From one of the great masters of the contemporary short story, here is an astonishing collection that showcases Charles Baxter's unique ability to unveil the remarkable in the seemingly inconsequential moments of an eerie yet familiar life. Penetrating and prophetic, the ten inter-related stories in There's Something I Want You to Do are held together by a surreally intricate web of cause and effect--one that slowly ensnares both fictional bystanders and enraptured readers. Benny, an architect and hopeless romantic, is robbed on his daily walk along the Mississippi River, and the blow of a baseball bat to the back of his knee feels like a strike from God. A drug dealer named Black Bird reads Othello while waiting for customers in a bar. Elijah, a pediatrician and the father of two, is visited nightly by visions of Alfred Hitchcock. Meanwhile, a dog won't stop barking, a passenger on a transatlantic flight reads aloud from the book of Psalms during... Views: 67
May Alcott spends her days sewing blue shirts for Union soldiers, but she dreams of painting a masterpiece—which many say is impossible for a woman—and of finding love, too. When she reads her sister’s wildly popular novel, Little Women, she is stung by Louisa’s portrayal of her as “Amy,” the youngest of four sisters who trades her desire to succeed as an artist for the joys of hearth and home. Determined to prove her talent, May makes plans to move far from Massachusetts and make a life for herself with room for both watercolors and a wedding dress. Can she succeed? And if she does, what price will she have to pay?Based on May Alcott’s letters and diaries, as well as memoirs written by her neighbors, Little Woman in Blue puts May at the center of the story she might have told about sisterhood and rivalry in an extraordinary family. Views: 67
Composed of autobiographical stories that sketch the resonant heights and depths of a memoir, Subject to Change is a series of portraits along the road of a life well-lived. These stories are articulate, intelligent, passionate records of how encounters with others have changed and shaped the humanity, character and community – the subject" – of the writer. Views: 67
During the scorching hot summer of 1988, Michael Dukakis leads George Bush senior in the polls. And while political conventions, campaigns continue to be in session, Hawk and the rest of the "button gang" sell their buttons first to Democrats in Atlanta, then Republicans in New Orleans. As always, the gang sells to either side of any persuasion, offering a unique underview of the American political process, amoral hucksterism, and a corrupted form of capitalism.Sought after by loan sharks and his girlfriend's Ginsu-wielding ex-husband, Hawk is a witty and likeable character full of street smarts and unmatchable survival instincts. His story explores trust-and trust betrayed, along with the ethics of the street-and ethics compromised. Hawks tale is one of an edgy outsider's will for survival and love.Drawing from a side of politics and capitalism rarely seen by the general public, Button Man, with its unnerving violence and biting wit, is reminiscent of the worlds... Views: 67
Hot sun, warm bodies, tight skin, electricity on the air ... four top romance authors give you their take on summer. From Carla Caruso - A chance meeting with a pro-surfer on an island getaway ... From Maria Lewis - The world of women's surfing throws two recent bedmates together ... From Alli Sinclair - A world-famous performer finds her heart and a way to fight her demons in Rio de Janeiro ... From Tess Woods - A Cornish beach retreat proves a full reawakening ... Views: 67
A medieval mystery featuring sleuthing monk Brother AthelstanMay, 1381. The Great Revolt draws ever nearer. The Upright Men openly roam the streets of London, waiting for the violence to begin. Their mysterious envoy, the Herald of Hell, appears at night all over the city, striking terror into the hearts of those who oppose them. But who is he?When his chancery clerk is found hanged in a notorious Southwark brothel, the ruthless Thibault, John of Gaunt's Master of Secrets, summons Brother Athelstan to investigate. Did Amaury Whitfield really kill himself following a visit from the terrifying Herald of Hell? Athelstan is unconvinced.In the dead man's possession was a manuscript containing a great secret which he had been striving to decipher. If he could only unlock the cipher and interpret the messages being carried to the so-called Herald of Hell, Athelstan would be one step closer to catching the killer. But can he crack the code... Views: 67
Enjoy a selection of the greatest hits of gay romance published by Dreamspinner Press combined into one exclusive volume: by Mary Calmes: Frog, in which one man must convince his love that the home the other's been searching for has always been right there, with him; by R. Cooper: A Boy and His Dragon, a romantic fantasy featuring a man in dragon form falling for his archivist employer; by Lisa M. Owens: Worth the Coming Home, two men's romance threatened when their secrets and fears are exposed; by Xavier Mayne: Frat House Troopers, the story of an undercover operation forcing state trooper partners out of their comfort zone and into each other's heart; and by JD Ruskin: When One Door Opens, in which one man's heart can't make him stay away from his client despite their individual host of problems. Views: 67
Knight turns up the heat under the Texas sun with three cowboys ready to rope your heart and the feisty ladies who wrangle them. Enjoy a boot-stomping good time with these captivating couples: What a Texas Girl Wants: The last thing Jackson Taylor wants in his life is a down-to-earth girl like Kathleen Witte, so why did he just wake up next to her on a Mexican beach with a ring on his finger? Once they're back in Texas though, this all-business marriage might just turn into an all-consuming love. What a Texas Girl Needs: Matias Barnes knows all about society women like Vanessa Witte. It's part of the reason he left his wealthy family behind and took a job on a ranch. But while Mat knows she's so not right for him, can he resist her charms long enough to really let her go? What a Texas Girl Dreams: They are opposites in so many ways, but the more veterinarian Trickett Samuels gets to know footloose and fancy free Monica Witte, the more he wonders if he can convince this Texas girl that having roots will only help her soar higher. Sensuality Level: Sensual Views: 67
One of the last acts performed by the post-Waterloo Congress of Vienna is the granting to Jura the status of a free and independent state. To safeguard against domination by its giant neighbor, Austria, Prince Augustus allies himself to Britain by taking an English wife. That wife was supposed to be the eldest granddaughter of Princess Mariana, but when she runs away with someone else, the youngest daughter, Charity, is pressed into service as a substitute. Charity has always hero-worshipped Gus, who has spent the last ten years leading guerilla fighters against Napoleon’s troops, but she is not prepared for the responsibility of her new position. The novel is about the growing love between Charity and Gus as together they encounter political intrigues and dangerous plots against Jura and the rule of Prince Augustus. Views: 67
