Oakes smiled. "As the medical evidence proved, he died of the bite of a cobra. It was a small cobra which came from Java." "Did you see the snake?" Oakes shook his head. "Then, how in heaven's name --" "I have enough evidence to make a jury convict Mr. Snake without leaving the box." Oaks had the evidence, all right. The problem with it was, Oaks was just plain wrong. Views: 345
OPEN MIC Reflection of the Streets is a poetry book which explores various issues and topics. It is a reflection of how some behave or think which may not be beneficial. This book is its title intending to provoke reflection, encouragement, inspiration or anger.OPEN MIC Reflection of the Street is a poetry book which reads more along the lines of short stories. Each poem is filled with vivid imagery. It explores and reflects issues some face on a daily basis. The author successfully delves into issues, approaches and views that she may not necessarily agree with yet knows that some can and will relate to these stories even benefit from them. This book is its title and may provoke reflection, encouragement, inspiration or anger and was intended to do all of the above. You may not agree with everything in the book though you may gain a better understanding to why some behave in the manner they do. The pieces have more of an urban feel and setting, though these issues pertain to a wide range of individuals regardless of their economic status.The Verbal Artisan is not a one-sided viewer, she attempts to look at situations from multiple perspectives and reflects what she sees. Views: 343
When Megan Murphy discovered a floppy-eared rabbit gnawing on the hem of her skirt, she meant to give its careless owner a piece of her mind, but Dr. Patrick Hunter was too attractive to stay mad at for long. Soon the two are making Thanksgiving dinner for their families. Views: 342
What happens when a failed writer meets an other-world entity who has helped some the greatest writers in history? Meet ELF – that’s capital E capital L capital F – a literary genius named Lu-enodre-rapsonta from the planet Glogenbot; an Electromagnetic Life Force who lives in a tree. Lu-e and Rick join forces to write the greatWhat happens when a failed writer meets an other-world entity who has helped some the greatest writers in history? Shakespeare, Hemingway, Melville all had writers block until they meet ELF – that’s capital E capital L capital F – a literary genius named Lu-enodre-rapsonta from the planet Glogenbot; an Electromagnetic Life Force who lives in a tree. Lu-e and Rick join forces to write the great American Novel, but not until Rick gets some very convincing evidence that Lu-e is alive and living in his computer. It’s a partnership made in – well, you decide. Views: 341
O. Henry is the knight of the shop-girl and the waitress; of the wandering, homeless tramp; of poverty-stricken young married folk; of hundreds of lonely human beings who live within the dirty, gloomy wall of two-dollar-a-week boarding house rooms - of the great mass of humanity not included in the "four hundred", the everyday men and women of New York's East Side.
The Four Million contains O. Henry's best and most characteristic work: the famous Gift of the Magi, the moving story of a young couple who sacrifice their most prized possessions to buy Christmas presents for each other; Soapy, the brilliant tale of a tramp who desperately attempts to break the law in order to be sent to prison so that he will have a home for the winter months; An Unfinished Story, which is a stern reproval of the employer who underpays his shop-girls - and many others. Unforgettable stories - humorous, poignant, penetrating - by "the most widely discussed and most popular short story writer of his generation."
(from the back cover) Views: 341
This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them. Views: 340
The Ghost Brigades are the Special Forces of the Colonial Defense Forces, elite troops created from the DNA of the dead and turned into the perfect soldiers for the CDF's toughest operations. They’re young, they’re fast and strong, and they’re totally without normal human qualms.
The universe is a dangerous place for humanity—and it's about to become far more dangerous. Three races that humans have clashed with before have allied to halt our expansion into space. Their linchpin: the turncoat military scientist Charles Boutin, who knows the CDF’s biggest military secrets. To prevail, the CDF must find out why Boutin did what he did.
Jared Dirac is the only human who can provide answers -- a superhuman hybrid, created from Boutin's DNA, Jared’s brain should be able to access Boutin's electronic memories. But when the memory transplant appears to fail, Jared is given to the Ghost Brigades.
At first, Jared is a perfect soldier, but as Boutin’s memories slowly surface, Jared begins to intuit the reason’s for Boutin’s betrayal. As Jared desperately hunts for his "father," he must also come to grips with his own choices. Time is running out: The alliance is preparing its offensive, and some of them plan worse things than humanity’s mere military defeat… Views: 340
Daniel Pecan Cambridge, 30, 35, 38, or 27, depending on how he feels that day, is a young man whose life is rich and full, provided he never leaves his Santa Monica apartment. After all, outside there are 8-inch-high curbs and there's always the horrible chance he might see a gas station attendant wearing a blue hat. So, except for the occasional trip to the Rite Aid to admire the California girl Zandy and to buy earplugs because they're on sale, he stays home a lot. And a good thing too, or he would have never been falsely implicated in a murder, never almost seduced Philipa, never done the impossible task of jogging around the block with Brian, never ironed his pillows, and he might never have won the Most Average American essay contest. The Pleasure of My Company is the chronicle of a modern-day neurotic yearning to break free. Views: 340
Founded on the tenets of Alcoholics Anonymous, a bachelor can turn to other members of the circle whenever the urge to take a woman out to dinner surfaces. Views: 339
"I'm pretty sure I'm the only guy in my school who can replace a faulty kick-down switch and also create the perfect smoky eye."The Weyward family has been haunted by a curse for generations—if a Weyward falls in love before their seventeenth birthday, the person they love dies.Sam doesn't plan to fall for anyone in the weeks before his birthday. He'll spend his time working at the Eezy-Freeze with his dad; cooking up some midsummer magic with his grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother (the Grands); and experimenting with drag with the help of the queens at the Shangri-La, the local gay club.But when a new guy comes to town, Sam finds himself in trouble when they strike up a friendship that might be way more than that.As Sam's birthday approaches and he still hasn't quite fallen in love, the curse seems to get more powerful and less specific about who it targets.A mysterious girl Sam talks to on the... Views: 339
From USA Today bestselling author Leslie Langtry comes a Civil War reenactment, a missing body, and one ex-CIA agent turned Girl Scout Troop leader with hilarious results!Merry Wrath has a problem. Her Girl Scout Troop co-leader has signed them up to participate in a Civil War reenactment based on the little-known Battle of Idiot Creek. In full 19th century costume, Merry is just hoping she can keep her troop out of trouble. Unfortunately, things start to fall apart immediately—from the cannon the kids buy with her credit card, to one girl sneaking off at night to beat the other reenactors at poker, to avoiding a rumble between her troop and the haughty Magnolia Girls.But things take a sharp turn for the worse when a real human leg appears in the pretend amputation tent...only to disappear while Merry's guarding it. The rest of the body doesn't seem to exist, making Merry wonder if she's losing her mind... or if there's a murderer among them. To... Views: 337
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Comedy and mystery with a twist of supernatural - tales of reality and beyond ‘I recommend these stories to those who enjoy a bit of the macabre with a blend of mystery and a twist of supernatural on the side.’ Readers\' FavouriteSleuthing For BeginnersAngela has always had a secret ambition to be a private detective. After her neighbour dies suddenly she launches her own investigation, with unexpected results.A Peaceful DeathGeorge, who has been obsessed with death since his father died, is visited by The Angel of Death, who strikes an unusual bargain.A Girl’s Best FriendAli, the sole beneficiary of her uncle’s will, learns that he may have a secret, ill-gotten fortune stashed away. But she soon discovers she\'s not the only one determined to find it.The MuseEsther, a struggling romance writer, meets her muse Alfred, and he moves in, providing her with a constant source of inspiration. But is the cost too high?If you like comedy, mystery and fantasy, and you’re looking for a book you can read on the train or in a couple of spare hours, this book of short stories is for you.‘I love Robin Storey\'s dry wit and realistic characterization of the foibles of human nature.’ Pamela Mariko.Scroll up and click the Buy Button now to start reading this diverse collection of entertaining stories.AUTHOR INTERVIEWDid you come up with the idea of an anthology of short stories and then write them?Not at all. The stories were already written, but not doing anything much, just lounging around in the Short Stories folder on my computer, eating pizza and watching Netflix. So I decided it was time they earned their keep.Why did you choose those particular stories?They all have a common thread of an element of humour, albeit subtle humour for the most part. Two of them are crime, (Sleuthing for Beginners and A Girl’s Best Friend), one is fantasy (A Peaceful Death) and the other has a romantic subplot (The Muse). So I figured there was enough variety to keep readers from being bored.Sleuthing for Beginners and A Peaceful Death were short-listed in short story competitions, but had the sulks because their moment of glory was over before it even started. So to appease them I included them to give them some exposure.What is it you enjoy about writing short stories?Because most of my time now is spent on the marathon of writing novels, I love the sprinting exercise of writing short stories. It’s a refreshing change of pace to be able to see the ending as soon as you start writing. The discipline of short story writing is excellent training for novel writing – it teaches you to be economical and succinct in your word choice, to focus on the story at hand and not get side-tracked and to write in such a way that readers can read between the lines without you having to spell things out.Short stories are as much an exercise on what to leave out as to what to put in. It’s a real art that only comes with practice.Will you be publishing more short stories in the future?I would certainly like to, but I don’t know when. Finding the time to write them is the challenge. Views: 337
It is astonishing that anyone lived this story. It is even more astonishing that anyone survived it.
Stefan grows up in the grip of a raging famine. Stalin’s Five Year Plan brings genocide to Ukraine – millions of people starve to death. To free themselves from the daily terrors of Soviet rule, Stefan and his friends fight imaginary battles in nearby woods to defend their land. The games they play are their only escape.
‘Sliding on the Snow Stone’ is the true story of Stefan's extraordinary journey across a landscape of hunger, fear and devastating loss. With Europe on the brink of World War Two, Stefan and his family pray they'll survive in their uncertain world. They long to be free.
(In 1932-33, as part of their drive towards industrialisation, the Soviet Union demanded impossibly high requisitions of grain from rural areas in Ukraine. In a deliberate act of genocide, Ukrainian smallholdings were stripped of food, and the population began to perish, with some estimates as high as 10 million deaths, from starvation. In Ukraine, this atrocity became known as the Holodomor (death by hunger). The following years saw Soviet purges and terrors resulting in the elimination of academics and intellectuals, or of anyone who spoke out against Soviet rule. When World War Two arrived on Ukraine’s doorstep, many people viewed the Nazis as liberators – a view that was quickly proved wrong. ‘Sliding on the Snow Stone’ is Stefan’s personal account of a historical period drenched in the blood of a nation, and of his yearning for freedom). Views: 336
