Publisher: Bluemoose Books
Ghost Mountain is a mountain that appeared yesterday, changing the lives of the local people; the town drunk, a retired teacher and her dog, a young soul and his wife,an old soul. It is a story about all that is unmistably present yet never trul fathomable in our lives.
The Russian novel has a reputation that is immense, both in narrative and in length. Unquestionably though the ideas, themes and characters make many novels rightly revered as world class, as icons of literature. Perhaps an easier way to enjoy a wider selection of the Russian heritage, with its varied and glorious literary talents, is with the short story. These gems sparkle and beguile the mind with their characters and narrative, exploring facets of society and the human condition that more Western authors somehow find more difficult to navigate, or to explore, explain and relate to. The Russian short story is, in many respects, in a genre of its own. It is at its captivating best whether it’s an exploration of real-life experiences, through fantasy and fables and on to total absurdity. In a land so vast it is unsurprising that it is a world almost unto itself. Cultures and landscapes of differing hues are packed together bound only by the wilful bonds and force of Empire. The stories in this collection traverse the decades where one might be a serf under an absolute monarch, and the reality of that was pretty near to slavery, into an emancipation of sorts in the fields, or towns under the despotic will of landowners and the rich into the upheavals of Empire and then the overthrow of the ruling class and its replacement by the communists, who promised equality for all and delivered a society where the down-trodden remained the lowest yet vital cog of the state machine and its will. Whilst Tolstoy, Gogol, Dostoevsky, Pushkin and Chekhov are a given in any Russian collection we also explore and include Andreyev, Korolenko, Turgenev, Blavatsky and many others to create a world rich and dense across a sprawling landscape of diverse people, riddled with the class and unfairness in perhaps some of the most turbulent times that Russia has ever experienced. 01 - The Russian Short Story - Volume 1 - An Introduction 02 - The Queen of Spades by Alexander Pushkin 03 - The Stationmaster by Alexander Pushkin 04 - The Blizzard by Alexander Pushkin 05 - The Coffin Maker by Alexander Pushkin 06 - The Shot by Alexander Pushkin 07 - St Johns Eve by Nikolai Gogol 08 - The Cloak by Nikolai Gogol also known as 'The Overcoat' 09 - Old Fashioned Landowners by Nikolai Gogol 10 - The Nose by Nikolai GogolShow book
“The Byron of our modern poetesses," was the verdict of Henry Nelson Coleridge, the eldest son of the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, writing in an 1840 issue of The Quarterly Review about the poet Caroline Norton. Born Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Sheridan in 1808, she was the granddaughter of the famous Irish playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan. On their introduction to London Society, Caroline and her two sisters were dubbed The Three Graces for their beauty and accomplishments. Her disastrous marriage to George Norton in 1827 ultimately led to her campaigning successfully to change those Laws of England relating to Divorce, child custody and women's property rights. Caroline and her tragic experiences and life were the inspiration for many works by Victorian writers including Alfred Tennyson, William Makepeace Thackeray, Benjamin Disraeli, Charles Dickens and George Meredith. She died in 1877."The Undying One and Other Poems" published in 1830 was her second book. The title poem is an epic based on the legend of the Wandering Jew, the sinner who is doomed to roam the earth until Judgment Day. (Summary by Noel Badrian)Show book
Living in a mysterious house overlooking the town, Seamus haunts the halls with his dog at his side. He's doomed to un-life, cursed, essentially a zombie, but without all the icky rot. His only human friend is a delightful fella by the name of Tibbit. Sweet Tibbit accepts him for who he is, and oh, how Seamus loves him for that. But can there ever be love between a lonely human and a man whose heart doesn't beat the way it should? Love got Seamus into this mess; is it worth it to try again?Show book
When the truth is dangerous, trust becomes everything. Daisy Blackwood has always played by the rules. As a meticulous budget analyst in Nashville, she’s built a life of quiet routines and steady work—until one discovery shatters everything. She uncovers evidence of embezzlement at her firm and sets off a chain of events that leaves Daisy framed, frightened, and fighting to clear her name. With her career—and freedom—on the line, Daisy finds an unexpected ally in Owen Mackenzie, a sharp-witted IT auditor who’s more comfortable behind a screen than in the middle of corporate chaos. As danger closes in, Owen steps out of the shadows to protect her, and a slow-burning connection sparks into something deeper. Set against the soulful backdrop of Nashville, this heartwarming romantic suspense blends favorite tropes into a story of courage, trust, and unexpected love. As Daisy and Owen dig deeper into a dangerous conspiracy, they’ll have to risk everything—including their hearts—to uncover the truth. Tropes: * He falls first * Workplace romance * Wrongfully accused * Slow-burn romance * Protective hero * Unauthorized is the prequel novella to book one in the Silas Holcomb Legacy series.Show book
If time is supposed to heal all wounds, Lina Mariano’s broken teenage heart never quite got the message—but 15 sunny, sandy, angsty Jersey Shore summers later, she finds herself unexpectedly facing her old crush, getting a new perspective—and maybe even a hopeful glimpse of the future . . . Lina Mariano is stuck—in her hometown, in her job, and in the past. And after six years of writing up local weddings as a columnist for a popular lifestyle website, she’s wholeheartedly sick of nuptials. Worse, the next one on her list is none other than Sebastian Nikolaou’s. Working high school summers with sweet, handsome Sebastian at his mother’s iconic beach restaurant, teenage Lina was totally wrapped up in the way he made her feel—until the night that everything changed. Even so, she’s embarrassed to admit how often she still thinks of him, and now, comparing their present lives is wrenching. It will take a careful look at her younger self, and some wisdom from the best friend who was there for it all, to see that making her dreams come true is up to her alone—whether or not those dreams still include Sebastian . . . Poignant, engaging, and insightful, Have a Great Summer is an ode to the confused teenager in all of us, and a reminder of the blissful, excruciating, delicious days of summers gone by.Show book
‘It is so bloody funny you will be crying with laughter. This is definitely what a rom-com is all about’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'It’s funny, witty, heartbreaking and heartwarming … I could not put it down' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ * * * *It’s never too late to follow your dreams… Emily Forsyth is on cloud nine… She has a high-flying job (literally), a hunky boyfriend (soon to be fiancé?) and a life of luxury. But then, out of the blue, her boyfriend dumps her for a younger woman, and Emily comes crashing down to earth. Suddenly, she’s single and homeless, and the prospect of staying in the same job as her cheating ex is unbearable. So, at forty years not-so-young, she quits steady employment and decides to chase her lifelong dream of becoming an actress. But with eccentric acting teachers, unreliable agents, and some decidedly unglamorous roles on offer, has she made a huge mistake? Or is this the start of something wonderful? Previously published as Learning to Fly * * * *Readers love Jane Lambert 'There is a lot of love, warmth and humour in this novel' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Jane Lambert's writing is laugh-out-loud funny' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘It had me absorbed throughout … a real page-turner’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is a contemporary romance that tells the story of Emily, a woman who, after being dumped by her boyfriend, decides to follow her lifelong dream of becoming an actress. Despite the challenges and unglamorous roles, she remains resilient and proves that it's never too late to start something wonderful. For fans of Jo Thomas (A Place in the Sun), Gillian Harvey (Midnight in Paris), Milly Johnson (Let the Bells Ring Out), Carol Drinkwater (An Act of Love), and Heidi Swain (All Wrapped Up). HarperCollins 2025Show book
