On the heels of her captivating debut, The Tea House on Mulberry Street, comes Sharon Owens's new novel of passion, romance, and regret-and the winding paths to falling in love. Johnny "Hollywood" Hogan owns the ballroom on Magnolia Street, where sisters Kate and Shirley Winters, along with other regulars, go every Saturday night-to escape the realities of Belfast life, and to seek fun and romance. Free-spirited Shirley has a mad crush on a boy named Declan Greenwood, while thoroughly modern Kate likes plenty of variety in her wardrobe (and her love life) and is determined to get married before her younger sister. She'll take anyone who'll have her, even if it has to be that greasy-though not entirely unattractive-mechanic who has been hanging around lately. The crowd at Hogan's is always lively, but that doesn't mean all problems have been left at the door. Johnny's grandparents are afraid that he'll retire and shut the ballroom down. Johnny yearns for Marion, his old love (and Declan's mother), while Marion starts to worry that her long-held secret will finally be revealed. But it doesn't take long for all of the ballroom's patrons to discover that, even without velvet-lined balconies and crystal chandeliers, the magic of the twinkling lights and soft music will help them find just what they're looking for-whether it be family, friendship, or even true love.** Views: 24
In the distant future, Surplus arrives in China dressed as a Mongolian shaman, leading a yak which carries the corpse of his friend, Darger. The old high-tech world has long since collapsed, and the artificial intelligences that ran it are outlawed and destroyed. Or so it seems. Darger and Surplus, a human and a genetically engineered dog with human intelligence who walks upright, are a pair of con men and the heroes of a series of prior Swanwick stories. They travel to what was was once China and invent a scam to become rich and powerful. Pretending to have limited super-powers, they aid an ambitious local warlord who dreams of conquest and once again reuniting China under one ruler. And, against all odds, it begins to work, but it seems as if there are other forces at work behind the scenes. This is a sharp, slick, witty science fiction adventure that is hugely entertaining from one of the best SF writers alive.At the publisher's request, this title is being sold... Views: 24
Two degrees of separationRonnie, M.F.A.Langsdale U. poster girl for diversity Veronica Williams just lost out on a coveted summer teaching position. Instead, this West Coast transplant finds herself spending her nights at a factory job and her days in search of her writer's voice--until she meets a brother not of the fraternal kind, which is hard to do in this white-bread, ivory tower town.Doris, Ph.D.Brooklynite Doris Weatherall hadn't expected this kind of turbulence when she landed that sought-after summer teaching spot--but then she met her class of surly high school seniors prepping for freshman year. Her love life isn't exactly a smooth ride, either--somehow her East Coast sophistication has gotten her involved with an ambiguously gay professor, and a tie-dye-wearing, free-loving computer techie. Were it not for fellow misfit and best friend Ronnie, navigating campus life in the Midwest... Views: 24
The Shareem. Males created to be tall, muscled, sexy, and…enhanced. They come in one of three levels-pure sensual pleasure, games and wicked fun, or the ultimate barbarian-complete with whip. They know how to bring a woman to ecstasy and exactly how to keep her there. When Lady Talan d'Urvey reads the diary of a woman who spent one wicked week with a Shareem, she longs to experience the same carnality in one last fling before she takes her vow of celibacy. She goes in search of a Shareem and finds Rees, tall and blond, with Shareem-blue eyes. Just looking into those eyes makes Talan wild with need. But Rees is a Shareem experiment that never should have been made. Rees is all the Shareem levels rolled into one, and then some. Rees is uncontrollable, Rees is unpredictable. Even Rees's creators could never, ever be sure exactly what he would do… Views: 24
More information to be announced soon on this forthcoming title from Penguin USA Views: 24
Julie Roseman and Romeo Cacciamani know a thing or two about good fortune. For generations, their families were rival florists and bitter enemies. Then Julie and Romeo met by chance, just as each became single again. Even more miraculous, they fell in love. Three years later, Julie and Romeo are still blissfully happy. They don't often get a quiet moment alone, and rarely manage a night -- quiet or otherwise -- in the same bed, but Julie feels blessed by what they do have: true love, wonderful jobs, and houses packed to the rafters with family. Romeo's ninety-three-year-old mother, his son Alan, Alan's wife and their three children live with him; Julie's daughter Sandy and her family -- including Sandy's Willy Wonka-obsessed daughter, Sarah, and their cat -- live with her. The odds of Julie and Romeo getting a few days of peace together seem about as likely as winning the lottery.But their wish comes true -- with a twist -- when an injury puts Romeo flat on his back in Juli... Views: 24
Not After Midnight is a collection of short stories by Daphne du Maurier, all with different characters and themes but similar in that they touch on the supernatural or strange events. " Don't Look Now " — this novella features John and Laura who are on holiday in Venice. But it is a dangerous place for them as they are being followed by two old sisters and there is a killer on the loose. " Not After Midnight " is a tale about a lonely teacher who goes on a painting holiday in Crete and meets a strange American couple. The woman invites him to visit them in their hotel room but "not after midnight," the reason for this becoming clear as the story progresses. In " A Border Line Case ", a young actress pursues old family friend Nick after the death of her father. She discovers he is an IRA executive and accompanies him on a bombing raid in Ireland, but soon learns he is not all he seems to be. In " The Way of the Cross ", a disparate group of pilgrims from the same village embark on a trip to frenetic, dusty Jerusalem. Their regular vicar is taken ill and replaced by The Reverend Babcock, a rough diamond from Leeds. On the first night, young Robin, a precocious nine-year-old, suggests a walk to the Garden of Gethsemane. In the dark, among the bushes and trees, two people overhear things about themselves that force them to re-evaluate their lives. Subsequently the whole group learn a great deal about themselves and their loved ones, and return home better people. " The Breakthrough " is a science fiction-style story set in a deserted lab in the wilds of Norfolk. A man is sent to help with a new computer but soon realizes the strange purpose of the scientific team and decides to leave. However, he gets caught up in the experiment and stays. Mac, the leader of the group, is convinced that he can trap the life force, or soul, at the point of death and utilize its energy. His guinea pig Ken is the affable young assistant who happens to be dying of leukemia. Needless to say, the plan goes horribly awry. Views: 24
In the dark of winter in the town of Dulwich, people are more desperate than ever. There's little food, little money, and even less hope. But what the people of Dulwich do have in abundance are secrets. And one man, Godric, has devoted his life to the illegal practice of alchemy in the quest to uncover the Great Secret: of making gold, and of immortality. Yet just as he is on the brink of a great discovery, he keels over, nearly dead. Views: 24
Arlie's face was disfigured by burns when her stepfather's meth lab exploded. After that, Arlie discovered the street smarts and survival skills she needed to shelter her addict mother, since the law and Lloyd, her deranged stepfather, are both looking for them. People died in the explosion and everyone wants answers. But Arlie's carefully constructed world is ripped apart when her mother commits suicide shortly after Arlie's sixteenth birthday. Now she can no longer remain hidden. Social Services steps in and before Arlie can make sense of anything, she is following the rules, going to school, and living in a thirty-one-foot Airstream trailer with an eccentric uncle she didn't even know she had. Then she meets a boy who doesn't care about her scars or her past. Just when she begins to think a normal life might be possible, Lloyd shows up. He's looking for the drug money he insists Arlie's mother stole. Will Arlie be able to shield her uncle and her boyfriend from Lloyd? Did... Views: 24
