The Victorian era is often regarded as a very austere period, but Amorous Congress: A Collection of New Victorian Erotica demonstrates that this was not always the case at all. Award-winning editor F. Leonora Solomon has curated stories by outstanding contemporary erotica writers who reimagine the sensual sensibilities of the 19th century in decadent stories. Amorous Congress takes the reader to another time filled with poor houses and brothels, secret societies and manor houses—even some of Charles Dickens characters make an appearance. Languid, corseted and gloved, Amorous Congress is a titillating read that guarantees happy endings of all varieties. Starting with an entrepreneurial young woman whose sensuality leads her into an unexpected career, and ending with advances in technology that give the 21st century something to aspire to, Amorous Congress is our erotic reimagining of an era that continues to entice us.
Paul rolls into Hope—Population 1001—late at nigh on his thirtieth birthday, on the lam from his wife and a surprise party he has known about for weeks He is trying to escape the Big city and get some serious work done on his second novel, but finds the diversions of Hope no less seductive than those he has fled. One of those diversions is the two-hundred-year-old legendary fish, Ol' Mossback. Paul could hardly pass up the chance to land such a fish. He puts aside his work-in-progress in an attempt to discover the mysteries of Hope, with all its quirky characters, and to finally be able to answer the question, "talked with Ol' Mossback lately?"
Emily Dinwiddie knows full well that fantastical beings exist. Will Count Revay-Czobar be a fiend so foul she cannot bear to look at him, let alone ask his help? Valentin Lupescu, Count Revay-Czobar, is bored. When Emily arrives on his doorstep, he sees in this freckled, bespectacled spinster the source of more amusement than he’s enjoyed in decades. Mystery, mayhem and madness in the dark streets of Regency Edinburgh’s Old Town. Regency Paranormal Romance by Maggie MacKeever; originally published by Zebra as Waltz with a Vampire
Lucy Locket, the long lost granddaughter of a duchess, has never been a part of Society. One day, she was living a secluded life as the prisoner of a criminal, and the next day she was an heiress in a world she did not even remotely understand. She does not embody the typical qualities of a well-born lady...at all. She can't curtsy, she doesn’t hide her emotions, she’s too clever by far. But in three months, she must marry a suitor with a royally-bestowed title, or she forfeits a fortune—leaving her and the duchess in dire straits. All Henry Beaumont wants is to prove himself to Society and step outside of his half-brother’s shadow. So when the duchess asks him for a personal favor involving her newly found granddaughter—with a hefty thank you reward at the end—he leaps at the opportunity. It seems as if Lucy is trading one prison for another. Henry has now become a permanent fixture as her charming yet iron-fisted taskmaster and tutor in the ways of High Society. Like oil and water, Lucy and Henry spar in an epic battle of wills—and even rapiers. But Lucy’s past and her surprising, undeniable feelings for Henry may doom their undertaking if he declares his love for her...because without a title, he can never be hers.
Henry Coxton, a fledgling occult detective with one too many secrets of his own, has recently taken up stewardship of a ghost finding firm in the heart of Edwardian London. Along with his friends and associates, Violet Asquith (a telekinetic with a mysterious and troubled past) and Christopher X (a difficult but amiable monster), Henry must work to solve the agency’s most terrifying case. Secrets from the pasts of all three detectives begin to surface and threaten the group’s bond of friendship, as well as—it would seem—the very fabric of reality. Strongly influenced by the weird fictions of Algernon Blackwood, Lord Dunsany and M.R. James, The Ghost Finders explores the darkest corners of London’s occult realities.
"Though the book was first published in German in 1988, this English version includes many revisions and updates and will be the definitive English-language study of the Avar empire for years to come. It will be invaluable for those interested in medieval history or in the impact of nomadic steppe empires on sedentary civilizations." ― Choice The Avars arrived in Europe from the Central Asian steppes in the mid-sixth century CE and dominated much of Central and Eastern Europe for almost 250 years. Fierce warriors and canny power brokers, the Avars were more influential and durable than Attila's Huns, yet have remained hidden in history. Walter Pohl's epic narrative, translated into English for the first time, restores them to their rightful place in the story of early medieval Europe. The Avars offers a comprehensive overview of their history, tracing the Avars from the construction of their steppe empire in the center of Europe; their wars and alliances with the Byzantines, Slavs, Lombards, and others; their apex as the first so-called barbarian power to besiege Constantinople (in 626); to their fall under the Frankish armies of Charlemagne and subsequent disappearance as a distinct cultural group. Pohl uncovers the secrets of their society, synthesizing the rich archaeological record recovered from more than 60,000 graves of the period, as well as accounts of the Avars by Byzantine and other chroniclers. In recovering the story of the fascinating encounter between Eurasian nomads who established an empire in the heart of Europe and the post-Roman Christian cultures of Europe, this book provides a new perspective on the origins of medieval Europe itself.
“In a market that is filled with books that are soooo serious and formal, Lu sweeps in like that quirky, fun, irreverent big sister who can say anything and makes you blush. . .but who you might actually listen to.” —Shaunti Feldhahn, best-selling author of For Women Only “Every part I’ve read of her manuscript I’ve thought, “Wow! That’s good. That’s bold. That’s so darn helpful.” Many of the painful marriages that we’re hearing about could be solved with Lucille’s wisdom and challenges.” —Doug Fields, Author of 50+ books, including 7 Ways To Be Her Hero: the one your wife has been waiting for; Getting Ready for Marriage; and The First Few Years of Marriage (with Jim Burns). Sex advice. . . from a pastor’s wife? Oh my. Well, why not? Who better to give sound, biblical advice about what God actually has in mind for your sex life? From pastor’s wife and author Lucille Williams comes The Intimacy You Crave: Straight Talk about Sex and Pancakes, a transparent, surprisingly honest, widely informative approach to transform your sex life and safeguard your marriage. Many women struggle with their sexuality and, unfortunately, too many settle for reading about romance rather than living it out in their own lives. Within the pages of The Intimacy You Crave are relatable, real-life fantasies and desires of everyday women—but more important are the step-by-step instructions and straight-talk about sex from a pastor’s wife that will challenge and equip you to work toward a greater intimacy that infiltrates every area of your married life. Whether you crave something as simple as a pancake breakfast together after “makin’ bacon in the bedroom” or a deep connection with your husband unlike anything you’ve experienced before, Lu’s unprecedented insights and step-by-step challenges will increase your desire and deepen a sexual intimacy that overflows into every area of your married life. It’s time to say yes to great sex! Lucille Williams is an author, speaker, director, and coach who has been working with families for over 25 years. Straightforward, funny, engaging, genuine, and authentic, Lucille writes from her experiences as a pastor’s wife and deep devotion to her husband and children.
A Pocket Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue is a profane guide to the slang from the backstreets and taverns of 18th-century London. This slang dictionary gathers the most amusing and useful terms from English history and helpfully presents them to be used in the conversations of our modern day. Originally published in 1785, the Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue was one of the first lexicons of English slang, compiled by a militia captain who collected the terms he overheard on his late-night excursions to London's slums, dockyards, and taverns. Now the legacy lives on in this colorful pocket dictionary. • Learn the origin of phrases like "birthday suit" and discover slang lost to time. • An unexpected marriage of lowbrow humor and highbrow wit Discover long lost antique slang and curse words and learn how to incorporate them into modern conversation. A Pocket Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue is perfect for enlivening contemporary conversation with historical phrases; it includes a topical list of words for money, drunkenness, the amorous congress, male and female naughty bits, and so on. • A funny book for wordplay, language, swearing, and insult fans, as well as fans of British humor and culture • Perfect for those who loved How to Speak Brit: The Quintessential Guide to the King's English, Cockney Slang, and Other Flummoxing British Phrases by Christopher J. Moore; Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang by Jonathan Bernstein; and The Official Dictionary of Sarcasm by James Napoli
The Reynolds Pamphlet (1797) is an essay by Alexander Hamilton. Written while Hamilton was serving as Secretary of the Treasury, the Pamphlet was intended as a defense against accusations that Hamilton had conspired with James Reynolds to misuse funds meant to cover unpaid wages to Revolutionary War veterans. Admitting to an affair with Maria, Reynolds’ wife, Hamilton claims that the accusation is nothing more than an attempt at blackmail. This revelation not only endangered Hamilton’s career as a public figure, but constituted perhaps the earliest sex scandal in American history. “The bare perusal of the letters from Reynolds and his wife is sufficient to convince my greatest enemy that there is nothing worse in the affair than an irregular and indelicate amour. For this, I bow to the just censure which it merits. I have paid pretty severely for the folly and can never recollect it without disgust and self condemnation. It might seem affectation to say more.” Accused of corruption in his role as Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton was forced to confess his adultery, bringing shame to himself as a married man and supposedly honorable public figure, yet saving his political career in the process. Looking back on his affair with Maria Reynolds from a distance of five years, Hamilton expresses regret for his foolishness, yet wholeheartedly denies her husband’s accusation that he had been involved in his scheme to misuse government funds. Perhaps the first sex scandal in American history, the Reynolds affair sent shockwaves throughout the burgeoning republic, leaving many to question the motives and character of their leaders for the first time, though certainly not the last. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Alexander Hamilton’s Reynolds Pamphlet is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.
In the late sixteenth century, English merchants and diplomats ventured into the eastern Mediterranean to trade directly with the Turks, the keepers of an important emerging empire in the Western Hemisphere, and these initial exchanges had a profound effect on English literature. While the theater investigated representations of religious and ethnic identity in its portrayals of Turks and Muslims, poetry, Miriam Jacobson argues, explored East-West exchanges primarily through language and the material text. Just as English markets were flooded with exotic goods, so was the English language awash in freshly imported words describing items such as sugar, jewels, plants, spices, paints, and dyes, as well as technological advancements such as the use of Arabic numerals in arithmetic and the concept of zero. Even as these Eastern words and imports found their way into English poetry, poets wrestled with paying homage to classical authors and styles. In Barbarous Antiquity, Jacobson reveals how poems adapted from Latin or Greek sources and set in the ancient classical world were now reoriented to reflect a contemporary, mercantile Ottoman landscape. As Renaissance English writers including Shakespeare, Jonson, Marlowe, and Chapman weighed their reliance on classical poetic models against contemporary cultural exchanges, a new form of poetry developed, positioned at the crossroads of East and West, ancient and modern. Building each chapter around the intersection of an Eastern import and a classical model, Jacobson shows how Renaissance English poetry not only reconstructed the classical past but offered a critique of that very enterprise with a new set of words and metaphors imported from the East.
