A lady's reputation is a fragile thing. If anyone ever discovered that Miss Elizabeth Bennet had received a letter from a single gentleman, she could be ruined... or forced to marry a man she detests. In this Pride & Prejudice variation, Elizabeth takes the safer course and refuses to read Mr. Darcy's letter of explanation. Returning home unaware of Wickham's true nature, Elizabeth confesses everything to him, putting both Mr. Darcy and herself in grave danger from Wickham's schemes.

Less than a hundred years from now, the world as we know it no longer exists. Cities have disappeared beneath the sea, technology no longer functions, and human civilization has reverted to a much more primitive stateOn an isolated northern island, the people of Wing are trying to hold onto their way of life-even as the sea continues to claim precious acres and threatens to claim their very lives.Only fifteen-year-old Mara has the vision and the will to lead her people in search of a new beginning in this harsh, unfamiliar world.This compelling and powerful story set in the near future will hit home with teens, especially those who are ever more aware of the increasingly controversial climate crisis we face in our world today.

From Publishers WeeklyStarred Review. Renowned inventor Kurzweil (_The Age of Spiritual Machines_) may be technology's most credibly hyperbolic optimist. Elsewhere he has argued that eliminating fat intake can prevent cancer; here, his quarry is the future of consciousness and intelligence. Humankind, it runs, is at the threshold of an epoch ("the singularity," a reference to the theoretical limitlessness of exponential expansion) that will see the merging of our biology with the staggering achievements of "GNR" (genetics, nanotechnology and robotics) to create a species of unrecognizably high intelligence, durability, comprehension, memory and so on. The word "unrecognizable" is not chosen lightly: wherever this is heading, it won't look like us. Kurzweil's argument is necessarily twofold: it's not enough to argue that there are virtually no constraints on our capacity; he must also convince readers that such developments are desirable. In essence, he conflates the wholesale transformation of the species with "immortality," for which read a repeal of human limit. In less capable hands, this phantasmagoria of speculative extrapolation, which incorporates a bewildering variety of charts, quotations, playful Socratic dialogues and sidebars, would be easier to dismiss. But Kurzweil is a true scientist—a large-minded one at that—and gives due space both to "the panoply of existential risks" as he sees them and the many presumed lines of attack others might bring to bear. What's arresting isn't the degree to which Kurzweil's heady and bracing vision fails to convince—given the scope of his projections, that's inevitable—but the degree to which it seems downright plausible. (Sept.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Bookmarks MagazineKurzweil is one of the world’s most respected thinkers and entrepreneurs. Yet the thesis he posits in Singularity is so singular that many readers will be astounded—and perhaps skeptical. Think Blade Runner or Being John Malkovich magnified trillion-fold. Even if one were to embrace his techno-optimism, which he backs up with fascinating details, Kurzweil leaves some important questions relating to politics, economics, and morality unanswered. If machines in our bodies can rebuild cells, for example, why couldn’t they be reengineered as weapons? Or think of singularity, notes the New York Times Book Review, as the "Manhattan Project model of pure science without ethical constraints." Kurzweil’s vision requires technology, which we continue to build. But it also requires mass acceptance and faith.Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.

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The love of adventure that characterises the youth of the present day, and the growing tendency of the surplus European population to seek abroad the comforts that are often denied at home, gives absorbing interest to the narratives of old colonists and settlers in the wonderful regions of the New World. Accordingly, the work known as the Swiss Family Robinson has long enjoyed a well-merited popularity, and has been perused by a multitude of readers, young and old, with profit as well as pleasure. A Swiss clergyman resolved to better his fortune by emigration. In furtherance of this resolution, he embarked with his wife and four sons--the latter ranging from eight to fifteen years of age--for one of the newly-discovered islands in the Pacific Ocean. As far as the coast of New Guinea the voyage had been favorable, but here a violent storm arose, which drove the ill-fated vessel out of its course, and finally cast it a wreck upon an unknown coast. The family succeeded in extricating themselves from the stranded ship, and landed safely on shore; but the remaining passengers and crew all perished. For many years these six individuals struggled alone against a variety of trials and privations, till at length another storm brought the English despatch-boat Nelson within reach of their signals. Such is a brief outline of the events recorded in the Swiss Family Robinson. The present volume is virtually a continuation of this narrative. The careers of the four sons--Frank, Ernest, Fritz, and Jack--are taken up where the preceding chronicler left them off. The subsequent adventures of these four young men, by flood and field, are faithfully detailed. With these particulars are mingled the experiences of another interesting family that afterwards became dwellers in the same territory; as are also the sayings and doings of a weather-beaten sailor--Willis the Pilot.

This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic, timeless works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.

How much would you gamble for love? When a tipsy party joke becomes a wager on Rufus’ marriage, he knows he should said no. But Juliana, the unwitting and unknowing focus of the gamble, has more to her than meets the eye. Will it be possible for Rufus to charm the winning Juliana? Does he owe her the truth about his initial interest in her? And who will eventually win the Michaelmas wager?How much would you gamble for love? Rufus Lovell has been thrust unexpectedly into riches, and gained a new set of friends who delight in wagers and bets, with nothing too small or too big to gamble on – even marriage. So when a tipsy party joke becomes a wager on Rufus’ marriage, he knows he should said no.But Juliana Honeyfield, the unwitting and unknowing focus of the gamble, is not the simple and malleable young woman that Rufus’ friends take her for.She demands a lot more from her acquaintances, and the challenge of understanding this intriguing woman and keeping the truth of the wager from her starts to wear thin on Rufus.Especially when his belief in marriage has already been so greatly rocked, and his family history is sunk in crime, alcoholism, and prison.Will it be possible for Rufus to charm the winning Juliana?Does he owe her the truth about his initial interest in her?And who will eventually win the Michaelmas wager?A Michaelmas Wager is a charming Regency romance novella about the unlikely consequences of spur of the moment decisions.

JJ Carlisle is a guy who grew up thinking he was destined for greatness. Instead, he finds trouble, though his sister Jackie and stepsister Karen regularly bail him out. While their lives settle down as the years pass, JJ feels personally affronted by the roiling 21st century economy. Occupy gives him a shot at leadership. But his anger threatens to radicalize him beyond the family’s imagination.JJ Carlisle is the beloved youngest brother of his blended family, a boy who grew up thinking he was destined for greatness. Instead, he finds trouble, with sister Jackie and stepsister Karen regularly there to bail him out. While their lives settle as the years pass, JJ feels personally affronted by the roiling economy of the 21st century. The Occupy movement gives him a shot at leadership. But his hubris and anger threaten to radicalize him farther than the rest of the family can imagine.

This is a true story based on the diaries of Fanny Seward, daughter of William H Seward,, Secretary of State to Abraham Lincoln. Several days before Lincoln's assassination, Seward had a severe and almost deadly carriage accident of which his daughter was a witness. The night Lincoln was assassinated, Seward, who was still recovering from the accident, had an attack on his own life as well.When I was younger, I was afraid of dogs for a while. I would actually run from even the smallest of dogs. Then one morning, as I recall my mom and dad surprized me with this brand new little puppy named Susie. She was the cutest little thing I had ever seen. I wasn’t very old at the time. I may have been 5 or so.

In this haunting short story, Ian Hawes moves into his wife's Regency estate out in the countryside to finish his opus for the Sussex Symphony Orchestra. Despite being in the perfect setting to focus on his work, Ian finds it difficult to write. He suspects there might be more to the house than he first realised and he begins to uncover a dark secret about the house... and his wife.A young woman is possessed by the demon Shkazzrt, and faces a difficult choice: go through with the perilous exorcism or not? Zombie researchers are standing by while she consults an expert on exorcism - a vampire.THE 'ZOMBIES VS VAMPIRES VS DEMONS' WORLD:In a post-apocalyptic world, humans are a just valuable resource: zombies want their brains, vampires want their blood, and demons want their souls. Pure humans are difficult to come by, and the factions scrape what they need from each other, either through brute force or fragile alliances.SUPERNATURAL FANTASY STORY [1500 words]

In 'Beyond the Crossing', Liz and her partner Martin, lived together in Melbourne in the early 1970s. Nearly everyone was attending antiwar protests and smoking dope in dimly lit folk clubs. They found they had inadvertently joined the rat race and decided to move to outback Australia and work in an Aboriginal community. It changes their lives forever.Lorraine Watts, author, is passionate about the regional, rural, and remote parts of Australia and the people who live there. She has lived in capital cities too, but it is the outback of Australia that captures her heart and provides much of the raw material for her writing. In this short story, Beyond the Crossing, two of the main characters, Liz and Martin, met and started their lives together in 1972 in Melbourne. This was a time when it seemed that nearly everyone was attending anti- Vietnam war protests, and smoking dope in dimly lit folk clubs in city basements. Liz and Martin, along with thousands of other young people, saw a need and opportunity to change the world to a kinder more loving place. They wanted a revolution.A few short years later, they married, had two young children, and were grinding their way through the rat race along with the rest of the population. That is, until an exciting opportunity arose for them to go north to a remote Aboriginal community in Arnhem Land. This experience was to shape their future together: for better or worse. They returned to Melbourne in 1981 but not for long. Next time they went to Fitzroy Crossing in West Australia's North West. This very different experience brought about a crisis in their lives. This story commences with the main character, Liz, in 2003, as she reflects on her time at the Crossing and wonders what the future holds for her. I hope you enjoy this story and that it gives you some insight into the human condition we all share.

A man's story as he enters a new town south of Lake Erie.A ghost story of a different kind !Katherine Rebecca has always done exactly what was expected of her. Her prim and proper upbringing taught her the importance of family, sacrifice, and social stature. She has followed in her parents' footsteps, being trained and groomed daily almost from birth, to take over the family law firm. It was never a question of IF she wanted to but WHEN she would take the reins of the company. She worked rigorously toward that predetermined goal her entire life. She gave up friends, boyfriends, and an exciting social life in order to propel herself through school and college. Katherine Rebecca strives to please her parents. More than anything, she basked in their praise and approval. But now, at 21 years old, she finds herself leading a life that is nothing like the life she imagined for herself.Becky has always possessed a deep love of magic. Ever since she was a small child she has been fascinated with magicians, illusions, mystery, and the vague hope that there was some sort of real magic in the world. But this is a secret no one knows, or at least that’s what she thought. Until one day Becky finds a mysterious business card in her pocket that leads her to an equally mysterious man. He opens up a whole new world of possibilities to her, one with a tantalizing proposition that she never thought imaginable.Could magic actually be real?

this book contains thirty poems on flowers, light, creatures, water and places, these are followed by four connected poems on peace.It's 1981 in Dallas and Stan decides to throw a Christmas party at his home as a way of saying thanks to the clients who have sustained him during his first tumultuous year in the practice of law. As Stan's luck would have it, a client is killed in a freak accident and Stan is blamed for his death. While trying to shield himself from the wrath of the grieving widow, he's asked to defend a young woman charged with murdering her newborn child. Since Stan has only been practicing a year, he knows he shouldn't take the case, but his client begs him to do it. Reluctantly, he agrees but enlists the aid of his former criminal law professor at SMU to be "Second Chair." He thinks everything is going to be okay now, but what he doesn't realize is that his professor is a drunk and probably won't show up for trial.