Lord Riel Evann-Sin was a man with whom to reckon. Men feared him and women lusted after the handsome warrior. His sword hand was legendary, his sexual prowess well known. Tamara Naibril was a Daughter of the Night-one of the women warriors called Hell Hags by those who feared them. Kaibyn Zafeyr had been conjured from the Abyss by lonely women who want not only to exploit the Rysalian demon's immortal powers, but to use his muscular body for their own entertainment. Being all things to all women was a tiring job, but Kai was very good at what he liked to do. Cainer Cree has spent centuries imprisoned on the Isle of Uaigneas. Memories of the woman he had loved and lost ever in his grieving mind, his mission in life is to right the wrongs done to the helpless. Fate will bring these four unique beings together to wage war against an evil woman intent on bringing mankind to its knees. It will take every power they possess-human or otherwise-to defeat the Queen of the Daughters of the Night. Along the way, undying love with be forged as Evann-Sin and Tamara become one, hearts entwined.

Sara Parker stalks the wilds of Africa, battling her ferocious dual nature. She is one of the chosen, the Siri Mtu, at times Sara the human, at times Serah the lioness, protector of the innocent creatures of the savannah. But time is running out. Ruthless poachers hunt the nearby elephant herds and her feral nature is growing stronger, flaring with the heat of sexual desire, threatening to overwhelm her and steal the last shreds of her humanity. Only a mating with a human male can save her.

Everyone can have heaven, any heaven they want, but some people don’t want to go. "Visceral, bloody -- and one hell of a page turner! Bingle tackles the philosophical issues surrounding uploaded consciousness in a fresh, exciting way. This is the debut of a major novelist -- don't miss it." Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo and Nebula Award-Winning Author. Mankind has largely retreated to the realms of virtual reality, where resources are unlimited and the problems of the real world--violence, conflict, sickness, and pain--can all be avoided. Unfortunately, those who stay behind in the real world pose the only risk to the immortality of those who have converted to virtual existence. Derek, a soldier in the Conversion Forces (ConFoes), seeks to enforce the Mandatory Conversion Act on the remaining mals (malcontent Luddites, gangbangers, and religious fanatics). He just wants to put in his time and join his family on one of the virtual worlds. But until then, he is forced to deal with his psychotic squad-mates, the increasingly brutal tactics of the ConFoes, and a mal ambush. And that's just the beginning of his journey. While most speculative and science fiction deals with worlds transformed by technological advance, Forced Conversion highlights the troubling and chaotic process of that transformation, itself. It combines the adrenaline-soaked action of military fiction with the extrapolation of current scientific trends of the best speculative fiction, while dealing with the moral and religious implications of both war and technology. If large scale transcendence could occur, this novel explains how it would come about and what the real world would be like in the aftermath. When Moore’s Law meets God’s Law, the result is forced conversion. Says Ed Greenwood, Creator of The Forgotten Realms™ and Author of the bestselling Elminster novels: "I loved it! Many writers have explored hard-hitting and brutal possible futures for Earth, and told colorful tales of people trying to stay alive in them, but few have brought such imagined futures as vividly to life as Don Bingle -- and no other book I can think of examines how and why such a future might just happen as well as FORCED CONVERSION does -- or provides half the breath-catching twists and turns of Bingle's yarn. A 'good read' of the old school, coupled with all-too-plausible reasons for everything. A grim warning and a fast action adventure tale, all in one! Highly recommended!" Best known as the world's top-ranked player of classic role-playing games for fifteen years, Donald J. Bingle is an oft-published author in the science fiction, fantasy, horror, thriller, steampunk, romance, and comedy genres, with five books (Forced Conversion; GREENSWORD; Net Impact; Frame Shop; The Love-Haight Case Files), and more than fifty shorter stories, primarily in DAW themed anthologies and tie-in anthologies, including stories in Carnage & Consequences, The Crimson Pact, Steampunk'd, Imaginary Friends, Fellowship Fantastic, Zombie Raccoons and Killer Bunnies, Time Twisters, Front Lines, Slipstreams, Gamer Fantastic, Transformers Legends, Search for Magic (Dragonlance), If I Were An Evil Overlord, Blue Kingdoms--Mages & Magic, Civil War Fantastic, Future Americas, All Hell Breaking Loose, The Dimension Next Door, Sol's Children, Historical Hauntings, and Fantasy Gone Wrong. Many of thsese stories and others appear in his Writer on Demand TM story collections by genre: Tales of Gamers and Gaming; Tales of Humorous Horror; Tales Out of Time; Grim, Fair e-Tales; Tales of an Altered Past Powered by Romance, Horror, and Steam; Not-So-Heroic Fantasy; and Shadow Realities. Donald J. Bingle is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Horror Writers Association, International Association of Media Tie-In Writers, GenCon Writers Symposium, and Origins Game Fair Library. **Review Says Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winningauthor of Hominids: "Visceral, bloody -- and onehell of a page turner! Bingle tackles the philosophical issues surroundinguploaded consciousness in a fresh, exciting way. This is the debut of a majornovelist -- don't miss it." Says Ed Greenwood, Creator of The ForgottenRealms™ and Author of the bestselling Elminster novels: "I loved it! Many writers have explored hard-hitting andbrutal possible futures for Earth, and told colorful tales of people trying tostay alive in them, but few have brought such imagined futures as vividly tolife as Don Bingle -- and no other book I can think of examines how and why sucha future might just happen as well as FORCED CONVERSION does -- or provides halfthe breath-catching twists and turns of Bingle's yarn. A 'good read' of the oldschool, coupled with all-too-plausible reasons for everything. A grim warningand a fast action adventure tale, all in one! Highlyrecommended!" Says Jean Rabe, Author of The Dhamon Saga:** "Though this is Donald Bingle's first novel, it reads like thework of a seasoned thriller author. Forced Conversion is filled with plenty ofsuspense and surprises, deep and quirky characters, and engaging dialog. It isnot easy to set down, so read it when you have time on your hands. It is ahelluva trip ..." ** From the Publisher Technology can be a wonderful thing, when it's not ruining the world completely. Most science fiction deals with worlds transformed by technological advance. Forced Conversion highlights the troubling and chaotic process of that transformation, itself. It combines the adrenaline-soaked action of military fiction with the extrapolation of current scientific trends of the best speculative fiction, while dealing with the moral and religious implications of both war and technology. When Moore’s Law meets God’s Law, the result is forced conversion. Donald J. Bingle lives in St. Charles, Illinois. This is his first published novel. **

From the incomparable Anne Tyler, a rich and compelling novel, spanning three generations, about a mismatched marriage - and its consequences.-Michael and Pauline seemed like the perfect couple - young, good-looking, made for each other. The moment she walked into his mother's grocery store in Baltimore, he was smitten, and in the heat of World War II fervour, they marry in haste. From the sound of the cash register in the old grocery to the counterculture jargon of the sixties, from the miniskirts to the multilayers of later years, Anne Tyler captures the nuances of everyday life with telling precision and sly humour.

Subject: Daredevil Darian Sabura Family History: He's an empath -- but the source of his power is a mystery Deepest Secret: He avoids human contact and emotion -- especially love With his rock-hard body and bottomless bank account, Darian Sabura fearlessly traveled the globe in search of his next adrenaline rush -- and found it rescuing a damsel in distress. Abigail Pembroke's sheltered life had been violently shattered when she'd witnessed a brutal murder. Now someone was trying to ensure she didn't live to talk about it. But Abby wasn't the only one in danger. From the moment he saw her, Darian couldn't stop the flood of emotion that destroyed the long-held barriers around his soul. For the first time, he felt cold-blooded fear -- and desire. And as their stalker drew near, he risked sheltering Abby in his arms...and his heart.

WOULD SHE RUN AWAY--WITH HIS HEART?Small town girl Blaire Harding had always kept bad boy Justin Chisholm at arm's length. But after months of wooing, she finally agreed to let him into her life--and her bed. After one remarkable night, Blaire avoided the youngest Chisholm brother like the plague, leaving Justin to wonder why.... When he discovered that Blaire was in the family way, the rogue of Cherokee Rose was eager to do the right thing and marry her. But the independent Miss Harding would rather raise her baby alone than marry a man who didn't love her. Could this cowboy convince her that he cared? Or would he end up trailing her across the state of Oklahoma?

Amiable, wisecracking Alex Rasmussen was first introduced—to great acclaim—in The Heaven Stone, which won the PWA/St. Martin's Best First Private Eye Novel Contest, and was also named one of the best mysteries of the year by the Providence Journal-Bulletin. Now ghosts from the past and a murderous Halloween haunt his second case. A former cop gone private, Rasmussen makes a living in the decaying New England mill town of Lowell, Massachusetts. Lowell is also the hometown of Good Night Show host Jerry Corbin, whose career has started to slump in recent years. Corbin and his entourage have come to town to film the pilot episode for a new series designed to boost his sagging star quotient and rescue his ratings. Unfortunately, someone's been sending Corbin hate mail, and an off-the-record investigation is in order. Enter Rasmussen, whose familiarity with TV consists of whatever's on the set in his local bar between sporting events....

United by chance during their formative years at Barnard College, three women come of age in New York Minna Grant, Maud Noon, and Liz Becker are assigned as roommates during their freshman year at Barnard. The daughter of Communist parents, Liz makes a name for herself as a photographer. Minna, bright and pretty, is an avid swimmer with a promising academic future. And Maud, an unprepossessing scholarship student, catches the eye of the handsomest boy at Columbia and rises to fame as a poet. As the decades pass, each woman lives out her own individual passions, tragedies, and destiny. Grumbach's courageous and nuanced tale of female friendship, coming of age, and New York across the decades is a must-read.

Simran likes Tyrone from the moment she spots him in the crowd. He's gorgeous and he won't take no for an answer. There's just one problem. . . Tyrone is black and Simran's not sure how her family will react. Even though her parents were a 'love match' and married each other against the wishes of their families, Simran doesn't think they will approve of her having a black boyfriend, and her nightmare uncles and aunts certainly won't. Like her cousin Ruby says, it's the last taboo.But Simran likes Tyrone too much to walk away, so they face the problems their relationship causes together. But it becomes harder than either of them predicted and when the hatred they encounter escalates into violence, with families and friends turning against each other, Simran and Tyrone are forced to question whether they are strong enough to fight for what they believe in.

Without a doubt, the family and friends of fictional sleuths are two of the most endangered species on the planet. Crime novelists seem to have no qualms about sacrificing the people nearest and dearest to their protagonists, if doing so will advance plot development or bestow emotional depth upon their series stars. Peter Robinson continues this ruthless tradition in Strange Affair, his tension-packed 15th novel featuring headstrong British Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks. Still on the mend after the blazing finale of 2004's Playing with Fire, temporarily sworn off whiskey but back to smoking, Banks is interrupted in the midst of brooding over his life and failed relationships by a message from his estranged younger brother, Roy, who says he needs the DCI's help in "a matter of life and death." Concerned, especially since Roy boasts a history of dubious business dealings, Banks leaves Yorkshire for his sibling's home in London, only to find that residence unlocked, Roy's computer missing, and his cell phone left behind. After learning that Roy was last seen stepping into a car with an unidentified man, and receiving on Roy's mobile what appears to be a photo of his only brother slumped over in a chair, the cop fears that a kidnapping has occurred. Meanwhile, back in Eastvale, Banks's colleague and ex-lover, Detective Inspector Annie Cabbot, probes the shooting death of Jennifer Clewes, a 27-year-old family planning center administrator from London who's been found in her car, with the address of Banks's once-ruined (and recently broken into) cottage tucked into her jeans pocket. As Annie seeks to identify Clewes's attacker and determine whether this crime fits a pattern of roadway assaults, she's anxious also to discover what connection Banks may have to the case. But the DCI is frustratingly nowhere to be found. Like 2003's Close to Home, Strange Affair adds some welcome bricks to Banks's back story, this time forcing him to reappraise a brother whom he had long resented and distrusted. Simultaneously, Robinson's latest police procedural delivers artfully contrived, intersecting story lines charged with rumors of international arms dealing, hints of misdeeds at a women's clinic, secondary players so shady they might be invisible after sundown, and insights into just how far Banks's career has distanced him from folks less steeped in the ugly side of mankind. An immensely satisfying mystery, filled with professional risks and personal regrets, this is truly an Affair to remember. --J. Kingston Pierce