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Avengers: Twilight
Acclaimed writer Chip Zdarsky presents a thrillingly dark new vision of the Avengers, set in the far-flung future! In a gleaming new world of prosperity, Captain America is no more. But Steve Rogers still exists, floating through an America where freedom is an illusion...where the Avengers are strangers and his friends are long dead. But is the Dream itself dead? And how do you assemble Avengers in a world that doesn't want them? With the clock ticking down to New Year's Day, and the world against him, Steve must build an army to save America! Will his surviving friends sign up, or will he have to lead the ragtag group called the Defenders against the expert military marksman known as Bullseye? And can Steve infiltrate the Raft -- a government facility full of secrets and danger off the shores of New York City -- before the new Iron Man sentences him to the same gruesome fate as Tony Stark? COLLECTING: Avengers: Twilight (2024) 1-6 -
Cicada Summer
In the summer of 2020, with a heat wave bearing down and a brood of periodical cicadas climbing into the trees, Husha mourns the recent death of her mother while quarantining with her ailing grandfather, Arthur, at his lakeside cabin in remote Ontario. They're soon joined by Husha's ex-lover, Nellie, who arrives without explanation to complete their trio.
Also among them is a strange book, discovered by Husha while cleaning out her mother's house. When she, Arthur, and Nellie begin to read it together, they learn that her mother's last missive was a short story collection, crawling with unsettling imagery and terrifying transformations. As the stories bleed into their cloistered life in the cabin, they must each reckon with loss, longing, and what it means to truly know another person. Incantatory and atmospheric, Cicada Summer is a dazzlingly original novel about how we grieve and care for one another.
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I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call
Monsters and mortals, rejoice! Acheron is back . . .
Though Laure has tried to close the lid on her ballet shoes and the feelings she once held for dance since the Palais Garnier incident two months ago, Laure is spinning out. Between partying, drinking, and avoiding anything and, well, everyone, she has no time to be anything but a monster. But when Laure stumbles across a mysterious dead body during one of her nights out, she's forced to notice the cracks stretching beyond herself. Below the streets of Paris, Elysium is dying, and Acheron and Lethe's influence is spilling into the streets like a blight. Laure isn't the only of Elysium's beasts to rise from the ruins of Palais Garnier, and someone is mobilizing an army of monsters with plans greater than Laure, Andor, and Keturah could have ever guessed. While Laure is warring between her wants and Acheron's ever-demanding appetite, she and her circle of monsters are left to reckon with a not-so-simple question: how do you save yourself from oblivion? Jamison Shea's sharp and unflinching voice will bring readers to terrifying new heights in this vicious sequel to the "relentlessly gory and almost euphoric in its embrace of the horrific" (NPR) I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me. -
Writing an Identity Not Your Own: A Guide for Creative Writers
Do you have the tools to authentically write and edit a character whose identity is different than your own? It's not a subject that's generally taught in creative writing programs. There are few online resources, but in terms of craft books, what exists is outdated or limited in its scope. Some seminars and classes are offered by independent writing workshops, but can you learn everything you need to know in a three-hour seminar or even a four-week class? Not at all. You need a book on hand to provide guidance and insight as you craft characters with historically marginalized identities. That's where this book comes in.
In Writing an Identity Not Your Own, award-winning author Alex Temblador will discuss one of the most contentious topics in creative writing: crafting a character whose identity is historically marginalized. She'll begin by discussing what she means by 'identity' and why it's important to understand the state of diversity in publishing, before delving into how unconscious bias and bias blocks are the biggest obstacles to this writing approach. From there, you'll learn about intersectional identities and specific things to consider when writing different race/ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, disabilities, nationalities, and more. Alex will guide writers through the pre-writing phase to the editing process so they can gain a full understanding of the complexities of writing other identities and why it's important to get it right.Sold out -
Alter Ego
Alex Segura, LA Times Book Prize-winning author of Secret Identity, returns with a clever and escapist mystery set in the world of comic books. In the present day, a comics legend is given the chance to revive a beloved but forgotten character. But at what price?
Annie Bustamante is a cultural force like none other: an acclaimed filmmaker, an author, a comic book artist known for one of the all time best superhero comics in recent memory. But she's never been able to tackle her longtime favorite superhero, the Lethal Lynx. Only known to the most die-hard comics fans and long out of print, the rights were never available--until now. But Annie is skeptical of who is making the offer: Bert Carlyle's father started Triumph Comics, and has long claimed ownership of the Lynx. When she starts getting anonymous messages urging her not to trust anyone, Annie's inner alarms go off. Even worse? Carlyle wants to pair her with a disgraced filmmaker for a desperate media play. Annie, who has been called a genius, a sell-out, a visionary, a hack, and everything else under the sun, is sick of the money grab. For the first time since she started reading a tattered copy of The Legendary Lynx #1 as a kid, she feels a pure, creative spark. The chance to tell a story her way. She's not about to let that go. Even if it means uncovering the dark truth about the character she loves. Sharply written, deftly plotted, and with a palpable affection for all kinds of storytelling, Alter Ego is a one-of-a-kind reading experience. -
Banned Books, Crop Tops, and Other Bad Influences
Perfect for fans of Star Fish and From the Desk of Zoe Washington, a nuanced middle grade from the author of The Prettiest about two girls--one "bad" and one "good"--who join forces against book banning and censorship.
Rose is a good Jewish girl. She listens to her parents and follows every rule. After all, they're there for a reason--right? And adults always know best. Talia, the new girl from New York City, doesn't think so. After only a week at school, her bad reputation is already making enemies. First on the list: Charlotte, Rose's lifelong best friend. So why can't Rose stop wondering what it would be like to be Talia's friend? And why does Rose read a banned book that she recommends? Rose doesn't know. But the forbidden book makes her ask questions she's never thought of in her life. When Talia suggests they start a banned book club, how can Rose say no? Pushing against her parents, her school, and even Charlotte opens a new world for Rose. But when some of Talia's escapades become more scary than exciting, Rose must decide when it's right to keep quiet and when it's time to speak out. -
How to Hide in Plain Sight
The unbreakable bonds of family and love are explored in this brilliant and tender story from the author of Guy's Girl. On the day she arrives in Canada for her older brother's wedding, Eliot Beck hasn't seen her family in three years. Eliot adores her big, wacky, dysfunctional collection of siblings and in-laws, but there's a reason she fled to Manhattan and buried herself in her work--and she's not ready to share it with anyone. Not when speaking it aloud could send her back into the never-ending cycle of the obsessive-compulsive disorder that consumed her for years. Eliot thinks she's prepared to survive the four-day-long wedding extravaganza--until she sees her best friend, Manuel, waiting for her at the marina and looking as handsome as ever. He was the person who, when they met as children, felt like finding the missing half of her soul. The person she tried so hard not to fall in love with... but did anyway. Manuel's presence at the wedding threatens to undo the walls Eliot has built around herself. The fortress that keeps her okay. If she isn't careful, by the end of this wedding, the whole castle might come crumbling down. -
The Chair and the Valley: A Memoir of Trauma, Healing, and the Outdoors
An incredible memoir about one man's journey to heal from trauma through chosen family, friendship, and nature. AN OPEN FIELD PUBLICATION FROM MARIA SHRIVER Banning Lyon was an average 15-year-old, living in Dallas, TX. He enjoyed skateboarding, listening to punk rock, and even had a part-time job. But in January 1987 his life quickly changed after a school guidance counselor falsely believed he was suicidal after giving away his skateboard. Days later he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, and what he was told would be a two-week stay turned into 353 days that would change his life forever. Banning takes readers through his fraught relationship with his family, the mistreatment he suffered at the hospital, the lawsuit against the owners of the facility, and his desire to make sense of what happened to him. We witness Banning navigate the difficult landscape of trauma and his daily battle to live a normal life. After years of highs and lows that include being adopted by his attorney and mentor, falling in love and grieving the death of his fiancée, and being sued by the same doctors who mistreated him, Banning decides to take control of his life and finds hope in the backcountry of Yosemite National Park, where he discovers new purpose in being a backpacking guide. Through friendship, nature, and eventually giving therapy another chance, Banning summons the courage to keep moving forward. The Chair and The Valley is a raw, gut-wrenching, and amazing story about healing from trauma and starting over. It is a testament to the importance of chosen family, the restorative power of nature, and the strength it takes to build a new life in the face of fear and doubt.Sold out -
The Full Moon Coffee Shop
Translated from the Japanese bestseller, this charming and magical novel, inspired by the myth of cats returning favors to those who care for them, reminds us that it's never too late to follow our stars. In Japan, cats are a symbol of good luck. As the myth goes, if you are kind to them, they'll one day return the favor. And if you are kind to the right cat, you might just find yourself invited to a mysterious coffee shop under a glittering Kyoto moon. This particular coffee shop is like no other. It has no fixed location, no fixed hours, and seemingly appears at random to adrift young people at crucial junctions in their lives. It's also run by talking cats. While customers at the Full Moon Coffee Shop partake in cakes and coffees and teas, the cats also consult them on their star charts, offer cryptic wisdom, and let them know where their lives veered off course. Because every person who visits the shop has been feeling more than a little lost. And for a down-on-her-luck screenwriter, a romantically stuck movie director, a hopeful hairstylist and a technologically challenged website designer, the coffee shop's feline guides will set them back on their fated paths. For there is a very special reason the shop appeared to each of them... -
Sold outThings Don't Break on Their Own
"This is the one: the next must-read, must-recommend, must-discuss, must-re-read novel. A miraculous literary thriller, shocking, daring, moving, haunting, infinitely rewarding-- as though Kate Atkinson and Ruth Rendell had joined forces."--A.J. Finn Things Don't Break on Their Own is a literary thriller about sisters, lovers, and a dinner party gone wrong. 25 years ago, a young girl left home to walk to school. Her younger sister soon followed. But one of them arrived, and one of them didn't. Her sister's disappearance has defined Willa's life. Everyone thinks her sister is dead, but Willa knows she isn't. Because sisters know things about each other that no one else can. Willa sees fragments of her sister everywhere -- the way that woman on the train turns her head, the gait of that woman in Paris. If there's the slightest resemblance, Willa drops everything, and everyone, and tries to see if it is her. Because there are some things that only sisters know about each other -- and some bonds only sisters can break. When Willa is invited to a dinner party, she has no reason to expect it will be anything other than an ordinary evening. But nothing about Willa's life has been ordinary since the day her sister disappeared, and that's not about to change tonight. Sarah Easter Collins has written an extraordinary literary suspense novel that will leave you gasping as you turn the pages.Sold out -
Sold outMaking It
From the author of Wild Things comes a heartwarming and relatable queer rom-com about an isolated young woman whose artistic celebration of her pet chinchilla suddenly launches her into the professional art world, reality TV fame, and first love. Isobel's life is small: just her, her mum, and her pet chinchilla, Abigail, in their council flat on the Kentish coast. After mental health troubles in her teens, Issy, now twenty-eight, has kept things that way on purpose, only deviating from routine when her part-time job at a paint-your-own pottery studio demands it, or when she's inspired to create art of Abigail: knitted Abigails, sculptural Abigails, delicately rendered paintings of Abigail. When the Abigails earn the attention of famous artist and reality TV star Elizabeth Staggs, Issy is awestruck and a little alarmed. These emotions compound when Elizabeth makes Issy an unexpected offer: move to London and work for a year shadowing Elizabeth as she produces her hit arts documentary series. Terrified but determined, Issy agrees, and soon finds herself sharing a flat with a crew of boisterous roommates who welcome her into their queer enclave and attempt to mentor her in the city's wide world of romantic possibilities. Issy can't help but wish that one roommate--gorgeous and cool aspiring actress, Robin--might make her mentorship a bit more hands on...even while, at work, she struggles under the guidance of Elizabeth's harsh and exacting young producer, Aubrey. But when Elizabeth seizes on Issy's idea to structure the upcoming season around a group of outsider artists, Issy finds both her work and love lives growing more complicated by the day, whether she's ready or not. Making It is a nuanced and life affirming look at living with depression and of finding, as we all deserve to, self-acceptance, community, and love.Sold out -
Coming Out Republican: A History of the Gay Right
A revelatory and comprehensive history of the gay Right from incisive political commentator Neil J. Young.
One of the most maligned, misunderstood, and even mocked constituencies in American politics, gay Republicans regularly face condemnation from both the LGBTQ+ community and their own political party. Yet they've been active and influential for decades. Gay conservatives were instrumental, for example, in ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and securing the legalization of same-sex marriage--but they also helped lay the groundwork for the rise of Donald Trump. In Coming Out Republican, political historian and commentator Neil J. Young provides the first comprehensive history of the gay Right. From the 1950s up to the present day, Young excavates the multifarious origins, motivations, and evolutions of LGBTQ+ people who found their way to the institutions and networks of modern conservatism. Many on the gay Right have championed conservative values--like free markets, a strong national defense, and individual liberty--and believed that the Republican Party therefore offered LGBTQ+ people the best pathway to freedom. Meanwhile, that same party has actively and repeatedly demonized them. With his precise and provocative voice, Young details the complicated dynamics of being in--and yet never fully accepted into--the Republican Party. Coming Out Republican provides striking insight into who LGBTQ+ conservatives are, what they want, and why many of them continue to align with a party whose rank and file largely seem to hate them. As the Republican Party renews its assaults on LGBTQ+ rights, understanding the significant history of the gay Right has never been more critical. -
Sold outPractice
An astonishing first novel about a day in the life of a young student who experiences her thoughts, fantasies, and wishes as she writes about--or tries to write about--Shakespeare's sonnets.
Rosalind Brown's Practice shows us just one day. Annabel, sitting in her small student room, attempts to write an essay about Shakespeare. She follows a meticulous, solitary routine but finds it repeatedly thrown off course as the day progresses: by family and friends who demand her attention and time, by thoughts of her much older boyfriend and his impending visit, by wild sexual fantasies and stories of her own invented characters--and by darker crises, obliquely glimpsed but capable of derailing Annabel's carefully laid plans.Sold out -
Say It Well: Find Your Voice, Speak Your Mind, Inspire Any Audience
In the first book of its kind, one of President Barack Obama's longest-serving speechwriters shares his advice--and never-before-heard insights about public speaking from Barack Obama--to teach you how to write and deliver great speeches.
Few world leaders in the modern era are as admired for their communication skills as Barack Obama. But how do the rest of us develop these skills and find our voice? In Say It Well, former Obama speechwriter Terry Szuplat reveals the public speaking secrets of the world's greatest speakers and shares the tips and tricks he learned from the 44th president as well as people from all walks of life whose speeches have gone viral and inspired millions around the world.
Nonpartisan, warm, and witty, filled with unparalleled expertise and inspirational stories from different areas of life--as well as never-before-heard advice from President Obama on how to give a speech--this modern guide to public speaking covers every stage of the process, including:
- Tips for overcoming fear when facing an audienceBest practices for using artificial intelligence to compose a memorable speechAttention-grabbing openings to pull in any audienceFraming techniques to make your arguments more persuasive Scientifically-proven was to inspire your audience to action and to create the change you wantTricks for editing, polishing, and practicing your words for maximum impactThe only way to end any great speech
Whether you've given a thousand speeches or getting ready to speak for the very first time, Say It Well shows you how to use your voice to make a difference in your business or community. It is your essential resource for any and every speaking occasion.
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Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow
Humor and poignance mix in this powerful polyphonic novel about family secrets, judgmental aunties, and Brazilian butt lifts, from the internationally bestselling author of Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad.
Freshly out of Obafemi Awolowo University, 20-year-old Temi has a clear plan for her future: she is going to surgically enlarge her backside like all the other Nigerian women, move from Ile-Ife to Lagos, and meet a man who will love her senseless. When she finally finds the courage to tell her mother, older sister, and aunties, her announcement causes an uproar.
But as each of the other women try to cure Temi of what seems like temporary insanity, they begin to spill long-buried secrets, including the truth of Temi's older sister's mysterious disappearance five years earlier. In the end, it seems like Temi might be the sanest of them all...
In Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow, Damilare Kuku brings her signature humor, boldness, and compassion to each member of this loveable but exasperating family, whose lives reveal the ways in which a woman's physical appearance can dictate her life and relationships and show just how sharp the double-edged sword of beauty can be.