Books published by Open Road Media

Stories of suspense, surprise, wit, and weirdness from Grand Master of Science Fiction and Fantasyas well as a must-read horror authorFritz Leiber. Assembled from magazine submissions, fanzines, and even ';lost' manuscripts discovered among the author's personal papers, Day Dark, Night Bright includes the following short stories: ';Time Fighter,' ';Femmequin 973,' ';Night Passage,' ';Moon Duel,' ';Later Than You Think,' ';Mirror,' ';The 64 Square MadHouse,' ';All the Weed in the World,' ';The Mutant's Brother,' ';The Man Who Was Married to Space and Time,' ';Thought' ';Crystal Prison,' ';Bullet Was His Name,' ';Success,' ';To Make a Roman Holiday,' ';Bread Overhead,' ';The Reward,' ';Taboo,' ';Business of Killing,' and ';Day Dark, Night Bright.'

A battle of wills between an 18th-century pirate and her captor stirs up the high seas in this historical Caribbean romance from the award-winning author. Beneath the fiery gaze of her captor, Caitlin finds herself bound by the only enemy she could not defeather passionate nature. Caitlin, the renegade female pirate plundering Spanish galleons on the high seas, initially despised Trey Cameron, the man commissioned by the queen to tame her. As he forces her to conform to an appropriately feminine role, wearing gowns and performing the tasks of housekeeper, Caitlin vows to avenge herself. She will rule the waves again . . . free of the restraining hand of any man. As the lush green of the Caribbean brings them to tumult, Trey and Caitlin find themselves locked in a fiery battle of wills. Will they surrender to the refuge of each others armsor tear each other apart in the frustration of unrequited love?

A beautiful virgin aches for a Big Easy bad boy in this novel from the New York Timesbestselling author of Rivals. In the sultry heat of the Louisiana bayou, Jolie Antoinette Smith discovers more than her great-grandmother's plantationshe finds love. The plantation's electrifying owner, Steve Cameron, with his dark blue eyes, black hair, and overwhelming masculinity, makes her wish she never committed herself to chastity before marriage. His loving efforts to restore the crumbling mansion only fuel her desire further, but when Steve says he'll never get married, she knows she's lost her heart to the wrong man. Jolie is a different kind of woman, and that troubles Steve. Her soft brown eyes and ready smile move him in ways that are dangerous for a man who has no intention of settling down. As much as he wants her, he'll fight to keep her safe from his own desirebut that only makes the spark between them all the more intense.

New York Times Bestseller: Two Texan half sisters battle over their father's fortune, risking their relationships with the men who love them.Standing over her father's coffin, Abbie Lawson wonders if he ever actually loved her. Yes, he'd given her wealth, a place in the top echelon of Houston society, and horsesa farm full of Arabiansbut not his attention. On those important family occasions, he was always away on business in California. And then Abbie sees why ...On the fringe of the crowd of mourners at the funeral is a woman whose face nearly mirrors her owna second daughter. And, as if that betrayal isn't enough, she discovers that her father has left his money to the interloper. Abbie has the Arabians, but not the money to support them. As she witnesses her rival's rise in the Texas social scene, a tall, rough-hewn oil man named MacCrea Wilder enters her life. She doesn't need the distraction, but there's something about his sinewy arms that keeps her mind circling back to his kiss. Yet, as the years pass, even love may be sacrificed to the bitterness between these two women.With over 300 million books sold, Janet Dailey is one of the great names in fiction. In Heiress, she tells the story of half sisters trapped in a bitter rivalry, providing the ';solid entertainment' that made her famous (Publishers Weekly).

A sweeping multigenerational saga of the founding of the state of Alaska by an iconic author with more than three hundred million copies of her books in print. Spanning two hundred years, this saga of romance and adventure in the untamed Alaska wilderness begins with Tasha Tarakanov, a beautiful Aleut woman, and her beloved Andrei, a noble and ambitious Cossack hunter. From their union come seven generations of proud Alaskans, including the beautiful Marisha, who finds her fortune as a legendary madam, and Wylie Cole, who bravely defends his homeland during World War II. Glorious and grand, The Great Alone is a story of brave young men and women, whose dreams, heritage, betrayals, loves, and fortitude are as vast and wild as the land from which they sprang.

Hidden away in the local library, a sorcerer's book casts an evil spell in a novel by the author of The House with a Clock in Its Walls Johnny Dixon and his best friend Fergie are whiling away a rainy day at the Duston Heights library when Johnny asks a screwy question: ';What's the last book in the library?' After Johnny goes home, Fergie decides to find out. There, under number 999.99, he finds a very peculiar tome, The Book of True Wishes, which is all about Fergie's favorite subject: himself. The book knows Fergie's name, and it promises him everything he ever wanted, which means he is about to forget a very important rule: Be careful what you wish for. When the book puts Fergie under the spell of a mad old wizard, Johnny and his friend Professor Childermass will do whatever it takes to break the book's hold and save their friend. Johnny Dixon and his eccentric professor friend are two of the most delightful characters in literature as well as ';an endearing detective team,' and their adventures continue to hold readers of all ages spellbound (The New York Times).

A young sleuth and his professor friend fight voodoo, black magic, and a hungry zombie horde... The drum is small, no bigger than a plastic cup, and decorated with sun-bleached bones. It is a token from the island of St. Ives, whose voodoo cults are infamous around the world, and it is one of the most dangerous objects Johnny Dixon has ever held. When he raps the little drum, the wind howls, and an explosion rocks the house. There are more surprises to come. An inquisitive young man, Johnny has tangled with all manner of supernatural beasts along with his friend Professor Childermass, and now they will confront the living dead. The drum summons up a whirlwind of black magic and throws one of the professor's colleagues into a strange trance. To rescue him, Johnny and the professor must defeat an evil sorceress, and send her zombies back to where they belong. From the author of the Lewis Barnavelt novels, including The House with a Clock in Its Walls, the Johnny Dixon series is full of fun, adventure, and supernatural chills, along with ';believable and likable characters' who are a delight to spend time with (The New York Times).

In a Massachusetts town, an evil wizard is about to come back from the dead and a young hero must fight to stop him... In the days of the Salem witch trials, the sleepy hamlet of Duston Heights had just one practitioner of the dark arts: the notorious necromancer Esdrias Blackleach. As the fever for witch hunting reached its terrible peak, Blackleach was accused of using powerful black magic against his fellow townsfolk. But just before he could be brought to trial, he dropped dead, escaping justice forever. Or so it seemed... Fast forward to the 1950s, the inquisitive young sleuth Johnny Dixon and his mentor Professor Childermass are getting ready to donate a box of Blackleach artifacts to the local museum when a descendant of the sorcerer shows up and attempts to steal his ancestor's wooden hand. He has a fiendish plan to raise the old necromancer from the dead, and only Johnny and the professor can stop him and make the town safe from black magic forever. The Johnny Dixon stories, from the award-winning author of The House with a Clock in Its Walls, have been acclaimed for their ';believable and likable characters' (The New York Times) and ';spine-tingling' supernatural adventure (Publishers Weekly).

A young man fights to save his father from a spirit's curse in the epic finale to a series starring ';a terrific hero' (The New York Times) The sea is calm, the air is fresh, and the bobbing boat feels like a living creature underneath Johnny Dixon's feet. Johnny hardly ever sees his father, who trains Air Force pilots in Colorado, and their annual Florida fishing trip is the highlight of his year. They're on their way back to Duston Heights, Massachusetts, where Johnny lives with his grandparents, when a visit to a fortune-teller puts a terrible fright into Johnny. Inside the seer's crystal ball, he sees a grinning ghost who cackles out a fearsome message: ';The universe shall be mine!' Johnny tries to forget what he saw, but when he and his father return to Duston Heights, his dad falls into a coma, and Johnny is certain that the ghost is to blame. With the help of his old friend Professor Childermass, Johnny will defeat the smirking ghoulor never see his father again. The Johnny Dixon series, from the author of The House with a Clock in Its Walls, is full of fun, adventure, and supernatural chills, along with ';believable and likable characters' who are a delight to spend time with (The New York Times).

An assistant professor's fight against campus harassment soon becomes a fight for her life in this ';totally compelling and utterly modern mystery' (Judy Grahn, American Book Awardwinning author). Assistant professor Nan Weaver, an outspoken feminist, is working toward tenure at Berkeley. Nan's blue-collar family left her with a legacy of endurance and hard work, and she is dedicated to her ideals and her students. But Nan's bold campaign against on-campus sexual harassment may be putting her career prospects in jeopardy. When an infamously chauvinistic male English professor turns up dead in his office, everyone suspects activist Nan. But she is innocent. And she knows who the murderer is. A fast-paced, nontraditional mystery that places a strong woman in a battle for her innocence and principles,Murder in the English Departmentis a must-read for academics and mystery lovers alike.

Shy and plain, Leona writes books on seventeenth century love poetry, but her own experience of love is meager. Her last affair, if you can call it that, was nine years ago. Into her barren world of manuscripts walks Bliss. He is one step from illiterate, a gap-toothed bumpkin, a hillbilly. And married. He is also physically beautiful, and he does not seem to know that Leona is not.';His lips searched hers; her answer was urgent. She reveled in her need. Nine years . . . How could I have gone so long? It is a wonder I didnt rape the janitor . . . But I am raping the janitor. Soft kisses were pressed to her breast, and in the rush of her pleasure, she felt his tenderness. She had not waited nine years, she realized. She had waited all her life.';Originally compared to Edith Wharton'sEthan Fromeand D. H. Lawrence'sLady Chatterly's Lover,Blisswas adapted into a movie starring Lynn Redgrave.

A collection of supernatural horror stories from the SFWA Grand Master and Hugo and Nebula Awardwinning author of the Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser novels. Assembled here is a selection of Mr. Leibers best horrific tales, many of which have been virtually unobtainable for decades. From the riveting ';Spider Mansion' and ';The Phantom Slayer' from Weird Tales to the more recent ';Lie Still, Snow White' and ';Black Has Its Charms' from rare, small press magazines, this collection provides an overview of Leiber's fifty plus years as an acknowledged master of the weird tale. This edition was edited by John Pelan and Steve Savile.

A trainer shares true stories of famous lion, orangutan, and other animal actors that ';will hold readers enthralled' (School Library Journal). They are major stars who do not speak a word onscreen, yet are world famous for their compelling performances. Who are they? The animal stars of the big screen, of course! In The Beauty of the Beasts, Ralph Helfer shares with the reader his love of animals and his work with some of Hollywood's biggest stars: Clarence the Cross Eyed Lion, Gentle Ben, the Schlitz Malt Liquor Bull, Clint Eastwood's orangutan sidekick Clyde, and many more. Helfer shares his philosophy on training these beautiful beasts to do amazing feats and maximize their acting potential without coercion. Join Ralph Helfer in his exploration of animal acting and read of his masterful use of TLC towork with these phenomenal, non human actors.

On the slopes of Colorado, an actress is caught in a passionate love triangle in this electrifying novel by a New York Timesbestselling author. Six weeks ago, Kit Masters was a nobodya farm girl from Aspen, Colorado, who came to Hollywood hoping to make it as a movie star. Incredibly, her dream came true, and she was cast opposite John Travis, the biggest name on the silver screen. Now, she's flying back to her home state on a private jet to begin shooting the film that will make her famous. She should be overjoyed, but when the trip home means a reunion with her old flame, rugged rancher Tom Bannon, Kit finds herself caught between Hollywood glamour and the passion of her Rocky Mountain heart. America's first lady of romance, Janet Dailey shows that love burns hottest when the air is cold, demonstrating the storytelling talent that made her a multimillion-selling phenomenon.

Two old friends who have not seen each other for decades spend a week hiking through the stunning scenery of California's High SierraTwenty-five years ago, a group of five high schoolers trekked through the High Sierra. Now, two of themlesbian Kath and straight Adelecome back to repeat their journey and renew their friendship. In chapters that alternate between the women's voices, they reveal their pasts, their thoughts, and their reactions both to the scenery and to each other. For Kath, the sublime topography of the Sierra is inspiring and invigorating. Adele is more trepidatious. Over the course of their journey up to High Country, old stories, tensions, dreams, and disappointments come to the surface.A unique study of the complexity of the bonds between women, this transporting book, written with elegance and restraint, is among Miner's finest work.

As World War II rages abroad, a group of women forge the bonds of sisterhood in AmericaIn 1938, while tensions in Europe are reaching a boiling point, four young women with big ambitions enter secretarial school in San Francisco. Motivated to attain the financial stability that eluded their parents, they go to battle for their futures. Moira, of Scottish descent, dreams of being an actress. Ann yearns for the education her Jewish immigrant parents provided for her brother, but not for her. Japanese American Wanda experiences firsthand the racial injustices running rampant in the United States. And Teddy, who left the Dust Bowl for sunny California, comes to startling realizations about herself as the war progresses. These women will be both buoyed and challenged by their dreams, experiencing love, loss, and everything in between. Against the backdrop of a nation gripped by fear and paranoia, Miner eloquently captures the spirit of wartime on the home front.

A stirring story of love and passion on the Trail of Tears from New York Timesbestselling author Janet Dailey, America's first lady of romance.Temple Gordon's family is one of the oldest, and proudest, to call Cherokee country home. Although their house may look like a southern plantation, the blood in their veins and the land beneath their feet is Cherokee. Nothing will change thator so they believe. When President Andrew Jackson begins agitating to push the Indian tribe west, Temple's family prepares to fight to keep their homes. But when her heart is tempted by the fiery Cherokee known as ';The Blade,' who believes removal is inevitable, Temple feels passion stirring on the eve of one of the greatest tragedies in American history. Previously published as The Proud and the Free, American Dreams is a stirring historical novel from one of the greatest names in romance.

Danger reigns supreme as Nazi Germany braces for a final showdown in this WWII thriller from the author of the Billy Boyle mysteries. On Desperate Ground is the story of men and women caught up in the death throes of Nazi Germany, struggling to maintain those things precious to themlife, an end to killing, and even sanity itself. Colonel Johann Faust has lost everyone he ever loved and feels he is going inexorably insane. He hears the haunting voice of his dead fiancee and the demons that roar through his mind as he perfects a plan to save Nazi Germany from defeat and insure a greater and deadlier new world war. Captain Dieter Neukirk, once a protege of Faust's, is more concerned with saving the lives of his remaining men than sacrificing them in a fanatical last stand. Meanwhile, Elsa Klein, Dieter's lover and the chief social worker at a Berlin hospital, is engaged in her own dangerous work, providing medical care and identity papers to hidden Jews in the city. American Captain Mack Mackenzie, pulled from a military hospital before his wounds are healed, is assigned to investigate reports of a secret Nazi operation. Wanting only to make it home alive, Mack finds himself in a life and death struggle with unlikely allies and a ferociously determined opponent. Americans and Germans alike are drawn to a hilltop in the remote German countryside, where they find themselves between powerful armies and forced into a terrible decision that could end one war or begin a new one.

An American soldier's life, from the Depression to WWII and the turbulent 1960s, is told through memoryand a dangerous secret. Secrets trail an American soldier from his Depression upbringing to the cold winter battles in the Ardennes Forest in the last months of World War II, and through the postwar decades, as he struggles to keep his family from being torn apart while keeping the truth buried close to his heart. Clay Brock, proprietor of Jake's Tavern, has endured terrible losses throughout his life. In 1964, he is working to build a life for his wife and son, only to see everything he has worked for threatened by forces beyond his control. To keep his family from breaking apart, he must confront the very secret he has kept buried. For Clay, the war has never been over, and his foxhole buddy Jake Burnett never far from his thoughts. At two crucial points in his life, as a young father and later as an old man at the dawn of a new and unfamiliar century, his memories draw him back until he must confront them and speak the truth. But at what cost?

The most famous baseball player in history, and the most enduring legend, Babe Ruth is remembered for his dramatic heroism not only on the baseball diamond but also in his life. Kal Wagenheim illustrates this larger than life athlete in his book Babe Ruth: His Life and Legends, and describes him as both a product of his childhood in Baltimore and of his formative years as a New York Yankee. Ruth struggled desperately with the dramatic contrast between the poverty of his youth and the glamour and stardom that his famed career brought him, and although his name became synonymous with wooing women and abusing alcohol, nothing could prevent him from becoming one of history's greatest athletes.

Dr. Brenda Hamiltona PhD mathematician from Caltechis beautiful, though she does not know her true beauty. She is a woman, though she does not know her true womanhood. Deep within herself she is sensual, though her senses have been dulled by this modern world.Hamilton has come to Africa to work under the brilliant Danish scientist Herjellsen, a man who speaks of reaching the stars. But what does the ancient stone axe laying on his lab table have to do with space travel? Soon it becomes clear that Herjellsen's experiment is much larger than Hamilton or Herjellsen or even space travel itself. It is about correcting a mistake made tens of thousands of years ago in human evolution.Thrown back in time, Hamilton must be shown her place in a tribe known simply as ';the Men,' Stone Age hunters who take what they desire and know their true manhood. Will Hamilton survive in this savage land? Will her lover, Tree, teach her what it truly means to be a woman? Can the spark between them put mankind back on its proper path toward the stars?In Time Slave, author John Norman brings the same keen philosophical acuity and passion for storytelling that enrich his classic Gor novels. Fans of his work will love the fresh take on his theories and the bold adventure that brings them to life.

The French police call on the Skeleton Detective when a dog digs up some human bones: ';Terrific' Publishers Weekly Les Eyzies de Tayac is known for three things: pte de fois gras, truffles, and prehistoric remains. The little village, in fact, is the headquarters of the prestigious Institute de Prehistoire, which studies the abundant local fossils. But when a pet dog emerges from a nearby cave carrying parts of a human skeletonby no means a fossilized oneChief Inspector Lucien Anatole Joly puts in a call to his old friend, Gideon Oliver, the famed ';Skeleton Detective.' Once Gideon arrives, murder piles on murder, puzzle on puzzle, and twist follows twist in a series of unexpected events that threaten to tear the once sober, dignified Institut apart. It takes a bizarre and startling forensic breakthrough by Gideon to bring to an end a trail of deception thirty five thousand years in the making. Skeleton Dance is the 10th book in the Gideon Oliver Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

The Skeleton Detective puzzles over the theft of an ancient bit of boneand a student's murderin this novel by the Edgar Awardwinning author of Switcheroo. Anthropology professor Gideon Oliver would prefer to keep his mind on his beautiful new bride Julie during their English honeymoon, but one intrusive question will not stop nagging at him: Who would want to steal a thirty thousand year old parieto occipital calvarial fragment? Yet someone has lifted this chunk of prehistoric human skull from a musty museum in Dorchester. Then, thirty miles away, an archaeology student is murdered, increasing tension and suspicion at a dig that had already seethed with suspicion, rivalry, and mistrust. Could there be a connection between a hot bone and a cold blooded murder? Gideon is called on by the police to apply the unique skills for which the media have named him ';the Skeleton Detective,' and he reluctantly agrees. Before he is done, his sleuthing will lead him to another murder and willin the most literal and terrifying manner imaginablesic the dogs on him, putting Gideon himself, and Julie as well, in mortal danger . . .Murder in the Queen's Armes is a suspenseful, fun-filled whodunit by the author of the Alix London and Chris Norgren seriesa celebrated master who ';thoroughly understands the art of the murder mystery' (The Philadelphia Inquirer). Murder in the Queen's Armes is the 3rd book in the Gideon Oliver Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

Ten major wars and two hundred minor actions comprise the history of the United States Marine Corps, and parallel the history of America itself.U.S. Marines in Actionprovides a comprehensive and stirring account of the activities of the military corps that has become synonymous with guts and glory. Fehrenbach dramatizes the incredible heroism of the leathernecks over two centuries of peacekeeping missions in every corner of the globe.

A barbarian warrior faces the forces of the Fire God in this thrilling adventure from the acclaimed author of Children of Chaos. Wallie Smith is staring death in the face; only a miracle can save him. And then one does! The Goddess appears to preserve his soul, but she does much more than that. She promises to bestow upon him a new and powerful body, and, more important, to endow him with the fabled Sapphire Sword of Chioxin. But nothing in this world or any other comes without a price. The Goddess demands that, for her services, Wallie become her champion. It will be an honor to serve such a presence, to have the chance to be victorious over all challengers. But Wallie and his sword quickly find themselves outmatched in a world of high stakes magic. Even the Goddess's priests cannot offer any resistance to the invading sorcerers and their quest to conquer souls for the Fire God. Wallie will need to find in himself and in the world the powers that will save all mortals. He will need to find the Coming of Wisdom.

A sword-and-sorcery classic from the Aurora Awardwinning author of the King's Blades series. Wally Smith, having died on Earth, finds himself reincarnated as a swordsman in another world and entrusted by the presiding goddess with a mission that has no appeal for him at all. Can he bring together all the swordsmen to finally defeat the sorcerors and their terrible technology? Wally is not quite convinced he should, but goddesses can be very persuasive . . .This is the third and final exciting book, afterThe Reluctant SwordsmanandThe Coming of Wisdom, in the Seventh Sword Trilogy.

The ';tightly written, intelligent, and original' fantasy epic of interdimensional war comes to ';a decisive and satisfactory end' (Booklist). In a place called Nextdoorthe farthest flung outpost of British imperialismearthborn mortals possess the power of gods. Young Englishman Edward Exeter has spent five years trying to escape the magnetic and powerfully magical pull of the Great Game, which has designated him as its most important player. But war and bloodthirsty intrigue rage on both sides of magical portals and across worlds, and Exeter can resist his destiny no longer. He accepts the mantle of Liberator that has been thrust upon him, and the decision turns old friends into foes and old enemies into acolytes as he is surrounded by murderous plots and betrayals. But this is not the uninformed Edward Exeter who came naked into this hidden realm years ago. He has lived the Game and learned it welland he intends to play it boldly to its shocking, worlds shattering conclusion.

';Three stories with a common theme: the female psyche, multiplied and divided,' says Greg Bear in his introduction to Women in Deep Time. ';There's probably something Jungian in common with all three. At any rate, throughout my writing career (and for whatever reason) I've been fascinated by the feminine voice.' Featured in this special collection are ';Sisters,' Nebula Award finalist ';Scattershot,' in which the inhabitants of many universes meet in limbo, and the Nebula Awardwinning ';Hardfought,' in which engineered warriors redefine humanity.

Hailed by readers and critics alike, The Venging has been described as an ';excellent collection' and its author praised as ';one of the freshest writers to break into the science fiction field in many a year.' This is the first published collection of short stories by one of the foremost voices in science fiction today. This significant volume contains many characters and situations that later evolved into their own novels. ';Mandala' features technologically perfect cities that eject their sinful human occupants, a premise that can be found at the root of Bear's later novel, Strength of Stones. In ';Hardfought,' Bear brilliantly handles the classic science fiction dilemma of human communication with aliens. Other stories include ';The Wind From a Burning Woman' in which a woman holds the world hostage by controlling a giant asteroid; ';Scattershot,' in which the inhabitants of many universes meet in an undefined limbo space; and the Nebula Award finalist ';Petra,' a story of a world where chaos rules, stone moves, and the mind controls reality.

';Certain to become a new classic of adventure beyond time ... An unofficial sequel to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle'sThe Lost World' (Prehistoric Pulp). Fifty years after Professor Challenger's discovery of the Lost World, America's last dinosaur circus has gone bankrupt, leaving a dozen avisaurs, centrosaurs, ankylosaurs, and one large raptor abandoned. Now a daring expedition plans to do the impossible: return the Jurassic giants to the wild. Two filmmakers, a circus trainer, a journalist, and a young Peter Belzoni must find a way to take the dinosaurs across oceans, continents, rivers, jungles, up a mountain that has been isolated for seventy thousand years . . . Then, if they make it, all they will do is face the prehistoric wonders, dangers, and terrors of the Lost World.