If he had been with me everything would have been different... I wasn't with Finn on that August night. But I should've been. It was raining, of course. And he and Sylvie were arguing as he drove down the slick road. No one ever says what they were arguing about. Other people think it's not important. They do not know there is another story. The story that lurks between the facts. What they do not know—the cause of the argument—is crucial. So let me tell you...
Today, you are browsing on your screen the second issue of our magazine. With great joy, we have gathered here unique artists who inspire us with their talent, life journeys, and meaningful creations. In this issue, we present works from authors all around the world: from Europe, America, Asia, and Africa. As you flip through the pages, you will see how we are, on one hand, different and unique, and on the other, how similar things concern people across the planet. The different tools and techniques used by the authors to convey their thoughts and feelings are understandable and readable to viewers from various countries. One undeniable and unifying truth for us is this: an artist must have a platform to showcase their work to the audience, and this is the mission of our magazine. Thank you very much for your attention, and enjoy the read!
In a celestial battle between duty and desire, Jophiel and Christine must navigate a treacherous path filled with forbidden truths, undeniable magnetism, and the weight of destiny. As a member of the Watcher's Guild, it is Jophiel's duty to observe mortals from a distance, ensuring the harmony between heavenly and earthly realms. But when he stumbles upon Christine Monarch, a pro wrestler with an elusive heritage and an untapped power, everything changes. Jophiel knows he should keep his distance, avoid forming attachments to humans. Yet, the more time he spends with Christine, the more he's drawn to her confounding personality, her infuriating stubbornness, and an irresistible connection that defies all celestial logic. But their union is strictly forbidden. Angels don't make friends, let alone soul mates, with mortals. As Jophiel battles with his growing affection for Christine, he must also unravel the mysteries of her lineage and initiate her into an ancient prophecy. Time is of the essence, and with every moment wasted, the world inches closer to destruction. Haunted by his own forgotten humanity, Jophiel must decipher the truth and convince the choir of angels of their undeniable bond. Can he win over Christine's trust and unlock her true potential, or will the forces of destiny keep them apart?
A virtual reality prank that goes terrifyingly wrong; a desperate father who will go to any lengths to stop his estranged wife from getting custody of their daughter; a brutal TV reality show that destroys one life too many. All these eight stories of the extraordinary, never before published, reflect the dangers and horrors implicit in the way we live our lives today, the dark side of 21st century life. All contain subtle twists in the tail, guaranteed to have you on the edge of your chair. Curses Come Home is a collection of finely-crafted tales in the finest literary tradition.ÿ
After a crossbow killing at a cheap roadside motel, Ozarks police chief Arly Hanks finds herself investigating her first murder case. Her marriage over and career gone bust, Arly Hanks flees Manhattan for her hometown: Maggody, Arkansas. In a town this size, nothing much ever happens, so Arly figures she’s safe as the town’s first female chief of police—until the husband of one of the local barmaids escapes from state prison and heads for town. And that’s not all. An EPA official with ties to polluting the local fishing hole has suddenly vanished off the face of the earth. As if two manhunts aren’t enough to contend with, a body has been discovered at the pay-by-the-hour Flamingo Motel, shot clean through the neck with an arrow. For some reason, Maggody’s residents—all 755 of them—have gone tight-lipped, stonewalling Arly’s investigations, and Arly hasn’t a soul to trust but her half-wit deputy. Now, as Maggody’s finest, she’ll have to show a little muscle and a lot of cunning to curtail the inhospitable mountain malice that’s overtaken her town. And she’ll have to watch her own back every step of the way. From Agatha Award–winning author Joan Hess, Malice in Maggody is the novel that introduced police chief Arly Hanks—the indomitable sleuth of the popular and long-running Maggody series. Malice in Maggody is the 1st book in the Arly Hanks Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
Author Lindsay Wincherauk is down on his luck and headed for midlife collapse. Working two dismal jobs to pay his trendy Yaletown rent, grieving the sudden loss of two friends and family members, and dumped by the love of his life - Lindsay looks for the nearest exit. He decides on a whim to escape to Europe with his buddy Dave. By a twist of fate, his life turns completely upside down when he attempts to renew his passport and discovers he's the main character in a dark family secret. Reeling from the shock, Lindsay grabs his bags and blasts through 11 countries in 31 days. Wincherauk's story moves at breakneck speed as the author describes his flight through pain and madness, spinning into surreal side trips where he meets an inferno of wild characters. Back in Vancouver, while driving a suicidal man to work, a light goes on and Lindsay knows what he must do: write his story. He's come precariously close to self-destructing and knows that until the hidden pieces of his life are uncovered, something would be missing. Writing his way through the dark chapters, with wit and candour, he breaks through to the other side - ""reborn"".
Police chief Arly Hanks investigates murder in her Ozark hometown in three books of a beloved series by an Agatha Award–winning author. Her marriage and career over, Arly Hanks heads home to Maggody, Arkansas, for a fresh start. Not much ever happens in a village this size, so Arly figures her new job as chief of police will be pretty quiet. But the seemingly peaceful Maggody residents have a few secrets of their own . . . Malice in Maggody: Something stinks, and it’s not the polluted fishing hole. An escaped convict is coming home to roost, an infamous EPA agent has disappeared, and there’s a corpse with an arrow in its neck at a nearby seedy motel. Now it’s up to Arly and her half-witted deputy, Paulie, to discover the source of the rot. Mischief in Maggody: Maggody’s population is suddenly booming, and among its new residents are a doom-obsessed psychic and a handsome high school guidance counselor. But after a local moonshiner and prostitute are found dead in a booby-trapped field of cannabis, Arly must root out the killer before they make another deadly deduction. Much Ado in Maggody: The bank president’s playboy son, Brandon Bernswallow, is now the head teller, and his sexist behavior has women ready to tell him off. When the bank burns down with Bernswallow inside, Arly must quickly uncover what really happened if she hopes to cool the town’s tensions.
The end of the world is only the beginning. A waterborne disease has contaminated the world’s fresh water, decimating the human race. Seventeen-year-old Eli McShane and his friends flee the chaos and violence in Phoenix and journey north toward the rumored location of a safe water source. They add several to their number, including the mysterious Hannah, who is being hunted by a dangerous man. Desperation brings out the worst in many of the travelers, infecting even those closest to Eli. When division comes, will he be able to hold his group together or will each fall victim to their own thirst for survival? Join some old friends from Glenrock and Jack's Peak in this thrilling first book of the Thirst Duology. Best-selling author Jill Williamson has brought back the breathtaking suspense of The Safe Lands series in this chilling prequel that will leave readers panting for the next installment. Print length: 270 pages.
The New York Times Bestseller Recently retired WWE superstar AJ Mendez Brooks is a powerhouse—strong, quirky, and totally confident. But that wasn’t always the case. With humor and tremendous heart, she opens up for the first time about her harrowing struggle to understand her demons and the diagnosis that helped her gain control over her life. Everything I was told should be my greatest insecurities and weaknesses, everything that I’ve been labeled—SHORT, NERDY, SKINNY, WEAK, IMPULSIVE, UGLY, TOMBOY, POOR, REBEL, LOUD, FREAK, CRAZY—turned out to be my greatest strengths. I didn’t become successful in spite of them. I became successful because of them. Growing up AJ was a quiet girl trying to act “normal” when she felt anything but. As her family struggled with drug addiction, poverty, and mental illness, she found escape through comic books and video games, and was inspired by the tough and unconventional female characters. It wasn’t until she discovered pro wrestling that she learned superheroes could be real. Determined to become the superhero she’d always admired, AJ trained and sacrificed for years to achieve her dream of wrestling professionally. Yet she quickly faced industry pressure to play the role of the damsel in distress and to dress more provocatively to cater to male fans. But she fought back and created an ass-kicking alter ego that was a genuine representation of herself: nerdy, enthusiastic, and a little bit crazy. With humor and tremendous heart, AJ opens up for the first time about her harrowing struggle to understand her demons and the mental illness diagnosis that helped her gain control over her life. What most people view as a hardship, AJ embraced as inspiration for her superhero persona, shattering the stigma attached to mental illness. Charting her journey from a scrappy girl in an unstable home to an empowered wrestling champion, Crazy Is My Superpower is an unflinchingly honest story and brave confessional about her long road to self-acceptance.
Award-winning artist Harriet de Winton shows you how to create contemporary watercolour artworks to treasure and share. Through more than 30 step-by-step projects, discover how to paint individual flowers and foliage, as well as beautiful botanical compositions. Use your new skills to make art for your wall, unique cards, invitations, or simply paint for pleasure.
