Who is really controlling the pen?Editor Daniel Halpern was profoundly curious about the creative process—so he asked fifty-five world-renowned writers to briefly muse on "the fictional persona behind the scenes," the alter(ed) ego who takes over when there is true literary work to be done. And the writers responded in a myriad of ways. Margaret Atwood, Frank Conroy, William Gass, Czeslaw Milosz, Susan Sontag, James Michener, Joyce Carol Oates, and others offered snap-shot reflecti...

In this truly inspiring book, Mark Nepo offers us all an invitation to stand by the courage of our convictions in challenging times. Through the stories of ordinary people, political activists, artists, writers, spiritual teachers from a variety of traditions, Mark Nepo shows how we too can discover our own inner courage. Finding Inner Courage is divided into three sections finding our inner core, standing by our inner core, and sustaining the practice of living from that place. Each of th...

“Vastly informative and vastly entertaining…A scholarly and fascinating book.” —Los Angeles TimesWith dazzling wit and astonishing insight, Bill Bryson explores the remarkable history, eccentricities, resilience and sheer fun of the English language.From the first descent of the larynx into the throat (why you can talk but your dog can’t), to the fine lost art of swearing, Bryson explores English grammar and word origins as he tell...

A howling good mystery by the Agatha Award finalist: “Fans will roll over with joy.”—Publishers WeeklyIt’s summer in Connecticut, and Melanie Travis’s life has become an endless string of dog shows, soccer camp, and the antics of her energetic toddler. She hardly has time to pay much attention to her Aunt Peg's new protégé, Nick Walden, a self-proclaimed “dog whisperer” with an uncanny gift for decoding dog-speak. The well-heeled dog owners of Fairfield Co...

“Grant’s experience as an archeologist makes Grave Danger come alive as the reader digs through rich details and a complex plot. A great discovery!” - Theresa Ragan, New York Times Bestselling AuthorShe’s being stalked…After struggling to recover from a career-crippling mistake, archaeologist Libby Maitland has landed the project of her dreams—a data recovery excavation in a picturesque, historic sawmill town. Tasked with digging up secrets of the town’s f...

AS CHILDREN THEY PLAYED GAMES OF MYTH AND MAGIC…Veronica Kent fell in love with Caith Breckwood when they were children. As a teenager, she was certain he was the man she was destined to marry. But a traumatic event from Caith's past led him to fear a future together. He left Veronica, hoping to save her from a terrible fate. Twelve years later, Caith, now a P.I., is hired to investigate bizarre incidents at the secluded retreat Veronica manages. Returning to his h...

A complex, adult epic fantasy from a new Australian author ... original, dramatic, unputdownable ...Sierra has a despised and forbidden gift - she raises power from the suffering of others.Enslaved by the king's torturer, Sierra escapes, barely keeping ahead of Rasten, the man sent to hunt her down. Then she falls in with dangerous company: the fugitive Prince Cammarian and his crippled foster-brother, Isidro.But Rasten is not the only enemy hunting them in the froz...

Digital “boxed set” of the first three novels in the USA-Today and Kobo Top-5 bestselling Leigh Koslow cozy mystery series!Put your puzzle-solving skills to the test as you follow the humorous travails of advertising copywriter Leigh Koslow, her veterinarian father, a certifiable cast of friends and relatives, and their motley assortment of pets. Set in the Pittsburgh borough of Avalon, these captivating, intelligent mysteries have sold nearly half a million copies...

New York Times**-Bestselling Author: Folks love spending the holidays in this sunny California town—but a sudden death has cast a cloud of suspicion…**As owner of Coffee, Books, and More in South Cove, California, Jill Gardner looks forward to the hustle and bustle of holiday shoppers. But when the mayor ropes her into being liaison for a new work program, ’tis the season to be wary. Local businesses are afraid the interns will be delinquents, punks, or wo...

‘A perfect story to read now the colder weather is drawing in’ - Book Reviews by ClaireDo you believe in ghost stories?‘I’m coming to find you, ready or not.’There's not much that scares Annie Graham. Not even the horrors she has witnessed during her years on the police force.When she agrees to look after her brother's farmhouse, she finds herself drawn to the crumbling old mansion in the woods nearby. But an innocent exploration of...

Auld Acquaintance is the story of a woman in her 60s who has lost her confidence through life events, including a divorce. Anna has a part-time job in a library, and a group of good friends, but her hopes for a brighter future are growing dim.Unexpectedly, she receives a legal letter informing her that she has inherited a piece of property in Scotland. Her first instinct is to ignore this letter as she has no knowledge of the person named as the owner.Anna's friends persuad...

Afghan-American Nadia Hashimi's literary debut novel is a searing tale of powerlessness, fate, and the freedom to control one's own fate that combines the cultural flavor and emotional resonance of the works of Khaled Hosseini, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Lisa See.In Kabul, 2007, with a drug-addicted father and no brothers, Rahima and her sisters can only sporadically attend school, and can rarely leave the house. Their only hope lies in the ancient custom of bacha posh, which allows young ...