Allen and Linda Anderson adopted a traumatized one-year-old cocker spaniel who had been abandoned. Soon, the troubled dog they named "Leaf" turned their home into a war zone. Although Leaf and Allen were forging a friendship with visits to dog parks and bonding time, Leaf's emotional issues overwhelmed the couple. Shortly after Leaf's arrival, Allen, who had spent eight years as a big city police officer and survived so many close calls that Linda called him "Miracle Man," received a diagnosis from his doctor that made him think his luck had finally run out. Allen had an unruptured brain aneurysm that could be fatal, and the surgery to repair it might leave him debilitated. Having seen his father live for years with the effects of a massive stroke, he dreaded that the worst fate might not be death. What Allen didn't know is that he and Leaf, like comrades facing the ultimate battle, would be there for each other with the miracle of this man and this dog coming together at...

When Thomas's family needs money, he's forced to go to work in the coal mines, even though neither of his late parents wanted that for him. His only comfort is his dog Finder, a failed hunting dog who now pulls a cart in the mines. When disaster strikes, can Thomas and Finder escape from the fires deep below ground?

The three daughters of the Field family, aged 17 to 19 are bound together by the love and protection of their fragile alcoholic mother and fear of their abusive father. In a family on the brink of madness, they learn to survive in a dangerously psychotic environment. First published in 1990, FALLING ANGELS is a gripping portrait of a family in trouble, by the author of the highly acclaimed MISTER SANDMAN.From Publishers WeeklyAfter opening on the 1969 funeral of a woman who fell or leaped from a rooftop, this narrative shifts to the 1950s; through her three daughters, we learn that she is an alcoholic who once dropped or threw an infant son over Niagara Falls. "Scrupulously and evocatively wrought, with fully formed characters, it poses but does not quite resolve a mystery rooted in character and fate," said PW. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library JournalDisenchanted eccentrics wending their way through eerie situations seem to be the dominant theme in most of the postmodern "new fiction." Troublesome as these forays into nihilism's gloomy landscapes are, an effective work of new fiction is as bracing as a dive into a chilly pond, offering more than a few surprises with its odd meld of quirky characters and wickedly audacious scenes. Gowdy's is one such dark gem of a novel. Through a series of vignettes it charts the lives of the Field family, recounting bouts of alcoholism, neglect, and verbal abuse. A story otherwise laden with sad escapades, Fallen Angels remains lively throughout because of the inventiveness and strength of its main characters: Lou, Norma, and Sandy. These three unfortunate sisters will amaze readers with their ability to endure the many traumas of childhood and adolescence, despite the antics of their even more unfortunate parents. This coming-of-age novel is not likely to appeal to those who wear a shield of optimism.-Lauren Bielski,"Printing News"Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Simon and Samuel—the two-headed man—are as different as night and day. But with one body between them, they just have to put up with each other. Or is there another way out?Hailed as “remarkable and uplifting” by The Globe and Mail and published to equally glowing acclaim around the world, Barbara Gowdy’s groundbreaking collection of stories, We So Seldom Look on Love, pushes past the limits of convention into lives that are fantastic and heartbreakingly real.HarperCollins brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperCollins short-stories collection to build your digital library.

London 1666 - A terrible plague has swept through the city and people live in fear of animals carrying the disease.Woofer is a loveable stray who works in the palace kitchen and Tiger Lily is the pampered pet spaniel of King Charles II. They come from very different worlds but this hasn't stopped them becoming the best of friends and looking out for each other. When Woofer finds himself in trouble he has to escape the palace grounds and Tiger Lily isn't far behind him.It's not long before a new danger emerges - a great fire is sweeping across London destroying everything in its path. Can these two brave dogs survive the blazing fire and make their way to safety?

Meet Kevin Pugh, 12-year-old couch potato. Now meet Cromwell, his part beagle, part potato chip dog. Kevin's looking forward to spending his summer doing as little as possible. Unfortunately, Kevin's father, former Chicago Bears star player/super-sports fanatic, Howie Pugh, feels differently. So does Cromwell, who has suddenly and mysteriously developed a fascination with agility competitions: running up seesaws, leaping over hurdles, soaring through hoops (sometimes). If he has to do anything, Kevin would rather do something for newly obsessed Cromwell, but dog agility lessons do not constitute a sport in his father's mind, so football camp it is. Until some well-timed events collide, literally, and soon Kevin's found a way for he and Cromwell to take classes, and the upstart Team Cromwell is born.Andy Behrens has written a hilarious novel with a dry-as-dirt protagonist who's constantly tortured by the goings-on around him. It's also a charming story about a boy and...

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO PROTECT YOUR CHANCE FOR HAPPINESS? Journalist Brenda Contay seems to have it all: a Pulitzer Prize, plenty of money and lots of friends. Just one thing is missing: a relationship that counts. That seems about to change when lawyer friend Marion Ross invites Brenda to go fishing in northern Minnesota. But they won’t be roughing it: they’ll be staying on a big, comfy houseboat. Charlie Schmidt has a cabin nearby, and before long, Brenda is thinking a lot about Charlie’s gracefulness and good looks. But two other men have followed the women. Louis Rohmer knew Marion in college, and has an Internet scheme to steal everything she’s worth. Jerry Lomak is much more dangerous: Marion’s legal skills destroyed him in court. He’s headed for prison, but Lomak has no intention of doing time, or of letting a woman lawyer get away with her “crimes.” It’s a beautiful place, northern Minnesota. Cold, clear, unblemished. But none of it will count when Brenda Contay must choose between losing her chance for happiness, or committing a terrible crime. A Brenda Contay Novel of Suspense: Book 2

Fritz Carter has carved out a nice life in his hometown of Serenity, Georgia. Together with his brothers, they've made the family farm more successful than ever. Fritz wants for very little—save for the girl he'd loved in high school. The girl who'd left Serenity behind...left Fritz behind as well. The girl who just sauntered into the local dive bar, looking all woman and hotter than ever. Fritz would have to be blind not to want Kai back in his bed. He'd also have to be stupid to give her his heart. Not again. Not right away. They've both changed, and past hurts haven't healed as well as either had thought. A few sultry summer nights in Kai's arms don't equal love...even if his heart says otherwise. A Romantica® contemporary erotic romance from Ellora's Cave.

'I wish I had a dog . . . It could be a big dog or a little one. It could be any colour or breed. Just most of all I'd like a hearing dog.'Eleven-year-old Jake is dreading his new school. No one understands how hard it is for him to make friends.But then Jake meets Echo. Echo is a stray puppy, training to be a hearing dog. With Echo by his side, Jake's confidence grows.But then something terrible happens and Jake and Echo are separated. Determined to find his way back to Jake, Echo sets out on the difficult journey home.With a long road ahead and danger all around, have Jake and Echo lost each other forever?

A captivating Cornish saga set at the turn of the century, from the bestselling author of The Boy With No Boots and The Girl by the River Following a terrible storm, seven-year-old Lottie is rescued from a shipwreck by local Cornishman, Arnie Lanroska. Her clothing suggests she comes from a wealthy family, but Lottie's back bears the scars of a severe beating, and how she came to be on a cargo ship in the first place remains a mystery . . . Arnie and his wife already have two young children, Matt and Tom, but are desperate to keep Lottie. They decide to foster her, despite outcries from the local community, and though Matt appears hesitant to get close to Lottie, Tom quickly warms to the new sister in his life. But when tragedy strikes the very heart of the Lanroska family, the repercussions could change the lives of everyone close to them . . .A nostalgic and heart-warming family saga, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Margaret Dickinson