John Updike's fourth collection of nonfiction is his biggest and richest yet. The years have brought to him an increasing number of odd jobs, to which he has wittily responded. Here he contemplates our national monuments, the female body, the Fourth of July, the Gospel of Matthew, other writers, moralists, aspects of science, and more.

In Cat Burglar Caper, someone is stealing kittens from the local pet store! Fortunately for the cats, Nancy and her friends are on the case.

Xavier Walton's First Kiss is a tween handbook of the often awkward and complex world of boy-girl interaction. Follow Xavier as he moves from the uncomfortable world of school life, to the more open spaces of summer camp. It is at sleep-away camp that he finally crosses the threshold from boy to young man, and shares a kiss with his summer girl.A collection of 16 short stories.What's a Pretty Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This? - A middle-aged waitress has a chance encounter with a truck driver.Prescription - A man needs to buy a prescription for his sick wife, but doesn't have enough money.A Brief Hospital Stay - A man waits by his ailing wife's bedside.Game Shows Touch Our Lives - A man sits in a bar after an ill-fated appearance on a TV game show.An Old, Broken Ship - A woman is left to care for her aging, ailing father.Plus 11 others.

Rylie has it all - great friends, dream boy, loving family. But on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, her perfect little world shatters. A stranger claiming to be her real mother appears with a secret: Rylie is a faery whose powers will be unleashed on her birthday. Captured and forced into a new life, Rylie struggles to keep everything she loves and discovers a terrifying truth: some promises caRylie has it all - great friends, dream boy, loving family. But on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, her perfect little world shatters. A stranger claiming to be her real mother appears with a secret: Rylie is a faery whose powers will be unleashed on her birthday. Captured and forced into a new life, Rylie struggles to keep everything she loves and discovers a terrifying truth: some promises cannot be broken.

Four talented teenagers are traumatized-coping with grief, surviving date rape, facing the anxiety of standardized tests and the neglect of self-absorbed adults--and they'll do anything to escape the pressure. They'll even build an invisible helicopter, to fly far away to a place where everyone will understand them... until they learn the only way to escape reality is to face it head-on.

Everybody wants to do something in the Stoneybrook Middle School production of Peter Pan--especially the Baby-sitters. Rehearsals are shaky at first, but when the big day finally arrives, the Baby-sitters are able to go on with the show.

Everyone talks about the famous "middle age" crisis, but what about the 25-year-old crisis?! Not so long ago Claire was a self-confident person, in a long-term relationship and with prospects of a successful career as interpreter for the UN. And now... she can't even get the discount for the "youths" at the cinema!As her world crumbles around her, will Claire find something to hold on to?All will love. All will lose. All will change.And it happens during those long, dark and crazy College Nights...Meet The Five: The striking -- and strikingly different -- female friends are newly arrived college freshman, and their entire future is before them. Monica is the sheltered police chief's daughter. Sonya is the sexually adventurous artist. Amanda is the British-born photojournalism student. Chelsea is wide-eyed innocent from a small town. And Lauren is the streetwise skateboarder from Philly.They come together to form an unbreakable bond at Pennsylvania's Old State University, a football powerhouse party school rocked by scandal, not unlike Penn State.What their future holds in love and life is anyone's guess. That’s because there is no freedom like the first flush of freedom at college. There are no friends like college friends. And there are no nights like college nights, when anything is possible.The Five will become more than friends amid the crucible of college. Yet, none are prepared for events to come. One will triumph. One will be betrayed. One will be left broken-hearted. One could lose herself. And one could lose her life.Because life is never the same after we experience the many adventures and the dueling dangers of those long, dark college nights...Lucy St. John, author of the acclaimed Morgan Chase series, turns her keen attention to detail, her zest for suspense and her utter love for romance to the institution where career women are made -- college.A place to learn, to be sure. But also a place to experiment. A place to be bold. A place to find ourselves -- and each other. A place to become the women we were always meant to be. And that's just the College Nights.The romantic, erotic, suspenseful and true-to-life adventure begins now with "Innocence - College Nights Book One" by Lucy St. John.Their world will never be the same. Neither will yours. Not after those crazy College Nights.Don't miss a second when the sun goes down...*This e-book contains 46,000 words.

When motherless Alice turns thirteen she feels in-between, no longer a child but not yet a woman, and discovers that growing up can be both frustrating and wonderful.

When Amanda's mother deserts her to be with a new man, Amanda is hurt. She loses faith in the world, especially when her loving grandmother is diagnosed with cancer.Amanda struggles to find answers, and then on the banks of the Junction River she, along with Shana, her adopted dog, and Vernon, a grieving alcoholic, experience an unexpected, terrifying event that helps her learn to forgive.From The Good and Two Fly Fishing Women:Now, as I approach the autumn of my life and some, though not all, of my dreams have come true, how do I describe myself? As a wife and a mother who loves her family, as an attorney who admires the law, and as a fly fisher who proudly says she learned from the greatest fly fisher she ever knew: her grandmother.And whether by accident or not, my grandmother, with the help of some unexpected and dark events, taught me something even more important than fishing, something that, even after such a long, long parade of days, I still cherish, like an antique fly rod, and wish to pass on.The lesson happened in the middle of trout season, on the first day of summer, when several incidents came together, perhaps randomly, and formed the big event of June twenty-first. I was fourteen years old and very, very hurt and angry.Why, you ask? ...e-Story Description:When her mother deserts her to be with a new man, Amanda is hurt and betrayed. She loses faith in the world. To soothe her pain, she retreats into fly fishing, until she learns that her loving grandmother has terminal cancer.Amanda struggles to find answers. Then one day she discovers that her grandmother, against the doctor’s orders, has gone fishing somewhere on the Junction River. Frightened, Amanda, along with Shana, her adopted dog, and Vernon, a grieving alcoholic, searches the river—but marches into an unexpected, terrifying event that, in a surprising way, helps her learn to forgive and to see the good in the world."Kadish has carved a wonderful story full of antics that any true angler would love. His characters are fun and bold, mercurial and fast somewhat like the fish themselves. ... If you love fishing and especially fly fishing, you will enjoy this wholesome family story. It takes you back to a time before innocence is changed and the times where a child is still unafraid to speak their mind." --Seattle Post Intelligencer Online

Short story. Young singer Kattanan duRhys, traded to a mysterious warlord, lives in an island palace made of shipwrecks. When a delegation from his homeland comes to demand an end to piracy, he must decide between serving his new master, and aiding the strangers who remind him of home. His master reveals a new sorcery, but the song Kattanan chooses may cost him his life.A short story prequel in the Singer's Crown Universe, this story features Kattanan duRhys shortly before the events of The Singer's Crown.When Kattanan arrives on the Tikran's island, the strange palace formed from the hulls of wrecked ships oppresses him and makes him queasy. Worse yet, the Tikran, his new master, never speaks but snaps his fingers in demands for new songs. Rumor has it the Tikran is a sorceror and a pirate—certainly his acolytes are eager to stay in his good humor (when they can determine what that is).Befriended by the eunuch who guards the Tikran's harem—himself a former singer—Kattanan discovers that the new visitors are foreigners from his homeland. They've come to demand an end to the piracy, but without any knowledge of the local customs, they're sure to be ignored at best, and probably murdered.At the banquet that night, Kattanan risks his position to send the strangers advice about how to behave, earning their friendship and his master's ire. The Tikran demonstrates his power, using his extraordinary voice to command a death.With his musical skills, Kattanan might learn this terrible sorcery, and remain a castaway among pirates—or sing the most dangerous song, and lose his very life.

When a murder investigation turns in to a kidnapping of a federal agent, DCI James Reid and he’s team work with the FBI’s Major Crime Unit (MCU) to find her but they soon find out that an old enemy has come back and is looking for revenge. Will they find her in time and who is their inside mole.Breaking in a new partner is the least of Detective Lincoln Munroe’s worries – the body of a scuba diver has been found in a century-old shipwreck under a hundred feet of cold, treacherous water. When all signs point to murder, Lincoln is forced to dust off his scuba gear and investigate a crime scene like no other.'Full Fathom Five' is the first installment in a series of novellas featuring Detective Lincoln Munroe that will take place prior to the events of 'A Dream of Death'.

On the eve of WW2, a self-proclaimed professional gentleman and a disgraced hard-nut cop take on the New York underworld in a game that has been devised by the city's very highest ranks, a game with murky intentions and only one clear rule: stay out of the way.MEET JOHN MILTON.He considers himself an artisan. A craftsman. His trade is murder.Milton is the man the government sends after you when everything else has failed. Ruthless. Brilliant. Anonymous. Lethal. You wouldn't pick him out of a crowd but you wouldn't want to be on his list. But now, after ten years, he's had enough - there's blood on his hands and he wants out. Trouble is, this job is not one you can just walk away from. He goes on the run, seeking atonement for his sins by helping the people he meets along the way. But his past cannot be easily forgotten and before long it is Milton who is hunted, and not the hunter.1000 YARDSThis 17,000 word novella is an introduction to John Milton, the most dangerous assassin in the pay of Her Majesty's government.Milton is sent into North Korea. With nothing but a sniper rifle, bad intentions and a very particular target, will Milton be able to take on the secret police of the most dangerous failed state on the planet?

Chasm Waxing is a cyber-techno-thriller. Twenty-somethings Becca Roberts and Josh Adler work for companies selected by the NSA's new Venture Capital firm. Conflict arises when the NSA Director uses the VC in a vendetta against ISIS. Josh's AI discovers the location of an ancient religious relic, drawing all three into a confrontation with a rising military/ political figure in the Middle East.Chasm Waxing is the first novel in the Chasm Trilogy. It’s a realistic, apocalyptic, cyber-techno-thriller; ripped from today’s headlines—projected into the year 2020. Startup kids, Becca Roberts and Josh Adler, work for companies selected by the NSA's new venture capital and startup accelerator firm. However, the NSA Director—General Shields, uses the accelerator to pursue a personal vendetta against ISIS with micro-surveillance robots. Meanwhile, Josh's AI unexpectedly discovers the location of an ancient religious relic with geopolitical implications. Muhammad Rahmati, an Iranian Quds Force Commander, employs his own novel ideas to defeat ISIS. He'll use the victory as a springboard to build a new, technically-savvy empire. A crescent moon waxes in the Middle East. Becca, Josh, General Shields, and Rahmati engage in their first confrontation, impacting the global balance of power. Chasm Waxing explores the burgeoning technologies of next-generation robots, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, Bitcoin/ Blockchain 2.0, hacking, driverless vehicles, augmented reality, gamification, encryption, and quantum computing.

Grace Palmer’s boyfriend, Grady, died suddenly one year ago. But that’s okay, because tonight it’s Christmas Eve, and he’s promised to visit Grace at the Spin Cycle Laundromat… one way or the other.This 4,731-word short story is 24 pages long.Grace Palmer’s boyfriend, Grady, died suddenly one year ago. But that’s okay, because tonight it’s Christmas Eve, and he’s promised to visit Grace at the Spin Cycle Laundromat… one way or the other.This 4,731-word short story is 24 pages long.

Following the Final War, humans are forced to join an underground society of cave dwellers. The last remaining group of survivors tries to move forward despite great loss and a now inhabitable Earth surface. But when a virus threatens animal life, will it be a minor setback? Or will it signal the end of any hope for a future?There's not much more to say, the poetry is what it is. A lifes journey that continues to grow with each passing breath. "To forgive is to let go," says Dan. "so we can move on with a liter load." we are all on a path, or own path. no path is the wrong path, just as all path are the right paths, it is but our path. the one we have chosen to taste. peace be with you on your journey life. and may we each be blessed with angels to quide us and the creators love to hold dear within us. and remember, what gose around comes around...? Dan Ferguson

What if you could erase a single, traumatic memory by simply popping a specially-formulated pill and sleeping it off? What if that memory turned out to be the crucial piece of evidence that could exonerate a wrongly-convicted man? Janet Stevens must now stay awake through one thrill-ride of a night in a desperate chase to find the real killer before her memory of the event is gone forever...Inspector Gilles Maintenon has finally run up against an original mind—someone who’s very good at wasting his time. A young bank employee is found dead in a vault that shows every sign of having been robbed. The premier Paris branch of Crédit Lyonnais holds ten or twenty million francs on a busy day. Then there’s the safety-deposit boxes. A proper investigation takes time. The police are nothing if not predictable in their procedures. But that other mind has already gone down that road. They’ve had plenty of time to think it through. Their killer, using simple human psychology, has come up with a brilliant plan. Gilles would dearly love to meet the mind that conceived of that plan. He intends to do just that. Mystery fans are sure to enjoy How to Rob a Bank, the sixth volume in Louis Shalako’s Inspector Gilles Maintenon Mystery Series.

Aubrey and Neville had always wanted to have an adventure of their own. Like those they had heard about in stories or read about on the rare occasions a book was available. They even knew what adventure they wanted to pursue. Since they were very young boys, they had always spoken of one day journeying beyond the Crystalline Sea!Aubrey and Neville had always wanted to have an adventure of their own. Like those they had heard about in stories or read about on the rare occasions a book was available. They even knew what adventure they wanted to pursue. Since they were very young boys, they had always spoken of one day journeying beyond the Crystalline Sea. They had even gone so far as to train themselves in some of the tasks they would need on their journey; walking long distances, using stout branches as swords to develop their hero-like blade work, and sailing a small homemade boat on the lake to develop the seamanship they would need to cross the great ocean. Yes, they were certain they had prepared themselves completely.The summer of their fifteenth year was swiftly approaching and they deemed it was nearly time for the adventure they dreamed of to become reality.

Love Hate contains fresh, relatable, candy for the soul.  It is a chapbook packed with non-gushy, non-mushy relationship poetry you hate to love.  Use caution: words may get stuck in your head. Elliot and Daiko prepare to go and ruffle some corporate feathers on Jaret's behalf. His secret weapon? A Classic car with a soul... Storm clouds gather as we enter the Deck's second hand. For fans of character driven urban fantasy.(...Back cover write up...)The city of Neppon drifts through the shallows, where the walls circling the mortal realm are thin. Here the daemons gather out of the surrounding night, drawn by its promise of candle flame warmth.As the election for the city's mayoral office approaches, one man stands head and shoulders above the other candidates. His reputation? A bastion for everything that is good and honest, in a world beset from all sides by horrors. But Jaret Roscan carries a secret. A secret that could bring ruin to his political career, and chaos to his beloved city.One person carries the key to his salvation. The question is, will they come forward in his hour of need?Harlem's Deck; a story in instalments. Keep your hand close to your chest...

A future legal system where your own memories are played on a screen for the jury to see. A man framed with false memories. And one man - the professional framer - having second thoughts about his career of unethical deeds. Is it too late for him to turn his life around?A war is brewing...Heartbroken and lost, Sadie left her family when she was only sixteen to fight evil. Years of searching out and destroying the vermin of the supernatural world have left her ruthless and jaded, and powerful.Sadie’s success has made her a target, and a series of cryptic warnings leaves her questioning what is being asked of her. But nothing in her past has prepared her for the obstacles she now faces in trying to rid the world of a resurrected evil that no one saw coming. She finally comes home for the chance to re-discover her first love, Aiden. Does she have the power to restore Aiden’s memories and hold on to her love for him, while battling for humanity—and her life?