A father reconnects with his son on a trip to the lake, resurrecting more than just memories.excerpt:We leave the car and strip behind it. The boy turns shyly away, exposing the pearly white purity of his bare bottom. Safe from view, I enjoy the transitory thrill of standing naked in the world. Before slipping my trunks on, I look beyond the far side of the wired enclosure, remembering a place, now possessed by a cottage, where my father and mother and brother and I once long ago camped in a trailer. As we approach the gate again, I look beyond it, down the length of interlinked wire, towards the dwindling end of beach where my father always set the barbecue grill, away from children carelessly running about. I close my eyes and imagine him still standing there on a sandy crescent of shoreline, enclosed by the now becalmed water and a green profusion of cattails.A cool draft coming off the lake causes me to wonder if we have come too late. The possibility prompts the remembrance of another past summer day when the water proved too cold to go in. As I stood with my toes at the waterline looking out, a tall gangly girl my own age, with skin of shiny ebony and hair kinky black, approached holding in both hands a half-empty bottle of Fresca. Having little experience with unfamiliar girls, even less with black ones, I found her an interesting challenge. My eyes continually drew away from her face to her hair, woven into pigtails tied off at the ends with bits of red yarn. I particularly liked the way she talked, which imparted a slight trill to the words she spoke. But my every gambit to capture her interest failed until, replying, “Tosh,” to a bold hypothetical I expressed in an attempt to impress her, (that swimming would be far more comfortable if only a small piece of sun were to fall in the lake and warm it,) she turned away and went back to sit on the blanket next to her mother, who listened, smiling, holding a cigarette motionless to her lips, while between finishing sips of her Fresca the girl related what I’d said.

The Heartbreak Diary is a collection of deep poems that discusses culturally and versifies the complex emotional feeling that is called heartbreak. Its verses are arranged in three main styles, rhythmic quartets/quatrains, iambic sonnets and a few long verses that culminate in an ode sung to African literary juggernaut, Chinua Achebe.The Heartbreak Diary is a collection of deep poems that discusses culturally and versifies the complex emotional feeling that is called heartbreak. Its verses are arranged in three main styles, rhythmic quartets/quatrains, iambic sonnets and a few long verses that culminate in an ode sung to African literary juggernaut, Chinua Achebe. The theme of the poems range from a nationalist’s broken patriotism through exuberant teenage flings to somber vituperations of death, like Love is strong as death.It’s a work that subtly draws on its reader and reminds one of a young Wole Soyinka’s Idanre.

A 15-year-old girl on the autism spectrum discovers the truth about herself, and turns her life and her entire family upside down, when she develops a fixation on a teenage girl singer from the 1960s.Fifteen-year-old Cynthia Ann Butt has much bigger problems than her unfortunate name. At age 4, a year after she was diagnosed with autism, she was put on the Good Brain Diet, which her parents make a living marketing. The selling point of the diet is that Cynthia has achieved “remission” from her autism and is now on the straight and narrow path to medical school. But when she develops an autistic fixation on Amy Zander, an obscure teenage bossa nova singer and drummer from the 1960s, she begins to question whether her “remission” is real, discovers her own musicianship, and makes her first real friend--all under the “guidance” of Amy, who appears to her as a spectral version of Amy’s 15-year-old self. Soon Cynthia transforms herself from Cynthia Ann Butt, loser and failure, into Cyan Beaut, a daring and exciting percussionist, singer, and songwriter, who is happy and proud to be autistic and artistic. But if her transformation is successful, and the truth about her autism comes out, not only will her parents hate her for it, but her entire family will be at risk of financial ruin. The escalating conflict with her parents contributes to the “disease” process that finds her more and more under the spell of “Spectral Amy,” who leads her to places she never expected to go.

Yale professor Dr. Edward Kender’s father is undergoing chemotherapy when the supply of a critical accompanying drug suddenly runs out. Unwilling to accept the drug company’s disingenuous excuse of production line problems, Dr. Kender hires private investigator Erin Pulask to prove there is something more sinister going on at Schiffer Engel’s manufacturing facility in Indiana. Pulaski uncovers a bombshell – Schiffer Engel’s intentional shortage is bringing in a windfall profit in excess of two billion dollars. When a top Schiffer Engel employee shows up viciously murdered behind the U.S. headquarters, Sherlock and Savich are called in to lend a hand. The murder of a foreign national on federal land can only mean the German drug company has a secret of epic proportions.

Tina Chen just wants a degree and a job, so her parents never have to worry about making rent again. She has no time for Blake Reynolds, the sexy billionaire who stands to inherit Cyclone Technology. But when he makes an off-hand comment about what it means to be poor, she loses her cool and tells him he couldn’t last a month living her life. To her shock, Blake offers her a trade: She’ll get his income, his house, his car. In exchange, he’ll work her hours and send money home to her family. No expectations; no future obligations. But before long, they’re trading not just lives, but secrets, kisses, and heated nights together. No expectations might break Tina’s heart...but Blake’s secrets could ruin her life.

In this daring, provocative, and insightful book, bestselling author and internationally acclaimed playwright Eve Ensler writes fictional monologues and stories inspired by girls around the globe. Moving through a world of topics and emotions, these voices are fierce, alive, tender, complicated, imaginative, and smart. Girls today often find themselves in a struggle between remaining strong and true to themselves and conforming to society’s expectations in an attempt to please. They are taught not to be too intense, too passionate, too smart, too caring, too open. They are encouraged to shut down their instincts, their outrage, their desires and their dreams, to be polite, to obey the rules. I Am an Emotional Creature is a celebration of the authentic voice inside every girl and an inspiring call to action for girls everywhere to speak up, follow their dreams, and become the women they were always meant to be. Among the girls Ensler creates are an American who struggles with peer pressure in a suburban high school; an anorexic blogging as she eats less and less; a Masai girl from Kenya unwilling to endure female genital mutilation; a Bulgarian sex slave, no more than fifteen, a Chinese factory worker making Barbies; an Iranian student who is tricked into a nose job; a pregnant girl trying to decide if she should keep her baby. Through rants, poetry, questions, and facts, we come to understand the universality of girls everywhere: their resiliency, their wildness, their pain, their fears, their secrets, and their triumphs. I Am an Emotional Creature is a call, a reckoning, an education, an act of empowerment for girls, and an illumination for parents and for us all.

"When did two girls of our age have such a chance as we've got - to have a lark entirely on our own? No chaperone, no rules, no..." "No present income or future prospects," said Lucilla. It's 1919 and Jane and her cousin Lucilla leave school to find that their guardian has gambled away their money, leaving them with only a small cottage in the English countryside. In an attempt to earn their living, the orphaned cousins embark on a series of misadventures - cutting flowers from their front garden and selling them to passers-by, inviting paying guests who disappear without paying - all the while endeavouring to stave off the attentions of male admirers, in a bid to secure their independence.

For now, in an act of homage and celebration, William Horwood has brought to life once more the four most-loved characters in English literature: the loyal Mole, the resourceful Water Rat, the stern but wise Badger, and, of course, the exasperating, irresistible Toad. The result is an enchanting, unforgettable new novel, enlivened by delightful illustrations, in which William Horwood has recaptured all the joy, magic, and good humor of Grahame's great work - and Toad is still as exasperatingly lovable as he ever was.

The threat of terrorism and biological warfare become all too real in this riveting thriller when the danger comes from a family's most cherished pets. Tessa Sanderson, ex-FBI agent, has moved to a sleepy Maryland town to escape her tragic past. When the town's beloved dogs begin viciously attacking pet owners, federal CDC agents determine that the dogs are carrying a mutated flu affecting the aggression center of their brains, for which their is no known cure. Tessa offers to help round up and quarantine the dogs, even though some unconvinced locals are preparing to protect their pets by any means necessary. But she has another reason for getting involved—someone has been sending her threatening emails in Arabic claiming responsibility for the virus, and Tessa is resolved to go deep undercover to expose this deadly conspiracy. Combining hard science with thoughtful narrative, this chilling tale of science fiction explores the complex relationships between dogs and their...

How is this book unique? Font adjustments & biography included Unabridged (100% Original content) Formatted for e-reader Illustrated About Mrs. Lirriper's Lodgings by Charles Dickens Mrs Lirriper is an involving story of people thrown together by chance, that moves from the squalors of Victorian London to the sunnier climes of southern France. Recently widowed, Mrs. Lirriper devotes her energies to attending to the needs of her assorted lodgers; but when a newborn child is abandoned to her care, her responsibilities grow to new levels. She enlists longtime lodger, the Major, into the role of a guardian,” and the two develop an increasing affection for the boy. In an effort to entertain the growing lad, they relate the stories of their fellow lodgers, little knowing that they are about to embark on their own real-life tale of impending death, guilty secrets, and mysterious legacies. Charles Dickens is one of England’s most important literary figures. His works enjoyed enormous success in his day and are still regarded as among the most popular and widely read classics of all time.

Harry Castlemon was a late 19th century author best known for writing kids books and stories that appealed to young boys.

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

A short story - Sean has popped the question and dreads the drive across the bleak Kansas landscape on Valentine's Day to announce his intentions to his fiancee Janet's parents. When he sees a sign for a corn maze, he pulls in for a momentary reprieve. Little does he know what a mistake he's made.Hiding her powers was never a problem for seventeen-year-old Graylee Perez. Not until her diabolical twin sister decided to go on a rampage that could expose them all or get someone hurt.  To add to the aggravation, coven reject Raj McKenna catches Gray performing a complex spell and is convinced they would make a powerful couple. He can delude himself all he wants. Gray has sworn off dating warlocks, especially delinquents who play with fire.  But even Gray’s mysterious death won’t deter Raj, not after Gray is brought back from the great beyond. Only she’s not truly back. Her body’s still six feet under and she’s on borrowed time. There are forces threatening Gray’s existence and a powerful wizard willing to help . . . for a price. Gray doesn’t know who to trust or how long she has left before she vanishes for good, but she’s determined to stick around no matter what the cost.

details about characteristics of different generation computers, merits and demerits of it.This is a short story (less than 1000 words) that was originally created for a magazine. As an occupational therapist, Kelly knows that falling for a patient breaks her Code of Ethics. Having worked with Jeff over the last six months, helping him with his rehabilitation, she's gone and done the unthinkable. She's fallen for him, hard. But she could never tell Jeff how she really feels about him. Instead, she must watch him walk out of the hospital and her life knowing she might never see him again.

Romy became an orphan at 17. Forced to move, she hates everything. The thing that keeps her going is the desire to invent something regardless of the implications. But she has one setback after another. An inventor's show is taking place soon in Vienna. Can she complete something in time?This is a free fantasy steampunk-inspired short story based on the characters in the Amazi ChroniclesRomy was an orphan at 17 when both of her parents died from disappointment or a broken heart. Forced to move to rural Klagenfurt from urban Vienna, she feels full of hatred against the world. The only thing that keeps her going is her desire to invent something regardless of the implications. But she has one setback after another. And there was an inventor's show taking place back in Vienna. Can she finally create something, anything in time for the show? This is a free fantasy steampunk-inspired short story based on the characters in the Amazi Chronicles. The focus of this story is how a female teenager in late 19th century Austria became started on her path of becoming a competent inventor.