Stop me if you have heard this before, but a man walks into a bar, and there is a prostitute. No. It isn't really like that... There is a girl who is going to get in trouble if she doesn't bring in money, and there is a gentleman who can afford an hour of her time. He doesn't even expect her to spend it with him. And there is a past that looms large in his life and casts a long shadow.Stop me if you have heard this before, but a man walks into a bar, and there is a prostitute. No. It isn't really like that... There is a girl who is going to get in trouble if she doesn't bring in money, and there is a gentleman who can afford an hour of her time. He doesn't even expect her to spend it with him. And there is a past that looms large in his life and casts a long shadow. What follows is almost a love a story...

Clayton is a nerdy teen who is constantly bullied by his peers at Gladeway High and too unappealing to win the affections of his high school crush. But a wristwatch belonging to his grandfather might change all that forever...Clayton loathes going to school and being bullied every day by Blaine Jansen, the star athlete at Gladeway High. Most days Clayton wishes he could either be invisible or attractive enough to win the heart of his long-time crush, Maddie. One day while sorting through his deceased grandfather’s belongings, Clayton finds an old wristwatch that might make his wishes come true…PLEASE NOTE: Carpe Tempus is a short story aimed at young adults.

What do you do when the Mist Spirits reach for you in the forest glades? How do young hunters learn to hunt? How do you stay out of trouble, to live another day? Where did The People come from?Were Neanderthals the knuckled dragging, hirsute, chest beating, embarrassing cousin of Humans or were they intelligent, forbearing survivalists?What does it take to live in a Neanderthal world?Karen and her friends Jimmy, Doug and David were avid ghost hunters in their town. They were always excited to find a new location that no other ghost hunters had explored. As Karen and her friends were driving around after midnight on a windy night bored of not being able to find a new location, they were about to give up and David said, "Stop! Doug replied, "You scared the crap out of me. I almost ran the car off the road.""Sorry, but I just remembered when I was just a little boy, I used to walk down this old dirt road with my best friend Tommy, and we used to read the writings on the tombstones. Tommy told me that a family of Witches were buried in this unmarked cemetery. Of course, I had nightmares quite frequently that the family of Witches would come out of their graves and kill me someday. But when I got a little older, my friend Tommy told me he made the story up just to scare me since I was so much younger than he was. He knew I was a scaredy cat and would probably have nightmares. Boy was he right, I had so many nightmares about that cemetery that I wouldn't step foot on that dirt road if you gave me a million dollars. Now that I'm so much older now and not afraid of any ghosts, I think it would be pretty cool to check out the cemetery I was so afraid of so long ago," explained David.

A collection of modern poetry, from playful and provocative to profound and poignant, through these poems Ben Gilbert shares his unique and refreshing perspective on many aspects of modern living.A collection of modern poetry, from playful and provocative to profound and poignant, through these poems Ben Gilbert shares his unique and refreshing perspective on many aspects of modern living."These masterfully written poems brought warmth to my heart, tears to my eyes and curiosity to my mind. I found myself smiling and amused by his witty take on things. The author is a talented linguist and has played on words effortlessly to inspire and tantalise the minds of his readers. I LOVED this book and have found myself reading parts aloud to whoever was lucky enough to listen. I cannot wait to devour whatever he publishes next." Samantha Kennedy - English Teacher.Most of these poems were written as teaching materials for super bright advanced English language learners when I was teaching English at Shane Global in Hasting, UK. I kept the very rude ones out of the classroom, but to be frank that was only one poem - Atonement. The idiomatic and flexible nature of English, with its ease of rule breaking and change is a difficult thing to teach and poetry is a fine way to show such."People change and language changes with people" Michel Thomas, Linguist.

Lift up your chin, dear reader, and enjoy these stories with the full knowledge that while your neighbor might outrun you in the zombie apocalypse, you'll know how to create adequate defense perimeters during an attack from unidentified flying objects.We like to think of ourselves as emergency preparedness instructors. Specialized ones. You see, we don't worry about the stuff that other doomsday prognosticators talk about, (government overthrow, rising sea levels, oil shortages, zombie plague, etc.). Instead, we're trying to give examples of what to do and not do in specific scenarios. Very specific. For instance, in this issue, we cover things like coping with a pending alien invasion when you've forgotten to feed your cats, or how to deal with loved ones after a ghostly apparition has implied that you will outlive them all, or even how to deal with the ruthless boss of a child mafia ring in a city of magic users.Don't you feel more prepared already?As an added bonus all these instructional scenarios have been written as compelling and fascinating narratives. Because why should the painful and horrific end of all we hold dear be a drudgery to read about?So lift up your chin, dear reader, and enjoy these stories with the full knowledge that while your neighbor might outrun you in the zombie apocalypse, you'll know how to create adequate defense perimeters during an attack from unidentified flying objects.

An alternative history where the Space Age never happened and less conventional types of espionage and surveillance are being employed..."Eyes in the Sky" is a science fiction novelette that harkens back to the "Golden Age" of the genre. It features a classic "what if..." scenario:WHAT IF the Space Age never happened and the atom bomb was a dud? What sort of alternatives would Cold War adversaries seek to gain the upper hand on their deadly enemies?A 10,000 word story that explores a possible past where technology takes a back seat and the powers of the human mind are employed as weapons and extensions of national policy. Influenced by the likes of Philip K. Dick, Harlan Ellison, A.E. van Vogt, Alfred Bester and Barry Malzberg. An unsettling alternate history and thrilling tale of wonder.

Alien invasion? Zombies? Vampires!? I don’t think so!When alien zombies invade Earth, vampires emerge to defend their food source, and 19-year-old Aria Danes teams up with the strangest group of eccentrics determined to take a stand for the human race. Caught in the middle of a zombie-vampire war, Aria must discover that her strengths outweigh her weaknesses.Alien invasion? Zombies? Vampires!? I don’t think so!Aria was an average 19-year-old with average problems. Average was quite realistic until zombies landed their UFO in her backyard. If Aria wants to survive, she’ll need some help, and who better than a pirate captain, a steampunk inventor, a bazooka wielding slayer, and a deranged Englishman who insists he is Doctor Who?Stuck in a war between vampires and zombie-walking Weeches, Aria and her eccentric crew take a stand for mankind as they fight for their right to survive. Hey, if you have to slaughter zombies and vampires, why not enjoy it?AUTHOR NOTE: This book is currently with the editor. A newly edited edition will be uploaded shortly. Thank you for your patience.

Snow. Santa. Snuggles... Stress. You would think December would be Ivy's ideal time of year. After all, festivities abound and witches everywhere are encouraged to put their feet up and relax. That's not quite the case when she has various Order members attempting to finagle her into Christmas activities and a special artefact from the top of the Christmas tree goes missing. Either someone is attempting to sabotage Winter or something very strange is afoot indeed. This is a short holiday novella.

***BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Terry Brooks's The Measure of the Magic. NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* Five hundred years have passed since the devastating demon-led war tore apart the United States and nearly exterminated humankind. Those who escaped the carnage were led to sanctuary in an idyllic valley, its borders warded by powerful magic against the horrors beyond. But the cocoon of protective magic surrounding the valley has now vanished. When Sider Ament, the only surviving descendant of the Knights of the Word, detects unknown predators stalking the valley, he fears the worst. And when expert Trackers find two of their own gruesomely killed, there can be no doubt: The once safe haven has been made vulnerable to whatever still lurks in the outside wasteland. Together, Ament, the two young Trackers, and a daring Elf princess spearhead plans to defend their ancestral home. And in the thick of it all, the last wielder of the black staff and its awesome magic must find a successor to carry on the fight against the cresting new wave of evil.

Bond has lost his licence to kill. After he took revenge on the CIA agent who handed his friend over to the master criminal, Sanchez, M revoked his double 0 status and he's considered a rogue agent. With MI6 trying to bring him in and only the support of Q behind him Bond goes after Sanchez. Boarding his ship, Bond tricks his way into Sanchez's inner circle and discovers the secret of his wealth. But Bond is walking a tightrope and it is surely only a matter of time before he slips ...

For the first time in its one-hundred-and-twenty-five-year history, the Arthur Conan Doyle Estate has authorized a new Sherlock Holmes novel. Once again, THE GAME’S AFOOT… London, 1890. 221B Baker St. A fine art dealer named Edmund Carstairs visits Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson to beg for their help. He is being menaced by a strange man in a flat cap – a wanted criminal who seems to have followed him all the way from America. In the days that follow, his home is robbed, his family is threatened. And then the first murder takes place. Almost unwillingly, Holmes and Watson find themselves being drawn ever deeper into an international conspiracy connected to the teeming criminal underworld of Boston, the gaslit streets of London, opium dens and much, much more. And as they dig, they begin to hear the whispered phrase-the House of Silk-a mysterious entity that connects the highest levels of government to the deepest depths of criminality. Holmes begins to fear that he has uncovered a conspiracy that threatens to tear apart the very fabric of society. The Arthur Conan Doyle Estate chose the celebrated, #1 New York Times bestselling author Anthony Horowitz to write The House of Silk because of his proven ability to tell a transfixing story and for his passion for all things Holmes. Destined to become an instant classic, The House of Silk brings Sherlock Holmes back with all the nuance, pacing, and almost superhuman powers of analysis and deduction that made him the world’s greatest detective, in a case depicting events too shocking, too monstrous to ever appear in print…until now. --mulhollandbooks.com

Robin has a bad habit of getting into trouble, and a better habit of getting out of it (barely). He lives on an isolated outpost in the middle of nowhere and has no idea why his parents disappeared years ago. Then a strange delivery arrives at his doorstep, and the past is suddenly very present. Marian was raised to be a very powerless girl in a very powerful family. But that hasn’t stopped her from making her own adventures and trespassing in some places her parents definitely don’t want her to see. She has no idea what life would be like outside of her home, until a mysterious invitation forces her to leave everything behind. Robin and Marian have lived very different lives in very different places. Their paths should never, ever cross, but before they know it, they are thrown together on a quest that requires legendary bravery, quick-witted escapes, and the ability to get along with each other. The sky’s no longer the limit on what Robin and Marian can do, as long as they manage to do it together.

Everyone in Nashville knows Nathan Dumont. That’s what happens when you develop half a town and sleep with the rest. Four years ago, his fiancee disappeared. Last night, he proposed to me. I had wanted to escape my life, the seedy strip club and the mountain of bills. I had seized the opportunity to live in a mansion, fill my days with country clubs and caviar, my nights with romance and sex. Maybe I should have done my homework first.

*From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes the much-anticipated first companion to the suspenseful thriller about secrets and deception, passion and love, and choices and consequences. * What was Tony thinking? Control? Acquisition? Domination? Love? Behind His Eyes - Consequences explores significant scenes as well as behind-the-scenes moments from the first book of the Consequences series. Not a total re-write, this companion explores the mind of the man who thought he set the rules and delivered the consequences. From the beginning. Anthony Rawlings has the perfect world: money, influence, and power. Everything in his life is and has always been planned, executed, and predicted... until Claire. How long can he deny what is right before him? Experience the rare opportunity to see this esteemed man’s world change, from behind his eyes. It is always darkest before the light. Through significant scenes, experience the dark journey into the mind of the man who believes that he controls everything yet controls nothing. Share his thoughts as glitches are overcome and accidents are survived. For the avid reader of the Consequences series, it is recommended that this companion be read after Consequences, Truth, Convicted, and Revealed for more insight into the man who: “Once upon a time, she signed a napkin that he knew was a contract. As an esteemed businessman, he forgot one very important rule. He forgot to read the fine print. It wasn’t an acquisition to own another person as he’d previously assumed. It was an agreement to acquire a soul.” — Aleatha Romig, Convicted

Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny used to live alone in a boxcar. Now they have a home with their grandfather, and they’re going to visit his old school with him! The Aldens are spending a weekend at Goldwin University for Grandfather’s college reunion. The Alden children are immediately fascinated by the tall, mysterious clock tower that overshadowed the campus. They soon learn the valuable secret from the past lies hidden somewhere at the old school—and they think the clock tower might hold the key to discovering it! But there are strange lights coming form the clock tower at night. Is the tower haunted by ghosts of the past? Or is someone else searching for the secret of Goldwin University? The Boxcar Children are convinced that someone at the school is not what he or she seems—and they are determined to find out who it is!

"The perfect love story to kick-start your summer reading."--Seventeen.com Like his name, Gray is dark and stormy. Dylan, a girl who is seemingly unable to settle down, is the exact opposite: full of light and life. On the outside, they seem like an unlikely couple. But looks can be deceiving, and besides, opposites attract. What starts as friendship turns into admiration, respect, and caring, until finally these two lone souls find that they are truly in love with each other. But staying in love is never as easy as falling in love. If Dylan and Gray want their love to last, they're going to have to work at it . . .

THE SPY MICE ARE BACK! Just when Glory Mouse, private eye, and Oz Levinson, fifth-grade sleuth, think the evil rats have lost, it's time to get back to the race.... On a trip to New York City, Oz, Glory, and the spy gang discover that the Big Apple is swarming with rats...rats who can READ! And if they don't think fast, Glory will be mousemeat pie just in time for the rat's feast. Join the battle of good vs. evil -- where it's time for good to pump up the volume once and for all!

In Max Barry's twisted, hilarious and terrifying vision of the near future, the world is run by giant corporations and employees take the last names of the companies they work for. It's a globalised, ultra-capitalist free market paradise! Hack Nike is a lowly merchandising officer who's not very good at negotiating his salary. So when John Nike and John Nike, executives from the promised land of Marketing, offer him a contract, he signs without reading it. Unfortunately, Hack's new contract involves shooting teenagers to build up street cred for Nike's new line of $2,500 trainers. Hack goes to the police - but they assume that he's asking for a subcontracting deal and lease the assassination to the more experienced NRA. Enter Jennifer Government, a tough-talking agent with a barcode tattoo under her eye and a personal problem with John Nike (the boss of the other John Nike). And a gun. Hack is about to find out what it really means to mess with market forces.

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation). Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum. The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

Dana is finally getting comfortable with her life as the only Faeriewalker in Avalon. She’s formed an alliance with the Erlking, a truce with the Queen of the Seelie Court, and best of all, no one’s tried to kill her for weeks. Enter Althea - the teenage daughter of Mab, the Unseelie Queen. Dana knows from the moment she sets eyes on the wannabe Goth chick that Al is trouble, but she finds herself drawn to the wounded soul she glimpses beneath the Faerie glamour. When Al asks Dana to take her into the mortal world to visit the human boyfriend her mother has driven away, Dana refuses, knowing that Queen Mab would hold her personally responsible if anything happened to her daughter. But Al is a Faerie princess, and she’s not used to taking no for an answer. Will Dana ignore her common sense and risk the Unseelie Queen’s wrath to help her new BFF? And if not, just how far is Al willing to go to get her own way?

All That I Am is a masterful and exhilarating exploration of bravery and betrayal, of the risks and sacrifices some people make for their beliefs, and of heroism hidden in the most unexpected places. When eighteen-year-old Ruth Becker visits her cousin Dora in Munich in 1923, she meets the love of her life, the dashing young journalist Hans Wesemann, and eagerly joins in the heady activities of the militant political left in Germany. Ten years later, Ruth and Hans are married and living in Weimar Berlin when Hitler is elected chancellor of Germany. Together with Dora and her lover, Ernst Toller, the celebrated poet and self-doubting revolutionary, the four become hunted outlaws overnight and are forced to flee to London. Inspired by the fearless Dora to breathtaking acts of courage, the friends risk betrayal and deceit as they dedicate themselves to a dangerous mission: to inform the British government of the very real Nazi threat to which it remains willfully blind. All That I Am is the heartbreaking story of these extraordinary people, who discover that Hitler’s reach extends much further than they had thought. Gripping, compassionate, and inspiring, this remarkable debut novel reveals an uncommon depth of humanity and wisdom. Anna Funder has given us a searing and intimate portrait of courage and its price, of desire and ambition, and of the devastating consequences when they are thwarted.