From Limbe, the seaside city, to Kolofata in the north of Cameroon, Of Passion and Ink moves from stories of star-crossed lovers, mental health, dark fantasy, displacement, speculative futures to radicalization. These stories subvert what is believed to be the Cameroonian short story and offer exciting new directions.Selected from the Bakwa Magazine Short Story Prize, as well as commissioned, these stories herald new voices in Cameroonian fiction, by young writers who write in English and French.Stories by: Dipita Kwa, Bengono Essola Edouard, Monique Kwachou, Dzekashu MacViban, Howard M-B Maximus, Nkiacha Atemnkeng, A. Bouna Guazong, Rita Bakop, Momo Bertrand and Wise Nzikie Ngasa.
Blackballed from my job. Moved back to my hometown with my tail between my legs and family issues crushing my back. Slinging drinks in a dive bar. Yes, the past year has been hell. So when a man who’s temptation wrapped in golden skin and sin offers me one night of no-holds barred, dirty sex, I’m all in. I deserve it. But now those few unforgettable hours have me facing blackmail from my own father: He'll pay for my mom's medical bills, but only if I never again touch the man who has quickly become my obsession. Because the man? My obsession? He’s my stepbrother. Each book in the Sweetest Taboo series is STANDALONE: * Sin and Ink by Naima Simone * Passion and Ink by Naima Simone * The Scandalous Diary of Lily Layton by Stacy Reid
There’s sin...and then there’s “definitely going straight to Hell” sin. Eden Gordon is my dead brother’s wife, and being in lust her with pretty much guarantees that one day, the devil will claim me as his bitch. But it’s getting harder and harder to stay away from her. Because not only do we work together, but I promised my family—and him—that I would keep my hands off. My days as an MMA champion are behind me. But these days, “Hard Knox” feels like more than just the name of my tattoo shop. It’s my life. Because whenever I see her—and those wicked curves and soft mouth created for dirty deeds—it’s like a knock-down fight to maintain my distance. Only now I wonder if surrendering to the forbidden might be worth losing everything... Each book in the Sweetest Taboo series is STANDALONE: * Sin and Ink by Naima Simone * Passion and Ink by Naima Simone * The Scandalous Diary of Lily Layton by Stacy Reid
A deliciously dark, gorgeously written YA mystery that'll prickle your skin . . . and leave a permanent mark. There are no secrets in Saintstone.From the second you're born, every achievement, every failing, every significant moment are all immortalized on your skin. There are honorable marks that let people know you're trustworthy. And shameful tattoos that announce you as a traitor. After her father dies, Leora finds solace in the fact that his skin tells a wonderful story. That is, until she glimpses a mark on the back of his neck . . . the symbol of the worst crime a person can commit in Saintstone. Leora knows it has to be a mistake, but before she can do anything about it, the horrifying secret gets out, jeopardizing her father's legacy . . . and Leora's life.In her startlingly prescient debut, Alice Broadway shines a light on the dangerous lengths we go to make our world feel orderly--even when the truth refuses to stay within the lines. This rich, lyrical fantasy with echoes of Orwell is unlike anything you've ever read, a tale guaranteed to get under your skin . . .
WINNER OF A NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD A USA TODAY BESTSELLER "A gifted writer, astonishingly adept at nuance, narration, and the politics of passion."—Toni Morrison Set in London of the 1660s and of the early twenty-first century, The Weight of Ink is the interwoven tale of two women of remarkable intellect: Ester Velasquez, an emigrant from Amsterdam who is permitted to scribe for a blind rabbi, just before the plague hits the city; and Helen Watt, an ailing historian with a love of Jewish history. When Helen is summoned by a former student to view a cache of newly discovered seventeenth-century Jewish documents, she enlists the help of Aaron Levy, an American graduate student as impatient as he is charming, and embarks on one last project: to determine the identity of the documents' scribe, the elusive "Aleph." Electrifying and ambitious, The Weight of Ink is about women separated by centuries—and the choices and sacrifices they must make in order to reconcile the life of the heart and mind.
Controversy erupts in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, when the owner of the local bookstore tries to play peacekeeper—but winds up playing detective instead . . . Known for her window displays, Nora Pennington decides to showcase fictional heroines like Roald Dahl’s Matilda and Madeline Miller’s Circe for Halloween. But a family-values group disapproves of the magical themes and wastes no time launching a modern-day witch hunt. Suddenly, former friends and customers are targeting not only Nora and Miracle Books, but a new shopkeeper, Celeste, who’s been selling CBD oil products. Nora and her friends in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society are doing their best to put an end to the strife—but then someone puts an end to a life. Declared an accident, the ruling can’t explain the old book page covered with strange symbols and disturbing drawings left under Nora’s doormat. It’s up to Nora and the Secret, Book, and Scone Society to sort out the clues before more bodies turn up and the secrets from Celeste’s past come back to haunt them all . . . “Entertaining . . . packed with mystery, romance, and sisterhood.” —Kirkus Reviews
"What happens when rhetoric about immigrants escalates to an institutionalized population control system? Ink opens as a biometric tattoo is approved for use to mark temporary workers, permanent residents and citizens with recent immigration history--collectively known as inks"--Page 4 of cover.
Brought together across time by a love of story, three women in England fight to defy expectations, dream new dreams, and welcome love into their lives. As a counselor, Sophia Barrett is trained to help people cope with their burdens. But when she meets a new patient whose troubles mirror her own, she realizes she hasn’t dealt with the pain of her recent past. After making a snap decision to get away for the summer, Sophia moves overseas to an apartment above a charming bookstore in Cornwall, England. She is hopeful she will find peace there surrounded by her favorite thing: great literature. Bookstore owner Ginny Rose is desperate to save her business without asking for help from a husband who’s decided to take a break from their marriage. Ginny never imagined she’d be solely responsible for keeping afloat her husband’s dream, but the unexpected friendship with her new renter has her feeling more optimistic. Between the two of them—and Ginny’s brother-in-law, William—the bookstore might stand a chance. Then Sophia finds a notebook in the bookstore that contains journal entries from Emily Fairfax, a governess who lived in Cornwall more than 150 years ago. Sophia learns that Emily harbored a secret passion for becoming an authoress—as well as a deep love for her childhood friend, Edward, whose station she dared not dream to touch. Eager to know more of Emily’s story, Sophia goes on a quest—dragging Ginny and William with her—to discover the heart of the woman behind the beautiful entries. Soon Ginny’s need to save the bookstore becomes more than a way to save her marriage, and Sophia finds new purpose of her own. Together they find that sometimes both heartache and hope can reach across the centuries. "A historical mystery and sweet modern day story entwine to offer a message of healing, hope and second chances set in charming Cornwall." —Rachel Linden, author of The Enlightenment of Bees “In a delightful weaving of past and present, Lindsay Harrel creates authentic characters around a moving story that both inspires and encourages. The Secrets of Paper and Ink is about broken people, second chances, hope, and—my personal favorite—the incredible power of story.” —Heidi Chiavaroli, Carol award-winning author of Freedom’s Ring and The Hidden Side “In The Secrets of Paper and Ink, Lindsay Harrel explores the power of love—and how it influences us to make choices that bless others, as well as ourselves. Or sometimes, we can do just the opposite and make choices that harm us and others—all the while calling it love. Harrel pens an honest, true-to-life novel that’s woven through with the Truth that offers hope when our decisions—or the decisions of the ones we love—wreck our dreams for happily ever after.” —Beth K. Vogt, Christy-award winning author
Celia and Anya, friends who use tattoo magic to send divine messages, must rely on one another to survive when they discover the fake deity they serve is very real--and very angry.
