In 1919 Sigmund Freud published an essay that delved deep into the tradition of horror writing and claimed to understand one of its darkest tricks. Like a mad scientist, he performed literary vivisection on a still-breathing body of work, exploring its inner anatomy, and pulling out mysterious organs for classification. His aim: to present to the world a complete theory of ‘das unheimliche’, the uncanny. In the spirit of this great experiment, 14 leading authors have here been challenged to write fresh fictional interpretations of what the uncanny might mean in the 21st century, to update Freud’s famous checklist of what gives us the creeps, and to give the hulking canon of uncanny fiction a shot in the arm, a shock to the neck-bolts... 'It’s not too great a stretch to see Comma as the literary equivalent of Factory Records.' - The Herald, 2 Dec. 'Delightful and disturbing' - The Independent on Sunday, 14 Dec. 'A masterclass in understated creepiness... a deliciously macabre collection that the old Austrian might well have enjoyed.' - Book of the Week, Time Out, 12 Jan. 'If we need the uncanny – and I suspect we do – then we also need it updating... laudable.' - Book of the Week, The Independent, 2 Jan. 'A bold idea.' - The Guardian, 3 Jan. Views: 22
An honest love...Radley Lyncott has been in love with Wendy Drew as long as he can remember. When he went to sea, she was too young to court. Now that he's returned to take up his Welsh title, he is appalled to find that debt has ruined the Drew family, and—even worse—Wendy is being courted by another man.Or a dangerous attraction?Family comes first for seamstress Wendy Drew, who is forced to settle her brother's debt by working nights at a notorious gambling den. But her double-life hasn't gone unnoticed—she has captivated none other than Demon Damon, a nefarious rake who understands Wendy's darkest desires and is hell bent on luring her into his arms.Praise for Wedded in Scandal:"An erotic tale full of emotion.... Jade Lee is an exceptional author, filling her stories with color and excitement." —Fresh FictionPraise for What the Bride Wore:"Passion-filled Regency...Readers will savor... Views: 22
Note: "Alien Invasion" is a short story and a quick read. (estimated 21 pages) Rebekah Daniels is just your ordinary spunky 9 year old girl living in the small town of Curtis Bay...EXCEPT she is determined NOT to be ordinary at all! Her small town is filled with mysteries and Rebekah is sure that she, along with her best friend Mouse, will be able to solve every last one of them. In this mystery, Rebekah is very skeptical about what her science teacher, Mr. Woods is talking about in class. He wants to discuss the possibility of life on other planets and Rebekah is convinced that there is no such thing as aliens...until she starts doing her typical research and discovers some answers for herself. All at once, there seems to be aliens all around her and Rebekah, with Mouse by her side, finds herself involved in one of her scariest mysteries to date! Views: 22
Everything to Live For is the story of one young woman’s survival against extraordinary odds, a testament to the human spirit.
In September 2011, Turia Pitt, a beautiful 25-year-old mining engineer working her dream job in the far north of Western Australia, entered an ultra-marathon race that would change her life forever. Trapped by a fire in a gorge in the remote Kimberly region, Turia and five other competitors had nowhere to run. Turia escaped with catastrophic burns to 65 per cent of her body.
With too little unburned skin left for skin grafts, Turia was put in an induced coma in the Burns Unit at Sydney’s Concord Hospital while her body fought life-threatening infections and her surgeons imported skin from California. She lost the fingers on her right hand and her fingers on her left are partially fused together. She needed a new nose. There have been numerous operation, yet there are many more to come.
While the story of Turia’s survival involves many people - other race competitors, her rescuers, medical professionals - at its core is the strong will of Turia herself as she continues the long rehabilitation process with the loving support of her partner, Michael Hoskin, and that of their families in their New South Wales south coast hometown of Ulladulla, where the local community has rallied, raising funds to help with huge medical bills.
Everything to Live For is also a love story. Michael, Turia’s handsome teenage crush who became the love of her life, now cares for her as they plan a new life together; he is there to encourage Turia in her determination to move forward in an outwardly different body.
The real tragedy of this story is that it should never have happened - because the race should never have happened.
Despite facing a future with multiple challenges, Turia is optimistic. She is driving again and studying for her Master’s degree. She is walking in marathons and would one day like to run again. Above all, she wants her story to make a difference: her mission is to make skin a more prominent organ in the repertoire of donated organs.
It is a miracle Turia lived when she was expected to die. But Turia was not ready to die - she had too much to live for. Views: 22
Thousands of years ago the elves were enslaved by the Wytch Lords. Murdered in their thousands, worked to death in slave gangs and divided against themselves, the wounds inflicted by man run deep - and elves have very long memories. Two of them - Auum and Takaar - led the rise against their enslavers, and united their people against men in order to free their nation. Now Calaius is at peace . . . but that doesn't mean their nation is safe.Men need their help.The Wytch Lords have rallied, men's magic has grown more powerful, and their politics have become altogether more dangerous. Especially now: one of the mages has created a spell, called Dawnthief, which has the potential to destroy all living things on the planet. All four magical colleges are fighting to seize it and, in the background, the Wytch Lords have schemes of their own. Schemes which involve crushing the elven nation for good. Whoever seizes the spell, it places the elves in tremendous danger. But can Auum and Takaar overcome their differences and work together to save Calaius? And even if they can, is it not already too late . . . ?About the AuthorJames Barclay is the author of the Chronicles of the Raven and Legends of the Raven series, which have sold hundreds of thousands of copies. The Raven saga came to a conclusion with the stunning RAVENSOUL. James Barclay also penned the epic fantasy duology The Ascendants of Estorea and has written two novellas. He is currently at work on his Elves trilogy, which began with ELVES: ONCE WALKED WITH GODS. James Barclay lives in Teddington with his wife and two children. Find out more on his website, www.jamesbarclay.com, or you can follow @barculator on Twitter. Views: 22
"Martinez's innovative and scalpel-like research upends the academy's cherished (but clearly warped) perspectives on evolution and humanoid history."—(Paul Von Ward, author of "We've Never Been Alone" and "The Soul Genome") "Susan B. Martinez, Ph.D., has written an extraordinary book. She has given all those who ponder the origins of humankind an extraordinary gift of remarkably thorough research."—(Brad Steiger, author "Worlds Before Our Own" and "Conspiracies and Secret Societies: The Complete Dossier") Did we evolve from apes, or are we all descendants of Adam and Eve? Why is the "missing link" still missing? Is the dumb luck of natural selection valid? Piecing together the protohistory of humanity through anthropology, genetics, paleolinguistics, and indigenous traditions, Susan B. Martinez offers an entirely original alternative to Darwin's evolution: Modern humanity did not evolve but is a mosaic of mixed... Views: 22
A dragon's desire will burn for a thousand years... Timid Diana Winters doesn't get much excitement, until she is transported to a strange cavern filled with sparkling treasure, a dragon who guards over it, and the most gorgeous man Diana has ever seen, who seems to think that he is a prince of dragons, and that Diana is his long lost wife! Views: 22
