In December 1993, Pentagon weapons designer and engineer Doctor Olivia Tolchin attends a Washington, DC arms show. She is accomplished, professionally stymied and personally drifting. Then the senior Russian military intelligence officer in America, Major General Getmanov, approaches her and makes her an offer she can't refuse. A love, politics, and war story set in Russia in the 1990s.It is December 1993 in Washington, DC at an arms show. Pentagon weapons designer and engineer Doctor Olivia Tolchin is drifting. She is at the conference to network and to interview, to take the next step in her life. In a cliché, she is a brilliant, beautiful blonde.Professionally, she is stymied, on the verge of allowing herself to be co-opted by the Military-Industrial-Congressional complex, a far more lucrative life than her current one at Los Alamos. She is a highly-regarded engineer, worth a great deal of money to a defense contractor who could use her to sell sensors for urban combat to the Pentagon: fragile, exotic and hopelessly overpriced, while she wants to create reasonably-priced, reliable, good-enough. In the aftermath of the Cold War, she knows that this is more and more the defense contracting game. Playing it would give her access to better labs, equipment and personnel. It would make her a wealthy woman, while the betrayal, of herself and her country’s best interests, would embitter her deeply. Personally, Olivia was badly hurt in a light plane crash. A licensed instructor pilot, she learned too late how reckless her student was. In the instant when she chose to save her student’s life as well as her own, and then during all the months of therapy that followed, she fundamentally chose to live without compromise. By the time of the arms show, she is still unable to run but she can now hike again. Her lover didn’t wait to experience the changes in her character: he left her while she was still hospitalized. She settled out of court with the wealthy lawyer who was her student. Between the settlement, her family money, and her personal ability, she is more than financially secure. There is a great deal she could do with the rest of her life: it doesn’t have to be defense. She has many options. She is pondering these facts of her life in a defense contractor’s hospitality suite at the arms show when the senior Russian military intelligence officer in America, Major General Getmanov, approaches her. He tells her simply: you and your work are of great interest to us. Although we are not yet friends, we are no longer enemies—but we share common enemies. Call me if you want your work to matter. She does. Late that night, walking and talking, he makes her an offer. Come work for us, he says. Be our Walter Christie, the tank specialist whose ideas revolutionized our armor designs and helped us win World War II. She counters in a way that strips him of his tradecraft: not here, that would make me a criminal or worse. In Russia. Where I will skip all the phony testing and benchmarks, and within a quarter, maybe two, go straight to operational testing and evaluation in the field.In the cauldron that is the First Chechen War, a cauldron made infinitely worse by a Russian Army collapsing into the particular horror of military ineptitude.The last thing Olivia does before she gets on that plane to Russia is to tell the CIA what she’s going to do, and why. It’s not a promising meeting. Her CIA contact blows her off as drunk, drug-addled, probably promiscuous, delusional and grandiose, but, he promises her, he’ll write a memo. Do that, she tells him: gelding. Of course that memo is sold. Back to the Russians. Where it threatens to destroy not just Olivia but all those she has come to love and who have come to trust her.A love, politics, and war story set in Boris Yeltsin’s corrupt and violent Russia of the 1990s.

When Rose’s estranged Uncle died leaving her his house in Australia advising her to leave Romania and live there for a year, her first instinct was to sell it. After her gypsy grandmother convinces her to do it Rose’s life is engulfed in a world of intrigue. Who was her uncle and why are there coins hidden in his house? A tale of intrigue, romance and a little bit of magic.When Rose’s estranged Uncle died leaving her his house in Australia advising her to leave Romania and live there for a year, her first instinct was to sell it. After her gypsy grandmother convinces her to do it Rose’s life is engulfed in a world of intrigue. Who was her uncle and why are there coins hidden in his house? Who is this young man who follows her home late after a bridge game and why does she feel drawn to him? Who has been breaking into her house and what do they want?How can she hope to truly understand her Uncle’s beloved home with all these things getting in the way?A tale of intrigue, romance and a little bit of magic.

Nikki is sad that her boyfriend,Roger will be out of the country on business,and won't be able to be with her on her twenty-fifth birthday. However, her spirits are lifted a little, when she discovers that her good friends will be taking her on a long weekend outing that Roger had planned before he found out about his trip to Europe."I was hooked right from the first chapter..." -- Ray Nicholson (Amazon top 1000 reviewer)"... an engaging story that creates questions you'll be dying to know the answers to." -- Jared J."Witty, well paced and intelligent when it needs to be, I'm looking forward to reading more." -- Craig Whitby"For a novella to inspire a need for more, in me, is quite a surprise. I am off to acquire the whole series!" -- James J. Hughes"This short is outstanding, simply stated it was one of the best reads that I've been exposed to in a while." -- Christopher T.Deacon Shader is a child out of time, removed as a baby from his Ancient world parents and raised on the Isle of Maranore. On his seventh birthday, the philosopher Aristodeus arrives to commence the boy’s training with sword and mind. Nothing short of excellence will suffice, if Deacon is to fulfill his destiny and avert the Unweaving of all things. But as Aristodeus pushes him to the limits, reavers are spotted approaching the coast, and a cloud of horror descends upon the village. For these are no ordinary pirates. They sail under the Impaled Man, the grisly flag of Verusia, land of the undead and realm of the Lich Lord. Ward of the Philosopher is a Shader Origins novella of 15,500 words introducing the character of Deacon Shader as a child. The Shader Origins novellas (Ward of the Philosopher and The Seventh Horse) serve as an introduction to the bestselling Shader series: 1. Sword of the Archon 2. Best Laid Plans 3. The Unweaving In this brief introduction to the world of Urddynoor, D.P. Prior slots squarely into the sword and sorcery and heroic fantasy traditions pioneered by Michael Moorcock, R.E. Howard, Lin Carter, and Edgar Rice Burroughs. With a strong sense of good against evil set against a post-apocalyptic background of deception and the remnants of long buried ancient civilizations, one cannot help but place this series in the company of Stephen King's The Dark Tower and Steven Erikson's Malazan books. Ultimately, though, the discerning reader will not miss the huge debt the author has to David Gemmell. For anyone considering taking the plunge into the bestselling Shader books and braving their enormous scope, Ward of the Philosopher presents the perfect entry point to the series.

Violet thought she’d made peace with her unique ability to sense the echoes of the dead and the imprints that cling to their killers…that is until she acquired an imprint of her own. Forced to carry a reminder of the horrible events of her kidnapping, Violet is more determined than ever to lead a normal life. However, the people who run the special investigative team Violet works for have no intention of letting her go. When someone close to Violet becomes a suspect in a horrific murder, she finds herself pulled into a deadly hunt for a madman with an army of devoted followers. Violet has survived dangerous situations before, but she quickly discovers that protecting those closest to her is far more difficult than protecting herself.

Em Woodland's parents moved in with her three years ago, and it wasn't her idea. Her mother's meddling has killed Em's love life. After her busybody mom calls the cops on the two new guys next door, Em has apologies to make. Jarred and Garrison are thirteen months into grieving the death of their love and Owner, Janis. Then Jarred inherits his uncle's house next door to single cutie, Em. They're willing to overlook her mom's antics for the welcome distraction Em brings to their life. As the three grow close, the men admit their desired dynamic to independent Em. She's willing to try it. Two hot and sexy Alpha hunks at her beck and call? Yes, please! But family drama and deadly close calls take Em over the edge and leave her unable to care for herself. Can she let go and let her two switchy men take the reins and prove to her that they want her for life?

Lani and Erin are bonded for life. One thing that connects them is their fascination of fate. Lani wonders how much of our lives has already been decided and how much we can actually influence. Since the Unknown can unexpectedly change our lives forever, how much can we really control? From the minute Lani meets Jason, she can't deny the intense connection they share. It feels like she's known him forever. She's not sure if he feels it, too. But it doesn't matter. Because Jason is Erin's boyfriend. Lani is determined to ignore her feelings for Jason, no matter how powerful they are, rather than risk hurting her best friend. How long can Lani keep running from the boy who might be her destiny?

Once upon a time, a mango fell from above. She caught it. He jumped down. Eyes to eyes, they... hated each other at different time laps. No good things ever come from them - together. But little did they know that their small encounters made their worlds come together and never fall apart. This is a story of laughter, friendship, chances, love, betrayal and forgiveness, possibilities and what-ifs.I didn't know that Mafias do exist until I met one. They’re after Pres. Song Hyun and Guji. They’re after me. I met one of their apprentices on the street one gloomy day. He threw a dart past me and instead of running away, I walked closer. Closer until we’re a couple of feet apart.I smell cigarettes and mint.“Oh, what a brave girl.” He smiled, showing his full front teeth. “A life that was lost, a life will be taken in return. I’ll take yours,”He put out a gun from his jacket and pressed it on my forehead. I watched his smile fall and counted the balls of sweat trickling down his cheeks.“What are you waiting for? Shoot me.”I saw his finger hover over the trigger.Then I hear a click and a bang.

Bridie McIntyre lives in Stromness, the Orkneys. She sees tall ships leaving for exotic locations and she would like nothing better than to have that life of adventure but girls like her marry, remain behind. She is tempted to give up her dream by the attentions of a Norwegian ships’ chandler, Oddgar. How will she reconcile her attraction to Oddgar and keep her dream alive?a poem, a tribute to all the teachers. a ray of hope in our lives and improving us everyday, their sacrifice, patience and passion has been ever immense.

Villains have all the fun—everyone knows that—and this anthology takes you on a wild ride through the dark side! The top villains from sixteen urban fantasy series get their own stories—including the baddies of New York Times bestselling authors Kelley Armstrong, Jim Butcher, Kevin Hearne, and Seanan McGuire.For every hero trying to save the world, there's a villain trying to tear it all down. In this can't-miss anthology edited by Joseph Nassise (The Templar Chronicles), you get to plot world domination with the best of the evildoers we love to hate! This outstanding collection brings you stories told from the villain's point of view, imparting a fresh and unique take on the evil masterminds, wicked witches, and infernal personalities that skulk in the pages of today's most popular series. The full anthology features stories by Jim Butcher (the Dresden Files), Kelley Armstrong (the Cainsville and Otherworld series), Seanan McGuire...

A woman with a talent for numbers, Alexandra Scott wanted to escape the rat race and go someplace where the men outnumber the women. Trading in her Wall Street job and fancy condo for a rundown cabin in the woods. She's now Alaskan Wilderness Woman. It isn't long before she finds exactly what she's looking for: one sexy pilot named Michael Casey. But this confirmed bachelor has no intentions of getting caught in any woman's crosshairs—especially a hunter as appealing as Alex. It'll take skill, determination, and a little romantic persuasion for this big-game hunter to bag her prey.

Kali Parks is a shadow in the war between two factions that are fighting to gain control of Chicago. Born and raised on the streets, she stands as a silent sentinel at her brother’s side as he battles to gain control. She will do whatever it takes to bring peace to those she has pledged her life to protect, including fighting against the creatures that came to their world almost six years before. Razor, a councilman for the Alliance, has been sent to oversee the remaining Trivator troops on Earth and make sure the transition for the induction of Earth into the Alliance goes smoothly. He is the one the Alliance calls when they have a situation that needs to be resolved once and for all. His reputation for dealing with difficult rebels is renowned. He asks no questions and takes no prisoners. His job is to eliminate all threats to the Alliance. He finds himself torn between duty and something he is unfamiliar with, his heart. When a shadow warrior saves his life and disappears, he discovers his world is no longer as cut and dry as he thought. The more he learns, the more he discovers he is not immune to the warrior’s passionate desire to fight to protect her people. Forced by duty to settle the conflict, he must decide between the Alliance and his own desire to claim the unwilling warrior. When the conflict escalates, he does the only thing he can; he makes a pact with one of the factions in exchange for a prize that will surely cause a battle of a different kind – the one for his traitorous heart. Will he be able to claim her before she escapes from him again? Or worse, will she sacrifice her life to protect those she loves before he can?

Jeffery Farnol (10 February 1878 – 9 August 1952) was a British writer since 1907 until his death, known for writing more than 40 romance novels, some formulaic and set in the Georgian Era or English Regency period, and swashbucklers, he with Georgette Heyer founded the Regency romantic genre.

Amelia loves Aaron, her fiancé. She also loves Damon. Can one be in love with two men at the same time? How do you define infidelity? Or fidelity?Champagne Romance is an action romance novel filled with conflict, humor and adventure. Troy Slater is used to action in business and in his personal life. Swan is not as sophisticated as she appears. She has always struggled with the Ugly Duckling image. Fate, steaming passion and romance bring them together. Sparks fly as jealousy and misunderstandings threaten to tear them apart.Although Sassy Swan is from the world of modeling and glamour, she is afraid of macho men and intimate relations. Sexy, buff, hot-studded Troy has no such hang-ups. Fate has thrown them together on a crashed mountain top of the Colorado Rockies. It is not long before passion rages in the snug igloo of the 707's severed tail and threatens to melt their icy cooler, while the call of the wild northern wolf threatens their very existence.Excerpt Chapter 1“Here’s to champagne cocktails and chocolate covered studs!”The quiet laughter and tinkling of four champagne flutes vibrated throughout the atmosphere of the elite restaurant as tuxedoed waiters scurried about giving their chic clientele the service they expected. In the center of the room sat four fashionable dressed young women under the twinkling chandeliers. They drew the attention of every mature male that wasn’t nearsighted, farsighted, or partially blind. Heads swiveled as each male patron strained his neck to peek among the marble statues, lime green palms, and fresh colorful flowers that graced the crisp white tablecloths. Each gentleman was trying to get a better glimpse of the four hot chicks that were toasting and roasting. Most weren’t even trying to be discreet. Even the waiters were not too busy to be immune by each lady’s physical attributes, charm, and beauty.Troy Slater was no exception. He glanced up at precisely the moment the redhead chose to cross her shapely long limbs. Troy leaned back slightly in his chair and shifted to get a better view of those legs and the one they called Swan. He liked what he saw. The redheaded bombshell with the lanky legs wore a silky black nylon held-up by only a skimpy piece of a black lacy garter belt. The creamy white thigh beyond the black silk looked smooth and touchable.“Isn’t that right, Slater?Troy’s black eyebrows snapped together in a stormy piecing scowl. To the skinny young man’s credit with the bowtie and glasses, he held Slater’s gaze steady. Slater wondered cynically if he’d ever had a “hard on”. He reached in his pocket for a cigarette and reluctantly turned his attention back to business.Romance Novel, Modern Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance Novel, Western Romance Novel, Action Romance Novel, Love Story

Jenny, the office mouse, whose literary aspirations suffocate in the corner cubicle of a large city publisher, is innocently deluded by a chance trail of love left by a phantom poet. The trail of delusion tears at her cloistered life, extracting her dreams and when she emerges from her musty chrysalis to confront the author, it costs her, her job and sanity, but releases a far greater power.Would you run? If you were the last of your kind, if you knew getting caught could thrust the universe into war, wouldn't you slip into the shadows and disappear too?Hiding is Alice’s only option. It always has been.Then he comes along. Commander John Doe, the head of a new mission into one of the most dangerous areas of space. A chance encounter thrusts them together on the barren wasteland of Orion Minor. Then the chase begins.Alice cannot allow herself to slip into the hands of the Union, but John Doe will stop at nothing to find out who she is.In Episode One of Ghost of Mind, the hunt begins.

Two irresistible boys. One unforgettable summer. Lori can’t wait for her summer at the lake. She loves wakeboarding and hanging with her friends—including the two hotties next door. With the Vader brothers, she's always been just one of the guys. Now that she’s turning sixteen, she wants to be seen as one of the girls, especially in the eyes of Sean, the older brother. But that’s not going to happen—not if the younger brother, Adam, can help it. Lori plans to make Sean jealous by spending time with Adam. Adam has plans of his own for Lori. As the air heats up, so does this love triangle. Will Lori’s romantic summer melt into one hot mess?