Sun on the Rocks - The Outdoor Shower

      Somers Isle & Loveshade
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Stevenson teleoperator Clarity Nice elicits assistance from her friend Cynthia, in order to build an outdoor shower on company lawn that will provide a clothing optional amenity. Infringing human resources policy, clashing against police officer Packwood, who prohibits use of the shower, Clarity purchases a shower patent for Stevenson to lift poor company sales, involving Cynthia as lawyer.After a naked lawn party during clothing optional day, Stevenson Garden Products Malibu teleoperator Clarity Nice agrees with her friend Cynthia Stevenson, daughter of company owner Bill Stevenson, to build an outdoor shower on company lawn, in order to bring publicity for the company. Bypassing the head of human resources at Stevenson, Brock Cheevers, Clarity finds out that the municipality of Malibu prohibits the use of a shower on any company garden lawn, and that it has assigned officer Packwood and his nephew Avery to the 'Stevenson shower' case.When the outdoor shower faucet is closed by Packwood, Clarity decides to build a shower inside the premises of Stevenson, near the rooftop pool of the company, so that employees can relax after a rough day's work. To pay for the expense, Clarity uses Cynthia's power of attorney which allows her to charge and spend company money when her father is away on a trip. Learning that Stevenson sales have dropped and looking for new job opportunities inside the company, Clarity decides to purchase a shower patent using company money savings, in order to boost sales by establishing a new shower division at Stevenson. Without any official document backing her, she uses the funds available to pay for the patent, knowing that her initiative may mean that she is out of a job.With a new patent in her hands, Clarity sets out to sell a number of showers at a Las Vegas bathroom and accessories exhibit, in order to refund Stevenson's money, borrowed to buy the patent, and also to avoid being fired by the owner of the garden company himself, Mr. Stevenson, for having used company funds without authorization.

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    The Door (Part One)

      Lizzy Ford
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There’s only one rule: Never lock the door. Gianna believes manual labor to be penance for the mistake that changed her life. Nothing can be worse than serving probation under the supervision of a bitter, elderly woman, known as the Caretaker, running a bed and breakfast in the middle of the Arizona desert. Then the strangers begin arriving. They appear at sundown and vanish come morning.Novella.There’s only one rule: Never lock the doorGianna believes manual labor to be penance for the mistake that changed her life. Nothing can be worse than serving probation under the supervision of a bitter, elderly woman, known as the Caretaker, running a bed and breakfast in the middle of the Arizona desert.Then the strangers begin arriving. They appear every night at sundown at the end of the driveway and vanish early in the morning, armed men and women who don’t quite look or act normal and never travel in vehicles, despite the property being twenty miles from town. Where they come from baffles Gianna, as does the single rule the Caretaker gives her. The front door must remain unlocked and the house accessible to the dangerous visitors no matter how unusual or frightening they are. When one of them arrives wounded, Gianna helps save him and unknowingly makes a powerful friend, one from a very faraway place. In fact, from another world entirely, the world that starts at the end of the driveway. Before she can learn more, Gianna is left alone with the strangers and must choose whether she’ll take over the Caretaker’s role as hostess or return to New York and risk jail time for violating her probation. Frustrated with her life, Gianna defies the Caretaker and locks the front door instead. Her world will never be the same.

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    James

      Glenn Gamble
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Jim and Jessica narrowly escaped the city of Chicago with their lives only to be held at gun point once they reached Memphis. He is also reunited with the hot-tempered James.Jim wants to stay alive to keep his family safe.James wants to avenge his brother's death. Can Jim survive the double-crossers, kidnappers, and James's volitile behavior to keep his family and himself alive?5 YEARS AFTER HIS BROTHER'S MURDER...James seeks revenge.Jim and Jessica narrowly escaped the city of Chicago with their lives only to be held at gun point once they reached Memphis. Now Jim is looking at everyone as a potential traitor when he realizes that someone within his organization has double-crossed him. Bridgeport syndicate man Don Carson sees a weakness and wants in on his south side empire --and Jim Money out.With his family, business, and his own life at risk, Jim's reunited with James who has now grown into a young adult man who hungrily seeks revenge in light of his brother's death 5 years ago.Jim wants to stay alive to keep his family safe.James seeks to avenge his brother's death. Can Jim survive the syndicate, double-crossers, kidnappers, and James's volitile behavior to keep his family and himself alive?JAMES IS THE FOURTH INSTALLMENT OF THE JIM MONEY STORIES.Here are the other stories in chronological order:Bon Appétit EscapeOn the RunJamesBUSTED: a Prequel to the Jim Money StoriesABOUT THE AUTHOR:Former professional poker player Glenn Gamble is an author from Chicago, IL who doesn't have one of those inspiring stories where he goes to the state penitentiary to discover his gift for writing amazing stories. Instead, he worked on his craft during long romantic dates at Starbucks and Panera Bread with his laptop and a story. His inspiration came from friends who encouraged him to pursue his dreams to become a writer. Without a prison sentence, Gamble has managed to pen A Thousand Chances, Bon Appetit, Escape, On the Run, James, and Busted; and is currently writing future installments of both the Jim Money and Darius Blaylock Poker Series.In his spare time, Gamble likes to watch Chicago Bulls games, drop twitter bombs from the sky, slam facebook with status updates, and bet on low-stakes rat and roach races taking place in various public housing project apartments across the United States.

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    The Golden Yarn

      Cornelia Funke
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Jacob Reckless continues to travel the portal in his father's abandoned study. His name has continued to be famous on the other side of the mirror, as a finder of enchanted items and buried secrets. His family and friends, from his brother, Will to the shape-shifting vixen, Fox, are on a collision course as the two worlds become connected. Who is driving these two worlds together and why is he always a step ahead? This new force isn’t limiting its influence to just Jacob’s efforts – it has broadened the horizon within MirrorWorld. Jacob, Will and Fox travel east and into the Russian folklore, to the land of the Baba Yaga, pursued by a new type of being that knows our world all to well.

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    Gates of Paradise

      V. C. Andrews
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Stunned by tragedy, desperate and alone, Heaven's daughter clung to the frailest of dreams! The car crash that killed Heaven and Logan left Annie Casteel Stonewall orphaned and crippled. Whisked off to Farthinggale Manor by the possessive Tony Tatterton, Annie pines for her lost family, but especially for Luke, her half-brother. Friend of her childhood, her fantasy prince, her loving confidante...without the warm glow of Luke's love, she is lost in the shadows of despair. When Annie discovers Troy's cottage hidden in Farthinggale's woods, the mystery of her past deepens. And even as she yearns to see Luke again, her hopes and dreams are darkened by the sinistesr Casteel spell...treacherous, powerful and evil!

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    Memory in Death

      J. D. Robb
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The #1 "New York Times"-bestselling author of "Survivor in Death" has Lieutenant Eve Dallas walking a tightrope between her professional duties and her private demons. Eve Dallas is one tough cop. She's got no problem dealing with a holiday reveler in a red suit who plunges thirty-seven stories and gives new meaning to the term "sidewalk Santa." But when she gets back to the station and Trudy Lombard shows up, it's all Eve can do to hold it together. Instantly, she's thrown back into the past, to the days when she was a vulnerable, traumatized girl-trapped in foster care with the twisted woman who now sits in front of her, smiling. Trudy claims she just wanted to see how Eve was doing. But Eve's husband, Roarke, suspects otherwise-and his suspicions prove correct when Trudy arrives at his office, demanding money in exchange for keeping the ugly details of his wife's childhood a secret. Barely restraining himself, Roarke shows her the door-and makes it clear that she'd be wise to get out of New York and never bother him or his wife again. But just a few days later, Trudy's found on the floor of her hotel room, a mess of bruises and blood. A cop to the core, Eve is determined to solve the case, if only for the sake of Trudy's bereaved son. Unfortunately, Eve is not the only one to have suffered at this woman's hands, and she and Roarke will follow a circuitous, dangerous path to find out who turned this victimizer into a victim.

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    Shopaholic Takes Manhattan

      Sophie Kinsella
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The irresistible heroine of Confessions of a Shopaholic and Shopaholic Ties the Knot is back! And this time Becky Bloomwood and her credit cards are headed across the Atlantic.... With her shopping excesses (somewhat) in check and her career as a TV financial guru thriving, Becky's biggest problem seems to be tearing her entrepreneur boyfriend, Luke, away from work for a romantic country weekend. And worse, figuring out how to pack light. But packing takes on a whole new meaning when Luke announces he's moving to New York for business--and he asks Becky to go with him! Before you can say "Prada sample sale," Becky has landed in the Big Apple, home of Park Avenue penthouses and luxury boutiques. Surely it's only a matter of time until she becomes an American TV celebrity, and she and Luke are the toast of Gotham society. Nothing can stand in their way, especially with Becky's bills miles away in London. But then an unexpected disaster threatens her career prospects, her relationship with Luke, and her available credit line! Shopaholic Takes Manhattan--but will she have to return it?

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    And Thereby Hangs a Tale

      Jeffrey Archer
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International bestselling author Jeffrey Archer has spent the last five years gathering spellbinding stories from around the globe. These fifteen brand-new tales showcase Archer's talent for capturing an unforgettable moment in time, whether tragic, comic, or outrageous. In India, Jamwal and Nisha fall in love while waiting for a traffic light to turn green on the streets of Delhi. From Germany comes "A Good Eye," the tale of a priceless oil painting that has remained in the same family for over two hundred years, until... To the Channel Islands and "Members Only," where a golf ball falls out of a Christmas cracker, and a young man's life will never be the same... To Italy and "No Room at the Inn," where a young man who is trying to book a room at a hotel ends up in bed with the receptionist, unaware that she... To England, where, in "High Heels," a woman has to explain to her husband why a pair of designer shoes couldn't have gone up in flames... Some of these stories will make you laugh while others will bring you to tears but, once again, every one of them will demand that you keep turning the page until you finally discover what happens to this remarkable cast of characters.

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    Just Ella

      Margaret Peterson Haddix
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Being a princess isn't *all that...* You've heard the fairy tale: a glass slipper, Prince Charming, happily ever after... Welcome to reality: royal genealogy lessons, needlepoint, acting like "a proper lady," and—worst of all—a prince who is not the least bit interesting, and certainly not charming. As soon-to-be princess Ella deals with her new-found status, she comes to realize she is not "your majesty" material. But breaking off a royal engagement is no easy feat, especially when you're crushing on another boy in the palace... For Ella to escape, it will take intelligence, determination, and spunk—and no ladylike behavior allowed.

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    The Seeds of Wither

      Lauren DeStefano
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Step into the Chemical Garden with an all-new eBook sampler! Discover the world author Lauren DeStefano created in Wither, a riveting dystopian thriller. In the not-so-distant future, fallout from genetic engineering causes all females to die at age twenty, and all males to die at twenty-five. Kidnapped from her home and torn from her twin brother Rowan, sixteen-year-old Rhine is forced into a polygamous marriage and taken to live in her husband’s mansion. She has everything she wants—except for freedom. But her plans to escape and return home are complicated by a devious father-in-law, as well as Rhine’s growing attraction to Gabriel, a servant who works on the estate. Read the first 100 pages of Wither and be captivated by Rhine’s journey. This eBook sampler includes an EXCLUSIVE, never-before-published short story by Lauren DeStefano! “The First Bride” reveals the events leading up to Wither, from the point of view of the bride that came before Rhine. Delve even deeper into Wither with a map of the wives’ floor, the Wither book trailer, and a video that takes you behind the scenes of the Fever cover shoot. You'll also get a sneak peak of Fever, the second book in the Chemical Garden trilogy, before it goes on sale 2/21/12! 

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    The Facts and Fictions of Minna Pratt

      Patricia MacLachlan
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Facts and fictions are different truths. Minna Pratt stares at this message above her mother's typewriter every day and tries to understand it. But how can she, when her mind is already so full? She wishes her mother would ask her normal questions like "How was your day?" instead of "What is the quality of beauty?" She wishes her brother, McGrew, could catch a baseball. She wishes she had a vibrato and could play Mozart on her cello the way he deserves to be played. Then she meets Lucas Ellerby. Minna thinks Lucas has the perfect life. His home runs smoothly and evenly. Dinner conversation is full of facts, and everyone always has matching socks to wear. So why is he so intrigued by her family? Minna doesn't know, but as her friendship with Lucas grows, she discovers some important truths about herself and her family. In Patricia MacLachlan's hope-filled coming-of-age story Minna learns to value her family because of their eccentricities, and to value herself because of her own.

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    Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den

      Aimee Carter
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A thrilling debut in the tradition of Rick Riordan and Brandon Mull about a boy who discovers a secret race of animal shape shifters. Twelve-year-old Simon Thorn’s life has never been easy or normal, but things like being bullied at school and living in a cramped Manhattan apartment with his Uncle Darrell are nothing compared to his biggest secret: He can talk to animals. But when his mom is suddenly kidnapped by a herd of rats, Simon finds out that he, his mom, and his uncle are all Animalgams—people born with the ability to change into an animal at will. In search of his mom, Simon discovers the Animalgam Academy based at the Central Park Zoo. There he learns about the fractured five kingdoms that make up this secret world . . . and realizes he may be the only one who can save it. This action-packed page-turner is perfect for fans of the Spirit Animals and The School of Good and Evil series.

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    Last Sword of Power

      David Gemmell
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"David Gemmell tells a tale of very real adventure, the stuff of true epic fantasy." --R. A. Salvatore, New York Times Bestselling author The Goths followed a bloodthirsty new leader, one who sought to open the Gates of Hell: Wotan. His immortal power stemmed from human sacrifice and dark sorcery, and no sword could touch him. He rode the winds on a leather-winged steed, while his armies cut a deadly swath across the northern kingdoms. Even death's icy hand could not stop them. Only Uther Pendragon could save Britannia. To do so he must wield his birthright--Cunobelin's blade, the legendary Sword of Power. But Uther was chained in Hell, the sword lost in swirling Chaos. All hope lay with the warrior known as Revelation, with the magic of the Sipstrassi Stones, and with Anduine, a blind girl possessed of arcane powers. Only if these unlikely allies united could they hope to stop the invincible foe before the world plunged into darkness. From the Paperback edition.

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    Brazzaville Beach

      William Boyd
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In the heart of a civil war-torn African nation, primate researcher Hope Clearwater made a shocking discovery about apes and man . . . Young, alone, and far from her family in Britain, Hope Clearwater contemplates the extraordinary events that left her washed up like driftwood on Brazzaville Beach. It is here, on the distant, lonely outskirts of Africa, where she must come to terms with the perplexing and troubling circumstances of her recent past. For Hope is a survivor of the devastating cruelities of apes and humans alike. And to move forward, she must first grasp some hard and elusive truths: about marriage and madness, about the greed and savagery of charlatan science . . . and about what compels seemingly benign creatures to kill for pleasure alone.

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    Bumped

      Megan Mccafferty
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When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food. Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job. Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from. When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common. From New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty comes a strikingly original look at friendship, love, and sisterhood—in a future that is eerily believable.

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    Children of the Uprising

      Trevor Shane
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What side do you choose when you don’t even know what War you’re fighting? Over generations, the War has grown. It has become bloodier. Both sides will do anything to win. But with the involvement of a third faction—one that wants to put an end to the violence finally—even more enemies lurk around every corner. Strangers have been watching Christopher for his entire life. He doesn’t know why, but he knows that he has paranoia in his blood. He has prepared since he was young for the day that they would stop watching and come for him. On his eighteenth birthday, Christopher is attacked. Though he escapes with his life, he finds himself thrust into a War he never knew existed. To the people of the War, Christopher is a legend, the hero or the villain who may one day bring an end to the conflict. But Christopher knows only that he isn’t willing to become anyone’s pawn....

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    Craving Constellations

      Nicole Jacquelyn
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"How is it, that someone can make decision after decision attempting to get away from their past and somehow end up right back where they started?" When Brenna decided to leave the only life she'd ever known, she never thought she'd ever be back. Now, five years later she's running from her clean cut husband straight back to the motorcycle club that raised her... and the man she left behind. She left with a secret, and as soon as she returns the truth will break her carefully constructed life wide open.

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    Jack of Kinrowan: Jack the Giant-Killer / Drink Down the Moon

      Charles de Lint
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Jack of Kinrowan An acknowledged classic of contemporary fantasy, Jack of Kinrowan brings together in one volume Charles de Lint's rollicking saga of wild faerie magic on the streets of the city. Hurled into the mythical land of Faerie by a faceless gang of bikers, young Jacky Rowan is stunned when she is immediately hailed as the legendary hero Jack of Kinrowan and directed to save the land from a treacherous evil force. Contents: Jack, the Giant Killer: A faceless gang of bikers on Wild Hunt through the streets of present-day Ottawa hurtles young Jacky Rowan across the threshold into the perilous land of Faerie. There, to her dismay, she is hailed as the Jack of Kinrowan, a once-and-future trickster hero whose lot is to save the Elven Courts from unimaginable evil. Drink Down the Moon: Once the realm of Faerie drew its power from the Moon herself. But now a ghastly creature has stolen that power and enslaved the Fair Folk--and Jacky Rowan herself. Only Johnny Faw, a handsome fiddler unaware of his magical gifts, has the power to set them free. .

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    Half a Crown

      Jo Walton
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In 1941, the European war ended in the Farthing Peace, a rapprochement between Britain and Nazi Germany. The balls and banquets of Britain's upper class never faltered, while British ships ferried "undesirables" across the Channel to board the cattle cars headed east. Peter Carmichael is commander of the Watch, Britain's distinctly British secret police. It's his job to warn the Prime Minister of treason, to arrest plotters, and to discover Jews. The midnight knock of a Watchman is the most dreaded sound in the realm. Now, in 1960, a global peace conference is convening in London, where Britain, Germany, and Japan will oversee the final partition of the world. Hitler is once again on British soil. So is the long exiled Duke of Windsor, and the rising gangs of "British Power" streetfighters, who consider the Government "soft," may be the former king's bid to stage a coup d'état. Amidst all this, two of the most unlikely persons in the realm will join forces to oppose the fascists: a debutante whose greatest worry until now has been where to find the right string of pearls, and the Watch Commander himself.

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