A down-and-out saloon singer returns to the mountain town she fled as a distraught teen two decades before and encounters a one-night-stand boyfriend, her late fathers strange legacy, and a chance to redeem her life in the title short story. Other characters, through impulse, indiscretion, malevolence, ambition, pride, self-indulgence, greed and various faults uncover more than they are prepared to accept. Lack of self-control undoes those who embrace careless living and casual desires. Some characters, having gotten too near the edge, pull back and plumb for subjective strength to recover. For others, self-inflicted adversity is the only way they can salvage lives careening completely toward destruction. Throughout these stories are indelible human beings striving for whatever grace and love their circumstances offer, as well as unforgettable characters jousting with fate even if the deck is stacked against any chance of victory. Most deserve whatever happens to them, as some do not. In each situation they, like people everywhere, place their needs and desires squarely on the line and plunge ahead.

Born in 1930 in Manchuria to a Christian Korean family escaping Japan's occupation of Korea, Suya lives as Japanese in World War II China, then the Communist Civil War and Korean War. She comes to America for college to earn a graduate degree in 1954. As the number two daughter of nine siblings, she intends to return home to help her mother care for the ailing father but confronts an arranged marriage she can't accept for a shameful wartime secret. At college, she meets a US-Korea War veteran and, during a hectic year-long courtship, falls in love. It's an unlikely match with Suya's family history and him being a son of an oft-married mother. Despite personal, social, and faith challenges, it is a devoted fifty-year marriage with children, travel, and a vibrant partnership. In 2004, Suya is diagnosed with terminal Parkinson's and progressive memory loss. Through parallel episodes of her marriage and eight years of caregiving, Suya's Song relates her satin and steel personal saga of love and faith told with poignance, courage, humor, and grace as a testament to an amazing life well-lived. Appended after the novel are Suya's written recollections of her childhood and family life in China and Korea that she completed just three months before a traumatic event that signaled the onset of her terminal ailment; it includes her heartfelt reminiscences of religious study with her mother and aunties and the genesis of her faith.

Soshal Scientz, the book title novella and centerpiece of this collection, asks the controversial question: Did amateur anthropologist M. Nimferd Brattlesh really discover the legendary and probably mythological long-lost original aborigines of the American Southwest or not? That outlandish question, and even more outrageous variety of opinions on the subject, comprises the ten-part exploration of this most embarrassing contemplation of amateur anthropology’s already crumbling history. Surrounding this narrative are stories of an overlooked revision of the fi rst book of Genesis, eccentric and absurd situations encountered by numerous characters in search of some much-needed respite from the human condition, and satires and/or parodies that cover some of the visual and literary arts. Any reader seeking profound insights through fiction and varied tales of lives lived upward or downward is encouraged to look elsewhere. Stories with titles such as Casseroles, Mrs. Probler’s Fesslem, Homer Kiam’s Rubber Rat, Myrtle’s Organic Birds, and Woman With 3-Leg Dog should never be expected to convey any insight or even a single clever sentence as a reward. Other than that, what more needs to be said?

The title of this book comes from my daughter. Back when she was about twelve my current husband and I started taking her to see a therapist. During one of her sessions, which I had attended, the therapist said to her, "I sure would like to meet your brothers, maybe next time you come to see me you can bring them?" She said to him, "Yeah, as long as you have straight-jackets and duct tape." We all started laughing. I've known since the seventh grade that I would be writing this book. Through all these years I could never decide on a title, but at that moment I knew that what she had just said would be the title of my book. I then told her that once the book starts selling I would make a contract with her and give her some of the proceeds.

This is the first history of Mills & Boon, the British publishing phenomenon which has become a household name, synonymous with romantic fiction. On the firm's 90th anniversary, Joseph McAleer has written the first history of Mills & Boon, drawing upon a long-lost archive of over 50,000 letters which reveal the intricate relationship between editorial policy, social attitudes, and sales. McAleer examines the dictates of the Mills & Boon formula and demonstrates how novels were 'Managed' by the firm to ensure maximum sales and to nurture a cadre of loyal readers in Britain and throughout the Commonwealth. The result is a cultural phenomenon whose 'product' reflected the attitudes and morals of the age while offering women an addictive escape from everyday life. It's a fascinating read for anyone who's ever wondered about writing a Mills & Boon, or wants to understand the story behind one of the most successful British firms of the twentieth century.

This invaluable resource contains rhymes for over 45,000 words presented in a clear and user-friendly layout. Features include a complete index, in-text notes, examples, creative writing tips, and a fascinating introduction giving a brief outline of the history of rhyming. A must-have for all writers.