Showing results by author "C.A.L." in All Categories

When John wakes up one morning, he doesn’t realize his life is about to change. First, his parents are missing, the TV isn’t working, the social apps aren’t functioning, and the time doesn’t seem to change. But the strangest thing is the silence surrounding him.

A nature photographer's daring expedition turns deliciously dangerous when she's rescued from a deadly mountain storm by a heroically rugged ranger. Bonnie I live for the thrill of the unknown, Chasing nature’s beauty through my camera's lens. But when a deadly storm traps me in its violent grip, It's a rugged mountain man who comes to my rescue. Garrett's bulging muscles and piercing gaze ignite a different kind of danger. I've always been a fearless free spirit, But this alpha's stormy seduction threatens to ground my wildest dreams. Garrett Risking my life is just another day on the ...

It’s been almost two years since investigative reporter Jack Logan and television producer Taylor Parks brought down the Institute. But soon, a series of bizarre, seemingly random murder/suicides captures Jack’s attention as a disturbing pattern emerges. Could someone be intentionally causing people to become homicidal? At the same time, Taylor is producing a story about a class action suit against a national insurance company that has reached the Supreme Court.

Negative Nine is intended to plant the seed of the negative numbers concept in the minds of children 0-10. Follow this "negative" negative number as he quests for his place on the great number line. Children will learn the basic concept of negative numbers along with valuable lessons in perseverance. Opposites abound as you pass zero into the realm of negatives, leaving the positive numbers behind. See if you can find them all!

When a body of a young girl is found floating in the local town pool in Connecticut, Detective Jeffery Westman of the Manchester Police Department is brought in to investigate. As more bodies begin to pile up and the case becomes a chase after a serial killer, Jeffery brings in his brother, former Iraqi War veteran and private investigator, Bruce Westman to assist and consult on the investigation.

Jane is a woman without a past. She wakes up in the back of a car with handcuffs on her wrists, with a man intent on doing her harm. She escapes, but into the murky underworld of New Orleans. A mysterious man shadows her, and strange memories tantalize her. People want to hurt her, and an unearthly creature stalks the night. Insanity might be a possibility, but everything is horrifyingly real. This sultry world is anything but ordinary.

These holiday pieces by celebrated authors are fun, sweet, and endearing for the whole family. Merry Christmas!

I woke up to an empty apartment, and things just got worse from there. My roommate took everything, even my epic purple couch. Rent coming due means I’m desperate, but not desperate enough for Travis freaking Westmister to live with me...that is, until my brother convinces me his best friend and my mortal enemy is my only hope. Now the man I gave my v-card to before he disappeared is parading around my house shirtless, toned, tanned, and ripped. Oh, God, I will not go there. He broke my heart, and I hate his guts - except he’s not who I thought he was at all.

Charles and Grace wanted a quiet staycation honeymoon, but when their train terminates early due to a storm up ahead, they wonder if they made the wrong decision. Forced to take shelter in the nearest seaside town, Saltwater, they discover that there is only one guesthouse left. Unlike the rest of Saltwater, the Anchorage is entirely deserted. That night, with the storm howling relentlessly, Grace is woken by a child crying. She is haunted by the sound, until Charles convinces her it was only her imagination. But the next day, she finds a warning scrawled in the guest book.

Mudita, Wheel Publicaton No. 170, contains several short essays, one by the editor, Ven. Nyanaponika, and three by lay practitioners on one of the lesser known and too-little practiced sublime states of mind. Mudita, usually translated "sympathetic joy", was designated one of the brahma-viharas by the Buddha, one of the sublime, noble states of mind. How is it to be practiced, and what are the implications of mudita on the spiritual path? These essays address those questions.

Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Red Shoes", New York Times best-selling author K. W. Jeter's "La Valse" forges a fable about love, the decadence of technology, and a gala dance that becomes the obsession of a young engineer - and the doom of those who partake in it. In "You Will Attend Until Beauty Awakens", national best-selling author and John W. Campbell Award winner Jay Lake tells the story of Sleeping Beauty - and how the princess was conceived in deception, raised in danger, and rescued by a prince who may be less than valiant.

Urban fantasy offers a diverse playground for some extremely powerful stories. Professional writer and editor Kerrie L. Hughes pulled some fantastic tales out of 14 top writers for this fifth installment of Fiction River. Set in urban lands from modern Portland, to a future Detroit, to a wild Washington, D.C., and ending the tour in London, these top writers take the idea of "Hex" and stretch and twist it into stories with a magickal grip on the imagination.

Trixie, Sally, and Cora are determined to open Read Wine on schedule. After all, this is their dream—opening a bookstore in their small town. But you can’t open for business when there’s a dead body on the floor. Not only does it ruin the ambiance, but it definitely didn’t appear anywhere in their business plan.

King Khoury of Manaf has come across an interesting piece of intel: the Princess of Ashwari has been hidden in America for 25 years. If the story proves true, the King would be able to form alliances with the war-torn nation, not to mention finally secure himself a bride. All he has to do is get the Princess to go along with his plan, which may be a challenge according to his good friend Belkacem Al-Malwali, King of his sister country Ghassan. The King decides to rely on his trusted vizier, educated in the States, to plead the King's case and vet the young girl to see if she is truly King ...

When billionaire mogul Gerald Hawthorne dies, he leaves behind an ultimatum for his son Ethan: in order to get the portion of his allotted inheritance, he must marry the woman who had taken care of him in his final days, Nurse Harmony Rhoades. Instead of getting angry, Ethan makes a deal with Harmony, one that will help him get around his father's contract. All seems to be going well until Ethan suffers a car accident that causes him to lose the last five years of his memory, which includes both Harmony and their deal. Chaos and fireworks ensue as Harmony finds herself playing the role of ...

Emma and her best friend, Izzie, try out for the swim team. Izzie doesn’t make it, but Emma does. Will Emma still want to be on the team without her best friend?

Another village has been found in ruin, with only the massive prints of a monstrous creature left to identify the culprit. The Honengyo has turned upon the people of the Hoshin clan, and only death and destruction will sate its appetite. Left with little choice, Lord Torogawa calls upon the infamous wandering samurai, Shintaro Oba, to deal with the beast. But can he and his demon-killing sword, Koumakiri, prevail against something as old as the very mountains themselves? And what of his own personal quest for vengeance?

"Breaking Free: A Journey of Resilience" offers an inspiring glimpse into the author's courageous journey through adversity and triumph. From conquering childhood abuse to navigating toxic relationships and challenging work environments, this memoir is a compelling testament to the resilience and unwavering spirit of the human condition. Through captivating narrative and deep introspection, "Breaking Free" sheds light on critical topics such as navigating foster care, disillusionment in marriage, pursuing higher education, and confronting the profound impact of mental health struggles.

Julia trades in her van for a baguette in The Trocadero Turtle Dove! When Julia, Dottie, and Penelope jet off to Paris for a girls' trip, they expect wine, pastries, and sightseeing. What they don't expect is murder. Staying with the daughter of a friend, Julia and her friends are swept into the glittering Parisian art scene. But when a gallery owner's boyfriend is found murdered, their vacation takes a deadly turn. With a handsome French judge as an unlikely ally, Julia must navigate Parisian police politics, decipher clues, and unravel a web of passion and betrayal - all while sampling ...

Mystery and mayhem are afoot once more on idyllic SeaBreeze Island - and intrepid sleuth Maud Baxter must follow a twisting trail of clues to unmask a killer! When controversial podcaster Brad McNulty is found dead in his rental home, Maud and her best friend Krysteen sense there's more to this case than meets the eye. Delving into the questionable history of the wealthy Vermillion family, they uncover a shocking secret that someone will kill to protect. But real estate developer Andrew Donovan holds a vital piece of evidence that could blow the case wide open. To solve this perplexing ...