The Society for Psychical Research was established in 1882 to further the scientific study of consciousness, but it arose in the surf of a larger cultural need. Victorians were on the hunt for self-understanding. Mesmerists, spiritualists, and other romantic seekers roamed sunken landscapes of entrancement, and when psychology was finally ready to confront these altered states, psychical research was adopted as an experimental vanguard. Far from a rejected science, it was a necessary heterodoxy, probing mysteries as diverse as telepathy, hypnosis, and even séance phenomena. Its investigators sought facts far afield of physical laws: evidence of a transcendent, irreducible mind. The New Prometheans traces the evolution of psychical research through the intertwining biographies of four men: chemist Sir William Crookes, depth psychologist Frederic Myers, ether physicist Sir Oliver Lodge, and anthropologist Andrew Lang. All past presidents of the society, these men brought psychical research beyond academic circles and into the public square, making it part of a shared, far-reaching examination of science and society. By layering their papers, textbooks, and lectures with more intimate texts like diaries, letters, and literary compositions, Courtenay Raia returns us to a critical juncture in the history of secularization, the last great gesture of reconciliation between science and sacred truths.

When Michael Kenyon, the Marquess of Stokeford, finds his grandmother having her palm read by a gypsy beauty, he's convinced that Vivien Thorne is a fortune hunter. The Marquess is determined to expose her as a fraud-and Vivien is equally determined to claim her rightful heritage. Yet neither the spirited gypsy nor the notorious rogue foresee the white-hot desire that turns their battle into a daring game where to surrender is unthinkable...impossible...and altogether irresistible.

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Olivia Drake, a steamy Regency romance... Raven-haired beauty, Vivien Thorne has been raised by a devoted and loving Romani couple, who she believed to be her parents. But when the Rosebuds, three elder noble ladies who rule the ton, visit her palm-reading shop to reveal she’s the illegitimate daughter of a governess, long since passed, Vivien’s entire world is turned upside down. The Rosebuds convince her to accompany them to the Marchioness’s estate, Stokeford Abbey, where she is to be taught how to be a proper lady. As Vivien learns the rules of how to be a lady, she develops a natural bond with the aging Marchioness, who is easily charmed by the pretty and sincere newcomer. When Michael Kenyon, the current Marquess of Stokeford, and reigning rogue of the ton, arrives home, he’s certain that this stunning young woman with the dark hair and fiery eyes is here to con his grandmother. But as Michael and Vivien spend more time together, Michael confronts his preconceived notions about the Romani and begins to see Vivien for who she really is—a kind-hearted beauty who is devoted to others... Just when Vivien begins to feel comfortable in this strange new society, another secret comes to light, one that will challenge everything she ever knew about herself—and her newfound love with a wicked Marquess... “A dramatic tale that puts tears in your eyes one moment, then has you chuckling the next. ROMANCING THE ROGUE is a fast-moving tale with plenty of wit and intrigue that’ll keep you guessing till the end.” –Old Book Barn Gazette “The charming characters make it a more-than-satisfying read...A delight to read and a pleasure to savor.” –Romantic Times, Excellent rating “Fast, fascinating reading. The sex scenes fairly sizzle off the page!” –Affaire de Coeur

Beneath the social mask we wear every day, we have a hidden shadow side: an impulsive, wounded, sad, or isolated part that we generally try to ignore, but which can erupt in hurtful ways. As therapists Connie Zweig and Steve Wolf show in this landmark book, the shadow can actually be a source of emotional richness and vitality, and acknowledging it can be a pathway to healing and an authentic life. "Romancing the shadow"--meeting your dark side, beginning to understand its unconscious messages, and learning to use its powerful energies in productive ways--is the challenging and exciting soul work that Zweig and Wolf offer in this practical, rewarding guide. Drawing on the timeless teachings of Carl Jung and compelling stories from their clinical practices, Zweig and Wolf reveal how the shadow guides your choices in love, sex, marriage, friendship, work, and family life. With their innovative method, you can uncover the unique patterns and purpose of your shadow and learn to defuse negative emotions; reclaim forbidden or lost feelings; achieve greater self-acceptance; heal betrayal; reimagine and re-create relationships; cultivate compassion for others; renew creative expressions; and find purpose in your suffering. The shadow knows why good people sometimes do bad things. Romancing the shadow and learning to read the messages it encodes in daily life can deepen your consciousness, imagination, and soul.

Romancing the Novel examines the ways in which romance forms characteristic of boys' books - as exemplified in the novels of Scott, Dumas, Verne, and Stevenson - influence narratives not generally put in the same category - both psychoanalytical accounts of the psyche and novels by authors as diverse as George Eliot, Ursual Le Guin, Joseph Conrad, and W. G. Sebald. Adventure has been most recently studied largely as a symptom of imperialism's ideological apparatus. But as an intensely familiar story available from the earliest reading, adventure conditions the narratable - its influence is felt from the nursery bed to the analyst's couch. By reading Maurice Sendak with Melanie Klein and Peter Rabbit with Daniel Deronda, Romancing the Novel argues that the power and depth of the generic constraints of the adventure form have not been recognized simply because they are so ubiquitous. Adventure fiction is not merely summer reading whose ephemeral effects dissipate, but rather a pervasive code that exerts powerful effects on the imaginable.

Take three exciting medieval romances, translate them - two for the first time - into modern English verse, and you'll have only part of Marijane Osborn's Romancing the Goddess. Osborn introduces and translates the three tales, all dealing with women cast adrift upon the northern and Mediterranean seas, then shows how the stories forge a hitherto missing link with worship of a savior goddess in the distant past.

Suzanne Foster---wife, mother, former assassin--- wants to retire. Her boss wants her dead. After decades as Victor Kemp's off-the books killer, Suzanne finally quits. Not until five years later does Kemp discover how thoroughly she's deceived him. Determined to punish her, he tracks her to Wales to watch her die. Instead, he walks into a trap. Believing themselves safe at last, Suzanne and her family relocate to London, where she hopes to find the peace that has eluded her for so long. Her son is engaged to a nobleman's daughter; her husband has a good job with British Intelligence. Yet she still struggles with restless dreams and the premonition that her nemesis has survived. He has: Kemp, though severely injured, is rebuilding his empire and plotting revenge. He's prepared to risk everything to end the former assassin. He may not be the only one. Suzanne has no choice: to protect those she loves, she will be forced to kill again. Assassins, it seems, can never retire

Whether it’s the promise of love’s first kiss, the smoldering fire of unanticipated attraction, or the lighthearted tale of a lonely mermaid, our collection of original short stories will fill your heart with romance. Let your heart take a romantic journey where tales of romance come floating across the land of 10,000 lakes into your heart on a warm autumn breeze Our original short stories offer a cornucopia of tales, as varied as the brightly colored fall leaves to make you smile and even bring a tear to your eye. From the slow burn of secret unrequited passion, to unspoken love, to a second chance at love, let these stories transport your heart on a romantic journey. A Splash with Fate by Rhonda Brutt When their paths crossed, Kaitlyn and Samuel had no idea how an act of charity, along with a few homeless animals, would change their lives. Always a Wedding Planner by Jude Wiesner Until Tessa can recognize that the one man totally wrong for her could be mister right, she will remain always a wedding planner, never a bride. Camp Crooked Lake by Jill Revak After seventeen years, city-girl Molly Rhodes revisits her childhood camp and reconnects with her first crush. Cara’s Swim by Kristy Johnson On the quiet shores of Lake Sylvia, amongst the golden colors of fall, Cara Waters expected to spend her days overseeing renovations of camp Chi-Ro and working on her novel. Instead she inadvertently exposed an old mystery, and found the love of her life. Cup a’Java by Ingrid Anderson Sampo A parcel of the citizens of Foulwell, a motley group, come together at the Cup ‘a Java for caffeine, a chat and some playful razzing. Tall tales of an alleged romance figure prominently in the conversation. Fish Flirt Too by Peg Pierson To save her beloved lakeside Inn from the clutches of her greedy stepdaughter, Savanah needs a miracle. Not a merman… For the Love of Bertha by Ann Nardone An old legend leads a lost soul to find answers … and maybe love. Ghost Light by Rachael Passan The spark between a paranormal investigator and a theater owner is given a helping “hand” from three card-playing seniors in a being-renovated Minnesota movie house. Knight of the Witching Hour by Christopher Edmund Caden Lee Wester was a drifter. A lone wolf seeking solitude on a peaceful night at the lake until a young woman, in desperate need of help, plucked him from reality, tossing him head first into a fantastical adventure filled with magic, monsters, and witches Magic at Moose Lake by Diane Wiggert While Shelby Maguire escapes to her friend’s cabin to find peace, quiet and to seek the answers to her man troubles. Tanner Burke heads to the same cabin to seek the illusive whitetail. But will an unexpected week together lead them to find something else? Railroad Ties by Rose Marie Meuwissen Little did Kayla know, by following her late husband’s love of trains to the shores of Lake Superior, she would end up on the right track to fall in love again. The Inheritance by Kathleen Nordstrom All in one day, Katie lost her inheritance, was unable to carry out her dead grandmother's burial wishes and found love in a horse stable. The Leap by Angeline Fortin A passionate confession at a lakeside celebration sends a single mother reeling and wondering if she should take a leap of her own. Third Times a Charm by KT Alexander A witch, with a forbidden old flame, and the power of Samhain. Read our anthology, Romancing the Lakes of Minnesota—Autumn, and get carried away on the gentle winds of autumn in Minnesota filled with stories of romance set on Minnesota’s lakes and experience the unique voices from our Minnesota author’s imaginations.

She has a secret… Fancy Flambeau is many things: the eldest in a family of seven sisters, a talented opera singer, and the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman. No one knows her father’s identity, including her sisters. And Fancy wants to keep it this way. She refuses to end up like her mother — a broken woman who gave up everything for the man she loved. Fancy is determined to make her own way in life and provide for her family without the interference of any man. He has a plan… Stepan Kazanov is many things: the youngest in a family of five brothers, a wealthy prince, and the son of a mother who suffered at the hands of a cruel husband. Stepan is a determined man who goes after what he wants. And he wants the magnificent Fancy Flambeau. But can he make her see that not every aristocrat is like her father? And with a killer on the loose in London, whose victims are opera singers, dancers, and actresses, can Stepan convince the strong-willed Fancy to trust his to protect her from this deadly danger?

When the Vietnam War finally ended in April 1975 with the communist capture of Saigon, Vietnam itself became a closed country, out of bounds to western travellers and journalists. By 1989, however, such was Vietnams economic plight that the government decided the time had come to open its doors again, albeit most gingerly. By a stroke of good fortune Justin Wintle became the first writer from the West to be allowed to journey around the whole of Vietnam. This is Justin Wintles classic account of what he found in postwar Vietnam, and how, for three months, he played cat and mouse with those charged with keeping him in line, while developing a profound love for more ordinary Vietnamese and the astonishing landscapes they inhabit.