Vampire Storm (Volume 1 : The Hurricane Journals)

      R.M. Plaiscia
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When two storms converge upon a mighty river’s crescent, one of swirling wind and rising water, the other of regenerating flesh and self-binding bones, only one shall hold the ability to shift the fates of all the future forever more, and as the swamp fills with water, three witches shall begin their silent battle to control that power… but not all of them will be able to escape with their lives.It was upon a mighty river’s crescent where the last surviving remnants of Witchkind struggled for supremacy of their future. But before any wars could be fought, these witches first needed to survive the convergence of two massive storms, each holding ramifications of their own.One storm had been swirling across the warm coastal waters of their newly founded land, building strength as it did, one of fierce wind and deepening water - while the other had been following a great river southwards, tracing its course in search of his own identity, a storm of regenerating flesh and self-binding bones, and one with the ability to drag the fates of all the future along whichever path he chose.So as the swamp fills with water, three witches shall begin their silent battle for this new power, and thus the future… but not all of them will be able to escape that flood with their lives.

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    The Great Plane Robbery

      J.T. Lewis
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The Adventures of Young Gabriel Celtic is a Middle Grade/YA series that focuses on the misadventures of Gabriel Celtic as a youngster. Always inquisitive, he follows his intuition in search of mystery and adventure. Unfortunately, things don't always turn out quite like he planned.The Adventures of Young Gabriel Celtic is a Middle Grade series that focuses on the misadventures of Gabriel Celtic as a youngster. Always inquisitive, he follows his intuition in search of mystery and adventure. Unfortunately, things don't always turn out quite like he planned. “Go ahead Mr. Celtic.”“Why are you calling collect dad.” GB said smiling. “Did your car break down?”Silence“Dad…?”“Gabe?” GB asked excitedly at the sound of his son’s voice. “Where are you? I thought you were at Jimmy’s house?”“I’m at the airport…in Mount Pleasant.”“WHAT? That’s a hundred miles from here!”“Yeah…I kinda got my tail in a wringer here. Can you come pick me up?”“You are in a world of trouble son. I haven’t even started getting mad at you yet.”“I know….I’m sorry. Oh and dad…?”“Yeah Gabe?”“Bring your gun.”

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    Conscious Slumber

      Tyler Benz
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Is there more to this universe than just the conscious and unconscious states of mind? Can you reach deeper, deeper, deeper still, until you come to an uncharted dreamscape frontier? Greg certainly thinks so. And to numb the darkness of his conscious life, Greg works to discover this new reality, a place where nobody can bother him, where he can rule supreme.This is a short story, and the first complete one written by Tyler Benz.

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    Pray for Rain Part 2

      Dangerous Walker
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Ben Grant and his motley crew continue on their quest to take down the Desard Crime Family. Now they are gunning for the criminal Gothra for a way in. To do so they find themselves on Earth, in the city of Bangkok in an attempt to kidnap a lieutenant deserting from her organisation. With the information they can get they plan on a full frontal assault on Gothra's skyscraper.100% of the profits made by this book will be donated to charity. People have lived in poverty and ignorance for generations. Thousands of people are dying out of cold and hunger. Their own administration would kill many innocents in order to lead the country to a darker place.Years ago, a nine-year-old boy was killed for stealing money to buy medicine for his ill mother. His death was a tragedy that was never forgotten. A young woman, in her early twenties, decides to change things around her. She and her team joined the administration in hopes for a better future. They would provide food and care to those in need. In the process, they met many heart breaking cases.They were forced to witness the cruelty of the human race. They saw atrocities that have haunted them for years. They saw the physically abused men and women begging for their lives. They saw mutilated faces that could’ve made a rock cry. They saw the brutalized people who wanted to escape their reality. They saw the orphans who wanted nothing but to see the shadows of their lost parents. They saw the wrinkles on aging men and woman who wanted to scream from the oppression. They saw the infants of martyred parents who didn’t even know why they cried. They saw the tears of those who screamed, “Give us our home back.” So, for that ladies and gentlemen, please hear them out.If you liked Les Misérables, The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, or Divergent, you will love National Exile.

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    The Escape Route

      Claire Montgomery
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Callie has finally met the man of her dreams, Adrian. There's just one obstacle between her and her happily ever after: Melody, her mother-in-law. After Callie and Adrian's engagement party venue is flooded, Melody swoops in to "save" the day in what looks more like a hostile takeover. Is there a compromise to keep everyone happy or will Callie and Adrian find an escape route from all the drama?Book of magic is the second part of a sword and sorcery series that has all the tropes of high fantasy and fast-paced adventure. The stories are rounded, have independent endings and can be read as standalone shorts. Read together, they make for a longer adventure.This story introduces Dun, an apprentice wizard with unique talents. He returns in part four, The Isles of Krake and the upcoming fifth story Dog’s Blade.1. Sword of the Sands2. Book of Magic3. Sword in the City4. The Isles of Krake5. Dog’s Blade - Expected end of March 2017. Also expected around that time is Swords and Magic; bundle of the first five stories.

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    The Adventures of Snoop Cat...Cat On a Bus

      Wendy Hershey
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The Adventures of Snoop Cat is a series of feline escapades featuring a daring Bombay cat named Snoop Alexander Stone. The stories will be designed for both children and adult reading and feature universal themes to touch the hearts of all ages. In "Cat On A Bus", Snoop and his pal Custer are on a mission to rescue cats at a local cat shelter who are being held captive by the nasty George PutterGet ready for the first adventure in a series of feline escapades starring an extraordinary black cat. This short story introduces you to an adventurous and daring Bombay cat who lives in Chatsville, New Hampshire. His name is Snoop Alexander Stone. Snoop never allows human barriers to stop his fun. He is a schemer who is determined to overcome any obstacles that a human throws his way. He can do what any human can do...but better! In this story, he and his cat pal Custer plan a wonderful surprise for a shelter filled with homeless cats. There are memories and complications along the way that may tug at your heartstrings and possibly bring a few tears to your eyes. But if you've ever had a cat like Snoop, this little book will definitely bring back sweet thoughts and smiles. The universal theme revealed is one of forgiveness as seen through the eyes of a cat. A book for all ages and surely for anyone who has ever loved a cat.

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    My Lucky Day: A Romantic Holiday Story

      Rusty Fischer
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Brent Coffee hasn’t seen his former classmate, Molly Sinclair, in nearly a decade, but all that changes when he shows up to fix her Wi-fi connection on St. Patrick’s Day. After a quick fix, Brent asks Molly to join him at a local horror film marathon that night, but she quickly refuses. Or does she? Anything can happen on the luckiest night of the year, even a second chance at love…Brent Coffee hasn’t seen his former classmate, Molly Sinclair, in nearly a decade, but all that changes when he shows up to fix her Wi-fi connection on St. Patrick’s Day. After a quick fix, Brent asks Molly to join him at a local horror film marathon that night, but she quickly refuses. Or does she? Anything can happen on the luckiest night of the year, even a second chance at love… This 4,311-word short story is 22 pages long.

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    A Mouse Tale for Christmas

      Bonnie Turner
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A read-aloud holiday story for all ages.When Pinky Mouse disobeys his parents and sneaks out of their dusty attic home to learn the meaning of Christmas, he finds himself in danger from Tiger the cat and a mean-looking mousetrap. Oh dear! The cuckoo clock doesn't know and the cat only wants to eat him! How can he find out about Christmas?A read-aloud holiday story for all ages.When Pinky Mouse disobeys his parents and sneaks out of their dusty attic home to learn the meaning of Christmas, he finds himself in danger from Tiger the cat and a mean-looking mousetrap! And when he asks the Cuckoo clock about Christmas, a little bird pops out and chirps, "Cuckoo-Cuckoo!"Oh dear! If the Cuckoo bird doesn't know and the cat only wants to eat him, how will he ever find out about Christmas?(Primary and middle-grade fiction.)

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    The Testimony

      Richard Shekari
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A family of five invites their good neighbour over for dinner. Things get ugly as someone decides to teach them a lesson they will never forget.Every kid wishes for magic, but not Miriam Mermelstein. She wished for something real, but what turned out to be real, was not what she expected.Magic Sucks is a humorous middle-grade fantasy about miscommunication between young people and adults. Not all of the adults in this story are human.Mom was beaming. “I hate shopping,” she said with passion. “Hmmm. How about a tube of ultra marine blue.” I reached into my sampo and pulled out a tube of ultra marine blue watercolor. Mom took it into her cupped hands, hugging it to her chest. “Paint!” she whispered reverently.“Miriam,” Dad said. He didn’t sound too thrilled about the shopping thing. “Take out a hundred dollar bill.”I did.“My god.” Mom blanched. “The mortgage.”“Not the mortgage, Rose. A ten-year old with an unlimited supply of hundred dollar bills.”“Maybe they’re counterfeit?”“Worse. A ten year old with an unlimited supply of counterfeit hundred dollar bills.” They stopped talking and just stared at each other.“I guess you don’t want to see what else they gave me,” I said.“What!” they both shouted at me.This is a story about a girl, her cat, her parents...and the entire kingdom of Ardu, which is located in the SE corner of Fairyland.

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    In Case Of Emergency: an action-packed short story

      Jack Heath
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‘Something from the menu?’ she asked.‘No, thank you.’ The boy held up a newspaper. He had scrawled a message on the front page: the passenger behind me has a gun.‘Something from the menu?’ Aravinya asked the pre-teen boy in seat 9A.‘No, thank you.’ The boy held up a newspaper. He had scrawled a message on the front page in thick black marker pen: the passenger behind me has a gun.This short story was written before a live audience and features characters from The Cut Out, a bestselling middle-grade action thriller which was shortlisted for multiple awards.

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    Perception or The Oatmeal Cookie & Michelle's Mind

      Michelle Hoogwoud
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A collection of slap-stick comedic screenplays. Some have already been filmed and posted onto YouTube. Be prepared to be confused with laughter.Michelle walks into a room with a table and 2 chairs. Mr. Monkey is seated. Michelle slams the book onto the table, "This is my collection of screenplays."She takes a seat and looks into the eyes of Mr. Monkey. No response. She continues, "Well, I've been meaning to put this out there. I know, I know, I wrote this a long time ago. I was told to stop editing past work and just give it a final close."Mr. Monkey stare blankly."Say something!!" Michelle yells at him. But there is no response... because he is a 6-foot stuffed monkey.This collection of screenplays goes from short scripts to a feature. Be prepared to be confused with laughter.

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    They Marvel at the Star

      L J Hick
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Thomas is a member of the Fyrd and is recruited into Harold Godwinson's army to confront Duke William II of Normandy. He is befriended by a blond-haired man called Kauko as they march to war. Thomas has no time for lords, kings or gods of any kind but Kauko seems to have a large amount of time for Thomas. What does Kauko have planned for Thomas?Thomas is a member of the Fyrd and is recruited into Harold Godwinson's army to confront Duke William II of Normandy. He is befriended by a blond-haired man called Kauko as they march to war. Thomas has no time for lords, kings or gods of any kind but Kauko seems to have a large amount of time for Thomas. Why is Kauko so interested in the welfare of a farmer's son, and just what does he intend to do with him? As the relationship develops and the pair of them confront the stupidity and darkness of war, Thomas comes to realise that they did not meet by chance. In fact, Kauko has been preparing for this for a long time.

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    The Fifth Elephant

      Terry Pratchett
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Everyone knows that the world is flat, and supported on the backs of four elephants. But weren't there supposed to be five? Indeed there were. So where is it?... When duty calls. Commander Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork constabulary answers. Even when he doesn't want to. He's been "invited" to attend a royal function as both detective and diplomat. The one role he relishes; the other requires, well, ruby tights. Of course where cops (even those clad in tights) go, alas, crime follows. An attempted assassination and a theft soon lead to a desperate chase from the low halls of Discworld royalty to the legendary fat mines of Uberwald, where lard is found in underground seams along with tusks and teeth and other precious ivory artifacts. It's up to the dauntless Vimes -- bothered as usual by a familiar cast of Discworld inhabitants (you know, trolls, dwarfs, werewolves, vampires and such) -- to solve the puzzle of the missing pachyderm. Which of course he does. After all, solving mysteries is his job.

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    Boone's Lick

      Larry McMurtry
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Boone's Lick is Pulitzer Prize-winning author Larry McMurtry's return to the kind of story that made him famous -- an enthralling tale of the nineteenth-century west. Like his bestsellers Lonesome Dove, Streets of Laredo, Comanche Moon, and Dead Man's Walk, Boone's Lick transports the reader to the era about which McMurtry writes better and more shrewdly than anyone else. Told with McMurtry's unique blend of historical fact and sheer storytelling genius, the novel follows the Cecil family's arduous journey by riverboat and wagon from Boone's Lick, Missouri, to Fort Phil Kearny in Wyoming. Fifteen-year-old Shay narrates, describing the journey that begins when his Ma, Mary Margaret, decides to hunt down her elusive husband, Dick, to tell him she's leaving him. Without knowing precisely where he is, they set out across the plains in search of him, encountering grizzly bears, stormy weather, and hostile Indians as they go. With them are Shay's siblings, G.T., Neva, and baby Marcy; Shay's uncle, Seth; his Granpa Crackenthorpe; and Mary Margaret's beautiful half-sister, Rose. During their journey they pick up a barefooted priest named Father Villy, and a Snake Indian named Charlie Seven Days, and persuade them to join in their travels. At the heart of the novel, and the adventure, is Mary Margaret, whom we first meet shooting a sheriff's horse out from underneath him in order to feed her family. Forceful, interesting, and determined, she is written with McMurtry's trademark deftness and sympathy for women, and is in every way a match for the worst the west can muster. Boone's Lick abounds with the incidents, the excitements, and the dangers of life on the plains. Its huge cast of characters includes such historical figures as Wild Bill Hickok and the unfortunate Colonel Fetterman (whose arrogance and ineptitude led to one of the U.S. Army's worst and bloodiest defeats at the hands of the Cheyenne and Sioux) as well as the Cecil family (itself based on a real family of nineteenth-century traders and haulers). The story of their trek in pursuit of Dick, and the discovery of his second and third families, is told with brilliance, humor, and overwhelming joie de vivre in a novel that is at once high adventure, a perfect western tale, and a moving love story -- it is, in short, vintage McMurtry, combining his brilliant character portraits, his unerring sense of the west, and his unrivaled eye for the telling detail. Boone's Lick is one of McMurtry's richest works of fiction to date.

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    Bad Dirt

      Annie Proulx
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The stories in Annie Proulx's new collection are peopled by characters who struggle with circumstances beyond their control in a kind of rural noir half-light. Trouble comes at them from unexpected angles, and they will themselves through it, hardheaded and resourceful. Bound by the land and by custom, they inhabit worlds that are often isolated, dangerous, and in Proulx's bold prose, stunningly vivid. In "What Kind of Furniture Would Jesus Pick?" rancher Gilbert Wolfscale, alienated from his sons, bewildered by his criminal ex-wife, gets shoved down his throat the fact that the old-style ranch life has gone. Several stories concern the eccentric denizens of Elk Tooth, a tiny hamlet where life revolves around three bars. Elk Toothers enter beard-growing contests, scrape together a living hauling hay, catch poachers in unorthodox ways. "Man Crawling out of Trees" is about urban newcomers from the east and their discovery, too late, that one of them has violated the deepest ethics of the place. Above all, these stories are about the compelling lives of rapidly disappearing rural Americans. Through Proulx's knowledge of the history of Wyoming and the west, her interest in landscape and place, and her sympathy for the sheer will it takes to survive, we see the seared heart of the tough people who live in the emptiest state. Proulx, winner of the Pulitzer, the National Book Award, and many other prizes, has written a collection of spectacularly satisfying stories.

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    The Hellfire Club

      Peter Straub
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They are dying, one by one: wealthy middle-aged women in an exclusive Connecticut suburb. Their murderer remains at large. Nora Chancel, wife of publishing scion Davey Chancel, fears she may be next. After all, her past has branded her a victim. . . . ** * Then Davey tells Nora a surreal story about the Hellfire Club, where, years before, he met an obsessed fan of Chancel House’s most successful book, Night Journey—a book that has a strange history of its own. . . . **Suddenly terror engulfs Nora: She must defend herself against fantastic accusations even as a madman lies in wait. And when he springs, Nora will embark on a night journey that will put her fears to rest forever, dead or alive. . . . From the Paperback edition.

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    The Apple: New Crimson Petal Stories

      Michel Faber
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Enjoy more Sugar. Join Clara at the rat pit. Relax with Mr Bodley as he is lulled to sleep by Mrs Tremain and her girls. Find out what became of Sophie. Michel Faber revisits the world of his bestselling novel The Crimson Petal and the White, conjuring tantalising glimpses of its characters, their lives before we first met them and their intriguing futures. You'll be desperate for more by the time you reluctantly re-emerge into the twenty-first century.

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    Crack'd Pot Trail

      Steven Erikson
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It is an undeniable truth: give evil a name and everyone’s happy.  Give it two names and…why, they’re even happier. Intrepid necromancers Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, scourges of civilization, raisers of the dead, reapers of the souls of the living, devourers of hope, betrayers of faith, slayers of the innocent, and modest personifications of evil, have a lot to answer for and answer they will. Known as the Nehemoth, they are pursued by countless self-professed defenders of decency, sanity, and civilization. After all, since when does evil thrive unchallenged? Well, often—but not this time. Hot on their heels are the Nehemothanai, avowed hunters of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach. In the company of a gaggle of artists and pilgrims, stalwart Mortal Sword Tulgord Vise, pious Well Knight Arpo Relent, stern Huntsman Steck Marynd, and three of the redoubtable Chanter brothers (and their lone sister) find themselves faced with the cruelest of choices. The legendary Crack’d Pot Trail, a stretch of harsh wasteland between the Gates of Nowhere and the Shrine of the Indifferent God, has become a tortured path of deprivation. Will honor, moral probity, and virtue prove champions in the face of brutal necessity? No, of course not. Don’t be silly.

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    Beautiful Tempest

      Johanna Lindsey
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1 New York Times bestselling author Johanna Lindsey now reveals the tempestuous story of Jacqueline Malory whose furious desire for revenge leads to a confrontation with the handsome pirate who abducted her—and sparks a much steamier kind of desire. For the first time, James Malory and his Anderson in-laws agree on something: It’s payback time for the culprit who kidnapped James and Georgina’s beloved daughter Jack from her American debutante party and whisked her away to the Caribbean, no matter that she escaped unscathed. James figured out who masterminded the dastardly plot and is leading a fleet of ships to the West Indies to deliver some Malory-style retribution. More interested in revenge than in finding a husband during her first London Season, Jack is furious that her father left her behind. Then an intriguing stranger leads her and her older brother Jeremy to her mysterious abductor. But instead of capturing him, the Malory siblings wind up as his “ guests” on a ship sailing away from England. As Jack re-engages in a battle of wills with her all too attentive captor, she realizes he is no ordinary pirate, perhaps no pirate at all, but a nobleman determined to settle a score that dates back to the days when her father was known as Captain Hawk—and what endangers her most is the increasingly passionate attraction they feel for each other.

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    December 6

      Martin Cruz Smith
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From the New York Times bestselling author of Gorky Park and Havana Bay comes another gripping novel of loyalty, betrayal, and intrigue on the eve of the greatest military conflict in the history of mankind.... DECEMBER 6 Amid the imperialist fervor of late 1941 Tokyo, Harry Niles is a man with a mission -- self-preservation. But Niles was raised by missionary parents and educated in the shadows of Tokyo's underworld -- making his loyalties as dubious as his business dealings. Now, on the eve of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Niles must decide where his true allegiances lie, as he tries to juggle his Japanese mistress and an adulterous affair with the wife of a British diplomat; avoid a modern-day samurai who is honor-bound to kill him; and survive the machinations of the Japanese high command, whose plans for conquest may just dictate his survival. Set in a maelstrom of personal temptations and mortal enemies, with a remarkable anti-hero caught in a land he can never call his own, DECEMBER 6 is a triumph of imagination, history, and riveting storytelling.

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    Action!

      Carolyn Keene
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So I agreed to play the part of Esther Rackham in a film about the heist that gave River Heights its name, and there was all this trouble on the set, and I figured out who was behind it. Case closed, right? Wrong! Once the camera starts rolling, a huge fire breaks out on the set, setting back production again. We're running out of time and funds. At least the fire turns up a key clue about who started it, but I'll have to continue juggling acting and sleuthing. Because it might be up to me to save this film from going up in flames....

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