Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. Elisa is the chosen one. But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will. Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess. And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake. Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young. Most of the chosen do. Views: 40
Amazon.com ReviewFOR RENT: Top two floors of beautifully renovated brownstone, 1300 sq. ft., 2BR 2BA, eat-in kitchen, one block to parks and playgrounds. No broker’s fee.Susan and Alex Wendt have found their dream apartment.Sure, the landlady is a little eccentric. And the elderly handyman drops some cryptic remarks about the basement. But the rent is so low, it’s too good to pass up.Big mistake. Susan soon discovers that her new home is crawling with bedbugs . . . or is it? She awakens every morning with fresh bites, but neither Alex nor their daughter Emma has a single welt. An exterminator searches the property and turns up nothing. The landlady insists her building is clean. Susan fears she’s going mad—until a more sinister explanation presents itself: she may literally be confronting the bedbug problem from Hell. Amazon Exclusive: Q&A with Ben H. Winters Q: You tackled sea monsters in the New York Times best seller Sense & Sensibility & Sea Monsters. What made you turn to bedbugs? Ben H. Winters: The monsters in Sea Monsters are very big and very over-the top: giant super-intelligent lobsters, an island that comes to life, that sort of thing. Silly, campy, fun. In BEDBUGS I challenged myself to create a different kind of monster: serious, dark and deadly, and drawn from reality. Q: BEDBUGS is told from the perspective of Susan Wendt--a former lawyer turned artist and stay-at-home mom. As a man, was it difficult to write in a woman's voice? BHW: It was hard, although I would argue that gender is a very small part of what makes us who we are. In other words, it was challenging to get inside Susan's head mainly because I'm not a lawyer, a painter, or a stay-at-home parent, not necessarily because I'm not a woman. The hardest thing was writing in the voice of any kind of person, man or woman, being driven slowly insane by malevolent supernatural bugs. Q: It is obvious that you have done your homework on bedbugs. What was one of the most surprising facts that you learned about these nasty pests? BHW: It's pretty horrifying once you start to grasp how long they can stay alive without a host, and also how rapidly and exponentially they reproduce. But the nastiest fact is something called traumatic insemination. Seriously. Just look it up. Q: In BEDBUGS, you make many references to Rosemary's Baby. What is it about Rosemary's Baby that inspired you?BHW: Ira Levin was a master of turning the screw: he slowly, slowly ratchets up poor Rosemary's sense that something is not right about her home, her marriage, her baby. It's so effective because Levin keeps us in her point of view the entire time, so first of all we come to love her, but also we live with her suspicion and her fear and her terror. That seemed like exactly the right way to frame a novel about a peril as creepy and paranoia-inducing as bedbugs. Q: Lou the handyman and Andrea the landlord are an odd pair of keepers of this idyllic brownstone--how do their characters drive the story forward? BHW: Well, I'm just honoring my genre, you know. Slightly off-kilter, slightly menacing older people are a staple of slow-burn horror novels: when you've got weird old people in a weird old house, you just know there's something going on. Q: BEDBUGS is both a mystery and psychological thriller--how do you get inside the head of readers to scare them? BHW: My goal was to firmly ground the story in the realistic, day-to-day lives of the characters, stuff like grocery shopping at Trader Joe's, taking the kid to the playground, marital squabbles and make-up sex. With just occasional notes of what's to come: a smear of blood here, an unexpected noise there, an unnamed sense of melancholy and dread. Again, it's something you find in books like Rosemary's Baby, The Exorcist, even The Amityville Horror. There's this careful creation of a realistic, familiar world before the darkness begins to seep in. Q: BEDBUGS is both a mystery and psychological thriller--how do you get inside the head of readers to scare them? BHW: My goal was to firmly ground the story in the realistic, day-to-day lives of the characters, stuff like grocery shopping at Trader Joe's, taking the kid to the playground, marital squabbles and make-up sex. With just occasional notes of what's to come: a smear of blood here, an unexpected noise there, an unnamed sense of melancholy and dread. Again, it's something you find in books like Rosemary's Baby, The Exorcist, even The Amityville Horror. There's this careful creation of a realistic, familiar world before the darkness begins to seep in. Q: In BEDBUGS, Brooklyn is a character in itself--why did you choose Brooklyn Heights as your setting? BHW: I lived in that area for many years, around the corner from Brooklyn Heights in the neighborhood called Downtown Brooklyn. I find that whole section of the city to be so physically beautiful, and the energy to be so interesting. It's full of weirdos, hipsters, old people, young professionals, city workers, and people of literally every race and religion. And it's definitely a landing pad for couples like the Wendts: smart, ambitious young couples, balancing creative energy, ambition, and little kids. Q: You're the author of an Edgar-nominated children's novel and a New York Times best-selling adult novel. Is there a difference in how you approach writing each genre? BHW: Obviously, the differences are legion in terms of tone, vocabulary, and content. But there are nuts-and-bolts things you want to do right, no matter who the audience is: you want a solid structure, a careful building of tension, and interesting characters that a reader will care about. Q: Bedbugs seem to be everywhere! Do you have any personal experiences with bedbugs that informed the novel? BHW: No, thank God. I know nobody wants them, but after doing all the reading and video-clip watching I did for this book, I really don't want them. Once, when I was seven, I had lice. Here's hoping that's as close as I'll ever get. Q: When Susan went to set up a play date for her daughter, a neighbor commented that she saw an exterminator at her brownstone and could not risk exposing her family to bedbugs. How have bedbugs made dwellers pariah amongst their neighbors? BHW: There are all sorts of household pests--rats, roaches, termites, etc.--but there seems to be something about bedbugs that deeply disturbs people in a particularly unsettling way. As a society, we are just extra freaked out by these pernicious little bloodsuckers. So nobody wants to be the person who gave someone else bedbugs, and that leads to a lot of fear, secret shame, and paranoia. All of which, I felt, were rich themes for a novel of supernatural terror. Q: What are you working on now? Can you share a little about that with us? BHW: Oh, dear. Good question. I am currently hard at work on a mystery novel, and outlining a new and extremely silly novel for young readers. Also, my daughter is pressuring me pretty hard to write something about princesses, so we'll see where that goes. Review“By turns gruesome and compelling, fueled by a slow-burn tension, and full of in-jokes about contemporary Brooklyn culture, Winters's breezy summer read will leave readers compulsively scratching.”—Publishers Weekly“The author of the monster mash-up hit Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (2009) offers up a chilling tale of life in the perfect New York abode gone horribly wrong...Winters expertly builds suspense in this chilling thriller.”—Booklist"Bedbugs infest the life of a young couple who move into a peculiar brownstone in Brooklyn in Ben H. Winter's diabolical tale of paranoia and domestic unrest.”—Vanity Fair Hot Type“I would not recommend reading Bedbugs in bed; it’s that gripping—and grotesque. . . This creepy story is expertly told, and will having you scratching imaginary itches long after you finish reading.”—Penthouse“After reading Bedbugs you might want to fumigate any apartment you rent. You also might want to call in an exorcist.”—*McClatchy Newspapers“The book is a lot of fun and a great fall read for when you’re bundled under a pile of blankets that may or may not be full of creepy-crawlies.”—DenofGeek.com“All in all, Bedbugs *is a solid read, a good thriller, and I guarantee you will have the creepy ‘I need to bleach my pillowcases in hot water’ crawlies for days after.”—DaemonBooks.com“A rich blend of classic psychological suspense and horror. If Alfred Hitchcock were still with us, this is a book he would adapt to film.”—MonsterLibrarian.com“Bedbugs is one disgusting, fascinating novel. Be warned, and put the exterminator’s number on speed-dial.”—Sacramento News & Review Views: 40
Sweet Contemporary Story Set in an Old Order Mennonite Community Amy Knackstedt moves with her children to Weaverly, Kansas, to escape the speculation surrounding her husband's untimely death.She hopes the new location will provide a fresh start for them all. But her neighbor, Tim Roper, is not pleased to have a Mennonitefamily living next to his apple orchard. When the children try to befriend him, he resists. Tim left the Mennonite faith years ago and doesn't want any reminders of his former life. Yet Amy and Tim find their paths colliding far more than either could have foreseen. Will this tentative relationship blossom into something more?From the Inside FlapAmy Knackstedt hopes a new start in Weaverly, Kansas, will help heal the pain of losing her husband and provide a better future for her three children. But her new neighbor, Tim Roper, is not pleased to have an Old Order Mennonite family living next to his apple orchard. Tim left the Mennonite faith years ago and doesn't want any reminders of his former life. Yet when circumstances throw Amy and Tim together, they form a friendship that surprises them both. Will past hurts always be a barrier between them, or will this tentative relationship blossom into something more? From the Back CoverPraise for Kim Vogel Sawyer's Novels "Sawyer is a gifted author who knows what readers want--and she delivers."--Romantic Times"Sawyer excels at setting scenes in her stand-alone Christian historical romances, and this one is no exception: her characters take on a life of their own, and their ethical quandaries engage the reader's sympathy."--Booklist about Song of My Heart"A Hopeful Heart has winsome characters, an interesting premise, and a heavenly match made on earth...fans of inspirational romance novels will not be disappointed."--Historical Novel Reviews"This emotionally packed novel is sure to tug at your heartstrings."--TitleTrakk.com about My Heart Remembers Views: 40
Kyle wants it all...Kyle Stuyvesant doesn't believe in love and romance. His parents taught him there's no such thing as forever, and he took the lesson to heart. After all, there's only one woman who ever tempted him to more than a single, hot night together. Fortunately for his convictions, she's married to another guy. Problem solved—until Lauren's husband cheats and Kyle isn't just the bearer of bad news, but the man she turns to for comfort.Lauren demands it all...When Lauren's marriage implodes, she wants to lose herself in pleasure and sensation. Who knows that territory better than Kyle who seduced her so deliciously years before? It was a night Lauren never forgot, and now that she wants to start again, Kyle is the only man she wants. Will she be able to accept his terms of no love or romance? When Lauren can't get enough, will Kyle take a chance on wanting more? Views: 40
In South Africa, Matthew Hervey clashes with the Warrior King of the Zulus.
1828: The stability of the Cape Colony has been threatened by Xhosa tribesmen who have been making incursions across the borders. And when Hervey is told by his old friend, Sir Eyre Somervile, that the Zulu warrior king, Shaka, is about to make war on neighbouring tribes in the south of the country, he knows that matters are perilous indeed. Leaving his new wife and young daughter in England, Hervey speeds to his friend’s aid.
He and Somervile journey to meet the Zulu king, but Shaka’s royal kraal is a horrifying place. The sentinels at the gates are corpses, and it soon becomes apparent that Shaka has slaughtered thousands of his own people. Into this febrile atmosphere ride Hervey, Somervile and their escort of dragoons and mounted rifles. But the sudden death of the Zulu king plunges the region into civil war, and Hervey and his men into terrible danger.
Yet worse is to come. As Hervey leads Shaka’s queen across the veldt to safety, he knows he must cross an alien landscape where they will be hunted by wild animals — and deadly warriors. Views: 40
Evelyn Wisely has a heart for the orphans of Teaville. She works daily to help get children out of the town's red-light district, but she longs to help the women there as well. Intrigued by Evelyn, David Kingsman lends his support to her cause. Though they begin work with the best of intentions, complications arise. Views: 40
The true story of the courageous and loyal horses of World War One. The jet-black mare galloped wildly across the scorching white sands, the guns and shells exploding around her with a deafening roar. Her master spurred her on, his legs tightly gripping her heaving sides. With foam-flecked lips and ears laid flat, she thundered on through the flying bullets and choking dust . . . Every ANZAC Day we celebrate the brave soldiers who fought and died in World War One, but the story of the loyal horses who carried our troops in the desert war has remained untold until now. This is their story - and the story of Bess, one of only four horses to return to New Zealand. Bess and her companions overcame their fear, standing by their masters in the battlefield, in harsh desert conditions. Brave Bess and the ANZAC Horses tells the tale of these valiant horses and the essential part they played in the war. Susan Brocker lives with her husband and many pets, including horses, on a small farm... Views: 40
"The difference between pornography and erotica is lighting." ~ Gloria Leonard Toni Sinclair knows nothing about adult movies. She’s too stressed about her lack of funds and growing debts to rent a porn film. But quitting her job leads to an unusual job offer…and a successful interview. Without clothing. Paul Whittaker is a talented cameraman and has a great reputation in the industry. He doesn’t judge and is a straight-up kind of guy, who has realized he has no interest in dating actresses. They fake too much in front of his lens. But then he meets the newest cast member on his current film—and finds himself starring in his own personal project. It’s a sexy romance movie… ** Views: 40
