Fiction & Literature - Books

Notes on Life and Letters

Fiction & Literature

I don’t know whether I ought to offer an apology for this collection which has more to do with life than with letters. Its appeal is made to orderly minds. This, to be frank about it, is a process of tidying up, which, from the nature of things, cannot be regarded as premature. The fact is that I wanted to do it myself because of a feeling that had nothing to do with the considerations of worthiness or unworthiness of the small (but unbroken) pieces collected within the covers of this volume. Of course it may be said that I might have taken up a broom and used it without saying anything about it. That, certainly, is one way of tidying up.

The Best American Short Stories 2013

Fiction & Literature

“As our vision becomes more global, our storytelling is stretching in many ways. Stories increasingly change point of view, switch location, and sometimes pack as much material as a short novel might,” writes guest editor Elizabeth Strout. “It’s the variety of voices that most indicates the increasing confluence of cultures involved in making us who we are.” The Best American Short Stories 2013 presents an impressive diversity of writers who dexterously lead us into their corners of the world. In “Miss Lora,” Junot Díaz masterfully puts us in the mind of a teenage boy who throws aside his better sense and pursues an intimate affair with a high school teacher. Sheila Kohler tackles innocence and abuse as a child wanders away from her mother, in thrall to a stranger she believes is the “Magic Man.” Kirstin Valdez Quade’s “Nemecia” depicts the after-effects of a secret, violent family trauma. Joan Wickersham’s “The Tunnel” is a tragic love story about a mother’s declining health and her daughter’s helplessness as she struggles to balance her responsibility to her mother and her own desires. New author Callan Wink’s “Breatharians” unsettles the reader as a farm boy shoulders a grim chore in the wake of his parents’ estrangement.“Elizabeth Strout was a wonderful reader, an author who knows well that the sound of one’s writing is just as important as and indivisible from the content,” writes series editor Heidi Pitlor. “Here are twenty compellingly told, powerfully felt stories about urgent matters with profound consequences.”

An Outcast of the Islands

Fiction & Literature

In fact it is part of what might be called a ‘trilogy in reverse’. An Outcast deals with events that take place in 1872, whereas Almayer’s Folly is set about 1887. An Outcast provides what might in modern media terms be called a ‘back story’ to the first novel. There is also a third volume in the series called The Rescue that deals with events set even earlier in the 1850s – but this was not published until 1920.

Holidays on Ice

Fiction & Literature

Die fünf schönsten Geschichten, die David Sedaris zum Thema Weihnachten geschrieben hat!Die Weihnachtszeit kann nervenaufreibend sein, vor allem als Zwerg im größten Kaufhaus der Welt, bei Macy’s. Denn es glaube keiner, dass es nur eine Art von Zwergen gibt ...Aus diesem Stoff sind die kleinen und großen Tragödien, die hinter jeder Ecke lauern und von denen David Sedaris erzählt.Kongenial ins Deutsche übertragen von Harry Rowohlt.

Snowfall at Willow Lake

Fiction & Literature

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan WiggsRevisit the tranquil shores of Willow Lake and the Bellamy family in this heartwarming tale of a woman who discovers that small moments can end up being life’s most cherished memories.International lawyer Sophie Bellamy has dedicated her life to helping people in war-torn countries. But when she survives a hostage situation, she remembers what matters most—the children she loves back home. Haunted by regrets, she returns to the idyllic Catskills village of Avalon on the shores of Willow Lake, determined to repair the bonds with her family.There Sophie discovers the surprising rewards of small-town life—including an unexpected passion for Noah Shepherd, the local veterinarian. Noah has a healing touch for anything with four legs, but he’s never had any luck with women—until Sophie. But Sophie’s heart needs healing…and both she and Noah need a chance at happiness.Previously published.Read the Lakeshore Chronicles Series by Susan Wiggs:Book One: Summer at Willow LakeBook Two: The Winter LodgeBook Three: DocksideBook Four: Snowfall at Willow LakeBook Five: FiresideBook Six: Lakeshore ChristmasBook Seven: The Summer HideawayBook Eight: Marrying Daisy BellamyBook Nine: Return to Willow LakeBook Ten: Candlelight ChristmasBook Eleven: Starlight on Willow Lake

freeze frame fiction, vol i

Fiction & Literature

freeze frame fiction publishes good flash fiction, period. Any genre, no content restriction: 1,000 words or less. This collection is a combination of new and established writers spanning genres from science fiction to literary fiction to young adult. Find out more at http://freezeframefiction.com/.

L'Homme peuplé

Fiction & Literature

Palmarès des libraires - Livres hebdo 2022" C'est l'un des meilleurs romans de Franck Bouysse." Le JDDHarry, romancier à la recherche d'un nouveau souffle, achète sur un coup de tête une ferme a` l'écart d'un village perdu. C'est l'hiver. La neige et le silence recouvrent tout. Les conditions semblent idéales pour se remettre au travail. Mais Harry se sent vite épié, en proie à un malaise grandissant devant les événements étranges qui se produisent.Serait-ce lie´ a` son énigmatique voisin, Caleb, guérisseur et sourcier ? Quel secret cachent les habitants du village ? Quelle blessure porte la discrète Sofia qui tient l'épicerie ? Quel terrible poids fait peser la mère de Caleb sur son fils ? Entre sourcier et sorcier, il n'y a qu'une infime différence.Au fil d'un récit ou` se mêlent passé et présent, réalité apparente et paysages intérieurs, Franck Bouysse trame une stupéfiante histoire des fantômes qui nourrissent l'écriture et la création.

VAMPIRES FIRST BLOOD VOLUME II

Fiction & Literature

The literary evolution of the female vampire begins with the legendary LILITH...but is she a cursed monster, or a symbol of the rebellious, independent woman? While the male vampire has gone from monster to anti-hero to dream boyfriend, the path of his sister in blood has been more complex and mysterious. James Grant Goldin presents a curated anthology of the original texts, some freshly translated, that trace the evolution of the vampire lady through the end of the 19th century. In this anthology, there are, to be sure, monsters--VESPERTILIA of "A Mystery of the Campagna," ONEIZA of "Thalaba the Destroyer" and BRUNHILDE of "Wake Not The Dead"--but there are also vampire women in love, like CLARIMONDE, the airborne ALICE of Turgenev's "Phantoms," or the lesbian CARMILLA. There are vampires seeking justice or vengeance, like THE LADY BRIGHT. And there are characters like CLARA CROFTON or ALINSKA, who are both predators and victims. VAMPIRES: FIRST BLOOD VOLUME II - THE VAMPIRE LADIES collects the original adventures of the daughters of darkness who returned from the dead to pit their supernatural powers against the entrenched forces of patriarchy. This anthology comes complete with introductory notes and detailed glossaries to make these surprisingly contemporary stories come alive for a new generationLilith, from "The Alphabet of Ben Sira"The Bride of Corinth, by GoetheOneiza, from Southey's "Thalaba the Destroyer"Brunhilda, from Raupach's "Wake Not the Dead"Alinska, from Lamothe-Langon's "The Vampire, or the Virgin of Hungary"The Vampire Bride, by LiddellClarimonde, from Gautier's "The Dead in Love"The Lady Bright, from Maxwell's "The Vampire"Clara Crofton, from Rymer's "Varney the Vampyre"Alice, from Turgenev's "Phantoms"Vespertilia, from Crawford's "A Mystery of the Campagna" and Watson's "Vespertilia"The Woman Who Did Not Care, from Kipling's "A Fool There Was"Countess Dolingen, from Stoker's "Dracula's Guest"

Lydia's Hope

Fiction & Literature

An Amish woman is shocked when she learns of the siblings she never knew existed in the first Lost Sisters of Pleasant Valley novel. With no memory of her birth parents, or the tragic accident that took their lives, Lydia Beachy has always been grateful for the aunt and uncle who took her in and raised her as their own. Now a married woman with two sons, Lydia finds her life turned upside down when she discovers that she has two younger sisters: Susanna, who was adopted by an Amish family in another community, and Chloe, who was raised by their grandmother among the Englisch. Angry and confused, Lydia first seeks out Susanna but stops short of telling her the truth. To track down Chloe, she enlists the help of a neighbor who has spent some years in the Englisch world. Meanwhile, Lydia’s husband, Adam, is keeping a secret of his own. Lydia yearns to be united with the sisters she has never known, but will revealing herself to them tear their lives apart...or enrich them beyond all imagining?

Listening to Love

Fiction & Literature

Falling in love can only mean trouble for an Englisch girl and an Amish boy… unless there’s another way for them to listen to their hearts. Englischer Natalie Collins looks forward to Friday night suppers at Levi and Mary Shetler’s house every week: delicious food, wonderful conversation with her Amish friends, and, best of all, the presence of Levi’s older brother Lucas. Natalie and Lucas have become best friends despite their different backgrounds. They share a love of books, and he is teaching her about God in a way that she can understand.But the closer they become, the more opinions everyone seems to have. Levi and Mary, Lucas’s family, and even Natalie’s mother—whose own life is a mess at the moment—have concerns about their relationship. Why can’t everyone understand that it’s possible to just be friends? Besides, they couldn’t be together even if they wanted to be. Lucas would never leave the Amish faith, and Natalie is Englisch and pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine.But when a terrifying accident happens, Natalie and Lucas are forced to confront their true feelings and decide if they can stay true to themselves and each other. This sweet Amish story is the second in the Amish Journeys series by bestselling author Beth Wiseman. “I always find Beth Wiseman's books to be both tenderly romantic and thought provoking. She has a way of setting a scene that makes me feel like I'm part of an Amish community and visiting for supper. I loved the title of this book, the message about faith and God, and the heartfelt romance between Lucas and Natalie. Listening to Love has everything I love in a Beth Wiseman novel—a strong faith message, a touching romance, and a beautiful sense of place. Beth is such an incredibly gifted storyteller.” —Shelley Shepard Gray "Listening to Love is vintage Beth Wiseman...clear your calendar because you're going to want to read this one in a single sitting.” —Vannetta Chapman, author of Shipshewana Amish Mystery Series Part of the Amish Journey series: Book One: Hearts in Harmony, Book Two: Listening to Love, Book Three: A Beautiful ArrangementBook length: approximately 85,000 wordsIncludes discussion questions for book clubs

Protectors: Stories to Benefit PROTECT

Fiction & Literature

41 writers. One cause.We've rallied a platoon of crime, western, thriller, fantasy, noir, horror and transgressive authors to support PROTECT's important work: lobbying for legislation that protects children from physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Powerful stories from George Pelecanos, Andrew Vachss, Joe R. Lansdale, Charles de Lint, Ken Bruen, Chet Williamson, James Reasoner, Charlie Stella, Michael A. Black, Wayne Dundee, Roxane Gay, Ray Banks, Tony Black, Les Edgerton and 16 more, with 100% of proceeds going to PROTECT. PROTECTORS includes a foreword by rock critic Dave Marsh, and fiction by Patti Abbott, Ian Ayris, Ray Banks, Nigel Bird, Michael A. Black, Tony Black, R. Thomas Brown, Ken Bruen, Bill Cameron, Jen Conley, Charles de Lint, Wayne D. Dundee, Chad Eagleton, Les Edgerton, Andrew Fader, Matthew C. Funk, Roxane Gay, Edward A. Grainger, Glenn G. Gray, Jane Hammons, Amber Keller, Joe R. Lansdale, Frank Larnerd, Gary Lovisi, Mike Miner, Zak Mucha, Dan O'Shea, George Pelecanos, Thomas Pluck, Richard Prosch, Keith Rawson, James Reasoner, Todd Robinson, Johnny Shaw, Gerald So, Josh Stallings, Charlie Stella, Andrew Vachss, Steve Weddle, Dave White, and Chet Williamson. Among PROTECT's victories are the Protect Our Children Act of 2008, which mandated that the Justice Department change course and design a new national nerve center for law enforcement to wage a war on child exploitation, the Hero to Hero program, which employs disabled veterans in the battle against child abuse, and Alicia's Law. Join the fight, with 41 stories by top writers. Be a Protector!

Some of Your Blood

Fiction & Literature

One of the Horror Writers Association’s Top 40 Horror Books of All Time—the story of a troubled soldier and his bizarre, violent obsession with vampirism. At the height of an unnamed war, a soldier is confined for striking an officer. Referred to as George Smith in official papers and records, the prisoner comes under the observation of Army psychiatrist Philip Outerbridge, who asks the young man to put his story down on paper. The result is a shocking tale of abuse, violence, and twisted love, a personal history as dark and troubling as any the doctor has ever encountered. Believing the patient to be dangerously psychotic, Dr. Outerbridge must dig deeper into his psyche. And when the truth about the strange case of George Smith is fully revealed, the results will be devastating. Told through letters, transcripts, and case studies, Some of Your Blood is an extraordinary, poignant yet terrifying, genre-defying novel. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Theodore Sturgeon including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the University of Kansas’s Kenneth Spencer Research Library and the author’s estate, among other sources.

Letters to a Young Poet

Fiction & Literature

'What matters is to live everything. Live the questions for now.'A hugely influential collection for writers and artists of all kinds, Rilke's profound and lyrical letters to a young friend advise on writing, love, sex, suffering and the nature of advice itself.One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries - including fables, decadence, heartbreak, tall tales, satire, ghosts, battles and elephants.

Twelve Years a Slave

Fiction & Literature

Twelve Years a Slave is an 1853 memoir and slave narrative by American Solomon Northup as told to and edited by David Wilson. Northup, a black man who was born free in New York state, details his being tricked to go to Washington, D.C., where he was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Deep South. After having been kept in bondage for 12 years in Louisiana by various masters, Northup was able to write to friends and family in New York, who in turn secured his release with the aid of the state. Northup's account provides extensive details on the slave markets in Washington, D.C. and New Orleans, and describes at length cotton and sugar cultivation and slave treatment on major plantations in Louisiana.

Estoy genial, gracias

Fiction & Literature

Una novela hilarante y conmovedora sobre una mujer que intenta recuperar la alegría y redescubrir el sentido de la vida tras una inesperada ruptura.Maggie está bien. Está genial, gracias. Bueno, claro, no tiene un duro, su tesis doctoral está estancada y su matrimonio solo ha durado 608 días, pero a la madura edad de veintinueve años, está decidida a aprovechar su nueva vida como La Divorciada Más Joven de la Historia.Ahora dispone de tiempo para tener nueve hobbies, comer hamburguesas a las cuatro de la madrugada y "volver al mercado" en el terreno sexual. Con el apoyo de Merris, su seca pero cariñosa consejera académica; Amy, su amiga recién divorciada; y el chat de grupo con sus amigas (cómo no), Maggie se las arregla para pasar su primer año de soltería entre relaciones esporádicas, amaneceres en el suelo y preguntas difíciles que se deberá hacer a sí misma.Estoy genial, gracias es una comedia tierna y agridulce que te hace reír a carcajadas y que destapa las incertidumbres del amor moderno, la amistad y la búsqueda de eso que nos gusta llamar "felicidad".Recomendado por Los Angeles Times - Washington Post - GQ - Elle - Good Morning America - People - Guardian - The Times - New York Post ¡y muchos más!

Texas Christmas Tycoon

Fiction & Literature

Only she could open up his closed-off heart Lea Dunwoody has always been the classic girl-next-door right down to the tips of her elf booties she wears as a volunteer Santa’s helper. One night her bestie teases her that she should make a play for the handsome bad boy Braden Delaney as she’s always been better with animals than people and Braden is rumored to be a total Scrooge. Braden has always tempted Lea and then the night of the Corbyn Christmas Open House, she sees him make a wish on an evening star. Does she dare make a wish for her own fairytale? Braden Delaney has had it bad for Lea since…well, forever. As soon as he realized how boys and girls were different, she’d been the only one he had eyes for. But the Delaney men aren’t easy for the women they love so Braden has kept his distance. Until this Christmas. He’s tired of spending the holiday alone. He normally avoids the holidays, but this year Lea is giving him a reason to celebrate the season.

Lando

Fiction & Literature

In Lando, Louis L’Amour has created an unforgettable portrait of a unique American hero.For six long years Orlando Sackett survived the horrors of a brutal Mexican prison. He survived by using his skills as a boxer and by making three vows. The first was to exact revenge on the hired killers who framed him. The second was to return to his father. And the third was to find Gin Locklear. But the world has changed a lot since Lando left it. His father is missing. The woman he loves is married. And the killers want him dead. Hardened physically and emotionally, Lando must begin an epic journey to resolve his past, even if it costs him his life.

Exploring Dark Short Fiction #3

Fiction & Literature

Praised by literary journals, news outlets, and leading fiction magazines, Nisi Shawl is celebrated as an author whose works are lyrical and philosophical, speculative and far-ranging; “…broad in ambition and deep in accomplishment” (The Seattle Times). Besides nearly three decades of creating fantasy and science fiction, fairy tales, and indigenous stories, Nisi has also been lauded as editor, journalist, reviewer, teacher, speaker, afrofuturist, and proponent and mentor of feminism, African-American fiction, and other pedagogical issues of diversity.Dark Moon Books and editor Eric J. Guignard bring you this introduction to her work, the third in a series of primers exploring modern masters of literary dark short fiction. Herein is a chance to discover—or learn more of—the vibrant voice of Nisi Shawl, as beautifully illustrated by artist Michelle Prebich.Included within these pages are:• Six short stories, one written exclusively for this book • Author interview • Complete bibliography • Academic commentary by Michael Arnzen, PhD (former humanities chair and professor of the year, Seton Hill University) • … and more!Enter this doorway to the vast and fantastic: Get to know Nisi Shawl.Table of Contents includes:• Introduction by Eric J. Guignard • Nisi Shawl: A Biography • The Beads of Ku (fiction) • The Beads of Ku: A Commentary • Otherwise (fiction) • Otherwise: A Commentary • Just Between Us (fiction) • Just Between Us: A Commentary • At the Huts of Ajala (fiction) • At the Huts of Ajala: A Commentary • Street Worm (fiction) • Street Worm: A Commentary • Conversion Therapy (fiction) • Conversion Therapy: A Commentary • Why Nisi Shawl Matters by Michael Arnzen, PhD • In Conversation with Nisi Shawl • Written On The Water: An Essay by Nisi Shawl • A Bibliography of English Language Fiction for Nisi Shawl

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Fiction & Literature

Faced with the possibility of financial ruin, slave owner Arthur Shelby decides to sell two of his slaves: Uncle Tom and a young boy named Harry. Eliza, Harry’s mother, makes the decision to run away while Uncle Tom decides that his moral duty is to submit to his master and cooperate with the sale. The story follows the diverging lives of these two slaves—Eliza’s flight to Canada and Uncle Tom’s journey into the deep south.Eliza is accompanied by her husband, George, who also escaped from his owner at the same time. Together they must outrun bounty hunters and somehow make their way to freedom. Uncle Tom, on the other hand, must face the uncertainty of new owners and separation from his family, while somehow remaining true to his religious faith.Upon its release, Uncle Tom’s Cabin sparked immediate criticism from slave owners and praise from abolitionists. Its influence was such that one apocryphal story claims that Abraham Lincoln, upon meeting Stowe, stated “so this is the little lady who started this great war.”The book remains controversial, with critics pointing to Uncle Tom’s passive nature and the extensive use of racial stereotypes. Despite this, the novel’s influence is undeniable, and it helped pave the way for modern protest literature.

A Harvest of Love

Fiction & Literature

A determined widow and a single father learn that love is about taking chances and turning over new leaves in the quaint Amish community of Promise Glen, from national bestselling author Marta Perry.When widowed shop owner Dinah Hershberger is unceremoniously charged with safely escorting an infant to his uncle, she finds herself torn. Jacob Miller is everything Dinah could want in a partner--he's kind, handsome, strong--and nothing she can ever have. As much as she yearns to help the new family adjust, each minute Dinah spends with Jacob and the baby leaves her heart more vulnerable and her head more certain that the secret she hides makes a future with the Miller men impossible. Jacob has long admired Dinah for her strength and independence, but it's her generosity of spirit that tempts him like never before. With Dinah at his side, Jacob opens himself up to the daunting new world of fatherhood, but how can he pursue his feelings for her when his life is in such disarray? After the disappointments of her first marriage, she deserves better than what Jacob can offer. But love has a surprise in store for these two troubled hearts, and happiness is within reach if only they can grasp it, making Promise Glen their own promised land.

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