Choking Back the Devil by Donna Lynch is an invocation, an ancient invitation that summons the darkness within and channels those lonely spirits looking for a host. It's a collection that lives in the realm of ghosts and family curses, witchcraft and urban legends, and if you're brave enough to peek behind the veil, the hauntings that permeate these pages will break seals and open doorways, cut throats and shatter mirrors. You see, these poems are small drownings, all those subtle suffocations that live in that place between our ribs that swells with panic, incubates fear. Lynch shows her readers that sometimes our shadow selves--our secrets--are our sharpest weapons, the knives that rip through flesh, suture pacts with demons, cut deals with entities looking for more than a homecoming, something better, more intimate than family. It's about the masks we wear and the reflections we choose not to look at, and what's most terrifying about the spells is these incantations show that we are the possessed, that we are our greatest monster, and if we look out of the corner of our eyes, sometimes--if we've damned ourselves enough--we can catch a glimpse of our own burnings, what monstrosities and mockeries we're to become. So cross yourselves and say your prayers. Because in this world, you are the witch and the hunter, the girl and the wolf. "Lynch mixes in childhood fables with waking nightmares, the result is electrifying; sometimes in a few razor sharp words; sometimes in longer numbered verses counting down the cycle of a damaged life. The silent cries of souls tormented to healthiness by pills and poultices, force fed by imperfect humans, echo in the silhouette of these poems. I smiled at the shadows unexpectedly delivered by her words, as will you."--Linda D. Addison, award-winning author of How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend and HWA Lifetime Achievement Award winner "This collection is not for the chronically disturbed, as fear is doled out in terse, potent portions. I got the shivers reading these unsettling poems."--Marge Simon, Bram Stoker Award winner, SFPA Grand Master Poet "Choking Back the Devil is unlike any other poetry collection you've ever read. Donna Lynch crafts beautifully terrifying worlds, packed with dense imagery and horrifying yet lush details. This collection will get your blood racing even as it breaks your heart." --Gwendolyn Kiste, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Rust Maidens "Some dark poets use their verse as a means to exorcise their demons. Lynch instead embraces her torment, nurtures it, and transforms it into equal parts hideous and heavenly. With a mix of wicked wit, carnal fury, and commentary that has sharpened its fangs to drain you until you're left with nothing but despair, Choking Back the Devil is essential sustenance for harrowed souls."--Chad Stroup, author of Secrets of the Weird and Sexy Leper

Hold your screams and enter a world of seasonal creatures, dreams of bones, and confessions modeled from open eyes and endless insomnia. Christina Sng’s?A Collection of Nightmares?is a poetic feast of sleeplessness and shadows, an exquisite exhibition of fear and things better left unsaid. Here are ramblings at the end of the world and a path that leads to a thousand paper cuts at the hands of a skin carver. There are crawlspace whispers, and fresh sheets gently washed with sacrifice and poison, and if you’re careful in this ghost month, these poems will call upon the succubus to tend to your flesh wounds and scars.?? ?These nightmares are sweeping fantasies that electrocute the senses as much as they dull the ache of loneliness by showing you what’s hiding under your bed, in the back of your closet, and inside your head. Sng’s poems dissect and flower, her autopsies are delicate blooms dressed with blood and syntax. Her words are charcoal and cotton, safe yet dressed in an executioner’s garb.?? ?Dream carefully.?? ?You’ve already made your bed.?? ?The nightmares you have now will not be kind.?? ?And you have no one to blame but yourself.

When Patrick McGoohan first starred in “Danger Man” in 1960 and as ‘Number 6’ in cult show “The Prisoner”, industry insiders hailed the arrival of an enigmatic genius and Hollywood beckoned. But who was this man who worked as a chicken farmer and bank clerk before becoming a hugely successful actor simply by chance? In this up-to-date biography Rupert Booth reveals the true character of a man whose off-screen behaviour matched his fiery on-screen persona. Why was he so puritanical, refusing even to kiss a woman for any part he played? Why was he so controlling over his work in “The Prisoner” and other productions? A timely exploration of the man whose declaration ‘I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, de-briefed or numbered!’ continues to resonate with audiences decades after it was first uttered with such conviction.

A hero’s journey starts with a single step—but what if that step rested on a broken foundation? When all you know about your world crumbles into ashes. When truth rests on a broken foundation. When what you believe to be true lies on a broken foundation. A book, a broken faith, a promise of hope. Never open a book without knowing what lies between its covers. When what you knew to be truth crumbles in the face of reality. When your heritage leads you to doubt all you’ve known. Diondray's Discovery is the first book in The Diondray's Chronicles that will transport you to the world of Kammbia, an imaginative and colorful world in which Diondray discovers his inner hero. If you can't get enough of rich new worlds, breathtaking adventure, introspective characters, and subtle social commentary, then you're ready to ride along with Diondray as he discovers his destiny.

Bianca Wells, the President’s daughter, experiences a close encounter with the aliens who invaded Earth five years ago. The Krinar are powerful, attractive, but also mysterious. There is one in particular she can’t get out of her head—the seductive Krinar Ambassador named Soren. With his hauntingly beautiful eyes and god-like body, he invades her dreams, spinning sensual encounters that leave her aching and breathless. But he, like the others of his kind, is dangerous. With impossible speed and strength, wielding incredible intelligence and advanced technology, the Krinar control this planet and every human on it. Bianca should want nothing to do with Soren. A single touch from him might cause an interstellar war. But after one scorching, forbidden kiss, she’ll risk everything to be with him. Soren came to Earth to ensure the survival of his people, but now he has one desire: to possess the brave and irresistible Bianca. Knowing he could destroy peaceful relations with the humans if anyone sees him with her, he takes matters into his own hands, rescuing her from an assassin. After one “big-bang” of a kiss, he knows he can’t let her go home. She belongs to him, and he will break every rule in his carefully controlled world to keep her. After their forbidden night of passion, Bianca enters Soren’s dark, seductive world. But her new life as Soren’s woman puts a target on her back, and her status as First Daughter only makes things worse. As enemies surface all around them, Bianca realizes she will have to trust Soren with her heart, even if it means giving up her freedom.

Following its defeat in World War One, Germany was a country in ruins. Inflation, poverty, exhaustion, humiliation and disillusionment wrecked the nation. Out of the ashes arose a man that promised to revitalise the country and give it back its dignity. He would deal, for once and for all, with the nation’s internal enemies – the communists and the Jews. That man, of course, was Adolf Hitler.?Read about how Hitler turned Germany into a one-party state, of his murderous reign and the descent into war and genocide.The Clever Teens’ Guide to Nazi Germany covers all the major facts and events giving you a clear and straightforward overview: from the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party, his domestic policies and foreign dealings, the racism and murder to World War Two and the Holocaust. ?Ideal for your “clever teenager”.

20th Century War and Misery.The suicide of Hitler’s niece, the assassinations of Malcolm X and Franz Ferdinand, the Battle of the Somme and Stalingrad, and the betrayal of Anne Frank – these are some of the stories you’ll find in Rupert Colley’s new collection of articles, The Savage Years: Tales From the 20th Century.?Covering World War One, World War Two, the Cold War, the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, and much more besides, immerse yourself in sixty stories from some of the key moments of modern (and a few not so modern) history.?Fully illustrated with 140 photos, this makes perfect reading for commuters, students or the curious.?A paperback version of this title is also available – an ideal birthday present for those who love a bit of war and misery.?Within?The Savage Years: Tales From the 20th Century, you’ll also meet Vladimir Lenin, Douglas Haig, Horst Wessel, Nikolai Bukharin, Fritz Haber, Joseph Goebbels, Joseph McCarthy, Rudolph Hess, Stalin’s mother and daughter, Leon Trotsky, Edith Cavell, Charles de Gaulle, Wilhelm II, Abraham Lincoln, Grigori Rasputin, and many, many more.?

The gifts were innocent… at first.After a traumatic assault, Hannah Novak returns to her home-town hoping for a fresh start. However, when strange gifts turn up on her doorstep, and a stalker fixates on her, she discovers that Blackbridge isn’t the safe?haven it once was. With no family left to turn to, she’s forced to seek help from the broody new cop in town.Ryan Kilpatrick has travelled across the country to create a stable home for his young son, but being a police officer makes that hard. He doesn’t need Hannah’s problems added to his own, yet her courage and vulnerability awakens the protector in him.With time running out, can Hannah learn to trust again before it’s too late?Because this time, there are no second chances.

A shapeshifter hero battles ancient spirits, a covert government agency, and his own dark past in a race to solve a murder that could mean the end of the world. Cree and Ojibwe legends mix with current day environmental conflict in this fast-paced urban fantasy that keeps you on the edge of your seat right up to its explosive conclusion. With an introduction by Charles de Lint. The Heroka walk among us. Unseen, unknown. Shapeshifters. Human in appearance but with power over their animal totems. Gwyn Blaidd is a Heroka of the wolf totem. Once he led his people in a deadly war against the Tainchel, the shadowy agency that hunts his kind. Now he lives alone in his wilderness home, wolves his only companions. But when an Ojibwe girl is brutally killed in Gwyn’s old hometown, suspicion falls on his former lover. To save her, Gwyn must return, to battle not only the Tainchel, but even darker forces: ancient spirits fighting to enter our world… And rule it. “An immersive and enjoyable reading experience. Readers will delight in learning more about Native American mythology, which is skillfully woven throughout the story. Smith’s novel is both well paced and deftly plotted—leaving readers curious about what comes next for the Heroka in the modern world.” — Publishers Weekly “What makes THE WOLF AT THE END OF THE WORLD such an engrossing read are the characters and Doug’s wonderful prose, a perfect blend between matter-of-fact and lyricism. I can’t remember the last time I read a book that spoke to me, so eloquently, and so deeply, on so many levels. ... I’ll be rereading it in the future because it’s that sort of book. Richly layered and deeply resonant. An old friend, from the first time you read it.” — Charles de Lint, World Fantasy Award winner

A ghost train carries a murderous secret deep through the North Georgia mountains. Betrayal colder than the wind blowing through the pines. A young girl with a burden a hundred years out of time.An old man’s tale of guilt and regret.A heartbroken woman caught in a mystery only she can solve.A boy long past living holds the key. Can unearthed secrets end the nightmare at last?

Akosua Annan is a confident and fiercely intelligent student at a posh girls' school in Cape Coast, Ghana. There she comes under the influence of a charismatic feminist teacher. Osman Said's background is very different. Upon the death of his parents, a police sergeant and an unschooled market trader, immigrants to the capital, Accra, from the impoverished north of the country, he is adopted by a retired school teacher, Hajia Zainab. After a spell as an apprentice in an auto workshop, he returns to school. There, finding the teaching inadequate, he becomes an avid reader and educates himself. Akosua and Osman are thrown together by chance in the course of a school visit to the slave dungeon at Cape Coast Castle. Their paths cross again as finalists in the national school debating competition where the subject is "The problem of poverty in Ghana is insoluble." They meet for the third time as students at the University of Ghana and as we leave them, it looks as if their relationship might develop into something permanent. This story won a Burt Award for African Literature in 2011. The judges commented: "This fascinating novel tells the story of how these two young people from disparate backgrounds are brought together as if by an unseen hand, in a process that teaches us about our history, our common humanity despite ethnic differences, the need to pursue our ambitions, the strength of human sexuality and the need for self-discipline, and, above all, the power of love."

An enchanted bookstore in a town full of magic.A story of childhood and best friends revisited.A town forced to face the music.A modern myth from a land before time.A charming collision of numbers and magic.Unwelcome change in a land of dragons. In this second fantasy short story collection from Kari Kilgore, she visits lands familiar and strange, mythological and fantastic. From Allsentia to Appalachia to Atlanta, from modern mythology to dragons to joys of distant childhood. Join this talented storyteller on a journey through magical bookstores and haunted towns, lands lost in time and friendships forged across new dimensions. Includes Odds and Endings, Dawn Visitor,?The Earworms, The Spider Who Ate the Elephant,?Little Five, and The Last Dragonkeeper. Odds and EndingsVisit an enchanted bookstore in a town full of magic.Chris Ramsey grew up visiting the Odds and Endings Bookstore in Lightning Gap, Virginia.Wandering the shelves. Finding endless adventures in the pages.Wishing he helped create the magic.Years later, Chris gets his chance.What would you do for the opportunity of a lifetime? Dawn VisitorA beloved dog brings a special gift, especially to a young girl’s life.One that lasts and endures no matter how many years pass.Toby welcomes Ellie home as only a first best friend can.A touching story of childhood and best friends revisited. The EarwormsWhat if your whole town had to face the music?Estonoa, Virginia. A lovely little town tucked deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains.Hiking and ATV trails. Kayaking along the scenic Clinch River.A thriving community focused on the future.Erin Evans loves her hometown, except for one thing.The Earworms.Will Erin find the answer before the music drives her and everyone else crazy? The Spider Who Ate the ElephantA Modern Myth.?An eerie natural phenomenon.In the distant past, in a distant land…Grandmother Spider faces a sad problem far too big and difficult for her to solve.The end of her family and all the creatures in her land.Find out how her triumph echoes from then to now, and into forever.A tale of compassion, survival, and love. Little FiveBarry Evans: An oddball in the oddest land of all.A gray-suited accountant navigating colorful hair, crazy clothing, and questionable businesses.After three months in Little Five, nothing surprises Barry anymore.Until the day he meets a true stranger in town.What happens when numbers meet magic? The Last DragonkeeperWyja, Senior Dragonkeeper of the Upper Abramshire Academy, tends to young dragons and keepers alike.Each group challenging, and exhausting, in their own way.Unwelcome change sets in when dragon birthrates drop to dangerous levels.No one knows why.Can Wyja solve the problem before it’s too late?

In his quest, Sabienn Feel and his brothers venture to the country of Turrland, a land that his homeland of Hayddland has been at constant war with. His mission is to seek the occult stone, the Symbol of Military Success and make sure it never falls into the hands of his Father who wants only to push the planet into the abyss of war. In this journey, he needs to seek a book that was once owned by a mysterious monk. ? But what of Turrland? Is it to be invaded or not invaded? And how will he react when in his attempt to get answers, there is conflict within his group and a much loved brother dies? Why The Sister Moons Swallowed Rage is the third of twelve books in the Sabienn Feel Adventures.??? Interview with the Author Q – That’s three books down. How’s the journey unfolding? A - The characters are evolving. The more adversity they face the more they grow. There’s significant skin taken off Sabienn Feel in this book. His character is gaining wisdom. It was a pleasure to write this third book in the series. Q – Any news on the next book? The fourth in the series? A – I’m working with the tentative title, “The Two Men Who Kill to Be Carbon”. This is actually explained on the final page of “Why The Sister Moons Swallowed Rage” and also explains why the first book “When The Stone Shepherds Awaken” had to be so long. It is to be a study into the hunter and the hunted. Twins, two men, have been assigned to kill Sabienn and his brothers. One man is Sabienn’s best friend. The other has killed the woman he loved. It’s a mission of kill or be killed. Q - What inspired you to write?The Sabienn Feel Adventures? A – I’ve always loved the idea of the epic journey. I’m acquainted with the book?Journey to the West?but was more familiar with the TV series in the 80’s based on the book called?Monkey. The idea of four souls travelling across a wide expanse of geography to complete a quest appealed to me. So I planned a series of twelve books to go from one place in the south of this space colony that they live on twice removed from Earth, to end up in the north, meeting danger at every turn. Q – Why does your main character Sabienn Feel grow wings? A - Good question. I wanted something very drastic to occur to these people physically. Something that would be difficult to hide and offer an immediate prejudice. The idea of growing wings constantly came up for me. There’s a Pearl Jam song I found inspiring that says, “And?sometimes is seen a strange spot in the sky.?A?human being?that was?given to fly”. And in my mind’s eye, I could see this figure. Almost like the Led Zeppelin Icarus logo but with bat wings.?But they couldn’t fly otherwise they’d hit the sky and the journey would be over in no time. I made them only able to swim because being submerged in water has elements of dealing with the subconscious. To me it satisfies all elements of those prophecy, fantasy, epic adventure type of stories that involve friendship and brotherhood. Q - So, why should readers give these books a try? A – Well I would say they were humour-filled, page-turning, epic, fantasy adventure novels which involve a quest. But then that’s what you would expect me to say. Why not try and read one of the books and let me know what you think? Some of the books are free so you’ve got nothing to lose.

A fascinating look into the life of King Frederick II of Prussia (also prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire Frederick IV of Brandenburg), and the members of his court.

This text was taken from 'Celebrated Crimes', a series of essays on famous criminals and crimes by the author of 'The Count of Monte Cristo' and 'The Three Musketeers', Alexandre Dumas. This volume is on Mary Stuart, better known as Mary Queen of Scots.

From the tear drops of angels. These writings come. These are the tears with-in the tranquilized warmth of our children. From the graceful willows spoken through the eyes of a dream-teller. Soft words dancing naked upon the wedge of feathers, for the people of the world. For with-in the corridors of whispering tears. The children sing to the soft morning mist. For the tenderness of love and happiness. So allow the shadowed moon flowers of our children to eclipse he wings of life around you. Yes these writings are of our children. The most wonderful reflection we will ever know. Illuminating the twinkling of precious memories. So thank the lord of evening prayers, for the gift of a child, is here.

First Class Phonics is a series of books designed to help children quickly become proficient readers and writers.These books use Synthetic Phonics, a high-quality teaching method recognised all over the world. In Synthetic Phonics, children focus on the skills that enable them to read and spell words accurately. They recognise the importance of every sound they hear in the spoken word and learn to blend these sounds so that they can read words from the very beginning of the program.It is essential that children develop the ability to hear, identify and manipulate individual sounds in order to read fluently. This book provides a range of fun activities to ensure this happens.Book 2 covers the sounds b, f, ff, l, ll, ss, j, v, w, x, y, z, zz and qu. It teaches the tricky words my, her, of, all, you, they and into. The last chapter contains a story that uses only words built from the sounds taught in this book.

These ten gymnastic lessons are designed to motivate children to develop their fundamental movement skills. They will help them to develop positive attitudes that enable them to become more confident and competent in their agility, balance and co-ordination while working alone or with others. Each lesson includes lesson objectives, a list of resources, a warm-up activity, an introductory floor work activity, suggestions for activities using apparatus and a cool-down activity. There are also ideas for extension activities, assessment cues and ICT opportunities with web links where appropriate.

A fascinating biography of the great Queen Victoria by American author, poet and lecturer Sara Jane Lippincott, better known by her pen-name of Grace Greenwood.

A fascinating look at the history of gambling and gaming, stretching from the modern age right back to the ancient world.

Diana, Princess of Wales is one of the most recognisable figures in history. However how much do you really know about the woman who stole a nation's heart? This quick-read eBook gives you all the information you need in easy to digest sections which cover her life from a young child through her ill-fated marriage and subsequent divorce, her relationships, charity work plus much more. Find out everything there is to know about the people's princess whose life was tragically cut short.