Showing results by narrator "Jane Cramer" in All Categories

Susan McFarland watched, powerless, as her husband, Rick McFarland, went into a downhill spiral of get-rich-quick schemes, quirky shopping trips, and prescription-drug abuse. Susan, a rising star at a major corporation, finally had enough. When she decided to call it quits, Rick ended her life, leaving three young boys - ages 5, 8, and 11 - without a mother. A two-month long search by law enforcement and volunteers found no trace of the missing woman....

In the weird and wonderful tradition of Kelly Link and Karen Russell, Amber Sparks' dazzling new collection bursts forth with stories that render the apocalyptic and otherworldly hauntingly familiar. In "The Cemetery for Lost Faces", two orphans translate their grief into taxidermy, artfully arresting the passage of time. The anchoring novella, The Unfinished World, unfurls a surprising love story between a free and adventurous young woman and a dashing filmmaker burdened by a mysterious family.

By day, Angie, a 20-year veteran of the tech industry, is a data analyst at Tomo, the world's largest social networking company; by night, she exploits her database access to profile domestic abusers and kill the worst of them. She can't change her own traumatic past, but she can save other women. When Tomo introduces a deceptive new product that preys on users' fears to drive up its own revenue, Angie sees Tomo for what it really is - another evil abuser.

Igloo and Angie are the co-founders of a new social network, Tapestry, based on the principles of privacy and data ownership. Two years later, with Tapestry poised to become the world’s largest social network, their rapid growth puts them under government scrutiny. Tapestry’s privacy and security is so effective that it impedes the government’s ability to monitor routine communications. Fearing Tapestry will spread to encompass the whole of the Internet, threatening America’s surveillance abilities around the globe, the government swoops in to stop Angie and company.

In the year 2043, humans and AI coexist in a precarious balance of power enforced by a rigid caste reputation system designed to ensure that only those AI who are trustworthy and contribute to human society increase in power.

Each contributor presents a brand new story set in a distinct neighborhood. Brooklyn Noir mixes masters of the mystery genre with the best of New York’s literary fiction community - and, of course, leaves room for new blood. These brilliant and chilling stories see crime striking in communities of Russians, Jamaicans, Hasidic Jews, Puerto Ricans, Italians, Irish and many other ethnicities - in the most diverse urban location on the planet.

Kat Porter is a consummate romantic, eager for her chance to find love and commitment. But after her boyfriend of four years, Marc, begins to grow apathetic and sends her calls straight to voicemail one too many times, Kat finally musters the courage to confront her so-called sweetheart, who seems more interested in dodging her than courting her. Though she's no fan of ultimatums, Kat is at the end of her considerable wits, and lobs a massive one his way, completely confident that he'll make the right decision.

Radio Iris follows Iris Finch, a 20-something socially awkward daydreamer and receptionist at Larmax, Inc., a company whose true function she doesn't understand (though she's heard her boss refer to himself as "a businessman"). Gradually her boss' erratic behavior becomes even more erratic; her coworkers begin disappearing; the phone stops ringing, making her role at Larmax moot; and a mysterious man appears to be living in the office suite next door.

Grief is a personal animal. Mary knows this from experience and a lifetime of waiting for permission to let go of her MIA husband and find closure for both her and her daughter, Teresa, who is now an adult. Grief has its own course however and closure comes in unexpected ways. O'Connor is an award-winning writer who writes about the natural world, the human-animal relationship, and the bonds that join us all.

There was never anything special about me, except my father is rich and important. That's why it happened. It was just a normal Tuesday afternoon. I was 23 and thinking about my new designer boots. They kidnapped me for ransom. They raped me before I was rescued. My therapist says that talking about it means I'm starting to heal. I don't really think I am. It's even harder to talk about Gideon. He couldn't save me when it really mattered, so he keeps trying to save me now.

Kassandra Black used to get away with things. She was her high school's anonymous vigilante, exposing bullies and predators. But when she's expelled for breaking into another student's car just weeks before graduation, her acceptance to Columbia is revoked. Now her future depends on behaving herself for the summer at Henley University under the watchful eye of her great-uncle Brian.

After years of dreaming, Jessica is finally getting married, but the marriage isn't exactly what she thought. Daniel is her best friend, and she's known him all her life, but he's never gotten over losing his wife two years ago. His dream is to become the pastor of the church in their hometown, but the small-town congregation keeps balking over calling an unmarried minister. Since Daniel needs a wife and Jessica wants a husband and family, she proposes an arrangement that benefits both of them.

Abigail has been separated from her husband for almost two years. After a marriage that brought her only insecurity, she seeks a life now of peace and independence with their six-year-old daughter. Thomas wants to put their marriage back together, because he liked the wife he used to have, but she never wants to be that person again.

Maddy, Christine and Amy are thrilled that their old college suite-mate has written a bestselling book, How to Have the Perfect Life - until they realize she used them as examples of how women let fear screw up their lives. The worst part is…it's sort of true. Together they make a pact: they each have one year to face down their fears - and maybe show Miss Perfect a thing or two! Book Three: Too Perfect. Defying the terrible sense of direction that's scared her away from traveling, Amy sets sail as a nanny on a Caribbean cruise and promptly gets lost when they stop at the island of St. Barts.

Maddy, Christine, and Amy, friends since college, are thrilled to learn their old suitemate's self-help book, How to Have a Perfect Life, has become a smashing bestseller - until they realize she used them as negative examples of how women let fear mess up their lives. The worst part is…it's sort of true. So, the three friends make a pact: They each have one year to face down their fears - and prove Miss Perfect wrong!

For years, Lydia has dreamed of overseas mission work, the way some women dream of getting married. How ironic that she needs a husband to finally make it happen. She's always been practical, however - even if it means a marriage-of-convenience, so she can finally do the work she's called to do. Gabe needs a wife at exactly the right time. Plus, he's kind of hot.

Alice Grantham lost her fiancé and her job, so she's had to come home to Willow Park to live with her parents. To recover some sense of independence and security, she's cobbled together different part-time jobs, including one as assistant to the pastor of her hometown church. Nothing seems to be going right for her. Even Micah, the first boy she ever loved, is standoffish with her now.

After being married for just six months, Sophie's journalist husband, Mark, was captured by a Syrian rebel group and held for more than two years. Now that he has finally returned home, he's like a different person. She hardly knows him anymore, and he keeps pulling away from her. She tries to be patient and support Mark in any way he needs, but it just gets harder and harder.

Maddy, Christine and Amy are thrilled that their old college suite-mate has written a best-selling book, How to Have the Perfect Life - until they realize she used them as examples of how women let fear screw up their lives. The worst part is…it's sort of true. Together they make a pact: they each have one year to face down their fears - and maybe show Miss Perfect a thing or two!