When Lacey Ferguson walked into her dream home the last thing she expected to find was her dream man. She was looking for granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Not rock hard abs and buns of steel. Meeting the rugged and downright sexy man who built her ideal home almost convinces her to take a chance on love, but is Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handy possibly hiding something? Too good to be true usually spells disaster, right? Or is she just making excuses to avoid having her heart trashed again? Jackson Kingston has been using work as a distraction from life for the past year and a half. And it's been working great. His plan to re-build his father's home construction business with his three brothers is finally happening and he's so exhausted from working 16 hour days he doesn't have the energy to think about the past. Mission accomplished in his books. When Jack meets Lacey while touring one of his properties, all he can think about is using the granite countertop for something much more erotic than meal preparation. Suddenly life is worth experiencing again. If only he can convince the voluptuous home buyer that a no strings affair is the ideal arrangement for both of them. Things get complicated when they end up working on a real estate project together, and a no strings affair turns into something more. Can a man with a tendency to shutdown when emotions become involved and a woman who mistrusts love build something real together, or is their foundation too weak to last? Views: 27
The elderly Jonathan Lydell III is proud of his family history. He is related to the Virginia Lees (both Light Horse Harry and Robert E. Lee) and to the Custis family (and thus to George Washington). But these connections donat seem to matter to the current generation. In fact, they seem utterly disinterested in family, history, or position. But for Lydell, family history is the only real thing leftathat and his antebellum house. Lydell is committed to restoring the home to its antebellum configuration, complete with a stranger roomaan attached room with its own entrance, separately locked and kept for use by unknown travelers. Found in many family homes in the 1800s, the room was intended to protect the family from unsavory guests. Nearly 150 years ago, an inexplicable murder took place in the locked stranger room of the Lydell house. The murderer was never caught. As far as Lydell is concerned, this brutal history just adds to the rich character of the house. But when a new, identical murder is committed in the same room, not even sheriff Ike Schwartz and FBI agent Karl Hedrick can explain it. Why would history repeat itself? What could explain these identical murders? Could the Lydell family history hold the key? The fourth novel in the Ike Schwartz series. Views: 27
Have you ever fallen asleep during math class? Are you easily distracted while listening to your English teacher? Do you find yourself completely uninterested in geography? Well, it may not be your fault. The janitors at Welcher Elementary know a secret, and it s draining all the smarts out of the kids. 12-year-old Spencer Zumbro, with the help of his classmate Daisy Gullible Gates, must fight with, and against, a secret janitorial society that wields wizard-like powers. Who can Spencer and Daisy trust and how will they protect their school, and possibly the world?... Views: 27
Review“The tales are variously charming, funny, poignant, and even hair-raising, as when [Ephron] finds herself spending an afternoon with Manson family alumna Squeaky Fromme.” (Jewish Journal of Los Angeles )“Well-written, empathetic, and a joy.” (BookLoons Reviews )“A frothy, lighthearted, often witty collection of essays about marriage, motherhood and the power of a good piece of jewelry.” (Shelf Awareness )“Actively intelligent and utterly descriptive, Amy Ephron always makes you feel as if you’re right there with her feeling what she’s feeling and seeing what she’s seeing… Loose Diamonds is a sincerely-written book…that you shouldn’t miss.” (BookRoom Reviews )“All of these fascinating experiences and relationships described in Loose Diamonds add to the richness of this loosely woven set of essays. Ms. Ephron’s thoughts on marriage, divorce as well as her ‘Tips for Women getting a Divorce’ are written with wit and panache.” (Laura Shultz, New York Journal of Books )“In Loose Diamonds, Ephron offers a deeply honest and compelling look at the events that made her the woman she is today.” (The Daily Beast )“She is an expert at introspection as entertainment...the collection masters brevity and range.” (Claire Howorth, The Daily )“The pages turn themselves...Not only do the essays stand up on their own, the overarching themes unravel (Julia Gazdag, Hello Giggles )“This is a great women’s interest title, appealing to lovers of Ephron’s historical fiction and to fans of humorous essays alike.” (Annie Bostrom, Booklist )“Her honest approach to her good and not-so-good relationships might be just the thing for anyone feeling sorry about themselves.” (Morgan Murrell, Harper's Bazaar ) About the AuthorAmy Ephron is the bestselling author of the acclaimed novels One Sunday Morning and A Cup of Tea. Her magazine pieces and essays have appeared in Vogue; Saveur; House Beautiful; the National Lampoon; the Los Angeles Times; the Huffington Post; Defamer; her own online magazine, One for the Table; and various other print and online publications. She recently directed a short film, Chloe@3AM, which was featured at the American Cinematheque’s Focus on Female Directors Short Film Showcase in January 2011. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Alan Rader, and any of their five children who happen to drop in. Views: 27
In the quiet of a warm summer's evening, two young mothers are forced to give up their babies. Whilst Kate grows up knowing only poverty and servitude, Josie's world is one of privilege and luxury. Despite the differences in their circumstances, Kate and Josie have been friends since childhood. But their past binds them together in ways they must never know. Until a chance meeting forces Kate and Josie to confront the truth of that night nearly twenty years before - a truth that turns both worlds upside down and threatens to destroy their friendship forever... Views: 27
FROM THE TRANSLATOR
More than 15 years ago Russian scientist Kirill
Yeskov tried to settle certain geographical problems in Tolkien's fantasy
world. One thing led to another, and he tackled a bigger project - what if we
assumed that it's no less real than our world? His conclusion was that in such
a case, the story of the Ring of Power is most likely a much-altered heroic
retelling of a major war - but what was that war really about?
The result of this re-appraisal was the publication
in 1999 of The Last Ring-bearer - a re-thinking of Tolkien's story in
real-world terms. Dr. Yeskov, a professional paleontologist whose job is
reconstructing long-extinct organisms and their way of life from fossil
remnants, performs essentially the same feat in The Last Ring-bearer,
reconstructing the real world of Tolkien's Arda from The Lord of the Rings
- the heroic tales of the Free Men of the West written in that world. We have a
pretty good idea how well heroic tales map to reality from our own world...
I was impressed enough by this work to spend a few
dozen lunch hours translating it to English. (Reportedly, some publishing
houses have considered a commercial translation of this book, which had been
published in several major European languages, but abandoned the idea out of
fear of the Tolkien estate, which doesn't countenance any derivative works,
especially in English. Witness the history of its relationship with New Line
Cinema. This translation is non-commercial.
I have been fortunate to establish communication
with the author and have the translation vetted (and much corrected) by him. I
now offer this work for your perusal. At 139,000 words, this story is about 80%
of the length of The Fellowship of the Ring.
I have to disappoint the fans of Sauron: His
Majesty Sauron the VIII rates only a few mentions in this work, having been
nothing more than an enlightened king. Nor does the Ring of Power rate more
than a passing mention. Likewise the Hobbits: unlike LOTR, this story is not
about them.
Finally, no attempt has been made to imitate J.R.R.
Tolkien's style - it is deliberately modern and down-to-earth.
Yisroel Markov
2010
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Gavin MacKenzie, a chieftain heir who is hired to restore the ancient Castle of Braigh, discovers a hidden Village of Outcasts who have created their own private sanctuary from the world. Among them is Serena Boyd, a mysterious and comely lass, who captures Gavin’s heart in spite of harboring a deadly past that could destroy her future. Views: 27
Inspired by the artwork of Edward Gorey, Windblowne author Stephen Messer delivers a mock-Gothic tale about poor Yorick (alas!), son of the Gamekeeper at venerable Ravenby Manor, who meets an untimely demise--in chapter one! Worry not, dear reader, for Yorick returns in ghostly form, intent on revenge. In the course of his hauntings, however, ghostly Yorick discovers that all manner of otherworldy creatures inhabit the manor grounds, and that he has a part to play in saving not only his still-living orphan sister but also the manor and everyone in it.For every young reader who enjoyed the dour dalliance of A Series of Unfortunate Events, here is Stephen Messer's playful homage to the poor orphans of Charles Dickens, the bleak poetry of Edgar Allen Poe, and the exaggerated characters of Roald Dahl.From the Hardcover edition. Views: 27
Clandestine e-mail exchanges, secret trips, fake press releases, and a tree-house standoff are among the clever stunts and pranks the kid heroes pull in this exciting ecological adventure."Sibley Carter is a moron and a world-class jerk," reads Julian Carter-Li in an angry e-mail message meant for his greedy, high-powered uncle. The fateful message sets him on the course to stop an environmental crime! His uncle's company plans to cut down some of the oldest California redwood trees, and it's up to Julian and a ragtag group of friends to figure out a way to stop them. This thrilling, thoughtful debut novel shows the power of determined individuals, no matter what their age, to stand up to wrongdoing.John and Patricia Beatty Award(California Library Association)National Green Earth Book AwardNational Outdoor Book Award honorable mentionCarol D. Reiser Book Award"Fast paced and full of fun . . . Reminds readers that everyone, no matter how large or small, can... Views: 27
It's the late sixties, the last dark years of Franco's dictatorship: Minaya, a university student in Madrid, is caught up in the student protests and the police are after him. He moves to his uncle Manuel's country estate in the small town of Mágina to write his thesis on an old friend of Manuel's, an obscure republican poet named Jacinto Solana.The country house is full of traces of the poet—notes, photographs, journals—and Minaya soon discovers that, thirty years earlier, during the Spanish Civil War, both his uncle and Solana were in love with the same woman, the beautiful, unsettling Mariana. Engaged to Manuel, she was shot in the attic of the house on her wedding night. With the aid of Inés, a maid, Minaya begins to search for Solana's lost masterpiece, a novel called Beatus Ille. Looking for a book, he unravels a crime. Views: 27
With more than 100 movies based on his writing, H.P. Lovecraft ranks among the most adapted authors in history—along with Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King. His unnervingly scary tales appeal to both diehard fans of horror and readers with mainstream tastes, and H.P. Lovecraft Goes to the Movies presents the very best of his filmed stories. Additionally, this unique collection provides an enlightening historical introduction, short headnotes for each story calling out interesting trivia, and an appendix with credits for each screen version.THE STORIES INCLUDE:"The Colour out of Space": filmed twice, once as a vehicle for Boris Karloff called Die, Monster, Die!"The Dunwich Horror," also filmed two times, once with Dean Stockwell"Pickman's Model" and "Cool Air": both for Rod Serling's Night Gallery TV program"The Call of Cthulhu," which laid the foundation for the Cthulhu Mythos Views: 27
An orphan. The world’s greatest detective. A planet dominated by airships, steam powered spacecraft and towers that stretch into orbit.Welcome to the world of The Steampunk Detective.Jack Mason is an orphan wanting a new life. Ignatius Doyle is an aging detective who needs an assistant. When Jack goes to work for Mr Doyle, he has no idea what lies ahead. They are called in to locate a missing scientist by his daughter, the beautiful Scarlet Bell. As Jack and Mr Doyle investigate, they discover links to Leonardo da Vinci and the Phoenix Society, a clandestine organisation that has been secretly developing technology for centuries. As they close in on the missing scientist, they discover other forces at play. The Nazis want the technology of the Phoenix Society as does the mysterious Napoleon of Crime, Professor M. With the world teetering on the verge of war, a weapon of mass destruction is stolen from the Phoenix Society and London held to ransom. Will Jack and Mr Doyle find the missing scientist? Will they track down the weapon before London is destroyed? And what is the true identity of Professor M?Filled with references to Sherlock Holmes and the world of Victorian literature, The Steampunk Detective is an action packed adventure for readers of all ages as it brings together a boy in need of a family and a man in need of a son. Views: 27
