Old Fantasy

It's the kind of news item you read at least a dozen times a year, wonder about briefly, and then promptly forget about. The real story is the one that an actor turned sleuth is able to uncover - to his peril! The story is a unique combination of mystery and time travel by one of the giants in the field of sci-fi. An actor and a policeman investigate when a number of elderly people are found dead of starvation. The strange things is they all had large bank accounts and a great deal of money in their pockets.

Mordicai Gerstein's portrayal of Philippe Petit's high-wire walk between the towers of the World Trade Center, The Man Who Walked Between the Towers, won the 2004 Caldecott Medal and was among the most admired books of the year. Now comes a memorable new work, a novel of singular insight and imagination that transports readers to the Old Country.

These unforgettable characters are depicted so clearly and accurately as to leave the listener guessing which stories are fact and which are imagined. And whether the teachers in these tales are smudged with the dust of chalk or caked with the mud of the field, their lives and lessons are faithfully recorded here in straightforward prose that evokes a special time and place.

In Hollywood it's not about what you know, but who you know. Norah Wintry is finding that out. You try running a talent agency full of wizards and shifters. Oh my. Who she knows is starting to pay off when she goes looking for answers about who, or what, is trying to sabotage her clients. But LaLa Land operates on a pecking order. Will anyone tell her what she wants to know, or will they run her in circles? One thing is for sure. No one wants to reveal who UrbanWurm is or where he is. Too risky. And it's more than a juicy role that's on the line.

It's a different kind of world now, full of quick hits and idle hands. Long forgotten are the times when life was simple and pure - well, until now. Take a rowdy group of old timers and throw in an apocalypse, and you have the makings for quite an adventure, when they are forced to rescue their grandchildren from the world as we know it and teach them the Old Skool way of life to survive.

Remember the stories your grandfather used to tell you about way back when? Remember laughing out loud as the stories got deeper? If you like to LOL, then this really is a book for you. Here you'll find some observations on life in general and people in particular, as seen through a collection of newspaper columns, presenting skewed, offbeat, semiserious, and sometimes amusing views of the world.

Sophie, Countess of Segur was a Russian-born French writer who lived from 1799 to 1874. This collection of stories draws on the rich heritage of French medieval literature, courtly love, magic charms and gallant deeds. In each story, the hero or heroine must undertake a quest or overcome a series of impossible challenges in order to reach their goal - often with the aid of magic. The stories are remarkably vibrant and well written, containing many elements of surprise and humour as well as chivalry and courtly romance.

Intimacy is an important part of every relationship. Getting to know your partner and connecting with them on a deeper level through communication and affection can go a long way to ensure a relationship grows into a strong and resilient love that can last for decades. While this book primarily focuses on intimacy in new couples, anyone in any type of relationship can apply the principles and suggestions offered here.

It was the Depression, and very few areas were as economically depressed as the rural South. The road in front of our house was dirt (mud when it rained), and with no electric lights and no plumbing, we lived a bare and stark existence.

A historical fantasy that blends ageless themes of friendship and love into a quixotic tale of mystery and faith. Set in 13th century England, Edric, a man crippled in body and soul, begs, steals, and sometimes plays a pipe to make a living. Against his better judgment, he saves the life of Azriel...a man who claims to be an angel.

For over a thousand years, the realm was at peace. The rule of law was handed down by the gods to prevent corruption from spreading and tempting a repeat of the past. Xander Arterius is an enforcer of the law. He has served the Citadel since childhood. Things are normal until he notices strange behavior coming from one of their own. His suspicions are aroused when an inquisitor, Kardin Baylon, begins disappearing for long periods and begins to investigate.

In the 23rd century, fossil fuels are almost exhausted, and Earth depends on energy from a swarm of solar-powered satellites. Conditions are harsh in the space stations that serve this network, and some of the crews rebel. They move away from Earth's orbit and build their own colonies, the "Seven Dwarfs", meant for life, not labor. The real beginning of the Space Age has come at last.

A married couple face eight years of separation as the husband goes off on a deep space mission. They knew it would be difficult, but they weren't prepared for the cruelty of the unknown. Coming to terms with new equations and ways of looking at the future is difficult enough, but can any relationship prevail when the only tie to the present starts to break down?

In 1866, a young Mark Twain went on his first international trip, crossing Central America through Nicaragua. His travelogues included a mysterious companion named Mr. Brown. But what Clemens didn't describe was Brown's satanic purpose in taking them on a journey back in time, meeting other travelers on the Rio San Juan, including Cornelius Vanderbilt, future Lord Nelson, pirate Henry Morgan, and Christopher Columbus. Will Sammy trade his soul for fame and fortune? Or will he rewrite history forever?

All her life, Sashi’s mother warned her not to get involved with werewolf problems. But Sashi, a witch who uses magic to heal sick and injured bodies, has never made a habit of ignoring trauma. When she meets an abused shapeshifter that no one else seems willing to help, Sashi will risk everything - including a budding romance with a human, Will - to save a woman who can’t save herself.

As a snowfall blankets 8th century Mosul, a Persian noblewoman arrives at the home of the scholar Dabir and his friend the swordsman Captain Asim. Najya has escaped from a dangerous cabal that has ensorcelled her to track down ancient magical tools of tremendous power, the bones of the old ones.

Two old farts surviving a grid-down apocalypse by fate or chance, or could be rotten luck according to their bickering, find themselves bound by circumstance of survival to live out their days together. Bad luck seems to be a daily occurrence for all in this apocalypse of no food, no water, but add to it a hurricane, pandemic, and old age, and two grumpy old men, and you have a story of resilience and humor sure to entertain you in a quarantine.

The Reality Beneath is a collection of short stories written by SULI Daniel Johnson. They are written in his distinct brand of science fiction that can be defined as stories that make you think. The Reality Beneath encompasses a good example of SULI Daniel Johnson’s unique style. He takes current topics and situations and looks at them from a new perspective. The genre is technically science fiction, yet quite often, it comes very close to reality broadening the perspective to look at things in a new way. It includes:

In the tradition of Edward Eager and E.L. Konigsburg, a novel about the excitement - and the dangers - of wishing. Tess and her brother, Max, are sent for the summer to their aunt’s sleepy village in the English countryside, where excitement is as rare as a good wifi signal. So when Tess stumbles upon an old brass key that unlocks an ornately carved gate, attached to a strangely invisible wall, she jumps at the chance for adventure. And the world beyond the gate doesn’t disappoint.

When Prince Kythar falls under attack in his own castle, he has no idea that his enemies are none other than the ancient Kaddim Brotherhood plotting to destroy his royal line. His inborn ability to control the elements is the only power that can stop this plot - but there is one problem. Kyth's fighting skills are no match for the Kaddim, leaving him no time to put his magic to work.