K.C. at the Bat is a fun, new, 2,800-word rhyming poem in an entirely original setting, but inspired by the classic 19th-century American verse, Casey at the Bat. It is designed for parents to read aloud to their young children, for children to read on their own, and (eventually) for children to read aloud back to their parents. Of course, it can also be enjoyed by adults!

Charlie Beresford would rather be doing anything this summer than hauling furniture for a moving company. Come September, he'll be leaving for college, away from the awkwardness of Augustinian Academy, away from his father's constant hints about prospective girlfriends. Then Kevin Conroy—the Mighty KC--joins the moving crew. A star baseball player bound for the big leagues, Charlie is shocked when cool, confident KC suggests hanging out, especially when KC asks him to stay over--and the happiness their connection brings Charlie. But the summer is changing Charlie--putting muscles on his skinny frame, compelling him to face hard truths, showing him how it feels not just to lose your heart but to break someone else's. Funny, sweet, and moving, Tom Mendicino's insightful coming-of-age story perfectly evokes that moment when you stop living life from the safety of the bleachers--and finally step up to home plate. Praise for Tom Mendicino's Probation "Thoughtful, textured and poignant. . .an exciting impressive debut." --Time Out NY "A smart, engaging, witty, sad and unusual book about the complicated nature of family and love." --Bart Yates

Ernest Thayer's beloved 1888 poem about fictional baseball legend Casey and the town of Mudville springs vividly to life in the present day. When young K.C. moves to Mudville with her father from New York City, she struggles to fit in at her new school. But it's through her love of baseball that she finally connects: an avid ballplayer, K.C. whips the down-and-out local team into shape, leading them all the way to the championship game, where she learns that there are things even more important than winning...

Regret is the Beginning; Horror is the Transformation; Tragedy is the Offspring. After seeing Wayland off to the afterlife, Joey's left grieving over the reality that her father and best friend are gone. She can't let it stop her though. She's got a job to do for Charon, her regular life to return to, and the complications brought on by having Jag carry her heart. She can't even focus on that when she discovers running from her problems doesn't actually get rid of them. Stalked by the ghosts of her Baltimore, Joey can't get away from her mistakes. Meanwhile, now that the badges can see her again, she's got a couple of things to explain, like jumping out the window at the station and why there was blood in her boyfriend's apartment. Telling them ghosts are real isn't enough; she has to prove it. Ralph seems like a good option as the guy who makes deals with death, but when she shows up at his bar, he's missing too. Time is running out on her credibility and with every second that passes, she risks sinking Jag's life for holding onto him for so long, the blood came off her hands and got all over him.

Pushing Petals Can Be Murder... 3 books. over 600 pages of Laughs, Mystery and Romance! The Final Arrangement Two fighting florists. One dead body. Can she catch the real killer before she’s planted in jail? Quincy McKay is ready for a fresh start. Finally free of her good-for-nothing ex, she can’t wait to grow her aunt’s struggling small-town floral boutique. But her hopes wither and die when her biggest competitor is found dead and she’s accused of murder. Teaming up with her blunt-speaking elderly friend, and a dreamy cop, Quincy desperately digs for clues to prove she didn’t do it. But her mother’s gossip network and the return of her crazy ex threaten to blight her investigation. Can Quincy unearth the culprit, or will she be buried along with her business? The Final Arrangement is the first book in the charming Flower Shop cozy mystery series. If you like quirky characters, bizarre cases, and a light sprinkling of romance, then you’ll love Annie Adams’ freshly picked tale. Deadly Arrangements Wedding bells are ringing and the groom has gone missing in small town Hillside. Florist Quincy McKay was all set for wedding season, until the groom from one wedding disappeared and the groom from another became the prime suspect. Hard for a florist to make a living on weddings without the grooms, and even harder for her to stay out of the investigation, when the suspected culprit is the fiancé of her truth-telling older friend and sidekick, K.C. All Quincy wants is success in business, a happy family and the perfect romance with Alex Cooper, the hottest cop in the state. Not necessarily in that order, of course. The trouble is, between Alex’s job and everyone else’s weddings, it’s getting harder and harder for Quincy and Alex to find any time to themselves. Every time the flames of passion ignite between them, someone or something shows up to fizzle the fire, including her meddling mother, her formerly absent father and even Elma, the handsiest waitress in the West. Just when Quincy thinks nothing else could go wrong, a ghost from Alex’s past comes back to haunt them both, which could keep them apart forever if someone doesn’t kill Quincy first. She stumbles into the clues to solve the case of the missing groom and finds a corpse as well, with the real culprit right on her sensible but stylishly clad heels, proving that planning a wedding can literally be murder. Deadly Arrangements is the second book in the charming Flower Shop cozy mystery series. If you like quirky characters, bizarre cases, and a little romance, too, then you’ll love Annie Adams’ funny, feisty mystery. A Christmas Arrangement It's Christmastime in Hillside, but holiday spirit is in short supply for busy flower shop owner Quincy McKay. She's in charge of the town festival and her shop's open house, but her Santa's a no-show and her flower cooler is on the fritz. To make matters worse, she's learned her ex-husband isn't as ex as she'd thought. Just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, her boyfriend, hot cop Alex Cooper announces his parents are coming to town. Alex is the perfect man in Quincy's book, unfortunately his mother thinks he's perfect too. And no woman is perfect enough for her perfect son, especially not the weird flower shop girl who works too much, can't cook and who she catches kissing another man in the department store. And what's this she heard about Quincy being married? Eleanor Cooper must help her son dodge a bullet (and not the kind from his job) during the romantic holiday season to prevent him from being ensnared in a regrettable relationship. Quincy's dignity (of which lately she's in short supply), her reputation, and every business in town are riding upon the success of the city's Christmas celebration. If she can figure out a way to make it work despite failing equipment, helpers as flaky as the falling snow, and a troubling and inappropriate Secret Santa, she might win the respect of everyone in the town, but more importantly, Alex's parents. If Alex can survive his loving but meddling mother until Christmas, and keep Quincy safe from her crazy ex-husband, with a little help from the MLM (Mormon Ladies Mafia), and K.C. the she-Santa, he'll arrange for the perfect holiday for himself and the woman who has captured his heart Buy The Arrangements to weed out a small-town murderer today!

In recent years researchers have discovered that bats play key roles in many ecosystems as insect predators, seed dispersers, and pollinators. Bats also display astonishing ecological and evolutionary diversity and serve as important models for studies of a wide variety of topics, including food webs, biogeography, and emerging diseases. In Bat Ecology, world-renowned bat scholars present an up-to-date, comprehensive, and authoritative review of this ongoing research. The first part of the book covers the life history and behavioral ecology of bats, from migration to sperm competition and natural selection. The next section focuses on functional ecology, including ecomorphology, feeding, and physiology. In the third section, contributors explore macroecological issues such as the evolution of ecological diversity, range size, and infectious diseases (including rabies) in bats. A final chapter discusses conservation challenges facing these fascinating flying mammals. Bat Ecology is the most comprehensive state-of-the-field collection for scientists and researchers. Contributors: John D. Altringham, Robert M. R. Barclay, Tenley M. Conway, Elizabeth R. Dumont, Peggy Eby, Abigail C. Entwistle, Theodore H. Fleming, Patricia W. Freeman, Lawrence D. Harder, Gareth Jones, Linda F. Lumsden, Gary F. McCracken, Sharon L. Messenger, Bruce D. Patterson, Paul A. Racey, Jens Rydell, Charles E. Rupprecht, Nancy B. Simmons, Jean S. Smith, John R. Speakman, Richard D. Stevens, Elizabeth F. Stockwell, Sharon M. Swartz, Donald W. Thomas, Otto von Helversen, Gerald S. Wilkinson, Michael R. Willig, York Winter

The mighty Casey is getting what any failed sports hero most desires: a second chance. He's got to prove himself after his last, disastrous game. All eyes are on Casey as he steps up to the plate. Will he finally bring joy to Mudville? It's a hilarious sequel to Ernest Lawrence Thayer's famous poem "Casey at the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic."