayes on his picks for the best American poems of the past year. Following the poems is the apparatus for which the series has won acclaim: notes from the poets about the writing of their poems.

    The holidays are normally meant to bring everyone together for joy and celebration. Instead, two unfortunate situations force these two to co-exist in the same house together, but after a while, the two of them realize that might not be a bad thing. Join these two as they try to not only piece their lives back together but also find unexpected love along the way. Find out what it means to have Xmas with a real one.

    ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “Yes, baby...” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “If this is true...will you ever...disappear?” I asked, somewhat fearful of his response. I was still skeptical to admit the facts, but deep down inside, I knew that what he was saying was true. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “I don’t know the answer to that, Jett,” he said dubiously. “But I do know that no matter what happens, my love for you will last longer than a lifetime,” he confessed. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Hearing that brought tears to my eyes and he gently brushed it away with his thumb. “You really believe that?” I croaked out. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him. Not in this lifetime, not in any lifetime. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “I believe true love will never fade,” he whispered. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I felt myself grapple with a myriad of mixed emotions. “But—” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “Jett,” he interrupted, in a husky tone. “Dis shit can only change the vibe between us if you let it,” he said. “All that matters is I’m here now, with you. Don’t burden yourself with the what ifs, baby.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Leaning in, he pressed his lips against my own, and that warm, fuzzy feeling he gave me filled me up from the inside out. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

    Page has certain operant conditioning and vaguely remembered instructionsthat will kick in at certain points as you get to know each other.Here is what you need to know at this point:I am the ‘Old Page’; she is the ‘New Page’.

    Ethic and Gunna believe just that until they are hit with the inevitable. Enemies are still lurking, waiting to snatch everything that they have worked so hard for. Charisma is in a better head space than she has ever been. With graduation coming up and Ethic in her corner, everything seems perfect. When tragedy hits, Charisma steps in to care for her little brother with the help of Ethic. Harmony is definitely a work in progress, but she is determined to beat the battles she’s faced with on an everyday basis. Gunna has been by her side and doesn’t plan to go anywhere. In this finale, can these couples overcome the disadvantages that life constantly throws at them or will they succumb to it all?

    Did you think I was lying to you?" —Rahmir Forbidden. That was the only way Lynnae and Rahmir’s relationship could be described. Carrying on a secret relationship with her brother’s best friend was never in Lynnae's plans, but Rahmir had a way of taking over her mind, body, and soul in ways she never imagined to be possible. He is everything her heart has ever desired, but his lifelong friendship with her older brother keeps her from allowing Rahmir to have her freely and completely. Yet… secrets can only last for so long, and Rahmir has grown tired of being Lynnae’s best kept one. Will an ultimatum he delivers put an end to their steady private affair? Or will Lynnae finally listen to her heart and let go of her fears?