The problem was the things I stored down deep started to fester and multiply. They rose up; I pushed them down. They were too deadly to expose, too dirty to air out. If I let even one escape into the light of day, they would all come tumbling out of their carefully sealed envelope and make a mess of this life, no - call it existence, I was trying to hold together. True life belonged to those who didnt hold envelopes stuffed with the terror and horror of a scared sixteen-year-old, turned angry twenty-two-year-old, turned bitter twenty-five-year-old. The thing is, I want to live. - J.J. Hansen As a teenager, author J.J. Hansen steeled her insides every time she walked into her mothers hospital wing. Years later, her poise under pressure earned accolades as she planned her fathers funeral. The Lavender Envelope is the story of what happened when she decided to quit being strong and move forward by going through the past instead of walking away from it. In essays woven with memory and metaphor she depicts the healing process that began when she tore open her envelope and determined to live.
From the national bestselling author of Murder on a Hot Tin Roof. Paige Turner’s skills as a crime reporter and mystery novelist have earned her an intriguing job opportunity. Sabrina Stanhope of Gramercy Park wants her to look into the murder of Virginia Pratt, a young secretary whose naked body was found in Central Park—with the understanding that Paige keeps her exclusive investigation off the record and out of her work for Daring Detective magazine. Virginia was more than a secretary—she worked nights as a high priced call girl in Sabrina’s employ. Should word get out, the resulting scandal could be devastating not only to Sabrina’s secret enterprise, but to some of Manhattan’s wealthiest movers and shakers. Now, Paige must become a daring detective herself, even if it means going undercover to entice the interest of a killer. Praise for the Paige Turner Mysteries “Prepare to be utterly charmed by the irrepressible Paige Turner.”—Dorothy Cannell “Great writing by a fresh talent.”—Nelson DeMille “Funny, fast, and suspenseful.”—Max Allan Collins
Enjoy life. Drink tea. Celebrate often. Tracy Stern is passionate about tea. She has created wildly popular lines of teas and tea-based beauty products and has hosted hundreds of stylish tea parties to celebrate all sorts of occasions. She has introduced a new generation to the pleasures of tea without any of its traditional stuffiness. In Tea Party, she encourages everyone to make their next gathering that much more special by incorporating tea into the menu. Starting with tips on choosing and brewing teas–from white and green teas to herbal rooibos and different black teas–Tea Party then shares more than seventy-five recipes, both savory and sweet, as part of twenty themed tea parties. Stern features classic tea accompaniments such as Scones with Clotted Cream and Cucumber-Mint Tea Sandwiches as well as novel recipes that use flavorful and healthful tea as an ingredient, including Homemade Potato Fries with Ceylon Tea Salt and Tea-Scented Chocolate Truffles. Above all, the focus is on fun, not fuss. The party suggestions are perfect for afternoons with friends, bridal and baby showers, cocktail and dinner parties, picnics, and brunches. A Mad Hatter’s Tea Party–for a birthday or an unbirthday–will delight kids and adults alike with tea sandwiches made with edible flowers followed by Eat Me! Cupcakes. Chai Breakfast Tea reveals a fantastic recipe for the sweetly spiced irresistible drink along with recipes for chai-scented pancakes and candied almonds. Ideas and inspirations abound for fabulous, easy, and affordable invitations, decorations, table settings, and charming party favors that tie into each party’s theme. Featuring beautiful color photography throughout, Tea Party is a hip, up-to-date slant on a beloved tradition, inspiring everyone to drink a little more tea, celebrate a little more often, and enjoy life a whole lot more.
A SLICE OF MURDER by Chris Cavender (Pizza Lover’s Mystery Book 1) From the Pizza Lover’s Mysteries, first published by Kensington. Praise for A SLICE OF MURDER “Pizza lovers will relish Cavender’s delightful first in a new cozy series.” Publisher’s Weekly “Cavender introduces a promising cast of characters.” Booklist “A delightful mystery—as filling as a big slice of warm pizza.” Armchair Detective “Saucy debut…with all the ingredients needed for an enjoyable treat” Lesa’s Book Critiques “Cavender is an ace at writing cozies.” Library Journal A Slice of Delight owner Eleanor Swift tries to deliver a pizza and discovers a dead body on the kitchen floor instead. Eleanor and her sister, Maddy, must work together to solve the crime and clear her name!
A varied selection of short stories by 18 notable authors who have shared some of their best works to bring about a mix of romance, drama, adventure, tragedy and a number of works to inspire the reader.
His body may be weak, but his dreams know no bounds. Will she be the answer to his prayers? England, 1864. Lord Felix Peergrave’s inheritance leaves him with little to celebrate. With his medical condition keeping him captive in his palatial home, what the twenty-one-year-old noble craves more than money is a bride. And while he’s smitten by a visiting beauty, he hardly notices the comely wallflower standing by her side. Honour Seaborn is resigned to her dependency. Destitute and at the mercy of family after her soldier father’s death, she agrees to play chaperone for her pretty cousin. And though she’s captivated by the nobleman besotted with her vain relative, she knows her penniless status robs her of any place in his heart. As Lord Felix discovers the real character of the belle and turns his attention to her demure escort, he fears being housebound would bore the well-travelled orphan. And believing she will never be a good match, Honour can’t imagine him ever reciprocating her growing feelings. Will the courteous couple take a chance on the grandest of loves? The Duke's Heart is a light Victorian romance. If you like unique leading men, strong and determined women, and slow-build relationships, then you’ll adore Marina Pacheco’s delightful courtship. Buy The Duke's Heart to trust in forever today!
If Dr. Eli Kurz accepts the offer of his Gatsby-like new friend, DiBene, will it end well? Those who love Breaking Bad, Intuition, and Lessons in Chemistry will understand.
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but when youjust need a few really good words, turn to the pros. These 66 beautifully photographed projects utilize words in interesting ways as their focal points. A Way With Words offers instruction in myriad techniques for adding words: stencils, stamps, metal letters, computer type, as well as advice on the best supplies available commercially.Features:* 66 word projects include greeting cards, tags, artist trading cards (ATCs), albums, memory pages, and more* Includes 4 sheets of top-quality cut-and-use ephemera orornamental embellished paper with 26 images and 25 quotes* Sample quotes are sprinkled throughout or you can use thetechniques described and write your own* Easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions are complemented by detailed photography* Produced for Leisure Arts by Banar Designs
A seaside eating contest. A cheating, song-stealing, all-around-no-good ex. And a chain-smoking unicorn doling out dating advice. What could possibly go wrong? It's time for the Seaside Family Fun Fair’s annual eating contests, and Zin's Circus of Unusual Creatures has been invited to perform as the feature act. Right from the start, trouble is brewing. Trouble that, to everyone’s surprise, has (almost) nothing to do with Fergus now referring to himself as The Love Guru. Besides foul moods over the weather, the decrepit state of the fun fair, and the sand wedging itself, well, everywhere, tempers truly flare when Molly’s ex-husband, Albert, shows up for the competition. Albert has a bad track record. He’s cheated in a previous eating contest, he’s stolen Molly the Mini-taur’s songs, and he’s got an ogre-sized secret that could destroy the fun fair. So, the moment the competition turns deadly, Duncan — dragon and amateur sleuth — has a long list of people who wouldn’t mind sending Albert six feet under. Problem is, two of Duncan’s friends are the most likely suspects. Matters only get worse when Duncan discovers Zin has agreed to a partnership that's smellier than a sack of rotting fish heads. And with Pepper so busy prepping food for the contest, she’s failed to keep up with Duncan’s omelet needs. Seriously, no dragon should have to sleuth in these conditions. Can Duncan find the killer before they strike again? Will Zin lose his circus to this partnership? What relationship disasters will Fergus cause? And what is up with those ogres? Find out in Beast or Famine, the latest installment of The Circus of Unusual Creatures Mystery series. ~ ~ ~ Although it's the fourth book in the series, Beast or Famine is a great way to jump into Circus of Unusual Creatures Mysteries. Set in a 1930s that’s just a tad different than what you’re used to, The Circus of Unusual Creatures is a delightfully humorous cozy mystery series that features a detecting dragon, an aura-spotting centaur, a chain-smoking unicorn, and plenty of other quirky characters getting into all kinds of trouble as they stumble their way through clues, crimes, and perfectly cooked omelets. If you like comic fantasy whodunnits that mix in laughs with murderous mayhem and mythical beasts, you’ll love, not only this silly story, but also the first three books in the series: Hoard It All Before, Tipping the Scales, and Fangs a Million. Story Note: While this cozy fantasy mystery is mostly clean, it does have a lusty, chain-smoking unicorn who makes more than a few naughty innuendos, a dragon who drinks, a tiny bit of mild swearing, and (obviously) there’s a murder or two along the way.
