When good intentions make everything go from bad to worse, all Ryan can do is sit back and enjoy his own personal ride to hell. But maybe he can still save the damsel in distress along the way... Hey, a computer geek can be a hero, too! Stranger things have happened...Launch day for Hearth Global’s smart house system. Techs in place, programs operational, uplinks activated. All systems go. Until one doesn’t. Ryan has a house on his roster without any record of construction, and it’s a hot mess. Actually, calling it that is an insult to hot messes everywhere. They have to inform the owner. It’ll be a PR nightmare, especially on their first official day in business, and even more so when the owner is an attorney itching to bury them in lawsuits, but it has to be done. Right?Uh, not so much. As it turns out, there’s a lot more at stake than Hearth Global’s reputation—top secret government stuff in which Ryan is now swimming up to his ears. He can’t make this software work by himself without the beautiful owner finding out something isn’t up to snuff. But what other choice does he have? The DOD is keeping tabs on the company, watching Victoria to make sure she doesn’t cause waves, and threatening to step in if anyone jeopardizes their agenda. To keep them all safe, Ryan has to buck up and take on the role of Victoria’s virtual house servant. 24-7. For as long as it takes to get the house up and running on its own. Because nothing could possibly go wrong with that…

The truth behind the old legend! The honest story of the King, the Monster and the Hero; the real Beowulf revealed in a tale that puts the darkness back in the dark ages!The truth behind the old legend! The honest story of the King, the Monster and the Hero; the real Beowulf revealed in a tale that puts the darkness back in the dark ages!Colonial King Lars builds his imperialistic Beer Hall on the ancestral swamp of the Trolls causing a conflict that (quite literally) rips apart the feudal world. He is forced to send for the sinister Beowulf in order to defeat his nemesis, the revolutionary Troll, Grendel. Beowulf, however, has plans of his own. As the forces of Man and Nature collide friends and foes are not all they seem. Except for Gareth, the Royal Dog; he is exactly what he seems.Beowulf, Grendel and King Lars battle for control of the Biggest Beer Hall There Has Ever Been; and, although we all think we know the story, the outcome is very far from sure.Beer, Blood, Fire, Death and Danger are all out there as the struggle for power begins!

Jodie is a perfectly happy average teenage vampire. Well she was perfectly happy until everything wemt wrongStephen is an analyst for the CIA. He discovers a plot by the President of the United States, whose aspirations would take him to a higher world leadership position at the detriment of America. The President's agenda involves the leader of a Middle Eastern country, a financier for the President's agenda, a U.N. professor, and a terrorist leader. Can the President be arrested for treason? Can Stephen stop the President's Agenda?

Smoke! Drink! Chant! Fire! Vision! Inter-dimensional Travel! (or whatever). A road! A threat! Running! Escape! Sanctuary! Revenge! Sleep! (Spoilers. . .not!) The End! Enjoy :DMan-trouble is never a good thing, but for Julia, this time it’s just plain confusing. Her guy was all over her at the start, but now? She thought he was on the brink of popping-“the”-question. But so far there’s been no pop, only a slow fizzle. She’s decided it’s up to her; she’s going to have to pop a different question, since he’s suddenly working late, not answering her calls, or when he does he’s unsure if he’ll be able to keep their date.Julia needs to know, once and for all, whether Joe’s a keeper or a has-bean, and Morgana promises to have the answer.Gourmet coffee beans, custom ground, then analyzed to your specific needs. Who, in their right mind, would have thunk the spirit world was so-o-o trendy, so particular? But that’s how Julia’s modern psychic does business, so that’s how Julia will experience a slice of life where going beyond words means approaching the Twilight Zone.

‘SkyDie’ is a disturbing short comedy and a parody of backpacker culture. The reader sees Liam, an average backpacker, witness his friends’ gruesome fall from grace thanks to a horrific skydiving accident. Fearing police intervention, and despite numerous setbacks along the way, Liam is nevertheless determined in his grand plan: to dispose of the bodies and to get home as soon as he can.'SkyDie’ is a disturbing short story with a dash of dark comedy thrown in. The reader sees Liam, an average backpacker; witness his friends’ gruesome fall from grace thanks to a horrific skydiving accident. Fearing prosecution for a series of petty offences committed whilst travelling, Liam declines to inform the emergency services and instead goes to great lengths to sort out the mess himself. Along the way on his ill-fated journey, Liam encounters a number of problems symptomatic of the average backpacker. A phone call from a worried parent, a small business masquerading as a tourist information point, constant stress over deposits - all have a part to play in making Liam’s life a little more difficult. However, the backpacker is determined in his grand plan: to dispose of the bodies and to get home as soon as he can. This parody of backpacker culture, with plenty of gore chucked in to keep things moving along, will make you both laugh and retch.

A dystopic look at the future, where testing is not only mandatory—it’s deadly! Part of the forthcoming “Breach of Reality: Volume 1” collection. Bonus material included! Read a sample chapter of the newly released “UnAlive” Novel!Reminiscent of tales like “The Running Man,” this dystopic look at the future presents a world where testing is not only mandatory—it’s deadly! The first short story Kevin ever wrote and winner of the Young Georgia Authors Writing Exposition. Part of the forthcoming “Breach of Reality: Volume 1” collection. Bonus material included! Read a sample chapter of the newly released “UnAlive” Novel!

An assassination attempt is made on the Burghermeister of Werpenstad, leaving the city stunned and in shock. As the atrocities continue it is up to Vice-mayor Karl Kreigel to take the reins of the Stad, but can the rumours of inhuman monsters stalking the sewers be believed, or are they simply the fears of a frightened populace and the ravings of a madman? A fantasy novella.Karl Kreigel is Vice-mayor of Werpenstad, an important trading town in Bergen, the westernmost Province of the Empire. When an assassination attempt is made against the Burghermeister, it is up to him to lead the investigation and take control of the town.With the killer still at large and rumours flying around about man-sized rats stalking the sewers, Karl knows that whoever - or whatever - he is, it is only a matter of time before the assassin returns to strike again...

There will be one. One who rises above them all. A man of valor and great strength who will free us from the fall… Ever since Jonathan was a child, the prophesy has haunted him. He longs to find the one who will free the human race. When aliens rain death—destruction—and fear upon his village, he is forced into a life of slavery.There will be one. One who rises above them all. A man of valor and great strength who will free us from the fall… Ever since Jonathan was a child, the prophesy has haunted him. He longs to find the one who will free the human race. When aliens rain death—destruction—and fear upon his village, he is forced into a life of slavery. Zahara’s entire world shatters when her village is raided, and she is sold to an alien mistress. Beyond hope, she finds love with the handsome, red-haired, determined Jonathan. When peril arises, the two must flee, but where will they go in a city full of aliens? Will they escape? Will they unlock the mysteries of the ancient prophesy?

An Ideas Box is proposed during a Market Knowledge session in a company. But the box goes missing because it is believed to contain much more than ideas. Who has the Ideas Box and why? But the main question is: What is really in the box?Queen Elizabeth I never ruled.England and Scotland never unified.It's 1841 the two countries are once more at war. 16-year-old English Princess Myrtle holds the fate of two nations in her hands. She can bring about a truce by marrying Scottish Prince James. Since he is just a boy of 14, she has two years to unlearn everything she thought she knew about Scotland and fall in love with the country that will be her home, and the boy destined to become her husband.The son of a Scottish Duke, Callum McAllister joins the court to teach Mrytle about Scotland and change her reluctant mind about her future. But when war has been simmering for centuries, two years is a long time. The smallest misstep could bring chaos and return the countries to war. Myrtle must tread carefully to ensure nothing goes wrong.This delightful steampunk story introduces readers to the world of the clockwork war, a glorious fusion of steampunk and alternate history.

When the dark sorceress, Cia, spawns hordes of monsters upon Hyrule, she engulfs it in a bloody war to decide its fate. Link, The Hylian Army's General, along with Impa, his commander, and Sheik, a mysteriously disguised Sheikah, must now seek the power of the fabled Triforce—the almighty gift from the goddesses that grants any wish to those who hold it—in order to banish Cia and all her monstersWhen the dark sorceress, Cia, spawns hordes of monsters upon Hyrule, she engulfs it in a bloody war to decide its fate. Link, The Hylian Army's General, along with Impa, his commander, and Sheik, a mysteriously disguised Sheikah, must now seek the power of the fabled Triforce—the almighty gift from the goddesses that grants any wish to those who hold it—in order to banish Cia and all her monsters from Hyrule.

Family relationships are at the center of *Henry IV, Part 1*. King Henry IV and Prince Hal form one major father-son pair, with Henry in despair because Hal lives a dissolute life. The father-son pair of Hotspur (Lord Henry Percy) and his father, the Earl of Northumberland, is in seeming contrast; the king envies Northumberland “his Harry,” wishing he could claim the gallant Hotspur as his own. Meanwhile, Hal has entered into a quasi-father-son relationship with a disreputable but amusing knight, Sir John Falstaff. Another strand of action centers on still more family relationships. Hotspur’s stand against Henry focuses on Hotspur’s brother-in-law, Mortimer. Mortimer, who fought against the Welsh magician Owen Glendower, was defeated and captured and has married Glendower’s daughter. King Henry pronounces Mortimer a traitor whom he will not ransom. Hotspur, in declaring war on Henry, sees himself as fighting for Mortimer, his wife’s brother. The authoritative edition of *Henry IV, Part 1* from The Folger Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers, includes: -Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play -Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play -Scene-by-scene plot summaries -A key to the play’s famous lines and phrases -An introduction to reading Shakespeare’s language -An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play -Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s vast holdings of rare books -An annotated guide to further reading Essay by Alexander Leggatt The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare’s printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit Folger.edu. **

This edition has another cover In the tradition of such Ludlum classics as The Chancellor Manuscript and The Icarus Agenda, The Bancroft Strategy is a compelling novel of intrigue, where two figures find themselves facing a shadowy organization working to twist global politics to their own unsavory ends. When Todd Belknap - a legendary field agent for Consular Operations with a reputation as something of a cowboy - is cut loose from the agency after an operation goes wrong, his best friend and fellow agent is abducted in Lebanon by a militia group with a vicious reputation. When the government refuses to either rescue him or negotiate for his release, Belknap decides to take matters into his own hands. Meanwhile, hedge fund analyst Andrea Bancroft gets a surprising call - she is to receive an unexpected bequest of six million dollars from a cousin she never met. With one condition -- she must agree to sit on the board of the Bancroft family foundation, a charitable organization that is run by the family patriarch, Paul Newton. Having never been involved with, or even met, the family - her mother was briefly married to an Bancroft and cut off all contact many years ago - Andrea is intrigued. But the foundation, which is dedicated to doing strategic good deeds, appears less and less benign the more deeply involved she gets. What exactly is their involvement with the "Genesis" - a mysterious group working to destabilize the geopolitical balance at the risk of millions of lives? As events escalate, Todd Belknap and Andrea Bancroft come together and must form an uneasy alliance if they are to uncover the truth behind "Genesis" -- before it is too late.

Larry McMurtry’s Terms of Endearment touched readers in a way no other story has in recent years. The earthy humor and the powerful emotional impact that set this novel apart rise to brilliant new heights with The Evening Star. McMurtry takes us deep into the heart of Texas, and deep into the heart of one of the most memorable characters of our time, Aurora Greenway—along with her family, friends, and lovers—in a tale of affectionate wit, bittersweet tenderness, and the unexpected turns that life can take. This is Larry McMurtry at his very best: warm, compassionate, full of comic invention, an author so attuned to the feelings, needs, and desires of his characters that they possess a reality unique in American fiction.

A wounded Atlantean prince...a deadly battle between Dark and Light...and the sisters Deoris and Domaris, whose lives are changed utterly by the magic involving them. These are the elements of The Fall of Atlantis, Marion Zimmer Bradley's epic fantasy about that ancient and legendary realm. On one side stand the Priests of the White Robe, guardians of powerful natural forces which could threaten the world if misused. Ranged against them are the Black Robes, sorcerers who secretly practice their arts in the labyrinthine caves beneath the very Temple of Light. Caught between are Domaris and Deoris, daughters of the arch-priest Talkannon, trapped in a web of deadly sorcery--the same forbidden sorcery that could bring about the fall of Atlantis.

Michael Chabon is back with a brand-new collection that reinvigorates the stay-up-all-night, edge-of-the seat, fingernail-biting, page-turning tradition of literary short stories, featuring Margaret Atwood, Stephen King, Peter Straub, David Mitchell, Jonathan Lethem, Heidi Julavits, Roddy Doyle, and more! Margaret Atwood- Lusus Naturae David Mitchell- What You Do Not Know You Want Jonathan Lethem- Vivian Relf Ayelet Waldman - Minnow Steve Erickson- Zeroville Stephen King- Lisey and the Madman Jason Roberts - 7C Heidi Julavits- The Miniaturist Roddy Doyle - The Child Daniel Handler - Delmonico Charles D’Ambrosio - The Scheme of Things Poppy Z. Brite - The Devil of Delery Street China Mieville- Reports of Certain Events in London Joyce Carol Oates - The Fabled Light-house at Vi–a del Mar Peter Straub - Mr. Aickman’s Air Rifle From the Trade Paperback edition.

The long-awaited sequel to My Sweet Audrina, one of V.C. Andrews’s strangest, most beloved books—and now a Lifetime movie! Whitefern swallowed Audrina’s childhood—and now the sprawling Victorian mansion threatens her adult life too… Audrina remembers a better time, when her husband, Arden, was a young man with a heart filled with devotion for her. He didn’t used to be this ambitious, expansive…this cruel. But then, the death of Audina’s father changed a great many things. When the reading of her father’s will reveals that Audrina herself will control fifty-one percent of the family brokerage—the halls of Whitefern again don’t feel safe. Arden’s protestations become frantic, nearly violent. And while Audrina didn’t anticipate running the family business, she’s curious to do so. And she can’t help but wonder what had made her father change his will at the last minute? What did he know about Arden that she didn’t? Trapped in the middle of it all: her fragile, simple sister—the beautiful, trusting Sylvia. Audrina promised her father she’d watch over the young woman. But after years of relative quiet, the dark days of Whitefern may have returned…

A larger-than-life firefighter inspires a career-driven woman to live in the moment—and trust in the power of love—in this flirty, emotional novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Searching for Harmony.   Finn Ward has two passions: being a firefighter and being single. Although his parents are constantly nagging him to settle down, Finn just wants to enjoy himself while he’s young. Then, at a union meeting, he meets a gorgeous lawyer with a dazzling smile—and suddenly, settling down doesn’t sound so bad. Rory Adams is fresh out of law school and looking to make a name for herself at her mother’s firm. She doesn’t have time for silly games anymore. But when she catches the eye of a dashing fireman who makes her body tingle from across the room, something instantly ignites between them. The only problem? Her father is Finn’s boss. Their relationship turns both of their lives upside-down. Rory tames Finn’s wild ways, while he shows her that life can’t be all work and no play. But it’ll take some serious determination to keep their love secret—and real courage to admit the truth. Praise for Kelly Elliott’s Searching for Harmony  * “Searching for Harmony *is a heartwarming story of a woman who suffers an unthinkable tragedy—and finds an unimaginable love. It’s a real charmer!”—USA Today bestselling author Tina Wainscott Includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.**

Late spring, 1943. The world is at war but the American mob is in its heyday. Former crime boss Joe Coughlin now works as a consigliere to the infamous Bartolo Crime Family, effortlessly handling its interests in Tampa, Boston, and Cuba. In the decade since he lost his wife in a cascade of bullets, Joe has made a home for himself and his son, and once again forged everything out of nothing: money, power, a relationship with a beautiful woman, and a privileged place in Tampa's shadowy underworld. But a rumor surfaces that someone wants Joe dead. And he has only days to figure out who, or he will die. And then there's the ghost—a young boy who appears on the fringes of Joe's vision and seems to be trying to tell him something. Racing against time and fate, Joe hurtles through a violent yet intoxicating world on the brink of total collapse or epic triumph, a world on the cusp of reinvention and rebirth—where the old codes, the old sins, and the old dreams may soon be swept away once and for all.

The third book in the thrilling four-book Shattered Realms series from New York Times bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima The empress in the east—the unspeakably cruel ruler whose power grew in Flamecaster and Shadowcaster—tightens her grip in this chilling third installment in the series. Vagabond seafarer Evan Strangward can move the ocean and the wind, but his magical abilities seem paltry in comparison to Empress Celestine’s. As Celestine’s bloodsworn armies grow, Evan travels to the Fells to warn the queendom of her imminent invasion. If he can’t convince the Gray Wolf queen to take a stand, he knows that the Seven Realms will fall. Among the dead will be the one person Evan can’t stand to lose. Meanwhile, the queen’s formidable daughter, Princess Alyssa ana’Raisa, is already a prisoner aboard the empress’s ship. Lyss may be the last remaining hope of bringing down the empress from within her own tightly controlled territory. Multiple intricately interwoven storylines converge in this gripping novel about a brave, coordinated effort to undermine a horrific tyrant.

Free short stories to update readers on the lives of the Demonica characters. Wraith and Serena Tayla and Eidolon - the scene takes place between Sin Undone and Eternal Rider Kaden and Andrea - these two chapters are included in the ebook version of Eternity Embraced, but are not in the print short story found in The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2: Love Bites Luc and Kar - this scene takes place eight months after the events of Sin Undone Shade and Runa - this scene takes place between Rogue Rider and Reaver Reaver - his scene takes place between Rogue Rider and Reaver

In the Alaskan wilderness, almost anything can be healed. Even a broken heart. A troubled woman … Ella May is coming home to Juneau for the first time in a year and a half. With a baby in tow and running for her life, pride is not an option. Babs Bula, the stylish woman who just happens to be a matchmaker, guides Ella back to Tate Montgomery. Ella can't deny she needs Tate's help, but she still hasn't forgiven her baby's father for his deceptions. A wounded man … When Tate’s fated mate left him a year and a half ago, he didn’t believe he’d ever recover. Maybe it had been a mistake to keep the truth from her for so long, but he’d only been trying to protect her. Now that Ella's landed on his doorstep with a child she says is his, he doesn’t know if he should be overjoyed or angry as hell. The cute, curvy girl he’s known since high school might still be the love of his life, but some mistakes can’t be fixed. Like keeping his baby from him for a year and a half. A lethal dilemma … Ella has a criminal wolf pack on her trail. Tate shelters her and the baby while his brother and cousin tackle the threat ... but that's the easy part. Can he and Ella learn to trust again, and rekindle the deep love they once shared? Or will Tate be left alone once more, without his mate and child?