Shortlisted for the 2012 COSTA Novel AwardBilly's Mum is dead. He knows - because he reads about it in magazines - that people die every day in ways that are more random and tragic and stupid than hers, but for nineteen-year-old Billy and his little brother, Oscar, their mother's death in a bungled street robbery is the most random and tragic and stupid thing that could possibly have happened to them.Now Billy must be both mother and father to Oscar, and despite what his well-meaning aunt, the PTA mothers, the social services and Oscar's own prodigal father all think, he knows he is more than up to the job, thank you very much.The boys' new world, where bedtimes are arbitrary, tidiness is optional and healthy home-cooked meals pile up uneaten in the freezer, is built out of chaos and fierce love, but it's also a world that teeters perilously on its axis. And as Billy's obsession with his mother's missing killer grows, he risks losing sight... Views: 649
Alex, Brooke & Maryanne are very different, yet each is suffering. They are all students at Streep Academy, a boarding school just a step away from juvie. In the attic of their residence, they find the diary of young Connie Harvell who was confined there decades ago. But a dark part of Connie found a way out. And after reading her diary, the girls learn to leave their bodies too. God help them.How far would you go to escape your own personal teenage hell? Would you run away, break away from everything you know—even your own body? Alex Robbins, Brooke Saunders and Maryanne Hemlock could not be more different, yet they all have something in common—deep and soul-searing pain. They are also all students at Streep Academy, a boarding school just one step away from juvie, where they've come to complete high school. In the forbidden attic of the old Victorian house-turned-residence, the girls discover the diary of Connie Harvell, a young woman who was confined and abused there some 50 years ago. In the end, Connie’s attic prison couldn't hold her—not completely. She found a way out. At least a dark part of her did. And after reading her diary, the girls discover they can escape at will too. A terrifying, thrilling flight from their bodies and their troubles. But God help them, their pain isn't all they leave behind when they join with the night. And God help anyone who’s wronged them... Views: 649
"This may be an anthology for anyone who's been broken-hearted, but it's not an anthology for anyone who's faint-hearted . . . Superb" (Entertainment Weekly). It's Not You, It's Me is a poetry anthology—at once amusing, angry, sweet, and bitter—that gives a fresh voice to the all-too-familiar experience of ending a relationship. Williams has compiled over ninety poems by contemporary writers including Denis Johnson and Kim Addonizio, as well as former poets laureate Robert Hass, Maxine Kumin, and Mark Strand, whose comforting and healing words dragged him out of his breakup-induced depression. We have all been through a breakup, but these poems have created an art out of heartbreak: sharing their wisdom on the pain of the flip side of romance, and poking fun at the mess we become at the mercy of love. "This collection . . . gathers many of the poems that have helped Williams (a poet himself, with two books to his name)... Views: 649
Ba'el, a pre-historic youth, strikes out on a quest to prove his manhood to himself and to his clan. Soon, he will discover the truth behind the religion of his people. Soon after, he will lose everything... and so will all of humanity. The Always-House People is a short story of about 5600 words.In My Lady Olives, book one of the Olisbeth Mason Chronicles, Olisbeth/Athena discovers the existence of an entire world of gods and half-gods "demigods" in human form. Each demigod is born for a purpose, and their experiences as the child of a god varies as much as the gods themselves. In this, the first of the Demigod Interviews, Olisbeth Mason interviews Sean Andrews, the son of Ares and a United States Marine. Sean Andrews grew up thinking his father died in the Vietnam War.... except..... his father Ares still lives. Views: 649
From the author of "I Only Got One Hot Wife" comes a profoundly complex and deeply harrowing short story about one man's fears, regrets, and tragic impulses. Stuart Newman finds himself not feeling very well on his way to work and soon comes to a realization that his illness may be as serious as the phobia of smell that torments him."A selfish man is not that much different than a tumorous pig. They have similar appetites and often suffer the same fate."From the author of "I Only Got One Hot Wife" comes a profoundly complex and deeply harrowing short story about one man's fears, regrets, and tragic impulses. Stuart Newman finds himself not feeling very well on his way to work and soon comes to a realization that his illness may be as serious as the phobia of smell that torments him. Views: 649
Let me tell you my story and maybe you'll be forced to change your mind and do as I say. I died in this place, deceived by that charming pup and her less charming she-wolf of a mother, both in the idiomatic sheep's clothing. You have a chance to believe me and save your life or suffer my own horrible fate. The choice is yours to make.A Ruth Ryan Langan Historical Romance Classic.Abby Market and her family join a wagon train heading West, leaving behind all that is familiar. A gunman named Rourke, a loner, a battle-scarred Union veteran, hires on to guard the wagon train to its final destination, California. Rourke finds himself drawn against his will to the tough, determined Abby. Across the miles, as they face the perils of death, disease and attack by those who would destroy them, Abby and Rourke band together to survive, and discover a love as fierce as the land itself. But when Rourke's bitter past threatens to destroy them, they must do everything in their power to survive, even at the cost of the love they have come to treasure above all else. Views: 649
Charlie has lots of ideas. Need something to go sky high? Ah-ha! The zinger-winger! Need to launch a cheese popper into soup? The amazing popper-upper! But the zinger-winger zings more than wings and the popper-upper plops. Charlie isn't allowed to invent for a week. Meanwhile, the afterschool invention fair is coming up. He needs time to make something special. Good thing he has his friends and Mr. Redfern, another inventor, to help him out. Views: 649
This new collection by the acclaimed novelist—and, according to Salon, “the best wine writer in America”—is generous and far-reaching, deeply knowledgeable and often hilarious.
For more than a decade, Jay McInerney’s vinous essays, now featured in The Wall Street Journal, have been praised by restaurateurs (“Filled with small courses and surprising and exotic flavors, educational and delicious at the same time” —Mario Batali), by esteemed critics (“Brilliant, witty, comical, and often shamelessly candid and provocative” —Robert M. Parker Jr.), and by the media (“His wine judgments are sound, his anecdotes witty, and his literary references impeccable” —The New York Times).
Here McInerney provides a master class in the almost infinite varieties of wine and the people and places that produce it all the world over, from the historic past to the often confusing present. From such legendary châteaus as Margaux and Latour and Palmer to Australia and New Zealand and South Africa, to new contenders in Santa Rita Hills and Paso Robles, we learn about terroir and biodynamic viticulture, what Champagnes are affordable (or decidedly not), even what to drink over thirty-seven courses at Ferran Adrià's El Bulli—in all, an array of grapes and wine styles that is comprehensive and thirst inducing. And conspicuous throughout is McInerney’s trademark flair and expertise, which in 2006 prompted the James Beard Foundation to grant him the MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award. Views: 648
We sent probes all across our galaxy. One of them came back...Two short stories preceding the upcoming novel Psychonaut: The Nexus.Reality Within:After weeks of terrorizing, the mysterious man in black finally pays a formal visit to the ageing Master Eemos. What he reveals to the ingenious master is no less than the edge of reality.The Infinite Mind:It just… appeared – floating in the middle of Washington Square Park. According to its logs, the probe had found a world. An alien world. A world with intelligent life. Whoever the bastards who sent back the probe were, however, sure know how to travel. Not just how to jump over distances, but instantly appear. Initially we had no idea if that’s how the probe ended up back on our planet, but it sure looked that way. It was simply there. Instantly. I was the first man sent near it. Of course, humans beings humans, most of us thought it was a bomb. A nuke. An extinction-event propellant that will extinguish all our lives in a matter of seconds. But what the probe carried was quite something else than a bomb... Views: 648
It's finally time to say, "I do!" As long as I can keep my momout of jail long enough to get her to the ceremony....Someone's Biting Mad. Abby Knight's wedding is in less than two weeks, and everything is going wrong. The cooler in her flower shop is leaking, her neck has swollen to unnatural proportions, her groom is acting distant, and she still doesn't know where she's actually getting married! But things go from bad to worse when the director of her favorite charity, Protecting Animal Rights, is murdered, and Abby's mother becomes the main suspect. Abby's wedding worries will have to wait until she - along with her fiancé, Marco, and an adorable mutt named Seedy - can nose out who wanted the animal activist put to sleep. But they'll have to sort through the long list of suspects quickly, or her mom may be tossed in the slammer before Abby tosses the bouquet.... Views: 648
Aliens who can take control of ordinary people have invaded the Earth. It's up to Mike, an average guy to overcome his own alien and save the world!A story based on the "Puppet Masters" by Robert A. HeinleinRebekah comes home to the Celtic land of Wales with her Welsh prince Llewellyn and they share an adventure of love from many lifetimes. Views: 648
Jake Ramsey fights nightmares and loneliness, living alone, flying helicopters to Louisiana’s offshore oil rigs. When a young girl mysteriously enters his life, she brings with her a connection to his past.Jake Ramsey flies workers to oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Flying helicopters is all he’s ever done for thirty years in the Army then in Louisiana. He lives alone in middle age, suffering from depression as a border-line alcoholic with no family and few close friends. His isolation stems from a recurrent nightmare as a young Army Ranger and pilot when his best friend was killed through Jake’s bravado. As a deplorable hermit, Jake’s life reverses when a young woman emerges claiming to be the daughter of his dead buddy. She transforms him and renews the joy of living after decades as a derelict. His life reforms through her inspiration and forgiveness. It’s all a shockingly effective illusion to steal his life-long investment in gold bullion coins. While discovering the girl’s charade, Jake meets and falls in love with a woman who was also fooled by the girl. Death and destruction follow as he chases the girl, only to find that she was manipulated by a maniacal killer. Views: 648
Kora is put under a spell, and finds herself trapped on the Waste. A Tower before her, and something terrible behind...But Kora sat unmoving, in great magic. The walls, her home, faded about her. Warmth went; all alone and on a freezing plain, dressed in a tunic, sharp knife in her belt, bow on her shoulder, arrows in a quiver behind. Her eyes gleamed; a pale cold light, ˈlɪmpɪd ɪn ˈdʌlnəsShe looked around. Away, at vision’s limit, a dark shape rose above the plain: a Tower, the only thing in all this barren place: no bird flew, no grass grew. Despite the wool she shivered. Breath-clouds hung in the raw air, ˈsləʊli dɪˈzɒlvɪŋThen in eye’s corner something moved. She turned to gaze across the Waste and saw a Cloud. Far, almost straight behind her as she faced the Tower, it too reared up black and sheer. Unlike the Tower, moving, whirling, wisps trailing their tentacles around a core, ˈtwɪstɪŋ ɪnˈseɪnli Views: 648
Angel or madman? The greatest swordsman of his day contemplates his victories and defeats as he prepares to step off into the great unknown of apotheosis.Author Clay Coolidge has returned home to Sunapee, NH with the intention of laying his most famous character to rest. Based on the woman who saved his life when he was fifteen years old, Sylvie Monroe has been his obsession for the last ten years. Now Clay's literary world is about to collide with the reality of what happened that summer day — and the truth is stranger than anything in one of his books.Sylvie Monroe is a Children of the Hunt short story. If you like this story, don't forget to check out Hunt, the first book in the Children of the Hunt series. Views: 648
