When mystery author D. B. Ziegler is late delivering her book, Abi Schore steps in to help. Surely she can give her favorite author moral support over the holiday break and get the manuscript to her boss at Tea & Sympathy Publishing in time for the new year. When Abi shows up on Ms. Ziegler’s doorstep bearing holiday treats, she’s met by the author’s handsome grandson Dov, who reveals a startling plot twist. His grandmother isn’t able to finish the book and Dov promised he’d complete it so fans won’t be disappointed—a task that’s harder than he ever imagined.

Two little girls stand with their heads bowed in my living room. I’m told they’re my granddaughters. Daisy is nine, and Alice seven. Daisy is the spitting image of her mother. This is the first time I’ve met them since my daughter and I fell out after she married that waste of space, Vince. They’ve come to live with me because their mother — my daughter — was murdered. In her own home while they slept close by. I think Vince killed her. But the police can’t prove it. I’ve always known he was no good. He treated my daughter like dirt. I said he’d cheat on her — but she wouldn’t listen.

There's no place like home for the holidays ... especially for Lesley Carver. Life in the big city just wasn't her jam and now she's back in Hickory Falls, working at the family diner and helping her mom after she took a tumble. Lesley longs to build a life here, working at the cafe, selling her handmade ornaments and ... er, apparently reviving her high school crush on her best friend’s older brother. Only one problem, her mom wants her to leave Hickory Falls far behind.

Tilly Farriday isn’t feeling very jolly this season. Recently divorced and broke, she’s squatting in one of her rental agency’s properties until her new home is ready. The sprinkles on top of the burnt Christmas cookie that is her life? The new owner shows up early, forcing Tilly to hide in the attic to save her job…and what remains of her dignity.

First published in 1843, it tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a mean and unpleasant man who dislikes people generally and Christmas especially. One Christmas Eve he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come and given a glimpse of the many homes and lives which Scrooge has touched in his wretched life to date. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man.

It’s 1984, and life has changed beyond recognition. Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, is a place where Big Brother is always watching, and nobody can hide. Except, perhaps, for Winston Smith. Whilst working at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history, he secretly dreams of freedom. And in a world where love and sex are forbidden, where it’s hard to distinguish between friend and foe, he meets Julia and O’Brien and vows to rebel.

Clark Griswold was onto something...at least with his annual holiday meltdown. And since the last three weeks of my life have been riddled with humbug—another breakup, a broken toe, an office promotion I deserved and didn’t get—I’m not at all in the mood to celebrate nor have the happ, happ, happiest Christmas EVER.

My fiancé brought me tea and scrambled eggs in bed that morning, and we snuggled together, talking about buying our rings, and about our perfect wedding next year. Then we headed into town. He held my hand and gazed at the ring I liked best, a smile spreading slowly over his face. Then a glass of bubbly to celebrate. I felt flushed, excited and ready for the rest of my life with the man I loved. We race to get on the train home. It screams to a halt and I run towards its open doors. Made it. I think he’s right behind me — but when I turn around, he’s gone.

Lucas knows the perfect night entails just three things: video games, wine, and pad thai. Peanuts are a must! Other people? Not so much. Why complicate things when he’s happy alone? Then one day the apartment board, a vexing trio of authority, rings his doorbell. And Lucas’s solitude takes a startling hike. They demand to see his frying pan. Someone left one next to the recycling room overnight, and instead of removing the errant object, as Lucas suggests, they insist on finding the guilty party. But their plan backfires. Colossally.

Johnnie Rico never really intended to join up—and definitely not the infantry. But now that he’s in the thick of it, trying to get through combat training harder than anything he could have imagined, he knows everyone in his unit is one bad move away from buying the farm in the interstellar war the Terran Federation is waging against the Arachnids. Because everyone in the Mobile Infantry fights. And if the training doesn’t kill you, the Bugs are more than ready to finish the job.

EJ Masterson wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. In fact, he had it about as tough as any young person in the modern age. After losing his beloved Grandpa, EJ is forced to go to work at the age of 14 to help support himself and his mother. The lessons learned from his Grandpa, a retired Marine Corps Sergeant Major, help EJ to come to grips with life and make a solid plan for the future. After meeting an abused girl at the grocery where they both worked, EJ finds his life partner while helping her to plan her escape at age 18. They discover a shared interest in becoming prepared ...

This is a story about being prepared and paying attention to the craziness in the world. Max and Tess have taken years to be fully prepared while living within their means. Now nearing retirement, their tranquil world is interrupted by a premonition of bad things to come. With Max’s hard won knowledge, he and Tess help their family to complete a shelter before the premonition comes true. Seven people work against the clock to complete the build in record time managing to strengthen family ties in the process. After a memorable New Year’s Eve, they will never be the same.

Cody Binder had grown up as the smart kid in his class. He lost his mother to cancer and later his father in an alcohol fueled car accident. With no other family, and only a full ride scholarship to MIT to fall back on, Cody puts everything he has into getting a good education and planning his future. After graduation, Cody takes a job with an automation manufacturer where he quickly makes his mark. Living like a hermit and working long days, he amasses a sizeable next egg. After an unfortunate medical issue, Cody meets a nurse named Grace while in the hospital recovering from emergency ...

POST-APOCALYPTIC FICTION BY JERRY D. YOUNG The Dark Times Part One- The Beginning THE TWELVE GROUPS. YOU KNOW THEIR NAMES They are etched deeply in the new history books. things in common. First is the need to take care of themselves and their loved ones. Second is a sense of independence. Third is a willingness to work hard to achieve their objectives. Fourth, and fortunately for the human race, they all possess an understanding of history and the way history relates to possible futures. Last, but certainly not least, is the foresight and wherewithal to prepare for any number of futures, ...

Sam Jones finally hit his limit of endurance with the narcissistic nature of self-absorbed individuals who are transfixed in the fake reality of social media. Fed up with society in general and the direction that a liberal Government is taking the United States, Sam decides to go off the grid and enjoy his retirement years. Along the way, Sam connects with a friend who fills his life with joy and purpose after losing his wife of many years. Together Sam and Samantha embark on a life journey to relocate to a remote section of the country. Their efforts are bolstered by newfound riches and ...