Rodney Screwge is a miserable, ungenerous character with no time for Christmas, his spirit somewhat deflated by life, his mind now devoted only to intellectual pursuits, and with a taste for expensive food and fine wines. That is until one Christmas Eve when he is visited by a certain someone and thrust into an experience that will inspire him and change his outlook forever.Proverbs are a huge part of our oral tradition. In fact, whole sections of our traditional history are understood and transmitted through this method. Unfortunately, it is underappreciated like many other aspects of Liberian literature, culture or history. Our elders are known for dispensing their wisdom in these wise sayings. They believe that the young should take some responsibility in searching to find answers to life. This personal journey only served to make a person better fit for life and its challenges.This book collects 460 proverbs; it is a must-have for those wishing to connect to their ancestry. As for the lover of wise sayings, it is an adventure for a treasure chest. Most importantly, it is suitable for readers of all ages.

A Sunstrike spin-off story. Clint behaves like a movie hero. He drives like Jason Statham, rides like John Wayne, and would fly like Top Gun if he ever tried. When he’s thrust into a major disaster, he reacts with confidence and style, leading others from danger and caring for the helpless. But despite his bravery, he can’t protect his family when a solar storm knocks out all technology.Sunstrike - what happens when a massive solar storm knocks out the world's electronic technology. Starstruck Hero follows one of the minor characters from the novel Sunstrike as he deals with the sudden absence of transport, communication and electricity. Clint lives his life as if he's the hero of every movie he's ever seen. He drives like Jason Statham in The Transporter, rides like John Wayne, and would fly like Top Gun if he ever got the chance. When he’s thrust into a major disaster, he reacts with confidence and style, leading others from danger and caring for the helpless. But despite his bravery, he can’t protect his family from the terrible repercussions when sunstrike hits and the solar storm knocks out technology right across the planet. This is a relatively gentle post-apocalyptic story, free from zombies or aliens, but dealing with the end of the world as we know it.This is a spin-off story from Sunstrike, a novel featuring Averie Brown as she learns to survive in a post-technology world. In suburban Auckland, she finds the disaster shakes her out of her rut as she learns new skills to survive. After her previous uneventful life, still mourning the loss of her husband and missing her absent son, she finds the new challenge a welcome adventure as members of her neighbourhood rally to support each other against the fear of a cold and hungry winter. But the teenage waif she takes under her wing is not all he seems. Scientific research on the effects of solar flares on earth is worryingly inconclusive. It’s agreed a big eruption on the sun’s surface would send large quantities of electro-magnetic energy streaming past the earth causing severe damage to high-voltage transmission lines, and that alone would stop the provision of electricity for months if not years. The Sunstrike stories explore what might happen next.

Dark, dangerous Jordan Kyle lived life on his own terms, setting his own rules and playing for high stakes. He'd moved through this world alone, and was satisfied to have it that way—until he encountered Alyssa Chandler.

The Secret of Rue McGrath and The Excerpt are two original short stories exploring the dark world that remains unseen to all but a unlucky few.What is the secret of the strange little building superintendent in the old brick apartment building, and what is the strange pounding at night? Follow along in a stange hunters guide that informs you the best way to hunt very special big game. The Secret of Rue McGrath and The Excerpt are two original short stories exploring the dark and horrible world that remains unseen to all but a unlucky few.

Intrepid explorer Buck Stardust must stop a runaway infestation of plants from taking over the world.On the north west tip of the Isle of Mull, Castle Haunn faces a bleak Yuletide. Their strawberry juice has run out and they have lost the extra delivery to keep their power cells going. The supply ship was lost in a storm. No fresh food, no presents, and even worse, no heat. It's going to be a cold, hungry holiday.Young Dylan is despatched to take a message to the mainland calling for help. His twin brother Dougall tries to find a solution to their problem, using raspberry juice and any sources of different metals he can find. The Laird's wife hasn't missed her silver necklace... yet!On the way back from his errand, Dylan falls into a trap. He discovers the cause of the missing strawberry juice, and more trouble than he ever imagined!Will the loveable twins survive their troubles? Will it be a sad and lonely Yuletide?Set in the same world as The Princelings of the East series, this book introduces Dylan and Dougall, who will become the Princelings of the North. The story also involves the Prince of Buckmore and Prince Engineer George of Marsh, who will be well known to regular readers, but no prior knowledge of the series is needed - except to know that all the characters are guinea pigs. "A feudal world with advanced technology, populated by guinea pigs" as someone described it.Dylan's Yuletide Journey is a short chapter ebook (7 chapters, c7,000 words) for Middle Grade readers aged 8 and upwards. As usual with Jemima's books, each chapter has a black and white illustration.

Trapped in fear and poverty, the thief Nereia will go to desperate lengths to protect her beautiful younger sister from brutal moneylender Copeland. Copeland is becoming unpredictable. Even his bodyguard Blakey is not safe; when he is summoned down to the sea-caves, Blakey is uneasy – and so he should be, for he is about to meet the Archangel…"Copeland had already taken eleven years of her life, and there was no getting that back; but Nereia was damned if she’d let him have her sister."Trapped in fear and poverty, the thief Nereia will go to desperate lengths to protect her beautiful younger sister from brutal moneylender Copeland. No-one has dared to attempt escape before; the whole town of Scarlock trembles in his grasp. Only Nereia's cunning and some unexpected help give her hope.Copeland is becoming unpredictable. Even his bodyguard Blakey is not safe; when he is summoned down to the sea-caves, Blakey is uneasy – and so he should be, for he is about to meet the Archangel…In a country still recovering from war, events are stirring and the little harbour-town will not remain obscure for long; but in Scarlock, right now, Mr Copeland is coming to call - and this time he's not taking ‘no’ for an answer.

After walking out of a traumatic past, Iris plays with science at in a cutting edge lab. Iris is innocent but her games are not, and when she comes up with a discovery worth big bucks the chessboard turns into a dangerous ground where no one is worth trusting.Natalie the witch believes she has been turned into a vampire. She recruits dull Wooster and ditzy Mitsky to help solve her problem. Together, the three set about unraveling the truth through a process that might almost be considered somewhat similar to deduction. Maybe.

Ginger Holland-Berry has been a honorary faculty member at Galvinstone Academy for sometime & Now she will discover if she can truly handle the unexpected.Ginger HollandBerry has been a professor for past seven years at prestigious Galvinstone Academy in North Carolina. Now it appears her life is spiraling out of her control as one day she is on the verge of being assaulted. The next day swept off her feet on romantic trips on private yachts!It may make you blush, but it is straightforward,exciting and Intriguing. A delightful read for young women and young men just starting out in the world.You definitely will be curious as to the next story, and adventure. It works as a continuous read from the time you first open the book as every part of the series.The stories will take your breath away over time, you will discover your favorite experiences and you will go back to your favorite scenes. It probably will end up being your bedside companion for a long time. The Holland-Saga conveys a variety of real-life romantic poems, sensual and intense encounters, twist and turns in every edition.

In a world of pure magic there has been peace and light forever. Never has the magic been corrupted or used for evil purposes. Teachers had instructed pupils in elemental and light magic uninterrupted, creating a perfect world of magical bliss. No paradise may last forever and on a world unprepared for evil, dark magic comes unbidden.The free ebook version of a new pocket sized collection of short poems by Oliver Delgaram-Nejad. Includes some of the most popular poems from previous chapbook collections "Coffee and Cigarettes" (2008) and "Sentiments" (2011) from erbacce press, as well as new material written over the last year and a half. "Some Poems" explores the present psychological state of the individual, in the midst of an ever modernizing society, and how this may affect the place of nature, culture, and ethics in our nearing future. “Oli is a copiously talented young poet with a generous heart and a mischievous wit which is handled with technical verve. He also happens to be a charismatic reader of his work!” – Daljit Nagra

A young writer makes a pilgramage to the prehistoric caves of Lascaux, France. Will he find the answers to his present crisis hidden in the past?Hobos became the face of the Great Depression for the people who lived on small family farms in the rural areas of our country. These farms were mostly self-sufficient. The farmers practiced living locally long before it became the fad it is becoming today with things like the hundred mile challenge. They raised their own animals, cows, chickens, pigs; grew their own fruits and vegetables; and heated their homes with woods cut from their own woodlots. For many of them, helping others was the natural thing to do when less fortunate strangers came knocking of their door.These short stories share the events that happened to one family in central Nova Scotia told through the eyes of writer's mother as she remembered and related them forty years later. The stories are presented as fiction, but each contains a kernel of truth as its central theme. These are stories I heard so often, that indeed the characters seem like Hobos I Have Known.

"Sometimes, it's not the people who change; it's the mask that falls off."A short story from the prize winning author of "Resolution"."Drive carefully, there’s a frost again tonight.”A teenager asks his domineering father if he can borrow the car with dramatic consequences."Drive is an edgy flash fiction contemporary family life story with a dash of mystery and a conclusion that lingers in your thoughts long after you’ve read ‘The End’." MDG

Familiar psecret psociety agents 32 and 33 take the Amtrak train from Charlotte to Raleigh in early November of 2015, searching for short story material ... and, boy do they ever find it.This short story features a strange hotel air shaft, an uber-interesting CAT bus passenger, a curiously repeated phrase, a demolished house, a flooded creek, and a Liverpool football/soccer match.3500 words.Familiar psecret psociety agents 32 and 33 take the Amtrak train from Charlotte to Raleigh in early November of 2015, searching for short story material under overcast skies ... and, boy do they ever find it.This short story features a strange hotel air shaft, an uber-interesting CAT bus passenger, a curiously repeated phrase, a demolished house, a flooded creek, and concludes with a Liverpool FC match at a downtown tavern.Approximately 3,500 words.

A children's story about three Greek friends who on their way back from buying ice creams from a shop in the next village stop in a small olive grove and make a strange new friend - a baby green dragon named Sparky.A children's story about three Greek friends who on their way back from buying ice creams from a shop in the next village stop in a small olive grove and make a strange new friend - a baby green dragon named Sparky. Sparky is lost with only his dog for company and he doesn't know where his parents are. After befriending Sparky they find they have to try and teach him to do the basic things that dragons do. Fly and breathe fire. This is their story.

When technology saves someones life. A wife of a businessman got kidnapped. He took help of a smartphone and doesn't inform police. He succeeds. You need to read it till the end for the suspense and experience the thrill. A roller coaster short read.Bennett Monroe has had a very bad day. For most that would mean spilling coffee down ones shirt, or running late for work. Bennetts bad days involved being torn into a different time. With a companion who may like him, or try and kill him, depending on the day, Bennett and his sometimes partner Cynthia slip and tumble their way through history. Bennett not only has to deal with his strange gift; he also has to handle a teetering madman he reluctantly calls 'master,' and the parents who abandoned him. Bennetts day went from bad to worse. Will he pass his insidious masters test? Will he want to?Join Bennett and Cynthia as they find out the truth, and send the world into chaos, or save it from ripping itself apart.

From the bestselling, acclaimed author of Tully and The Bronze Horseman comes the unforgettable love story between a college-bound young woman and a traveling troubadour on his way to war—a moving, compelling novel of love lost and found set against the stunning backdrop of Eastern Europe. Chloe is just weeks away from heading off to college and starting a new life far from her home in Maine when she embarks on a great European adventure with her boyfriend and two best friends. Their destination is Barcelona, but first they must detour through the historic cities of Eastern Europe to keep an old family promise. Here, in this fledgling post-Communist world, Chloe meets a charming American vagabond named Johnny, who carries a guitar, an easy smile—and a lifetime of secrets. From Treblinka to Trieste, from Karnikava to Krakow, from Vilnius to Venice, the unlikely band of friends and lovers traverse the old world on a train trip that becomes a treacherous journey into Europe’s and Johnny’s darkest past—a journey that jeopardizes Chloe’s plans for the future and all she ever thought she wanted. But the lifelong bonds Chloe and her friends share are about to be put to the ultimate test—and whether or not they reach Barcelona, they can only be certain that their lives will never be the same again. A sweeping, beautiful tale that mesmerizes and enchants, Lone Star will linger long in the memory once the final page is turned.

Luke Garner, an illegal third child, spent his first twelve years in hiding. For the past four months Luke has lived among others, using the identity of Lee Grant, at the Hendricks School for Boys. But just as things are finally starting to go right, Lee's little brother Smits arrives at the school and Luke finds himself caught in a tangle of lies that gets more complex with every passing day. Can Luke trust Smits to keep his secret? And can he trust Smits's menacing, fat bodyguard, Oscar who carrys a sledge hammer?

Now updated with new material that brings the killer's picture into clearer focus. In the fall of 1888, all of London was held in the grip of unspeakable terror.  An elusive madman calling himself Jack the Ripper was brutally butchering women in the slums of London’s East End.  Police seemed powerless to stop the killer, who delighted in taunting them and whose crimes were clearly escalating in violence from victim to victim.  And then the Ripper’s violent spree seemingly ended as abruptly as it had begun.  He had struck out of nowhere and then vanished from the scene.  Decades passed, then fifty years, then a hundred, and the Ripper’s bloody sexual crimes became anemic and impotent fodder for puzzles, mystery weekends, crime conventions, and so-called “Ripper Walks” that end with pints of ale in the pubs of Whitechapel.  But to number-one New York Times bestselling novelist Patricia Cornwell, the Ripper murders are not cute little mysteries to be transformed into parlor games or movies but rather a series of terrible crimes that no one should get away with, even after death.  Now Cornwell applies her trademark skills for meticulous research and scientific expertise to dig deeper into the Ripper case than any detective before her—and reveal the true identity of this fabled Victorian killer. In Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper, Case Closed, Cornwell combines the rigorous discipline of twenty-first century police investigation with forensic techniques undreamed of during the late Victorian era to solve one of the most infamous and difficult serial murder cases in history.  Drawing on unparalleled access to original Ripper evidence, documents, and records, as well as archival, academic, and law-enforcement resources, FBI profilers, and top forensic scientists, Cornwell reveals that Jack the Ripper was none other than a respected painter of his day, an artist now collected by some of the world’s finest museums: Walter Richard Sickert. It has been said of Cornwell that no one depicts the human capability for evil better than she.   Adding layer after layer of circumstantial evidence to the physical evidence discovered by modern forensic science and expert minds, Cornwell shows that Sickert, who died peacefully in his bed in 1942, at the age of 81, was not only one of Great Britain’s greatest painters but also a serial killer, a damaged diabolical man driven by megalomania and hate.  She exposes Sickert as the author of the infamous Ripper letters that were written to the Metropolitan Police and the press.  Her detailed analysis of his paintings shows that his art continually depicted his horrific mutilation of his victims, and her examination of this man’s birth defects, the consequent genital surgical interventions, and their effects on his upbringing present a casebook example of how a psychopathic killer is created. New information and startling revelations detailed in Portrait of a Killer include: How a year-long battery of more than 100 DNA tests—on samples drawn by Cornwell’s forensics team in September 2001 from original Ripper letters and Sickert documents—yielded the first shadows of the 75- to 114 year-old genetic evid...

Another unforgettable novel from the bestselling author of Light a Penny Candle and Circle of Friends. Desmond and Deirdre Doyle will have been married for twenty-five years in October. It falls to the Doyles' eldest daughter, Anna, to decide how best to commemorate her parents' Silver Wedding. No use asking her sister Helen, living in her London convent, or her brother Brendan, who has chosen another form of exile on a bleak farm in the West of Ireland. But it is unthinkable not to have a party, even though for the Doyles, family occasions are more difficult than for most. For each of them is keeping up a front, nursing a secret wound, or smarting over a hidden betrayal. And as the day draws nearer, so the tension mounts, until finally the guests gather at the party itself...