On the night following the deadly Kendal rail disaster in which two hundred persons lost their lives, cab-driver, Kenneth Salmon is running the road. Passengers, however, are scarce. Therefore, Kenneth's earning up to this point is meager.He is desperately in need of a few fares to increase the night's earning. Will desperation causes him to pick up the wrong passenger?Bob never should have taken that last bite of cake. After all, he was supposed to save the last piece for Sara! While trying to escape Sara's cake-driven wrath, he stumbles into a rip in time and space and finds himself lost in a world of giants, witches, werewolves, and dragons. All Bob wants to do is get home--but what if his destiny lies in this strange new world?This work, edited and compiled by Jason N. Beil, is a collaboration of the following authors: Derek E. Keeling, J Bryden Lloyd, P.L. Blair, Kellie, Recluse, Ella Stradling, Eric C. Zawadzki, Kenneth J. Mayer, Homecooking, Marc Iverson, Martin D. Gibbs, Pipeline, and Jason N. Beil. Views: 563
Two countries. One ancient grudge. Can love unite them at long last?Consigned to the Highlands to marry a mysterious Laird feels like a death sentence to eighteen-year-old Sarina Bashir. Her entire life and family reside in England. Growing up, she’s heard terrifying stories of the Highlands and their brutish people. However, when Sarina’s father is killed by a Highlander, her brother, Thomas, schemes the perfect way to take revenge...He betroths Sarina to the very Highlander responsible for their father’s murder, Laird Seamus Mackenzie, and presents her with a sharp, beautiful dagger with which to slit his throat. All Sarina has to do is wait until he falls asleep on their wedding night and then vengeance will be theirs. But when Sarina meets the handsome and honourable Seamus, she soon learns that the very family she loves and trusts has secrets of their own…Who should Sarina believe? Is love strong enough to overcome all sins? Views: 563
Five derelicts on New York's waterfront clash in a slice of life social comparison.Five derelicts on New York's waterfront clash in a slice of life social comparison. Through five derelicts on New York's waterfront, man's humanity to his fellow man is compared, contrasted and tested. Neil and O'Looney are the barroom/bishop who brings booze and religion to sinners on the waterfront. Doc is the peace-maker and Conductor the faulted hero. Deacon, a symbol of all religions, remains in his cardboard box pulpit coming out only to fight, collect money or preach. And finally... Sharkey and Hoey, the predators. Views: 563
Betsy was in love. From the tips of her toes to the top of her pixie-like brown hair, every fiber of ber being seemed to vibrate with a special kind of joy. But the focus of her admiration was seemingly unaware of her...as a woman, that is. Unknown to Betsy was the fact that her young professor was quite aware of her.Although raised by single metahuman parents, Stephanie, Rael, and Lance weren’t prepared for the sudden and shocking event that thrust them into a night of upheaval as they cope with their metamorphosis into superhumans. The meteor shower that altered the heroes also mutated many others in Metrocity, causing a scene of chaos at Iron Cross General Hospital as Lance and Stephanie are captured by law enforcement, and Rael must free them.The friends join the Homeland Extraordinary Response Organization (H.E.R.O.) and seek to stop a mutant named Shrinker as she gathers new supers to build an army of bloodthirsty mutants in her plan to cause anarchy. Her evil squad kidnaps normal humans to feed those mutants, and it becomes a race against time to find the anarchists before they murder the people.While searching for the villain's base of operations, the group must learn their powers and overcome the problems associated with telepathy, a strong blood thirst, and strength capable of crushing steel under one’s fingers. They also begin to take part as heroes in the city, and discover that having powers is not as easy as it appears - in heroic actions or in normal life.H.E.R.O. – Metamorphosis is the first novel in a growing series of action-based superhero novels based on the Metrocity division of H.E.R.O. It acts as the introductory novel to the supers and how three of the main characters fight crime and deal with disasters in the city. The novel leads the way into the H.E.R.O. series as a growing roster of H.E.R.O. agents take part in various events and disasters.H.E.R.O. – Metamorphosis is a full-length novel of approximately 122,000 words.The ongoing series currently consists of these novels (as of early 2012):H.E.R.O. - MetamorphosisH.E.R.O. - New MarketsH.E.R.O. - Rise and FallH.E.R.O. - Dark ResearchH.E.R.O. - HordeH.E.R.O. - ParagonH.E.R.O. - Dossier I (Illustrated Guidebook - due Apr/May 2012)“I'm half way through the last book, Horde ... the characters have become like friends and I don't want to leave them. Thank you, Kevin, for writing this series. I felt like a kid again reading it. The series can be summed up in one word, ‘FUN.’” - Dale R. Bille“… I just couldn't stop flipping the pages of HERO.This book is smoothly written. It flows well, and although the story isn't groundbreaking, it has its own brand of charm. It has all the cool super hero stuff you want, and the 3 main super heroes are very well fleshed out. Their internal dialogues and character development are really what gives this book a (super) leg up on other similar novels.” – Gregory Ciallella“This was fun to read, and if you're a twenty-something then you'll enjoy the characters and their relationships. Action like X-men, romance like Twilight, bloodier than both but nothing too serious.” – Geeky guy Views: 563
Tingo is happy that his mother is going out on a date. It will get her out of the house so he can more easily chat up the new girl who recently moved in nearby. But a call from his sister throws a wrench into his carefully crafted plan. Meanwhile, his mother's date takes an unusual turn of its own in this slightly dark, yet funny tale from Mary Kitt-Neel.In Program 13 (available now), readers are introduced to Program Thirteen, a young Program recently created at Vesta Corp. Thirteen is Vesta Corp's pride and joy; their best Program to date.But before Thirteen, there was Twelve. This is her story. Views: 563
World-renowned artist and successful New York City gallery art owner Stella Jennings has everything she could ever want, but she feels like life is passing her by. Because of her crazy work schedule, she doesn't have time to date or even have a fling. She's bored and stuck in a rut with no way out. But then one cold February night, she meets an eccentric and straight forward-thinking woman who's more than willing to show her a good time without any promises.Kristi Welch has finally kicked her faithless fiancé to the curb. Her life is about to become even more complicated because he's also part owner of her popular tattoo shop and refuses to let her buy him out. Her ex-girlfriend, the rich Manhattan socialite Veronica Hardwicke, also wants her back in her bed and she won't take "no" for an answer. Kristi needs a break from life in general, but after meeting Stella and engaging in some kinky sexual activity one night in her office, she's willing to take what Stella's... Views: 563
A thrilling journey through China's dark criminal underworld, from a celebrated voice in Chinese literature When Hongyang is found dead after a night of debauched drinking, it looks as if his reign of terror has finally come to an end. Few in this insular community have much reason to mourn his passing: Hongyang is an infamous mob boss, a man with plenty of enemies. But now it seems that his years of crime have also earned him some very dangerous friends. As his funeral draws near, those who knew him come together to look back on a life characterised by corruption, deceit and a flair for violence. Their recollections will keep Hongyang's legacy alive, with terrifying consequences. From the master of Chinese noir fiction comes this explosive new novel about the power of one man, unravelled by a tangled web of secrets. Views: 563
The first in a series of short stories about the I.S.S. Fenghuang, the last faster-than-light starship in the galaxy, and its crew of rebels determined to reunite humanity.The Heilmann Drive allowed humanity to spread across the stars and prosper for nearly two thousand years. But when the use of the device begins to eat into the fabric of the universe, the People's Interstellar Republic bans all faster-than-light travel. A new age begins, one of isolation and stagnation. This era becomes known as the Fall.One rebel, Captain Seth Garland, steals the last starship in existence. He is now mankind's only hope of re-uniting the stars.The Fallen Goddess: When Captain Garland's crew questions their safety aboard their ship, he goes in search of of an engineer who can repair the Heilmann Drive. His quest leads him to a discovery that will redefine the future of his rebellion and change the destiny of mankind. Views: 563
The Yeerks plan to use the Helmacron ship they have repaired to capture the Andalites and track down Elfangor's blue cube--the cube that gives Cassie, and the other animorphs the ability to morph. Views: 563
A mentally fractured powerful spirit of a Georgian plantation holds in thrall the men and mounts of a Civil War foraging party to daily avenge the death of her husband and children by putting the enemy spirits through Hell. Ryan Fitzgalen, ancient and clairvoyant thanks to a WWII experiment using electromagnetism and his ghost wife must call in their descendents to battle undying hatred.A mentally fractured and hideously powerful spirit of a Georgian plantation and slave owner hold in thrall the men and mounts of a Civil War foraging party. She is avenging the death of her husband and children by putting the enemy spirits through a daily ritual of Hell. Ryan Fitzgalen was rendered spiritually clairvoyant and caused to be the world’s oldest man by a WW II experiment using electromagnetic power for naval stealth technology. He and the spirit of his deceased wife, Vanessa, are no match for Mad Annie, and so must call in his distant descendents to even the playing field. Even then, one of the Fitzgalen Family must fall. Views: 563
We’ve been told that dogs’ partnership with Man took thousands of years to germinate and solidify. Perhaps it did...but that doesn’t mean that a different sort of inter-species bond would take that long, especially if Bruno the Newf were one of the participants.Bismillah“No, please don’t! Please! No! Please don’t! I’ll do what you want! I’ll do whatever you want! Please! Please!”He screams more.“Please, no! I don’t like snakes! Please!Not the snakes! Please. Stop. Stop!”“Please stop!”As Allah wills Views: 563
The earliest of the Samuel Marchbanks volumes, originally published in 1947, is available in e-book form for the first time.
In 1942, two years after returning to Canada from Britain, Robertson Davies took up the role of editor of the Peterborough Examiner. During his tenure as editor at the Examiner, a post he held until 1955, and later as publisher of the newspaper (1955–65), Davies published witty, curmudgeonly, mischievous, and fiercely individualistic editorials under the name of his alter ego, Samuel Marchbanks, “one of the choice and master spirits of his age.”
The Diary of Samuel Marchbanks is funny, delightful, and timeless in revealing one of the most entertaining periods in a Canadian literary giant’s career. Views: 563
In the short story, Lonely, Lonely, members of a race evolved for war contend for supremacy on a new planet. Can the planet’s native species survive as their home becomes a battlefield? Lonely, Lonely explores one possible endpoint on the trajectory of warfare and how individuals might bridge even the deepest of chasms.In the short story, Lonely, Lonely, members of a race evolved for war contend for supremacy on a new planet. Can the planet’s native species survive as their home becomes a battlefield? Lonely, Lonely explores one possible endpoint on the trajectory of warfare and how individuals might bridge even the deepest of chasms.Tangent review (tangentonline.com, April 2012): “Lonely, Lonely is about a planet whose inhabitants are all mentally linked, and what happens when their planet become a battleground by other forces. This sort of mental interplay is difficult to pull off, but Daniel P. Swenson comes up with a strongly plotted story about sacrifice and victory.”Originally published in science fiction magazine Lore 2.1 (vol. 2, no. 1). Views: 563
