Award-winning author Javier Marías examines a household living unhappy in the shadow of history, and explores the cruel, tender punishments we exact on those we love. As a young man, Juan de Vere takes a job that will haunt him for the rest of his life. Eduardo Muriel is a famous film director - urbane, discreet, irreproachable - an irresistible idol to a young man. Muriel's wife Beatriz is a soft, ripe woman who slips through her husband's home like an unwanted ghost, finding solace in other beds. And on the periphery of all their lives stands Dr. Jorge Van Vechten, a shadowy family friend implicated in unsavoury rumours that Muriel cannot bear to pursue himself - rumours he asks Juan to investigate instead. But as Juan draws closer to the truth, he uncovers more questions, ones his employer has not asked and would rather not answer. Why does Muriel hate Beatriz? How did Beatriz meet Van Vechten? And what happened during the war? As Juan learns more about his employers, he begins to understand the conflicting pulls of desire, power and guilt that govern their lives - and his own. Marias presents a study of the infinitely permeable boundaries between private and public selves, between observer and participant, between the deceptions we suffer from others and those we enact upon ourselves.

Stieg Engstrom, Angriest Viking Ever, has got big problems. The human Viking Clans of earth are in danger of being obliterated—along with the rest of the world—and the only one who may be able to save them is a super pain-in-the-ass Crow. Most people annoy Stieg, but this is the one woman he really can’t stand… Erin Amsel loves being a Crow! Why wouldn’t she when the other Viking Clans are so hilariously arrogant and humorless? She’s not about to let all that come to an end! She just didn’t expect to be shoulder to shoulder in battle with Stieg. Then again, he’s so easy to torment—and also kind of cute. With the future of the world riding on them, Stieg knows he’ll have to put aside his desperate need to kiss the smirk right off Erin’s face. Wait. What? He didn’t mean that—did he? No! They have one goal: To conquer the idiots. Because nothing bugs Stieg more than when idiots win. If only he can keep himself from suddenly acting like one….

As mankind faces its deadliest battle, two young women must unite to prevent the forces of evil destroying the world as we know it. But theirs is no ordinary alliance, for these two women live at opposite ends of history, until fate brings them together and their destinies are inextricably intertwined. Leoni, a troubled teen from 21st Century Los Angeles, finds everything she's ever known thrown into disarray when a drug overdose catapults her into a parallel dimension.There she meets Ria, who is also suspended on the edge of time. Ria's world is violent and desolate in a way Leoni has never experienced - but only together can they stop the powerful demon Sulpa, the Eater of Souls.The embodiment of pure evil, Sulpa is preparing to perpetrate one final, horrific act of unspeakable wickedness, after which nothing will be able to stand in the way of his ultimate goal: the annihilation of mankind. Only Leoni and Ria can stop him...

Things in the ground, thinking their thoughts . . .. . . Thoughts they can express only through Harry Keogh, NECROSCOPE. For that's Harry's talent, and his burden: he reads the thoughts of the dead in their graves - and the thoughts of the UNdead! Except . . . the undead are thinking thoughts that are totally-unthinkable!Yulian Bodescue's mother fainted at the tomb of Thibor Ferenczy, vampire. Corrupt from birth, now Yulian feels a strange compulsion: to discover his real father and spread his works abroad. Only Harry Keogh, prisoner of the metaphysical Mobius Continuum, can stop him. Harry's other big problem is this:HE DOESN'T HAVE A BODY!

"Santa Claws" by MaryJanice Davidson: a powerful European werewolf falls in lust at first bite with sidewalk Santa Giselle Smith. Giselle, a pleasant but sheltered woman, is literally swept off her feet by the charismatic and sexually hungry Alec.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do—and they are just as determined to stay together. Within the confines of a cave they're using as a makeshift refuge, they struggle to reconcile their people, Dwellers and Outsiders, who are united only in their hatred of their desperate situation. Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. Then Roar arrives in a grief-stricken fury, endangering all with his need for revenge. Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble an unlikely team for an impossible rescue mission. Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival--he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most. In this final book in her earth-shattering Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.

E.W. Hornung was an English author best known for writing the A.J. Raffles series about an English gentleman thief in the late 19th century.

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Sixfold.org is an all-writer-voted journal. All writers who upload their manuscripts vote to select the highest-voted $1000 prize-winning manuscripts and all the short stories and poetry published in each issue.Sixfold is an all-writer-voted journal. All writers who upload their manuscripts vote to select the highest-voted $1000 prize-winning manuscripts and all the short stories and poetry published in each issue.In Sixfold Poetry Winter 2014: Debbra Palmer | Bake Sale & other poemsAnn V. DeVilbiss | Far Away | Like a Mirror & other poemsMichael Fleming | On the Bus & other poemsHarold Schumacher | Dying To Say It & other poemsHeather Erin Herbert | Georgia’s Advent & other poemsSharron Singleton | Sonnet for Small Rip-Rap & other poemsBryce Emley | College Beer & other poemsHarry Bauld | On a Napkin & other poemsGeorge Mathon | Do You See Me Waving? & other poemsMariana Weisler | Soft Soap and Wishful Thinking & other poemsMichael Kramer | Nighthawks | Kaua’i & other poemsJill Murphy | Migration & other poemsCassandra Sanborn | Remnants & other poemsKendall Grant | Winter Love Note & other poemsDonna French McArdle | White Blossoms at Night & other poemsTom Freeman | On Foot | Joliet | Illinois & other poemsGeorge Longenecker | Nest & other poemsKimberly Sailor | The Bitter Daughter & other poemsRebecca Irene | Woodpecker & other poemsSavannah Grant | And Not As Shame & other poemsMichael Hugh Lythgoe | Titian Left No Paper Trail & other poemsMartin Conte | We’re Not There & other poemsA. Sgroi | Sore Soles & other poemsMiguel Coronado | Body-Poem & other poemsFranklin Zawacki | Experience Before Memory & other poemsTracy Pitts | Stroke & other poemsRachel A. Girty | Collapse & other poemsRyan Flores | Language Without Lies & other poemsMargie Curcio | Gravity & other poemsStephanie L. Harper | Painted Chickens & other poemsNicholas Petrone | Running Out of Space & other poemsDanielle C. Robinson | A Taste of Family Business & other poemsMeghan Kemp-Gee | A Rhyme Scheme & other poemsTania Brown | On Weeknights & other poemsJames Ph. Kotsybar | Unmeasured & other poemsMatthew Scampoli | Paddle Ball & other poemsJamie Ross | Not Exactly & other poemsContributor Notes

The Virgin in the Garden is a wonderfully erudite entertainment in which enlightenment and sexuality, Elizabethan drama and contemporary comedy, intersect richly and unpredictably.

Professor Natalie Long has fantasized the day she would find Vincent Valentine's resting place. A scientist, she believes she has found the means to cure him of the darker side to his nature. But what if the cure could lead to his death?*(this is a work of fan-fiction; events take place after those of Final Fantasy VII)Vincent Valentine. A Turk for Shinra Corporation. Genetically engineered horror.Professor Natalie Long has fantasized the day she would find his resting place. A scientist who studied under Professor Gast, she believes she has found the means to cure him of the darker side to his nature.But when the cure could lead to his death, she isn't so certain she can live without him.*(this is a work of fan-fiction; events take place after those of Final Fantasy VII)

The strangest thing about Ethan's first encounter with a demon was not that he could see it, but that the demon could not see him....Hunted by malevolent spirits, Ethan struggles to stay alive in the midst of a growing rebellion within his homeland. As war erupts, he must flee to the city of Emmanuel in order to fulfill the prophecy of Shaddai!"intrigue is second only to its action!"Wayne Batson"Trang is a clever return to the social sci-fi of yesteryear."—The New Podler Review of Books. Award-winning writer Mary Sisson brings you the tale of Philippe Trang, the first human diplomat assigned to a mysterious alien station. Haunted by a recent mission that went very wrong, Trang realizes that not everyone on Earth would like his mission to succeed—and the aliens have some nefarious agendas of their own. As he tries desperately to keep everyone from killing each other (not to mention him), strange forces threaten to destroy his very mind! If you like character-driven stories that feature a blend of drama, tragedy, comedy, and action—such as the works of Joss Whedon or Charles Stross’ Laundry Files novels—and you don't mind some really bad language, read Trang today! (107,900 words/370 pages long.)About the Author:Mary Sisson is an award-winning writer, editor, and journalist. She graduated magna cum laude with a degree in English and American Language and Literature from Harvard University, and she has a master’s degree in Journalism from New York University, where she received the Edwin Diamond Award, the department’s highest honor. She has contributed to award-winning books ranging in topic from terrorism to food to history to technology. None of this means she’s actually any more qualified to write about aliens and space Marines than the next person, but she carries on regardless. See what’s she’s up to by visiting marysisson.com!

This is Episode One told from Hendrix's point of view.Hendrix Parker believed the only thing waiting for him at the end of the world was responsibility and obligation. His life had fallen into monotonous routine and he was resigned to accepting his new, depressing fate. Until Reagan Willow tumbles into his life. She awakens a part of him that was as Zombie-fied as the rest of the world.The Zombie Apocalypse couldn’t be more boring. For the last two years, Hendrix Parker’s life rotated in a constant routine of fighting Zombies, finding a place to spend the night and keeping his family safe. While all of those things were admirable pursuits, they had begun to blur together in monotonous gray lines and a haze inducing fog. Reagan Willow and Haley Gable tumble into the Parker’s lives with helpless charm and sarcastic cynicism. The boys can’t help but feel the strong need to protect them. Especially Hendrix, who can’t ignore the irresistible pull Reagan has on him. She’s everything he never thought he would find, and the shot of life that digs him out of the corpse-like stupor he’s fallen into. She might not feel the same way, but that won’t deter Hendrix from pursuing her. Maybe there’s nothing more than friendship between them, but their futures are now entwined, one way or the other. Just as long as they can escape the Zombie horde alive first. Love and Decay, Boy Meets Girl, is the first episode in the Love and Decay, Novella Series told from Hendrix’s point of View; and a Dystopian Romance about Zombies, the end of the world and finding someone to share it with. This story takes place over multiple episodes, with a release date every two weeks. Approximately 20,000 words.

The epic story of Noah's Ark, retold from the perspective of Noah's sixteen-year-old granddaughter.The entire village knows Neima’s grandfather is a madman. For years the old man has prophesied that a great flood is coming, a flood disastrous enough to blot out the entire earth. He’s even built an enormous ark that he claims will allow his family to survive the deluge. But no one believes the ravings of a lunatic……until the rain starts. And doesn’t stop. Soon sixteen-year-old Neima finds her entire world transformed, her life and those of the people she loves in peril. Trapped on the ark with her grandfather Noah, the rest of her family, and a noisy, filthy, and hungry assortment of wild animals, will Neima find a way to survive?With lions, tigers, and bears oh my, elephants and flamingos too, along with rivalries and betrayals, a mysterious stowaway, and perhaps even an unexpected romance, FORTY DAYS is not your grandfather’s Noah’s Ark story.FORTY DAYS is approximately 45000 words, the length of a shorter novel, and is the first installment in a two-part epic story. It does contain a cliffhanger ending.Readers looking for a traditional, religiously oriented version of the Noah’s Ark story should be warned that FORTY DAYS may not appeal to them. The novel will, however, appeal to lovers of apocalyptic fiction, historical fiction, and romance, as well as anyone who’s ever dreamed of having a baby elephant as a pet.

A sci/fi, futuristic tale of people taking freedom into their own hands on a world riddled with EM storms that have destroyed all the basic necessities we take for granted: things like the radio and the cell-phone.The only tech that works are the old-fashioned kind: steam and gas.This is a free short story that originally appeared in Twit Publishing Presents: PULP! Winter/Spring 2012.

Learning, book two in The Bailey Flanigan series, picks up where Leaving ended. Bailey Flanigan and Cody Coleman are not only separated by physical distance, they are also faced with great emotional distance. Can distance truly make the heart grow fonder? Find out in this poignant love story, featuring members from Karen Kingsbury's popular Baxter family.

On a routine trip to the market, a houseboy meets some visitors from out-of-town who change the course of his life.Cassie Tremblay divides her time between working the cash register at her neighborhood coffee shop and studying to produce the grades to get into a top-tier university. Sam, a mysterious co-worker at The Daily Grind, seems to have taken an instant dislike to her, but for Cassie, the looming specter of the SAT Verbal section is a much bigger concern. After a freak accident nearly leaves Cassie and her co-workers dead, a spell cast in desperation transforms her from a regular teen to a valuable familiar: a magical well a demon can tap. As if she didn’t have enough problems, now every demon (and their monstrous minions) seems to be after Cassie’s latent magic, and will stop at nothing to possess her. Sam, now her “master” (loath as Cassie is to admit it) works to protect her, but she soon realizes the security bought by his barely controlled black magic comes at a terrible price. She would love nothing more than to earn her freedom for herself, but with no ability to cast spells of her own, how can she fight back against creatures that wield awesome powers beyond mortal comprehension? Blending a hint of gothic romance with wry humor, The Problem with Black Magic is a YA-friendly novel that contains enough depth for genre fans of all ages. The first book of The Familiar Series, this is a tale of one young woman’s struggle for independence in a brand new world of sorcery, intrigue, and wonder.

From the aftermath of HG Wells Martian invasion, to the sad fate of the universe's last Platitudeypus this brief selection of short stories includes giggles, murder, vinyl records and a peculiar solution for unemployment.Reporter Nadia Maverick takes an adventure through the underbelly of her town where she discovers that even the criminal life she had been reporting on isn't quite like it seemed. Things turn bad for Nadia when in the middle of an investigation the tables are turned and she becomes the one under the watchful eye of Mr. A. Everyone becomes a suspect when Nadia turns up missing.Who will be there to set her free?Read and see.

Nine men aboard an old Caribbean schooner drift in search of the fishing grounds of their forefathers, to find only a modern world in which they have no place. This powerful story of the sea is also a resonantly symbolic account of the relations between man and nature. An adventure story and a deeply considered meditation upon the sea itself.