Short Days

A fantastic short story collection from critically acclaimed, and bestselling author, John Updike...

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.

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?

The third Christmas horror anthology from horror master Rick Wood.

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!

When the “grownup virus” hits, kids who live in the same apartment building must cope with strange new rules and extended time at home with parents and siblings.

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.

Tristan Taormino, the biggest name in lesbian erotica, picks 22 tales of lesbian desire to send the mercury soaring. Lust, love, strip down, strap-on - it's all here. As always, Taormino sets the standard for lesbian erotic writing with stories that entertain, surprise, and arouse. Lighter in tone than Taormino's other collections, these stories get right to the good part. Contributors include Rakelle Valencia, Skian McGuire, Maria Helena Dolan, Cheyenne Blue, L. Shane Conner, and Jean Roberta.

Obsessed is not about obsession for a new purse or a new car. Instead, these stories sizzle with the kind of obsession that is fueled by our deepest desires, the ones that hold couples together, the ones that haunt us and don't let go. Whether just-blooming passions, rekindled sparks, or reinvented relationships, these lovers put the object of their obsession first.

Bedtime stories are a great way to connect with your child and live adventures with them. Also you won’t have to worry about nightmares ever again since all your child will dream about are fairy tales. Take your little one to the magical land of unicorns and be amazed by their magical powers and enjoy living the adventures with them!

After an argument over who does more work on a daily basis, Father Time and Mother Nature exchange responsibilities for a 24-hour period. Chaos ensues...

"A Day at the Beach" is a story written by novelist Alfred C. Martino about a man overwhelmed by the stress of his job who reluctantly takes a day off to sit at the beach. There he meets a little boy who changes the man's perspective about enjoying the simpler moments of life.

Joyful, daring, and authentic, these 21 steamy stories revel in erotic adventure, from the sparks between strangers to the knowing caresses of long-time lovers. In "Penalty Fare", a Londoner rides train after train without a valid ticket, until, on an early morning journey to Bristol she finds the conductor who knows just how to punish her for trying to skip the fare. In "Winter Heat", a woman finds that each year, the winter's first snowfall reminds her of a cold night when she was 18, and the stranger who taught her that "passion can be found and shared in the most unusual of places."

It was supposed to be 10 days. A temp job. In and out. Money for bills. Work for the experience. I was going to pad my resume and move on. Then the boss called me to his office. Dorian Cave, ex-pro athlete and all alpha boss. Rock solid and rock hard. He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse and turned this temp job into a dirty dream.

A selection of short stories. 456 - Will the hunter become the hunted? A man pays the price for his arrogance Human Nature - An animal victim is given a voice in this tragic tale of animal cruelty Susan - A chilling tale of suffocating "love"; just when does devotion become obsession? Jarls of the Ocean - Will a warrior be judged as a hero? A fighter faces an epic adversary.

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....

Ambjorn and his wife, Jofrid, face death eye-to-eye when the peace of their home village is shattered. Thrown into a game where every move carries high consequence, every choice could be their last. But is it possible to win when playing against forces beyond your own comprehension?

Brad had all the advantages last round when the play happened in the kitchen, so Anna must dream up her best plan if she is to win this challenge. Even though she gets caught with a vegetable shoved in her cleavage in the produce section, she’s not deterred—she intends to win. Shedding her inhibitions and sometimes reveling in them, she slowly seduces Brad to cave in to her sexual charms. But he’s not laying down dead, he throws a few kinks in her toolbox during the playful shopping trip. When the grocery list is almost complete, they both relish the delicious rise and fall.

The year is 1989 in Los Angeles, and Miles Jameson is about to graduate from high school. The last big party of high school is approaching, along with the end of a turbulent decade, and Miles has only a vague desire to “work with his hands” (his girlfriend points out that this is a bit trite). Marked with the disaffection and apathy that filled a particular era, and that has always marked adolescence, author John Duncan Talbird gives us a rollicking and bacchanalian look at the challenge of making something of yourself, even when it seems there is little to work with.

Separated from his friends after a college football game in Austin, Texas, Taylor meets a handsome older man named Colin who turns out to be far more dangerous than Taylor could have imagined. After a hook-up in a 6th Street bar bathroom, Taylor agrees to return to Colin’s apartment to continue their sexual exploits, but along the way things don’t exactly go to plan.... This steamy short story by Michael Bracken contains graphic depictions of sexual activity and is therefore strictly for mature adults only.