Журналистка «Губернских ведомостей» Лера Ковалева стала свидетелем позорной сцены с участием ее начальника и мужа Казимира и смазливой практикантки. Лера во всем корила только себя. Свою нерешительность, неуверенность, уступчивость. Выходило, что Казимир справедливо называл ее клушей! Как теперь выходить на работу, как смотреть людям в глаза? Чтобы отвлечь Леру от самоедства, заместитель главного редактора направила ее взять интервью у местной знаменитости — депутата Василия Васильевича Крутова, успешного богатого красавца, умеющего обаять даже фонарный столб. Лера заранее возненавидела этот образчик совершенства…

La hermosa y caprichosa Daisy Devreaux puede ir a la cárcel o casarse con el misterioso hombre que le ha elegido su padre. Los matrimonios concertados no suceden en el mundo moderno, así que… ¿cómo se ha metido Daisy en este lío? Alex Markov, tan serio como guapo, no tiene la menor intención de hacer el papel de prometido amante de una consentida cabeza de chorlito con cierta debilidad por el champán. Aparta a Daisy de su vida llena de comodidades, la lleva de viaje con un ruinoso circo y se propone domarla. Pero este hombre sin alma ha encontrado la horma de su zapato en una mujer que es todo corazón. No pasará demasiado tiempo hasta que la pasión le haga remontar el vuelo sin red de seguridad… arriesgándolo todo en busca de un amor que durará para siempre

Tientallen jaren verstreken sinds Louis Wu's laatste bezoek aan de legendarische Ringwereld. Nu slopen twee Ringwereld-demonen van een fabriek het netwerkoog waarmee de poppenspeler Verst-in-de-achterhoede grote delen van de wereld bespiedt. Via het oog willen ze contact leggen met Louis Wu, om hem te waarschuwen voor het gevaar dat de ring bedreigt. Toevallig heeft Wu net na een verblijf in 'de gewone wereld' beloten Verst-in-de-achterhoede op te zoeken, omdat hij aan een nieuwe verjongingkuur toe is. Maar juist willen ze een contract afsluiten of er dringt een beschermer binnen die zowel Wu als Verst-in-de-achterhoede tot medewerking dwingt. Een titanenstrijd, waarbij veel gebruik wordt gemaakt van instantverplaatsing, ontbrandt, tot er een superbeschermer op het toneel verschijnt die aanvankelijk geen keuze tussen beide partijen lijkt te kunnen maken

When people talk about getting away from it all, they are usually thinking about our great open spaces out west. But to science fiction writers, that would be practically in the heart of Times Square. When a man of the future wants solitude he picks a slab of rock floating in space four light years east of Andromeda. Here is a gentle little story about a man who sought the solitude of such a location. And who did he take along for company? None other than Charles the Robot

"Bertrice Small is a legend… Don't miss this book!" – Linda Lael Miller Lady Fortune Lindley spares little thought for romantic love, though she has many suitors. William Devers is an ideal match, wealthy and well-favoured, but it is his disinherited brother Keiran that sets Fortune's senses reeling. Caught between two brothers she ignites both passion and revenge

Soy la princesa Meredith, heredera del trono de mi país si soy capaz de mantenerme con vida para reclamarlo. Mi primo, el príncipe Cel, está determinado a que no lo consiga. Mientras los dos vivamos, deberemos competir por la corona. El primero de nosotros que tenga descendencia será el que consiga el trono. Así que ahora, los hombres de mi guardia real, temibles guerreros hábiles con las armas y los hechizos, se han convertido en mis amantes, en una placentera carrera para conseguir ser el futuro rey y padre de mi hijo. Además, deben protegerme contra los intentos de asesinato, porque a diferencia de la mayoría de los sidhe, soy humana en parte, y muy mortal

Four romance novellas put a paranormal gloss on elements from Austen's work. Bestseller Balogh (A Precious Jewel) turns in the plodding "Almost Persuaded," wherein Jane Everett and Capt. Robert Mitford realize they're reincarnated soul mates. Gleason makes reference to her Gardella Vampire series with "Northanger Castle," in which pert Caroline Merrill, lover of vampire novels, suspects handsome Mr. Blanchard of being a bloodsucker. Krinard (Bride of the Wolf) sets "Blood and Prejudice" in New York where bookstore staffer Elizabeth Bennet encounters pharmaceutical CEO Charles Bingley and an unusual variety of vampires. Mullany (Jane and the Damned) gives us a witchy Emma Woodhouse running a dating service for Washington D.C.'s supernaturals in "Little to Hex Her." Though none show Austen's gift with character, humor, or irony, all but Balogh's are lively, and Mullany's sparkles with genuine wit.  What if Austen had believed in reincarnation and vampires? Join four bestselling romance authors as they channel the wit and wisdom of Jane Austen. Almost Persuaded In this Regency tale of Robert and Jane, New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh brings together former lovers who have seen beyond the veil of forgetfulness to their past mistakes, and are determined to be together in this life, and forever. Northanger Castle Caroline's obsession with Gothic novels winds up being good training for a lifetime of destroying the undead with her newfound beau, in this Regency by Colleen Gleason. Blood and Prejudice Set in the business world of contemporary New York City, Liz Bennett joins Mr. Darcy in his hunt for a vampire cure in New York Times bestselling author Susan Krinard's version of the classic story. Little to Hex Her Present-day Washington, D.C., is full of curious creatures in Janet Mullany's story, wherein Emma is a witch with a wizard boyfriend and a paranormal dating service to run

Fiction. BEST BEHAVIOR, the new novel by Noah Cicero, is his boldest work yet. As the subject matter becomes increasingly autobiographical, the landscape more bleak, its impact is blunt, brutal, but somehow still hilarious. This is the literature of pain: of living in a world where nothing is right-a temple to capitalism with no room for any kind of human spirit-and, despite everything, trying to find some way to deal with it; then eventually failing. BEST BEHAVIOR might be the truest story ever told. BEST BEHAVIOR is slice-of-life, and that's as it should be. Where the classics have beginnings, middles, and ends that are relevant to the mainstream consciousness of the times, BEST BEHAVIOR is a couple of days in the life, making it a more honest and useful cultural artifact-Rebecca Haze

The nation’s favourite annual guide to the short story, now in its tenth year. Best British Short Stories invites you to judge a book by its cover – or, more accurately, by its title. This new series aims to reprint the best short stories published in the previous calendar year by British writers, whether based in the UK or elsewhere. The editor’s brief is wide ranging, covering anthologies, collections, magazines, newspapers and web sites, looking for the best of the bunch to reprint all in one volume. Featuring: Richard Lawrence Bennett, Luke Brown, David Constantine, Tim Etchells, Nicola Freeman, Amanthi Harris, Andrew Hook, Sonia Hope, Hanif Kureishi, Helen Mort, Jeff Noon, Irenosen Okojie, KJ Orr, Bridget Penney, Diana Powell, David Rose, Sarah Schofield, Adrian Slatcher, NJ Stallard, Robert Stone, Stephen Thompson and Zakia Uddin

“The right story, at the right time, if you happen to be open to it … can perhaps move you so far outside of yourself that you will not consider going back.” “Like meeting a stranger, much of the pleasure of a story is its unknown power,” writes Best Canadian Stories 2020 guest editor Paige Cooper. “The right story, at the right time, if you happen to be open to it … can perhaps move you so far outside of yourself that you will not consider going back.” From Festival du Voyageur to the shores of Lake Erie, Tbilisi to Toronto, the Amisk River to a hotel-turned-hospital in the midst of a mysterious pandemic, this wide-ranging anthology brings together the real and the speculative, small towns and big cities, grief and humour, introducing readers to stories that startle us into new understanding—of ourselves and each other, the worlds we inhabit and the ones they help us to imagine

2013 may be the best year yet for Best European Fiction. The inimitable John Banville joins the list of distinguished preface writers for Aleksandar Hemon’s series, and A. S. Byatt represents England among a luminous cast of European contributors. Fans of the series will find everything they’ve grown to love, while new readers will discover what they’ve been missing!

Called “consistently outstanding” by the Lambda Book Review and cited for “glorious approaches to gay male sexual writing,” by the Harvard Gay and Lesbian Review, Richard Labonté’s Best Gay Erotica series sets and raises the bar in the 2012 volume. Gathering the hottest, freshest, and most literary fiction for the year, Best Gay Erotica 2012 captures the tenderness and raw energy of man-on-man desire. From the innocent but oh-so-beautiful boy next door to the “seen it all” gritty street hustler, these provocative and potent short stories will grab your attention and your erotic imagination

Pixie and Levi haven't spoken in nearly a year when they find themselves working―and living―at the same inn in the middle of nowhere. Once upon a time, they were childhood friends. But that was before everything went to hell. And now things are... awkward. All they want to do is avoid each other, and their past, for as long as possible. But now that they're forced to share a bathroom, and therefore a shower, keeping their distance from one another becomes less difficult than keeping their hands off each other. Welcome to the hallway of awkward tension and sexual frustration, folks. Get comfy. It’s going to be a long summer

She was the sexiest thing in a hard hat that architect Cody Johnson had ever seen, but structural engineer Abra Wilson also had a will as strong as a steel girder - and just about as flexible. But Cody had plans for Abra that not even this spirited beauty could resist

Best Lesbian Erotica 2010 travels around the world of lesbian sex with deliriously delicious stories that push lesbian lust and desire to new heights. Edited by Kathleen Warnock and selected and introduced by the the world’s hottest lesbian band, BETTY, this latest edition of the bestselling lesbian erotica series is thoughtful, surprising, and breathtaking. Featuring handome butches and flirtatious femmes and everything in between, these stories expertly blend sex and seduction with affection and desire. From inventive threesomes to seductive first-times, the women in these stories reveal all their pleasures in this collection of arousing and sensually lyrical fiction. Best Lesbian Erotica 2010 is the most provocative, authentic, smart, edgy, and hot lesbian erotica published anywhere

What are lesbians longing for? Playwright, event host, and editor Kathleen Warnock helps answer this question in her newest edition of this much-loved, best-selling series. Featuring work from some of the best-known erotic writers as well as the debuts of startling new talent, Best Lesbian Erotica 2011 welcomes back some familiar faces, including Stella Sandberg. Her story, “Manchester, 2000,” follows the European adventures of two studs on a long ride. Perennial favorite Betty Blue returns with “The Garden of Earthly Delights,” an encounter between a firespirit and a lost boi on the celestial plane. Cheyenne Blue’s “A Story About Sarah” travels to the antipodes, telling the story of a life-long love between a rancher’s daughter and a half-Aboriginal woman. There’s more… right under the covers of Best Lesbian Erotica 2011

Your every fantasy will be laid bare as you devour these sure, sensual stories. In Best Lesbian Erotica 2012, women are looking for a little bit of everything: love, lust, someone they can trust. In the bath, at the “toy” store, or in the kitchen, they’re ready to take a chance that could lead to the experience of a lifetime. This year’s guest judge is the Sugarbutch herself: Sinclair Sexsmith, poet, performer, impresario. Mr. Sexsmith has selected work from an international field of authors, from top names in erotic fiction, to outstanding newcomers. DeJay’s “Never Too Old” proves that an old(ish) butch can learn new tricks, even if it means showing her boxers to an impossibly young salesgirl. Last year’s judge, Lea DeLaria, slips between the covers of this year’s edition with her story about love… or lust… in an elevator. In “Skindeep,” Anna Watson tells the story of a femme who gets to the bottom of her lover’s disappearing acts. Best Lesbian Erotica 2012 is fully loaded, literary and lustful. Curated by Lammy Award-nominated editor Kathleen Warnock, this volume is long on variety and even longer on beautifully developed characters who are as interesting as they are interested in getting girls

Best Lesbian Erotica 2013 is about the trembling pleasure of anticipation as much as the moment when sex actually happens. Curated by Lammy nominee, Kathleen Warnock, Best Lesbian Erotica 2013 is as diverse as it is delectable—unlikely pairings appear as do sizzling hot one-time encounters and well-developed characters in well-developed relationships. Lesbians meet, sometimes fall in love, have a break up or two but always have lots of intensely great sex. Raw, romantic and always unforgettable, Best Lesbian Erotica 2013 will test your erotic boundaries and take you over the edge and into a world where fantasies become reality. Lesbian literary icon Jewelle Gomez (The Gilda Stories) returns to the series she helped put at the forefront of erotica. Gomez, who selected the stories for the 1997 edition of Best Lesbian Erotica, has returned once again to pluck the jewels of the best lesbian erotica around. In the words of editor Kathleen Warnock, “expect the unexpected.”

Hailed as “mesmerizing” by the Insight Out Bookclub, the world’s largest LGBT reading group, Cleis’ Best Lesbian Erotica is the standard bearer for the genre. Kathleen Warnock has taken the series to new heights of ecstasy with the 2014 entry which is sensational, sensual as well as being really smart smut. A Goldie nominated editor, Warnock collects stories from around the globe, giving this assemblage a fresh sensibility and new points of view. But what really sets Best Lesbian Erotica 2014 apart, however, is the characters; each woman is written so real, you can almost feel the warmth of their bodies in the bed beside you. Evocative and erotic, this commanding collection holds readers right to the very last page

The sixteen seductive sex stories in this steamy second volume of literary erotica from Asia are certain to entertain and arouse. Absolutely nothing is out of bounds, offering readers a glimpse into the erotic lives of Asia’s inhabitants. Well-known authors John Burdett and Dawn Farnham are joined in this collection of short stories by Miss Izzy, Lee Yew Moon and Alaric Leong from Singapore, Suzanna Kusuma from Indonesia, Amir Muhammed from Malaysia and by other erotica writers based in the exotic East. The stories in Volume 2 of “Best of Asian Erotica” explore erotica from a variety of angles, but they all celebrate the sensual in the sure voice of first-rate writing. “Best of Asian Erotica” is Asia’s sexiest short-story series and is a welcome and rich addition to the growing list of erotic literature in this most erotic corner of the world

Миллионы людей по всему миру прокачивают свои навыки, чтобы достичь успеха, повышают эффективность, пользуются инструментами тайм-менеджмента, выстраивают стратегии развития личных брендов, но… Мы забываем о любимых занятиях, если они не приносят прибыли. Мы забываем о мечтах, если они кажутся недостижимыми. Мы забываем о себе настоящих. Думаешь, между счастьем быть собой и большим успехом нужно выбирать? На самом деле, нет. Перестань тренировать память, медитировать, прорабатывать детские травмы, мучительно составлять списки дел и карабкаться по карьерной лестнице – перестань отвлекаться. Просто найди настоящего себя, расслабься и дай себе шанс. Майка Байера называют гуру перемен. Его книга уже стала для сотен тысяч людей дорожной картой на пути к самым смелым мечтам, грандиозным целям, важным открытиям. Невероятные истории перемен, уникальные методики доктора Майка, ответы на твои главные вопросы. Пришло время найти настоящего себя, дать себе шанс и позволить случиться лучшей версии твоей жизни

Springtime in Styria. And that means war. There have been nineteen years of blood. The ruthless Grand Duke Orso is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling League of Eight, and between them they have bled the land white. While armies march, heads roll, and cities burn, behind the scenes bankers, priests and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king. War may be hell, but for Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins, the most feared and famous mercenary in Duke Orso’s employ, it’s a damn good way of making money too. Her victories have made her popular — a shade too popular for her employers taste. Betrayed, thrown down a mountain and left for dead, Murcatto’s reward is a broken body and a burning hunger for vengeance. Whatever the cost, seven men must die. Her allies include Styria’s least reliable drunkard, Styria’s most treacherous poisoner, a mass-murderer obsessed with numbers and a barbarian who just wants to do the right thing. Her enemies number the better half of the nation. And that’s all before the most dangerous man in the world is dispatched to hunt her down and finish the job Duke Orso started… Springtime in Styria. And that means revenge

Чтение оригинальных произведений — простой и действенный способ погрузиться в языковую среду и совершенствоваться в иностранном языке. Серия «Бестселлер на все времена» — это возможность улучшить свой английский, читая лучшие произведения англоязычных авторов, любимые миллионами читателей. Для лучшего понимания текста в книгу включены краткий словарь и комментарии, поясняющие языковые и лингвострановедческие вопросы, исторические и культурные реалии описываемой эпохи. В этой книге собраны рассказы британских и американских авторов — веселые и грустные, о жизни, о любви, об удаче и о том, из каких пустяков порой возникают важные решения и непоправимые поступки. Вместе они складываются в причудливый калейдоскоп — неожиданный и удивительный, как сама жизнь. Но каждый рассказ, написанный выдающимся автором, поможет читателям улучшить свой английский. Книга предназначена для тех, кто изучает английский язык на продолжающем или продвинутом уровне и стремится к его совершенствованию

Bliźniacy Ulvar i Marco różnili się od siebie tak bardzo, jak tylko to między braćmi jest możliwe. Marco był piękny niczym młody bożek, Ulvar natomiast przypominał najstraszniejszą bestię. Ludzie Lodu wiedzieli, że każdy z braci ma do spełnienia specjalne zadanie, nikt jednak nie mógł uwierzyć, by jakiekolwiek dobro mogło przyjść za sprawą Ulvara, który był zły jak najprawdziwszy diabeł…

Por su capacidad para poner en evidencia el ridículo, pocos recursos artísticos resultan tan eficaces como la caricatura que revela en breves trazos lo animalesco y monstruoso que todos llevamos dentro. Juan José Arreola manejaba este recurso como pocos y en su Bestiario y en sus relatos breves supo esgrimirlo con destreza para señalar nuestras pasiones y defectos y ayudarnos a conocernos mejor