A cross country train trip proves to be the most dangerous trip Rachel Payne has ever taken. Plagued by nightmares and unable to eat or sleep, she begins to feel like she's losing her mind. Then, she and six other passengers become trapped in a train car by a sadistic, demon-possessed young man. Rachel is faced with betrayal and death as the demon threatens to murder them all.33 year-old Rachel Payne is on her way to start a life new. Divorced, childless, and penniless, Rachel has nothing to show for her life, and nothing to lose. The life she has been living never felt right to her. She went to college, got a job, got married, had a house and cars, tried to have children but couldn't. While she tried to fit the mold of a “normal” woman in society, she always felt there was something else out there, waiting for her.The 51 hour train route from Chicago to San Francisco proves to be the most dangerous trip she’s ever taken. Plagued by nightmares and unable to eat or sleep, she begins to feel like she's losing her mind. Then, she and six other passengers become trapped in a train car by a sadistic, demon-possessed young man. Rachel is faced with betrayal and death as the demon exposes the passengers' deadly sins and threatens to murder them all. Armed with only an innate ability to identify the demon for what it is, Rachel endures the first of many horrors that will inevitably consume her life.

Tinne is a disenchanted young Story Teller. He is thrust into the Quest for the Black Dragon (a lost magical stone whose power allows the Story Tellers to create the future) by the need to keep the stone from Katharine, the Story Teller Queen of Sitty, whose intentions for the Black Dragon are purely selfish and evil. His quest leads him through many turmoils including betrayal and war.The Black Dragon is a powerful magic stone, one in a set of three, which allows Story Tellers to create the future. The time for the Tellers to gather is close at hand and the stone is missing. The responsibility of recovering the Black Dragon falls into the hands of an unlikely candidate, Tinne. Tinne’s mentor abandons him half way through his Teller apprenticeship leaving him disenchanted and rejecting his heritage. Years later he realizes the truth of his training and that the future depends on him to find the stone before Katharine, the evil Queen of Sitty. Tinne and Ren, his best friend and partner in mischief, set out on their quest to find the last known location of the Black Dragon. They rescue a beautiful young woman from some of Katharine’s soldiers, but the woman is actually a witch who casts a spell on Tinne and traps the two over winter in the Forest of Sirens.More than a century before Tinne is born, Katharine (an ancient witch and veteran Story Teller) tries to steal the magic stones but her plan is foiled by Tinne’s mentor, resulting in the loss of the Black Dragon. Her Spirit Hunter spies have been searching for nearly one hundred and fifty years when Tinne’s interest in the stone catches Katharine’s attention. She then attacks Tinne’s home city of Bayfield, assuming, correctly, that the stone is there.Jessie is the Captain of the Royal Guard of Bayfield who tries to defend against Katharine. He is betrayed by his counterpart, Captain Maynard, who has been secretly courting Katharine’s great-granddaughter. Maynard commands his troops to surrender in order to assume power of the city. Jessie and his troops must flee with their families. In order to find them Maynard decides to torture the people who are left which include Angela, Jessie’s fiancé and future Queen of Bayfield.

The “master storyteller” (Publishers Weekly) and bestselling author of Gates of Fire, The Afghan Campaign, and Killing Rommel returns with a stunning, chillingly plausible near-future thriller about the rise of a privately financed and global military industrial complex. The year is 2032. The third Iran-Iraq war is over; the 11/11 dirty bomb attack on the port of Long Beach, California is receding into memory; Saudi Arabia has recently quelled a coup; Russians and Turks are clashing in the Caspian Basin; Iranian armored units, supported by the satellite and drone power of their Chinese allies, have emerged from their enclaves in Tehran and are sweeping south attempting to recapture the resource rich territory that had been stolen from them, in their view, by Lukoil, BP, and ExxonMobil and their privately-funded armies. Everywhere military force is for hire.  Oil companies, multi-national corporations and banks employ powerful, cutting-edge mercenary armies to control global chaos and protect their riches.  Even nation states enlist mercenary forces to suppress internal insurrections, hunt terrorists, and do the black bag jobs necessary to maintain the new New World Order. Force Insertion is the world's merc monopoly. Its leader is the disgraced former United States Marine General James Salter, stripped of his command by the president for nuclear saber-rattling with the Chinese and banished to the Far East.  A grandmaster military and political strategist, Salter deftly seizes huge oil and gas fields, ultimately making himself the most powerful man in the world.  Salter's endgame is to take vengeance on those responsible for his exile and then come home...as Commander in Chief. The only man who can stop him is the novel's narrator, Gilbert "Gent" Gentilhomme, Salter's most loyal foot soldier and as close to him as the son Salter lost. As this action-jammed, lightning fast, and brutally realistic novel builds to its heart-stopping climax Gent launches his personally and professionally most desperate mission: to take out his mentor and save the United States from self destruction. Infused by a staggering breadth of research in military tactics and steeped in the timeless themes of the honor and valor of men at war that distinguish all of Pressfield’s fiction, The Profession is that rare novel that informs and challenges the reader almost as much as it entertains. From the Hardcover edition.

A story of family secrets and misunderstandings, and the way in which they impact down the generations. Walter Blake's death brings a flood of memories to his two daughters. There is the question of what Walter and his wife buried in the garden. The notion of things being buried is also a metaphor for all kinds of issues including, art fraud, family feuds, and holocaust survival.What Lies Buried reaches back in time as the present generation of an Australian family digs up its past and uncovers secrets and misunderstandings. The story exposes uncomfortable truths, not just for the characters, but for readers unfamiliar with the experiences of some survivors of war who made their way to less threatening countries only to find that pockets of prejudice exist in all communities. The story also deals with the way a few early European settlers forged lasting friendships with indigenous Australians — an all too rare occurrence.History records much about families like the Wentworths who arrived in Australia already wealthy. What Lies Buried deals with the lives of less affluent free settlers who struggled through the nineteenth century to establish properties and build the wealth that was inherited by many rural families in the twentieth century.This is a story of the way family secrets and misunderstandings impact down the generations. The Blake family, owners of a grand property in rural New South Wales, is at the heart of all this, with Walter Blake's death bringing a flood of memories to his two daughters, one of whom has been estranged from him for many years. There is the question of what Walter, along with his second wife, Rachel, buried in the garden all those years ago, and the notion of things being buried is also a metaphor for all kinds of issues that have dogged the family over the years. This is a wide ranging tale that deals with, among other things, art fraud, family feuds, and the long term effects of war.A leading assessor, who recommended What Lies Buried for publication, described it as an interesting story populated by convincing characters and ‘a good read’.

Whether you’re a veteran grandma or a Nana-to-be, this collection of stories will warm your heart and make you laugh about the universal experiences of being a grandmother: the phone call that announces your baby will become a mom herself; the first time you hold the most beautiful grandson or granddaughter in the world; and the day you’re on babysitting duty and realize that major issues are minor infractions best solved with love instead of lectures. This book celebrates the memories we make and the times we cherish with grandmothers: the women who can both spoil and be stern; who provide unconditional love and invaluable wisdom; and who can share sage advice while sharing an ice cream.  Chicken Soup for the Grandma’s Soul is the perfect thank you to grandmothers everywhere—those special women who enrich our lives with joy and love.

Turig, a Bronze Age farmer, tells his grandson how he had been drafted for labor service decades before. The work was long and dangerous but his supervisor’s flirtatious daughter presented the larger threat. Two years later, Turig helped lift the last sarsen stone onto a structure we know as Stonehenge. [PS: New research revises this date by a full millennium, from 3,600 to 4,600 years ago.]Sometimes a murder is just a murder, but this time it is a child. It looks like Voodoo. T.K. Fleming wants nothing to do with it. He's retired English professor living on his boat in Key West and trying to make some things go away. But he has no choice. Surrounded by interesting, and sometimes strange,friends, he launches into a investigation. The results lead him to places he doesn't want to go. But like it or not, he is the Ghostcatcher.

A veneer of tranquility over latent violence and crime still prevails in the Pacific. Torres Strait between New Guinea and Australia is no exception. When young women and drugs are available on one side and potential customers on the other, then the narrow waterway provides little barrier. Unscrupulous thugs and racketeers take every advantage and hide behind layers of deception, secrecy and threats. Can Pete Martyn survive in this hidden cauldron of deceit, danger and drug-dealing let alone actually accomplish any positive outcome?

A timely and gutsy YA novel based on the Tony and Grammy Award winning musical from Alanis Morissette, Diablo Cody, and Glen Ballard!Swallow it down—what a jagged little pill . . .  Jagged Little Pill: The Novel follows the intertwining lives of five teens whose world is changed forever after the events at a party. Adopted Frankie struggles to see eye-to-eye with her mother—who would rather ignore a problem and preserve their “perfect” life than stand up for what’s right. Jo just wants her mom to accept her queer identity—and is totally crushed when Frankie, the only person who really gets her, finds herself infatuated with someone new. Phoenix tries to find his place at the new school and balance wanting to spend time with Frankie but knowing he also has to help out with his sick sister at home. Bella wants to enjoy the end of high school and just head off to college without a hitch. Everyone expects Frankie's brother Nick...

There may be life on other worlds... Will we ever find it? Will we destroy it in the process of looking?There may be life on other worlds. There may even be life on worlds close to our own. There are, without question, many unknown life forms right here on Earth, right now. Many of these are wiped out by our own actions long before they have the chance to be discovered.What secrets do they hold?There may be life forms on other worlds, maybe even on the moon. Will we find them, or will we trample over them like we have so many on our own world?

Pure Fantasy Adventure that takes off from the very first page! 7000+ readers have spoken about how this story grabbed them, pulled them in and transported them to a place that isn't just creative, it's pure imagination. You'll be moving at a fast pace along an epic journey that can only be described as incredible. Everything you're looking for in a "can't put it down" weekend read is right here.This is NOT a stand-alone story. Beyond The Hero’s Chamber is the continuation of The Hero’s Chamber. If you didn’t read The Hero’s Chamber, just go online and do a quick search. It’s a wonderful story that thousands of people have enjoyed for years. You’ll find the eBook available in every downloadable format on smashwords.com.If you’ve already read the The Hero’s Chamber, welcome back! You’re in for a real treat.

In his preface, the anonymous author of Courtesans and Opium describes his book as an act of penance for thirty years spent patronizing the brothels of Yangzhou. Written in the 1840s, his story is filled with vice and dark consequence, portraying the hazards of the city's seedy underbelly and warning others against the example of the Fool.Chinese literature's first true "city novel," Courtesans and Opium recounts the illustrious career of a debauched soul enveloped by enthralling pursuits and romantic illusions. While socially acceptable marriages were arranged and often loveless, brothels offered men accomplished courtesans who served as both enchanting companions and sensual lovers. These professional sirens dressed in the latest styles and dripped with gold, silver, and jewels. From an early age, they were taught to excel at various arts and graces, which transformed the brothel into a kind of club for men to meet, exchange gossip, and smoke opium at... In his preface, the anonymous author of Courtesans and Opium describes his book as an act of penance for thirty years spent patronizing the brothels of Yangzhou. Written in the 1840s, his story is filled with vice and dark consequence, portraying the hazards of the city's seedy underbelly and warning others against the example of the Fool. Chinese literature's first true "city novel," Courtesans and Opium recounts the illustrious career of a debauched soul enveloped by enthralling pursuits and romantic illusions. While socially acceptable marriages were arranged and often loveless, brothels offered men accomplished courtesans who served as both enchanting companions and sensual lovers. These professional sirens dressed in the latest styles and dripped with gold, silver, and jewels. From an early age, they were taught to excel at various arts and graces, which transformed the brothel into a kind of club for men to meet, exchange gossip, and smoke opium at their leisure. The Fool's fable follows five sworn brothers and their respective relationships with Yangzhou courtesans, revealing in acute detail the lurid materialism of this dangerous world—its violence and corruption as well as its seductive but illusory promise. Never before translated into English, Courtesans and Opium offers a brilliant window into the decadence of nineteenth-century China. Patrick Hanan (1927–2014) was Victor S. Thomas Professor of Chinese Literature at Harvard University. He was one of the foremost translators of Chinese fiction from the fourteenth to the twentieth century. His books include Chinese Fiction of the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries, which contains a study of this novel. His translations include Silent Operas, The Carnal Prayer Mat, A Tower for the Summer Heat, The Sea of Regret, The Money Demon, and Falling in Love.

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