Juan Cabrillo skippers a disguised spy ship - for hire for covert missions. In this adventure he must find and seize a golden Buddha - the artifact and its contents are vital to striking a deal with the Russians and the Chinese and restoring the Dalai Lama to power in Tibet.

A collection of articles to simplify a wide variety of subjects about the present and future of the United States. It’s about clarifying and simplifying complex issues involving our evolution into an almost bankrupt, stagnant welfare state now being challenged by hungrier, aggressive, more productive nations.Many people form opinions from brief television bits crafted by biased “news” media, or merely from previous opinions. These articles cut through the complexities and misconceptions to simplify a variety of important, unclear issues. The public has been suckered into giving up their opportunity to achieve and prosper in exchange for free lunches and subsidies paid by others, creating a less productive, stagnant and almost bankrupt welfare state. In the process, the citizens and states have permitted big, expensive governments to rob us of many of our constitutional rights. We have become dependents of the career politicians, ensuring their re-election. Our savings will be wiped out by inflation, and our children and grandchildren must pay our bills.

Seven authors, seven visions, seven short stories make up Murder, Mayhem, Monsters, and Mistletletoe. Rae Ford, Rodney Hall, C.R. Garmen, Michelle Rabe, Lindy Spencer, Jamie Sheffield, and Brenda Tetreault share their stories in this winter-themed anthology.Seven authors, seven visions, seven short stories make up Murder, Mayhem, Monsters, and Mistletletoe. Rae Ford, Rodney Hall, C.R. Garmen, Michelle Rabe, Lindy Spencer, Jamie Sheffield, and Brenda Tetreault share their stories in this winter-themed anthology.Cold Burn - From The Luminosi Brotherhood Series - by Rae Ford. A surprise from Chicago Detective Tyson Roberts' distant past distracts him from his preparation for the team's expedition to Antarctica. The question is, is this distraction a blessing or a curse?"Mr. John – by Rodney Hall. DetectiveJohn Peterson stared through the blinding snow. He had to ask himself if what he saw was real, or if he was losing his mind.A Perfect Christmas – by C.R. Garmen. A short and sweet reminder of the virtue of giving during the holidays.Another First for Christmas – by Michelle Rabe. New vampire Eric Kincade faces his first holiday season with fangs.Above the Bridge – by Lindy Spencer. There's a huge difference between life above the bridge and below it...except for Karma. From her, there's no escape.Now is the Winter – by Jamie Sheffield. Richie Gloucester is a spoiled man-child on a trip away from the cold of a Manhattan winter to the tropics, with murder in his heart. His plans, and life, take a bizarre turn when he meets an unlikely heroine who helps him take control of his life ... literally.Merry Christmas, Baby – by Brenda Tetreault. Christmas is a time of love and magic. But sometimes love needs a helping hand.

First book in the teen action series!Starlet has always wanted to be a Freedom Fighter like her parents. However, being a Freedom Fighter has a lot of risks and life on the run isn't easy, but Starlet is determined to put her life on the line for the price of freedom, no matter how dangerous it is.For fearless, rough and tumble, Carol's, life was hard, but good, she had a loving family, and an imagination that could take her on any adventure, or anywhere, she wanted to go. Alice was even the leader of her own club, The Weaver of Shadows Club, complete with Secret club name. Alice thought it would always be this way.Unfortunately, an unforeseen mix of events would soon be shattering the world Alice lives in. The incantation from the book, the campfire stories, the old man, were only the beginning. Alice soon found herself immersed in a battle to save those she loved, along with her sanity. She would need help, but how was she going to get someone to believe her tales of terror were no longer make believe, when she was not so sure herself.

Psychian's the new breed of of human design and mistake. With a looming war on the way the Psychian's strive to survive. Waiting for their legendary Triple Psychian to arrive they hold on till a new one is made. He could be the Psychian's last chance to survive. At the end of the war only the last one standing will be the victor.The story of the book is about Shinruga the main character. Already completing the first part of his training he must complete the second. The war looms over his head and his family and friends are in danger. His sword possess's the Shard of the Triple Psychian's blade that once was. By having this Shard there is a responsibility to fullfill. He must try to become the new Triple Psychian and save his people from the AU. Will he be able to accept or fail leaving everyone to there doom. With the humans forces does Shinruga and his friends stand a chance. A story filled with love, action, adventure,war, survival and conspiracy. The book will keep you on the edge of your seat, will captivate you and keep you interested till the last page.

The gods have been playing their game for eons; some win, some lose, some tie. The latest game has almost come to an end with a clear winner. However, there is one last piece to play, one last god to take his turn. And the god of Chaos hates doing as expected.The gods have played the Great Game for eons, and worlds have hung in the balance. Some worlds have survived, some have been destroyed, and some of the playing fields have existed in a draw. The last game nearly brought about the destruction of man and god alike, requiring drastic measures to reset the board. Now, the current iteration of the Great Game draws to a close, the winner nearly decided. All the gods have played their parts, save one. The God of Chaos has been unbound, the rules granting him one last move... But this particular god hates doing what is expected.

Phillip Boyd is a loser who's life changes around when he starts playing blackjack with a mysterious woman named Luci.Ian Evans gave his heart to the girl he had loved since high school, but she broke it when she threw his ring in his face and walked away. Three years later, when Kat reappears engaged to a powerful politician, Ian feels the burn of betrayal all over again. Kathleen Woods never stopped loving Ian, not even when he glared at her with hatred in his eyes. Her father, a man who stops at nothing to get what he wants, made it clear Ian was unacceptable and forced her to give him up in order to save his life. However, neither Kat nor Ian knows that fate has unfinished business with them. For while Kat hides the truth, he is covertly investigating her powerful father. Their secrets collide when John Woods’ cruelty, threats and crimes are exposed, and Ian must protect Kat at the risk of his life. Can Ian trust her long enough to take down the drug and smuggling ring he has long been trying to bring to justice? Will he and Zach be able to solve the case and bring peace to a grieving widow when Kat’s distracting him at every turn? As ghosts are finally laid to rest, more secrets are revealed. Good will triumph over evil, law enforcement will have their revenge but can Ian Evans forgive the past and accept that true love is forever?

Brent Grimes is summoned by his fraternity to eradicate a problem threatening their agenda on a foreign soil. While he knows he'll need all his wits about him to accomplish the task, what he doesn't know, is his frat has been keeping a centuries old secret, not only from him, but from the world at large. A secret so shocking, even he's reluctant to believe its truth.Paolo Manfredi is an affirmed paediatric surgeon who lives and works in Paris. Born in Torre dell'Isola, a town not too far from Palermo, after high school he left Sicily, a land then upset by serious upheavals, to pursue his ambitions. After thirty years, he comes back with his wife and his children to celebrate his fiftieth birthday, and to retrace the steps of a brusquely interrupted personal and civil history. He finds a deeply changed world, and walking on the footsteps of his own past, searching for his Sicily, he finds again his old friends, and with them the emotions he denied for a long time, his cut roots, his childhood places, changed yet still deeply intact. In the nostalgic memory of his past life, Paolo learns to look at the events from the point of view of those who stayed and fought so that the identity of a people wouldn’t be lost.

In this adventure-comedy novel, Baron von dek Horn operates at his investigative finest. Summoned from the comforting chaos of Tumultuous Manor, his cozy estate in northern New England, the international consultant pursues eccentric global financier Wayland Bridgework and a collection of valuable flash drives that control the cyber fortunes of governments, banks and corporations.An adventure-comedy novel, Baril de Singes (Barrel of Monkeys) features Baron von dek Horn at his investigative finest. Upon receiving an emergency message interrupting a dinner party at Tumultuous Manor, the international consultant is placed on the trail of eccentric global financier Wayland Bridgework. The assignment quickly becomes a race to collect valuable flash drives permitting access to the cyber fortunes of governments, banks and corporations.Amid dancing with death, agreeing to star in a Hollywood film and facing his latent fear of giant ship propellers, Von dek Horn grapples with a growing attraction for Angelica Formica de Corcoran Bridgework Shumway, daughter of the rogue multibillionaire. And, when least expected, old nemesis Osborne Moeziz appears to further complicate matters.In the course of his desperate pursuit to rescue teetering financial markets and sort through his romantic inclinations, Von dek Horn is supported by his remarkably reliable Tumultuous Manor staff: Imperturbable and judicious valet Smudgely, the exceptional tea-maker and cook Mrs. Potsdam, and the mysterious-yet-efficient personal assistant Mia Kolpaux.

In this sequel to "A Christmas Passage", a whole year has gone by since that fateful night when Snowy delivered the gifts. This year, she and Alma Aurora are off again on another amazing and eye opening adventure. Quirky, whimsical, and fast paced. This heartwarming out-of-the-box Christmas story is just what the doctor ordered for the crass materialism of the season.Insulated from the world, a self-assured precocious little girl believes that all she needs, all she will ever need, lies within the boundaries of her street and just barely beyond the property lines of her parents' home.Life is idyllic for Katie, a the six year old living in a suburb in Louisville Kentucky KY in the early sixties. Her neighborhood offers every imaginable pleasure: plenty of places for exploration, loyal friends, the occasional walk to Whirlies, bike rides and go-carts and cardboard sleds.When the racism snakes itself into her neighborhood, the little girl struggles to reconcile the illogic of this intruder with everything she knows and loves.The answer to her questions comes dressed up as an aloof old woman in dull baggy clothes driving an old pickup truck from Nebraska.You will be charmed as you come to know Katie Arlene Morgenstern, Mama and Papa, Danny Watson and his family, a small group of teaching nuns, Katie's neighbors, and just past the old barn at the end of Thistlewood Drive, the residents of the Rainbow Forrest.And, of course, dear Aunt Myrna.

And then she was waking up to the sound of klaxons blaring. Lieutenant Caroline Swanson, lately graduated from the Central Planet's space program, revives in the midst of a horrible nightmare on board her ship. Please rate and review.Two homes in the mountainsSnowed in for winter’s keep;A river in between them,A rope tight o’er the deep.A mother and her daughter,A father and his son,A cottage and a cabin,A story yet unspunBut time did freeze a tin canDangling from that ropeA messenger from days gone by,Echoing long lost hope.Until a cold November daySaw decades fall away;Young hands inscribed a folded scrap,A missive sent to say…_________________So begins the plucky correspondence of Timothy and Genevieve, two children about to uncover a story long-buried... one filled with love, with loss, and with hope. An enchanting Christmas story laced with joy, God's healing hand in the broken places of life weaves through each letter passed over the river in that tin-can strung from the rusted pulley. Enter into a simpler time in this petite tale, written to be just long enough to tuck into a stolen moment as you rest your feet and quiet your heart in the bustle of a busy season.

When Archer decides that he’s had enough of Orion and Devony running what he thought was going to be his school he takes desperate measures to ruin everything. Through lies and betrayal, deceit and deception, Archer will stop at nothing to get what he wants, and he doesn’t care whose lives he has to destroy in the process.Shakespeare’s work features some of the most memorable stories and characters ever created, yet for too many curious readers the combination of ultra-dense dialogue and unfamiliar historical settings make tackling the Bard’s work something between a tedious chore and a confusing mess of bird-bolts and quondam carpet-mongers.While it’s nearly impossible to replicate or improve on these works, it is (thanks to their timeless nature) possible to make them more accessible to a wider audience.In this retelling of William Shakespeare’s classic play featuring one of the worst villains in the history of literature, join C.E. Wilson as she breathes new life into Othello, the second in her Young Adult series Shakespeare for Everyone Else.When Archer decides that he’s had enough of Orion and Devony running what he thought was going to be his school he takes desperate measures to ruin everything. Through lies and betrayal, deceit and deception, Archer will stop at nothing to get what he wants, and he doesn’t care whose lives he has to destroy in the process.Can anyone stop one of William Shakespeare’s most villainous characters in this YA retelling of the epic tragedy of Othello?

The harsh Alaskan winter has been ruthless. While Shara's father is trading with the Natives in the Aleutian Islands, she has been left behind to care for her ailing mother and fend for herself. With wolves on her property, her mother put on hospice, and her father missing at sea, Shara finds courage, within herself, to face her wildest fears.The harsh Alaskan winter has been ruthless. While Shara's father is trading with the Natives in the Aleutian Islands, she has been left behind to care for her ailing mother and fend for herself. With wolves on her property, her mother put on hospice, and her father missing at sea, Shara finds courage, within herself, to face her wildest fears. With winter giving harsh blows, and Christmas fast approaching, will Shara's father ever return to her? Will she have the endurance to continue taking care of her mother when hope is dwindling? I WILL RETURN is a heartwarming story that takes you on an adventurous ride.

The mystery of the missing twenty-three remains unsolved, even after their return. Paul, the man who organized the masquerade party, has been cleared of any wrong-doing, but Norrah, Jay, and Aaron aren’t so sure. They seek to uncover his dark and secretive past. The more they learn, the more they become convinced that he is responsible for what happened.They mystery of the missing twenty-three remains unsolved, even after their return. Paul, the man who organized the masquerade party, has been cleared of any wrong-doing, but Norrah, Jay, and Aaron aren’t so sure. They seek to uncover his dark and secretive past. The more they learn, the more they become convinced that he is responsible for what happened.They find a connection between Paul and the man behind the horned mask, one with religious implications that hints at prophecy. The closer they become to unraveling the mystery, the more dangerous their situation gets. Could the man behind the horned mask be who they think he is?

A Tale within the worlds of the Ancient Breeds series. This story takes place before Black Pyramid.Myaten and Kiros travel through time to find Atlantis in the hopes of an alliance to fight the BloodSeekers. Will Queen Larissa unite her elite warriors in a war not of her Time? On this journey, Kiros learns about his past which will ultimately change the course of his life."Your poem has got real feeling in it!" - Kevin Halford"Het hamert er wel in, moet ik je zeggen!" - Frank BeunkThe Wall is a long poem caused by lots and lots of non-stop noise. I can barely look at it without starting to feel the incredible noise stress again to which I was exposed for several years. It eventually inspired me to pour it all into these words, but not until after something happened that unlocked the door to my creativity. That door had been slammed shut when I was still a young child, its key turned and carelessly thrown away.I have used The Wall to experiment with Smashwords.

Jack Clayton, the Frontier G-man is back, soaring to new heights in adventure facing counterfeiters, outlaws, border bandits, and a fast brewing range war. Jack Clayton faces challenges that will alter the destiny of the Frontier G-Man forever.Jack Clayton is back, soaring to new heights of adventure. While investigating a slick counterfeit ring in the southwest,,government agent Jack Clayton is distracted by a gang of bad boys who have robbed and pillaged the entire area, leaving death and destruction in their wake, leading the Frontier G-Man on wild chase that leads him into a fast brewing range war, treachery, deceit and border bandits. With the strong willed Marci Matson and the mysterious stranger, Andy Fane,, Jack Clayton faces challenges that will alter the destiny of the Frontier G-Man forever.

An exciting preview of “Sherwood” – the first seven chapters – a generous slice of a big fat juicy novel…An exciting preview of “Sherwood” – the first seven chapters – a generous slice of a big fat juicy novel…SHERWOOD: Emotionally scarred, and haunted by dreams of the mythical Robin Hood, Marian is just limping through life till a mysterious quirk of fate tosses her centuries into the past. Now she’s running through ancient Sherwood, beset by scoundrels, and discovering there may be a man behind the myth, after all… Before the secrets crack open and the dust clears, an unlikely heroine will rise from her own ashes, a legend will be rewritten, and a love will be forged strong enough to conquer time!

Do you like Dirk Pitt's adventures? Then you'll like Michael Kirkland as he takes on a new client with a secret to hide, one that threatens to expose decades of deception – brought on by one of Joseph Stalin’s most cunning ploys in the early days of the Great Patriotic War. An unimaginable fortune in Romanov treasure could be at stake, and Kirkland and his client aren’t the only ones in the hunt!It’s 1997, and the recent death of an American executive in Texas triggers the unraveling of a decades-old mystery – the disappearance of a fortune in Romanov-era jewelry that vanished from the Soviet Union in the early months of The Great Patriotic War.Only one man with the answers remains alive - and now, after the breakup of the Soviet Union there are those in Russia who are also trying to find him.Michael Kirkland, his newest clients and a beautiful woman quickly become ensnared in a web of international intrigue and danger as they race to find and protect the man, the family’s secret and the fortune in missing treasure.Iron Dogs and Caesar’s Ruby blends historical fact with fiction to introduce a new genre of behind-the-headlines operative, the one many of the world’s wealthiest private art collectors and their insurance carriers routinely call on to do what no one else can.

Who said being bad wasn't oh so good? Benedict Devlyn, Duke of Banbury, has one thing on his mind and it isn't marriage. But things take a turn for the worse when his menacing aunt throws a hitch in his plans to remain the most sinful and talked about man in the ton. After all, a man cannot keep the reputation of being The Devil Duke when he is leg-shackled to some simpering spinster. But his aunt, bless her heart, thinks she's dying, and believes her nephew’s behavior is the only thing standing in the way between her entrance to heaven or hell. So she very lovingly and selflessly sets him up. With his childhood nemesis. A young woman who, though she claims it was an accident, has nearly killed him thrice through her lack of grace and manners. It matters not that the minute he sets eyes on her at the Christmas ball, his blood boils with lust. He refuses to allow himself to fall prey to his aunt’s ministrations. That is, until he is compromised and stuck in an engagement to a girl who claims she'd rather jump from a moving carriage than marry him. Funny thing that, for the very minute she says no, he finds his heart very much wants to say yes. When she doesn't leap at the chance to marry him, he sets about to not only prove that he's worthy of her favor, but also worthy of her heart.

After building a fortune in the exotic East, American adventurer and merchant prince Gavin Elliott sets his sails for London to begin a new life. Then fate intervenes on an infamous island in the East Indies where a European woman faces degradation and peril. Though saving her may cost Gavin his life, he cannot refuse to help the fierce beauty who touches his heart and soul with her indomitable spirit. Alexandra Warren is returning home from Australia as a widow and mother when a pirate attack condemns her to a life of servitude. A miracle arrives in the form of a steely-eyed Yankee captain, whose reckless courage wins them freedom and a safe passage home to London. Intimate strangers joined by too many secrets, they slowly begin to heal the past with attraction and tenderness—until an old enemy reaches out to threaten the passionate love Gavin has found with his irresistible bartered bride.