©Copyright Maria-Claire Payne 2012
Cover Art by Posh Gosh©Copyright 2012
Total-E-Bound Publishing All rights reserved
ISBN#978-0-85715-972-4 Views: 272
The tale of The Wolf Gift continues . . .
In Anne Rice’s surprising and compelling best-selling novel, the first of her strange and mythic imagining of the world of wolfen powers (“I devoured these pages . . . As solid and engaging as anything she has written since her early Vampire Chronicles fiction”—Alan Cheuse, The Boston Globe; “A delectable cocktail of old-fashioned lost-race adventure, shape-shifting, and suspense”—Elizabeth Hand, The Washington Post), readers were spellbound as Rice conjured up a daring new world set against the wild and beckoning California coast.
Now in her new novel, as lush and romantic in detail and atmosphere as it is sleek and steely in storytelling, Anne Rice takes us once again to the rugged coastline of Northern California, to the grand mansion at Nideck Point, and further explores the unearthly education of her transformed Man Wolf.
The novel opens on a cold, gray landscape. It is the beginning of December. Oak fires are burning in the stately flickering hearths of Nideck Point. It is Yuletide.
For Reuben Golding, now infused with the Wolf Gift and under the loving tutelage of the Morphenkinder, this promises to be a Christmas like no other . . .
The Yuletide season, sacred to much of the human race, has been equally sacred to the Man Wolves, and Reuben soon becomes aware that they, too, steeped in their own profound rituals, will celebrate the ancient Midwinter festival deep within the verdant richness of Nideck forest.
From out of the shadows of Nideck comes a ghost—tormented, imploring, unable to speak yet able to embrace and desire with desperate affection . . . As Reuben finds himself caught up with—and drawn to—the passions and yearnings of this spectral presence, and as the swirl of preparations reaches a fever pitch for the Nideck town Christmas festival of music and pageantry, astonishing secrets are revealed; secrets that tell of a strange netherworld, of spirits other than the Morphenkinder, centuries old, who inhabit the dense stretches of redwood and oak that surround the magnificent house at Nideck Point, “ageless ones” who possess their own fantastical ancient histories and who taunt with their dark magical powers . . . Views: 271
Weekly summary of soap opera's hottest news, stories, humour, gossip, blind items, top stars/stories/couples/characters to watch, snark galore, review, and analysis.INSIDE — DIVA IN A BLUE DRESS: Exclusive Interview With GH’s Nancy Lee Grahn! The Emmy Winner Sounds Off On Cartini (“Frank Valentini Is The Best Producer I’ve Ever Worked For!”); Her Emmy Reel; The SAG/AFTRA Merger; A "Sexis" Reunion; ONE LIFE’s Cancellation; The Difference Between SANTA BARBARA VS. GH's Cancellation Threats; and Crying Garin Wolf! Plus: Is Grahn joining THE GROVE? And What She Really Thinks Of Crystal Chappell! Kristina Wagner GH-Bound! Inside The Emmy Pre-Nominations! Who Lost A Nod — And Why! Plus: The Glaring Snubs! Exclusive: Daytime Emmy Pre-Nom Emmy Reels! Exclusive: Y&R’s Michelle Stafford: Who is Phyllis’s True Love: Nick or Jack? Her Answer Will Shock You! Maxie Responsible for Robin’s Death on GH! Another GH Newbie Axed! Sean Young arrested! Exclusive: Sean Kanan on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES! Plus: Last Week's Reviews, Unbelievable Blind Items, and Next Week's Cheat Sheet! Views: 271
After living in care most of her life, 15 year-old Jennifer finds herself being easy prey for a local paedophile group. When the police start to investigate potential abuse against Jennifer she doesn’t want to co-operate. However, when she meets Jack, a new carer, she decides to speak out. Not for herself, but for the other girls who have been victims and are too afraid to come forward.Cheap White Meat is the intriguing and very topical story about a police investigation into allegations of sexual abuse against young girls who live in care. 15 year-old Jennifer lives in a specialist care home for teenagers with mental health issues and at the start of the novel she refuses to communicate with anyone in authority. However, when she is introduced to Jack, a new carer, she slowly opens up to reveal the abuse that she’s been subjected to and agrees to tell her story in order to help create awareness about the situation which has been happening to numerous girls undetected for years.Even though Jennifer opens up and starts co-operating with the police, she soon finds out that perhaps the police and social workers are trying to cover up the fact that Jennifer, and other girls, have been abused by a particular type of men in the interests of political correctness. This becomes more apparent when it is revealed that Jack is close friends with another girl, Lucy, who was abused by the same gang and has links to a notorious far-right protest group. Lucy first reported her allegations two years earlier, but her case was dropped. The official reason given by the police was that they felt a jury wouldn’t have seen Lucy as a credible witness, however, Jack, and others, feel that the case was dropped as part of a cover-up because the police didn’t want to risk breaking political correctness and exposing the activities of a particular community.Despite the obstacles in place, Jennifer insists that she wants to tell her story to create awareness about what a group of men have been allowed to get away with and to make sure that justice is brought against the men who abused her. When Jennifer is introduced to a new Key Worker, Sandra, she finally starts to turn her mental state around. Jennifer’s condition improves so much that she resumes contact with her mum shortly after her 16th birthday.Jennifer’s mum is the reason why she’s had to live care for the past seven years as she has been serving a prison sentence for the manslaughter of her ex-partner’s, a policeman, daughter. Without any other family available to care for her, Jennifer has found herself passed between various foster carers and children’s home, slowly getting lost in the system.Even though she should have been under 24 hour supervision, Jennifer was still able to leave her home for up to 12 hours at a time without her Key Worker knowing where she was and who she was spending her time with. It was during this time that Jennifer met Adam, a man who worked as a delivery driver for a takeaway that she spent a lot of her time at. Adam befriended Jennifer and over time their relationship became sexual. Once he had managed to gain her trust, Adam introduced Jennifer to some of his friends who she also had a sexual relationship with, this time for money.Like many victims of rape, initially Jennifer thinks that she is to blame for being abused. It is only when other people help her understand what has been going on that she changes her stance towards Adam and sees what he’s done to her. It is because of this understanding that Jennifer is able to rebuild her relationship with her mum who has just been released from prison. Therefore, as the trial starts, Jennifer is on the verge of enrolling in a college and moving in with her mum. Views: 271
A beautiful young woman moves to Boston in 1932, longing for romance and falls hard for the man who broke her sister's heart.
Orphaned in Iowa, Annie Kennedy moves to Boston to stay with her spinster aunt. She longs for romance to fill the void left by her parents' death. But when she falls hard for Steven O'Connor, the man who broke an engagement to her sister, Annie is worried. Will he break her heart too when he discovers who she really is?
With heart-pounding romance, intense family drama, and emotional twists and turns, A Love Surrendered is everything Julie Lessman's many fans have been waiting for. Views: 271
Can a bullet ease the pain? If one fails to do the job, will more suffice?Trapped underground at the hands of his own creation, Kade Strohm can see no way out. Will the computer entity he designed, a super artificial intelligence get the upper hand, or will he escape to freedom. There is one other option, but freedom isn't it... he could do the unthinkable of course... the choice is his... Views: 271
Lilian C. Garis, born Lilian C. McNamara was an American author who wrote hundreds of books of juvenile fiction between around 1915 and the early 1940s. Prior to this, she was a reporter for the Newark Evening News in New Jersey. Views: 271
A sappy, emotional story about a girl and a horse.Laxus lives in a world where magic is just as common as an engineer, or a scientist. He was stolen from his parents as a child, and raised by a guild of dark mages by the name of Black Dragon. With the power to control shadows, the dark guild believes him a perfect weapon. They train him as a brutal, mindless killer. Under the lie that Blue Phoenix, a guild of Justice, killed his parents, he grows up hating them. When a girl from Blue Phoenix reveals he has been lied to, he is outraged. Will the immense power within him destroy him? Or will he strike back at Black Dragon, and end their tyranny? Views: 271
A collection of poems written by year 10 students from Comet Bay College, Western Australia.Shalah – a world inhabited by a race once possessed of advanced technologies. Aeons ago, although watched over by benevolent guardian entities, Shalah fell under the onset of malevolent powers. The planet decended into barbarism, the inhabitants’ technologies falling into disuse as knowledge was lost; the guardians’ mental talents were inadequate to stem the influence of malign beings bent on conquest and destruction.Born on Shalah, an abandoned boy with unusual looks, is given life and one chance to face his destiny. Jepaul endures ordeals of air, fire, water and earth, for only he can bring his world back from the brink of the abyss. Views: 271
Locked in an eerily quiet room on the Titanic, a dying man tells a young girl his life story as the ship begins to sink. It all starts in Whitechapel, London in 1888, as the Ripper murders began. Views: 271
If it meant destroying who you are now, could you take the leap of faith, to find out who you might become?Includes "Changing Course" and "Final Words."5221 wordsWhen facing the most difficult challenge that life can throw at us, can we come together as a family or will we fall apart? It is an everyday battle that Savya and her family, ever since that fateful day when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. It didn't seem fair or reasonable that her mother had to suffer when everybody else just went about their lives unhindered. But, it is what it is and it is time to understand the true meaning of family. Views: 271
Protecting an actor takes Drum into the seedy underworld of psychedeliaTerminal illness and regret go hand-in-hand. Two months ago, Amos Littlejohn was in the prime of life, and had plenty of energy to be enraged when his pregnant daughter was abandoned by her husband, matinee idol Ahmed Shiraz. Now stricken with leukemia, Littlejohn is near death, and beginning to regret taking out a contract on the actor’s life. He hires international private eye Chester Drum to call off the hit and protect Shiraz until his life is safe. On his first night on the job, Drum’s partner takes a shotgun blast meant for the actor. Wanting nothing more than to wring Shiraz’s neck, Drum follows him to Europe, where he must contend with assassins, beatniks, and the powerful effects of an experimental drug called LSD. Views: 271
When you're solo, no one can hear you scream."It's Tom Clancy meets John Grisham and they drink cocktails with Jerry Bruckheimer; yeah, it's THAT good. I can't wait for the movie..."—Scott Tyler, retired F-15 fighter pilot"The Bottom Line: Guaranteed to please Brad Thor fans . . ."— BestThrillers.comA military espionage thriller about a student pilot whose life begins to spin out of control and soon finds himself in a life or death struggle to prevent World War III!Major Awards won by Michael Byars Lewis' SURLY BONDS2014 - WINNER Beverly Hills Book Awards - Military Fiction Category2013 - Silver Medal Finalist Next Generation Indie Book Awards - First Novel Category (over 80,000 words)2013 - Bronze Medal Winner READERS' FAVORITE Book Awards - Fiction Intrigue CategoryIt was the highest of highs and the lowest of lows . . . Jason Conrad is an Air Force student... Views: 271
Sex + money shouldn't = love, but since when does the heart follow any laws but its own?Recent college graduate and mathematical genius Skye McCord is determined that this summer he's going to do something he's always wanted to try--living. And, as a scientist, he's not leaving anything to chance. He's got a new job in Las Vegas, a signing bonus burning a hole in his pocket, and what else does a brainy geek spend his money on but an education? But this time, it's one of a carnal variety.Liam Maddox isn't your ordinary gay male escort--he's actually gay, and he really loves his job. Especially when he meets his newest client. Skye's cute and awkward and sort of odd, and when he informs Liam that he wants to hire him to teach him everything about being gay, well...Liam's too intrigued to say "no."Except what starts as lighthearted lessons in sex and seduction quickly becomes more as Liam taps into a submissive side of Skye the young man never knew he had. Also, Liam's never been this drawn to anyone before, and he's beginning to wonder if he can walk away when their time is up. Or does happily-ever-after exist for someone like Liam with someone like Skye?Genres: Gay / Contemporary / BDSM (Light) / Exhibitionism / Public Places Views: 271
