Imperial law enforcer Amaranthe Lokdon is good at her job: she can deter thieves and pacify thugs, if not with a blade, then by toppling an eight-foot pile of coffee canisters onto their heads. But when ravaged bodies show up on the waterfront, an arson covers up human sacrifices, and a powerful business coalition plots to kill the emperor, she feels a tad overwhelmed....Imperial law enforcer Amaranthe Lokdon is good at her job: she can deter thieves and pacify thugs, if not with a blade, then by toppling an eight-foot pile of coffee canisters onto their heads. But when ravaged bodies show up on the waterfront, an arson covers up human sacrifices, and a powerful business coalition plots to kill the emperor, she feels a tad overwhelmed.Worse, Sicarius, the empire's most notorious assassin is in town. He's tied in with the chaos somehow, but Amaranthe would be a fool to cross his path. Unfortunately, her superiors order her to hunt him down. Either they have an unprecedented belief in her skills... or someone wants her dead.

A billionaire story unlike any other:She asks herself who he could possibly be, convinced that he would never notice her...convinced that no one ever does.She couldn’t have been more wrong.But what she never could have imagined is far from being the strangest part of this tale. For there are shadowy figures holding the strings offstage and the manipulation of Sara Renardine has only just begunA billionaire story unlike any other--She watches him every day. For two months she has spent each lunch hour studying the enigmatic man in a restaurant always filled to overflowing; yet, for two months he is there each day in a booth all to himself.Sara thinks she is safe as she drinks in every gorgeous detail reflected in the bar’s back mirror. She asks herself who he could possibly be, convinced that he would never notice her...convinced that no one ever does.She couldn’t have been more wrong.Chance brings them together and animal lust is unleashed. But what she never could have imagined is far from being the strangest part of this tale. For there are shadowy figures holding the strings offstage and the manipulation of Sara Renardine has only just begun.13,000 wordsAn excerpt:"Who in the hell do you think you are?" she said, wishing she could have shouted the words loudly enough to shatter the windows.Then, instead of raising her voice, her hand arced up in the shadows. It was slow, yet not, passing through the air as quick as an adder's strike, yet time had stilled in the near darkness and it was as though the air was as thick as syrup.Rather than slapping him hard across the face, Sara felt her wrist entrapped in an iron fist.And absurdly, she wondered what was written on the pages that drifted down to alight upon her feet while the shock of his viselike grip still vibrated down her arm.The beautiful lanterns of his eyes locked on to her own as he said, "Do you not know? Do you really not know?"His voice was calm, but his tone was glacial.-Careful...you're on thin ice-"I have no idea who you are," she said, then bit back the rest of what she wanted to say as his eyes softened."Then look at me," he said, his voice as calm as ever, "Right now, look at me and tell me who you think I am. The truth. All of it."Sara took a breath, then said, "You tell people what to do. You are so used to doing it, that you don't notice anymore."He stepped closer to her and the hand holding her wrist did not let go."You're arrogant. You think you're entitled."Another half step closer as he pulled her hand to his chest, forcing her palm against him. Forcing her to feel him.-There are cracks under your feet-"You think you own people."His other hand went to her shoulder and Sara could feel the strong beat of his heart under her palm."And, you are brave. You step in when you see someone in trouble."Then he touched the side of her neck and Sara's breath came more deeply."You are a knight. You saved me...."Pinned in the amber lights of his eyes, Sara knew that it was already too late, the uncertain footing she walked upon had turned to water as she felt herself drowning in his beautiful gaze.He bent down to her, his lips soft against her own, searching for truths other than her words.She pulled back from him, just enough to speak, her own lips brushing his as she said, "But, that doesn't give you the right."His mouth captured hers once more. Warm and velvety. She felt the light rough of a day old beard rasp gently against her skin as she kissed him back."You don't own me," she said, breaking away only to sigh as his hands slid down her sides, then back up again as he cupped both breasts. Strong thumbs drifted across the nipples studding her blouse, swelling even more under his touch."I told you I would give you cause for regret. Now, I shall give you reason for pleasure.”His voice was delicious in her ears, like warm honey as he continued, “And I can promise you that it will not be the last time, not for one nor the other.”Hands that could have crushed the bones of her wrist to powder only seconds before roamed freely upon her body. Strong fingers undid delicate pearl buttons."Turn around...now."

Sometimes people die, sometimes the people left alive feel like they're dead. That's how Scarlett Jonas feels when her boyfriend is brutally murdered in front of her eyes. Now she must deal with the loss, memories and past... but will she make it through?Have you ever looked at the facts of your life and realized your dreams won't come true? Have you ever looked into the unknown and seen opportunity? For Dreibrand Veta, a young officer in the Horde of the Atrophane Empire, these questions explode from his spirit in a fit of rage and launch him into an epic struggle. After he encounters a rare super race, the rys, he is forced to choose sides between passionate rivals and navigate his way through a foreign culture all while plotting to seize his own wealth and glory. In this opening novel of The Rys Chronicles you'll meet a man scarred by bad deeds who answers the call of a heroic cause. An unconventional heroine will tug at your sympathies as she bravely faces adversity with all the strengths and vulnerabilities of her womanhood. And overarching it all are the rys. Their magic makes them superior to humans, but they are not above employing humans in their deadly schemes.

The epic begins as Dreibrand Veta and the conquering Horde of the Atrophane Empire reach a mythic Wilderness that beckons with a magical call to glory. But Onja, Queen of the rys, a race far more powerful than the greatest human state, guards this land. She has the power to imprison souls and her genocidal rage is legendary. Everything is at risk for her desperate enemies, the union of renegades.Have you ever looked at the facts of your life and realized your dreams won't come true? Have you ever looked into the unknown and seen opportunity? For Dreibrand Veta, a young officer in the Horde of the Atrophane Empire, these questions explode from his spirit in a fit of rage and launch him into an epic struggle. After he encounters a rare super race, the rys, he is forced to choose sides between passionate rivals and navigate his way through a foreign culture all while plotting to seize his own wealth and glory. In this opening novel of The Rys Chronicles you'll meet a man scarred by bad deeds who answers the call of a heroic cause. An unconventional heroine will tug at your sympathies as she bravely faces adversity with all the strengths and vulnerabilities of her womanhood. And overarching it all are the rys. Their magic makes them superior to humans, but they are not above employing humans in their deadly schemes.

Daisi Malone lives in the Presidio Building in Newtown, Sydney, Australia. The building is mysterious and its residents even more so. There is the couple with lots of children, the Glee Club and the English Backpackers- although not for long. In this, the first story by Daisi Malone, she meets her neighbour, Madden, the Vampire across the hall.Daisi Malone lives in the Presidio Building in Newtown, Sydney, Australia. The building is mysterious and its residents even more so. There is the couple with lots of children, the Glee Club and the English Backpackers- although not for long. In this, the first story by Daisi Malone, she meets her neighbour, Madden, the Vampire across the hall.The Second book in the series, The Vampire Across the Hall 2- The Murmuring Lift, has been published under the name Daisi Malone.

Brad Ashton fled three years ago to avoid a conviction for murder. Now he's back. And his hope for freedom appears to be within reach.Unfortunately there are those who have no interest in his legal status; they only want him dead or on the run once more...Brad Ashton fled three years ago to avoid a conviction for murder. Now he's back. And his hope for freedom appears to be within reach.Unfortunately there are those who have no interest in his legal status; they only want him dead or on the run once more.But for Brad, running is no longer an option. It's a table stakes game in which the risks are high. But he puts everything he has, including his life, on the table, then settles in, determined to win every hand.

Linda’s had a bad day. First, her boyfriend killed her. Then she woke up, still on this boring plane of existence, and with an odd obsession about her missing body. Mike won’t tell her what he did with her body and she can’t find the stupid thing herself. There’s only one thing she can do - torment the bastard until he coughs up the information. Contains adult themes & frequent profanity.Linda’s had a bad day. First her boyfriend killed her. Then she woke up, still on this boring plane of existence, and with an odd obsession about her missing body. Mike won’t tell her what he did with her body and she can’t find the stupid thing herself. There’s only one thing she can do - torment the bastard until he coughs up the information. Warning: Contains adult themes and frequent profanity. The DEAD(ish) series is not suitable for children.This is a very short book - novelette length.--------EXCERPTSMike says:"It was accidental. Just believe me, OK? We were arguing, she told me I #### like a jellyfish (what the ####?), and I slapped her. ####, wouldn't you? Nothin' much, if she'd been a bloke she'da laughed in my face. But she fell off her stupid stilettos. That's all she was wearing, see, just stilettos and a coating of oil. ######, she stank like a #####house. But she said that, and she smirked. It was the smirk what did for me, but it was the high heels what did for Linda. She went sideways and lost her balance on the tall, stupid spiky things and went down, smacking her head on that fancy 'occasional table' with a nice meaty thump."She died 12 or so hours later. In her sleep. We'd called a truce and gone to bed and ####ed and fell asleep. I woke up clutching a dead-cold cadaver that wouldn't move so I could take a pulse."Linda says:My name's Linda. I'm dead. It sucks, OK? Especially because I'm dead for no good reason. I'm dead because my dumb#### boyfriend shot me and it hurt like hell and that's all I remember, to be honest. Until I woke up without a body. Now I know from books and movies that that's not the way it's supposed to happen. Well, in a way it is, right. But the ghost is always anchored by their bod, and they can't move too far away from it. Which implies that they know WHERE THE #### IT IS. Whereas, me? I don't know where my body is, and I'm not limited to any location. And for some reason, this is really important to me. I need to find my body. Maybe I need closure, or some ####. I don't know. I just need to. So I hired Trent. He'll find my body for me. I hope. If he doesn't, I'll fire his #### and haunt him in between haunting my ex-beloved and hiring someone with a clue.Trent says:Everybody's lying their #### off, and it's really starting to get annoying.

A pair of star-crossed lovers fight for their love and lives when they wind up in the middle of a secret world filled with ancient beings and secrets.College sophomore Bryn Dawson is a self-proclaimed poster child for normal. However, the day William Hayward enters her life, normalcy is the last thing Bryn will be able to count on if she wants to be with him. Too mysterious and appealing to be good for a girl, Bryn feels drawn to him in a way that seems out of her control—as if fate is orchestrating it. Despite every red flag and warning siren going off in her head telling her not to, Bryn falls hard for William, knowing he’s categorically different from anyone she’s ever met. She never imagined how right she was. When William takes her deeper into the rabbit hole of his world, Bryn must decide just how much she is willing to sacrifice to be with him, knowing no matter what, fate always finds a way to have the last laugh.Spinning a new twist on star-crossed lovers, Eternal Eden will put Bryn through a gauntlet of turmoil, challenging her to find the power within herself to become the heroine in her own story.

In the language of Shakespeare, meaning can seem obscure, its style elaborate and theatrical. This work presents the language of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, Hamlet, in more natural and readily comprehensible English. This may prove of some value for studying, understanding and gaining superior appreciation of, and insight into, the play.In the language of Shakespeare, meaning can seem obscure, its style elaborate and theatrical. With much of it not easily intelligible, it can often require some effort to interpret. This work presents the language of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, Hamlet, in more natural and more readily comprehensible English. This may prove of some value for studying, understanding and gaining superior appreciation of, and insight into, the play, allowing one to more easily comprehend the language in which it is written.

Book One saw Jade and Phoenix cast into their avatar's bodies and into Level One of the fantasy game world of 80AD. Now, instead of going home, they find themselves in Level Two - a hostile, frozen wilderness. They have no idea where they are or how fulfil their next quest - to steal the legendary Hammer of Thor...and everyone knows stealing things from Gods is hazardous to your health...Book 2 of the 80AD series sees Jade, Phoenix and their companions flung into the frozen wastes of northern Europe. Here they must somehow reach Asgard, home of the Norse Gods, in order to steal the Hammer of Thor. They are far from civilisation, snowbound, hunted, lost and on a deadline. If they don't reach Asgard in time, bad things will happen: Ragnarok - the end of the world. Unending winter, followed by hellfire and an almighty battle between the gods and giants.If this world is destroyed, Phoenix and Jade die with it and their bodies, back in their own world, die as well. Standing in their way are trolls, wolves, their old enemy Feng Zhudai and a new one - Loki, god of mischief and chaos.To save this world and themselves, they must get to Asgard in time. Of course, it would help if they knew where it was. Then, somehow, when they do find it, they have to steal Thor's Hammer - and everyone knows that stealing things from Gods is a bad idea.Cover Art by Jason Seaburgh of Avatar Art

Bantam 1988”A financial thriller right out of the headlines.” Adam SmithA high-finance, high-tech thriller of Wall Street, murder, currency manipulation. A mysterious Japanese industrialist begins a massive 'hedging' in the US markets. Two weeks later, in Japan’s Inland Sea, divers working for him recover the Imperial Sword, given to Japan's first Emperor by the Sun Goddess. Can a lone”A financial thriller right out of the headlines.” Adam Smith*A high-finance, high-tech thriller that correctly predicted the 1987 stock market crash. It was the first fictional treatment of a major international concern of the Eighties. Set in locales as diverse as Wall Street and the offices of Japan's powerful Trade Ministry, THE SAMURAI STRATEGY describes a scenario of murder, worldwide currency manipulation, a revival of Japan's smoldering nationalism, and is set against a background of a new high-tech computer milieu. Matthew Walton, a freelance corporate 'takeover' lawyer is hired by a mysterious Japanese industrialist to purchase a New York office building and begin a massive 'hedging' in the financial markets. Two weeks later, off an island in the Inland Sea, divers working for the industrialist's organization, recover the original Imperial Sword, given to Japan's first Emperor by the Sun Goddess, Japan's 'Excalibur', and lost in a sea battle in 1185. He forms an '800-Year Fund' and billions of yen flow to his fingertips. He then dumps all the Treasuries Japan had acquired and devastates the American economy.As the story rushes to its stunning conclusion, Matt Walton goes to Japan and determines that the 'Imperial Sword' is, in fact an unusual antique he once owned himself.Tags: Wall Street, Japanese Stock Market, Treasury Bonds, Stock Market, Imperial Sword, Emperor of Japan, Japanese History, Supercomputer, MITI

When her strict Moslem uncle finds her Bible, Miriam Nadif is locked in her room to await punishment. But she escapes and runs to her former best friend, Jerry Ernst, in Hubbards, Nova Scotia, who she hasn't contacted in six years. Will the spark between them still exist? Will her troubles follow her across the ocean? Will he even want to help her?Miriam Nadif, head buyer for her family's grocery stores in Lebanon, had thought she would be the spinster aunt, content to support her father and help him build up the family business. But her father's untimely death transferred her guardianship to her uncle, a Hezbollah supporter who refuses to allow her out of his house. When they find her Bible, she is threatened with stoning and is forced to flee. She thinks immediately of her best friend from university in Canada, Jerry Ernst, whose gentle example led to her conversion to Christianity. Will the spark between them still exist? Will her troubles follow her across the ocean? Will he even want to help her?But Jerry has his own problems raising his daughter as a single dad after his wife abandoned them and starting his career as a high school teacher. If you enjoy this book please consider rating it or writing a review.

Unknown to the humans who hanged innocent people at the Salem Witch Trials, real witches of the hidden race were slaughtered on the belief that they had betrayed the hiddens to the humans. Not one witch survived the genocide, or so it was believed for more than three hundred years. Until one day a girl named Aradia moves to Salem, Massachusetts, and all that changes.Articles and resources from SENG's National Parenting Gifted Children Week. Topics include identifying and recognizing giftedness, the challenges of parenting a gifted child, underachievement issues and twice exceptionalism, gifted minorities and gifted boys and girls, misdiagnosis and depression in gifted youth, advocacy, and parenting supports and resources.Featured individual authors include: Edward R. Amend, Paul Beljan, Lori Comallie-Caplan, Rosina Gallagher, Jean Goerss, Tiombe Kendrick, Carolyn Kottmeyer, Linda Neumann, F. Richard Olenchak, Vidisha Patel, James T. Webb, and Nadia E. Webb

Articles and resources from SENG's National Parenting Gifted Children Week. Topics include identifying and recognizing giftedness, the challenges of parenting a gifted child, underachievement issues and twice exceptionalism, gifted minorities and gifted boys and girls, misdiagnosis and depression in gifted youth, advocacy, and parenting supports and resources.Articles and resources from SENG's National Parenting Gifted Children Week. Topics include identifying and recognizing giftedness, the challenges of parenting a gifted child, underachievement issues and twice exceptionalism, gifted minorities and gifted boys and girls, misdiagnosis and depression in gifted youth, advocacy, and parenting supports and resources.Featured individual authors include: Edward R. Amend, Paul Beljan, Lori Comallie-Caplan, Rosina Gallagher, Jean Goerss, Tiombe Kendrick, Carolyn Kottmeyer, Linda Neumann, F. Richard Olenchak, Vidisha Patel, James T. Webb, and Nadia E. Webb

Seven blue wards have imprisoned the Black Lord in the Underworld for aeons. Now he has stolen a human child and made him a mortal god. After eighteen years of torturous training, Bane sets forth to break the wards with aid of a dark army. The Demon Lord will release Arkonen and destroy the Overworld unless an innocent young girl can turn him from his savage path...Are you an alien who just purchased your first Human pet? Don't panic! Just read this guide that comes with your Human pet.In this guide you will get answers to questions like: How to help your Human pets to reproduce, why Human pets have different colors and how to tell the difference between Human pets and other humanoids.Excerpt (why Human pets have different colors):Human pets in wild come in variety of colors. Brown, pink, red, orange, black, olive and albino. These differences are certainly entertaining but are also believed to serve a function, camouflage. Albeit, a very crude form of camouflage. For example olives can only hide in sand and not grass and most of their home planet is blue. Colors such as green, purple and yellow has been added, courtesy of our research programs, to give you even more freedom of choice.