Perpetual scaredy-cat Conor O'Neill has the fright of his life when a banshee girl named Ashling shows up in his bedroom. Ashling is--as all banshees are--a harbinger of death, but she's new at this banshee business, and first she insists on going to middle school. As Conor attempts to hide her identity from his teachers, he realizes he's going to have to pay a visit to the underworld if he wants to keep his family safe. "Got your cell?" "Yeah . . . . Don't see what good it'll do me." "I'll text you if anything happens that you should know." "Text me? Javier, we'll be in the afterlife." "You never know. Maybe they get a signal." Discover why Kirkus has called Booraem's work "utterly original American fantasy . . . frequently hysterical." This totally fresh take on the afterlife combines the kid next door appeal of Percy Jackson with the snark of Artemis Fowl and the heart of a true middle grade classic.

An irreverent take on fairies for fans of Savvy and Ella Enchanted! Mellie has been trying, unsuccessfully, to live down the day she told her kindergarten class she had a fairy living in her bedroom. Years later, she is still teased. So when her parents inherit her grandfather's inn and their family moves to a new town, Mellie believes she'll leave all that fairy nonsense behind - only to discover that her family members have been fairy guardians for generations and the inn is overrun with small persons with wings (they hate to be called fairies). Before she knows it, the family and fairies are all facing an evil temptress in disguise who wants the fairy magic all for her own. Can Mellie set things right and save the day?

A boy and a goatman defy the establishment in a whimsical fantasy about belonging, the dangers of forgetting history, the Usefulness of art, and the importance of wind control.

When Eliza Westbrook stumbled into my arms at her father’s funeral, I wanted nothing more than to help the beautiful, broken girl. I wanted to take away the pain in her eyes and heal her fractured, lonely heart. My presence was the last thing she needed, yet I couldn’t stay away. What started out as a mild obsession quickly turned into a game of survival. Unexplainable events threatened us at every turn, but was it because of my dark past, or the man intent on taking her life? I wanted to keep her safe, to give into the pull I felt tugging me toward her from the moment we first met. But would I be able to push my demons aside to save her, or will she have to fix me first?

In this award-winning crime series debut, a Sydney detective must catch a brilliant serial killer while keeping an eye on his mysterious new partner. Sydney homicide detective Frank Bennett has a new partner—dark, beautiful, coldly efficient Eden Archer. Frank doesn’t know what to make of her, or her brother Eric, who’s also on the police force. Their methods are . . . unusual. But when a graveyard full of large steel toolboxes filled with body parts is found at the bottom of Sydney harbor, unusual is the least of their worries. For Eden and Eric, the case holds chilling links to a scarred childhood—and the murderer who raised them. For Frank, each clue brings him closer to something he’s not sure he wants to face. But true evil goes beyond the bloody handiwork of a serial killer—and no one is truly innocent . . . “Compelling . . . A chilling read.” —Sydney Morning Herald Winner of the Ned Kelly Award for Best Debut Crime Novel

In 1947, eleven-year-old Alex and her impulsive, older brother Chuck befriend an army scientist who shares their interest in rockets and outer space travel.

Reaching Reluctant Young Readers features 150 middle-grade books. Each profiled title has the potential to hook the reluctant reader and lure them to read the entire book. To specifically encourage elementary and middle-school-age reluctant children to read, there is first a pitch to get the reader’s attention. That is followed by a short reading passage to “set the hook” and encourage the young person to read the rest of the book on their own. Further, the book contains several hundred additional recommended titles. The books selected for this collection were chosen following the criteria of reluctant reader books created by the Quick Picks committee sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association. While these guidelines were designed for young adult books, they also work well for middle-grade books. The criteria include: clear writing (no convoluted long sentences with sophisticated vocabulary), high interest “hook” in the first few pages, well-defined characters, interesting plot, and familiar themes.

In his revealing and frank autobiography, David G. Atwood, II takes us into a world of government corruption, back-stabbing politicians and an all too familiar tour of the criminal justice system. Persecuted by a corrupt sheriff's department for exposing a cabal of local corruption that reached into the upper echelon of international politics; prosecuted and sent to federal prison for a crime he didn't commit; and discriminated against for being gay, David leads us on a journey through the life of a prisoner that only an insider could tell and captivates us with a story of courage that will inspire everyone who reads it. Whether revealing the drug connections that for years have padded the pockets of the local cops and exposing how government-sanctioned drug deals in Vicksburg, Mississippi helped illegally fund the Nicaraguan Contras in the 1980's, David leaves no hole's barred as he takes aim at those who would misuse their political power for personal gain.

New immortals are being created for the first time in thousands of years thanks to the tree of immortality discovered by Persephone and Hades. But Sophie Darrow is not one of them. Nikolaos, the trickster, has given the last ripe immortality fruit to two others, the reincarnations of the gods Dionysos and Hekate: Tabitha and Zoe, currently Sophie's and Adrian's best friends. While the disappointed Sophie struggles to remember Hekate and Dionysos from ancient Greece, she must still face her daily life as a mortal university freshman. Tabitha and Zoe have their own struggles as they come to terms with being newly immortal and their own haunting dreams of past lives and loves. The evil committed by Thanatos invades all of them in heartbreaking memories, and worse still, Sophie and her friends know their enemies are determined to kill again. And even the gods can't save everyone. Molly Ringle's growing list of other successful titles include: The Chrysomelia Stories 1. Persephone's Orchard 2. Underworld's Daughter 3. Immortal's Spring The Goblins of Bellwater All the Better Part of Me Lava Red Feather Blue Sage and King

The Best Resource for Getting Your Fiction Published! The 2015 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market is the only resource you'll need to get your short stories, novellas, and novels published. As with past editions, Novel & Short Story Writer's Market offers hundreds of listings for book publishers, literary agents, fiction publications, contests, and more. Each listing includes contact information, submission guidelines, and other important tips. New to this year's edition: Gain access to the exclusive webinar "Blockbuster Fiction: Exploring Emotional High Points in Popular Films" from best-selling author Cheryl St. John. This 45-minute webinar explores the ten most popular films of 2013--including Frozen, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and more--to show you how to create intense, emotional, engrossing moments in your fiction. When you make your readers care about your characters and your story, you'll evoke excitement, indignation, fear, anxiety, tears, and laughter--and keep them hooked from start to finish. You'll also find articles and interviews on all aspects of the writing life, from in-depth lessons on craft and technique to helpful advice on getting published and marketing your work. The 2015 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market offers everything a fiction writer needs to achieve publishing success, including articles and essays like these: • J.T. Ellison, New York Times best-selling author, reveals how to capture â€" and keep â€" reader interest. • Ransom Riggs, mega-popular YA novelist, shares advice on writing out-of-the-ordinary fiction. • Chuck Wendig, hybrid author extraordinaire, talks about the pros and cons of traditional and self-publishing. You'll also receive: • A free digital download of Writer's Yearbook featuring the 100 Best Markets "If you're looking for the best resource for connecting with publishers who are hungry for your fiction, you've found it. Ten novels ago I got my start as an author using Writer's Market guides." -Steven James, writing instructor and best-selling author of The King and Story Trumps Structure "If you can't go to every literary cocktail party in New York, get this book. It's an instant network." -Elizabeth Sims, best-selling author of You've Got a Book in You