London, 1858: a child is dead, a man is blamed, and dragged through hell - why is he persecuted and who is his persecutor? Purefinder is a Gothic-horror historical thriller with a metaphysical edge; a circadian, Dantean exploration of London, loss, and fraternity; mystery, blood, mud, and guts combined; Rabelaisian relief; human tragedy; and the important questions at the heart of any time. ,

This is a fanciful story as the main character mainly recounts one particularly eventful year of his life as a young boy living in a fictional small town in rural Australia. Sawtip was a unique hamlet that had strangely attracted a hodgepodge of characters from all over the world. People who never quite felt they belonged anywhere until they found Sawtip. Among the folk who entered the boy’s life was his teacher, Mr Cramburn; a troubled soul who escaped what he could of life by anchoring himself to his cherished Rules of Life. The somewhat dotty but dear Miss Julia Castalia and Mr Cramburn’s mother whose sad life had turned her into a selfishly possessive parent and drove her son to his excesses, but whose eccentricities revealed a woman of imagination and love. There were also the O’Nancyitches, an impish family of peplechauns; a cross between leprechauns and people. In particular the daughter of that family, Peggy O’Nancyitch, who kept to herself but was ever present when the young narrator needed rescuing. The narrator’s family consisted of his nine siblings which included his elder twin brothers whom he had always perceived as the worst of his tormentors. There was his story telling father and his mother, who was always there with tenderness and wise, comforting words. And not to forget the was his walking-stick wielding and cantankerous grandmother who was also always there and always to be avoided. The narrator’s life revolved around his friends, school, playing marbles, avoiding the bullies and his lifelong infatuation with Charlotte (Prissy-Face) Righteous-Worthington. Having fun and getting into mischief were prime ingredients in the boy’s life. In pursuit of these he and his companions tormented the valley’s cows into going on a milk strike before getting their revenge. The young narrator had constantly to be on his toes to cope with the bullies that plagued his life. However although bullies had the brawn he had a reservoir of cunning and imagination and of course Peggy. Playing marbles was a great attraction to the boys of Sawtip and the narrator was a champion. Unfortunately Simon (the Bulldog from Brooklyn) Jones also fancied himself as a marbles aficionado and worse still he was also enamoured with the beautiful Charlotte. This led to several potentially unpleasant encounters, as she manipulated them both, that culminated in the greatest marbles game in the entire history of all marbles games. It was during that game that the fabled Blue-Glow Fire Unbeatable Marble appeared when utter defeat loomed large. In adulthood he saw his friends from childhood drifting away and out of his life. His infatuation with Charlotte eventually led to a wedding ceremony, however the enigmatic Peggy O’Nancyitch and another appearance of the mythical Marble saved the young man; this time from a fate of nagging and mundane boredom.

London’s Strangest Tales takes a walk on London’s weirder side with an absorbing collection of curious tales from one of the world’s greatest cities. This fascinating book is packed with amazing things you didn’t know about Britain’s capital, like the fact that it’s still forbidden to run, carry an umbrella or whistle in the Burlington Arcade, and the fat lamppost at the corner of Trafalgar Square that is secretly a tiny prison cell. And did you know that the entrance to Buckingham Palace you see from the Mall is actually the back door and not the front? The stories within these pages are bizarre, fascinating, hilarious and, most importantly, true. Revised, redesigned and updated for a new generation of London-lovers, this book is a brilliant alternative guide to the city, whether you’re a visitor, a daily commuter or one of its 8 million inhabitants. Word count: 45,000

Excerpts from criticism of the works of novelists, poets, playwrights, short story writers and other creative writers who lived between 1800 and 1900, from the first published critical appraisals to current evaluations.

Classic thriller from the author of QUEENS' RANSOM When a ruined City of London office block is bought for demolition, no-one sheds a tear except for construction tycoon Vernon Gatling, who put the block up following the Blitz. But Vernon doesn't have a sentimental bone in his body, so what are his real motives?

Reproduction of the original.

The body is the subconscious mind that moves through different worlds where time has a different meaning. Karl Wakefield, a market merchant with no extraordinary ability, found himself in the other worlds after many moments of keeping inner secrets that urged him on. One particular question haunted him for most of his life: What if ? A longing for understanding he willed to have a grip on reason as the past haunted him. He never expected his questions to be answered by mythical creatures, and one day he made a deal with Margus Inferian, a powerful enchanter. Karls coming was predicted, and suddenly he was pulled into a different world. He found himself witnessing abnormal events as he was hurled into a dimension where the man who knows has the answers to his unsolved mysteries and aids him to see what he could not before. He made a discovery of an ancient time, tangled in delusions of the past and hunted down by the vile figures of the Gulusis and a dark thoughts of the one in masquerade, all seeking the pendant of the mountains and the dagger of Vytos. Karl discovered powers he never knew he had. Unwittingly, Karls wife, Eve, became involved, and he struggled between his own understanding and she who held his heart. He was forced to continue, steered by his will to where the path ahead held his future. Would they survive or crumble and pine away for the forgotten past?

Straying -- Biting -- Suffering -- Thinking -- Defecating.

This newly updated fifth edition of Compensation Plans for Law Firms examines the continually evolving compensation landscape and the concepts that will affect your law firm most. You'll take an extensive look at the world of law firm compensation, including: -- Compensation theory --The art and science of compensation -- Partner and shareholder compensation -- Of Counsel compensation -- Associate Compensation -- Paralegal compensation --Staff Compensation -- Bonuses, increases, and incentives -- Debt, taxes, retirement, and withdrawal -- Evaluations, fairness and flexibility --And much more! Learn Where Your Firm Stands The book also features valuable data from the leading legal consulting firm Altman Weil's annual and triennial surveys on law firm performance and compensation, retirement and withdrawal and compensation systems. Charts and graphs help you see where your firm stands on salaries and bonuses, and it gives you detailed analyses of compensation plans for everyone in your firm. Compare your compensation system to law firms across the country. This one volume provides you with your primary research source leading you to auxiliary sources for further information as appropriate. They can support your current compensation system, or help you reevaluate your current methods of compensation. Careful advance consideration is essential to the success of your compensation plan. Using this valuable reference you can develop a compensation plan that conveys fairness, simplicity, and flexibility and strike the perfect balance within your firm.

In a brilliant reimagining of Bram Stoker’s horror classic, an inventor travels back in time to save humankind from a nightmarish enslavement by vampires Joe Bodenland has figured out how to manipulate time—a discovery that leads him to Utah and an impossible sixty-five-million-year-old human gravesite. It is here that he learns of the existence of a monstrous race of intelligent predators as old as the dinosaur, and of the remarkable “train” the undead creatures use to travel back and forth from a Paleolithic past to a monstrous far future in which Homo sapiens are enslaved cattle. With the fate of all humanity at stake, Joe commandeers the ghostly transportation and rides it back to Victorian England, where he enlists the aid of a powerful ally, the author Bram Stoker, in the battle to secure Earth. But to prevent the coming apocalyptic nightmare, they must first confront and destroy the most cunning and deadly being the world has ever known: Lord Dracula, the immortal vampire. The recipient of numerous awards and honors, including multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards and the Prix Jules Verne, Grand Master Brian W. Aldiss puts a bold new science ficion spin on Bram Stoker’s classic tale of vampiric horror. An ingenious reinvention of the Nosferatu myth, Dracula Unbound is a breakneck thrill ride from one of the most revered names in science fiction and fantasy.