The Book of Candlelight


Book Description

In the new Secret, Book, and Scone Society novel from New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams, the rain in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, has been relentless—and a flood of trouble is about to be unleashed . . . Nora Pennington figures all the wet weather this spring is at least good for business. The local inns are packed with stranded travelers, and among them Nora finds new customers for her store, Miracle Books. Since a little rain never hurt anyone, Nora rides her bike over to the flea market one sodden day and buys a bowl from Danny, a Cherokee potter. But the next day, after Miracle River overflows its banks, and Danny’s body is found floating within the churning waters, Nora decides it’s time for the Secret, Book, and Scone Society to spring into action. A crucial clue may lie within the stone walls of the Inn of Mist and Roses: a diary, over a century old and spattered with candle wax, that leads Nora and her friends through a maze of intrigue—and onto the trail of a murderer . . . “A love letter to reading, with sharp characterizations and a smart central mystery.” —Entertainment Weekly on The Whispered Word




Fables and Other Lies


Book Description

Do you believe in curses? I never did. Not until that fated night, six years ago, when I sat in The Devil's Chair and made a wish. Not until it came true. Not until I met River Caliban himself, heir to a fortune of curses. My fated sworn enemy. I knew I should have stayed away from him. I should have run the other way when he called out my name, when he flashed that sinful smile of his, but instead, I walked toward him, leaving the light behind. Instead, I go against all reason, against all warning, and attended the gala of the year at his dark, allegedly haunted home at the top of the hill. The moment I step foot inside I know I'm in trouble, but there's something about River that magnetizes me, reels me in, and when he asks for the impossible, I find it impossible to turn him away.







Best Short Stories Omnibus - Volume 2


Book Description

This book contains 350 short stories from 50 classic, prize-winning and noteworthy authors. Wisely chosen by the literary critic August Nemo for the book series 7 Best Short Stories, this omnibus contains the stories of the following writers: - Mary Shelley - D. H. Lawrence - Ellis Parker Butler - Anthony Trollope - Zona Gale - Emma Orczy - Don Marquis - Charles W. Chesnutt - Kathleen Norris - Stanley G. Weinbaum - Honoré de Balzac - M. R. James - Banjo Paterson - Bret Harte - Henry Lawson - W. W. Jacobs - Charlotte M. Yonge - Mary E. Wilkins Freeman - L. Frank Baum - O. Henry - William Dean Howells - T. S. Arthur - Sherwood Anderson - Robert Barr - Lafcadio Hearn - Giovanni Verga - Hamlin Garland - Émile Zola - Stewart Edward White - Sarah Orne Jewett - Willa Cather - George Ade - Robert W. Chambers - Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson - Ruth McEnery Stuart - Lord Dunsany - George Gissing - Théophile Gautier - Paul Heyse - Selma Lagerlöf - Thomas Burke - Edith Nesbit - Arthur Morrison - Stacy Aumonier - John Galsworthy - E. W. Hornung - Ernest Bramah




The Secret, Book & Scone Society


Book Description

First in the mystery series from the New York Times-bestselling author: “Anyone who loves novels that revolve around books will savor this tasty treat.”—Library Journal (starred review) A quirky club in small-town North Carolina holds the keys to health, happiness, friendship—and even solving a murder—all to be found within the pages of the right book… Strangers flock to Miracle Springs hoping the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. If none of that works, they often find their way to Miracle Books, where, over a fresh-baked “comfort” scone, they exchange their stories with owner Nora Pennington in return for a carefully chosen book. That’s Nora’s special talent—prescribing the perfect novel to ease a person’s deepest pain. So when a visiting businessman reaches out for guidance, Nora knows exactly how to help. But before he can keep their appointment, he’s found dead on the train tracks. Stunned, Nora forms the Secret, Book, and Scone Society, a group of damaged souls yearning to earn redemption by helping others. To join, members must divulge their darkest secret—the terrible truth that brought each of them to Miracle Springs in the first place. Now, determined to uncover the truth behind the businessman’s demise, the women meet in Nora’s cozy bookstore. And as they untangle a web of corruption, they also discover their own courage, purpose, and a sisterhood that will carry them through every challenge—proving it’s never too late to turn the page and start over… “Adams kicks off a new series featuring strong women, a touch of romance and mysticism, and both the cunning present-day mystery and the slowly revealed secrets of the intriguing heroines’ pasts.”—Kirkus Reviews




Candle in the Darkness (Refiner’s Fire Book #1)


Book Description

"A gripping tale told by a gifted writer."--Beverly Lewis Caroline Fletcher is caught in a nation split apart and torn between the ones she loves and a truth she can't deny The daughter of a wealthy slave-holding family from Richmond, Virginia, Caroline Fletcher is raised to believe slavery is God-ordained and acceptable. But on awakening to its cruelty and injustice, her eyes are opened to the men and women who have cared tirelessly for her. At the same time, her father and her fiance, Charles St. John, are fighting for the Confederacy and their beloved way of life and traditions. Where does Caroline's loyalty lie? Emboldened by her passion to make a difference and her growing faith, will she risk everything she holds dear?




The Emperor of Elam and other stories


Book Description

Of the stories in this collection, three originally appeared in The Century Magazine (“Like Michael,” copyright, 1916; “The Emperor of Elam,” copyright, 1917; “The Emerald of Tamerlane,” copyright, 1918), two each in The Bookman (“Unto the Day,” copyright, 1904; “Studio Smoke,” copyright, 1905), in Scribner’s Magazine (“The Bathers,” copyright, 1903; “Henrietta Stackpole Rediviva,” copyright, 1904), and in The Smart Set (“Susannah and the Elder,” copyright, 1905; “The Undoing of Mrs. Derwall,” copyright, 1906), and one each in The Associated Sunday Magazines (“Martha Waring’s Elopement,” copyright, 1904), in The Outlook (“The Pagan,” copyright, 1905), in Short Stories (“Castello Montughi,” copyright, 1908), and in The Sunset Magazine (“The Bald Spot,” copyright, 1909). It may be added that the names of three of these stories are not the ones first copyrighted and that at least two of them have been completely recast, while not one of them has been left untouched in its earliest state. The writer nevertheless takes this occasion to express to the editors and publishers of the above periodicals, as well as to Mr. W. J. O’Brien and to Messrs. Small, Maynard and Company—who made use of “The Emperor of Elam” in The Best Short Stories of 1917—his thanks both for their former hospitality and for their present courtesy in permitting him to reassemble his work. Nor would this small payment of indebtedness be complete without mention of Colonel J. R. M. Taylor, who wrote the first draft of “The Emerald of Tamerlane,” and who generously allows it to be reprinted over the signature of his collaborator...FROM THE BOOKS.




THORNS OF THE HEART


Book Description

We all, as the characters in this story face unknown tests and challenges at times in our lives from the Thorns of the Heart. These fated times happen to all of us whether we are young, old, rich, or poor. Yes, it is through these severe heavy downpours of pain and suffering in our own lives that we meet up with the Grim Reaper eye to eye and face-off with The Thorns of the Heart. However, as my brother, W.R. Sharp, and I wrote in our novel, life is finite and just like a burning candle, it has a beginning and an ending in its own time. Yes, this is true unless the waxed lit flame is blown out at an unexpected moment before one is ready to say goodbye to their loved ones or to leave their earthly life behind on this earth. At these specific times, and many other times in our lives, we suffer from the Thorns of the Heart. Yet, we must continue to live our lives to the fullest, having infinite hope and forge ahead for not only our children, but for all our loved ones. The sense of our survival allows not only continuity but the preservation of our family legacies in generations to come. Human stamina, we as the authors believe is the secret to one’s life as described in the words of the poem A Candle Burns – A Candle Burns by S. L. Sharp A candle burns in all our hearts flamed with passion, lies and secrets. A candle burns in all our hearts scorched in old romances, friends and acquaintances. A candle burns in all our hearts smoked with bittersweet, sadness and sorrow. A candle burns in all our hearts melted down with memories, regrets and moments. A candle burns in all our hearts burnt-out in love, laughter and yesterdays. Yes, we must encounter each new day of our life through our powers of love, strength, faith and by not believing in never-ending dreams! Only through positive thoughts, a belief system, intestinal fortitude, and physical stamina, can we provide mental body armor against the Thorns of the Heart. This will allow the sun to shine once again within our souls clearing the pathway for all of us to a new life-changing awakening day, only if we keep HANGIN’ ON... W. R. Sharp and S. L. Sharp




Quarks of Light


Book Description

At the age of 56, Rob A. Gentile had a massive heart attack followed by a profound near-death experience. On his journey to a heart transplant, he was close to death again and entered the Ethereal a second time. He found himself inside a shapeless, formless vacuum of unending and infinite vastness. He was everywhere at once, scattered across a timeless expanse and connected to the wisdom of the universe-all of it without words. He saw and simultaneously became part of a gigantic interactive web of twinkling lights covering the Earth and stretching into infinity. Curiously, some parts of the web were brighter, some dim, and some completely dark. He later came to believe that this web represents a network that binds us all and is built upon quarks-the smallest elements of matter, and which are made of light. While in the Ethereal, he understood that each quark of light symbolized a life. He realized that if he hurt himself, he hurt everything connected to him, but if he loved, the light would spread. Rob also saw his daughter with special needs, perfect, whole, and radiant. The most important message he received was of unity, oneness, and our real identity. In Quarks of Light, Rob shares his journey and provides a roadmap for overcoming adversity, staying in spirit, and connecting to the Universal language of love and light.