"Tribute to Hell" is set in the Elder Days of a new fantasy world explored in detail in the trilogy, The Tainted Realm. To ensure Greave pays for his crime and redeems himself, his god, K′nacka, holds hostage Greave′s little sister. And Greave has to steal the Graven Casket for the god. Greave knew he had to do it, but he was not going to survive, and neither was his little sister ... Views: 31
Someone wanted Sundance dead, and they wanted it bad enough to pay eight hard cases to trail him into the hell-hot Texas desert and risk their lives for one yellow scalp. There was only one way for Sundance to save himself—and that was kill them all ... and that's what he did.But plenty more bodies would litter Sundance's trail before he could discover the identities of the men behind the mysterious 'S & S Concern'. Then there came a final reckoning, with the fate of the entire Indian Nation depending on the outcome! Views: 31
When someone very close to you dies your whole life changes. Everything is different. Alice is the central figure in these five inter-connected narratives, which tell of her life at times of loss. Suddenly it is no longer possible to say what the person looked like, how he spoke, cursed, smiled, how he lived his life. Objects are left behind, books, letters, pictures and every now and again you think you can see them in a crowd. Judith Hermann tells of days of transition, of waiting, of holding on and letting go - and of how clear and dazzling such days can sometimes be. Alice is a book of extraordinary power and great literary beauty from one of Europe's finest writers Alice is translated by Margot Bettauer Dembo. Views: 31
Outbreak - Day1 Like a fragile house of cards in a hurricane, Presidents, Premiers, entire governments and their ruling bodies disappeared instantly. Some had ensconced themselves in deep underground bunkers or remained holed up in fortified strongholds, but history would tell that most had been swallowed up by the dead - never to be heard from again. Come along with Cade Grayson and survive! Views: 31
Best Books of 2011, San Francisco ChronicleThe Millions' A Year in Reading pickEleven women confront dramas both everyday and outlandish in Caitlin Horrocks' This Is Not Your City. In stories as darkly comic as they are unflinching, people isolated by geography, emotion, or circumstance cut imperfect paths to peace—they have no other choice. A Russian mail-order bride in Finland is rendered silent by her dislocation and loss of language, the mother of a severely disabled boy writes him postcards he'll never read on a cruise ship held hostage by pirates, and an Iowa actuary wanders among the reincarnations of those she's known in her 127 lives. Horrocks' women find no simple escapes, and their acts of faith and acts of imagination in making do are as shrewd as they are surprising.Review". . .impressively sharp" and "appealingly rugged-hearted"—Robin Romm, The New York Times"Horrocks’s stories, many of which take place in frozen climates—from Finland to upstate Michigan, where she now lives—have the slightly muffled quality of a landscape beneath snow: Their emotional payoff comes gradually. I was moved to tears more than once reading this collection."—Ruth Franklin, The New Republic"This Is Not Your City offers much more than bold plotlines. These are delicate, character-driven stories whose distinct narrators demonstrate the hand of a remarkably versatile writer . . . Caitlin Horrocks is writing well beyond her years, not only raising our expectations of what a story can do but also setting a high standard for any debut fiction author."—Wayne Harrison, San Francisco Chronicle"In the 11 stories of her debut collection, Caitlin Horrocks shows inventiveness and linguistic dexterity. There are refreshing takes on old themes: childhood meanness, the effects of devastating illness, the desire for a better life, misunderstandings between parents and their children, looking for love in all the wrong places."—Kathryn Lang, Minneapolis Star-Tribune"What many of the stories have in common is startlingly ingenious writing and a note of what could be called sprightly heartbreak. There is an offhand jauntiness in telling terrible things."—Richard Eder, The Boston Globe"Horrocks writes 11 accomplished short stories, each achingly observant and witty. . . . A bravura debut."—Vikas Turakhia, Cleveland Plain Dealer"Plimpton Prize–winner Horrocks effortlessly navigates the comedy and bewilderment of being middle class without an ounce of condescension, martyrdom, or sensationalism. In “Going to Estonia,” a daughter of Lapland reindeer farmers escapes her fruitless future by attending university in southern Finland, while the American couple on a restorative vacation away from their handicapped son in “In the Gulf of Aden, Past the Cape of Guardafui” is held hostage by a crew of Somali pirates and forced to face their true feelings about the future. In “At the Zoo,” as a mother ponders her tenuous relationship to her father and his to her young son while on an afternoon outing to the zoo, Horrocks inhabits the child, mother, and grandfather with an even hand, rounding out each character’s fears and desires. Describing the blue-collar grandfather, she writes, “He is proud to not be vain, although he knows that is its own kind of vanity,” and the boy has a terrible realization: “He’d begged for the zoo, and the zoo is a terrible place.” It’s a standout story in a stellar collection, the perfect example of Horrocks’s ability to create an authentic and thoughtful narrative of honesty and hurt and hope."—Publishers Weekly, starred review"This debut collection moves from the Midwest to Russia, Greece, Estonia, and a cruise ship off the coast of Africa. Most of the main characters are women, mostly young and naive, who find themselves in situations they can’t comprehend. Many, like the woman in the title story and another on vacation at a Greek seaside resort (“The Lion Gate”), have entered into a foreign culture or an unfamiliar situation, leading to misunderstanding, alienation, and a deepening sense of psychological confusion. The woman in the story “Embodied” has an absolute belief in her sense of reincarnation and in identifying past lives of others, which leads to a tragic occurrence. In “Zolaria,” a woman recalls her childhood and a close friendship with a neighbor who contracted cancer and died. VERDICT The author has a fine eye for detail in description and scene setting and moves the story lines along jaggedly so the reader is caught off guard and disoriented like the characters. Many of the stories are bleak, painfully and realistically detailing lives gone awry, to sometimes disturbing effect. Recommended for savvy fiction readers."—Jim Coan, Library Journal"Ultimately, what is so impressive about This Is Not Your City, in addition to the rare wisdom and precisely observed behavior, is the thematic unity on par with a great concept album, or a novel-in-stories. . . . As satisfying as each piece is by itself, they become more so amid layers of thematic connections. The author explores alienation and uncertainty with consistent nuance. The stories echo one another while moving forward into new territory, echoes that, in a different form, might sound more like repetition."—J.T. Hill, Bookslut"How can a first book arrive with such advanced understanding of all the beautiful and sometimes shaded echelons of hope in which we live our lives? Caitlin Horrocks is a stunning writer and these stories mark a brilliant debut. She knows language and she knows people and I am grateful for this book."–Ron Carlson"This is Not Your City is a spooky, lovely book by an almost unbelievably versatile, self-assured, and talented young writer. Caitlin Horrocks is a writer to remember; This is Not Your City is a book impossible to forget."—Brock Clarke, author of Exley and An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England"The world of This Is Not Your City is a place of graceful extremes. Ravenous for love, for connection, for family, characters race into one another's arms, only to find more sorrow and more joy than they had imagined possible. Humor and grief braid tightly through these searching stories, and Caitlin Horrocks' vision is always lovely, often wrenching, and always surprising."—Erin McGrawCaitlin Horrocks is that literary phenomenon: a master storyteller. This Is Not Your City is smart, entertaining, and emotionally mesmerizing—a superb, daredevil immersion steeped in grace. —Melissa Pritchard, author of Disappearing Ingenue and Late BloomerAbout the AuthorCaitlin Horrocks lives in Michigan, by way of Ohio, Arizona, England, Finland, and the Czech Republic. Her stories have appeared in The Best American Short Stories 2011, The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories 2009, The Pushcart Prize XXXV, The Paris Review, Tin House, and The Southern Review. Recently, she won the $10,000 Plimpton Prize from The Paris Review. She teaches at Grand Valley State University. 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When Christine Blacksworth's larger-than-life father is killed on an icy road in Magdalena, New York, a hundred miles from the 'getaway' cabin he visited every month, she discovers a secret that threatens everything she's always held to be true. Her father has another family which includes a mistress and a daughter. Determined to uncover the truth behind her father's secret life, Christine heads to Magdalena, prepared to hate the people who have caused her to question everything she thought she knew about her father. But what she finds is a woman who understands her, a half sister who cherishes her, and a man who could love her if she'll let him. The longer she's around them, the more she questions which family is the real one. . . Note: This book contains sexual content and profanity. While the author believes these situations are handled in good taste, she acknowledges some readers will choose to pass on this book. Look for A Family Affair: Spring - coming late 2013. Included in the Kindle edition of A Family Affair are 2 Chapters of PULLING HOME - She'll risk anything to save her child...even the truth. Views: 31
"The best stories change you. I am not the same after The Vanishing Act as I was before.”—Erin Morgenstern, author of *The Night Circus *On a small snow-covered island—so tiny that it can’t be found on any map—lives twelve-year-old Minou, her philosopher Papa (a descendent of Descartes), Boxman the magician, and a clever dog called No-Name. A year earlier Minou’s mother left the house wearing her best shoes and carrying a large black umbrella. She never returned.One morning Minou finds a dead boy washed up on the beach. Her father decides to lay him in the room that once belonged to her mother. Can her mother’s disappearance be explained by the boy? Will Boxman be able to help find her? Minou, unwilling to accept her mother’s death, attempts to find the truth through Descartes’ philosophy. Over the course of her investigation Minou will discover the truth about loss and love, a truth that The Vanishing Act conveys in a voice that is uniquely enchanting.Review“Jakobsen creates a lot with a little and builds on universals, proving that some truths are, in fact, fundamental.” (Publishers Weekly )“A delectable delight, a fetching fable that is both heartbreaking in its poignancy and breathtaking in its delicacy.” (Booklist ) About the AuthorMette Jakobsen was born in Denmark in 1964. She holds degrees in philosophy and creative writing and is the author of several plays. The Vanishing Act is her first novel. She lives in Sydney, Australia. Views: 31
Praise for Ben Pastor's Lumen: “Pastor’s plot is well crafted, her prose sharp. . . . A disturbing mix of detection and reflection.”—Publishers Weekly "Rivets the reader with its twist of historical realities. A historical piece, it faithfully reproduces the grim canvas of war. A character study, it captures the thoughts and actions of real people, not stereotypes.”—The Free Lance-Star “And don’t miss Lumen by Ben Pastor. . . . An interesting, original, and melancholy tale.”—Literary Review Italy, September 1943. The Italian government switches sides and declares war on Germany. The north of Italy is controlled by the fascist puppets of Germany; the south liberated by Allied forces fighting their way up the peninsula. Having survived hell on the Russian front, Wehrmacht major and aristocrat Baron Martin von Bora is sent to Verona. He is ordered to... Views: 31
Charles Wright called his seventh collection Zone Journals to emphasize how the poems draw on time and place as their starting point. But despite the air of immediacy and informality, they are artfully composed, informed as always by Wright's profound sense of subliminal order. Views: 31
Orivon Firefist was captured as a six-year-old child by the Nilfghar—the dark elves—who attacked his village by night on one of their surface raids.Fifteen years later, he is a moon-pale, scarred, muscular giant of a man, who has spent his days at forgework for a dark elf family. He is also forced to use his great strength to shift furniture in the grand rooms of their castle. He has been trained (and flogged and ordered about) by the beautiful Tsarnarra, a lash-wielding matron who is icily cruel, but proud of the slaves that she has trained.Through all of this, Orivon's spirit has never been broken. He longs to return to the surface world, even if that means destroying the entire dark elf empire along the way! Views: 31
Steeplechase jockey Cassie Hinton's dream was to walk down the aisle in her medieval wedding gown to become Mrs. Jack Chambers. Injured in the Grand National, she returns home...only to find Jack is now the Pastor of her parent's church. Jack Chambers, now a widower and single parent, still has feelings for Cassie, but she sees him as nothing more than a Pastor. Even if he could change her mind, there is still his position to consider. With the Royal Wedding fast approaching, Cassie makes her dress, little dreaming of the consequences of doing so. Views: 31
Bachelor, Lawman...And Daddy? Montana has always been in Sheriff Cole James's blood. Nothing -- and no one -- could make him walk away from his home. Not even Ronnie, his best friend and the woman he'd let leave even though he loved her. But now, six years after she took off for big-city life, she's back in Redemption temporarily to help her injured father and brother. That is, unless Cole can convince her to stay in town -- and in his heart -- permanently. When Veronica "Ronnie" McCloud discovers that the fearless lawman who rescued her family is Cole, she knows it won't be long before her secret comes out: Cole is her little boy's father. Will the truth tear them apart for good, or will it give them a chance to become a family? Views: 31
