RetailNot every happily ever after comes easily. Some love stories are born in the dark...Cole Andrews knew he would be best friends with Libby Michaels from the moment he met her on the bus ride to preschool. As they grew up together in the rural Kentucky mountains, he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. But Libby had been hiding something and that secret puts her in danger. Cole vows to keep her safe but after 9-11 he goes off to war, nearly losing his life. He returns to Kentucky, determined to heal and start their lives together but Libby's past is threatening their happiness with deadly results. Cole has to use all his training as a soldier to keep her safe but will it be enough to save them both?Dark Mountains is a romantic suspense novella.From the AuthorI started this book right before my first child was born in 2004. Between kids, life and working on other projects, I finally finished Dark Mountains in 2013 and it was made available as an eBook July 2. Authors don't normally get published by taking years to write a novel between diaper changes and cooking dinner but for me, that's what it took. My family has and always will come first but the desire to write, to create worlds that a reader can escape to, has always been a passion. Although this is my first published work it certainly won't be my last! I hope you enjoy it! From the Inside Flap"Please, Pa," she whimpered, her eyes begging him. "Help him, please." He spit again but didn't answer. Libby looked back at me and I knew instantly what she was going to do.     "Libby, don't," I begged, my voice full of fear. Eyes locked with mine, she took a step forward. The snake hissed, its head moving with Libby's movement. Jackson stared at Libby and then back at me as she took another step forward.     "You've got to jump fast, Cole," she whispered as the snake shifted its gaze from her to me. "It won't be distracted for long."     "Libby, no," I begged again. My arms were shaking now. Fear welled up in my throat as she took another step.     "Stop!" Jacksonson shouted, making Libby jump back. "Move again and I'll tan your hide so hard you won't sit for a week." Libby's face paled but she didn't move. Jackson climbed onto the wagon without fear. The snake was still watching me as my arms shook.      He reached out just as my arms gave out and the hay bale dropped. The snake lunged towards me, fangs out. Jackson grabbed its head just before it bit into my leg. I fell backwards, landing hard on my ass. I shoved myself further back until I was up against the stack of hay. Libby rushed over to me, her hands going to my shoulders.     Jackson held the snake, its jaw snapping. He stepped towards us as he caressed the snake's head. He knelt down, snake in hand, until he was eye level. The snake's gleaming fangs were inches from my face. I felt the bile rising in my throat as little, black dots flashed in my eyes.     "You afraid of snakes, boy?" His voice was cold and empty. "Hmm?" He looked at me, his eyes dark and calculating.     "Yes'sir," I whispered, my voice barely audible.     "You'd better be," his voice was menacing as he ran a finger down the top of the snake's scaly head. "Keep your hands off her." The threat in his warning was unmistakable as his eyes moved to Libby's hands, still clenching my shoulders.     Jackson stood up slowly and stepped off the wagon. He laid the snake on the ground and it slithered away, silent and docile. He turned back to us, spitting into the dirt.     "Get off, both of ya," he growled, jerking his head. "Go home."     Willing my muscles to move, I scrambled up, stumbling to the edge and jumping down. Libby followed me as I ran to the edge of the tree line. Her pa climbed back onto the tractor and drove it slowly out of the field.     "Cole?" Libby put a hand on my shoulder but I shrugged her off as I walked towards the trees. When she started to follow, I turned quickly and yelled.     "Stay!" I saw her shrink back, dragging her eyes to the ground. I wanted to apologize but my need for keeping her away was stronger. I half-ran to the nearest tree, bent over and promptly threw up everything I had eaten that day.     When my stomach was empty, I gagged, heaving until the last of the strength left my body. I stumbled back and collapsed in the tall grass. I felt Libby's hand grip my shoulder and turn me towards her. Her face was pale but her eyes were strong as she forced me to look at her. I stared at her, seeing the fear leave her eyes, replaced by sorrow. Not uttering a word, she wrapped her arms around me. My exhausted body gave up as I leaned into her. She laid my head on her chest and I did something I swore I'd never do in front of her. I cried.

A warm and entertaining memoir about what happens when you foster fifty dogs in less than two years—and how the dogs save you as much as you save them. When Cara felt her teenaged children slipping away and saw an empty nest on the horizon, she decided the best way to fill that void was with dogs—lots of them—and so her foster journey began.In 2015, her Pennsylvania farm became a haven for Operation Paws for Homes. There were the nine puppies at once, which arrived with less than a day's notice; a heart- worm positive dog; a deeply traumatized stray pup from Iraq; and countless others who just needed a gentle touch and a warm place to sleep. Operation Paws for Homes rescues dogs from high-kill shelters in the rural south and shuttles them north to foster homes like Cara's on the way to their forever homes.What started as a search for a good dog, led to an epiphany that there wasn’t just one that could ll the hole left in her heart from her children gaining independence—she could save dozens along the way. The stories of these remarkable dogs— including an eighty-pound bloodhound who sang arias for the neighbors—and the joy they bring to Cara and her family (along with a few chewed sofa cushions) fill the pages of this touching and inspiring new book that reveals the wonderful rewards of fostering.  When asked how she can possibly say goodbye to that many loveable pups, Cara says, “If I don’t give this one away, I can’t possibly save another.” Filled with humanity and hope, Another Good Dog will take the reader on an journey of smiles, laughs, and tears—and lead us to wonder how many other good dogs are out there and what we can do to help.

'When I am disturbed, even angry, gardening has been a therapy. When I don't want to talk I turn to plot 29, or to a wilder piece of land by a northern sea. There, among seeds and trees, my breathing slows; my heart rate too. My anxieties slip away.' As a young boy in 1960s Plymouth, Allan Jenkins and his brother, Christopher, were rescued from their care home, fostered by an elderly couple. There, the brothers started to grow flowers in their riverside cottage. They found a new life with their new mum and dad. Yet as he grows older, Allan feels unsatisfied with the unanswered questions about his past. His foster parents were never quite able to provide the family the brothers needed, but the solace he finds in tending a small London allotment echoes the childhood moments when he grew nasturtiums from seed. Over the course of a year, Allan digs deeper in to his past, seeking to learn more about his absent parents. Examining the truths and untruths that he'd been told, he discovers...

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The short stories of Kingsley Amis - the great master of post-war comic prose - are dark, playful, moving, surprising and extremely funny. This definitive collection gathers all Amis's short fiction in a single volume for the first time and encompasses five decades of storytelling. In 'The 2003 Claret', written in 1958, a time machine is invented for the weighty task of sending a man to 2010 to discover what the booze will taste like. In 'Boris and the Colonel' a Cambridge spy is unearthed in the sleepy English countryside with the help of a plucky horse, while In 'Mason's Life' two men meet inside their respective dreams. The collection spans many genres, offering ingenious alternative histories, mystery and horror, satirical reflections and a devilishly funny attacks. Amis's stories reveal the scope of his imagination and the warmth beneath his acerbic humour, and they all share the unmistakable style and wit of one of Britain's best loved writers.With a new...

"There's one thing which I daresay you noticed—that pair of slippers half kicked under the bath were of men's size.""Yes, I noticed that, too, and they were sprinkled with blood." A man went calmly about his work while his wife lay dead in the house. After he is arrested and accused of the murder, doubt is cast regarding his guilt. Richardson is assigned the case.Richardson delves into the murdered woman's strange background, and becomes convinced that the law is holding an innocent man. With dogged persistence and courage he pursues the sinister figure who dominated the terrible business. Will he, in the end, with the aid of an initialled handbag and an initialled hammer, bring the case to a successful end and find the guilty person?Who Killed Stella Pomeroy? was originally published in 1936. This new edition, the first in many decades, features an introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans."Sir Basil Thomson's tales are always...

Some Bright Morning, I'll Fly Away is a deeply poignant memoir set in a post-Katrina Mississippi. Alice is returning to assess the damage to her beloved Mississippi coastline and the once-immaculate home that she'd carefully cultivated for her husband, Dr. Liam Rivers, and their three children. Liam is the town hospital's highly respected Chief of Medicine, for whom Alice willingly left behind her writing life in New York and vestiges of her modeling career in Paris, to become a wife and full-time mother. In the wake of this natural disaster, the tenuous balance of her marriage is lost as Liam's mental health spirals. When Liam violently attacks her at knifepoint, Alice is saved only by their three-year-old son. The author flees with her children and what ensues is an epic battle—emotional, psychological, spiritual and legal—for redemption, preservation of self and the welfare of her children. It's a battle that continues even as life goes on, finally coming...

Primo Levi was one of the most astonishing voices to emerge from the twentieth century. This landmark selection of his short stories opens up a world of wonder, love, cruelty and curious twists of fate, where nothing is as it seems. In 'The Fugitive' an office worker composes the most beautiful poem ever with unforeseen consequences, while 'Magic Paint' sees a group of researchers develop a paint that mysteriously protects them from misfortune. 'Gladiators' and 'The Knall' are chilling explorations of mass violence, and in 'The Tranquil Star' a simple story of stargazing becomes a meditation on language, imagination and infinity.

Chris Kyle—fallen hero and #1 bestselling author of American Sniper—reveals how ten legendary guns forever changed U.S. history.At the time of his tragic death in February 2013, former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, the top sniper in U.S. military history, was finishing one of the most exciting missions of his life: a remarkable book that retold American history through the lens of a hand-selected list of firearms. Kyle masterfully shows how guns have played a fascinating, indispensable, and often underappreciated role in our national story."Perhaps more than any other nation in the world," Kyle writes, "the history of the United States has been shaped by the gun. Firearms secured the first Europeans' hold on the continent, opened the frontier, helped win our independence, settled the West, kept law and order, and defeated tyranny across the world."Drawing on his unmatched firearms knowledge and combat experience, Kyle carefully chose ten guns to help tell his story: the American long rifle, Spencer repeater, Colt .45 revolver, Winchester rifle, Springfield 1903 rifle, Thompson sub-machine gun, 1911 pistol, M1 Garand, .38 Special police revolver, and the M-16 rifle platform Kyle himself used as a SEAL. Through them, he revisits thrilling turning points in American history, including the single sniper shot that turned the tide of the Revolutionary War, the firearms designs that proved decisive at Gettysburg, the "gun that won the West," and the weapons that gave U.S. soldiers an edge in the world wars and beyond. This is also the story of how firearms innovation, creativity, and industrial genius has constantly pushed American history—and power—forward.Filled with an unforgettable cast of characters, Chris Kyle's American Gun is a sweeping epic of bravery, adventure, invention, and sacrifice.Amazon.com ReviewGuest Review: Marcus Luttrell, author of Lone Survivor, reviews American Gun by Chris KyleChris Kyle is not a man I ever thought I would refer to in the past tense. No matter how much danger he faced, we always knew Chris would come out alive with an awesome story filled with close calls. To say I lost a friend this year does not say enough. I lost someone I looked up to as a frogman and Texan brother. He exemplified each word of the SEAL Creed, and he deserves the highest honor and respect for what he put on the line to keep his brothers safe from the enemy. I know there are mothers and fathers out there right now who are grateful their son or daughter returned home from war thanks to Chris Kyle. He saved countless lives. Whether he sat high on a rooftop taking out the enemy threatening his teammates, or if he was fighting side-by-side with a Marine platoon, his mission was always clear: “draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect his brothers.”Chris gave a piece of his life to the SEAL teams, but there came a time when he needed to refocus on his family. No matter how difficult his decision to leave the military, he knew he was doing was right thing for his wife and two children. He became well known after the much-deserved success of his first book, American Sniper. The way he handled himself under the spotlight and shared his passions are a testament to the man he was. Chris gave away the proceeds of his book to veterans and families of fallen teammates. He was the founder of a security company that was dedicated to teaching fine skills to law enforcement and other security details. He was committed to his family, he was committed to helping veterans, he was committed to several charities, he was committed to serving others. That was Chris. He lived by his own rules, and I couldn’t respect him more.I am so glad to see this important book, American Gun: A History of the U.S. in Ten Firearms, come to life, because it meant so much to Chris to get it completed. It’s a testament to his service, and it proves that he wasn’t a guy who just wanted to be known for his kill count. He had an incredible respect for his country, our history, and preserving the second amendment—he also had an almost unmatched knowledge of firearms. This book is filled with his passion for a fine gun, shows clearly how our national relationship with firearms got to where it is today, and reveals the many fascinating ways guns have shaped American history. It’s also a hell of a good read--full of amazing stories of American soldiers, cowboys, and heroes, from the Revolution, Civil War, Wild West, world wars, Iraq, and beyond. I have to pay tribute to Chris’s wife Taya, who wrote the foreword and afterword in American Gun. Taya is carrying the torch for Chris, their kids, and for those who he fought to defend. She has promised to see through all of the projects Chris left behind, as well as ensure Chris's memory is honored as it should be. I think Chris married a person who may be stronger than even he was—that’s saying something. With Chris’s spirit beside her, she is never out of the fight. Lastly, y’all should know Taya and their kids receive the author proceeds of American Gun, so buy this awesome book in bulk and share with friends.Review“Chris Kyle embodied what it meant to have a heart both strong and soft, and a commitment to country, family, and God. ... Kyle will continue to inspire anyone paying attention to his example.” (Dallas Morning News)“Chris Kyle was incredible, the most celebrated war hero of our time, a true American hero in every sense of the word.” (D Magazine)“A true hero.” (New York Times)“Chris Kyle has done and seen things that will be talked about for generations to come.” (MARCUS LUTTRELL, recipient of the Navy Cross and author of Lone Survivor)

RetailIn this enhanced/authenticated edition by Dr. Sue Eakin of the riveting true slave narrative that reads like a novel, you are transported to 1840’s New York, Washington, D.C., and Louisiana to experience the kidnapping and twelve years of bondage of Solomon Northup, a free man of color. TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE, published in 1853, was an immediate bombshell in the national debate over slavery leading up to the Civil War. It validated Harriett Beecher Stowe’s fictional account of Southern slavery in Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which significantly changed public opinion in favor of abolition. Now a major motion picture starring Brad Pitt, you can sync this e-book with our Movie Tie-in Audiobook performed by Oscar and Emmy winner Louis Gossett, Jr. Northup’s harrowing true story was authenticated from decades of research by award-winning historian and journalist Dr. Sue Eakin, who rediscovered the narrative in 1931 as an adolescent and made it her life’s work. Dr. Eakin’s enhanced e-book includes the original narrative plus over 100 pages of fascinating new background information based on her research and photos. A portion of proceeds from this book supports organizations fighting modern-day slavery in the form of human trafficking. To enhance your book and movie experience see our website listed in the e-book’s sample pages, where you’ll find instructions for downloading your free PDF Collector’s Extra for your library. SYNOPSIS: Hard working Solomon Northup, an educated free man of color in 1841, enjoys family life with his wife and three children in Saratoga, New York. He delights his community with his fiddle playing and antic spirit, and has positive expectations of all he meets. When he is deceived by “circus promoters” to accompany them to a musical gig in the nation’s capital, his joyful life takes an unimaginable turn. He awakens in shackles to find he has been drugged, kidnapped and bound for the slave block in D.C. After Solomon is shipped a thousand miles to New Orleans, he is assigned his slave name and quickly learns that the mere utterance of his true origin or rights as a freeman are certain to bring severe punishment or death. While he endures the brutal life of a slave in Louisiana’s isolated Bayou Boeuf plantation country, he must learn how to play the system and plot his escape home. For 12 years, his fine mind captures the reality of slavery in stunning detail, as we learn about the characters that populate plantation society and the intrigues of the bayou – from the collapse of a slave rebellion resulting in mass hangings due to traitorous slave Lew Cheney, to the tragic end of his friend Patsey because of Mrs. Epps’ jealously of her husband’s sexual exploitation of his pretty young slave. When Solomon finally finds a sympathizing friend who risks his life to secret a letter to the North, a courageous rescue attempt ensues that could either compound Solomon’s suffering, or get him back to the arms of his family. REVIEWS - Below are excerpts from the original 1853 reviews following publication of the narrative: “...the extraordinary narrative of Solomon Northup is the most remarkable book that was ever issued from the American press.” - Detroit Tribune “Such a tale is more powerful than any fiction which can be conceived and elaborated” - Cincinnati Journal “It’s truth is far greater than fiction.” - Frederick Douglass, writer, orator, former slave and abolitionist CONTEMPORARY COMMENTARY: “I can never read his account of his days in slavery, of his independence of spirit, of his determination to be free… without believing that it would make a difference in today’s world if our contemporaries knew of such a man as Solomon Northup” - Dr. John Hope Franklin, past president of the American Historical Association, best-selling author, recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (nation’s highest civilian honor). Written to Dr. Sue Eakin. ©2013 Eakin Films & Publishing (P) 2013 Eakin FilmReview''Its truth is far greater than fiction.'' --Frederick Douglass, writer, former slave, and abolitionist ''A moving, vital testament to one of slavery's 'many thousands gone' who retained his humanity in the bowels of degradation. It is also a chilling insight into the 'peculiar institution.' '' --Saturday Review ''I can never read his account of his days in slavery, of his independence of spirit, of his determination to be free . . . without believing that it would make a difference in today's world if our contemporaries knew of such a man as Solomon Northup.'' --Dr. John Hope Franklin, past president of the American Historical Association, bestselling author, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom ''The extraordinary narrative of Solomon Northup is the most remarkable book that was ever issued from the American press.'' --Detroit Tribune(1853) ''Such a tale is more powerful than any fiction which can be conceived and elaborated.'' --Cincinnati Journal (1853) ''(Audiobook narrator) Gossett infuses the words with a quiet, seething power.'' --AudioFileAbout the AuthorAuthor Bio:SOLOMON NORTHUP (ca.1808-1870) was an African American who was born a free man in Saratoga Springs, New York. In 1841 he was kidnapped after being lured to Washington, DC, and sold into slavery in Louisiana. Following his courageous rescue came his riveting memoir, Twelve Years a Slave, which helped cement public opinion in favor of abolition leading up to the Civil War. Dr. Sue Eakin first discovered the story of Solomon Northup as a twelve-year old and her research of the narrative became her lifetime project. This audiobook is her authenticated edition of the work. DR. SUE EAKIN (1918-2009) first discovered the story of Solomon Northup when she was twelve years old. Discovering that book on the library shelf of a plantation home in her native Louisiana determined her life's path. She went on to write her master's thesis about Solomon's story and, after decades of research, produced the first authenticated edition of the book in 1968. In 2007, at the age of eighty-eight, she completed a final, definitive edition with over one hundred pages of additional, fascinating information, never-before-published images, and unique maps related to the story. Reader (Narrator) Bio:LOUIS GOSSETT, Jr., is one of the most respected African American actors in film, television, stage, and voice-over history with a distinct voice that carries quiet authority. A triple-threat talent with an Emmy for Roots, an Oscar for Officer and a Gentleman, and a Golden Globe for The Josephine Baker Story, Gossett is in the upper echelons of elite actors. As an impassioned activist, he firmly believes in giving back to the community and has donated his performance royalties from the Twelve Years a Slave audiobook to his nonprofit organization, the Erascism Foundation, which focuses on planting the seeds of social tolerance with children and eliminating the stigma of racism.