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    But what do those elf stories really tell us about the Iceland of old and the people who lived there? In this book, author Alda Sigmundsdóttir presents twenty translated elf stories from Icelandic folklore, along with fascinating notes on the context from which they sprung. The international media has had a particular infatuation with the Icelanders’ elf belief, generally using it to propagate some kind of “kooky Icelanders” myth. Yet Iceland’s elf folklore, at its core, reflects the plight of a nation living in abject poverty on the edge of the inhabitable world, and its people’s heroic efforts to survive, physically, emotionally and spiritually. That is what the stories of the elves, or hidden people, are really about. In a country that was, at times, virtually uninhabitable, where poverty was endemic and death and grief a part of daily life, the Icelanders nurtured a belief in a world that existed parallel to their own. This was the world of the hidden people, which more often than not was a projection of the most fervent dreams and desires of the human population. The hidden people lived inside hillocks, cliffs or boulders, very close to the abodes of the humans. Their homes were furnished with fine, sumptuous objects. Their clothes were luxurious, their adornments beautiful. Their livestock was better and fatter, their sheep yielded more wool than regular sheep, their crops were more bounteous. They even had supernatural powers: they could make themselves visible or invisible at will, and they could see the future. To the Icelanders, stories of elves and hidden people are an integral part of the cultural and psychological fabric of their nation. They are a part of their identity, a reflection of the struggles, hopes, resilience and endurance of their people. All this and more is the subject of this book.

    We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

    So when her best friend calls asking her to be a proxy bride, she says, ‘yes.’ How hard can it be to say ‘I do’ so that her best friend can be with the one she loves? Only, Carly never counted on the feelings that began to swirl around with the proxy groom.Damien Nichols likes life lined up from A to Z, but when his best friend calls in a favor, disorder begins to reign. Instead of taking a quick flight to the proxy wedding, he has to take a road trip with the proxy bride. Carly’s free-spirit attitude bumps heads with his meticulous approach to life. As Damien discovers the woman underneath the carefree façade, his emotions become involved.*previously published in A Spring of Weddings collection

    Dark and funny, lyrical and earthy, these fifty stories are part of an important and enduring historical tradition that dates back hundreds of years. Described by Neil Gaiman as the "master", Crossley-Holland's unforgettable retellings will capture the imagination of readers young and old alike.

    But now Inukuns only exist in rumors and whispers. Until an actor-turned-fugitive named Teddy Kyle Smith had an encounter that brought Iñukuns from myth to reality. Smith was an aspiring actor with a promising career, but it all came crashing down one night in September with a gunshot, followed by a manhunt, bloodshed, and then stranger things. This story has long haunted James Dommek Jr., the great-grandson of the last of the Inupiaq storytellers. Midnight Son is his journey to who Teddy Kyle Smith was, what he did, and what he really saw. It’s a true story that takes listeners from the Alaskan wilderness to Hollywood and to the courtroom. A story that pits Inupiaq folklore against American justice in a battle over the nature of reality and the soul of the real Alaska.

    Then she's rescued by Gray Cooper and sparks fly.Introvert Seeking Mountain ManWhen Jemma Scott’s boss goes m.i.a. during a writing retreat on an Alaskan mountain, Jemma books a flight to track her down: destination Moose Mountain. What she didn’t expect was to faint at the feet of Cole Cooper, her mountain guide, the moment she meets him. She also didn't expect to fall head over heels for the man either.Fan Girl Seeking Mountain ManIt’s time for the inaugural Moose Mountain Romance Readers Retreat, and Amy Robinson has been waiting all her life for a reason to visit Alaska and find a mountain man to call her very own. So, when she literally walks straight into the arms of Boone Cooper outside a bookstore on her first day, she thinks she’s died and gone to mountain sheriff heaven.Hiker Seeking Mountain ManAfter traveling to the Moose Mountain Romance Readers Retreat, Sadie Parker decides to take a few days of R&R to spend more time exploring the captivating Alaskan mountain she’s read about. When Sadie gets herself into trouble and faces down a wolf, Brooks is compelled to save her, no longer able to ignore the voice inside saying he should look after her and keep her close.***Moose Mountain Brothers is a sweet, flirty, instalove series about four big, gruff and tough brothers living their lives on Moose Mountain. The mountain has always provided for these men, and now it’s sending them feisty women to warm up their cold mountain hearts and complete their mountain lives forever. Can we all say, awww.

    Jerome Klapka Jerome (1859-1927) was an English author, best known for the humourous travelogue Three Men in a Boat (1889). In 1877, he decided to try his hand at acting, under the stage name Harold Crichton. He joined a repertory troupe who tried to produce plays on a shoestring budget, often drawing on the meager resources of the actors themselves to purchase costumes and props. He tried to become a journalist, writing essays, satires and short stories, but most of these were rejected. Over the next few years he was a school teacher, a packer, and a solicitor's clerk. Finally, in 1885, he had some success with On the Stage-and Off, a humourous book, the publication of which opened the door for more plays and essays.

    An entire community was destroyed. For many people affected by this tragedy, the psychological scars may never heal.Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a condition that affects many people who have endured traumatic events, leaving them unable to move on from life-changing tragedies. In the immediate aftermath of the fire, the focus was rightly placed on providing food, shelter and health care for those left homeless – but it is important that we don’t lose sight of the psychological impact this fire will have had on its survivors.24 Stories is an anthology of short stories, written on themes of community and hope, by a mix of the UK’s best established writers and previously unpublished authors, whose pieces were chosen by Kathy Burke from over 250 entries.Contributors include: Irvine Welsh, A. L. Kennedy, Meera Syal, John Niven, Pauline Melville, Daisy Buchanan, Christopher Brookmyre, Zoe Venditozzi, Nina Stibbe, Mike Gayle, Murray Lachlan Young, Barney Farmer.

    Eager to take control of her life and determined not to get married, she finds a job as a housekeeper at a farm. Her tenacity, along with her stunning beauty, soon sparks the interest of her dashing employer. Yet, can she get past her prejudice against men and allow her very feelings to bloom?Some wounds are just too deep to heal...Ethan Tucker runs his family’s dairy farm, bearing this great responsibility with pride and efficiency. When his housekeeper suddenly quits, throwing everything into chaos, he can’t quite believe that an unyielding woman will come to his rescue and fill the emptiness in his soul. However, when he finds out that his father has been arranging his marriage out of financial interest behind his back, his world collapses. Will Ethan fulfill his duty or rebel against his rational self and follow his unprecedented emotions?He can’t ignore the stirring in his heart any longer…The world is full of unexpected events and while Angeline and Ethan try to come to terms with their unspoken feelings, more hardships will lead them to disarray. Will their love be strong enough to save the farm and their life’s efforts? Or will they eventually bury their sentiments along with the chance to salvage everything?

    When he sets foot in Natchez Hills, he has no doubt that this is the place where he wants to settle down. However, he needs money to achieve that, and the poker table has always been the easiest and quickest way for him to get it. What he couldn't have foreseen was that he would almost hit bottom after losing a risky bet to Larkin Bannon, a murderous cutthroat. As if this wasn't enough, the very same man is suspected of a terrible murder and Bart is determined to hang tough until he unravels the truth and gets revenge. Will Bart manage to take down the person who has stood in the way of his happiness? How far would he go to accomplish his goal despite the grave danger?While everything seems to go downhill, Bart will meet a lovely woman named Melanie Torrance, who will bring sunshine to his life. When he discovers that the young woman blames Bannon for her beloved father's murder, he realizes that they have a lot more in common than he thought. Day by day, Bart is falling for Melanie, but he knows that time is running short and he needs to do everything in his power to bring Bannon down once and for all. To add insult to injury, Bannon will not rest until Melanie is dead and Bart realizes that if he fails to protect her, he will never be able to forgive himself. Will the fearless man manage to be the guard that Melanie needs and catch the enemy before it's too late? Or will they both be doomed to a terrible fate than neither of them deserves?Being trapped in a web of murder and corruption, Bart must act fast as Bannon is already planning to hit his next target. Will his undaunted courage and gun skills help him capture a criminal who wants to spread death and blood in the peaceful town?A pulse-pounding drama, which will make you turn the pages with bated breath until the very last word. A must-read for fans of Western action and romance."No Mercy for a Killer" is a historical adventure novel of approximately 60,000 words. No cliffhangers, only pure unadulterated action.

    But the first thing I see when I get home is eighteen-year-old Callie, and after that relaxing is out of the question. The little brat is living in my house while her mother is on vacation, and I can't stop thinking about her and what I'd like to do to her - if only she wasn't half my age and completely taboo. She won't leave me alone, though, and when she barges into my bedroom I can't take any more. Turns out it's Callie's first time, and I'm all out of protection. Do you think I'm going to stop?This story is *too taboo* for us to leave an excerpt, so use the "Look Inside" feature to get a preview.

    

    But even worse, she doesn't care. She blames God for taking her husband and has since lost her way in both her faith, and her community. But life must go on, and to support herself she makes and mends quilts for the Amish and Englishers alike. Living alone in an apartment above her shop, she works only to live and seemingly not much else as she feels the need to almost punish herself, and God, at the same time. But all that changes when Levi, himself a widow, comes into her shop to mend an old quilt as a surprise for his daughter's first child. He's immediately taken with Hannah. And as his job is repair and fixing broken things in his workshop, his trained eye spots a few problems around her home that could use some neighborly help. But his heart spots some problems, too. Yet Hannah doesn't want the help, or the attention. She resists, but Levi won't take no for an answer. He repeatedly shows up to work on things, trying to slowly chip away at her gruff exterior and win a smile, if not a friend. But Hannah is comfortable in her pain. She certainly has no time for friendships, let alone love. Yet God, and Levi, just might have other plans. Can two people find what they need in the other, when they both need it the most? A desire to mend against a desire to harbor old pains. Will love win out, in this sweet Amish Romance? Read this new book by Emma Maas to find out today...

    Lavery comes a collection of darkly mischievous stories based on classic fairy tales. Adapted from his beloved "Children's Stories Made Horrific" series, The Merry Spinster takes up the trademark wit that endeared Lavery to readers of both The Toast and his best-selling debut Texts from Jane Eyre. The feature become among the most popular on the site, with each entry bringing in tens of thousands of views, as the stories proved a perfect vehicle for Lavery’s eye for deconstruction and destabilization. Sinister and inviting, familiar and alien all at the same time, The Merry Spinster updates traditional children's stories and fairy tales with elements of psychological horror, emotional clarity, and a keen sense of feminist mischief.Readers of The Toast will instantly recognize Lavery's boisterous good humor and uber-nerd swagger: those new to Lavery's oeuvre will delight in his unique spin on fiction, where something a bit mischievous and unsettling is always at work just beneath the surface.Unfalteringly faithful to its beloved source material, The Merry Spinster also illuminates the unsuspected, and frequently, alarming emotional complexities at play in the stories we tell ourselves, and each other, as we tuck ourselves in for the night.Bedtime will never be the same.The daughter cells --The thankless child --Fear not: an incident log --The six boy-coffins --The rabbit --The merry spinster --The wedding party --Some of us had been threatening our friend Mr.Toad --Cast your bread upon the waters --The frog's princess --Good fences make good neighbors