Showing results by narrator "J. Michaels" in All Categories

It was once a utopian dream. But today’s internet, despite its conveniences and connectivity, is the primary cause of a pervasive unease that has taken hold in the U.S. and other democratic societies. The roots of this crisis, argue Frank McCourt and Michael Casey, lie in the prevailing order of the internet. In plain but forceful language, the authors—a civic entrepreneur and an acclaimed journalist—show how a centralized system controlled by a small group of for-profit entities has set this catastrophe in motion and eroded our personhood.

Provocative and controversial, socially conscious and politically charged, wildly imaginative yet deeply grounded, the thirty-two never-before-published stories, essays, and poems in The Last Dangerous Visions stand as a testament to Ellison’s lifelong pursuit of art, uniting a diverse range of science fiction writers both famous and newly minted, including Max Brooks, Edward Bryant, Cecil Castellucci, James S. A. Corey, Howard Fast, Patricia Hodgell, Dan Simmons, Robert Sheckley, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Mildred Downey Broxon, and Cory Doctorow, among others.

Maybe asking my burly golden retriever contractor to be my fake fiancé was a bad idea. But as the saying goes, desperate times and all that. Listen, getting married again sounds about as fun as a shopping spree in a dumpster, so dating is definitely off the table. I've resisted Oakley's tempting presence, knowing it can only lead to trouble, and I don't need any more of that. Despite the obvious attraction, we've managed to keep a platonic and professional distance.

As Holo and Lawrence begin the final leg of their journey, Lawrence decides to accompany Holo to her ancient home of Yoitsu, if only to forestall their parting just a bit longer. Boarding a ship from the port of Lenos (much to the chagrin of the wisewolf, who is none too fond of water!), the pair's fate becomes entangled with that of a boy named Col, whose tale of his circumstances—combined with the gossip of the sailors—leads to a shocking revelation about Holo's homeland!

After the turmoil in Kerube, Lawrence and his companions make for the Kingdom of Winfiel across the sea. Their destination is the great abbey of Brondel, said to hold the wolf bones they seek. Arriving in the kingdom, they hear tell that the abbey, normally prosperous due to its great wool trade, has fallen into a financial crisis. Worse, the most powerful economic force in the world—the Ruvik Alliance—is entering the kingdom with its eye upon the abbey's land holdings...

What's a superhero to do when his own family sees his powers as unimpressive and he's fifth in line for the throne? Set my sights on getting space married to a hot alien, of course! For science. Ziggy Andromeda is a skinsuit-stealing mercenary who's so far out of my league, he might as well be in another galaxy, but there's nothing I love more than a challenge. And his spaceship has only one bed! Unfortunately, a home planet conspiracy is threatening our besties-with-benefits situationship, along with my dream of putting a Saturn-sized ring on it and locking Ziggy down for good. Rude.

When Cin Bradley packs up and moves herself, her mother, and her baby girl away from their home in Connecticut, she has no plans to make a love connection. She’s just trying to get settled into her new house, new job, and new life–until Landry Augustin comes to her front door. Together, they explore the potential of a romance neither was looking for–sweet, and a little spicy.

A rookie, his teammate, and his best friend from a rival team. What could possibly go wrong? Seattle Snowhawks rookie Justin Reid has it bad for his teammate Shawn Kelleher. It’s just his luck that Shawn’s got a crush too...on Justin’s best friend, Vancouver Narwhal center Keith Adams. When Shawn lets it slip at the worst possible moment that he wants Keith, Justin is hurt, but what can he do? He steers Keith in Shawn’s direction and lets chemistry do the rest.

Young love lost. Two hearts in limbo. An unbreakable bond. A love story for the ages.

Goalie Brad Spencer is flying high after his team clinches the Cup and names him their MVP. Like his teammates, he’s ready to celebrate - ideally with someone in his bed. When he slips off to a gay bar, he meets someone who’s gorgeous, willing, and...absolutely the last man he should be touching. Head coach Anthony Caruso just wants to have a few drinks and get laid to soothe the sting of his team losing the Cup.

Lessyn Bradshaw had been taught very young that a man was only good for one thing: his money. If he couldn't provide security, then he wasn't the man for her. However, Lessyn didn't want that for herself. She wanted someone who could provide love, safety, fidelity, and multiple orgasms. After being engaged for three years and never truly being fulfilled in the bedroom or otherwise, Lessyn was unsure if being married to the rich designer was worth the risk of being unhappy—unsatisfied. When she meets Gabriel, his energy and vibe immediately have her intrigued.

In a break from Lawrence and Holo's ongoing adventures, author Isuna Hasekura presents "Side Colors," a series of short vignettes focusing on the fans' favorite characters.

Following his good fortune in Pazzio, Lawrence is confident that he is on the path to realizing his dream of becoming a town merchant. One ill-informed business decision, though, leaves him teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and ruin! With no assets to his name - other than the cunning of his fetching traveling companion, Holo the Wisewolf - Lawrence may need to resort to illicit means to put his affairs in order.

Always Looking Up is a memoir of Michael's past decade, told through the critical themes of his life: work, politics, faith, and family. The book is a journey of self-discovery and reinvention, and a testament to the consolations that protect him from the ravages of Parkinson's. With the humor and wit that captivated fans in his first book, Lucky Man, Michael describes how he became a happier, more satisfied person by recognizing the gifts of everyday life.

I thought I had my life all figured out. But after a college football accident leaves me deaf, I was learning how to live all over again. I expected the anger, the frustration, and the struggle to readjust, but what I didn't expect to happen amongst the chaos, was to fall in love. Especially not with two men.

When a Category 5 hurricane is poised to hit their coastal Florida town, the Davies family takes refuge in their waterfront manse. Marlowe, Lee, and their teenage twins invite their close friends to wait out the storm in comfort and style. Uninvited are the three strangers who dock on the family’s shore right before the storm descends. Brothers Jason and Bo—and Bo’s girlfriend, Darcy—are a charming, helpful trio in need of a safe haven that the Davies are only too happy to provide. But as the storm outside grows more threatening, so does the tension in the house.

Being an AMIA agent isn't always easy, yet I wouldn't change it for the world. Sure, all the paperwork is boring, but nothing quite beats the satisfaction of closing a case. Unfortunately, some cases are harder to crack than others. And finding my psychotic uncle might just be the most difficult assignment of all. My team and I aren't going to give up that easily, though. When a one-night-stand-gone-wrong results in an unexpected partnership, I must set aside my principles in order to save my brother's life.

Loose Balls is, after all these years, the definitive and most widely respected history of the ABA. It's a wild ride through some of the wackiest, funniest, strangest times ever to hit pro sports -- told entirely through the (often incredible) words of those who played, wrote and connived their way through the league's nine seasons.

Arriving in the town of Lenos, Lawrence and Holo take a respite from their travels north—but a true businessman never rests! It isn't long before an opportunity for profit presents itself to Lawrence, one that could fulfill his dreams of owning his own establishment. But as always, the promise of great reward carries great risk—and risk is never greater than when one plans to use a wisewolf as collateral! As Lawrence and Holo feel the ties binding them stretched thin, has the time come for the pair to go their separate ways?

What are our obligations to others as people in a free society? Should government tax the rich to help the poor? Is the free market fair? Is it sometimes wrong to tell the truth? Do individual rights and the common good conflict? These questions are at the core of our public life today - and at the heart of Justice, in which Michael J. Sandel shows how a surer grasp of philosophy can help us to make sense of politics, morality, and our own convictions as well.