For twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort.Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well. And the Azkban guards heard Black muttering in his sleep, "He's at Hogwarts...he's at Hogwarts."Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in their midst.

Trapped in an elevator, Jeannie Lawrence experienced unwilling rapture at Michael Windham's hands. She never expected the devilishly handsome man to show back up in her life ? or turn out to be a werewolf! Will she accept her destiny to be his mate?

In this sequel novella to “Mira’s Last Dance”, Temple sorcerer Penric and the widow Nikys have reached safety in the duchy of Orbas when a secret letter from a friend brings frightening news: Nikys’s mother has been taken hostage by her brother’s enemies at the Cedonian imperial court, and confined in a precarious island sanctuary. Their own romance still unresolved, Nikys, Penric, and of course Desdemona must infiltrate the hostile country once more, finding along the way that family relationships can be as unexpectedly challenging as any rescue scheme

Once again, internationally acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author Carlos Ruiz Zafón creates a rich, labyrinthine tale of love, literature, passion, and revenge, set in a dark, gothic Barcelona, in which the heroes of The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game must contend with a nemesis that threatens to destroy them. Barcelona, 1957. It is Christmas, and Daniel Sempere and his wife Bea have much to celebrate. They have a beautiful new baby son named Julian, and their close friend Fermín Romero de Torres is about to be wed. But their joy is eclipsed when a mysterious stranger visits the Sempere bookshop and threatens to divulge a terrible secret that has been buried for two decades in the city's dark past. His appearance plunges Fermín and Daniel into a dangerous adventure that will take them back to the 1940's and the dark early days of Franco's dictatorship. The terrifying events of that time launch them on a journey fraught with jealousy, suspicion, vengeance, and lies, a search for the truth that will put into peril everything they love and ultimately transform their lives. Full of intrigue and emotion, The Prisoner of Heaven is a majestic novel in which the threads of The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game converge under the spell of literature and bring us toward the enigma of the mystery hidden at the heart of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a collection of lost treasures known only to its few initiates and the very core of Carlos Ruiz Zafón's enchanting fictional world.

“Morgan Rice has come up with what promises to be another brilliant series, immersing us in a fantasy of valor, honor, courage, magic and faith in your destiny. Morgan has managed again to produce a strong set of characters that make us cheer for them on every page.…Recommended for the permanent library of all readers that love a well-written fantasy.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (regarding Rise of the Dragons) ROGUE, PRISONER, PRINCESS is book #2 in Morgan Rice’s bestselling epic fantasy series OF CROWNS AND GLORY, which begins with SLAVE, WARRIOR, QUEEN (Book #1). 17 year old Ceres, a beautiful, poor girl from the Empire city of Delos, finds herself forced, by royal decree, to fight in the Stade, the brutal arena where warriors from all corners of the world come to kill each other. Pitted against ferocious opponents, her chances of survival are slim. Her only chance lies in drawing on her innermost powers, and making the transition, once and for all, from slave to warrior. 18 year old Prince Thanos wakes on the isle of Haylon to discover he has been stabbed in the back by his own people, left for dead on the blood-soaked beach. Captured by the rebels, he must crawl his way back to life, find who tried to assassinate him, and seek his revenge. Ceres and Thanos, a world apart, have not lost their love for each other; yet the Empire court teems with lies, betrayal and duplicity, and as jealous royals weave intricate lies, they each, in a tragic misunderstanding, are led to believe the other is dead. The choices they make will determine each other’s fate. Will Ceres survive the Stade and become the warrior she was meant to be? Will Thanos heal and discover the secret being withheld from him? Will the two of them, forced apart, find each other again? ROGUE, PRISONER, PRINCESS tells an epic tale of tragic love, vengeance, betrayal, ambition, and destiny. Filled with unforgettable characters and heart-pounding action, it transports us into a world we will never forget, and makes us fall in love with fantasy all over again. “An action packed fantasy sure to please fans of Morgan Rice’s previous novels, along with fans of works such as The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini…. Fans of Young Adult Fiction will devour this latest work by Rice and beg for more.” --The Wanderer, A Literary Journal (regarding Rise of the Dragons) Book #3 in OF CROWNS AND GLORY will be released soon!

CAPTIVE OF LOVE Spirited Rowena Belleme must produce an heir--or incur the dangerous wrath of a ruthless stepbrother, who stands to forfeit his ill-gotten wealth. And the magnificent Warrick deChaville is the perfect choice to sire her child--though it means imprisoning the handsome knight...and forcing him to bend to her amorous whims. SLAVE OF PASSION Vowing to resist but betrayed by his own virility, noble Warrick is intoxicated by Rowena's sapphire eyes and voluptuous beauty. Yet all the while he plans a fitting revenge--eagerly awaiting the time when his sensuous captor becomes his helpless captive ... and is made to suffer the same rapturous torment and exquisite ecstasy that he himself has endured.

Twelve-year-old Sharon was kidnapped by a crazy woman and was locked in an elegant prison room. Her clueless little brother ran off to find her, and Sharon's twin chased after. They both ended up in the middle of nowhere. Meanwhile, Sharon finally thought of a risky escape plan, having no idea what her siblings were going through...Twelve-year old Jake accompanies his father and some friends on a fishing expedition but things don't turn out quite the way he expected. While an almost tragic event has special meaning for the young boy, that same event is viewed by another man on the boat as yet another reason to deny his own cultural heritage.

In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her "uncle" Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded his life for Dolf's, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet. Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler. And Gretchen follows his every command. Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can't stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can't help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she's been taught to believe about Jews. As Gretchen investigates the very people she's always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed? From debut author Anne Blankman comes this harrowing and evocative story about an ordinary girl faced with the extraordinary decision to give up everything she's ever believed . . . and to trust her own heart instead.

A mysterious warrior held for ransom. A small, brave kingdom under threat from a distant monarch. Three young people unknowingly swept up by history, whose choices could shift the course of a nation.Published serially in the 19th century style made famous by Dickens and Dumas, THE PRISONER OF WAR is a tale of adventure, romance, and political intrigue set at the height of the Viking Age.Norway, 9th century AD: In the valley of Gruntal in the kingdom of Rogaland, three young women watch the horizon for the return of their village’s longships. Each has a secret wish bound up with the return of the ships, but when they arrive, it is with an unexpected cargo: a prisoner of unknown origin – beautiful, fierce, gravely injured and unable to speak.As a distant monarch’s bloody campaign to unify Norway closes in on peaceful Gruntal, the local chieftain arranges a series of strategic marriages for his children. Fearing the loss of her freedom, his eldest daughter asks her adopted sister to teach her the ways of influencing men, and the two girls begin to meet secretly in the hut where the prisoner is recovering. One by one other young women hear of their lessons, and soon the meetings swell to an informal class. But in a society where a woman’s virtue is her most valuable asset, such gatherings carry a terrible personal risk; and their discovery could undermine the wider balance of power – with devastating consequences.Published serially in the 19th century style made famous by Dickens and Dumas, THE PRISONER OF WAR is an intricately plotted tale of adventure, romance, and political intrigue set at the height of the Viking Age.(Pilot episode: serialization begins WINTER/SPRING 2016)

My name is Michael Vey, and the story I’m about to tell you is strange. Very strange. It’s my story. To everyone at Meridian High School, Michael Vey is an ordinary fourteen-year-old. In fact, the only thing that seems to set him apart is the fact that he has Tourette’s syndrome. But Michael is anything but ordinary. Michael has special powers. Electric powers. Michael thinks he's unique until he discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor also has special powers. With the help of Michael’s friend, Ostin, the three of them set out to discover how Michael and Taylor ended up this way, but their investigation brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to control the electric children – and through them the world. Michael will have to rely on his wits, powers, and friends if he’s to survive.

A cold-hearted murderer. A vicious abuser. A young man hiding a shameful secret. A bewildered immigrant. A pure-minded spy. All of these men have found their appointed places at Mercy Prison, where it is easy to tell who your enemies are. But a new visitor to Mercy is about to challenge decades-old customs. Now these men's worst enemies may be hiding behind masks...and so may their closest allies."'You have committed a vile and savage act, one that any other nation would punish with death. Our punishment, on the other hand, will only be to give you what you want. You have sought to live in a world without boundaries of civilization, and such a world shall henceforth be your dwelling place.'"A cold-hearted murderer. A vicious abuser. A young man hiding a shameful secret. A bewildered immigrant. A pure-minded spy.All of these men have found their appointed places at Mercy Life Prison, where it is easy to tell who your enemies are. But a new visitor to Mercy is about to challenge decades-old customs. Now these men's worst enemies may be hiding behind masks . . . and so may their closest allies.A runner-up in the Rainbow Awards 2014, the book bundle "Mercy's Prisoner" can be read on its own or as the first volume in the Life Prison series. Friendship, desire between men, and the costs of corruption and integrity are examined in this multicultural speculative fiction series, which is inspired by prison life at the end of the nineteenth century.VOLUME CONTENTS"Life Prison." In the unmerciful world of Mercy Prison, there is no rule but unending pain. For Merrick, the arrival of his new guard provides hope that he may break beyond the boundaries of his life prison. But appearances can be deceptive, and Merrick does not yet recognize the danger this guard poses to his future."Men and Lads." Two guards. Two prisoners. A multitude of problems."Milord." He was the model prisoner, respectful to his guards and loyal to his fellow prisoners. What no one knew was that he held the key to destruction."Isolation." Being locked in a prison cell can cause a man to re-examine his priorities. Especially when the door never opens."Curious." His job is to guard the prisoners. But against what?"Mercy's Prisoner: Epilogue.""Mercy's Prisoner: Historical Note."REVIEW"Liveprison. Der Name sagt alles. Sehr düster." - Mllesatine: Empfehlungen.PREVIEWHis face came full into the light as he stepped forward. Wearing the uniform of a Compassion guard, he looked even more like his father: he had the same thin lips and the same straight eyebrows. But the eyes were empty of all coldness – indeed, of all expression of any sort – and there was no smile on his lips, cruel or otherwise."My name is Thomas," he said. "I'm your new guard."I noted the use of his given name rather than his paternal name, and with the instinct of a veteran fighter I dropped and made my attack accordingly. "Ah, yes," I said. "The son of Compassion's Keeper. I can expect great deeds from you, I'm sure."His lips grew even thinner, but that was all; it seemed that he was well used to this mode of attack. He said, as though I had not spoken, "My job is to provide service to you during your stay at this prison, and to make your stay as comfortable as is possible under your circumstances. If you have any needs, I hope you will let me know of them."I stared at him open-mouthed for a moment, and then I gave a hoot of laughter that resounded through the entire level. The early-morning conversations across the fire-pit paused briefly, and Sedgewick, who was passing my cell, glanced in with narrowed eyes before continuing on."Let me – let me understand you correctly," I said, struggling to gain control of myself. "You'll give me any service I want?""Any service that is in accordance with the rules of your stay.""But the only rule is that I should not be permitted escape, either through death or any other means. So you'll give me anything else?""If it's within reason, yes.""Anything at all?""Tell me what you want, and I'll be able to give you a firm answer." His patience, I saw with delight, was wearing down."Fine," I said, leaning back and pulling off the blanket to reveal my body underneath. I had given up wearing clothes at bedtime several guards before. "I want you to come over here and service me on your knees."

Anthony Hope Hawkins, better known as Anthony Hope was an English novelist and playwright. He was a prolific writer, especially of adventure novels. He is remembered best for two books, considered classics of English literature, included in this volume: The Prisoner of Zenda (1894) and its sequel Rupert of Hentzau (1898). These works are set in the contemporaneous fictional country of Ruritania and spawned the genre known as Ruritanian romance. Zenda has inspired many adaptations, including a 1937 Hollywood movie.

With Behind Closed Doors, New York Times bestselling author B. A. Paris took the psychological thriller to shocking new heights. Now she'll hold you captive with THE PRISONER—a stunning new thriller about one woman wed into a family with deadly intentions.Amelie has always been a survivor, from losing her parents as a child in Paris to making it on her own in London. As she builds a life for herself, she is swept up into a glamorous lifestyle where she married the handsome billionaire Ned Hawthorne. But then, Amelie wakes up in a pitch-black room, not knowing where she is. Why has she been taken? Who are her mysterious captors? And why does she soon feel safer here, imprisoned, than she had begun to feel with her husband Ned? In the vein of Behind Closed Doors and The Therapist, multimillion-copy bestseller B. A. Paris is back with a gripping new suspense novel.

Escorting convicted lawman killer Ford Oakley who is returning to Denver to be hanged, Longarm is injured by the prisoner's cronies, who help Ford to escape and threaten to kill Longarm if he interferes. Original.

Book Description(Note This is a complete book) In Prisoner of Time, the first of the Luke’s Quest series, Luke Bradley discovers a journal from 1881 written by a time traveler who is trapped in the past. Not only does Luke uncover a murder plot, but he also meets a woman he has seen in his dreams for years. Luke’s love for Lisa presents a few problems. A few months from now Lisa may be murdered or may murder someone else, and Luke is not sure which. Meanwhile, both Luke and Lisa are attacked and nearly killed, and he tries to find out who is behind those attacks and why. Lisa’s husband is one suspect. A rejected lover is another possibility. Or it could be the head of security for the secret government time-travel research project where she works. Or even all of them working together may be responsible. Will Luke live long enough to save Lisa, or will she die, too, while another time-traveler is trapped in 1881?**

On the run from a posse, a killer becomes a slaveWhen Luke Walsh hears Dee Dee Bright calling for help, he breaks down her hotel room door. He finds the dance-hall beauty half-naked underneath a brutish man, and draws his gun without thinking. Suddenly a marshal is dead, and Luke's life isn't worth dirt. He escapes into the desert, but when his water runs dry and his horse drops dead, he prepares for the end. He collapses, only to wake in the back of a stranger's wagon. Taken captive by outlaws, he soon wishes he had not survived.As a slave working in a gold mine, Luke endures a new life of savage discipline in which the only law is death. The worst surprise comes when Dee Dee Bright arrives, flanked by her outlaw lover. The woman who ruined his life is not through with him yet, but Luke Walsh knows how to settle a score.

Inspired by the true story of a daring deception that plunges a courageous young woman deep into the horrors of a Nazi POW camp to be with the man she loves.In the dead of night, a Czech farm girl and a British soldier travel through the countryside. Izabela and prisoner of war Bill have secretly married and are on the run, with Izzy dressed as a man. The young husband and wife evade capture for as long as possible—until they are cornered by Nazi soldiers with tracking dogs. Izzy's disguise works. The couple are assumed to be escaped British soldiers and transported to a POW camp. However, their ordeal has just begun, as they face appalling living conditions and the constant fear of Izzy's exposure. But in the midst of danger and deprivation comes hope, for the young couple are befriended by a small group of fellow prisoners. These men become their new family, willing to jeopardize their lives to save Izzy from being discovered and shot.The...

The thoughts and feeling I had when I was in prison wrongly convicted of attempted murder. The environment of prison is a strange place when you are not of that world. The ups and downs of a 12 year sentence in poetic rhyme. Written in prison when the emotion was alive. Now it seams a life time away. Read this book and look into a world you don't want to go into.What saved me from going mad in prison was my music and my pen. The words I believe were given to me by God at times when I needed them the most. Let the words of this book tell you the story of a man who is in a place he never should have been. By the grace of God go we. If you want to walk in my darkness then read this book. Out of that darkness came light. I met my now wife in prison and we now live and work for Jesus in Bulgaria where the people need the hope we both got from being in prison, me in the UK Rita in Bangkok. Only God could bring us together in an impossible place, prison I a prisoner,Rita a Chaplin.

A true romance that began after Wayne reluctantly agreed to write Karen. A mutual friend pleaded with him to write her and try to help; she wanted to break the chain of her addiction to methadone.A Prisoner and a Poem for a Princess is creative nonfiction that twists romance and spirituality into something so special and unique that only hearts and souls understand.A true romance that began after Wayne reluctantly agreed to write Karen. A mutual friend pleaded with him to write her and try to help; she wanted to break the chain of her addiction to methadone.Her heart called his to make it whole. The poem Wayne wrote for Karen peeked into the future, where spirituality would merge the gap between peace and pain for him to find comfort in a situation he could not understand. Two Broken Hearts touched where only true love goes. Neither Wayne nor Karen knew her heart would leave a crack in his that would ultimately enlighten him about a phase of existence that he had never experienced. A Prisoner and a Poem for a Princess is creative nonfiction that twists romance and spirituality into something so special and unique that only hearts and souls understand.

This doesn't matter. This doesn't matter. This doesn't matter. This doesn't matter. This doesn't matter.

Amil has always dreamed of working at the modern, space-age pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, where he lives. Instead, on his tenth birthday, he is torn from his family and taken to work for Mr Kumar and his cruel son, Jalesh, in their dilapidated printing factory. There, hidden in a trunk, he finds a secret First World War journal. As its pages come to life, they reveal not only why Amil is there, but that he and the journal's author – his great-grandfather, Sanjiv - share a magical gift: they can read the wind. Its purpose remains a mystery until, one terrible night, the pesticide plant leaks poison gas into the air above Bhopal . . .£1 from every copy sold will be donated to the Bhopal Medical Appeal

From #1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward comes an unforgettable story of passion and vengeance in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world. When Ahmare’s brother is abducted, there is nothing she won’t do to get him back safely. She is unprepared, however, for the lengths she will have to go to save his life. Paired with a dangerous but enticing prisoner, she embarks on an odyssey into another world. Duran, betrayed by his father, imprisoned in a dungeon for decades, has survived only because of his thirst for vengeance. He has been biding his time to escape and is shocked to find an unlikely and temporary freedom in the form of a determined young female. Battling against deadly forces and facing unforeseen peril, the pair are in a race to save Ahmare’s brother. As time runs out, and the unthinkable looms, even true love may not be enough to carry them through. **About the Author J. R. Ward is the author of more than thirty novels, including those in her #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series. There are more than fifteen million copies of her novels in print worldwide, and they have been published in twenty-six different countries around the world.

1943. New Orleans. Rose Marino lives with her Sicilian immigrant parents and helps in the family grocery store. Her older brother and sister both joined the Army, and Rose prays for their safety as World War II rages overseas. Her parents expect Rose to marry a local boy and start a family. But she secretly dreams of being more like her fiercely independent widowed godmother. Behind her parents' back, Rose lands a job at the shipyard, where she feels free and important for the first time in her life. When the parish priest organizes a goodwill mission to visit Italian prisoners of war at a nearby military base, Rose and her vivacious best friend, Marie, join the group. There, Rose falls for Sal, a handsome and intelligent POW. Italy has switched sides in the war, so the POWs are allowed out to socialize, giving Rose and Sal a chance to grow closer. When Rose gets a promotion at work, she must make an agonizing choice: follow a traditional path like Marie or keep working after...

After traveling to the ghostly underworld beneath New York City, Jack has made it back aboveground, to join the living. But if he's alive why is he still seeing ghosts? Jack tries hard to fit in at his new school--and tries even harder to win the affections of his Latin classmate and friend, Cora. In an effort to impress her, Jack leads Cora to the entrance of the underworld and makes a terrible mistake. Soon they have crossed the threshold, and there may be no getting back. Like The Night Tourist, this exciting sequel blends together the modern-day world and mythology--this time cleverly introducing readers to myth of Persephone and Eros.

What if prison was the only world that existed for you now and everything else was a story? What if you weren't sure if you were guilty but wanted forgiveness in any form? The Prisoner and the Chaplain is about two men; one man awaiting execution, the other man listening to his story. As the hours drain away, the chaplain must decide if the prisoner's story is an off-the-cuff confession or a last bid for salvation. As the chaplain listens he realizes a life has many stories, and he has his own story to tell – a last ditch plea for forgiveness told to someone who will never be able to repeat it. Each man is guilty in his own way, and their stories have led them to the same room, a room that only one of them will leave alive. If you had only twelve hours left to live, what would you have to say?

Locked in a maximum security facility, an inmate opens a unique dialogue with the prison's Artificial Intelligence. He begins teaching it how to understand and interpret art using methods the A.I. can easily understand. But does the prisoner have a hidden agenda, and is the knowledge he offers worth the risk?After their peaceful village, Riverbell, is raided by the foul monstrous skex, brothers Logan and Corbin Walker find themselves caught in a race against time, desperate to warn the capitol before the dangerous skex arrive to wreak the same havoc upon the unsuspecting people of Fal. Never could they imagine, that this would only be the very beginning of their unforgettable journey, when Logan is suddenly exiled from the kingdom for a crime he did not commit. On the run, doggedly avoiding his own brother, sent to pursue the wanted criminal, can Logan Walker possibly hope to stay free long enough to unravel the Secrets of the Elders? And So the Fourth Age of Acadia begins... The World of Acadia Ages long past, forced to abandon the surface, mankind descended inside the core of their planet, fleeing an impending xenocide at the hands of the mighty Jotnar invaders and settling a new homeland among the deep forests in the wide caverns of Vanidriell, under the light of the Great Crystal Baetylus.

TATS-TOR:  A world in danger of engulfment and depopulation by the mystifying Time Front. But the inhabitants are going blithely about their business, blissfully unaware of their impending peril.  Concerned for the population's safety, Perry Rhodan dispatches 6 Terranians to this 2nd planet of the sun Morag in order to warn the colonials of this Arkonidean world, help them prepare for a defence against this eerie enemy—against whom there well may be no defence.In the course of their action to aid the people of Tats-Tor, the Good Samaritans sent by the Peacelord find themselves in an incredible world where time has slowed down 72000 times relative to time. And then, there are the Druufs. They say a clock only runs, but time flies. It will for you when you read next month—  PRISONER OF TIME!

My father is the most powerful dragon in the world.Most women would use this connection to secure influential mates who could keep them safe.But I refuse to lead a life of ignorance and comfort. Not after what I’ve seen.So I’ve flown to the front lines to fight alongside my fellow dragons.The world of a soldier is as brutal as it is simple.Never show any signs of weakness.If you fail, don’t come back.Ruthlessly eliminate the enemy.I’ve honed my instincts to become my father’s perfect, deadly weapon.And then, I was shot down.Bren found me in the desert, fatigued and injured from fighting for my life.He bound me to a pole beneath the scorching sun.And then...he offered me water.I know what he’s trying to do. It’s not going to work.I am his prisoner, and he is my prey.And the moment I free myself, I know what I must do…...Even if it kills me to do it.Somehow, the enemy has gotten into my head.I’ve allowed him into my body. Into my heart.For the first time in my life, I’m wondering if I’m fighting on the right side.Will I betray my family, or the man I love?

Hours after Priscilla Eads pleads with him to take her case, Nero Wolfe is shocked to find out that she was murdered, and soon he is investigating her fortune-hunting husband and greedy business associates.

India's study into the language of spells is interrupted by the arrest of her teacher for an unpaid debt. Before Matt can repay it for him, the powerful magician escapes from his prison cell. To make matters worse, the moneylender is murdered and the magician is implicated. Convinced of his innocence, India and Matt must discover who really killed the moneylender before the police find the magician. Their investigation leads them down a path littered with lies, betrayal, scandal, and interference from people they don't trust. Meanwhile, Matt's relatives accuse Cyclops of ruining their daughter, and plan to marry off their manipulative youngest to someone even more manipulative and far more powerful. Should Matt and India support the union, or try to stop it? And how will they stop Cyclops from being deported back to America?

Desperate not to end up just like his father, a felon struggles with what may turn out to be the worst decision of his life. This story was my second round entry in NYC Midnight‘s 2017 Short Story Challenge. The writing prompts in my brief were: Historical Fiction | A Tunnel | A New Father.Desperate not to end up just like his father, a felon struggles with what may turn out to be the worst decision of his life.This story was my second round entry in NYC Midnight‘s 2017 Short Story Challenge. The writing prompts in my brief were: Historical Fiction | A Tunnel | A New Father.

The first 50 years of Australia's settlement by the white man was a time of brutality, cruelty, and harshness - not always on the part of the prisoners.One man, transported for a crime today's world would consider minor, finds that regardless of his crime, regardless of his past, he comes to a time when he discovers some things are worth dying for.Australia's first 50 years was a time of harshness, brutality, and cruelty not often seen in the annals of our world. And these forms of treatment were not always committed by the prisoners.One man, sentenced to transportation for a crime we would regard, today, as minor, finds his life tormented by only the most vicious of treatment - yet, at the end, discovers that sometimes even one's most cruel of masters can be worth dying for.

Action, adventure, and romance on the high seas. Captain Natalie finally has her old nemesis at her mercy. After all, he's chained to her headboard! But just as things are heating up, the tables are turned and she and Captain Reece must learn to trust each other or lose everything to a mutual enemy.Being a pirate is a dangerous trade but the rewards outweigh the risks. Or so Captain Natalie believes when she captures her nemesis, the privateer Captain Reece. Bound and at her mercy, Natalie thinks she's finally taken the upper hand in the duel with her seductive enemy. After all, there is no denying Reece makes an excellent addition to her bed, especially chained to her headboard.When Reece turns the tables on her, Natalie discovers the cost of her gamble. She struggles to stand strong as Reece seeks to take his vengeance in the most pleasurable of ways. But even pirates have hearts and despite her best efforts, Reece is quickly stealing hers.Their games come to an end,...

One of Henderson's best agents is being held captive in Frankfurt. A set of forged record cards could be his ticket to freedom, but might just as easily become his death warrant. A vital mission awaits him in France - if he can find a way to escape.

Brother and Sister—Forebodings—Nettleton. WAR! Oh! how much of misery is expressed in that one word! It tells its own tale of woe, of blood, of broken hearts and desolated homes, of hopes blighted, of poverty and crime, of plunder, peculation and official tyranny, of murder and sudden death. In short, it develops all the baser passions of the human heart, changing a peaceful world to a world of woe, over which the destroying angel well might weep. Come, oh, thou angel, PEACE! The “Army of the Mississippi,” as it was termed, had been unsuccessful in their pursuit of the rebel General Price.

A warrior taken prisoner, held in chains without hope... A princess fascinated by the strange alien male... When Dani slips into the prisoner's cell to learn more about him, she doesn't expect to fall in love! But, Kyron is a Touch Kindred… Able to Touch her even though his hands are chained... Will he also Touch her heart? Will Dani help him escape? Find out in Freeing the Prisoner… Kyron is a Touch Kindred, able to physically touch others with the power of his mind and Touch sense, but he has sworn a solemn vow to use his power only for good. When he is captured and held prisoner on the small planet of Goshan Prime, his resolve is sorely tested. He's beaten, starved, and kept constantly chained. There's only one bright spot - a girl who slips into his cell because she's curious... Dannella is a Princess of the Blood. Raised to be a proper lady, she knows that one day she will be given in marriage to a male who will act as both her husband and owner. Females aren't valued in Goshan society and she has little control over her own life. Despite her restrictive upbringing, Dani rebels and finds her way into the cell occupied by the strange new warrior, a Kindred so huge he dwarfs every other male she's ever known! Kyron shows her his Touch sense and gives her pleasure she's never dreamed of, even though he is chained in his cell. Dani finds herself falling for the big Kindred. But then, the unthinkable happens - a marriage is announced and time has suddenly grown short. Now she and Ky are one the run, trying to escape from a life which has become a prison for them both. But in order to gain their freedom, Ky must break his sacred oath. Will it cost him his love and his life? Read Freeing the Prisoner to find out… Author's Note: Freeing the Prisoner is a Kindred Tales Novel set in the Brides of the Kindred universe

Fate, fortune, redemption ... and revenge

She’s determined to escape. He’s determined to claim her. Rachel is too busy working to support her brother and her helpless mother to worry about the aliens taking over Earth - until she breaks one of their rules and finds herself imprisoned on a spaceship with a group of other human females. Determined to find a way to escape and return home, her overwhelming attraction to one of the massive horned warriors is an unwanted distraction, no matter how strong the bond between them. Commander T’chok knows that intimate contact with the potential Breeders is forbidden, but never has he met a female who stirs his blood like Rachel. With her propensity for trouble, she needs a strong mate to protect her, care for her - and provide her with a firm, guiding hand. Can Rachel escape her prison and the alien warrior who is determined to claim her? Or will T’chok do whatever it takes to keep her?

An imprisoned prince. A vengeful queen. And a battle that will determine the future of Elfhame.    Prince Oak is paying for his betrayal. Imprisoned in the icy north and bound to the will of a monstrous new queen, he must rely on charm and calculation to survive. With High King Cardan and High Queen Jude willing to use any means necessary to retrieve their stolen heir, Oak will have to decide whether to attempt regaining the trust of the girl he’s always loved or to remain loyal to Elfhame and hand over the means to end her reign—even if it means ending Wren, too.

   With a new war looming on the horizon and treachery lurking in every corner, neither Oak’s guile nor his wit will be enough to keep everyone he loves alive. It’s just a question of whom he will doom. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black comes the stunning blood-soaked conclusion to the Stolen Heir...

Desire’s Prisoner: Planet Desire series

Join the Mysterious Benedict Society as Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance embark on a daring new adventure that threatens to force them apart from their families, friends, and even each other. When an unexplained blackout engulfs Stonetown, the foursome must unravel clues relating to a nefarious new plot, while their search for answers brings them closer to danger than ever before. Filled with page-turning action and mind-bending brain teasers, this wildly inventive journey is sure to delight.

This thought provoking ebook follows the life of Michelle, a senior who's favourite son has moved in with her after the death of her husband. Initially welcome, he becomes more controlling as time goes on.is thought provoking ebook delves into the subtley of elder abuse. It follows the life of Michelle, a senior who's favourite son has moved in with her after the death of her husband. Initially welcome, he becomes more controlling as time goes on.

The remarkable true story of the longest-held prisoner of war in American history, John Downey, Jr., a CIA officer captured in China during the Korean War and imprisoned for twenty-one years.John (Jack) Downey, Jr., was a new Yale graduate in the post-World War II years who, like other Yale grads, was recruited by the young CIA. He joined the Agency and was sent to Japan in 1952, during the Korean War. In a violation of protocol, he took part in an air drop that failed and was captured over China. His sources on the ground had been compromised, and his identity was known. Although he first tried to deny who he was, he eventually admitted the truth. But government policy forbade ever acknowledging the identity of spies, no matter the consequences. Washington invented a fictitious cover story and stood by it through four Administrations. As a result, Downey was imprisoned during the decades that Red China, as it was called, was considered by the US to be a hostile...

**Includes a preview of the new novel in the Outlander series.** London, 1760. For Jamie Fraser, paroled prisoner-of-war in the remote Lake District, life could be worse: He’s not cutting sugar cane in the West Indies, and he’s close enough to the son he cannot claim as his own. But Jamie Fraser’s quiet existence is coming apart at the seams, interrupted first by dreams of his lost wife, then by the appearance of Tobias Quinn, an erstwhile comrade from the Rising. Like many of the Jacobites who aren’t dead or in prison, Quinn still lives and breathes for the Cause. His latest plan involves an ancient relic that will rally the Irish. Jamie is having none of it—he’s sworn off politics, fighting, and war. Until Lord John Grey shows up with a summons that will take him away from everything he loves—again. Lord John Grey—aristocrat, soldier, and occasional spy—finds himself in possession of a packet of explosive documents that exposes a damning case of corruption against a British officer. But they also hint at a more insidious danger. Time is of the essence as the investigation leads to Ireland, with a baffling message left in “Erse,” the tongue favored by Scottish Highlanders. Lord John, who oversaw Jacobite prisoners when he was governor of Ardsmiur prison, thinks Jamie may be able to translate—but will he agree to do it? Soon Lord John and Jamie are unwilling companions on the road to Ireland, a country whose dark castles hold dreadful secrets, and whose bogs hide the bones of the dead. A captivating return to the world Diana Gabaldon created in her Outlander and Lord John series, *The Scottish Prisoner* is another masterpiece of epic history, wicked deceit, and scores that can only be settled in blood. *From the Hardcover edition.*

The daring exploits of Fantômas in his attempts to get possession of the King of Hesse-Weimar\'s famous diamond. Marcel Allain (1885-1970) was a French writer mostly remembered today for his co-creation with Pierre Souvestre of the fictional arch-villain and master criminal Fantômas. The son of a Parisian bourgeois family, Allain studied law before becoming a journalist. He then became the assistant of Souvestre, who was already a well-known figure in literary circles. In 1909, the two men published their first novel, Le Rour. Investigating Magistrate Germain Fuselier, later to become a recurring character in the Fantômas series, appears in the novel. Then, in February 1911, Allain and Souvestre embarked upon the Fantômas book series at the request of publisher Arthème Fayard, who wanted to create a new monthly pulp magazine. The success was immediate and lasting. After Souvestre’s death in February 1914, Allain continued the Fantômas saga alone, then launched several other series, such as Tigris, Fatala, Miss Téria and Férocias, but none garnered the same popularity as Fantômas. In 1926, Allain married Souvestre’s girl-friend, Henriette Kistler. In total, Allain wrote more than 400 novels in his prolific career.

TEN DAYS. THREE TRIALS. NO SURVIVORS. There's been another murder. Anchorage, Alaska has become the hunting ground for a killer with something to prove. Victims are put through a series of physical and psychological trials designed to push them to their limits and test their will to live. Despite the promise of freedom... all have perished. Alyson's dreams alone hold the key to catching the killer, but unless she can learn to harness her power and let go of the past, lives will continue to be lost. Every night for seven years she dreamed of a man she's never met. A man who may or may not exist. A man she believes has been taken. Now she must team up with the detective on the case... Her ex-husband, John. Can the two of them put their differences aside and work together to solve the mystery? Or will Alyson be too late to save the man of her dreams? A story of love, loss, pain, and SURVIVAL....

On a misty day in February, CE 194, Libertus, pavement maker by trade and now reluctant councillor, is summoned to meet his patron at the local public baths. Marcus Septimus is concerned because a distant cousin from Rome has announced his impending arrival and Marcus is convinced he is a spy for the Emperor Severus, despatched to Glevum to investigate reports of an 'act of treason.' Meanwhile, Libertus has concerns of his own. The local money-lender has been seeking his counsel, but before they can meet, a violent and untimely death occurs ... and before long Libertus finds himself a prisoner of his new-found rank, fighting for the truth amidst accusations of treason and murder.

A collection of varied short stories that range from a fictional account of Byron's prisoner of Chillon, a totalitarian allegory set within a factory, a conceptualized description of baseball, a daring robbery caper in an historic Scottish castle, a futuristic advancement of Dante's Comedy, and a whimsical skit in an English club.When Sara left home for school that morning, she had no way of knowing that by the end of the day she would lose her earthly life, and would ascend to the Afterlands, a parallel world full of magic, excitement and danger. Sara was a Whyte ascendant, the first to ascend for over a thousand years and she was soon to discover that the people of the Afterlands believed her to be the Whyte foretold of in a prophecy, the Whyte in whose hands would rest the fate of their world. The Afterlands are part of a world where two forms of human life exist, mortal humans (the natives), and the ascendants. The Ascendants are magical, immortal beings whose life cycle takes them backwards and forwards between Terra Coram (Earth) and the Afterlands. When their earthly human form dies then their spirit vapor ascends again to the Afterlands taking on their ancient magical form once more. For over a thousand years, since the Great Dragon War and the death of the infamous Lord Ka the Afterlands had been in a state of relative peace, despite there being great prejudice and inequality between the casts (races). Three of the four casts still remained; the Golds, the Bloods and the Muds. The ancient and powerfully magical Whyte cast, were no more, the race having been wiped out by Lord Ka during the war. The Prophecy of Eldwyn the Whyte however, predicts that should the Afterlands ever again be threatened, then a Whyte would ascend once more.This is the story of how Sara, now known as Rose of the Whyte, adjusts to her fascinating and magical new life, makes friends and very quickly learns that she must seek out the incantatio, a powerful magic spell, in order to rescue the people of the Afterlands from Lord Ka, the Djinn of Erebus and their terrifying fire casting winged army of Afreet.Ascension of the Whyte is a tale of magic, evil, intrigue, injustice, dragons, friendship and courage, where the newly formed bodies of young ascendants become the vessels for magical, wise and ancient souls.Ascension of the Whyte is the first story of The Afterland Chronicles series.What readers are saying....“I haven’t been this excited about a book since I first read Harry Potter”“Intriguing, full of action and mystery it really makes you want to turn the pages, over and over again.”“Karen Wrighton has created a new exciting and fresh fantasy world, which rivals those of the great classics.”

The magnificent second novel from the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Overstory and the forthcoming Bewilderment."Accomplished . . . mature and assured. . . . A major American novelist."— New RepublicSomething is wrong with Eddie Hobson, Sr., father of four, sometime history teacher, quiz master, black humorist, and virtuoso invalid. His recurring fainting spells have worsened, and given his ingrained aversion to doctors, his worried family tries to discover the nature of his sickness. Meanwhile, in private, Eddie puts the finishing touches on a secret project he calls Hobbstown, a place that he promises will save him, the world, and everything that's in it. A dazzling novel of compassion and imagination, Prisoner's Dilemma is a story of the power of individual experience.

Vampire Don Simon Ysido has been captured and held aboard a ship heading to the US to act as a slave, and Dr Lydia Asher must stop it . . . at any cost. March, 1917. The goal of every government involved in the Great War has been achieved: industrialist Spenser Cochran has drugged and enslaved a vampire, Don Simon Ysidro, to do his bidding, and is now on the way to the US aboard a luxury ship. Horrified, Dr Lydia Asher secures her passage on the vessel to rescue her friend from Cochran's chemical thrall. Meanwhile, her husband makes a dangerous alliance with the vampires of Paris to send Lydia the information she needs about the drug. As they cross the Atlantic evidence mounts that another vampire is hiding aboard the ship, indiscriminately murdering passengers. Lydia knows she must solve both cases before the ship docks, and that breaking Cochran's hold on Don Simon will not be enough . . . She must kill him.

John Joseph McGuire was an American author of science fiction. He usually wrote with H. Beam Piper.

They said it would be a great war to end all wars. To create peace between the Elemental Empires: Fire, Water and Earth. As one war ended, another started. The gods came back with a vengeance because peace was never meant to be an option.



Now, the lands of Zephryine are cracking, the ocean is a living plague, and crops have become nothing more than skeletons.



To Althea Viteri, the destruction of the realm is the only way to set her family free from the clutches of Audor, the Empire of Fire. Her family has nowhere to run. Not with the bands marking their wrists as the chattel of the Empire.



But she harbors a secret written on her skin — a power that she’s successfully hidden for twenty-three years, until one day it unleashes itself, catching the eye of King Cyrus.



Taken prisoner in the palace and with the constant threat that the people she loves will be slaughtered, her only option is to escape.



Yet the longer she’s a prisoner the more she realizes there may be more to her untamed power than she initially thought. Something that makes her a danger not only to herself, but to the world.