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Lysette buried her face against Max''s throat. "But he''s going to take me away. Don''t let him, don''t -- "

"You''re not going anywhere," Max interrupted. "Calm yourself, Lysette. It''s not good for you to become excited." His possessiveness made her strangely giddy. As far as he was concerned, she was his, and no one was going to take her away from him.

Max stared at Etienne. His voice was soft, but it contained a note that chilled Lysette''s blood. "If you so much as disarrange a hair on her head, I''ll tear you apart."

Lysette couldn''t believe it, but she didn''t care about her ruined reputation. The only thing that mattered was that she wouldn''t have to marry Etienne.

"Anam Cara is a rare synthesis of philosophy, poetry, and spirituality. This work will have a powerful and life-transforming experience for those who read it." —Deepak Chopra

John O''Donohue, poet, philosopher, and scholar, guides you through the spiritual landscape of the Irish imagination. In Anam Cara, Gaelic for "soul friend," the ancient teachings, stories, and blessings of Celtic wisdom provide such profound insights on the universal themes of friendship, solitude, love, and death as:

Youth is Wasted on the Young

Being grown up is a drag . . . or so thinks Lacuna, one of the michievous Castle Zombie twins. So she makes the Good Magician Grey an an offer he can''t refuse. Thirsty for a taste of the Elixir of Youth, she''ll help him outwit the evil Com-Pewter if he''ll send her to Hell (in a handbasket, no less) to find Humphrey, the missing sorcerer. And while there, she''ll learn the True History of Xanth (simplified) and help rescue a blushing Rose from the demon X(A/N) . . . with the help of a gorgon or two.

New York City is miles from Salt Lick, Texas, in more ways than one, but Debbie Sue Overstreet and Edwina Perkins-Martin are rarin'' to go. The best friends/beauty shop owners/private-eye partners have been offered an all-expense-paid trip to the National Association of Private Investigators convention in the Big Apple. Debbie Sue sees the invitation as validation, but Edwina has one goal: to get her feet into a pair of super-glam designer shoes, not easily had back home. Yee-haw!

As a sign of things to come, the two Texas tornadoes don''t even get out of the state without causing pandemonium at the Dallas airport. And once they land in the Big City they meet Celina, a small-town librarian who''s broke and bereft from getting robbed, and Cher, an amiable "working girl" with a heart of gold. Taking them under their wings, they head right for trouble as Edwina nearly starts a riot in the hotel bar.

But the Big Apple hasn''t seen nothin'' yet! While helping shy Celina hook up with a hunky young police detective, the Domestic Equalizers bumble their way into a murder investigation that could end up leaving Debbie Sue deceased and Edwina stone-cold in her new Jimmy Choos!

Who is this man?

The Duke of Thanet may have hired her as a governess to his six-year-old son, but there is something . . . different about the devilish rogue standing before her today. He seems to study her with an intensity she never noticed before, and he is certainly more charming than the last time they encountered each other. Was there always an alluring glint in his dark eyes? But the duke has a notoriously scandalous reputation, and Meriel will not let herself succumb.

Masquerading as the duke was not the simple solution Richard O''Neill had envisioned. When his ailing half-brother, the real duke, asked him to protect his young heir from a greedy enemy, Richard agreed. But he never thought he''d be attracted to the inquisitive governess, or that each moment in her intoxicating presence would tempt him beyond all reason. And letting down his guard could prove dangerous . . . especially to Richard''s own heart.

Facing the choice of flight or a wedding she cannot abide, Kate Simon has chosen to flee. Disguised as a boy, she takes refuge in a roadside inn, and finds herself rooming with intensely secretive Christian Black. Kate is breathless in the presence of this handsome, mysterious rogue whose piercing gaze seems to strip her naked. But neither suspects that a savage storm and a murder will draw them closer together still. But not the passion in their hearts

Christian dares not let anyone learn of his haunted past—or that he is, in truth, the Earl of Canley—especially not a slip of a girl whose masculine attire cannot disguise the exquisite female form beneath. But now that destiny and a dastardly crime have united them, Christian can no longer contain his desire to taste the nectar of Kate''s sweet kiss. Danger certainly abounds, but the gravest peril might be resisting a once-in-a-lifetime passion that can heal all wounds.

To single mom Allison Barker, men are a heap of heartbreak. So when her twelve-year-old daughter confesses that she''s posted Allison''s profile on an Internet matchmaking service and has been pretending to be her mom, Allison hits the roof . . . just before the doorbell rings. Standing on the porch is her date—he''s Hollywood handsome and all male and he looks somehow familiar.

Turns out he''s famed ProRodeo bull-riding champion Quint Matthews. He whisks Allison off to dinner, but it''s not Quint who captures her interest—it''s his old friend, rodeo bull fighter Tag Freeman.

But Quint''s got something—or rather, someone, more on his mind than Allison—because the very next day he''s off to visit Debbie Sue Overstreet. Debbie Sue was once taken in by Quint''s sky-blue eyes and tight jeans, but that was before she remarried the best-looking man in Texas, Buddy Overstreet. When Quint turns up at Debbie Sue''s door begging for help, she can''t turn him down. Seems that Quint has finally gotten his comeuppance—his identity has been stolen, by a woman no less, one he met through an online dating service.

The Equalizers take the case—after all, Quint is an "old friend" and, even better, he can pay! But no one would ever have guessed that the investigation would lead to murder . . . or that gender-confused Eugene/Janine—whom the Equalizers have tangled with before—would return to stir the stew. Or that there would be mixed messages and broken hearts all over the place.

Of course, as Edwina has often said, there''s nothin'' that a pitcher of strong margaritas and some serious snooping can''t cure . . . but not until Debbie Sue and Edwina go on a crazy ride across West Texas!

The wholly virtual world known as Second Life has attracted more than a million active users, millions of dollars, and created its own—very real—economy.

The Making of Second Life is the behind-the-scenes story of the Web 2.0 revolution''s most improbable enterprise: the creation of a virtual 3-D world with its own industries, culture, and social systems. Now the toast of the Internet economy, and the subject of countless news articles, profiles, and television shows, Second Life is usually known for the wealth of real-world companies (Reuters, Pontiac, IBM) that have created "virtual offices" within it, and the number of users ("avatars") who have become wealthy through their user-created content.

What sets Second Life apart from other online worlds, and what has made it such a success (one million-plus monthly users and growing) is its simple user-centered philosophy. Instead of attempting to control the activities of those who enter it, the creators of Second Life turned them loose: users (also known as Residents) own the rights to the intellectual content they create in-world, and the in-world currency of Linden Dollars is freely exchangeable for U.S. currency. Residents have responded by generating millions of dollars of economic activity through their in-world designs and purchases—currently, the Second Life economy averages more than one million U.S. dollars in transactions every day, while dozens of real-world companies and projects have evolved and developed around content originated in Second Life.

Wagner James Au explores the long, implausible road behind that success, and looks at the road ahead, where many believe that user-created worlds like Second Life will become the Net''s next generation and the fulcrum for a revolution in the way we shop, work, and interact. Au''s story is narrated from both within the corporate offices of Linden Lab, Second Life''s creator, and from within Second Life itself, revealing all the fascinating, outrageous, brilliant, and aggravating personalities who make Second Life a very real place­—and an illuminating mirror on the real (physical) world. Au writes about the wars they fought (sometimes literally), the transformations they underwent, the empires of land and commerce they developed, and above all, the collaborative creativity that makes their society an imperfect utopia, better in some ways than the one beyond their computer screens.

Victoria must wed . . . and immediately!

To rescue her family from financial ruin, lovely Victoria Shelby has no choice but to marry. Her options for a bridegroom are limited . . . until she remembers the shy servant boy next door. Then she discovers that her childhood friend is actually Viscount Thurlow -- ruthless businessman, future earl, and a man whose family is shrouded in scandal!

After two rejected marriage proposals, David Thurlow needs a wife who will give him an heir, someone who will not only overlook his past but also be above reproach. Victoria is the ideal candidate -- quiet, unassuming, and in desperate need of funds. But even as she strives to be the perfect wife, her calm demeanor masks a shocking secret . . . one that is overshadowed by David''s slow, heated lessons in the art of seduction that threaten to transform a “convenient” marriage into a torrid and passionate affair.

The strongest, sexiest, and sassiest debut contemporary romance we''ve seen since Rachel Gibson! The quality of Dixie''s writing combined with the pure romance of the story guarantees that Avon Romance has just acquired a new star.

Debbie Sue Overstreet is still the best-looking gal in Saltlick, TX-and her ex-husband Buddy is still the best-looking sheriff. Thanks to a thriving gossip mill (also known as Debbie''s hair salon), there isn''t a thing in Saltlick that she doesn''t know about before anyone else. That is, until somebody offs snooty Pearl Ann Carruthers. With Buddy on the case, the woman who has to know everything is stumped by not just one, but two questions: first, who killed Pearl Ann and why, and second, how on earth did she ever let Buddy Overstreet get away? Lucky for Saltlick and Buddy both, she means to find out the answers, no matter what it takes!

The first generation of SEALs was forged in the steaming jungles of Vietnam, their deadly skills honed by combat. But jealousy brewing within the U.S. military bureaucracy threatened the future of the warrior elite, and shortsighted thinking forced them into pitched battles in Grenada and Panama that the SEALs shouldn''t have fought and couldn''t have won. Now the opportunity has finally come for redemption when the tanks of a ruthless Middle Eastern despot roll across the unprotected borders of a neighboring nation. Here, in a world of blood and oil, a new generation of SEALs is going in first to fight a new kind of war on its terms -- as Hunter–Killer teams of America''s deadliest commandos plunge into a fast and murderous game of hide-seek-and-strike on Iraqi sands.

She never knew the true meaning of desire until she was tempted by . . . The Viscount in Her Bedroom.

Welcome to Salt Lick, Texas, home of big hair,big ranches, and two of the biggest busybodies everto wield a blow-dryer—Debbie Sue and Edwina,also known as the Domestic Equalizers. Their motto:Don''t run over him—get over him! Their mission: Track down and expose your straying man. And theywon''t stop until female domestic justice is served.

Debbie Sue Overstreet and Edwina Perkins-Martin have never encountered a problem that couldn''t be fixed with a strong margarita, a whole lot of hairspray, and an ear for gossip. They''ve learned that you''ll only find a straying spouse—or solve a crime—by keeping your senses alert. After all, every red-blooded Texas woman knows ears are more than just a place to hang your diamond earrings!

Newcomers stand out in Salt Lick like a preacher in a liquor store, and all ears—and eyes—are on Paige McBride and Spur Atwater. Paige arrived in town with nothing more than two hundred dollars in her pocket and a Cadillac SUV packed with designer clothes. Her oil-rich daddy has cut her off without a penny and now it''s time for her to get one of those real jobs.

The Domestic Equalizers know that Paige and her Barbie-doll looks are gonna stir things up. Soon every cowboy, trucker, and even one of Debbie Sue''s ex-boyfriends, a rodeo star, is knocking on Paige''s door. And, at just about the time she turns up to start her job tending the best cutting horses in Texas, the horses start disappearing from all the local ranches.

Paige discovers she actually likes her work. After all, horses are more loyal than most men. But she doesn''t like Spur, the new town veterinarian. Besides being movie-star good-looking, Spur''s an ex–football star. Women of all ages love the new vet, and suddenly, more cats and dogs are getting sick than ever before.

Working on the ranch means Paige can''t avoid the man, and all those disappearing horses bring her together with the Domestic Equalizers. Edwina and Debbie Sue think that Spur and Paige make the cutest couple—whether they''re too bull-headed to realize it or not. But finding themselves knee-deep in the muck of a horse-thievin'' and husband-cheatin'' escapade is a whole other issue. No doubt about it, hearts are definitely going to get broken, but if these gals have anything to do with it, the hairstyles around town are still gonna look great!

Headstrong American heiress Lillian Bowman has come to England to find an aristocratic husband. Unfortunately, no man is strong enough to tame the stubborn beauty''s fierce will. Except, perhaps, the powerful and arrogant Earl of Westcliff—a man Lillian despises more than anyone she''s ever met.

Marcus, Lord Westcliff, is famous for his icy English reserve and his supreme self-control. But something about the audacious Lillian drives him mad. Whenever they''re in the same room, they can''t stop themselves from battling furiously to gain the upper hand.

Then one afternoon, a stunningly sensuous encounter changes everything . . . and Lillian discovers that beneath the earl''s reserved façade, he is the passionate and tender lover of her dreams. What neither Westcliff nor Lillian suspect, however, is that a sinister conspiracy threatens to destroy any chance of happiness. After a shocking betrayal endangers Lillian''s safety—and possibly her life—will Marcus be able to save her before it''s too late?

We See England, We See Xanth, We See Mels''s Underpanth

In fact, Gwenny Goblin, Che Centaur and Jenny Elf are just about the only creatures on Xanth who have been spared the sight of Mela Merwoman''s undergarment -- preoccupied as they are with helping Gwenny beat out her awful half-brother Gobble for chiefship of the goblin horde. But first they must master space and thyme . . . and find the fabulous egg that sits between the Roc and the hard place. While Mela -- who would gladly relinquish her oft-viewed undies for a new husband -- joins the Adult Conspiracy . . . and quickly discovers the power of a perfect pair of panties!

Perplexed Prince Dolph, Xanth''s precocious shapeshifter, should be in love but isn''t. Nonetheless, he must chose between two fiancées -- Nada the uninterested and Electra the uninteresting -- or all three of them will suffer the most dire consequences. Luckily a convenient catastrophe has popped up to distract Dolph form his dilemma -- the foal-napping of young Che Centaur by goblins. And the only one who knows where Che is is a nice but remarkably naive elflike gir named Jenny from the World of Two Moons. If anyone can save the missing centaur...she sure can''t.

Abandoned and alone, the fosterling Ilario grows up as the King''s Freak, surrounded by all the pomp, intrigue, and danger of the Iberian court. Fleeing a failed treacherous attack, Ilario crosses the sea to Carthage, where the mysterious Penitence shrouds the sky in darkness. There, a strange and awful destiny awaits the would-be painter, one that spans continents and kingdoms.

Filled with intrigue, sex, and mystery, Ilario: The Lion''s Eye is a stunning tale of secret histories and self-discovery. The adventure continues in Book Two: The Stone Golem.

"It''s about sex, and cruelty, and forgiveness."

Thus begins a sweeping historical adventure about two dueling swordsmen and the plot to kill a king in the grand tradition of Dorothy Dunnett and Alexander Dumas.

The year is 1610. Continental Europe is briefly at peace after years of war, but Henri IV of France is planning to invade the German principalities. In England, only five years earlier, conspirators nearly succeeded in blowing up King James I and his Parliament. The seeds of the English Civil War and the Thirty Years War are visibly being sown, and the possibility for both enlightenment and disaster abounds.

But Valentin Rochefort, duelist and spy for France''s powerful financial minister, could not care less. Until he is drawn into the glittering palaces, bawdy back streets, and stunning theatrics of Renaissance France and Shakespearean London in a deadly plot both to kill King James I and to save him. For this swordsman without a conscience is about to find himself caught between loyalty, love, and blackmail, between kings, queens, politicians, and Rosicrucians -- and the woman he has, unknowingly, crossed land and sea to meet.

Can you ever have enough chocolate? Not Likely!

From Whoopie Pies and Mallomars to Rugelach and Chocolate Meringues, the recipes in The Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book are melt-in-your-mouth delicious whether you like your cookies chewy, crispy, nutty or fruity. There are more than 90 different recipes and hundreds of variations by the Ultimate team, all with one thing in common - chocolate.

The dramatic conclusion to Ilario: The Lion''s Eye!

Fleeing a surprise treacherous murder attempt, the former King''s Freak and would-be painter Ilario has run to Carthage, the city-state under perpetual darkness, in search of freedom. But strange plots are afoot, and a tenuous, complicated alliance with a bookseller-turned-spy will lead Ilario from the shrouded land into tense negotiations and intrigues in seductive, mercurial Venice, from a fraught return to Iberia to a final confrontation with family . . . and destiny.

“Whether you’re a manager trying to hire or hold on to your best talent, or an employee who always hoped to have work be more than just another job, this little book can bring you closer to your dream.”—Bob Nelson, author of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees and 1001 Ways to Energize Employees

Revised and updated, here is the groundbreaking “bible” on how to manage successful employees from Dale Dauten, one of America’s most innovative business consultants. A classic business “how-to” book, The Gifted Boss is an important business tool to help you find, create, and keep great employees—an indispensible guide to increasing workplace synergy and, ultimately, productivity from the internationally renowned management guru and founder of The Innovators’ Lab.

Beautiful and ruthless television reporter Suzanne Shepard made her name by airing brutal celebrity gossip and earned a roster of high-profile enemies in the process. But her own murder was more than a scandal . . . it was a horror show.

At first glance, the mutilated corpse lying still in the Manhattan rain bears all the earmarks of a random sex slaying. But federal prosecutor Melanie Vargas knows that too many people wanted Suzanne Shepard dead for her murder to have been a coincidence.

Sifting through the scandals that fueled the dead reporter''s career keeps Melanie from obsessing about her own intense affair with sexy FBI agent Dan O''Reilly. But Melanie''s own murder may be the next one to make headlines, now that blood-chilling e-mails are arriving from an anonymous "admirer" who knows far too much about the Shepard slaying . . . and about Melanie''s every move.

“If you are struggling with issues of betrayal—or the challenge of whether and how to forgive—here is the most helpful and surprising book you will ever find on the subject.”—Harriet Lerner, Ph.D., author of The Dance of Anger

Until now, we have been taught that forgiveness is good for us and that good people forgive. Dr. Janis Spring, a gifted therapist and the award-winning author of After the Affair, proposes a radical, life-affirming alternative that lets us overcome the corrosive effects of hate and get on with our lives—without forgiving. She also offers a powerful and unconventional model for genuine forgiveness—one that asks as much of the offender as it does of us.

This bold and healing book offers step-by-step, concrete instructions that help us make peace with others and with ourselves, while answering such crucial questions as these:

About to take a controversial rap star to trial for a past crime, Melanie Vargas receives an important piece of information from his lawyer. In full confidence, on the steps of New York City''s federal courthouse, he tells her that his client may have had ties to a wanted fugitive. Moments later, a powerful car bomb blows the man to pieces, with Melanie only steps away.

As shocking as the murder is, it has other repercussions for Melanie. Her relationship with the victim wasn''t strictly professional. While recovering from her breakup with FBI agent Dan O''Reilly, she had become attracted to the charismatic lawyer. But after his death she realizes that she knew very little about him—including the fact that he was married.

Determined to find the killer, Melanie enters a dangerous world of subterfuge and double-crosses, going as far as the glittering lights of Vegas to discover the truth. But the more she digs, the more she finds troubling about her friend. Several people had the motive to end his life.

Meanwhile, the rapper''s defense has been taken over by the slickest shark in the business, a man of questionable morals who may have had previous unlawful dealings with his client. But the outcome of the case isn''t the only thing on the line. As the sole witness to the murder, Melanie is in danger of losing her own life. And it isn''t long before she realizes that she can''t trust anybody, not even those closest to her.

Vaccines save millions of lives every year, and one man, Maurice Hilleman, was responsible for nine of the big fourteen. Paul Offit recounts his story and the story of vaccines

Maurice Hilleman discovered nine vaccines that practically every child gets, rendering formerly dread diseases—including often devastating ones such as mumps and rubella—practically forgotten. Paul A. Offit, a vaccine researcher himself, befriended Hilleman and, during the great man’s last months, interviewed him extensively about his life and career.

Offit makes an eloquent and compelling case for Hilleman’s importance, arguing that, like Jonas Salk, his name should be known to everyone. But Vaccinated is also enriched and enlivened by a look at vaccines in the context of modern medical science and history, ranging across the globe and throughout time to take in a fascinating cast of hundreds, providing a vital contribution to the continuing debate over the value of vaccines.

Jack and Jilly Doone are twelve-year-old twins bound by blood and forbidden secrets. Running wild through endless August afternoons, they explore the tributaries of Chesapeake Bay, spinning fantasies and sneaking cigarettes. But when a near-drowning awakens a strange power in Jack, the line between fantasy and reality blurs. . . .

Kestrel is an airie, one of five mutant races born in the conflict known as the Viral Wars. With one companion from each of the other races—a delph, a merm, a mander, and a boggle—he sets out to battle human enemies sworn to exterminate mutantkind.

Now the destinies of two worlds move toward a shocking convergence . . . and a climax of violent transfiguration.

Elvis has left the building . . . and his shoes have followed suit!

No holiday in tiny Salt Lick, Texas, is more revered than January 8th—Elvis''s birthday! To commemorate the grand occasion, Hogg''s Drive-In—where the King enjoyed many a burger on the road to fame and fortune—is displaying an “actual” pair of Elvis''s blue suede shoes. That is, until some heel without a soul swipes them right out of their display case.

Debbie Sue Overstreet and Edwina Perkins-Martin—the shoe-loving Domestic Equalizers—are shocked that someone would perpetrate such a dastardly crime. So the plucky detecting duo agrees to help the town''s inept sheriff track down the royal blue loafers. And being majestic multitaskers, the ladies might even be able to squeeze in some matchmaking as well.

Mix-ups, mayhem, the threat of gunplay, and shocking octogenarian secrets revealed—it''s all in a day''s work for the Domestic Equalizers, the two best friends whose motto is: Don''t get mad . . . get evidence!

For the many romance fans who can''t get enough of romances set in England, as well as fans of Christina Dodd.

He kidnapped her to keep her safe, but the captor soon becomes a captive when she turns on her charm and has him falling in love.

Nicholas Wright is a spy. It''s what he loves to do – his calling, even. His current mission brings him home to England, where he''s on the trail of a spy.

When his plans are overheard by one Charlotte Sinclair, he has no choice but to kidnap her to keep her safe.

But Charlotte is not your typical London socialite and her wit, intelligence and beauty all threaten to corrupt Nick''s resolve to never fall in love.

No Ordinary Engagement

Miss Jane Whittington''s hopes have been dashed. She''d always imagined herself marrying someone daring, adventurous, exciting. Instead, the man her father has betrothed her to is...a fop! Certainly William Chadwick is devastatingly handsome, but Jane could never love a dandy who cares for nothing save the latest fashions. So why does his heated gaze enflame a desire in her that she''s never known?

No Ordinary Love

His work as a British spy has kept William apart from proper society for years -- and he has no idea that his latest “disguise” is anything less than appropriate. Now that he longs for a simpler, safer lot, he believes he''s found his ideal bride in this irresistible beauty. But it will take a special sort of seduction to win Jane''s heart. And when the Crown calls him back into service, how can William refuse -- even if it costs him the peace he covets...and the woman he can no longer live without?