The Shame of John Slade
An instant bookseller favourite, The Shame of John Slade is a darkly comic story, perfect for fans of About a Boy by Nick Hornby, Money by Martin Amis, and My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh.A directionless manJohn Slade still dreams of fame and fortune.The reality is that John is in his forties, working as a postman, and his covers band hasn't played a gig in months.A useless fatherJohn Slade used to have a family.Busy being lazy and behaving recklessly, John hardly even knows his daughter anymore. But he's about to find out that she's moving halfway around the world.A last chanceWith only a month left to form a bond with Ella before she leaves, John has a final opportunity to prove that he is capable of being a responsible adult. Which might be a problem . . .Packed with laugh-out-loud moments and existential angst, this is Withnail & I for the 21st Century.
Deliciously Funny
Embark on a Deliciously Funny Adventure with Our Hilarious Coloring Book!Product Overview: Title: Deliciously Funny Dimensions: 8.5 x 8.5 inches Pages: 94A Whimsical Journey Awaits: Dive into the delightful world of "Deliciously Funny," where every page is bursting with amusing illustrations of your favorite foods. Perfect for all ages, this coloring book invites you to embark on hours of creative fun with pizzas, burgers, desserts, and more, all depicted in comical scenarios.Laughter and Creativity Combined: What sets "Deliciously Funny" apart is the laughter waiting for you on the back of each page. Enjoy witty jokes and puns that perfectly complement each delightful illustration, ensuring that every coloring session is not only visually satisfying but also full of humor.Therapeutic and Fun: Experience the therapeutic benefits of coloring as you immerse yourself in vibrant hues. Let the stress of daily life melt away as you bring these humorous food characters to life. It's more than just a coloring book; it's a holistic experience that nurtures your artistic side and lifts your spirits.Relax and Enjoy: Escape into a world where relaxation meets hilarity. Each page offers an invitation to unwind, destress, and revel in the joy of coloring whimsical food items. The accompanying jokes add an extra layer of amusement, making this book the perfect respite from the daily grind.Join the Fun: Ready for a laughter-filled coloring journey? Elevate your creative escapades with "Deliciously Funny," a book that transforms every page into a canvas of joy and amusement.Happy coloring!
Mueller’s Marbles
In the 1930s, famous glassblower Ernst Muller perfected a secret technique to create a set of the most valuable marbles in the world. But as time rolled on and the dark clouds of world events prevailed, Ernst Mueller sadly lost his marbles. Flash forward to today. Meet FBI Agent Dana Dillion O'Toole, DD to her friends. DD loves rock and roll, fast cars and catching bad guys. But catching a good guy to love, just isn't working for DD. She's too quirky, and maybe too suspicious. One thing for sure, Agent O'Toole is one fiery, go-getter when it comes to solving a case. Problem is, DD runs too hot and fast which causes a few headaches for her nervous boss. It's time for Agent O'Toole to chill and take a break. So, DD gets assigned to an irrelevant, go-nowhere case. Her boss is convinced Agent O'Toole will stay out of controversy and off the media radar. A frustrated and unhappy DD takes the case only to find herself free falling into a dark rabbit hole filled with zany, crazy people who are all in search of Muller's Marbles.
Bridge Over Spooky Water
It's almost Halloween and time for the grand re-opening of Bridge House. But Misty's struggling with her new role, and good help is hard to find ... unless it's a charming ghost pirate and a flea-ridden werewolf.With the worst of hurricane season over and the repairs finally completed, Misty is ready to embrace her new position at Bridge House. And though she has doubts about Dimitri's intentions, the surly troll seems glued to her side. Now, the charming and mischievous pirate Jean Lafitte has returned from beyond the grave, and he's determined to dock his ship in Misty's harbor. But Misty has bigger fish to fry. Her new porter has fleas and her Pop keeps sneaking his garish collection of seashells into the china cabinet. When Bridge House starts acting like a diva and an influx of ghosts overtakes the cafe, will Misty have the opening of her dreams? Or is Halloween shaping up to be a nightmare? Bridge Over Spooky Water is the hauntingly funny fourth short in the Murky Midlife Waters paranormal women's fiction series. If you like middle-aged mayhem, adorkable paranormal characters, and ghostly gags, then you'll love JB Lassalle's howling Halloween yarn. Read Bridge Over Spooky Water for a hauntingly good time.
Man of the Month Club
A funny, edgy novel about having it all-when timing is everything. Amy Stokes has made a fortune from luxury baby products: not bad for someone who doesn't particularly like or want kids. She'd rather stay out late with friends and spend her money on the fabulous life-designer clothes, a convertible, a chic apartment with a roof garden. Then Amy turns 39 and, after years of utter silence, her biological clock starts ticking-loudly. There's just one thing missing-a man. Applying the same entrepreneurial can-do spirit that's always worked for her in the past, Amy gives herself a year to find an acceptable guy to knock her up, and embarks on a merry-go-round of potential winners and losers she dubs "the man of the month club." But finding a father for her child may not be quite as easy as creating a business plan.
The Perpetual Astonishment of Jonathon Fairfax
'It cleverly combines intrigue with comic, astute observation which made me laugh throughout.' - Shortlisted for the Bath Novel Award 2014When Jonathon Fairfax accidentally helps a murderer bump off Sarah Morecambe, the secretary of a senior politician, he sets off a chain of events that astonishes him. Jonathon is wrong-footed by even the most everyday things, so he's particularly startled to find himself caught up in a conspiracy that goes right to the heart of government. Teaming up with a suave private investigator, a glamorous grannie and the probable love of his life, Jonathon must confront his greatest fears - including talking to girls and balaclava-clad killers - and answer some very difficult questions. Who murdered Sarah Morecambe? What is the strange secret that unites the entire British government? And what exactly does it feel like to kiss a real-life woman? With its na簿ve, reluctant hero and wry look at life, The Perpetual Astonishment of Jonathon Fairfax has been compared to books by Douglas Adams, Carl Hiaasen and PG Wodehouse. Some comparisons... "When Christopher Shevlin sat down to write this book, the spirit of Douglas Adams sidled up next to him and said, 'Here, let me help you.' This book is probably - definitely - the funniest thing I have read since The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy." Geek Boy, Amazon.com "It reminded me of a very English Carl Hiaasen - filled with throwaway detail, joyously funny dialogue and slightly absurd characters." Francesca Brown, Stylist magazine "In the same vein as 'The 100 year old man that climbed out of a window', it's a non-stop page turner. Great stuff!!!" Andy, Amazon UK "Shevlin has been compared to Wodehouse, and I'm sure he'll garner more compliments as the book is read. I would give it 11 if I could." posh sith, Amazon UK "If you like tight writing, a great pace, smart references and laughing, this book will be on your top five list! Like reading an Arrested Development script." Bridget Aureli, Amazon.com "I sincerely hope there will be another work from this author in the near future, to my way of thinking he is up there with Stella Gibbons and Saki." lizzieay, Amazon UK "Shevlin's writing style, his wonderful way with eccentric characters, and his knack for combining kindness, silliness, and more than a few touching surprises, all fill a spot left by Douglas Adams." Avery Elizabeth Hurt
And Now There's Zelda
For fans of the international bestselling and award-winning author of AND THEN THERE'S MARGARET comes the perfect family 'dramedy'. AND NOW THERE'S ZELDA takes readers on another relatable 'slice of life' ride as Allison Montgomery realizes the only way to survive the angst of family is to let go....and let it be."Fans of Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng and The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan will adore Clarke's novel. It is filled with heart and drama." -The Book Commentary"A funny, uplifting story about one woman's lesson in letting go-even though this means she has to make peace with her mother-in-law AND a potential daughter-in-law who just might be her sweet son's biggest mistake." -Maddie Dawson, Washington Post bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners'Perfect for women's fiction book clubs.' -Lorne Park Book ClubDealing with a controlling, manipulative, and self-absorbed mother-in-law can be a challenge. But when your child brings home a fianc矇 who's completely unworthy, and the shoe is suddenly on the other foot, do you take the high road, or get down and dirty?It's been five years since Allison Montgomery's beloved father-in-law, George, passed away and her cantankerous mother-in-law, Margaret, moved in. After nearly killing each other during their initial adjustment period, Allie and Margaret have finally buried the hatchet and have even launched a thriving home staging business together.Today, Allie is enjoying life. That is until her twenty-two-year-old son, Cameron, unexpectedly brings home Zelda, his new fianc矇. The problem is, no one has ever met or even heard of her. And when Zelda's first impression raises more than a few red flags, Allie finds herself in unfamiliar territory.Facing the prospect of becoming a mother-in-law far sooner than expected, and to someone unworthy of her darling baby boy, Allie's protective instinct kicks in. And who better to turn to for guidance and support than Margaret, her former nemesis and master of the mothers-in-law's dark arts.Allie and Margaret launch Project Zelda, an intervention of sorts designed to show Cameron who Zelda really is and to prevent him from making a catastrophic mistake. However, with Zelda's ingratiating behavior, Margaret's occasional disappearances, and Allie's doubts about turning into her own mother-in-law, will Allie find a way to reconcile her protective instincts or will history repeat itself?Readers LOVE And Now There's Zelda!'This book did not disappoint' -Netgalley 'It's a very entertaining, well-written family drama -Goodreads
The Husband Chair
Our hero: Bone tired. Lost. Desolate. A man pushed to the outer limits of his very being. His struggle: Satisfy the need to rest whilst still supporting his beloved in her hour of need.While his wife negotiates a seemingly endless list of fashion stores in her quest for perfection, her loving husband must stave off the weariness that visits each partner in a shopping spree with their significant other.Fighting hunger, rising frustration and the mental fatigue associated with tracking credit card usage, will he ever find peace? And honestly, can he just go and sit down for a minute...
The Husband Chair
Our hero: Bone tired. Lost. Desolate. A man pushed to the outer limits of his very being. His struggle: Satisfy the need to rest whilst still supporting his beloved in her hour of need.While his wife negotiates a seemingly endless list of fashion stores in her quest for perfection, her loving husband must stave off the weariness that visits each partner in a shopping spree with their significant other.Fighting hunger, rising frustration and the mental fatigue associated with tracking credit card usage, will he ever find peace? And honestly, can he just go and sit down for a minute...
Silly Beggars
Clive is a quiet unassuming man who lives in relative comfort with his wife and two grown up children. His most obvious quality is a remarkable degree of gullibility. He had given up a well-paid job in industry to take up a position as carer in a sheltered housing scheme. This move led to Clive's contentment but his wife resented what she perceived as a major drop in her social standing. Clive's life takes a dramatic change when he receives a large inheritance from his former employer. Whilst most people would regard this as a welcome event, for Clive it only leads to massive disruption in his life. On a trip to a solicitor's office in Hull he attends a somewhat bizarre will reading. Whilst being completely innocent, he is subsequently accused of car theft, complicity in the death of its previous owner and adultery. Along with this he is faced with vast numbers of people who engage in a variety of schemes to try and relieve him of his new-found wealth. His naivety knows no bounds and it takes the efforts of his colleague Sally to try and drag him into the real world and ensure that he makes the best use of his money. All this happens against a backdrop of local government corruption as a councillor plans to close down the home where Clive and his co-workers support three adults with a variety of learning difficulties. Clive's ultimate response to his financial predicament and his marital situation is inventive.Whilst this book touches on some important issues it is essentially a story of gentle humour.
Pulp and Papermakers Fiction
Pulp and Papermakers Fiction is a wild ride back to Australian Manufacturing in the 1980s. So hop into my 1977 LX SS Torana Hatchback and hold on as I introduce you to the Larrikins that made this crazy place so much fun. You will ride the highs and lows of my work as a Papermaking Shiftworker and discover a world that is gone forever.The ride starts with me navigating the potholes of my youth, then onto life as a young Industrial Tyre fitter on the Melbourne Wharves, before being catapulted into the crazy world of a Papermaker. Fortunately I come out the other side sane and intact, but the journey is one that I will never forget.So buckle up for a totally different story that is lightly informative but dominantly comical, due to its amazing cast of Pulp and Papermaking Aussie Larrikins!
The Lightbridge Method
Safety checks ... purely optional Twins Jonathon and Nickolas Milarum work for Qurkition galaxy's largest children's entertainment company, IAFE. They are its worst employees. They are also flat broke, supremely bored, and dislike children. Quite the trifecta considering their family owns the business in question - It's All for Effect. When a glitch in the IAFE booking system gives the brothers the chance to take on a profitable, though questionable, side-hustle - event managing the largest celebration that Zertian 11 has ever seen - they jump at the chance to clear their mountain of debt. The fact that the gig is to celebrate a ruthless criminal overlord's birth-cycle day, oh that, and his triumph over a rival mob family, is of minor concern as ethics had left that building long ago. Joined by their new apprentice, Berkely Bing-Beekeson, and their spaceship's gambling junkie computer, M011y, the brothers set out to seek their fame and fortune in the event entertainment business. What could go wrong?
You Are Here
THE INSTANT #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA Good Housekeeping "Book We're Most Looking Forward To" * An Independent Today "Best Fiction Books to Read" * A GQ Magazine (UK) "Best Book of 2024" * A Harper's Bazaar (UK) "Best Novels to Read" * A Daily Record "Best Novel" "Captivating [and] flawless...An affectingly hard-won romance. [Michael is] a sturdy and slyly amusing authority figure, ... flailing amid the debris of a loving marriage gone sour. Marnie is a compulsively witty, winningly cranky near-agoraphobe...Both protagonists are prickly, smart and desperately yearning, but utterly guarded for understandably good reasons. Nicholls builds his own erotic and at times wrenchingly emotional suspense as the would-be lovers reveal past mishaps and surrendered dreams... As in the best romances, we cherish Michael's and Marnie's difficult personalities, and relish the unlikely process that might bring them together. The novel is sharp-tongued and irresistible." -- New York Times Book Review"I finished this novel in two breathless sittings, as invested in its outcome as I would be in the happiness of a friend. This is the magic of You Are Here: warm, generous and funny, it invites readers into the world of Marnie and Michael with the promise that everyone is welcome, and that choosing happiness and being courageous in any small way we can is always possible. I loved this book." -- Kaliane Bradley, author of The Ministry of TimeFrom the internationally bestselling and Booker Prize-longlisted author of One Day, one of the most enduring love stories of its generation, comes an uplifting and unputdownable love story about second chances.Sometimes you need to get lost to find your way . . .Michael is coming undone. Adrift after his wife's departure, he has begun taking himself on long, solitary walks across the English countryside. Becoming ever more reclusive, he'll do anything to avoid his empty house.Marnie, on the other hand, is stuck. Hiding alone in her London flat, she avoids old friends and any reminders of her rotten, selfish ex-husband. Curled up with a good book, she's battling the long afternoons of a life that feels like it's passing her by.When a persistent mutual friend and some very unpredictable weather conspire to toss Michael and Marnie together on the most epic of ten-day hikes, neither of them can think of anything worse. Until, of course, they discover exactly what they've been looking for.Michael and Marnie are on the precipice of a bright future . . . if they can survive the journey.A hilarious, hopeful, and heartwarming love story--the novel beloved New York Times bestselling author David Nicholls calls "my funniest book yet"--You Are Here is a bittersweet and hopeful story of first encounters, second chances, and finding the way home.
The Bulgarian Training Manual
The Bulgarian Training Manual is a comic novel that tells the story of Tina in her quest to find her true parents and jeans that fit.With the help of a mysterious book with magical powers, Tina makes her way from her waterlogged apartment in Hoboken, New Jersey, to an Oz-like journey to Bulgaria and back. Our heroine is the catalyst for a final contest that is part body-builder pose-off and part poetry slam.The novel is a sly and comic look at self-improvement, our self-doubts and fervent dreams, and our endless internal yammering. Those who follow The Bulgarian Training Manual add more than muscle. They become poets.
Pulp and Papermakers Fiction
Pulp and Papermakers Fiction is a wild ride back to Australian Manufacturing in the 1980's. So hop into my 1977 LX SS Torana Hatchback and hold on as I introduce you to the Larrikins that made this crazy place so much fun. You will ride the highs and lows of my work as a Papermaking Shiftworker and discover a world that is gone forever. The ride starts with me navigating the potholes of my youth, then onto life as a young Industrial Tyre fitter on the Melbourne Wharves, before being catapulted into the crazy world of a Papermaker. Fortunately I come out the other side sane and intact, but the journey is one that I will never forget.So buckle up for a totally different story that is lightly informative but dominantly comical, due to its amazing cast of Pulp and Papermaking Aussie Larrikins!
The Sex Machine
The Sex Machine is not a book about sex, or a machine, or about a machine that anyone has sex with. Truth be told, The Sex Machine has very little sex in it. Instead, this is a look at poll-takers, public opinion polls, and the importance that big business places on what people think. Mainly though The Sex Machine is about a man named MacInnes who could easily predict the results of a poll question without the need for taking any polls or surveys.The Sex Machine is a 1940's look at Algorithims and AI in a time before anyone knew what either of those things were. To a lesser extent The Sex Machine is about the potential for disaster when one person can control so much based on a whim..
Slime Line
Equal parts workplace satire and character study in delusion, Slime Line is a fresh and urgently needed examination of work, grief, the male ego, and the false promise of environmental capitalism. A fresh and trippy portrait of the diverse underclass of the commercial fishing industry, Slime Line is a tragicomedy of one college dropout's attempts to remake himself into a hard-nosed workingman. Fleeing the aftermath of a bizarre college prank and mourning the death of his deadbeat dad, Garrett Deaver escapes Pennsylvania for a salmon processing plant in remote Alaska, a state he has only known from his father's stories. There he renames himself Beaver--just like a beaver, he's "an industrious motherf*cker"--and he connives to become a supervisor at Klak Fancy Salmon, LLC, thinking it will solve his psychological and financial issues. He soon falls in with an entrepreneurial Turkish fish processor and a cynical old woman who mends nets and tells filthy jokes. In these two, he finds solidarity, or even friendship, for the first time in his life. But the methamphetamines Garrett uses to work long hours delude his thinking, and an old photo on the wall of a bar contradicts his dad's stories. When sabotage at the plant sets his new friends at odds with management and an ensuing act of violence disrupts his schemes, Garrett is set on a path toward reckoning with his dad's secret legacy and the mythos of rugged individualism he'd always believed.
The Farmhouse Five Go Quizzing
Win a Special Limited Edition Hardback copy. Details below. When the Little Didney Animal Rescue Centre is threatened with closure, the fate of the animals rests entirely on a quiz team from the local pub. The Farmhouse Five, the collective leftovers rejected by the other teams. Can these five quiz team refugees beat 2,000 other teams in a massive quiz chase across the South West of England? The prize is a 1,000 acre estate left in the will of an eccentric millionaire, but the challenge is huge. Not only have the Farmhouse Five never once won their local pub quiz, but now, somebody else isn't playing fair. While the Farmhouse Five race against the clock to solve the clues, time is also running out for the animals. Can a ragtag team of misfits really take on some of the best quiz brains in the country? Can they manage to keep all of their teammates out of trouble long enough to complete the challenge at all? And can you solve the enigmatic entry clue? Your chance to win a Special Limited Edition Hardback copy of The Farmhouse Five Go Quizzing. In support of a local Animal Rescue Centre, the author is offering a prize of ten copies of the book. The winners will be chosen at random from all those who successfully solve the entry clue to the Great Wessex Chase as given in the text of the book.Once you have solved the clue, just go to luddington.com/competition and enter the name of the location. i.e. Exeter Cathedral (not GPS or what3words)Good Luck!
Fearsome Trio
This book provides a colorful and humorous glimpse of three men in their autumn years, starting new and interesting life adjustment to the colorful and scenic Arizona area. We see two of them struggle with changing their priorities from growing old with their chosen spouses to finding new meaning to their lives. We go along on their journey, seeing them form a camaraderie with each other and other friends in the area. We see how they develop a bonding that prompts them to become the Fearsome Trio!
The Wereghost Menace
When a wereghost invades an otherwise routine delivery mission aboard the Starcruiser Galaxy, the crew of the venerable craft must find a way to eliminate it. The task proves more complicated than expected when the true origin of the creature reveals a vile secret that a powerful government will stop at nothing to keep hidden from public knowledge. Join the crew of the Galaxy on Halloween night as they encounter strange ghosts, combat powerful government battleships, struggle with past and present relationships, and contemplate which outfits to wear to the costume party.
A Very Goober Christmas
Christmas is a time to enjoy close friendships, a loving family, and a tree towering high above a mountain of colorful presents. Getting those presents under the tree could be a challenge, however, as Santa's ship is damaged while passing through a nebula. With his ship tumbling uncontrollably through space, and time quickly running out, Santa turns to the only hope of saving Christmas - the intrepid Starcruiser Galaxy and its determined crew.As the team races to save the day, an evil force bent on stealing Christmas attacks Santa's ship. Armed only with candy canes, a generous helping of festive cheer, and a shiny string of jingling bells, the crew must find a way to repair Santa's ship while fending off the cosmic scourge.The fate of Christmas for the entire universe rests in the hands of Galaxy's crew. Will those on Santa's "nice" list receive their presents this year? Or will the forces of evil triumph and seize the holidays for their own nefarious purposes? Find out in A Very Goober Christmas.
1987
1987, a cataclysmic year for many. How did the relatively newly established Eurobond market cope with its volatility and what were the day to day lives of the traders and brokers like? The City has always been cheek by jowl with the East End. Did the seemingly polar opposite worlds overlap?This fictional account of a year in the Eurobond markets provides a humorous look at the real lives lived by market participants (and hangers on) during a year that saw one of the biggest Stock Market crashes for years, with a once in a generation hurricane thrown in for good measure. The degree to which decisions made were influenced by alcohol, ego or drugs is perhaps surprising to outsiders. The remuneration for the time was also eye watering. Judge for yourselves whether these "Galacticos" were really worth the money!
Wives Like Us
"Wives Like Us made me laugh so hard I actually knocked over my lamp. Can a book be so wickedly smart, so effortless, so chic and hilarious that you would stumble through the night to find a new lightbulb just so you can keep reading way past your bedtime? In a word, yes." --Kevin KwanTake a grand English country house, one (heartbroken) American divorcee, three rich wives, two tycoons, a pair of miniature sausage dogs and one (bereaved) butler; put them all into the blender and out comes the impossibly funny romantic comedy Wives Like Us, the new novel from the best-selling author of Bergdorf Blondes and Party Girls Die In Pearls, Plum Sykes.If you think the English countryside is all green wellies, muddy Land Rovers and grey-haired ladies in tweed, then you've never visited 'The Bottoms.'Welcome to the rose-strewn county of Oxfordshire, and the tony Cotswold villages of Little Bottom, Middle Bottom, Great Bottom, and Monkton Bottom, recently annexed by a glittering new breed of female in this witty social satire: the Country Princess. Following a ghastly row about a missing suite of diamonds, Tata Hawkins has flounced out of Monkton Bottom Manor with her daughter, Minty, and Executive Butler Ian Palmer in tow, decamping to The Old Coach House to teach her husband Bryan a lesson.But things don't go to plan: Bryan disappears to Venice with a bikini designer; Selby Fairfax, the glamorous American divorc矇e who has inherited the beautiful estate next door, is refusing Tata's overtures at friendship; Tata's best friends, Sophie Thompson and Fernanda Ovington-Williams, are distracted by their own heartache, and the posh Pennybacker-Hoare sisters are plotting to prevent Tata regaining her crown as Queen of the Bottoms. Worst of all, in a classic case of rich people problems, Ian has nowhere to store his collection of vintage Gucci loafers.Will Tata ever return to the comforts of the Manor? Will Selby find her Prince Charming? Will the Pennybacker-Hoares prevail? With the help of a pig farmer-ess moonlighting as a Personal Assistant, a male model moonlighting as a stable hand and a London barrister moonlighting as a gentleman farmer, can Ian restore harmony to The Bottoms?
Drunk before the Sun
Kurt has finished university and finds himself faced with real life: get a job, settle down... He can't think of anything worse.Yearning for a final summer of good times before the inevitable capitulation to reality, he lets himself be charmed by the anarchic Lincoln. What starts as fun rapidly escalates to a frantic escape from a notorious psychopath, a member of The Grim Reapers, the gang Lincoln has just liberated a large bag of cash from.
Johnnie & the Tempest
Johnnie Crosswell, a Park Service maintenance worker on St. John and former Marine, has a new, less than ideal roommate. Cudlow, his ex-billionaire friend, is sleeping on his sofa and driving him crazy by constantly singing and drinking all the milk. Matters get worse when Cud claims to see a ghost. Johnnie wonders if Cud is losing his mind again, but becomes a believer when they both have the exact same dream in which Cud's mom warns them of a deadly storm coming their way. Meanwhile, a mystical meteorologist at the local television station is adamant that the forecast is nothing but sunny. While Johnnie investigates the truth about the storm, he learns profound secrets that cause him to lose faith in humanity. He's left with two choices. Leave the deceitful world behind and live on the beach as a recluse? Or risk complete humiliation to warn the island's residents to seek shelter?
Absolute Zero
La Dolce Vita or Bust(The Stand-Alone Prequel to the Best-Selling Val Fremden Midlife Mystery Series!)We've all dreamed of ditching everything and running off to another country -- but almost no one actually ever does. Well, Val feels like she's almost no one. Invisible to her husband and dissatisfied with her life, deep in her soul Val yearns to be someone else.Someone sexy. Someone happy. So she buys a ticket and takes off to Italy. With only her favorite romance novel to guide her, Val's got her heart set on relaxation, romance and reinvention. But she soon finds out that handsome men, like life, have plans of their own. In the race to rediscover herself, what awaits Val at the finish line may be a completely unexpected type of victory.... Will Val score a home run? Or will she just want to run home? If you've ever dreamed of ditching your life and running off to Europe, now's your chance! Join Val on a roller-coaster ride through Europe that will leave you gasping! From gut-busting hilarity to gut-wrenching gaffs, finding yourself again is always worth the price of admission. Get your ticket now! Absolute Zero is a full-length, stand-alone novel. It's also the funny, yet often heart-wrenching prequel to the hilarious Val Fremden Midlife Mystery Series.Absolute Zero is not a mystery, per se. (Unless you count the mystery of why in the world we do the crazy things we do!) Instead, this novel is a satirical look at starting over after forty. Just like life, it's full of ups and downs - especially as told through the eyes of a sharp-witted, reluctantly redneck woman who's always played it safe - until now. Freedom comes at a great price for Val. Will it be worth it? Well, that's up to you.... Pick up a copy and come along for a tour of Italy, Germany, and the human heart. What Readers are Saying about Absolute Zero: "This character makes you proud to be a woman.""With quick wit, pages of adventures, dialogue that sucked me into the scenes, and descriptions that created the most hilarious visuals, Absolute Zero is an every woman's tale of rediscovery." USA Today Bestselling author Pamela Crane"I have long been a Janet Evanovich fan and she is my go to author when someone asks for a book recommendation. Now, I can add Margaret Lashley to that very short list.""Loved it. Couldn't stop, had to see what happened next.""Want a good laugh and a new friend? Grab this.""Her characters are lovable and believable and you cheer, and cry, along with them.""Wonderful book. Had me at the first paragraph.""What a ride! I laughed, I cried. What an enjoyable way to leave your own troubles behind."
Zodiac Pets
In his follow-up to the award-winning Ring On Deli, Eric Giroux returns to the hard-luck hamlet of Pennacook, Massachusetts, for a hilarious and potent novel about a misfit's quest to save the local democracy.Wendy Zhou has just lost her father and is off to a brawling start in decrepit Pennacook, where wild boar roam the streets and dumpster living is the next big thing. She finds a new sense of mission after joining the other middle-schoolers staffing the town paper, the Pennacook Beat. But when dark forces aim to sell the town ("some assembly required") and plunk a giant dome over it, can a still-shattered Wendy find the strength to fight them? And why does Graham Bundt-the supposed John Adams descendant who rules the Beat like some sloppy Perry White-keep tormenting Wendy with picayune assignments and inane Fun Fridays?Wendy tells the tale as a college senior rewriting Zodiac Pets, her account of the Pennacook Dome debacle. She's inspired to add new chapters in which she travels down the East Coast with Lena Ko-not only her chauffeur but her troubled and much-loved girlfriend-to interview her former Beat colleagues for the book. In the process of rewriting, she takes a fresh look at Pennacook, herself, and even the rascally Graham."Exciting" and "engaging" with a "satisfying conclusion." - Foreword Clarion Reviews"Convincingly explores the fragility of democracy." - Kirkus Reviews ("Our Verdict: Get It")"[A] potent novel of growing up and facing the world. . . . Giroux weaves a gripping narrative, laced with humor, that interrogates and encourages reflection on individuals' susceptibility to the influence of those in power. .... [A] compelling and thought-provoking read." - BookLife"Zany, manic, absolutely crackers, Zodiac Pets is a smart, snarky satire of American idealism crashing headfirst into its mortal enemy, human nature." - Stewart O'Nan, author of The Speed Queen and Last Night at the Lobster"Smart, witty, and savage, Zodiac Pets is the perfect read for anyone who believes that novels still matter and can challenge us to be better human beings and citizens-all while making us laugh till our sides split." - Robert Kerbeck, award-winning author of RUSE and Malibu Burning"Zodiac Pets brings to the page one of the most unique, whip-smart, and hilarious characters in memory in seventh grader Wendy Zhou." - Beth Uznis Johnson, author of Coming Clean
Scar Tissue of the Heart
Awards & Accolades KIRKUS REVIEWSOUR VERDICT: GET IT! One man's offbeat attempt to make amends with his past and find love in the present.Harris' clear and direct writing has flashes of sarcasm and deadpan humor reminiscent of Kurt Vonnegut. What readers may remember best about this quirky tale, however, are the occasional poetic gems. Kirkus ReviewsFROM THE DUST-JACKET: Dan receives an e-mail from a friend with a hyperlink and a cryptic message, "Thought you might find this amusing." Little does he know, but when Dan clicks that link his life will be forever changed. The link takes Dan to what appears to be someone's online diary. Dan is fascinated by the intimate details of the author's life, including his wife and daughter. After adding up all the clues, he finally realizes why he received this link. As fate should have it, Dan is reading the diary of the man who stole the heart of his first girlfriend. The more Dan reminisces about his first love, the more determined he is to find her. He sets out on a road trip, hoping to reconcile his past with his present. Along the way, Dan will find himself on an unexpected adventure involving a beautiful woman, helper monkeys, wishing rocks, a befuddled octogenarian, a secret garden and, of course, his first love. ABOUT THE AUTHOR J Lee Harris lives in Manhattan with a dog, two cats, and a secret dumb-waiter to an abandoned Chinese restaurant. For the past ten years, J Lee has worked behind the scenes as a successful "script doctor" for both stage and screen. Stepping out front with this debut novel, Scar Tissue of the Heart, J Lee has concocted an enchanting, quirky, heart-warming story that combines elements from romantic comedies, classic road pictures, mythology and magic realism.
The Unicorn and The Psychic Telephone
In business, they call a company that has reached a billion dollar valuation without being publicly traded a Unicorn. Malcolm Joffrey always wanted to be the founder of a company like that. He had been with startups before, but never one like this.The misfit team of engineers at Dataffair create a device like no one has ever seen before. It can channel positive energy through wires and distribute it across the globe. Suddenly everyone around Malcolm seemed to be questioning their life choices, changing their beliefs, and disrupting Malcolm's dream.More problems arise as the implications of a corporation controlling positive energy come to light. How much would you pay to be happy? Act now and get this book for only $19.99!
Bob Mankoff's Big Book of Relationship Cartoons
Let Bob Mankoff be your guide to laughing at your relationship (or the relationship of your favorite friend or couple). Monograph contains 146 of Bob's favorite relationship cartoons covering every possible relationship topic imaginable: First Dates, Proposals, Marriage, Anniversaries, Infidelity, Couples Therapy, Divorce, and much more! After all, if you can't laugh at the existential rom-com that is human intimacy, then the joke's on you.
The Grocery Man And Peck's Bad Boy Peck's Bad Boy and His Pa, No. 2
Menopausal Killer Sharks
Synopsis: Laurie Anderson believes in repeat performances, especially when it comes to marriage. Thankfully, she finally got it right with her fifth husband and is happily living on the side of fifty in a town known for only one thing-its sins. Now she just wishes she could create a new pastime besides standing in front of a mirror and pulling her skin back so she can see her original jawline again.Laurie is not alone. Her best friends-wacko Sally CJ, respectable Frances, and white-knight deprived Marcia-are dealing with jiggly butts, saggy breasts, and a potpourri of men with more problems than them. Sally CJ, whose thirty-four double Ds are not shrinking with age, believes sex is the magic elixir for all evils. Frances, who just ended a dead-end relationship, is approaching aging through wine and expensive face creams. Marcia, a widow who has the ability to attract guys with major character flaws, is unintentionally transforming into a nun. As the women search for their next relationship, they reflect on youthful escapades and eventually create rules to guide them through the unfamiliar territory of the Internet and blind dating. Menopausal Killer Sharks is an amusing, heartfelt tale centered around four middle-aged women who bravely face the third act of life with humor and, most importantly, each other.Autobiography: Jan Atkinson is an attorney who has been writing short stories for over thirty years. Her favorite pastimes are cheering for the Terps, Orioles, and Ravens and whacking a tennis ball. Jan currently resides in Raleigh, North Carolina where she is routinely entertained by Edgar Allan Poe, an opinionated African Grey parrot who intimidates most men who vie for her company.
The Mercury Travel Club
TRAVEL THE WORLD IN THIS LAUGH OUT LOUD SECOND CHANCE ROM-COM ABOUT STARTING AGAIN LATER IN LIFE.________________________________________________It's never too late for your first adventure . . .Meet Angela. Over fifty. Divorced. Ready to start again.Angela's twenty-fifth wedding anniversary plans go up in smoke when her feckless now-ex-husband runs off with the caterer of their daughter's graduation party.Her besties Patty and Charlie persuade her to leave the house and her comfy cardies behind - and into the highest heels she can totter on. Wine bars, viral YouTubed karaoke nights, a book club. Angie's going to live like she never has before.Then during one of her new favourite nights - the book club with wine - she realises she can't be the only one. How many other newly divorced people are out there, waiting for adventure?She sets up the Mercury Travel Club - global getaways for the more 'mature' holidaymaker.Angie's holidays are a hit.Over the course of an 80s inspired cruise and a trip to New York, Angie begins to see there is a whole world waiting to be explored. And new love to be found . . .This laugh out loud feel-good romantic comedy of second chances is perfect for fans of Caroline James, Maddie Please, Jill Mansell, Shari Low, Judy Leigh and Jennifer Bohnet.
Chaos in the Caravan
Join the Tomcats in their perilous journey south as two strange cousins seek their place in the magical Kingdom of Osten. Dine with noble lords and feel the sting of the taunting jester's tongue. Hear the tale of a young dairy maid as she discovers the consequence of disturbing nature and achieves a new destiny thereby. One will soon surmise that any outward trek pales in comparison to the fascinating journeys to be taken within.This sequel to "Mayhem at the Mill" reunites you with many favorite old characters and introduces a plethora of new friends to beguile your time and prey upon your imagination.Lucas and Royland travel by caravan to the conclave of mages. There, sponsored by the good Baron Westarbor, they are to commence their service to the king. As simple as that. What could possibly go amiss? They will soon discover the world is fraught with secrets and surprises, intrigue, skulduggery, capricious fey and villainous lords whose oily ambitions will once again test them to their limits.
A Compilation of Poems and Short Stories
To begin, the first part of this book is a compilation of poems with focus on knowledge of what one may interpret and find important when reflection on life. The short stories take on the same idea but finish with a bit more humor than the poems.The first story Nealry Left Behind/ The White Shoes Inquiry deals with an individual who is trying to find himself in a small town. He eventually thinks that he has upon returning home from the escapades he and his friends partake in. Nevertheless, after returning home there was a few minutes of his life where he never felt so lost, but he navigates through his difficulties for a humorous result.The next story, which is entitled Out Side My Window deals with an academic who is trying to make it through his day. He speaks with friends and even has an interview with a landscaper to try an please his curious state of mind. He eventually takes things a bit to far but his friends are there for him.The third story is entitled Hot Air. This story offers incites from an extremely humorous point of view. There is some political satire built into the story but it allows for an individual to laugh no matter what their political beliefs.
The Westering Trail Travesties
A 2023 Will Rogers Medallion Award-winner, The Westering Trail Travesties encompasses five Western tales, ranging from the surreal to the tear-jerker-told in a crucible of parody.In Rumors from the Edge of the World, Kid Concho and his Arizona outlaw gang of misfits stumble upon a prophetic Apache spring. Too Long in the Saddle follows the exploits of a Boston newspaper reporter who is ordered on assignment to frontier Kansas.During Code of the Ranger, one man travels with a quartet of Arizona Rangers who-without extradition papers-must ride undercover into Texas to bring back Bad Bob Banning. In Gourd, fourteen-year-old Curtis Blaydes continues to run his family's homestead after losing his father and mother, until a visitor arrives. Niobrara introduces a notable triangle of youngsters in northern Nebraska.In the vast landscapes of the Old West, these five unexpected tales weave together a tapestry of human resilience, raw adventure, and the oftentimes humorous spirit of the untamed frontier.
Matilda's Summer of New Beginnings
A heartwarming story of friendship and new beginnings set in the sleepy village of Padcock.What if your happy ending has been within your grasp all along?Matilda Matthews has big dreams. But after being dumped via text and watching her rival get their artwork in a London exhibition before her, she's feeling awfully sorry for herself.So she jumps at the chance to attend a birthday party in the idyllic village of Padcock. Because two famous artists are attending . . . And it can't hurt to hear their pearls of wisdom.With a little extra help from Jay, her best friend's brother and dishy barman at the Spatchcock Inn, Matilda resolves to not give up on what she wants.Then a shocking bombshell pushes her further into the embrace of Padcock . . . And Jay. But as Matilda settles into the quiet way of life in the little village, she begins to wonder if her London dream really is the true path to happiness.Is it all just an impossible fantasy, or could Matilda get what she's always wanted and end up in the arms of the man of her dreams?This utterly heartwarming and uplifting friend-to-lovers romance is perfect for fans of Jennifer Bohnet, Jo Bartlett, Jessica Redland, Sarah Hope, Ellie Henderson or Georgina Troy.
The Trauma of Making our Wedding
Why is making a wedding such a trauma? Well, it brings together two families that just because their children have found love/friendship and common ground, who is to say that the rest of the families will have anything in common? Every emotion is challenged and most of the families take sides over everything from the chair covers and napkin rings to the venue/band and florist. Now put together two families from different religions, different backgrounds and very different financial positions but who live five minutes from each other and have crossed paths on many occasions throughout their early lives, but maybe will never join the dots, or maybe they will, who knows! And see what happens, it's a chemical reaction that comes from making a wedding.All this takes place whilst some of them have their own major personal dramas going on in their lives, read how it changes them as individuals. This story will send you on an emotional roller coaster, from deep sadness to hilarious stubbornness to joy and laughter. The impact that total strangers have on each other is sometimes life-changing, especially when it forces you to look in a mirror and take stock of what is really important in our own lives.
