Short Days

Valentine Welburn has grown accustomed to her freedom in Calcutta. So when she reaches the gray shores of England to debut in her first London Season, she is irked by the conventions of high society. With her irrepressible spirit, unusual beauty, and a large fortune, the stage is set for gossip. Scandal and intrigue ensue when two men - the distinguished Lord Marbeck and the dashing, dangerous Sir Richard Brindley - appear on the scene.

This one-of-a-kind treasury brings together the talents of nearly two dozen best-selling middle-grade authors - including Shannon Hale, Brandon Mull, Ally Condie, and Jennifer A. Nielsen - who have created original short stories and modern-day fairy tales based on the lives and dreams of children they have met who all have two things in common: They have very big hopes and dreams, and they are all cancer patients.

Detective Dwayne Fisher never got over his divorce two years ago. Despite throwing himself into work and a steady supply of booze, he just can't seem to let go. But a little girl is missing in Philadelphia. Amanda Hawkins. A 12-year-old video blogger. Police fear the worst. As the detective's search leads him to an old house in PA farmland to interview a suspect, he discovers that he has more in common with the kidnapper than he thought....

Teenager Andy Cogen just discovered that he can use the predictive text on his phone to affect the real world.... But does he know that the genie doesn't always grant your wish the way you wanted him to? A short story of suspense and weirdness set at the St. Michael's High School from The Game We Don't Play Anymore.

Aggie and Betty decide to take a last-minute flight to Las Vegas for a girl's weekend. Since the Christmas holiday had left them exhausted, they thought a mini-vacation was just what they needed. Who knew the flight would be just as exhausting as the Christmas season?

Diese unterhaltsamen Kurzgeschichten auf Französisch sind perfekt für Anfänger und fortgeschrittene Lernende. Tauche in die französische Sprache ein, erweitere spielerisch deinen Wortschatz und verbessere dein Hörverständnis – alles, während du die korrekte Aussprache übst.

The third Christmas horror anthology from horror master Rick Wood.

Acclaimed poet and novelist Mario Milosevic offers 100 sharp tales of employment - each exactly 100 words long. Sometimes shocking, sometimes poignant, but always enlightening and entertaining, these narratives bare the souls of laborers doing what they have to do to make a living.

Cupid is visiting Bluewater Bay, and he's leaving chaos in his wake. Nothing's been the same in this sleepy little logging town since Hollywood came to shoot the hit TV show Wolf's Landing - especially Valentine's Day.

Seven tales of conflict set among the stars, driven by the very roots of humankind’s Earth-bound strife. Yet even in the face of the vast void of space, these brave souls fight to hold on to their humanity.

A short story regarding exactly what the title states that takes place in the Philippines.

Davey’s Rule number 85: Daddy will always treat his boy like he's Daddy’s world...because that’s how it should be! Revisit all your favorite couples and families from Daddy’s Lap in this five-part, seven-story collection that shows them all living their happily-ever-afters. This collection of shorts is number eight in a series about not-so-perfect Daddies, adorable “boys”, and one sassy brat with an insane list of rules.

SHORT STORY: A sister in the far future, when we no longer burn things for fuel, finds a forbidden thing that would make the perfect gift. The Day We Stopped Burning is one of six short solarpunk stories in the Halfway to Better collection. If you enjoyed the optimistic climate solutions in Kim Stanley Robinson's Ministry for the Future or the cozy cooperative future in Becky Chambers' Monk and Robot series, you will enjoy Halfway to Better.

William Sydney Porter was born on 11th September 1862 in Greensboro, North Carolina. At age 3 his mother died from tuberculosis. From an early age it was clear Porter had a large appetite for reading as he absorbed the world around him. He was a member of several singing and dramatic groups when he met 17 year old Athol Estes, daughter of a wealthy Austin family. Despite her mother’s objection owing to Athol’s tuberculosis, they began courting and in July 1887, they eloped and soon married.

Topaz now realizes why the saying "distance makes the heart grow fonder" rings true. Weeks have passed since the couple's Valentine's Day rendezvous, and Topaz has still been floating on cloud nine. That is, until the cloud evaporates, and a vicious fit of home sickness awaits in its place. Is Meeko's presence just the remedy the doctor prescribed? And when life throws them an unexpected curveball, how will the long distance couple be able to adapt and adjust?

This is another delightful collection of fairy tales and "pour qua" stories, and even a charming poem, where good always triumphs over evil and kindness to others is rewarded. Easy listening for sunny days too!

While some are nestled cozy in their traditions, others are lost in darkness. An unkindness of ravens lurk like a warning above them while they try to escape their inner demons and fight the dragons they've been trying to avoid. There's no enjoying fatal amounts of pie because their minds are slipping, slipping into a twisted delusion. They are the murderers, the disturbed, the unfortunate, and the misunderstood. These outliers are imprisoned by their circumstances until they slowly fade into the icy landscape, smothered by the forged façade of a perfect Christmas.

هي قصص تتميز بالعمق والجرأة والسخرية المرة. ذلك أن القصة في أمريكا اللاتينية، شأنها في ذلك شأن الرواية، موسومة بميسم الواقعية السحرية التي تمزج الواقع بالخرافات والأساطير والفنتازيا، وموسومة أيضا بتصدّيها للطغاة الذين حكموا شعوب تلك القارة، وقادوها إلى حروب خاسرة، وساموها الخسف والذّلّ، في أسلوب يجمع بين النقد الجريء والمواربة. وهي إلى ذلك تمتاز بالنظرة الإنسانية العميقة في رصد مصائر البشر، في صراعهم اليومي مع ضراوة العيش وبطش السلطة وقسوة الطبيعة، فضلا عن بحثها عن أشكال مستجدة، دون الوقوع في ما وقعت فيه آداب أمم أخرى من تلاعب شكلي غير ذي مضمون.

After Claudia and Ben stumble upon Dorian's secret, they are taken prisoner. Food and supplies are running low, and Dorian's ultimate goal is survival of the race - and the fittest.

All Dave Miller wanted to do was commit suicide in peace. He tried, but the things that happened after he'd pulled the trigger were all wrong. Like everyone standing around like statues. No St. Peter, no pearly gate, no pitchforks or halos. He might just as well have saved the bullet....