A scholar's murder in an unimportant village threatens to ignite political tensions in the empire. Village enforcer Adajo must accompany the city examiner investigating the death, navigating an alien landscape of intrigues and unfamiliar masks.An 11000 word fantasy novelette.A scholar's murder in an unimportant village threatens to ignite political tensions in the empire. Village enforcer Adajo must accompany the city examiner investigating the death, navigating an alien landscape of intrigues and unfamiliar masks.An 11000 word fantasy novelette.Shadows of the Heavens Not even half-way into its first century the empire is riven by strife hidden behind a polite facade. With political factions vying for imperial influence, regional politics subverting imperial law, and society still recovering from recent wars, how much is due to mythic beings many no longer believe in? A scholar's death triggers a series of events which could unravel the tenuous empire, drawing into the deadly game a young enforcer searching for his childhood friend; an examiner who desperately wants to avoid politics; a masked woman whose curiosity could cost her everything; and a prince with nothing better to do.

Legend Upon the Cane is the tale of the courageous chief of the Natchitoches Indians and the French explorer, Louis de St. Denis. It follows their adventures in early 18th century Louisiana and culminates in 1714 where together they establish the oldest settlement in the Louisiana Purchase, Natchitoches.Legend Upon the Cane is the tale of the courageous chief of the Natchitoches Indians and the French explorer, Louis de St. Denis. Travel along with Chief Natchitos on this legendary and historic adventure as he leads his tribe from the banks of the Sabine River to the lush area of the Cane River, where he meets the French explorers, led by Louis de St. Denis. Then, travel with them to the bayous of South Louisiana and Lake Pontchartrain where his tribe must flee to escape a terrible famine. It is a foreign land where they must learn to adapt, but also must learn to live alongside an unfamiliar tribe, the Acolapissa. Soon, they will face the ultimate challenge in an epic battle to win their freedom and bravely escape to their homeland. Upon their historic return in 1714 with the French settlers, they establish the oldest settlement of the Louisiana Purchase, Natchitoches.

A collection of poems about rabbits, vicars and soiled bandages,A New Tale from the Award-Winning Author of Cloak of Shadows When a word is whispered... Abigail Thorne hears voices. Well, one voice repeating one word over and over again. Soft and sweet with the promise of power, it calls to her. The twelve year old has no idea that the tender little word is a catalyst that serves to reveal a world hidden to most humans. Abbey has yet to discover that following the word’s call to its origin will change the course of her life forever. Abbey and her mother don’t have much, and depending on the day, sometimes they don’t even have a roof over their heads. She wants more out of life than just wondering where her next meal is. So she shouldn’t be wasting her time daydreaming about going on a selfish quest, should she? Does she have the strength to leave behind what little she has? Will she have the courage to break through the illusions surrounding her and lift the cloak of shadows?

It’s Volume 4 of TIW shorts! The fourth collection and possibly the last of totally pointless exactly 500 Challenge and exactly 200 Weekend Quickie flash fiction stories/scenes word nonsense (plus a few specials, relays, newsflashes from the TIW blog and collaborations) to entertain you while doing whatever you do when reading.It’s Volume 4 of TIW shorts! The fourth collection and possibly the last of totally pointless exactly 500 Challenge and exactly 200 Weekend Quickie flash fiction stories/scenes word nonsense (plus a few specials, relays, newsflashes from the TIW blog and collaborations) to entertain you while doing whatever you do when reading. For myself, it was a long and tricky half year in The Iron Writer. Through troubles and difficulties, there was always the TIW Challenge waiting for me.I hope you enjoy these short snippets just as much as I enjoyed writing them, and thanks again to Brian and all the other Iron Writers for allowing me into their community…I wouldn’t.

After Drac Von Stoller, and Nick Maundrell's takeover of the world in 666 days,but Nick wanted to be what Drac Von Stoller was and all that was on his mind was being the King of the Vampires. Nick just couldn't shake off the thought of just being Drac Von Stoller's right hand Vampire the rest of his life. Nick decided to invite Drac over and and poison him.After Drac Von Stoller, and Nick Maundrell's takeover of the world in 666 days, Nick and his wife Isabella lived a simple life in Drac Von Stoller's old Castle for many years, but Nick wanted to be what Drac Von Stoller was and all that was on his mind was being the King of the Vampires. Nick just couldn't shake off the thought of just being Drac Von Stoller's right hand Vampire the rest of his life, so Nick decided to invite Drac Von Stoller to his Castle and poison him and drive a stake through his heart. With Drac Von Stoller out of the way Nick Maundrell would take over the throne and become King of the Vampires.Nick sent the invitation by way of one of his henchmen on horseback. The henchman arrived a few days later and knocked on Drac Von Stoller's castle door. The rain was intense with a lot of thunder. The door opened, and Drac Von Stoller's servant answered, and said, 'May I help you?""Yes, I was sent by Nick Maundrell to deliver this invitation to Drac Von Stoller," replied Nick's henchman.Drac's servant said, "I'll see that Drac Von Stoller receives the invitation."Drac's servant entered Drac Von Stoller's study to deliver the invitation. The servant said,"Drac, I have an invitation that was just delivered by Nick Maundrell's henchman."Drac placed his hand out, and the servant placed the invitation in Drac's hand, and Drac opened the invitation, and read it out loud. "Nick has invited me over to his castle for dinner tomorrow evening to celebrate our friendship and the takeover of the world."Drac was excited to see his good friend Nick once again, but Drac's excitement about spending some time with his friend tomorrow evening would be short lived once Nick added a little poison to his drink. Drac told his servant he was going out for the night and would be hanging out with some friends at the Vampire Tavern. Drac hopped in his casket shaped car and sped off down the road to the Vampire Tavern. Drac pulled into his parking space that was reserved for him, and stepped out of his car, and entered the Vampire Tavern for a night of drinking, and live music. Drac stepped up to the bar and the bar tender said, "Drac what can I get you tonight?" Drac Von Stoller replied, "Make it a Bloody Mary on the rocks, Wolfman.” The Wolfman howled, and poured Drac Von Stoller his Bloody Mary, and Drac Von Stoller gulped it down, and wiped the blood from his mouth, and slammed his glass down on the bar and said, "Pour me another, Wolfman, and make it a little stronger." The Wolfman poured him another then Drac said, "I'll see you shortly I'm just going to listen to my favorite band, "The Ghouls of the Night.""Ok, Drac, I'll see you around," as the Wolfman howled.Drac partied hard as he always does at the Vampire Tavern, but Drac knew the fun had to end before the sun would start to rise. Drac checked his watch, and downed a few more shots of Bloody Mary’s, and said goodbye to the band, and staggered over to the bar, and said, "Hey! Wolfman, I'll see you tomorrow night."The Wolfman replied, "I'll be here waiting to pour up some more Bloody Mary’s for you when you return."Drac exited the tavern, and got in his coffin car, and drove back to his castle to sleep just before sunrise. Then when the sunset he would head on over to meet Nick Maundrell at his castle for dinner and celebration, but for Drac Von Stoller the only thing that would be celebrated at Nick's castle would be his death.

A young airman with Asperger’s, summarily discharged from military duty and plagued by mental health issues, becomes homeless and has frequent encounters with the law. Through his exploits, he inadvertently provides the inspiration for a popular TV show and becomes the hope of the poor and downtrodden in Seattle, Washington.Life is tough. It's especially challenging if you were born to a drug-addicted mother, spent years shuffling between foster homes, barely recognized for your world-class classical pianist ability, and struggled everyday with Asperger's Syndrome. Finding it difficult to hold down employment or maintain a meaningful relationship, James, who would later come to be known as Commoner, was destined to spend many years living a life of homeless destitution. A glimpse of hope arrives when a police officer, sympathetic to his plight, gives him a break for the many troubles he gets himself into. Commoner, his life and struggles forming the base for a popular network cartoon show, becomes the champion of the poor and neglected although, being homeless, is unaware of it. Plagued by his own demons, will Commoner finally fall prey to a society that marginalizes him in a big way?

After seven friends take a trip to a secluded log cabin, what should have been a drunken weekend of fun end ends in the tragic and brutal murder of two of them. Mackenzie Keaton and four of her friends wake in a disorientated state to find the bodies of Josh Harper and Courtney Young on the kitchen floor. With the police determining that there was no forced entry or signs of a struggle, suspicion turn to the five survivors. And everyone’s finger is pointed to Josh’s estranged brother, Blake. Mackenzie refuses to believe any one of them could have done it and embarks on her own investigation to prove their innocence, but after a few shocking revelations, she is forced to face the fact that one of them is the murderer.

Ever Montgomery suffered the ultimate betrayal by the one man who she should have been able to count on for anything. It has left her hurt, jaded and incapable of forming relationships, but it also means that she can spot a liar a mile away. These traits are earning her a reputation as a reporter with a keen nose for a good story and a complete understanding of the extreme power of the written word. Lincoln Caldwell, is the hot goalie for the New York Rangers. At twenty-four and a rising star, he works hard and he plays even harder. He's gorgeous and carefree--the ultimate charmer. Ladies fall at his feet and the single life has never been lived the way Linc Caldwell does it. When Ever publishes an article about Linc containing information that she received off the record, she finds herself on the receiving end of the athlete's fury. Rather than basking in the glory of exposing Linc as a shameless user of women, she finds herself at his mercy when he demands and receives retribution. Required by her editor to trail Linc for six weeks, Ever is forced to look at the real Linc Caldwell. And she just might find that she has misjudged him.

For fans of Sylvia Day, E. L. James, and J. Kenner, the author of the edgy and erotic Full Exposure delivers another explosive tale of seduction and suspense. As the only woman on her homicide squad, star investigator Genevieve Delacroix maintains a tough-as-nails attitude that keeps men at arm’s length. She never gives in to her secret fantasies—until she meets a mysterious stranger who teaches her how little control she really has over her mind or her body. Cole Adams arrives in New Orleans believing Genevieve is his last hope for solving the murder of his younger sister. He just doesn’t expect the hard-bitten detective to look like a blond bombshell. Once he breaks through her inhibitions, he soon finds an unexpected obsession driving Genevieve right to the edge of desire . . . and beyond. But when the serial killer who has been terrorizing the streets of the French Quarter sets his sights on Genevieve, they realize that they both have let down their guard. And losing control can have fatal consequences. Praise for *Tie Me Down  * “An intoxicating blend of suspense and eroticism that will leave readers breathless!”—New York Times bestselling author Maya Banks “Snares you in the first chapter with its detail of the desperation and need of the characters, and then keeps you enthralled as the plot unravels. Wolff grabs your attention and doesn’t let you go. A great read!”—Fresh Fiction   “All I can say is hot, hot, hot! Murder, mystery, and sex that sizzles—what more can a gal ask for? Warning—read this story with a fan ready at hand.”—Bestselling author Sunny “The sex is wild, exotic, and inventive in Wolff’s serial-killer thriller.”—*RT Book Reviews *Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from other Loveswept titles.

A routine protection gig for business tycoon Trent Kalamack quickly goes wrong when runner Rachel Morgan discovers she is the assassin's target. New, never published Hollows short with Trent and Rachel working together. The timing of the story sort of puts it between A Perfect Blood and Ever After, but the feeling of it is seriously slanted toward Ever After. If you get a chance to read it, I’d [author] be curious to know what you think about the “voice.” One of the things I tried to do–besides get a chance to see Rachel and Trent work together–was to give it a more mainstream feel since there’s the chance readers who would normally never pick up the Hollows might be reading it.

**Magical worlds and incredible creatures fill the pages of this action-packed adventure in the Map to Everywhere series! Fearless adventurers Marrill and Fin have just barely stopped the Iron Tide and the evil wizard Serth from destroying the Pirate Stream. Now they're on a mission to find Fin's missing mother, but before they can blink, Fin's people have found him--and they're not as friendly as he'd hoped. In fact, they're after a powerful wish orb that could resurrect the debilitating Iron Tide and end the world as we know it. Without their captain Coll and wizard friend Ardent to guide them, are Marrill and Fin brave enough to take on the magic (and evil) of the Pirate Stream on their own? Find out in this exhilarating third book that raises the stakes to new heights!

The author of such classics as Our Town and The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Thornton Wilder was a born storyteller and dramatist—rare talents on glorious display in this volume of more than three hundred letters he penned to a vast array of famous friends and beloved relatives. Through Wilder's correspondence, readers can eavesdrop on his conversations with Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, Noël Coward, Gene Tunney, Laurence Olivier, Aaron Copland, Paul Hindemith, Leonard Bernstein, Edward Albee, and Mia Farrow. Equally absorbing are Wilder's intimate letters to his family. Wilder tells of roller-skating with Walt Disney, remembers an inaugural reception for FDR at the White House, describes his life as a soldier in two World Wars, and recalls dining out with Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor. In these pages, Thornton Wilder speaks for himself in his own unique, enduring voice—informing, encouraging, instructing, and entertaining with his characteristic wit, heart, and exuberance.

Not so long ago Emilio Brentani was a promising young author. Now he is an insurance agent on the fast track to forty. He gains a new lease on life, though, when he falls for the young and gorgeous Angiolina-except that his angel just happens to be an unapologetic cheat. But what begins as a comedy of infatuated misunderstanding ends in tragedy, as Emilio's jealous persistence in his folly-against his friends' and devoted sister's advice, and even his own best knowledge-leads to the loss of the one person who, too late, he realizes he truly loves. Marked by deep humanity and earthy humor, by psychological insight and an elegant simplicity of style, As a Man Grows Older (Senilità, in Italian; the English title was the suggestion of Svevo's great friend and admirer, James Joyce) is a brilliant study of hopeless love and hapless indecision. It is a masterwork of Italian literature, here beautifully rendered into English in Beryl de Zoete's classic translation.

There Be Monsters Here. . . It's not as great as you'd think, living in a tourist town that's known as "the most magical place in America." Same boring high school, just twice as many monsters under the bridges and rival Families killing each other for power. I try to keep out of it. I've got my mom's bloodiron sword and my slightly illegal home in the basement of the municipal library. And a couple of Talents I try to keep quiet, including very light fingers and a way with a lock pick. But then some nasty characters bring their Family feud into my friend's pawn shop, and I have to make a call--get involved, or watch a cute guy die because I didn't. I guess I made the wrong choice, because now I'm stuck putting everything on the line for Devon Sinclair. My mom was murdered because of the Families, and it looks like I'm going to end up just like her. . .

Eugene is remembering the summer of 1938 in Frenchtown, a time when he began to wonder "what I was doing here on the planet Earth." Here in vibrant, exquisite detail are his lovely mother, his aunts and uncles, cousins and friends, and especially his beloved, enigmatic father. Here, too, is the world of a mill town: the boys swimming in a brook that is red or purple or green, depending on the dyes dumped that day by the comb shop; the visit of the ice man; and the boys' trips to the cemetery or the forbidden railroad tracks. And here also is a darker world-the mystery of a girl murdered years before. Robert Cormier's touching, funny, melancholy chronicle of a vanished world celebrates a son’s connection to his father and human relationships that are timeless. "From the Paperback edition."

When Alix's charismatic girlfriend, Swanee, dies from sudden cardiac arrest, Alix is overcome with despair. As she searches Swanee's room for mementos of their relationship, she finds Swanee's cell phone, pinging with dozens of texts sent from a mysterious contact, L.T. The most recent text reads: "Please tell me what I did. Please, Swan. Te amo. I love you." Shocked and betrayed, Alix learns that Swanee has been leading a double life--secretly dating a girl named Liana the entire time she's been with Alix. Alix texts Liana from Swanee's phone, pretending to be Swanee in order to gather information before finally meeting face-to-face to break the news. Brought together by Swanee's lies, Alix and Liana become closer than they'd thought possible. But Alix is still hiding the truth from Liana. Alix knows what it feels like to be lied to--but will coming clean to Liana mean losing her, too?

Carl Hiaasen serves up his unique brand of swamp justice in the New York Times bestseller Skink—No Surrender. A National Book Award Longlist Selection   When your cousin goes missing under suspicious circumstances, who do you call? There’s only one man for the job: a half-crazed, half-feral, one-eyed ex-governor named Skink. Skink joins 14-year-old Richard on a breakneck chase across Florida, undaunted by lightning storms, poisonous snakes, flying bullets, and giant gators. There are a million places cousin Malley could be, a million unpleasant fates that might have befallen her, but one thing is certain: in the Florida swamp, justice is best served wild. SUNSHINE STATE AWARD FINALIST! From the Hardcover edition.

(Suncoast Society series #73, MF, BDSM) Between losing her job, surviving cancer, and her long-term Dom dumping her, Meri’s hit rock-bottom. When her Dom of a little brother unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep in St. Louis with a moving truck to bring her home with him, she’s ready to go. Returning to Florida means reunions with old friends and getting involved with kinky locals in the Suncoast Society. Except she doesn’t expect to run into her old high-school teacher, Elvin. She definitely didn’t expect him to look so…haaawwtt. Elvin was only a couple of years older than Meri when she was his student. Since then, he’s survived a crushing divorce and a near-fatal accident. He’s rebuilt himself inside and out and is ready to truly be himself. He never thought he’d date a former student…except Meri’s all grown up, and has way more experience in kink than he does. Now it’s time to see if Elvin can learn a few lessons of his own.

Nebula and Hugo Award nominees Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck—writing as James S. A. Corey—make their Star Wars debut in this brand-new epic adventure featuring Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia Organa. The action begins after the destruction of the Death Star in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. When the Empire threatens the galaxy’s new hope, will Han, Luke, and Leia become its last chance?   When the mission is to extract a high-level rebel spy from the very heart of the Empire, Leia Organa knows the best man for the job is Han Solo—something the princess and the smuggler can finally agree on. After all, for a guy who broke into an Imperial cell block and helped destroy the Death Star, the assignment sounds simple enough. But when Han locates the brash rebel agent, Scarlet Hark, she’s determined to stay behind enemy lines. A pirate plans to sell a cache of stolen secrets that the Empire would destroy entire worlds to protect—including the planet where Leia is currently meeting with rebel sympathizers. Scarlet wants to track down the thief and steal the bounty herself, and Han has no choice but to go along if he’s to keep everyone involved from getting themselves killed. From teeming city streets to a lethal jungle to a trap-filled alien temple, Han, Chewbacca, Leia, and their daring new comrade confront one ambush, double cross, and firestorm after another as they try to keep crucial intel out of Imperial hands. But even with the crack support of Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing squadron, the Alliance heroes may be hopelessly outgunned in their final battle for the highest of stakes: the power to liberate the galaxy from tyranny or ensure the Empire’s reign of darkness forever.

"I'm lucky just to be alive." Eva was never supposed to have survived this long. As the recessive soul, she should have faded away years ago. Instead, she lingers in the body she shares with her sister soul, Addie. When the government discovered the truth, they tried to “cure” the girls, but Eva and Addie escaped before the doctors could strip Eva’s soul away. Now fugitives, Eva and Addie find shelter with a group of hybrids who run an underground resistance. Surrounded by others like them, the girls learn how to temporarily disappear to give each soul some much-needed privacy. Eva is thrilled at the chance to be alone with Ryan, the boy she’s falling for, but troubled by the growing chasm between her and Addie. Despite clashes over their shared body, both girls are eager to join the rebellion. Yet as they are drawn deeper into the escalating violence, they start to wonder: How far are they willing to go to fight for hybrid freedom? Faced with uncertainty and incredible danger, their answers may tear them apart forever.