While this novel begins and ends in a sophisticated and very pleasant little pub called the Free Press in Cambridge, England, the main character must decide whether or not to accept a somewhat ambiguous job offer in the light of some particularly problematic memories of deception, violence and death.While this novel begins and ends in a sophisticated and very pleasant little pub called the Free Press in Cambridge, England, the main character must decide whether or not to accept a somewhat ambiguous job offer in the light of some particularly problematic memories of deception, violence and death. These memories are generated by events in Panama, Cuba, Greece, Cyprus, and the Peopleʼs Republic of China, but their authenticity or validity are often a matter of mystery or conjecture.

A plague hits America and turns most of the population into mindless zombies. A handful of survivors has to hide in a Buy-Right super center until help arrives or until the undead drop dead.It's been days since the plague hit America.Most of the population has turned into mindless creatures that hunger for human flesh and blood. Danny Hefner and a handful of others will try to live through this hellish nightmare, but they'll wonder if it's really worth it.Danny had watched and read plenty of Zombie fiction in his life, but nothing could have prepared him for this unthinkable, unimaginable hell.Everyone he knew had died. They'd become something less than human—wild animals with no self-control.He'd had to fight his way past his wife after she had turned into just such a beast.It's been said that nothing hurts more than losing a loved one. Well, Danny knew a pain that was a thousand times worse—not only had he lost a loved one, but she'd become some kind of zombie. He'd had to fight her, making sure he didn't get bit or scratched, hoping he would gain the upper hand.The plague had started off as an airborne illness much like the flu. The symptoms were easy to identify—blurred vision, slurred speech, and going from icy cold to burning hot.After a few hours the symptoms would become worse. It was noted by many health-care professionals that the patients would become numb, like their whole body was asleep—not like pins and needles asleep, just completely numb, where they could no longer feel when anyone touched them.Without the sensation of pain the patients would start chewing on their hands and arms, and once they got the taste of blood they changed.It wasn't long before the infected overwhelmed the living. The illness became blood-borne. When the creatures began to bite the other patients the illness spread faster than a wild fire.From the mountains of North Carolina to the coast of California the sickness was out of control. There were people rioting in the streets.It made it difficult to tell just what was happening. Madness had taken hold. People were punching, kicking, biting and pulling hair. As the cops tried to break up the acts of violence they soon noticed they were greatly outnumbered and quickly running out of room to lock people up.Not only were they running out of jail cells, they were running out of bullets.

Poetry Jumble! is the first work by a group of young poets.Written for their Grade 5 Language Arts class in 2011-2012, Poetry Jumble! shows the promise of greater work to come from these young poets in the future.Read two fantasy and one science fiction ebooks to get into the action with these series.1. AabiLynn's Dragon Rite #02. Beauty of the Beast #1 The Mystic Rose: Part A3. Shades of Gray #1 Noir, City Shrouded By Darkness**AabiLynn's Dragon Rite #0In the first story...Useless... Unwanted... Unloved...When those closest to you see you only as a useless crippled child with no hope of a future, where do you find the strength to prove them wrong?No one believed in Cara-AabiLynn, not even her own father and the woman who raised her. Born with a stunted arm and leg, those who she loved the most saw her as worthless and withheld their love from her. Given to a cruel man to cover her father's gambling debt, Cara's life of uncertainty became one of certain hardship and despair.Based on the Dragon Rite short story series.In the first story, candidates assemble to participate in the Dragon Rite, a ceremony to bond with a dragon hatchling.Cara has a chance to break free of her harsh life and bond with one of the dragon hatchlings, only if fate will allow her.**Beauty of the Beast #1 The Mystic Rose: Part AThe story of Beauty and the Beast with a twist. What if the woman was the one turned into the creature?On the planet Terra when recorded history began, Man coexisted with the Necroms. Necroms were intelligent catlike humanoids. The dawn of this period was known as the First Age of Magic. In the Second Age of Magic, a war broke out between Man and the Necroms and by the middle of the Second Age, Man was nearly wiped from creation. Those who survived fled Wellspring and journeyed across the sea into the unknown, finding new homes and creating fortified domains. In the Third and final Age of Magic, Man established five island kingdoms: Commery, Fletching, Morgog, Swelldom, and Hort.In the First Age of Metal, Man turned from the lost art of magic to the might of weapons as they discovered iron then steel. Large armies were created, and Man fought amongst themselves, forgetting the Necroms into myth. For generations the wars continued until an arranged marriage between the two strongest kingdoms of Commery and Morgog ceased the bloodshed, and so Man established the first Emperor and Empress and the tradition of Amalgamation. When both the Emperor and Empress of the Five Kingdoms died, the two strongest kingdoms' heirs married and crowned a new dynasty, and so began the Age of Amalgamation.During this age, a witch placed a curse on a girl named Pluck. The curse had been meant for a boy, Prince Edward of Fletching, for stealing the Mystic Rose. Pluck transformed into a Necrom with the Kiss, Edward's first kiss as her only redemption. The Kiss wouldn't be an easy task since showing her face meant her death.**Shades of Gray #1 Noir, City Shrouded By DarknesThe Shades of Gray series follows the adventures of Kat and Kim. Start by reading the first book of this serial series and be introduced to this world of danger and mystery and then read the next book for free also.Noir was a mega-city plagued by a sun blocking mass called Dry Clouds that had mysteriously appeared three decades earlier. The Dry Clouds covered half the planet and forced those living under them to exist in endless night. On this world, corporations were in charge and breaking your contract with them could mean the termination of your life.Kimberly Griffin, a Life Closer (legal assassin) existed in a world of death. She Closed people for a living. It was a lonely demeaning existence, though she wouldn't admit it. There was nothing to drive her in the bleak reality until one day she ran into Kat.Kat, also known as the Pandora Project, was hunted by bio-mechas called Un-Men. She was an experiment of the Sphinx Corporation, and they were testing her to see if she could be the ultimate weapon. Kat refused to be a killer and tried to discover the truth behind her existence. Could she be a new form of bio-mecha?

Comedy, mystery and the battle of the sexes… all set in a haunted castle! Armed with only cunning and charm, who will see it through the night when the ghostly Green Lady walks?In this tale of comedy, mystery and the battle of the sexes, cheating-heart Hamish has finally driven his wife Elizabeth out of her senses. She has fled into the crypt of her ancestral home, convinced that she's the ghost of the Green Lady, whose spectral footsteps stalk the dark passages of Brackley Castle. But Hamish's friend Max isn't so sure. He suspects Elizabeth has a trick or two up her sleeve, especially as she's being aided and abetted by her clever, bewitching cousin Mina. Armed with only cunning and charm, who will see it through the night when the ghostly Green Lady walks?

A little boy wants to play in the sprinkler on the hottest day of summer but Grandpa won't let him.Somewhere deep in her mind Christine Marsden is witnessing the murder of young girls.And now she has urges to hurt her own children.After a head injury which left her having nightmares and visions, Christine is convinced that something inside her brain has broken, and that she is slowly sinking into insanity.She is terrified of what she might be capable of. She fears that in losing her mind she will also lose her children and husband.Christine embarks on a desperate fight to try to halt the fracture of her mind before it’s too late, and in doing so, discovers the hidden truth behind the dark horrors she is experiencing.

Garet , P. I., is on the case There are some new gods in the town of TunFaire, but temple real estate on the Street of Dreams is at a premium. So the big gods on the block issued a challenge-find the "key" to the one temple still available. When two rival pantheons try to hire Garrett, he knows he is in for it...

Contests were not Stacy’s thing, but when her friend enters her in a contest for a weekend with Slade Collins, the movie star, her life changes drastically. Will the cozy cabin in the mountains be the starting point of something wonderful or a realization of things that aren't meant to be? Will love find its way in or will they say goodbye on Monday? This is the 1st book in “The Winner” series.To her surprise, Stacy Cauthen, an accountant from Atlanta wins a contest, she didn't even enter, to spend a romantic weekend in the Colorado mountains with Slade Collins, the movie star. What happens when they get to the chalet is both funny and romantic. What will they do when a blizzard hits and the power goes out forcing them to sleep in front of the fire together? Will love find its way in or will they say goodbye on Monday?

Are you playing the game - or is the game playing you? A highly addictive thriller about power, manipulation and revenge.

A modern children's fairy tale, which can be a Read-To or Read-Alone book for first-time readers.A fairy tale story for children, as a Read-To or Read-Alone for First-Time readers. The story is built around one fictional character, a boy who is named Pilf, who duly discovers that he has a very magical power which makes him the hero of this tale. A special note to parents: you'll soon get the hang of speaking like an elf or a pixie - or even Quill Hedgehog!

In this short-story prequel to A+ For Murder, Michael O'Brien must solve the theft of a priceless necklace before the thief gets away from the party.In A+ For Murder, English teacher Michael O'Brien has to solve a murder mystery before he becomes the next victim. But before he got caught up in solving murders, Michael had to handle smaller mysteries that sharpened his skills and failed to give him self-confidence.In The Adventure of The Costume Ball, Mike is stuck at a costume party event, and his superintendent is trotting him out as a mystery-solving teacher. But before Mike can make his escape, the lights go out and priceless jewels vanish, and Mike has to stop the thief before he gets through the very door Mike has been eying since the party started!

Angel’s been in trouble before. Now she’s gone. Nothing unusual, but this time Fritz is convinced it’s serious. He calls on an old cruising friend for help. It's the Ghostcatcher. As T.K. and his friends dig deeper, the bodies pile up. A rescue seems in order. Sunny and Chris know the plan is ill-conceived and fraught with danger. But it may be the only way to save Angel from a hideous death.This is the second mystery in the Ghostcatcher series. This time the daughter of an old friend has gone missing and T.K. Fleming is caught up in murder again. The retired English Professor moved to Key West on his boat to find a little peace and quiet, but it never seems to work out that way. From the glitter of Miami strip clubs to the blue waters of Biscayne Bay, violence and mayhem track Fleming and his friends. The only question is will he get her before they get him.

In 2085, Dr Josef Hanson, and the last survivors of humanity, watch the destruction of Earth from Chronicle; a billion-dollar moon base. Built to preserve world history, its library becomes a symbol of hope for survival. But that’s not all; inside lies a supercomputer known as the Black Box... Not everyone is convinced of hope. Conflicts lead to dire consequences. The world will shatter, again...In the year 2085, Dr Josef Hanson, his son Louis and less than two dozen others; possibly the last survivors of humanity, watch the destruction of Earth from Chronicle; a multi-billion dollar base on the moon. Built to preserve the world’s history, its library archive becomes an invaluable resource and symbol of hope for survival.But that’s not all; inside lies a supercomputer known as the Black Box, that stores knowledge of almost every past human achievement. When the survivors discover the technology, Josef struggles to step up in leadership, and deal with the rising tensions that follow his restriction on the use of the machine. Not everyone is convinced there is hope, and disagreements lead to dire consequences.The world will shatter before them, again...

“Here comes Trouble!” Colton took one look at the stripper on stage and knew that was exactly what Vida was, trouble. He had no desire to succumb to the young woman tantalizing men with her provocative movements and killer body with no intention of satisfying their fantasies...

Set in the mountains of Colorado and beaches of Florida, this contemporary romance is about a woman who encounters a series of transforming spiritual experiences, chance events, and dreams, which help to strengthen her faith in Christianity. She and her boyfriend set out to spread the good news, yet are often challenged by atheists, the complacent, and their own demons. Will they overcome?Piper McCoy has a special gift, which is the ability to see what others can’t. Sometimes she sees dark spirits from below, while other times she sees visions from above. Hellish nightmares and heavenly dreams further give her a glimpse into the spiritual warfare that has been waged between God’s Angel Army and Satan’s demons on the earth. She knows that her special abilities will help her to achieve her calling, which is to spread the good news of Christianity to all who will listen. And that’s important, because some of her friends and family members don’t believe. She uses her abilities to prioritize the targets of her evangelistic messages, yet keeps her abilities a secret. No one would believe her if she told them. Her family proved that. More than anything, Piper wants to marry Nick. After three years of dating, she feels it’s time to take the relationship to the next level, yet Nick doesn’t seem to be in any hurry, though he says he loves her. Approaching her mid-twenties with the desire to have a large family, Piper wants to change that. She fears, however, that his promise to forego drinking if they ever married is hindering his decision. He enjoys drinking too much. She also fears that her own flaws have been exposed to her almost perfect boyfriend. Nick's faith and strong character serve as an inspiration to Piper, who grows in her own faith and character. Over the years, she observes several instances in which the faith of her friends is tested, yet when her own faith is tested she crumbles and turns away from God. The test is too much for her to endure.

Book One of the Reunion Trilogy.The members of Wefpub, a group of adventurers, meet for their annual reunion, but one of them comes with problems, sending them on a quest that will take them from the depths of the Underdark to the heights of Carrona's tallest mountain. It seems that their days of adventuring together aren't over, as they seek out their fates together.‘We are the priests of Arandarta, Caitria. We deal with the dead, not the living, and while we do not seek to hasten death, nor do we attempt to prolong life. The goddess comes for all of us when she will, and the Book of Nine states that she has no need of healers among her servants.’As snow blankets the city she lives in, Caitria seeks refuge in the temple of the goddess of death. While stranded there, she seeks to change the minds of the brothers, to convince them that one day she too will serve their goddess.

If you like stories told in verse, this book is for you. If you like slightly odd, mysterious tales featuring kids, aliens, and and delightful grandfathers, this book is for you. Most of all, if you have ever had the sneaking suspicion while watching television that something is just not right, that perhaps there is someone on the other side of that screen watching you watch- this book is for you.This is a platypus of a piece; there is no denying it. The TV Monsters is part sci-fi tale, part poem, part elegy for a more innocent, vanished time. More than anything else, it's a clear-eyed analysis of what television has done to human civilization.The story (told mainly in verse) is about a young boy who lives an idyllic country life with his grandfather in mid-twentieth century America. One night the boy has a strange experience in which he believes he has seen aliens who have come for some malevolent purpose. The story takes some twists and turns, but in the end our hero figures out who the real foes of peace, justice and enlightenment are.

The 3d in a series of 14 short stories by Abbie Joules as she recounts the exploits of her and her brother, Bendigo, growing up on a farm in east Texas in the early 50's. The story sees Abbie seeking status in her father's eyes, and a pet in the form of a baby raccoon. A cow goes missing, leading to a wild cry in a tree, and Abbie finds herself in deep trouble. See what it takes to get her out!The 3d in a series of 14 short stories by Abbie Joules as she recounts the exploits of her and her brother, Bendigo, growing up on a farm in east Texas in the late 40's. A cow called Two-Banger goes missing, again, and this time it is young Abbie who is sent to retrieve her. Along the way Abbie discovers a nest of baby raccoons in a hollow tree, and unable to resist, she climbs into the tree only to find herself ensnared as the night comes on. Finally discovered by her brother, he and his father go to great and heroic lengths to free her. What would you have done?

I wrote this short story for a class in intermediate fiction at the University of Colorado back in 1987 after reading a short story by John Ashbery titled, "Description of a Masque." I wrote it during the spring semester and just before I attended the Aspin Writers Conference, a life-altering event for me.You are blind and standing at the south rim of the Canyon. Gently and with kind words, as if performing a long overdue service for a patient of some convalescent hospital, he takes the cane from you, and you listen to the dull clunk of wood as he leans it against a rock. You learn that place, knowing you may have to return to it alone. The heat of midday sun is on your head, and you wish to see the wall of the north rim, realizing that the image can be nothing more than a mental fabrication. He returns, encourages you to stand a little closer to the edge. "To see," he says, "if you can sense what she must have — the ground plunge downward to the first plateau." He solicits more courage, urging you ahead, creating a comforting, therapeutic confidence in your action. "Don't be so timid. That's where they found her, you know, on the first plateau more than 2,000 feet below, which now has a thin covering of desert grass, just enough to give it a tinge of green. That's where she stopped."This world is a stranger to you, to both of you. But with the untimeliness of her passing, you must take extraordinary measures. And surely, it was your fault. You, who see even the fall of the least sparrow, failed to see the fall of your only daughter, the Little One. And so you are here. And since you refuse to discuss it, he treats it as amnesia. You feel strange standing on the very spot where the accident occurred. It was a very human event, simply a death.Now taking his suggestion, you lean, tentatively at first, then take a short step, feeling the ground gently slope off, the gravel move under your feet. Knowing he's close, you touch the thick hair and flesh of his arm, then feel him move from you, slightly back but still in touch, leaving you a little unsteady. An updraft rushes by, and then you detect a difference, an absence of reflected sound, a void in front of you as deep as that left in the heart from a sudden death. You yearn to cry out, to bounce an echo from the far wall, to make the abyss finite, to make it part of the Canyon. Instead, from within it comes the wordless cry of a human voice, a sound so strange, yet so complete in intent, young and old at the same time like that of a reincarnated child, lost and doomed to walk the face of the earth as an unaging spirit. "Do you hear that?" you ask. "Do you hear the voice from the Canyon?""I hear nothing but someone on horseback hurrying away on the dirt path and the occasional caw of a crow." His voice is now stiff and unconvincing. "If I try to listen with the ears of the blind, I hear the claws of squirrels in the trees behind us and just now the sound of children's laughter around the bend. But if I can't hear it, perhaps it is she calling you. Perhaps it would be only fitting for you to follow.""No. This is nothing like that. It comes from below. Maybe a climber stranded on a cliff," you lie. "There. I hear it again. It comes on the updraft."He leaves your touch and moves away from the edge as if seeking some strategic position. You hear him behind you, shuffling among the rocks, and you wonder if he's moving your cane. You wish to feel the tip on the ground, rake it from side to side, feel the dirt and push around loose rocks. You reach out in front as if with cane in hand, the other arm out to the side for balance. He's talking to you again, his voice subtly changed, hardly disguising an air of inquisition, asking if you remember being here, asking if the presence of the Canyon is somewhat familiar? Is it filtering through your darkness? He's close behind you, too close. "In the past, your eyes would have filled with a palette of colors, painting," he suggests, "the layered rim that cuts off the blue sky and the strata that goes from dirt-pink to chalk-white to rust, and the cliffs that fall away to the green valley and the river below."

In the war-torn Middle East a UN Weapons Inspector finds himself faced with a terrible choice. Forewarned of a chemical weapons attack on a civilian population Henry Jace must decide to unleashed an experimental defensive pathogen and violate all the rights and freedoms he holds most dear, or stand aside with the rest of the world and watch a genocide.Vaslus is a doomed world orbiting an unstable star. To preserve their civilisation the Vaslusians have embarked on the greatest colonisation scheme ever imagined. However the first intelligent beings they encountered have attacked them without provocation or reason. They are now at war and in a race with an unknown enemy with violent intentions. In this second story of the Prominence series follow Relv, survivor of the Abarath, as he fights in the first fleet to bring the attack back to the enemy.