Every December, Chloe and Gabe meet at a mutual friend's Christmas party. Every year, the holiday sparks fly. Chloe returned to a ravaged New Orleans to help rebuild a first-class Neonatal ICU in the city she'd loved during her residency. Energized and fulfilled by her job, her only personal desire is for casual good times in the Big Easy. Gabe's marriage ended when his wife's disdain for his artistic ambitions sapped both his professional confidence and his trust in love. Having thrown his heart into his career, he's not interested in putting anyone but himself first. The year they finally arrive at the party with no dates in tow, will the collision of her brusque nature and his creative soul put a permanent damper on their Christmas cheer? Or will the spark between them ignite into a flame as blazing as a sax solo on Bourbon Street? Featuring characters from Melanie Greene's EYE OF THE TIGER, standalone novella LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL will make... Views: 653
A British police detective must determine who silenced a singer forever... DI Dan Hellier has returned to Exeter under a cloud. But a chance for redemption comes when the body of a talented young singer is found in the woods. When links are revealed to a recording studio boss, a predatory gang, and a school music teacher, Hellier has his work cut out. Before any more innocent people are put in danger, Hellier will need to untangle a web of lies—and work out which of many suspects silenced a promising voice.Previously published as Death And Deception by B.A. Steadman. Views: 653
Throughout the Roman Empire Cities held public speeches and lectures, had libraries, and teachers and professors in the sciences and the humanities, some subsidized by the state. There even existed something equivalent to universities, and medical and engineering schools. What were they like? What did they teach? Who got to attend them? In the first treatment of this subject ever published, Dr. Richard Carrier answers all these questions and more, describing the entire education system of the early Roman Empire, with a unique emphasis on the quality and quantity of its science content. He also compares pagan attitudes toward the Roman system of education with the very different attitudes of ancient Jews and Christians, finding stark contrasts that would set the stage for the coming Dark Ages. Views: 653
The Empire is large, old and is on the verge of being torn asunder as ambitious Fleet Admirals contemplate overthrowing their new Emperor by force. As if that wasn't bad enough, the Empire is under attack by a powerful, unknown alien race that originated from the other side of a huge rift separating one part of our spiral arm from another part. The Emperor has to not only win the war but also keep his head (literally). His best chance for success is a relatively junior officer, who survived the rift attack and may be courtmartialed for it. This novel has it all, space battles, grand strategy, political intrigue, betrayal, sacrifice and an ending that will blow your mind. Views: 653
The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories - Part V: Christmas Adventures features contributions by: Bob Byrne, Derrick Belanger, Amy Thomas, David Marcum, Denis O. Smith, C.H. Dye, Marcia Wilson, Julie McKuras, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Bert Coules, John Hall, Jim French, S.F. Bennett, Narrelle M. Harris, William Patrick Maynard, Vincent W. Wright, James Lovegrove, Arthur Hall, Nicholas Utechin, Mike Chinn, Tracy J. Revels, Roger Riccard, Wendy C. Fries, Paul D. Gilbert, Jan Edwards, Molly Carr, S. Subramanian, Peter K. Andersson, Matthew J. Elliott, Hugh Ashton, and Mark Mower, with a poem by Ashley D. Polasek and forewords by Jonathan Kellerman, Roger Johnson, Steve Emecz, Melissa Farnham, and David Marcum. Views: 653
This is a work of flash fiction specially commissioned by USA Network and was inspired by the upcoming TV series event DIG.A boy lost in grief and an old farm house where a mysterious girl plays out her sorrow on the piano in the moonlight. Grief calls to grief and sorrow to sorrow. A haunting tale of love and death and isolation.Following the death of his parents in an automated traffic accident, John Riley is sent to live with his only surviving relative; an ageing great aunt who lives in an old and isolated farm house far from the city and all his social contacts. There he finds a mystery: a girl who plays the piano in a locked room by moonlight. He follows her to a secret room, an old book of poetry and the tale of a long past tragedy"My aunt lived on an old farm, close to the sea. The farm house had been built in the nineteenth century in imitation of some minor Scottish castle. It was a rambling place of crumbling stone and cracked plaster, with ornamental towers and arched doorways. The kind of place that history buffs get all excited about – mainly because they don’t have to live there. I went from crowds of friends to – what? Sheep? Maybe. Seagulls? Perhaps, but certainly not people. All in all, I might as well have walked through the back of a wardrobe and into Narnia."This story comes from a poem which in turn comes from a dream. I can still see Sarah, plain as moonlight, playing on her piano. Views: 653
A beggar child dreams his future and copes with the staggering realization that he will relive the same life over and over again.A beggar child dreams his future and copes with the staggering realization that he will relive the same life over and over again. Beggar kids suffer in the cesspool that is Main Street so when Nip and Joq find a bar that sits outside of time they think they have found providence. However, Nip sleeps—he dreams the future; their paradise will be lost in two days; he and Joq will be pushed to the seat of death. Nip fights fate until Joq hatches a plan that is too tempting to resist—a plan that will set them in the heart of Nip’s dream—a plan that will end in blood. “Rebel, if you so desire.” Frowned Mr. Denmark. “You will live this life again, forever.”Easter City is the first of five planned parts of Some Day or Night, an edgy supernatural thriller f by American novelist Ian Crooks. It was first published to Amazon Kindle on 21 January 2016. Easter City is set on Main Street, a lawless street reminiscent of Las Vegas. On Main Street the only season is winter and the sky is ever overcast.Main Street is a city of vices. Since there is no apparent law enforcement, murder and rape is all too common. Main Street is split on a jagged line of social stratification: the wealthy and beggars. Those who are wealthy are known as Wealthy Devils amongst beggar children and walk Main Street with impunity from the law; murder, escorts and illegal gambling are commonplace. Beggar children, dubbed Cochon by Wealthy Devils, are considered less-than-human. Easter City is told from the POV of Nip, a Cochon on Main Street. Nip has had premonitions of the future in his dreams for as long as he can remember, though they reveal details necessary to his immediate survival. For instance he dreams of where his next meal will come from. However this changes when he dreams of a boy who looks like him. In the following days he meets the boy, Joq, and they hatch a plan to steal from the Wealthy Devils. Views: 653
Kleptomaniac detective Felix Green never got to know his next door neighbor, Fred Winters, and after Winters is found strangled in his office, Felix will never get the chance. Winter's past holds surprising secrets for Felix and his trusted associate, Sam Alders, as they investigate The Murder Next Door. Views: 653
Complete Story. Contains all 5 parts.A one night stand with the mysterious naked man was all Jade expected. Expectations are made to be shattered.All Jade Jenkins wanted was to get away from the world for a weekend. She didn’t expect to meet Tarben. Alone. In the woods. Naked. When she finds out his secret she’s more intrigued than scared. It’s not everyday you meet someone who can change species on a whim, but when things begin to heat up that’s when she realises that she’s playing with fire. Tarben’s past is haunting him. Bringing Jade into his life would be a mistake. It might attract the men who are hunting him. But giving her up is too much to bear when she’s just so darn sweet. Views: 653
Crime Ficition. The Sword in the Stone-Dead is a traditional whodunit with a twist. Benjamin Vickery used to be top-of-the-bill stage magician The Great Vicari, but fled the theatre after an illusion went tragically wrong. Jamie Malloy is an Irish chauffeur whose name and accent could both be fake, and who may once have gotten away with murder. This unlikely duo team up to investigate when a King Arthur-themed party in an isolated Victorian castle climaxes with a scream, a splash, and a dead body in the pond. With time running out, they must see through the murderer's trickery and reveal whodunit. If they fail, Excalibur will once more have to be drawn from a stone-cold corpse. Views: 653
Last Gasp of the Monkey Mind: Even Poems and Chance Discoveries, like most collections of poetry, addresses all of the customary topics: the nature of reality, the value of integers, and metaphorical canines. Mirroring the previous two collections, there are 24 pieces to browse, encompassing the everyday to the uncommon, the happy to the somber, and the personal to the universal. Enjoy.Last Gasp of the Monkey Mind: Even More Poems and Chance Discoveries, like most collections of poetry, addresses all of the customary topics: psychics and weather, the nature of reality, the value of integers, and metaphorical canines. Mirroring the previous two collections, there are 24 pieces to browse, which makes Last Gasp of the Monkey Mind both accessible and symmetrical. And just like those predecessors, it hurdles from the everyday to the uncommon, the happy to the somber, and the personal to the universal.If you find this to be a worthwhile read, and perhaps even more importantly, if you don't, check out Living with the Monkey Mind, and Return of the Monkey Mind. Enjoy. Views: 653
The Highlands of Scotland bring promise of adventure, safety, and romance for Caitlan, a healer. But danger always seems to find her path - or does she bring it with her?She is to wed Alex, the oldest of the MacKinnon brothers. He and his brothers are aware she has some unusual powers that appear when she finds herself in a stressful situation. Jack, one of the brothers, wonders if these powers will be used only for good, or will she bring danger to the MacKinnon clan?There's something magickal about the Circle of Stones and Caitlin is drawn to it. However, magick in the wrong hands can bring disaster - and the MacKinnons are very familiar with that! Views: 652
