The Bedroom Invitation

      Ron wayne
     The Bedroom Invitation

Should a gal ever accept a date with a man how admits he will try to seduce her? That's all I'll tell you. Click the blue below to see why. Here it suffices to say that the story is short and free. Why read a summary when with little more effort you can read the whole thing? If you can't spare a moment more, you shouldn't be wasting time reading fiction anyway. Go back to work!"One can not judge a book by its cover." So we are told. But a cover is usually the only thing a reader has to base a judgment on. Smashwords tries to aid readers by providing summaries, one short, one long, for each book it distributes. For non-fiction this works well. But this, it seems to me, defeats the whole purpose of fiction. After all, one reads a story to find out what will happen. It’s the uncommon twists and turns that make a story interesting. But if a summary has told all this beforehand, what fun is to be had in the reading? Therefore, no summary of the present short story is given. It's short and it’s free! So read the whole thing and see if you like it. I ask you to do this because I think it is the best book judging method. To find fiction you like you must first read around enough to learn something of the style and stories of different authors. Then you can judge books, not by their cover, but by the your opinion of the writer. I'd like to help you do this. The present short story is one of several which I will make available free at Smashwords. Read a few (or all of them) and decide if you like them. It won't cost you a dime. If you like them, you can then purchase some of my not free (but still inexpensive) longer stories. All these stories are of one particular kind. To reflect this similarity all have the same cover picture, the Kitty & Rose shown above. So after you’ve read a few, you can, in fact, judge them by their cover. The common theme of the Kitty & Rose stories is human sexuality. This is not unusual. Most fiction concerns sex in one way or another; ranging from romances so sedate and demure an extraterrestrial could never know sex is at the root of everything described, to erotica so unrestricted even an extraterrestrial might blush. Kitty & Rose stories are in the middle of this range. All deal with human sexuality, but none do so explicitly. Rather, they are seemly. The dictionary gives three meanings for seemly: Attractive or agreeably fashioned; Decorous or conventionally proper; and Appropriate or suited to its purpose. With respect to appropriateness, seemly sex stories range from the humorous to the inspirational, but all concern human sexuality. So they are clearly appropriate. These stories are also seemly in the decorous and conventionally proper sense. For, while they treat sex candidly, they do not do so graphically. There is nothing pornographic nor erotic in any seemly sex story. Of course, different persons’ opinions about this may differ. A few consider frank pornography decorous. At the opposite extreme are those like the abbot of the monastery where the great biologist Gregor Mendel did his epochal research. This abbot thought Mendel’s studies were decidedly indecorous because they involved the sex of pea plants! Finally, there is the principal sense of seemly, attractive and agreeably fashioned. Like every author I exert my every effort and ability trying to make these stories seemly in this regard. But like every author, I must await your determination of the degree of my success. Since both of us will be pleased if you find them attractively seemly, I very much hope you do.Happy reading!BobbyBP:.S. This is Kitty & Rose free short story 14, uploaded 3-8-17.

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    Quinn's War

      Joe B. Slater
     Quinn's War

Jamie Quinn is shot and left for dead by three men hunting an escaped slave. He crosses the state of Missouri and finds himself riding first with Jennison’s Jayhawkers and then with Bolin’s bushwackers. He saves one of the men he has been chasing from being sold downriver and, brings down a corrupt plantation owner.Jamie Quinn is shot and left for dead by three men hunting an escaped slave. After being nursed back to health by a squaw on the Otoe Reservation, he crosses the state of Missouri and finds himself riding first with Jennison’s Jayhawkers and then with Bolin’s bushwackers. He saves one of the men he has been chasing from being sold downriver and, with the help of a female Union spy, brings down a corrupt plantation owner. The story is set against the chaos of Missouri—one of the border states that refused to commit to either side during the Civil War. It traces Quinn’s odyssey from Kansas City to St.Louis and examines the devastating effects the war had on its citizens: The bonds and boundaries of trust in the social order are gone. Families and communities are destroyed; revenge and retaliation replace the rule of law; graft and corruption becomes its currency. Nothing is what it seems and the moral universe is in turmoil. Guerrillas ride roughshod across the landscape wearing any uniform that suits them. A black slave hunts a white runaway. Union soldiers capture fugitive slaves and their commanding officer trades them for horses. Union generals trade contraband with plantation owners to buy arms in Mexico. It is the women in Quinn’s war who make a difference. There are the Oto battlefield nurse who heals him, the teacher who becomes a spy after her husband is executed in front of his family, the two prostitutes, one a white fugitive and the other a black runaway, who form their own relationship and work to protect each other.

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    The Pearl of Peace

      Timothy Paterson
     The Pearl of Peace

Irene had the most beautiful dream ever. She soon realized that it was more than a dream; much, much more. She discovered that she had been entrusted with a powerful pearl, which could spread peace, love and understanding to all those around her.Irene had the most beautiful dream ever. She soon realized that it was more than a dream; much, much more. She discovered that she had been entrusted with a powerful pearl, which could spread peace, love and understanding to all those around her. She soon realizes that it is better to share the pearl's power with others, and not keep it to herself. This story is a feel good story for young readers and adults alike.

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    Into the War

      Italo Calvino
     Into the War

These three stories, set during the summer of 1940, draw on Italo Calvino’s memories of his own adolescence during the Second World War, too young to be forced to fight in Mussolini’s army but old enough to be conscripted into the Italian youth brigades. The callow narrator of these tales observes the mounting unease of a city girding itself for war, the looting of an occupied French town, and nighttime revels during a blackout. Appearing here in its first English translation, Into the War is one of Calvino’s only works of autobiographical fiction. It offers both a glimpse of this writer’s extraordinary life and a distilled dram of his wry, ingenious literary voice.

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    A Slipping-Down Life

      Anne Tyler
     A Slipping-Down Life

BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Anne Tyler's *The Beginner's Goodbye.* "Without Anne Tyler, American fiction would be an immeasurably bleaker place." --NEWSDAY Evie Decker is a shy, slightly plump teenager, lonely and silent. But her quiet life is shattered when she hears the voice of Drumstrings Casey on the radio and becomes instantly attracted to him. She manages to meet him, bursting out of her lonely shell--and into the attentive gaze of the intangible man who becomes all too real....

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    Revenge of the Tide

      Elizabeth Haynes
     Revenge of the Tide

Elizabeth Haynes' second novel is a taut and gripping murder mystery introducing a compelling new heroine, Genevieve - office worker by day and pole dancer by night - who finds herself implicated in a mob underworld of murder, corruption and betrayal. Genevieve has finally escaped the stressful demands of her sales job and achieved her dream: to leave London behind and start a new life aboard a houseboat in Kent. But on the night of her boat-warming party the dream is shattered when a body washes up beside the boat, and Genevieve recognises the victim. As the sanctuary of the boatyard is threatened, and Genevieve's life seems increasingly at risk, the story of how she came to be so out of her depth is unfolded, and Genevieve finds out the real cost of mixing business with pleasure...

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    For Freedom: The Story of a French Spy

      Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
     For Freedom: The Story of a French Spy

From the Newbery Honor and Schneider Award-winning author of The War that Saved My Life comes For Freedom, the thrilling true story of one of France's youngest spies during World War II and perfect for fans of Code Name Verity and The Diary of Anne Frank.* *Suzanne David's everyday life is suddenly shattered in 1940 when a bomb drops on the main square of her hometown, the city of Cherbourg, France, killing a pregnant neighbor right in front of her. Until then the war had seemed far away, not something that would touch her or her teenage friends. Now Suzanne's family is kicked out onto the street as German soldiers take over their house as a barracks.     Suzanne clings to the one thing she really loves--singing. Her voice is so amazing that she is training to become an opera singer. As Suzanne travels around for rehearsals, cosume fittings, or lessons, she learns more about what the Nazis are doing and about the people who are "disappearing." Her travels are noticed by someone else, an organizer of the French Resistance. Soon Suzanne is a secret courier, a spy fighting for France and risking her own life for freedom. [STAR] "This taut, engrossing World War II novel instantly immerses readers,...[but] the real focus, however, is the skin-crawling suspense story about one of France's youngest spies. Each chapter brings new intrigue and often shocking revelations...resonat[ing] with authenticity, excitement, and heart."-Booklist, Starred [STAR] "This suspenseful novel,...based on a true story, moves swiftly into action...Filled, but not laden, with the events of the war, and peppered with French language and the culture of music, this novel will appeal to readers who enjoy history and espionage."-SLJ, Starred* [STAR] "Based on Bradley’s interviews with the real Suzanne, this is an exciting account of a girl’s coming of age in a scary time. The historical context is neatly woven into the story."-Kirkus Reviews, Starred "The action will have readers on the edge through the tense conclusion, and the epilogue is not to be missed."-The Bulletin* "A highly compelling look at the covert battle for freedom."-Publishers Weekly An IRA Teachers' Choice An ALA Amelia Bloomer Selection A VOYA Top Shelf Fiction Selection A New York Public Library Book Pick A Bank Street College Best Book of the Year From the Hardcover edition.

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    Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library

      Chris Grabenstein
     Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library.Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first 12 kids in the library for an overnight of fun, food, and lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors remain locked. Kyle and the other winners must solve every clue and every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route. And the stakes are very high.In this cross between Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and A Night in the Museum, Agatha Award winner Chris Grabenstein uses rib-tickling humor to create the perfect tale for his quirky characters. Old fans and new readers will become enthralled with the crafty twists and turns of this ultimate library experience.ReviewStarred Review, Booklist, June 1, 2013:“An ode to libraries and literature that is a worthy successor to the original madman puzzle-master himself, Willy Wonka.”Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, May 1, 2013:"Full of puzzles to think about, puns to groan at and references to children’s book titles, this solid, tightly plotted read is a winner for readers and game-players alike." About the AuthorCHRIS GRABENSTEIN is the Agatha and Anthony award-winning author of The Crossroads and The Hanging Hill as well as several adult thrillers. He used to write TV and radio commercials and has written for The Muppets. Chris was born in Buffalo, New York, and moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, when he was 10. After college, he moved to New York City to become an actor and writer. Currently, Chris and his wife, JJ, live in New York City with three cats and a dog named Fred who starred in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on Broadway.

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    Beautiful Ink

      Nicole Reed
     Beautiful Ink

This novel is not a cliffhanger and can be read as a stand-alone. WARNING: This book is real, beautifully raw, and not for the faint of heart. It is the story of a young girl’s loss of innocence while growing up around a motorcycle club. It is not suitable for children under the age of seventeen due to language, sexual content, and intense subject matter. Based on true events. Family. I have tattooed that single word on more skin than I care to count. It elicits powerful thoughts and emotions for most people. Loving. Caring. Supportive. Togetherness. Forever. But not for me. The word family means so much more. Vicious. Harmful. Dangerous. Corrupt. Deadly. You can’t run forever from the ones who love you.**

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    The Immortal Fire

      Anne Ursu
     The Immortal Fire

After surviving the perilous Underworld and barely escaping a murderous Poseidon, cousins Charlotte and Zee know better than to expect their lives to return to normal. After all, vengeful gods do not like to be foiled by mere mortals...especially when those mortals are thirteen. So when a fire-breathing Chimera descends on their middle school, Charlotte and Zee are determined to fight -- not only for their lives, but for humankind. With nothing but a mysterious map and hints of a powerful weapon to guide them, the cousins journey to Mount Olympus, home of Zeus himself. But they're not alone. Their arch-nemesis Philonecron dreams of taking Zeus's place at the throne of the universe -- and now he has Poseidon's trident to help him do it. The only thing he needs now is a little help from Charlotte and Zee.... In this thrilling conclusion to the Cronus Chronicles, author Anne Ursu brings her epic battle of good versus gods to a breathtaking end.

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