Short Family

In these ten interrelated stories Atwood traces the course of a life and also the lives intertwined with it, while evoking the drama and the humour that colour common experiences—the birth of a baby, divorce and remarriage, old age and death. With settings ranging from Toronto, northern Quebec, and rural Ontario, the stories begin in the present, as a couple no longer young situate themselves in a larger world no longer safe. Then the narrative goes back in time to the forties and moves chronologically forward toward the present.

This collection includes three charming and festive holiday novellas spiced with humor, frontier action, and sweet romance.

On January 15, 1921, five members of the infamous Bigham family of Pamplico, South Carolina, were gunned down in cold blood during a one-hour killing spree, resulting in the prosecution – across six years, three trials and many appeals – of Edmund Dalrimple Bigham for their murders. This was the culmination of a nearly one-hundred-year reign of terror by successive members of the Bigham family, including many other murders, as well as serial extortion, fraud and systematic embezzlement that the authorities were mostly powerless to stop. Current interest in another five deaths, between ...

The Duke of Greystoke’s Christmas Revelry is famous throughout the British Isles for its plays, dancing, magical grotto...not to mention scandals leading to the marriage licenses he hands out like confetti. But not everyone welcomes a visit from Cupid.

From the number-one best-selling author of Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas and Sundays at Tiffany's, two heartwarming tales about the power of a good story to open our eyes to life's possibilities.

Sevastiano Cantarelli can barely believe Amy Taylor is real. After the lifetime of betrayal he’s experienced, her surprising sweetness is the ultimate threat to his cynical worldview! Unwrapping her innocence was a gift he couldn’t forget...but one he knows it wouldn’t be fair to repeat. Their encounter left Amy exhilarated - and wanted for the first time. She knows that walking away from the commanding Italian is the safest way to keep her heart intact. Yet it’s the one thing she can’t do...because she’s pregnant with Sevastiano’s twins!

I never wanted a stepbrother, especially one so hot. It makes it harder to keep my secret, to keep pretending I'm not gay. But Jackson has something else in mind…and he doesn't care if it is wrong. Is it really so bad to give into our desires? Warning: This is a naughty taboo gay erotic romance. Adult readers only. All characters are of legal age and not related by blood.

Shelby is struggling with parenthood, marriage, a passive-aggressive mother, and unemployment. But she also has a sweet escape in her beloved Hallmark movies. When a secret admirer promises to sweep her away into a world of those same romantic tropes, the temptation is so heady, Shelby can already smell the pumpkin spice. But this rom-com dream has a whiff of conspiracy....

TODAY IS THE DAY! Samantha has been tending her two pots of strawberries for weeks. She's sure today is the day that she'll get her first taste, but things don't always go as planned! Join Sam as she faces a tough choice when she goes to visit her grandmother in the retirement home, and finds out that making someone else happy doesn't take away from her own happiness, it adds to it! ABOUT THE AUTHOR... Sarah Kim Wilde is a graduate of the Children’s Institute of Literature and a member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She also holds a BFA from The Boston ...

The events of a fateful, long-ago summer in Tuscany reverberate across three generations of women. With God’s guidance, can they let go of the past — and find the happily ever afters they deserve? A life-affirming box set filled with romance, redemption, and healing! BOOK 1 : LEAST EXPECTED Can such complete opposites find a way to make their love work? When Maggie Golding, unconventional and artistic 50-something, agrees to help a friend by working as a window dresser at Pettett & Mayfield's London department store, she never expected to fall in love with Edgar Pettett, staid and ...

Did you know that a home without a security system is three times more likely to be targeted for a break-in than one with an alarm fitted? This is a sobering thought. If you want to avoid becoming a statistic in the one in five homes that suffer a home invasion every year, then getting a decent alarm system should be a paramount consideration. Your Short Guide to Security Systems has detailed information to help you make informed choices that protect your property and keep your family from harm.

Featuring many of the beloved characters from Sylvia Price’s bestseller, The Christmas Arrival, as well as a new cast of characters, Amish Love Through the Seasons centers around a group of teenagers as they find friendship, love, and hope in the midst of trials. Tragedy strikes a small Amish community outside of Erie, Pennsylvania when Isaiah Fisher, a widower and father of three, is involved in a serious accident. When his family is left scrambling to pick up the pieces, the community unites to help the single father, but the hospital bills keep piling up. How will the family manage?...

The Blood Test – A Psychological Thriller That Will Keep You Guessing When Olivia takes her son Henry for a routine checkup, the last thing she expects is a blood test result that doesn’t make sense. She and her husband, Noah, conceived Henry through IVF—but the numbers don’t add up. With a nagging suspicion that won’t let her go, Olivia digs deeper, uncovering a series of unsettling coincidences. Then she meets Margo, another mother at Henry’s preschool, whose daughter looks eerily like him. The two women bond over their shared experience with the same fertility doctor—Dr. ...

During the day when there is a break in the day’s labor or in the evenings when the sunlight is waning, stories are told from Texas porches. Although these are usually short stories, they can be long, and thus continued at the next porch sitting. They contain humor, sadness, suspense, mystery, philosophy, and instruction about the human condition and, in general, the journey of living. The storytellers find the rhythm of life for themselves, and the listeners hear valuable lessons and truth. Tales from the Texas Timberlands, Volume 1 celebrates this storytelling about East Texans with ...

First love never truly fades… it’s just waiting for a second chance. Ten years after leaving Wildwood Ridge, Allison returns home to sell her late father's house, only to find herself face-to-face with her first love – Grant. As they spend time together again, unresolved feelings resurface and they must decide if their story deserves a second chapter. Second Chance With The Mountain Man is a steamy short read with cozy small town vibes.

Grace had never been more terrified...the pain was relentless. Nothing in her life prepared her for this. She desperately needed somewhere safe...someplace she could hide. Someone she could trust with her life. It was dark...and getting darker. Ronan Hendricks didn’t recognize her voice. Not family...not friends. Probably not an enemy. But he didn’t need the years he’d spent as a detective to recognize what he did hear... Fear. In a desperate moment of hope, a single number saved her life. Then a complete stranger opened his home offering safety yet Grace knew danger surrounded them.....

The stunning novella that concludes John Updike's acclaimed Rabbit series is now available on audio. Set 10 years after Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom's death, Rabbit Remembered returns listeners to the small Pennsylvania town where Harry's widow, Janice, and his son, Nelson, still reside. They are faced with a surprise when Annabelle, Harry's 39-year-old illegitimate daughter, arrives on the scene, bringing with her ghosts from the past.

Wide ranging stories to add wonder and mindfulness to your day...but short stories and poetry? Yes! These are bite-size chunks of fun, weirdness, introspection, and narrative. Sort of like M&Ms, but with more letters. I even have a category of Very Short Stories, for those that want a quick read. The following are extracts from a couple of them—but I have lighter stuff too! The group of newfound friends steadfastly neared the top of the mountain. A shaft of light penetrated the foliage. They felt the yellow warmth on their head and the top of their dry eyes. Looking up, they saw the beam ...

Listen to stories with your kids. Take them to a different world through these stories. These are not your typical fables. Each of these has a different concept. In every story, your kid will find a new world and a virtue to dive in. While I've tried to think from a parent's perspective, I can also assure you that your little ones will love these. They are designed for their mind's growth.

A betrayal...a secret baby….an unknown imposter…will Tess survive the wagon train journey to Sunset Hills, Oregon after her life is threatened? And if so, what will she do once she gets there? 1855. Tess Findlay can’t wait to be reunited with her beau who went out west three months ago to mine for gold, saying he’d send for her soon. Even though she hasn’t heard from him, she’s discovered she’s with child and decides to join a wagon train to travel to Oregon to surprise him with the news. When a band of robbers holds up the caravan, Tess is shocked to recognize her beau as one...