The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell


Book Description

Sam Hill always saw the world through different eyes. Born with red pupils, he was called "Devil Boy" or Sam "Hell" by his classmates; "God's will" is what his mother called his ocular albinism. Her words were of little comfort, but Sam persevered, buoyed by his mother's devout faith, his father's practical wisdom, and his two other misfit friends.







THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE


Book Description




Trouble & Strife


Book Description

Welcome to the world of Cockney rhyming slang, where what is said means something completely different than how it sounds. Originally, it was a coded language created by criminals for deceiving undercover police officers during Victorian times. Common phrases like septic tank, holy water, brown bread, tomfoolery and mince pies don’t mean what you think they mean. Others, like Barnaby Rudge, gypsy’s kiss, smash and grab, butcher’s hook, kick and prance and bubble and squeak paint a picture. There are stories to be written about these phrases and in Trouble & Strife, the coded and colorful phrases of Cockney rhyming slang became the inspiration for eleven killer crimes stories from writers on both sides of the pond. A few choice words include: Babbling Brook is a talkative inmate at the state penitentiary. A hairdresser has to pay his dues for a crime that took place at Barnet Fair. And you never want to meet a Lady from Bristol. You don’t have to understand rhyming slang to enjoy this book. You just have to enjoy a damn good story. To see what the authors have come up with you'll have to turn the page and have a butcher’s. Edited by Simon Wood with stories by Steve Brewer, Susanna Calkins, Colin Campbell, Angel Luis Colón, Robert Dugoni, Paul Finch, Catriona McPherson, Travis Richardson, Johnny Shaw, Jay Stringer, and Sam Wiebe.




Only Until I Need Glasses: The Extraordinary Life and Adventures of Jimmy DeAngelo


Book Description

Somewhere in every person’s life is a little Jimmy DeAngelo. Only Until I Need Glasses is a coming-of-age novel that transcends generations. It’s the story of Jimmy DeAngelo, a typical boy growing up in the 1950s whose basic human nature is often at odds with the expectations of family and church. But boys will be boys, and Jimmy’s inner conflict makes his life a continuous and hilarious adventure. He struggles with challenges on his road to adulthood and tests the accepted boundaries, providing a plethora of belly laughs in a society where rules, regulations, and morality are everything. In the years between WWII and Vietnam, follow Jimmy and his friends as they navigate first grade and first kisses, college pranks and career choices. Laugh with our hero as he attempts to reconcile the inner discord created by embedded church and family values, and take a refreshing look into the minds of boys. Only Until I Need Glasses is an entertaining and uplifting book about love, friendship, and the process of finding one’s place in a rapidly changing world.




The Ascension Within


Book Description

Robert DeVinck spent 57 years searching for the answers to Life’s most important questions - in all the “obvious” places. He travelled the world over, thinking that he would find God by going to church, Love by getting married, Truth by going to college, and Purpose by having a steady job. What he discovered, instead, is that most of Life’s essential truths are seldom, if ever, to be found “out there.” Only when he began his transformational work of addiction recovery was he able to find most of those crucial answers – in the last place he ever thought to look – deep within himself. By finally “dying” to his False Self (the persona he wished to portray to the world), DeVinck was free to begin his spiritual journey, his Ascension Within, to rediscover the pure, uncorrupted soul he was at birth. Only within that sacred inner sanctum was he able to reconnect to the Indwelling Spirit of God, the Divine spark he shared with all of humanity. In his follow-up book to The Pono Principle, the author presents the most profound spiritual, philosophical, and psychological truth of the ages: the universe is within you. When we recognize that we are all stardust, that we share the same cosmic DNA, we can then understand that the universe resides within each of us. Only then will we discover our oneness with creation - and with our Creator.




Private Investigations


Book Description

In this thrilling anthology, bestselling mystery writers abandon the cloak of fiction to investigate the suspenseful secrets in their own lives. For many of us, a good, heart-pounding mystery is the perfect escape from real-world confusion and chaos. But what about the writers who create those stories of suspense and intrigue? How do our favorite novelists cope with our perplexing world, and what mysteries keep them up at night? In Private Investigations, twenty fan-favorite mystery writers share first-person tales of mysteries they've encountered at home and in the world. Caroline Leavitt regales us with a medical mystery, recounting a time when she lost her voice and doctors couldn't find a cure, Martin Limón travels back to his military stint in Korea to grapple with the crimes of war, Anne Perry ponders the magical powers of stories conjured from writers' imaginations, and more. Exploring all the tropes of the genre -- from haunted houses and elusive perpetrators to regrouping after missed signals have derailed them -- these writers' true tales show just how much art imitates life, and how, ultimately, we are all private investigators in our own real-world dramas.




Great Stories Don't Write Themselves


Book Description

One of the most common questions new writers ask professionals is how they wrote their book—what was their process for storytelling? Did they use an outline to plan the book, or write it from the seat of their pants? But really the question should be about the general principles and nature of storycraft—does every part of a story have what it needs to keep readers turning the pages? Bestselling author and creator of StoryFix.com Larry Brooks changes the sound of the writing conversation by introducing a series of detailed criteria for novelists of every level and genre to refer to while writing, regardless of their preferred writing method. Beginning with the broadest part of the story, the early checklists help writers to ensure that their novel is based on a premise rather than an idea, and gradually hones in on other elements to keep the story moving forward including: · dramatic tension · narrative strategy · scene construction Readers won't know or care about the process. But what Brooks offers here is a chance for readers to make the most of whichever process they choose, and in doing so cut years off their learning curve.




Odd Partners


Book Description

Unlikely pairs join forces to crack a slew of intriguing cases in an anthology edited by New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry, featuring original stories by Jacqueline Winspear, Jeffery Deaver, Allison Brennan, Charles Todd, and many more, including Perry herself. Throughout the annals of fiction, there have been many celebrated detective teams: Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. Nick and Nora Charles. Hercule Poirot and Arthur Hastings. Thomas and Charlotte Pitt. That last pair is the creation of beloved mystery writer Anne Perry, who, as the editor of Odd Partners and in conjunction with Mystery Writers of America, has enlisted some of today’s best mystery writers to craft all-new stories about unlikely duos who join forces—sometimes unwillingly—to solve beguiling whodunits. From Perry’s own entry, in which an English sergeant and his German counterpart set out to find a missing soldier during World War I, to a psychological tale of an airplane passenger who wakes up unsure of who he is and must enlist his fellow passengers to help him remember, to a historical mystery about a misguided witch-hunt and the unlikely couple that brings it down, each story deals in the wonderful complexities of human interactions. And not just human interactions: Honey bees avenge the death of their beekeeper, a wandering cat brings home clues to a murder, and a gray wolf and a fly fisherman in the Minnesota woods try to protect their land from a brash billionaire. Featuring work by New York Times bestselling authors, Edgar Award winners, and up-and-coming members of the Mystery Writers of America, these tales of friends, enemies, and pairs who lie somewhere in the middle will satisfy every type of mystery reader. With each author’s signature brand of suspense, these stories give new meaning to the word “teamwork.” Featuring stories by: Ace Atkins • Allison Brennan • Shelley Costa • Jeffery Deaver • Robert Dugoni • William Frank • Georgia Jeffries • Lou Kemp • William Kent Krueger • Joe R. Lansdale • Lisa Morton • Claire Ortalda • Anne Perry • Adele Polomski • Stephen Ross • Mark Thielman • Charles Todd • Jacqueline Winspear • Amanda Witt




What We Can't Have: Hollywood Hot Shots


Book Description

The right song can touch your soul… Becoming a songwriter was never on Sydney Campbell’s radar. No; she chose a music major to one day inspire children as an educator. But all that changed when she met him… Paired together on an important assignment, Austin Mitchell—the country star wannabe—quickly becomes the bane of her existence. Majoring in partying, his carefree attitude causes the duo to clash at every turn. Despite the tension, they make beautiful music together, creating a song powerful enough to change the trajectory of their lives… Forced together, the two battle to cope with their budding attraction as they struggle to navigate the pitfalls of the Los Angeles music industry. Working as a team allows them to grow closer, however, outside forces keep them from fully committing to the partnership. And Austin’s carousing, along with his revolving door of one-night stands, doesn’t help Sydney trust his dedication. The opportunity of a lifetime hangs in the balance. Will they finally sync to become stars? Or will Austin’s actions make them just a one-hit wonder? Hollywood Hot Shots is the first installment in the What We Can’t Have Trilogy. This story is a spicy, contemporary, opposites-attract novel featuring a curvy heroine and tortured hero that you can’t help but fall for. If you like compelling characters, light drama, and spicy scenes, then you’ll adore Selina Violet’s coming-of-age adventure.