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Couch
by Benjamin Parzybok"Couch hits on an improbable, even fantastic premise, and then rigorously hews to the logic that it generates, keeping it afloat (at times literally) to the end."--Los Angeles Times"Delightfully lighthearted writing. . . . Occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, the enthusiastic prose carries readers through sporadic dark moments . . . Parzybok's quirky humor recalls the flaws and successes of early Douglas Adams."--Publishers Weekly"The book succeeds as a conceptual art piece, a literary travelogue, and a fantastical quest."--Willamette Week"Hundreds of writers have slavishly imitated--or outright ripped off--Tolkien in ways that connoisseurs of other genres would consider shameless. What Parzybok has done here in adapting the same old song to a world more familiar to the reader is to revive the genre and make it relevant again"--The StrangerA Spring Summer Indie Next Reading List Pick: Top 10 Reading Group Suggestions"Couch follows the quirky journey of Thom, Erik, and Tree as they venture into the unknown at the behest of a magical, orange couch, which has its own plan for their previously boring lives. Parzybok's colorful characters, striking humor, and eccentric magical realism offer up an adventuresome read."--Christian Crider, Inkwood Books, Tampa, FLA January 2009 Indie Next List Pick"This funny novel of furniture moving gone awry is a magical realism quest for modern times. Parzybok's touching story explores the aimlessness of our culture, a society of jobs instead of callings, replete with opportunities and choices but without the philosophies and vocations we need to make meaningful decisions."--Josh Cook, Porter Square Books, Cambridge, MA"A lot of people are looking for magic in the world today, but only Benjamin Parzybok thought to check the sofa, which is, I think, the place it's most likely to be found. Couch is a slacker epic: a gentle, funny book that ambles merrily from Coupland to Tolkien, and gives couch-surfing (among other things) a whole new meaning."--Paul La Farge"One of the strangest road novels you'll ever read. It's a funny and fun book, and it's also a very smart book. Fans of Tom Robbins or Christopher Moore should enjoy this."--Handee Books"It is an upholstered Odyssey unlike any other you are likely to read. It is funny, confusing in places, wild and anarchic. It is part Quixote, part Murakami, part Tom Robbins, part DFS showroom. It has cult hit written all over it."--Scott, Me and My Big MouthBenjamin Parzybok on tour: http://booktour.com/author/benjamin_parzybokIn this exuberant and hilarious debut reminiscent of The Life of Pi and Then We Came to the End, an episode of furniture moving gone awry becomes an impromptu quest of self-discovery, secret histories, and unexpected revelations.Thom is a computer geek whose hacking of a certain Washington-based software giant has won him a little fame but few job prospects. Erik is a smalltime con man, a fast-talker who is never quite quick enough on his feet. Their roommate, Tree, is a confused clairvoyant whose dreams and prophecies may not be completely off base. After a freak accident fl oods their apartment, the three are evicted--but they have to take their couch with them. The real problem? The couch--huge and orange--won't let them put it down. Soon the three roommates are on a cross-country trek along back roads, byways, and rail lines, heading far out of Portland and deep into one very weird corner of the American dream.Benjamin Parzybok is the creator of Gumball Poetry, a journal published through gumball machines, and the Black Magic Insurance Agency, a city-wide mystery/treasure hunt. He has worked as a congressional page, a ghostwriter for the governor of Washington, a web developer, a Taiwanese factory technical writer, an asbestos removal janitor, and a potato sorter. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with the writer Laura Moulton and their two children.
Cougar Bait (Cougarville #2)
by Evangeline AndersonSamantha Becker is a busy and talented trauma surgeon with no time for nonsense. Her sister may have a special Shifter Gene, but Sammie is fairly certain she doesn’t have it, and she’s happy with her life the way it is. She doesn’t need the complicated Shifter lifestyle, and she certainly doesn’t need Liam Keller: Alpha cougar, Mayor of Cougarville and undercover billionaire. She hates him, but Liam is unable to get the curvy surgeon out of his head. But the Shifter world isn’t ready to let Sammie go. She’s being stalked by someone who’s desperate for Shifter hormones, and Liam takes it upon himself to protect Sammie from harm. Things begin heating up between Sammie and Liam, but will they have to succumb to their inner animals in order to save Sammie’s life? Cougar Bait is fun, sexy and will take readers on an emotional thrill ride.
Cougar Heat
by Marisa CheneryPreviously Published Ellora’s Cave (2013) After four years of banishment from his cougar shifter family group, Taylor finds himself called home to take his rightful place. On the trip to Anchorage, he runs into some unexpected trouble with long legs and a body to die for. Suddenly, the long drive doesn’t seem so bad.Abandoned at a truck stop diner by her now ex-friend, Aspen seeks the help of an unwitting hottie when a trucker makes unwanted advances. Good thing the hunk is willing to act as her boyfriend, and to plant a panty-melting kiss on her lips to drive the point home. As things heat up between them, she’s determined to see how far they can take the attraction.Having taken on the responsibility of heir apparent, Taylor settles into his family group. Though dating a human is frowned upon, Taylor refuses to lose Aspen. The pleasure he finds in her arms isn’t something he’s willing to turn his back on.
The Cougar's Bargain
by Holley TrentHannah Welch doomed were-cougar Sean Foye to spend the rest of his life in his animal form when she refused to accept him as a mate. But an attack at the Foyes' New Mexico ranch ended with Hannah becoming a cougar, too. She strikes a bargain with the goddess who cursed him: Sean will be freed from his furry affliction if Hannah can find him a more suitable mate.Then the two are paired on a mission to root out a group of troublemakers, and as they work together, their icy feelings end up thawing quickly. Soon, Hannah's not so sure she should give Sean up. He's the only man who's ever made her feel comfortable in her own skin--and her own fur, too. Can she prove to Sean that destiny deserves a second chance?Sensuality Level: Sensual
Cougar's Conquest
by Linda O. JohnstonGwynn Macka hasn't seen Brett Sorrellson in over a year, not since their relationship had ended so abruptly. Not since the brilliant, sexy man she fell for learned her secret and she'd been forced to flee.Now Brett is back with an offer to join a covert military unit of shapeshifters, and the spark of their attraction is instantly reignited. Neither can resist sharing one last night of passion, but as a cougar shifter, Gwynn had been taught only to trust her own kind. Can she truly trust Brett with her secret...and with her heart?
A Cougar's Desire
by Marisa CheneryOn the hunt for the man who’d tried to kill his uncle, cougar shifter Jase runs into a little spitfire who throws him for a loop. She doesn’t fall at his feet. As his prey escapes, he realizes Katarina is a different sort of prey he refuses to lose sight of.Katarina is a loser magnet. Having resigned herself to never finding Mr. Right, she reluctantly agrees to go out with Jase. He’s sexy as all get-out and just the sort to hit it and run. But this man with the smoldering eyes and made-for-sin body passes all her tests, and she finds herself letting him in.As one night of passion leads to so much more, Jase’s prey comes back to claim what he left behind, and Katarina finds herself stuck in the middle.
The Cougar's Pawn
by Holley TrentEllery Colvard escapes her perfectly organized life for a camping trip with her friends, hoping for a tiny thrill. She'll settle for a distraction, but instead she gets swept off her feet. Literally.Alpha were-cougar Mason Foye needs a mate, even if he has to resort to drastic measures to get one. But when he and his brothers sweep up Ellery and her friends, the last thing he expects is a woman with a nasty bite of her own. Not only does Ellery know all about shifters, she's got magic. In fact, the little witch is a bit scary. What's more, Ellery isn't convinced fated mates exist.If Mason can't persuade Ellery that they're destined for a life of excitement together, he's doomed to spend the rest of his days in his cougar form - without his son, his family, or the woman he's already fallen for head over heels.Sensuality Level: Sensual
The Cougar's Trade
by Holley TrentAfter a month as a "guest" of the Foye gang, quiet nurse Miles Bennett is itching to be able to leave their isolated ranch. But were-cougar second-in-command Hank Foye wants to take her as his mate. If she doesn't agree to accept him, he'll be cursed to spend the rest of his life on four paws. With no family waiting for her back home, Miles decides to stick around - Hank is cute, and staying in town means she'll get to stay with her friends.Hank expected to be paired with Miles's brash friend Hannah, not meek and mundane Miles. But his goddess says this is his one and only chance for a mate, even if Miles is a liability in a world where shifters fight to lead and roam. Now he not only has to attend to Cougar affairs but play bodyguard, too.Surprisingly, the sweet young woman brings his long-repressed passions roaring to life. She deserves to be loved unconditionally, but he sees her as the embodiment of everything he can't have. Can he get his house in order to lead a group of restless Cougars and earn his mate's trust?Sensuality Level: Sensual
The Cougar's Wish
by Holley TrentA desperate entity trapped on the other side of an active hellmouth pleads for were-cougar Belle Foye's help, and she can't stop herself from running toward it, even though it means putting her own life in danger. As if that weren't bad enough, Belle is currently in heat, which means her body is acting in all sorts of ways her brain wished it wouldn't--particularly when it comes to her new babysitter.Former soldier Steven Welch has been tasked with keeping Belle away from the hellmouth at all costs. It's just his luck her inner cat has taken a shine to his human self. Not only is Belle a bit young in his world-weary opinion, but sticking close to her means he has no choice but to confront a fear of the supernatural he'd hoped he left in the Afghan desert.When the pair learns Steven could solve Belle's problem and rescue the mysterious soul calling to her, their differences collide. Steven insists he's no hero, while Belle wants to enter the hellmouth and end the trouble it's brought on her family once and for all. Will Steven's fears and stubbornness cause Belle to lose her fated mate and the one man she's ever trusted enough to call "partner"?Sensuality Level: Sensual
Could You Survive Midsomer?: Can you avoid a bizarre death in England's most dangerous county?
by Simon BrewAll is not well in the beautiful county of Midsomer. On the eve of its first Villages In Bloom competition, a man lies dead, smelling of damson jam. Who could have done it?Well, that's where you come in. Step into the shoes of Midsomer CID's newest recruit, choose your own path and decide which way the story goes.Will you get to the bottom of the mystery? Will you bring the perpetrator to justice? And perhaps most importantly of all, could you avoid an untimely, and possibly bizarre, death... will YOU survive Midsomer? Your task is to make the right choices, solve the case and - most tricky of all - stay alive!... Good luck.An official Midsomer Murders Interactive novel set in ITV's most celebrated and murderous county.
Could You Survive Midsomer?: Can you avoid a bizarre death in England's most dangerous county?
by Simon BrewAll is not well in the beautiful county of Midsomer. On the eve of its first Villages In Bloom competition, a man lies dead, smelling of damson jam. Who could have done it?Well, that's where you come in. Step into the shoes of Midsomer CID's newest recruit, choose your own path and decide which way the story goes.Will you get to the bottom of the mystery? Will you bring the perpetrator to justice? And perhaps most importantly of all, could you avoid an untimely, and possibly bizarre, death... will YOU survive Midsomer? Your task is to make the right choices, solve the case and - most tricky of all - stay alive!... Good luck.An official Midsomer Murders Interactive novel set in ITV's most celebrated and murderous county.
Council: Helga Finnsdottir Book II (The Helga Finnsdottir Mysteries #2)
by Snorri Kristjansson'For Vikings done right, come to Snorri Kristjansson' Mark Lawrence, author of Red SisterAfter five years on the road, Helga has finally settled near King Eirik's court in Uppsala, where she's well-regarded as a healer. She's even in a relationship, of sorts.But life is about to get a bit more exciting, for King Eirik has summoned all those who owe him fealty to the King's Council and tempers are already flaring. The body of an unknown boy is found near the river, but with delegations from all over the country arriving and rumours of an imminent attack, there are more important things to attend to than the death of a nobody . . .Only Helga suspects murder, until a second body makes it clear that someone is intent on breaking up the King's Council - and that a traitor walks among them . . .
Council: Helga Finnsdottir Book II
by Snorri Kristjansson'For Vikings done right, come to Snorri Kristjansson' Mark Lawrence, author of Red SisterAfter five years on the road, Helga has finally settled near King Eirik's court in Uppsala, where she's well-regarded as a healer. She's even in a relationship, of sorts.But life is about to get a bit more exciting, for King Eirik has summoned all those who owe him fealty to the King's Council and tempers are already flaring. The body of an unknown boy is found near the river, but with delegations from all over the country arriving and rumours of an imminent attack, there are more important things to attend to than the death of a nobody . . .Only Helga suspects murder, until a second body makes it clear that someone is intent on breaking up the King's Council - and that a traitor walks among them . . .
The Council of Animals: A Novel
by Nick McDonellFrom national bestselling author Nick McDonell, The Council of Animals is a captivating fable for humans of all ages—dreamers and cynics alike—who believe (if nothing else) in the power of timeless storytelling.“‘Now,’ continued the cat, ‘there is nothing more difficult than changing an animal’s mind. But I will say, in case I can change yours: humans are more useful to us outside our bellies than in.’”Perhaps.After The Calamity, the animals thought the humans had managed to do themselves in. But, it turns out, a few are cowering in makeshift villages. So the animals—among them a cat, a dog, a crow, a baboon, a horse, and a bear—have convened to debate whether to help the last human stragglers . . . or to eat them.Rest assured, there is a happy ending. Sort of.Featuring illustrations by Steven Tabbutt
The Council of Blades (Forgotten Realms: Nobles #5)
by Paul KiddWar cares little for the troubles of the aristocracy. As a terrible new weapon obliterates the age of courtly battle, an intelligent but plain princess and her companions--an addled young inventor and a kleptomaniac firebird--find themselves forced into a battle for survival in a suddenly very deadly world.
A Council of Dolls: A Novel
by Mona Susan PowerThe long-awaited, profoundly moving, and unforgettable new novel from PEN Award–winning Native American author Mona Susan Power, spanning three generations of Yanktonai Dakota women from the 19th century to the present day. From the mid-century metropolis of Chicago to the windswept ancestral lands of the Dakota people, to the bleak and brutal Indian boarding schools, A Council of Dolls is the story of three women, told in part through the stories of the dolls they carried….Sissy, born 1961: Sissy’s relationship with her beautiful and volatile mother is difficult, even dangerous, but her life is also filled with beautiful things, including a new Christmas present, a doll called Ethel. Ethel whispers advice and kindness in Sissy’s ear, and in one especially terrifying moment, maybe even saves Sissy’s life.Lillian, born 1925: Born in her ancestral lands in a time of terrible change, Lillian clings to her sister, Blanche, and her doll, Mae. When the sisters are forced to attend an “Indian school” far from their home, Blanche refuses to be cowed by the school’s abusive nuns. But when tragedy strikes the sisters, the doll Mae finds her way to defend the girls. Cora, born 1888: Though she was born into the brutal legacy of the “Indian Wars,” Cora isn’t afraid of the white men who remove her to a school across the country to be “civilized.” When teachers burn her beloved buckskin and beaded doll Winona, Cora discovers that the spirit of Winona may not be entirely lost…A modern masterpiece, A Council of Dolls is gorgeous, quietly devastating, and ultimately hopeful, shining a light on the echoing damage wrought by Indian boarding schools, and the historical massacres of Indigenous people. With stunning prose, Mona Susan Power weaves a spell of love and healing that comes alive on the page.
The Council of Mirrors (The Sisters Grimm Book #9)
by Michael BuckleyIn the final volume in the Sisters Grimm series, Sabrina, Daphne, and the rest of the Grimms and their friends must face off against the Master to decide the fate of Ferryport Landing--and the world. When Mirror fails to escape the barrier using Granny Relda's body, he turns to his plan B: killing all the Grimms so that the magical barrier collapses. In the meantime, Sabrina has gathered the other magic mirrors as advisors on how to deal with their mortal enemy. They tell her to join forces with the Scarlet Hand against Mirror, in exchange for offering all the citizens of Ferryport Landing their freedom. This final chapter is the end of the road for several beloved characters, but the conclusion is sure to satisfy devoted fans of the series.
The Council of Shadows
by S. M. StirlingIn the latest entry in the Shadowspawn series from New York Times bestselling author S. M. Stirling, Adrian Breze must stop the Council of Shadows from launching an apocalypse by any means necessary.
The Councillor
by E. J. BeatonThis Machiavellian fantasy follows a scholar's quest to choose the next ruler of her nation amidst lies, conspiracy, and assassinationWhen the death of Iron Queen Sarelin Brey fractures the realm of Elira, Lysande Prior, the palace scholar and the queen&’s closest friend, is appointed Councillor. Publically, Lysande must choose the next monarch from amongst the city-rulers vying for the throne. Privately, she seeks to discover which ruler murdered the queen, suspecting the use of magic. Resourceful, analytical, and quiet, Lysande appears to embody the motto she was raised with: everything in its place. Yet while she hides her drug addiction from her new associates, she cannot hide her growing interest in power. She becomes locked in a game of strategy with the city-rulers – especially the erudite prince Luca Fontaine, who seems to shift between ally and rival. Further from home, an old enemy is stirring: the magic-wielding White Queen is on the move again, and her alliance with a traitor among the royal milieu poses a danger not just to the peace of the realm, but to the survival of everything that Lysande cares about. In a world where the low-born keep their heads down, Lysande must learn to fight an enemy who wears many guises… even as she wages her own battle between ambition and restraint.
Councilor: A Novel in the Grand Illusion (The Grand Illusion #2)
by L. E. Modesitt Jr.L. E. Modesitt, Jr., bestselling author of Saga of Recluce and the Imager Portfolio, continues his brand new, gaslamp, political fantasy series with Councilor the thrilling sequel to Isolate. Welcome to the Grand Illusion.Continued poor harvests and steam-powered industrialization displace and impoverish thousands. Protests grow and gather followers.Against this rising tide of social unrest, Steffan Dekkard, newly appointed to the Council of Sixty-Six, is the first Councilor who is an Isolate, a man invulnerable to the emotional manipulations and emotional surveillance of empaths. This makes him dangerous.As unknown entities seek to assassinate him, Dekkard struggles to master political intrigue and infighting, while introducing radical reforms that threaten entrenched political and corporate interests.The Grand IllusionIsolateAt the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
A Counselor Among Wolves (Leader Murders #2)
by Liv OlteanoLeader Murders: Case TwoFive dead leaders, their bodies arranged in a pentagram. Treason, lies, and backstabbing. A make-believe affair that turns into a real mating. Timothy Sands is a PBI counselor, half-fey, half-elf, with a secret crush on Herman Weiss, PBI director. As a new chapter is added to the Leader Murders, it is Weiss's responsibility to investigate what seems an impossible-to-solve case. The other problem? Weiss is suffering from rages, and his only salvation lies in Tim's emotional-grid-balancing skills. They only have to pretend to be a couple for Tim to use his talents, and he owes Weiss a big favor. Piece of cake, right? The fey might be involved in the Leader Murders. Someone on the Council might be their ally, and another prominent PBI figure looks more and more suspicious as they investigate. The stakes are upped when Timothy's father, the Fey King, threatens to leave the Council destitute if they don't hand Timothy over to him. Weiss's brilliant solution? Mating Timothy and forcing the Council into protecting him. There's only one small hitch in that plan: instead of protecting one, the Council might decide to get rid of two.
Count Brass (Gateway Essentials #443)
by Michael Moorcock'War, albeit with the Dark Empire, was clean compared to this...' Years after the defeat of the evil empire of Granbretan, Duke Dorian Hawkmoon and his beloved Yisselda have rebuilt the Kamarg, the land once ruled by Yisselda's father, the late Count Brass. But their lives are turned upside down when the spectre of the dead count returns, possessed of the belief that he can return to life if he slays the one who led him to his death in the Battle of Londra: his former ally - and now son-in-law - Dorian Hawkmoon.
Count Drawcula’s Cartoon Fun
by Frank RodgersDo you want to learn how to draw and paint some really monstrous cartoons? Join Count Drawcula in his haunted castle and discover the spooky secrets of how to create ghosts and ghouls, werewolves and witches - and all manner of creepy characters. Follow Frank Rodgers' clear, practical and funny directions and you'll soon be horrifying your friends with deliciously disgusting drawings fo your own.
Count Geiger's Blues
by Michael BishopXavier Thaxton is the arts editor of a great metropolitan newspaper, and is a man whose aesthetic values are of only the highest calibre. But after an accidental dip in a radioactive swimming hole, Xavier finds his life changing as he is forced, step by step, despite all he can do, to assume the mantle and manner of a comic book superhero, and to be a living icon of the pop culture he has spent his life detesting.
Count Geiger's Blues
by Michael BishopCritic Xavier Thaxton detests popular culture. But when a wildly improbable plunge into a pool of radioactive waste gives him an allergy to High Art and transforms him into (of all things) a costumed superhero, he is forced to reconsider his values--and his life. This journey of self-discovery is assisted by Xavier's nephew, "the Mick,", a retro-punk teenager, by Bari, a high fashion coturier, who becomes Xave's lover, and by Tim Bowman, the creator of many "stalwart" superhero comic characters.