When Thorn takes what he believes is a routine job to track down a friend's missing son, he makes the discovery that other kids have gone missing too. The disappearances are somehow linked to the ghost of a long-dead bandit that's been seen stalking the amber dunes of the Western Frontier. Soon Thorn finds himself embroiled in a sinister plot of bloodthirsty revenge in this fast-paced novel.The Amber Bones is the first action-packed novel in the Thorn the Bounty Hunter series. When Thorn takes what he believes is a routine job to track down a friend's missing son, he makes the discovery that other kids have gone missing too. The disappearances are somehow linked to the skeletal ghost of a long-dead bandit that's been seen stalking the amber dunes of the Western Frontier. Following the trail to the trade center of the Free Lands, a divided town called Webster Grove, Thorn finds himself being sucked deeper and deeper into a sinister plot of revolution, power, and bloodthirsty revenge. Soon he's fighting for his life against corrupt politicians, power-mad businessmen, and a macabre figure from local legend known as the Amber Bones. The action is non-stop in this page-turning adventure.

Dr. Bowles is putting together a team of talented research scientists. His company, Biotech, is developing a new technology that will become the ultimate tool in the game of espionage. What Dr. Bowles and his team do not know is the technology they are developing will be used against them. Somewhere along the line things go astray and the nuclear secrets of the United States come into jeopardy.What if we had the technology to tap into a person’s central nervous system? What if we could see what they see; hear what they hear? What if we could do this without them having knowledge of our invasion? What if this technology fell into the hands of the wrong people? What kinds of evil things might they pursue with this ability?Dr. Michael Bowles is putting together a team of talented research scientists. His company, Biotech, is attempting to develop a new technology that will become the ultimate tool in the game of espionage. What Dr. Bowles and his team do not know is the technology they are developing will be used against them. Somewhere along the line things go astray and the nuclear secrets of the United States come into jeopardy.This first book in the Hijacked series establishes the technology. While it opens up the doors for many future adventures, you can be assured this is a self contained novel with a unique ending. Join me now as we open up the world of...Hijacked!

A short story, about 3600 words.Dan Tippdale is a human among aliens on an unfamiliar world. A bar fight lands him in jail -- and he shot first. The charge might not be murder, but that might not matter -- from the looks of things, he might not live to stand trial. And then there's the matter of his lawyer, who has something big in common with the alien Dan shot...The Johns in life John Wayne John Gacy John Lennon John Beluchi We should be Christians

The never-before-told story of the journey behind THE BRONZE HORSEMAN, now in print for the first time. From the author of the celebrated, internationally bestselling BRONZE HORSEMAN saga comes a glimpse into the private life of its much loved creator, and the real story behind the epic novels. Paullina Simons gives us a work of non-fiction as captivating and heart-wrenching as the lives of Tatiana and Alexander. Only a few chapters into writing her first story set in Russia, her mother country, Paullina Simons travelled to Leningrad (now St Petersburg) with her beloved Papa. What began as a research trip turned into six days that forever changed her life, the course of her family, and the novel that became THE BRONZE HORSEMAN. After a quarter-century away from her native land, Paullina and her father found a world trapped in yesteryear, with crumbling stucco buildings, entire families living in seven-square-metre communal apartments, and barren fields bombed so badly that nothing would grow there even fifty years later. And yet there were the spectacular white nights, the warm hospitality of family friends and, of course, the pelmeni and caviar. At times poignant, at times inspiring and funny, this is both a fascinating glimpse into the inspiration behind the epic saga, and a touching story of a family's history, a father and a daughter, and the fate of a nation. 'Amazing book! Thank you Paullina for sharing your experience with us all!'- Kiki, Goodreads

A sheltered girl. A wild horse. An unforgettable journey. Maya lives like a captive. At Grandmother's house in California, everything is forbidden: friends, fun, even memories. And her life is built on lies: lies Grandmother tells her about her dead mother, lies Maya tells to impress or manipulate. But then she moves to the vast Wyoming wilderness where her mother's family awaits - kind, rugged people who have no tolerance for lies. They challenge Maya to confront the truth about who she is. And a mysterious mustang called Artemisia waits, too. She holds the key to Maya's freedom. But to find it, Maya will have to risk everything, including her life.

Liam O’Connor should have died at sea in 1912. Maddy Carter should have died on a plane in 2010. Sal Vikram should have died in a fire in 2026. But all three have been given a second chance—to work for an agency that no one knows exists. Its purpose: to prevent time travel destroying history... When Maddy finally unlocks fragments of the secret that Becks has been holding on to, the TimeRiders start to piece together their true purpose. Racing through time to connect the clues, the team discover a Mayan tribe and an ancient relic provides a vital link to the past... and future. But not all the TimeRiders can cope with the discovery, and one threatens to bring them all down if they can act out their revenge...

Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You remember them, don't you? They're the Princes Charming, who finally got some credit after they stepped out of the shadows of their princesses--Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White, and Briar Rose--to defeat an evil witch bent on destroying all their kingdoms. But alas, such fame and recognition only last so long. And when the princes discover that an object of great power might fall into any number of wrong hands, they are going to have to once again band together to stop it from happening--even if no one will ever know it was they who did it. Christopher Healy, author of the acclaimed The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, takes us back to the hilariously fractured fairy-tale world he created for another tale of medieval mischief. Magical gemstones, bladejaw eels, a mysterious Gray Phantom, and two maniacal warlords bent on world domination--it's all in a day's work for the League of Princes.

Upon arriving in the Romany homeland to deliver the Mercator Globes, Petra Kronos, Tomik, and Neel formulate a plan to save Petra’s father, who has been transformed into a Gray Man. But when a long-held secret is revealed, Neel finds himself bound to his country. The friends are quickly swept up in an epic battle for power. Thrones are at stake. Spies are afoot. Murder is common. Worst of all, Prince Rodolfo is close to becoming emperor, and ruling half of Europe. How much is Petra willing to sacrifice to defend the people she loves? Her search for answers will take her to castles and cities, through mountains, and even underwater as she tests her strength and gambles her life.

Rath Scampion explores the barren planet Fenrir just before a Regency Council plants a genetically created "alien." Geneticists create the Fenrites in cloning labs, infusing knowledge of basic agriculture, but as the colony takes hold, researchers discover the Fenrites advancing at an alarming pace. The experiment spirals out of control, and Rath must flee, ending up in the midst of outcasts.From the Author: Alien Cradle is one of my first novels. It is more plot focused than character driven, so it is very different from my other works, such as the Delver Magic series. I am including it for the sake of completeness. I wanted to make all of my work available for anyone interested in my earliest books. If you decide to give Alien Cradle a try, I hope you will also consider some of my other novels, even if you find this particular story not to your liking. Thank you,Jeff InloSummary: Rath Scampion, outer rim scout, explores the barren landscapes of Fenrir just before a Regency Scientific Council plants the seed of a genetically created "alien." Captured trying to steal precious gems from the planet, Rath finds himself entangled in a massive deception. Geneticists create the Fenrites in cloning labs, infusing knowledge of basic agriculture through brain wave technology. As the alien colony takes hold on the once barren planet, researchers discover the Fenrites advancing at an alarming pace, passing quickly through complex stages of industrial and technological growth. The experiment spirals out of control and Rath must flee Regency controlled space, ending up in the midst of marauders and outcasts. He is caught with no safe haven as the Fenrite disaster spurs on political and military chaos throughout the Regency colonized worlds.

Richard Sharpe, the former private in His Majesty's army who now commands a company of riflemen, finds himself fighting his old enemies, the French, in 1811. Sharpe has been sent by Wellington on a mission to Cadiz, now the capital of Spain, to rescue the British ambassador -- who happens to be Wellington's brother -- from a spot of undiplomatic trouble. The city has been blockaded by the French but is supported by the British from the sea. It contains a rare mix of pro- and anti-British citizens, diplomats, courtiers, adventurers, and spies. Sharpe's mission -- complicated, undercover, and political -- turns out to be completely different from the one on which he was sent. It brings him through the besieging enemy army to triumph in the Battle of Barrosa, where the British, deserted by their allies, defeat an overwhelmingly stronger French force.

Six kids. One shipwreck. One desert island. Stranded. Separated. Six kids are stuck on a desert island. They have no food. No shelter. Nobody knows they are lost. They must take from the island in order to survive. But what if they're not alone?

Avon the snail has never had an adventure. And adventure, he has heard, is the key to a happy life. So with his new friend Edward the ant, Avon sets out on a journey to find the excitement his life has been missing. The travelers meet all manner of wise, weird, and intriguing creatures--including a dragon!--and it's not long before their adventures begin. In the tradition of such classics as "The Little Prince," "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," and "Winnie-the-Pooh," this completely original story--a modern fable for our time--brims with wit, wisdom, and profound insights about the meaning of things . . . great "and" small.

Young Countess Meliara swears to her dying father that she and her brother will defend their people from the growing greed of the king. That promise leads them into a war for which they are ill-prepared, which threatens the very people they are trying to protect. But war is simple compared to what follows, in peacetime. Meliara is summoned to live at the royal palace, where friends and enemies look alike, and intrigue fills the dance halls and the drawing rooms. If she is to survive, Meliara must learn a whole new way of fighting-with wits and words and secret alliances. In war, at least, she knew in whom she could trust. Now she can trust no one. The Firebird edition of Crown Duel combines the hardcover editions of Crown Duel and Court Duel-and features a never-before-published story by Sherwood Smith!

The last thing she needs is a prince. The first thing she needs is some magic. Poor Princess Anya. Forced to live with her evil stepmother’s new husband, her evil stepstepfather. Plagued with an unfortunate ability to break curses with a magic-assisted kiss. And forced to go on the run when her stepstepfather decides to make the kingdom entirely his own. Aided by a loyal talking dog, a boy thief trapped in the body of a newt, and some extraordinarily mischievous wizards, Anya sets off on a Quest that, if she plays it right, will ultimately free her land—and teach her a thing or two about the use of power, the effectiveness of a well-placed pucker, and the finding of friends in places both high and low.

If you think being a teenager in today's world is tough, try being one in 2081. In Alberta's It's Only Fair society, your brain-band will zap you just for chewing with your mouth open. One boy pried his brain-band off to see what living with emotions would be like. Being chased by the entire Alberta army was bad enough. It became worse when another 15 year old kid offered to help him escape."My life is worth more than a few minutes of anyone's pleasure."Alessandro Lupo (Alex) is a sixteen-year-old gay foster child who has been moved from "home" to "home" in New York City. Isolated by circumstances and by the protective shield he's surrounded himself with, he wanders the streets of the West Village and gravitates toward Stonewall Inn, where the 1969 riots planted the seeds of the gay civil rights movement. Having been raped at his previous foster home, he worries about HIV and about ever being able to enjoy sex. Alex, whose parents had both been Italian, feels his lack of family keenly. As he wanders the city streets, he scrutinizes people who might also be Italian. Alex is short for Alessandro, which means defender of men; Lupo means wolf. But Alex feels fearful most of the time—fear not just of Derek, the other foster teen in his current home, but also of life in general—and wishes for the courage of his 19th century countryman, Giuseppe Garibaldi, with whose statue in Washington Square Park Alex has imaginary conversations.Then Alex meets two people who represent polar opposites: one who validates the low opinion Alex already has of himself; and another who helps him see himself in an entirely new light and teaches him that his life is worth more than a few minutes of anyone's pleasure.