Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children. This is the story of what happened first… Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter—polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it’s because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline. Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter—adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tom-boy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you've got. They were five when they learned that grown-ups can’t be trusted. They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.

From Michael Thomas Ford, the critically acclaimed author of Last Summer and Alec Baldwin Doesn't Love Me, comes this sizzling collection of fantasies culled from more than a decade of his best erotic work. These stories of heat, lust, desire, need, and transformation-an Olympian bacchanal, a chance meeting in the men's room, an S&M-fueled "coaching" session, a police officer who'll do what it takes to get a confession-are as incredibly hot as they are exquisitely crafted. There's "Becoming Al," an "X-rated Flannery O'Connor story" that takes place on the stage at a male peep show. The mosh pit of an underground club brings two punks to the edge and over in the adrenaline-charged "Diving the Pit." A gorgeous window washer gives a worker drone some high-rise sex in "Washing Up." And the power of a young man's first sexual awakening-and the reunion it inspires twenty years later-lies at the heart of the achingly sensual "The Boys of Summer." Along the way, Ford turns up the heat by confessing the naughty personal thoughts that inspired his steamiest erotica. A visit to his incredibly sexy dentist led to Ford's delicious story of one explosive oral exam in "The Check Up." The summer sounds drifting up from the New York City streets on a hot summer night influenced Ford's sinfully sexy voyeuristic fantasy, "Wednesday, 2 A.M." A hunky conductor on a commuter train gave Ford lustful thoughts and a whole new meaning for the term "Riding the Rails." And the discovery of anonymous nude Polaroids gave birth to the no-holds-barred "Dirty Pictures." Hard-core, tender, imaginative, candid, and just plain hot, these stories prove that when it comes to erotica that's down-and-dirty AND intelligent, nobody does it better than Michael Thomas Ford.

Porterhouse College is world renowned for its gastronomic excellence, the arrogance of its Fellows, its academic mediocrity and the social cache it confers on the athletic sons of country families. Sir Godber Evans, ex-Cabinet Minister and the new Master, is determined to change all this. Spurred on by his politically angular wife, Lady Mary, he challenges the established order and provokes the wrath of the Dean, the Senior Tutor, the Bursar and, most intransigent of all, Skullion the Head Porter - with hilarious and catastrophic results.

In New York Times bestselling author Victoria Laurie’s newest Psychic Eye Mystery, Abby Cooper is trusting her intuition and heading to Sin City to bet on a friend’s innocence.... When police show Abby surveillance video of her best friend and business partner, Candice Fusco, shooting a man in cold blood, she can’t believe her eyes. And when the cops tell her they think the victim has ties to the Mob—and perhaps Candice does too—she can’t believe her ears. Surely there is a logical explanation. But Candice is nowhere to be found. Abby decides the only way to find out the truth is to go to Vegas herself—which may be the biggest gamble of her life. Once in town she begins to uncover a rigged game of dirty double-dealing where the stakes are no less than life and death. And if she’s not careful, Abby can forget about ever leaving Las Vegas...alive.

Alex Mackenzie was born in 1754 in the Scottish lowlands on the border between Scotland and England. Alex, his father, and his two older brothers were members of the last band of Reivers (outlaws) that operated along the border. A few years before the start of the American Revolutionary War, Alex ran afoul of the British authorities. His only alternative was to leave Scotland for America.Alex Mackenzie was a Scottish lad born in 1754 in the Scottish lowlands on the border between Scotland and England. Alex, his father, and his two older brothers were members of the last band of Reivers (outlaws) that operated along the border. A few years before the start of the American Revolutionary War, Alex ran afoul of the British authorities; they were on his trail and wanted him dead. His only alternative was to leave Scotland for Ireland and then from there to sail to America. The colonies in America were supposed to be a place where people could get a new start in life and explore new opportunities. America was supposed to be a place where people could put down stakes and put old feuds behind them, or was it?“Och, that tears it; it’s all gang agley” said Alex’s father. “Ye are going to hae to set aff from Scotland for a wee bit, Alex, laddie.”“Where should I go?”“Ireland,” said John. “Ye can find wark at the Plantation of Ulster and get back on yer feet there. Ye might hae t’ stay in Ireland quite a spell until this all blows oer.”“How am I going to get there?”“Weel,” Hugh chimed in, “the distance from Scotland to Ireland is less than fourteen miles at the closest point, we can probably swim o’er there, just like swimming across a loch,” said Hugh with a grin and a gleam in his eye.“We,” said Alex. “Who invited you along?”“Ye don’t think Robber and I would let ye go o’er the Sheuch alane, do ye, laddie?” replied Hugh.

/MEGA-BOOKS Halloway College freshman Ava Woods turns to Campus Connections, a computer dating service, in hopes of finding her dream date--and promptly disappears. To solve the crime, Nancy and Bess pose as transfer students and join the dating service. But the head of the service is murdered--and Nancy becomes a suspect!

St. Patrick’s Day is generally a quiet affair in the conservative university town of London, Ontario. For Detective Tee Pepper and his partner, Rupert Wallace, the assignment to locate a missing coed takes a quick turn when the young girl’s murdered body is found—all signs pointing to the work of a serial killer.St. Patrick’s Day is generally a quiet affair in the conservative university town of London, Ontario. For Detective Tee Pepper and his partner, Rupert Wallace, the assignment to locate a missing coed takes a quick turn when the young girl’s murdered body is found—all signs pointing to the work of a serial killer.In a case like they’ve never had before, a series of clues that seem to be directed towards them lead the two detectives deeper and deeper into the twisted psyche of a clever opponent—a cold-blooded killer intent on testing them. Pepper and Wallace use all their ingenuity as they probe deeper into the sick mind of their taunting adversary, discovering a shocking subculture they never knew existed in their quiet city. Can they solve the riddles and put an end to the killing spree before it’s too late?

After her husband Jack is murdered Lynn becomes an online investigator and undercover detective. She finds satisfaction in getting revenge for victims of abusers and swindlers by hacking into their accounts and creating financial havoc. Then a menace from her past shows up to get her own revenge against Lynn. But Lynn has help – Jack’s spirit who talks to her.In this third novel in the Jack and Lynn Preston series, Lynn struggles to deal with the murder of her husband and granddaughter. Their political crusades are over as she searches for something to overcome her depression; something that uses the computer hacking skills Jack taught her. Jack’s friend invites her to join his detective agency as an online investigator and undercover operative. Soon she discovers the satisfaction of getting revenge for victims of abuse and financial fraud by hacking into the offender’s personal accounts to get them in legal and financial trouble. All is well until a menace from her past shows up; someone out for her own revenge. But Lynn has help - Jack’s spirit who talks to her. Revenge, Inc. has all the suspense, action, romance, and humor you have come to expect from this author.

Charlotte Wolfe knows precisely what is important in life … she is. Her life is going exactly the way she planned until her selfishness costs her everything. As she struggles to put her life back together, Charlotte must confront the truth of herself and the true nature of love through her encounters with an eclectic group of people and one adoring dog.Charlotte Wolfe knows precisely what is important in life ... she is. Her life is going exactly the way she planned until her selfishness costs her everything. Charlotte has spent a lifetime molding her reality to suit her and her alone. A chameleon, she adapts in each situation to present a carefully constructed image. She manipulates those around her to ensure she gets her way, something she's been successful at until she goes too far.Charlotte's life comes crashing down when her boyfriend leaves, taking his money with him. As she struggles to put her life back together, Charlotte must confront the truth of herself and the true nature of love through her encounters with an eclectic group of people and one adoring dog.

This is a chronological collection of stories, legends, myths, and half-whispers salvaged from forgotten journals across the four continents. These seven records have been collected and archived in Indellekt's Greenstar Library, left there in case an outsider ever wishes to learn of our realm, Grimea. You are that outsider.This collection of short stories follows seven different adventures in the realm of Grimea. The tales are set in different times and places. Some are grand in scope, and others would have been forgotten if not for this book. There is love, loss, adventure, joy and hate collected here. The first story is set before time was even recorded, and the last few are close from one another, approaching the present. This work is meant to explore the realm and its magic, in case such a broad overview is ever needed.

The author and his favorite reader fall in love in this short story,.... or should I say at least one of them is. The two plan on meeting but it turns into a deadly plot for one of them. Find out in this short story.Exchange student Paprika is living her new life happily in Japan with her best friend Juicy, when one day her cousin Chibiham asks to come visit for a month in the summer. Not having seen her in some time, Paprika heartily agrees. What she is dealt with is far worse than she could have imagined - her entitled, ill-mannered, boorish relative takes Japan by storm, ready to plow down anything that stands in the way of her seeing the country exactly the way she imagined it. Can Paprika and Juicy tame the wild American before the month is up? And what happens when the rotund terror meets up with an immovable force - the immortal Mama?A funny, true story about an overbearing tourist in Japan, complete with tour guiding, cultural explanations, and Japanese recipes. Born of the Reddit storytellers, a success story of a different flavor. Experience it for yourself.

A startling encounter on a New York subway platform leads two strangers to a run-down tenement where a life or death decision must be made. In that small apartment, “Black” and “White,” as the two men are known, begin a conversation that leads each back through his own history, mining the origins of two fundamentally opposing world views. White is a professor whose seemingly enviable existence of relative ease has left him nonetheless in despair. Black, an ex-con and ex-addict, is the more hopeful of the men–though he is just as desperate to convince White of the power of faith as White is desperate to deny it. Their aim is no less than this: to discover the meaning of life. Deft, spare, and full of artful tension, *The Sunset Limited* is a beautifully crafted, consistently thought-provoking, and deceptively intimate work by one of the most insightful writers of our time. *From the Trade Paperback edition.*

Mitsy Collins is on her way to a gloriously happy life with her fiancee, but they have a few speed bumps to pass over in the form of his family. Her brave white knight cowers in fear of his stoic and stuffy parents, while one of his sisters is certifiable and the other is a Disney villain in disguise out to thwart their happy union. How will Mitsy survive the dirty looks, snide remarks, and tofu? Will she and Mr. Perkins be driven from the house, or will Mr. Perkins drive the family dog up the walls?

"America's nerviest journalist" (* Newsweek* ) trains his satirical eye on Modern Art in this "masterpiece" (* The Washington Post* ) Wolfe's style has never been more dazzling, his wit never more keen. He addresses the scope of Modern Art, from its founding days as Abstract Expressionism through its transformations to Pop, Op, Minimal, and Conceptual. The Painted Word is Tom Wolfe "at his most clever, amusing, and irreverent" (San Francisco Chronicle).

Jackal Emerson has never taken himself seriously. Dubbed the “orgy king,” he’s renowned for his reputation as the wild End Man. But with the uprising on the horizon and his best friend missing, Jackal is having a hard time living the same carefree existence. And then he meets a thief and everything changes. Phoenix Moyo, principal dancer of a notorious ballet company, lives a life of rigidity. When her world collides with Jackal’s, their chemistry is evident to everyone except her. Forced to work with him to steal the most precious commodity of the Regions, she realizes too late that there is no escaping Jackal’s charisma. When unimaginable crimes come to light, the Regions begin to crumble. No one is safe. Families divide and secrets are exposed, danger running rampant on every side. For some, sacrifice costs everything. Book 2 in the End of Men Series

New Beginnings. Shocking Revelations. Unexpected Endings. As spring turns into summer, Elizabeth relishes her new roles as a young wife, while her sister, Diana, searches for adventure abroad. But when a surprising clue about their father's death comes to light, the Holland girls wonder at what cost a life of splendor comes. Carolina Broad, society's newest darling, fans a flame from her past, oblivious to how it might burn her future. Penelope Schoonmaker is finally Manhattan royalty - but when a real prince visits the city, she covets a title that comes with a crown. Her husband, Henry, bravely went to war, only to discover that his father's rule extends well beyond New York's shores and that fighting for love may prove a losing battle. In the dramatic conclusion to the bestselling Luxe series, New York's most dazzling socialites chase dreams, cling to promises, and tempt fate. As society watches what will become of the city's oldest families and newest fortunes, one question remains: Will its stars fade away or will they shine ever brighter?

In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits. His brother, Oliver—dead. His sweetheart, Mary—gone. His chance to break free of Geneva—lost. Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead. But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship. Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay…

(Suncoast Society series book # 66) [MMF with MM, BDSM] Aden aged out of Florida’s foster care system. He built a life, bought a house…and fell in love with Niall, a blue-eyed Irish Dom who owned his heart. When Niall got a job in California, he took Aden’s heart with him. Niall regretted his move, but thought Aden would follow. Five years later, Niall’s back and wants to reclaim what’s his—Aden. He doesn’t expect to run into Aden while teaching erotic hypnosis at a fetish convention. He wasn’t expecting Aden to have gorgeous Etsu on his arm. He damn sure wasn’t expecting to save Etsu’s life in a malfunctioning elevator. Etsu grew up smothered by a crazy-overprotective family and her asthma. With Aden, she can finally be herself. She can’t help fantasizing about Niall and Aden together, or how sexy it’d be writhing in pleasure between them. The question is, can they make this work, or will her family succeed yet again in driving away her chance at happiness?

At a cafe table in Lahore, a bearded Pakistani man converses with an uneasy American stranger. As dusk deepens to night, he begins the tale that has brought them to this fateful encounter... Changez is living an immigrant's dream of America. At the top of his class at Princeton, he is snapped up by an elite valuation firm. He thrives on the energy of New York, and his budding romance with elegant, beautiful Erica promises entry into Manhattan society at the same exalted level once occupied by his own family back in Lahore. But in the wake of September 11, Changez finds his position in his adopted city suddenly overturned and his relationship with Erica shifting. And Changez's own identity is in seismic shift as well, unearthing allegiances more fundamental than money, power, and maybe even love.

Mariah, a telepath for the paranormal division of the LAPD, is sent to find a vampire buried deep beneath a newly renovated vamp club. Mariah senses he’s an Old One, an ancient vamp from the dawn of time. She needs to get him behind bars and away from her, however, because letting a vamp come too close will drain her powers and render her helpless against the death-magic creatures who would love to see her dead. Cai, who has been in dark sleep since his enemies buried him centuries ago, emerges into a brand new world. His rescuer is a beautiful human woman he desires, but touching her will hurt her more than he can stand. He’s already lost everyone dear to him and refuses to lose her as well, but when danger comes, the only choices they can make are heartbreaking ones.