Absolutism in Renaissance Milan shows how authority above the law, once the preserve of pope and emperor, was claimed by the ruling Milanese dynasties, the Visconti and the Sforza, and why this privilege was finally abandoned by Francesco II Sforza (d. 1535), the last duke. As new rulers, the Visconti and the Sforza had had to impose their regime by rewarding supporters at the expense of opponents. That process required absolute power, also known as 'plenitude of power', meaning t...

In the vibrant heart of Miami, a city where wealth and beauty collide, Shane Williams – a billionaire CEO with a playboy reputation – encounters a woman who makes his heart beat in ways money can't buy. Lara, strong-willed and fiercely independent, has been battling the demons of her past, paying off a debt she didn't ask for with a resolve as unyielding as the ocean waves.When their paths cross at a lavish wedding, Shane sees Lara, not as the collateral she's been made to feel lik...

A schoolteacher escapes an abusive marriage and finds love on a blind date. Mary Jane’s new man, sure that riding a Harley will restore her confidence, ends up following the white lines with her through fifteen years of marriage. Traveling together, they learn to be partners, both on and off the road, until Dwayne is diagnosed with cancer. After losing her husband, Mary Jane once again must learn to live on her own—but she’ll never be the same again.

Sarah Beauhall has more on her plate than most twenty-somethings: day job as a blacksmith, night job as a props manager for low-budget movies, and her free time is spent fighting in a medieval re-enactment group.The lead actor breaks Sarah's favorite one-of-a-kind sword, and to avoid reshooting scenes, Sarah agrees to repair the blade. One of the extras, who claims to be a dwarf, offers to help. And that's when things start to get weird. Could the sword really be magic, as the "dwar...

Black Like That is a collection of poems about my experience as a Black woman in America. It reviews what I have learned from living in this skin, on this land, and all the ancestry that has followed me to keep me covered. It is an invitation to my folk to find themselves in these stories and for those who cannot ascribe to these identities, I invite you to consider another perspective. Black Like That in all of its iterations is an offering from all the voices in mine that had no space to...

A captivating historical novel set in post-war Casablanca about a young man marked by djinns who must decide where his loyalties lie as the fight for Moroccan independence erupts.Hamou Badi is born in a village in the Anti-Atlas Mountains with the markings of the zouhry on his hands. In Morocco, the zouhry is a figure of legend, a child of both humans and djinns, capable of finding treasure, lost objects, and even water in the worst of droughts. But when young Hamo...

2018 World Fantasy Award winner“The best book I’ve read in a long time.”—Brandon Sanderson, author of MistbornWhere is Wendy? Leading a labor strike against the Lost Boys, of course. In Jane Yolen’s first full collection in more than ten years discover new and uncollected tales of beloved characters, literary legends, and much more.A Scottish academic unearths ancient evil in a fishing village. Edgar Allan Poe’s young bride is beguil...

The New York Times bestsellerJane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker who always takes care of her own—no matter the cost....When Evan Trueblood blows into town looking for his wife, Molly, he’s convinced that she came to see her best friend, Jane. But it seems like the witch made it to New Orleans and then disappeared without a trace.Jane is ready to do whatever it takes to find her friend. ...

Three stories from New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter, starring shapeshifting skinwalker Jane Yellowrock.In Snafu, a young Jane shows up for her internship with a securities firm. But before she even gets her foot in the door, she’s accosted by two street toughs and is forced to draw on her new-found Beast-magic to defend herself…In Black Water, Jane encounters a dire situation involving an escaped prisoner and endange...

Rachel Lovik is a busy, high ranking woman with a husband who's a teacher and makes a lot less. She tries her best to live her life happily but she can't shake the feeling that something is missing. While at work, she's been trying to get promoted to Senior Director, and at home, she's growing more and more frustrated by her husband's lack of masculinity and his inability to pleasure her in bed.Rachel's assistant lets her know that they have a new intern who'll be traveling with he...

Rachel Lovik has a long day at the work conference, her heels killing her feet, and she has to watch her new young black intern being hit on by a young blonde executive assistant. It's not a fun day for her but she carries on, meeting various possible future clients and partners for her company.During lunch, she runs into another woman, a female executive at a larger specialized healthcare firm that's looking to work with the government. She hits it off almost immediately and is to...

Tina and her husband Jake are excited to see their son, Jon, visit during his summer break from college. She's surprised to find out that Jon is also bringing a close friend he met on the college football team. Apparently, Jake and Jon had already discussed this, but had forgotten to bring it up to Tina. She's taken by surprise and barely has a chance to respond when she sees a huge, young, hulking black figure walking behind her son. Jake is ecstatic to meet the college athlete sensation ...