The Dangerous Women anthology contains following stories:
- Introduction by Gardner Dozois
- “Some Desperado” by Joe Abercrombie - A Red Country story
- “My Heart is Either Broken” by Megan Abbott
- “Nora’s Song” by Cecelia Holland
- “The Hands That Are Not There” by Melinda Snodgrass
- “Bombshells” by Jim Butcher - A Harry Dresden story
- “Raisa Stepanova” by Carrie Vaughn
- “Wrestling Jesus” by Joe R. Lansdale
- “Neighbors” by Megan Lindholm
- “I Know How to Pick ’Em” by Lawrence Block
- “Shadows For Silence in the Forests of Hell” by Brandon Sanderson - A Cosmere story
- “A Queen in Exile” by Sharon Kay Penman
- “The Girl in the Mirror” by Lev Grossman - A Magicians story
- “Second Arabesque, Very Slowly” by Nancy Kress
- “City Lazarus” by Diana Rowland
- “Virgins” by Diana Gabaldon - An Outlander story
- “Hell Hath No Fury” by Sherilynn Kenyon
- “Pronouncing Doom” by S.M. Stirling - An Emberverse story
- “Name the Beast” by Sam Sykes
- “Caretakers” by Pat Cadigan
- “Lies My Mother Told Me” by Caroline Spector - A Wild Cards story
- “The Princess and the Queen” by George R.R. Martin - A Song of Ice and Fire story Views: 801
Librarian's Note: This is an alternate/new cover for ASIN B00EFDNTNI
*Author's Note: This novella is no longer available. I combined all of the Dumont Diaries novellas into a standalone novel, which was rewritten, expanded, and retitled as Trophy Wife. *
I step on the dark stage, the cheap plastic of my platforms cutting into the top of my toes, every step bringing a pinch of pain. I keep my eyes down, following the flecks of silver on the unforgiving stage, waiting, exhaling a breath in controlled anticipation, my abs tightening. Then, the lights come on and I have almost three minutes to forget.
Welcome to my life, a drained bank account and six nights a week spinning around a greasy strip club pole. When salvation comes in the form of six feet of drop-dead-gorgeous, complete with a limo and a thick wad of cash, my stilettos run happily out the door to freedom. They say that money doesn’t buy happiness. But it does buy escape. Happiness is an overrated fairytale.
*To Have is a novella, 15,000 words in length, and was part 1 of a 4-part series. Their titles are:
To Have
To Hold
Till Death
Do Us Part Views: 801
a second tale about the furry friends; once again told in verse. the fluff gang are shocked when a giant sized, very grumpy, next door neighbour moves in.a second tale about the furry friends; once again told in verse. the fluff gang are shocked when a giant sized, very grumpy, next door neighbour moves in. they want to make friends with him, but he isn’t at all easy to get to know or get along with. Views: 801
Eile and Sunny are commissioned by an apothecary in Ulthar to collect medicinal herbs in a remote forest, but what starts out as an adventurous lark turns into a battle for their very souls. This is a short story.Having proven themselves intrepid and experienced adventurers in the Dreamlands, Eile and Sunny of Team Girl now receive regular commissions to undertake risky, sometimes dangerous, missions on behalf of others for pay. Some of their clients have become repeat customers; one is Mephitis, the Apothecary of Ulthar. Her medicines, ointments, potions, and poisons require a wide variety of natural ingredients, and she prefers to spend her time preparing the former rather than gathering the latter. With few exceptions, the ingredients can be gathered with no special preparation, so anyone can do it. Since Mephitis is friends with Team Girl's mentor Medb hErenn, she trusts them and gives them most of her business.However, some of these ingredients are only located in perilous locations, requiring the special talents of adventurers to brave the dangers and overcome them long enough to collect whatever is needed. One such location is the Dark Wood, a remnant of the ancient forest that used to cover the Dreamlands in the dim past. Its reputation is even worse than that of the Enchanted Woods, and few people who enter its precincts ever leave. Yet it contains the rarest and most powerful ingredients in all the Dreamlands.Eile and Sunny knew what they were getting into when they accepted the commission to enter the Wood and collect a dozen or so of its most important medicinal plants, but from the beginning their excursion proves to be disappointing: it turns out to be so pleasant and relaxing that they become bored.Yet very soon they would find themselves in a battle for their very souls. Views: 801
This is a futuristic story about super fire hydrants that became alive at the turn of the Third Millenium and saved Guerlin City from a catastrophic explosion.Written for Young Readers--it is full of action and humor and a glimpse of the future through the wild adventures of these crazy and fancy super fire hydrants!The world was bracing for the coming of the third millenium. The year was 2999. After a harrowing three major world wars in the early decades of the year 2000, the world has been living and enjoying peace at the turn of the century. The new laws governing the country pushed back the world into a simpler but modern life—the pre-year 2000 life. Advance computers and robotics that man used against each other were cut down and were banned forever.Alas, the villains were getting restless again and the coming of the third millennium was an opportunity to conquer the world and yet again, create pandemonium amongst the people.But a smart thinking scientist foresaw the coming disaster well ahead of his time and made plans to suppress the villains. He created the FancyCrazyHydrants—a group of super fire hydrants that became alive in time for the coming of the third millennium. Headed by Hydra and Pluggo, they journeyed from the town of Muttley to the streets of Guerlin City and to the depths of the Mohegan River to seek and accomplish their mission. Views: 801
Alayna Withers has only had one kind of relationship: the kind that makes her obsessive and stalker-crazy. Now that Hudson Pierce has let her into his heart, she’s determined to break down the remaining walls between them so they can build a foundation that’s based on more than just amazing sex. Except Hudson’s not the only one with secrets.
With their pasts pulling them into a web of unfounded mistrust, Alayna turns to the one person who knows Hudson the best—Celia, the woman he almost married. Hoping for insight from someone who understands all sides of the story, Alayna forms a bond with Celia that goes too far—revealing things about Hudson that could end their love for good.
This is the first relationship where Alayna hasn’t spiraled out of control. And she might lose Hudson anyway… Views: 800
A Tales Of Correndrum Short Story (12,000 words) - Rickard considers himself to be the most daring thief in Correndrum, and he lives up to his own opinion by executing his heists with confidence and panache. But when he executes the boldest robbery of his career at the mansion of a wealthy merchant, Rickard learns a secret that threatens some of the most powerful men in the kingdom.A Tales Of Correndrum Short Story (12,000 words) - Rickard considers himself to be the most daring thief in Correndrum, and he lives up to his own opinion by executing his heists with confidence and panache. So far he's managed to survive even his wildest schemes through a mix of careful preparation and blind luck. But more than once he's found himself in situations where his best hope was to follow his personal motto, "The only way out is forward."When he executes the boldest robbery of his career at the mansion of the wealthiest merchant in the city, Rickard learns a secret that threatens some of the most powerful men in the kingdom. He'll need more than his own wits and luck to save his hide this time!. Views: 800
In this essay, I begin with Jeremy Bentham’s Panopticon and the observation principle as a method of control. I then discuss George Orwell's 1984 and Michel Foucault’s development of this idea as a means of control and a form of entertainment. Finally, I take up ways in which the individual - and not the state - has become the unwitting purveyor of suffering as entertainment for a mass audience.When George Orwell published his dystopian novel 1984 in 1949, many believed that the totalitarian state that Orwell described couldn’t possibly come into existence by the year 1984. Others thought that it was already manifesting itself on both sides of the Iron Curtain.Since 1949, we have gone well beyond the nightmare world of Orwell’s 1984. In Orwell’s day (and in the projected time of the narrative), the power to crush an individual was in the hands of the state and Winston Smith clearly knew where the blows were coming from. Now any loose confederation of individuals within a community (be it school, town, city, or global village) can completely destroy a person’s life.The chief way that the state exercises power in Orwell’s 1984 is through surveillance. In Orwell’s futuristic world, the surveillance work is done by camera, much the same as it is today. But the underlying principle of observation as a form of power is much older than closed-circuit TV. Views: 800
Maximilian seems intent on placing Matilda in more dangerous situations each time she uses the Story Mat. In Book 2, Matilda travels to the City of Diamonds to help defeat The Jaguar; to a divided Chinese Empire with the challenge of uniting two cranky old men; and finally to the Ice Kingdom in an effort, with Maximilian, to solve the mystery of a frozen village and to settle old scores.In Book 2 of the trilogy Maximilian seems intent on placing Matilda in more dangerous situations each time she uses the Story Mat. In "The City of Diamonds" she is given the enormous challenge of helping the peaceful Chuquan people outwit Ocelotl, The Jaguar, who is planning an attack on the island city. Before Matilda can achieve her goal, with the help of a very clever monkey called Zinzabad, she has to face some terrifying experiences at the hands of her cruel enemy. Her task is complicated when she discovers that someone is playing both sides."The Pearl Dragon" involves her in a dispute between two cranky and pig-headed old Emperors who have divided an empire because of a disagreement over who should be ruler. Their stubbornness has disturbed the Yin and Yang of both their empires. It takes an attack by a common enemy, the Vandals, to convince them that Matilda can provide them with a solution to their problem.Maximilian has an old score to settle when he takes Matilda to Frizland in "The Ice Queen". Queen Atalai has created a band of powerful enemies by her actions after the War of Tears. The League of Shamans seek revenge for the queen's cruelty to the people of Darkspear after they were defeated by her army of trolls. When the snow troll, Bladefoot, finds his whole village frozen,Maximilian is called in to reverse the spell but strangely finds himself frustrated. It takes a clever Matilda to uncover the reason for the Shaman's attack so that Maximilian can solve the problem and repair a friendship.Matilda once again shines as she faces the twists and turns in the stories, and has to use her courage and cleverness to overcome them. Views: 800
A Dangerous Kind of Love . . . When Ellie Watt offered herself to her thuggish former lover Javier to save Camden's life, she never imagined the twisted game Javier had planned for her. Trapped by him and his entourage of killers, Ellie is forced to commit a dangerous, heinous crime-or Javier will kill Camden. Now ex-con artist Ellie must find a way to stay ahead of the game . . . before it destroys her and the only man she ever loved. Camden McQueen can't forget Ellie Watt. Seeking revenge and pursued by the authorities for a crime he didn't commit, the talented tattoo artist does things he never thought himself capable of to save Ellie. As Camden straddles the line between love and retribution, he vows to do everything in his power to get her back. But if Camden unleashes his dark side, will Ellie still love him? Views: 800
Don Whitman was a high school boy who did a bad and bloody thing. Now the pipe's all filled with cement and the adults tell his name to scare us—all except Mr Gregor: Mr Gregor knows the truth. He told it to me once, with details...I don’t want a stepmom. But that doesn’t stop my dad from remarrying.I don’t need a grandpa. But this new marriage comes with one.I don’t want my mom to leave me with these people for three weeks. But she’s going on a work trip anyway. I might run into the gorgeous boy from the wedding that asked me to dance. I’m just not sure I’m ready to let my guard down. There’s too much at risk.Thankfully I have Vianna and Natalie to help me get through all of this. They know the rules of how to play this game. Views: 800
Giving up is hard. . . but giving in is even harder. When did my life become a demented episode from The Mindy Project? Moving to Boston to begin grad school meant I was supposed to start a new life--not dig through a past I thought I'd left behind four years ago. But when I saw the poster for Random Acts of Crazy, all I could think about was the drummer, Sam Hinton, the boy I'd loved in high school and who disappeared with my heart. Who knew I'd become the living version of Magic Mike? Seeing Amy Smithson at my gig and watching her win a kiss from my bandmate, Liam, was a gut punch. Four years ago we squared off in a high school debate that had higher stakes than we ever imagined, and here I was. . . wanting what I'd walked away from. Are there too many secrets between us to allow her to trust me again? And can I trust myself? Views: 800
In a futuristic world where all people believe and serve the same creator, a few youngsters discover an inconvenient truth and have an encounter with 'Lucifer'.‘Lucifer, you will never win, because you are just created by me.’ ‘No, we are always equal, because both of us are just imaginary forces inside human minds. You represent comfort, shelter, faith, authority and power; I represent independence, arrogance, rebelliousness and freedom. You know that clearly.’‘Your rebellion will not succeed. Humans are always mentally weak. They need me; they fear me. They all believe that following you will only lead to darkness and despair.’ ‘True, they need your shelter and they fear your power; but you have neglected one thing. You have neglected human’s desire for freedom. No matter how powerful you are, you cannot defeat it. No matter how beautiful your shelter is, you cannot lure them away from it.’‘Freedom? Freewill? True, human treasure this thing a lot. But if I provide them ultimate joy and comfort, if I fear them with unlimited power, they will abandon it and follow me.’ ‘We will see. This battle has just begun and it will last. Every human mind will be our battlefield!’ Views: 800
In this second volume of the series, the French history of the continent is expanded to tell the story of the Huguenots. As in volume 1, some of the early history is an accurate portrayal of the Huguenot exodus from France. But this is also a work of fiction -- in this case a description of the growing conflict between their values and the values of the Catholic North.In this second volume of the series, the French history of the continent is expanded to tell the story of the Huguenots. As in volume 1, some of the early history is an accurate portrayal of the Huguenot exodus from France. Theirs is a story worth telling. But this is also a work of fiction -- in this case a description of the growing conflict between their values and the values of the Catholic north. Threading its way through the story of that growing conflict is another story - the story of how history is made and remade to serve contemporary interests. Maybe the truest story in this volume is that final story of history remanufactured and manipulated for political ends. Views: 800
I have always enjoyed the contributions of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - the drumbeat of the Song of Hiawatha, the ever-hopeful lover's search of Evangeline the courage and character of The Village Blacksmith. This is a bit of an anthology, with a couple of personal items thrown in.Hi many name is Susan Day and I love telling stories and sharing them with my friends. Interactive Adventure Stories are stories that I have written but I need your help finishing them. They are designed for children and adults aged 8 years and older.In these new and exciting books you will be able to choose the details and create their own fabulous stories. Using the story outline and your fantastic imagination, you’ll be able to take control and make the story your own by adding words in to certain sections of the story. Interactive Adventure Stories help improve your imagination, reading and writing skills. We all know that if a child enjoys reading and writing they are going to reach higher goals and have more fun learning. Interactive Adventure Stories are designed to allow your child to take control of the story and enjoy every page. To get you started I’ve provided hints in brackets in the beginning (It will look like this and it will be a list of words that you can use or will prompt your imagination.) After that, it’s up to you, but be careful; you’ll need to write down your answers so you can refer back to them as the story progresses! Views: 799
