Self-help, with a twist

The Secret to Everything has been known to mystics and scholars for centuries and millennia, and, today, is increasingly being confirmed by both philosophy and science. Socrates certainly knew it, as did the Buddha, and more recently, Albert Einstein, Carl Jung, and Emily Dickinson. It is a secret not because it is hidden as such, but because it is so difficult to see, running counter to so many of our most basic assumptions.

Each of the book’s ten chapters exposes a particular aspect and practical application of the secret, while also keeping it carefully under wraps. On the surface, the chapters may seem to have little in common, but they are all built around the same wisdom. Your challenge, as you read, is to find the common thread that runs through all the chapters. The secret is discussed at the end, but don’t peek or you’ll spoil the fun.

About the author

Dr Neel Burton is a psychiatrist, philosopher, and wine-lover who lives and teaches in Oxford, England. He is a Fellow of Green-Templeton College in the University of Oxford, and the recipient of the Society of Authors’ Richard Asher Prize, the British Medical Association’s Young Authors’ Award, the Medical Journalists’ Association Open Book Award, and a Best in the World Gourmand Award. His work has featured in the likes of Aeon, the Spectator, and the Times, and been translated into several languages.

Contents

Introduction

1. How to see

2. How to dream

3. How to be religious

4. How to be wise

5. How to be fearless

6. How to live

7. How to love

8. How to win

9. How to party

10. How to think

The Secret to Everything

"Please pretend to be my wife for the next seven days."

Young college graduate Yvette moves to the big city a week before she starts her new job in a large publishing house. On the day of the move, she receives unexpected help: Her muscular (and extremely hot) neighbor Cameron not only lugs the boxes up to her apartment, but also shows her the city that evening. In the coming days Yvette catches herself watching Cam secretly through her bedroom window, which gives her a perfect view of his apartment. Then he calls her one evening and asks her to come over… to show her up close what his bedroom looks like.

When Yvette starts her new job in the next day and is introduced to her boss, she is shocked: her neighbor is standing in front of her! The ridiculously rich Cameron, partner of the publisher, is apparently just as surprised - but only for a short moment. He happily enjoys taking advantage of the palpable passion between him and his new assistant, much to her consternation. She has a very strict rule: Always separate your job and your private life!

But behind the playful macho facade of her boss is a vulnerable man with a heart. Cameron's ex-wife wants sole custody of their daughter Emma. His only chance to not lose Emma is to convince the family court that he has a solid lifestyle and a happy home. So he asks Yvette if she will play his wife for a week. Just seven days. But on day one, Yvette already begins to wonder if she can stick to her number one rule...

Stand-alone Romance, no cliffhanger, HEA guaranteed! Contains a preview of "In His Office."

JUSTICE FOR SALE –
TODAY’S SPECIAL: YOUR LIFE

Investigative journalist Will Harper thinks his story’s about Florida’s prison problems. It seems that budget cuts have led to police departments turning to creative schemes to raise money. Grove County’s version involves arresting citizens for minor charges and then driving up their bail when a search of the citizen’s home too conveniently turns up drugs.

But the usual guilty money scheme has been improved upon by a corrupt deputy, Deke Snyder, who’s skimming money from the jail. Once Will finds that out, Deputy Deke sics all his buddies on him–every deputy in the county, it seems–and it looks like even the Gulf of Mexico might not be big enough to hide in!

Now the story’s a lot bigger. Explosive action punctuates author Crosby’s adept use of Will’s magazine article to put human faces on the troubling excesses of the judicial system. When the whole system is corrupt, the danger comes in all forms and from all sides, on land and at sea. The pulse-pounding chase is on!

Those who’ve read Lee Childs’ Killing Floor, Stephen King’s nominee for Best Corrupt Southern Town, will especially appreciate this action-packed page-turner set in an idyllic Florida marina.

A BRITISH COZY TO DIE FOR 

With just a hint of the paranormal…

Kate Benedict at first seems a delightfully by-the-book cozy female lead: a successful architect at an elegant firm in rainy London with a penchant for sleuthing, even if it means landing her smack dab in the middle of the wrong place at the wrong time. But she has something else going for her no other genre investigator does—the mysterious ability to see a death-predicting aura over the people around her. And she just can’t help but help them avoid the unthinkable—at all costs.

Now available as one complete box set, this irresistible murder mystery series is sure to be a treat for international suspense armchair travelers that like their cozy female sleuths smart, savvy, and a tad psychic. Think traditional British mystery with a metaphysical twist.

THE AURA

Life spins out of control for Kate Benedict when she sees a dancing aura above certain people’s heads that seems to signal death. Suddenly she’s psychic. But that can't be! Psychic’s not acceptable in her circle, where the supernatural is strictly for the superstitious. And yet…people are dying. People close to her.

Kate's tentative attempts to talk about her new-found metaphysical gift are met with eye rolls, so much so that she can’t even tell the nice Scotland Yard detective who's investigating the death of a close friend, Rebecca Williams. And now Rebecca’s neighbor has an aura.

DOUBLE BLIND

Two politicians and her best friend have the death-predicting auras London architect Kate Benedict can see despite her most fervent wishes. She’s had the dubious gift for a year now, and suddenly there’s no longer any ignoring it.

But the only way to get to the two pols is via her old friend, DCI Clarke; yet her warnings go unheeded. Her frustration builds when her best friend, Anita, refuses to believe in the auras’ existence as well —even when one appears over Anita’s boss in the hospital where she works. And then Anita develops her own aura.

THE FLORENTINE CYPHER

What began as a quiet Friday night dinner date with an old childhood friend turns into a manhunt when Kate arrives at the rendezvous just in time to find her friend Ethan leaving in a taxi. Kate is alarmed to see the distinctive swirling pattern above his head. When Ethan’s disappearance is followed by a series of cryptic text messages, Kate goes looking for him at his sister’s house in Florence, but it’s immediately clear that whatever danger threatened Ethan in London has followed Kate to Italy—his sister Claire has a matching aura! Soon Kate and Claire are on the run, constantly watched and followed,repeatedly threatened and attacked … never knowing who they can trust.

THE SCOTTISH CONNECTION

Kate is off to a glamorous weekend party in Scotland at the formerly grand castle belonging to the uncle of her boyfriend Josh. But the festive occasion turns solemn when Kate notices an aura above the head of Josh’s beloved Uncle Fergus. Blessed – or cursed – with the ability to see auras that indicate that death is imminent, Kate can sometimes avert disaster –if she can discover the source of the danger. Otherwise, Josh’s favorite uncle will die in a matter of days.

Thus is the scene set for a deliciously traditional British cozy with a touch of the paranormal thriller – complete with ghostly characters from the past; the requisite medieval weapons collection; and a creepy, ruined, closed-off wing of the castle. There’s also a vaguely menacing assortment of servants and locals and a castleful of dodgy house guests, all wrapped up in mysterious gloom as thick as the Scottish fog… but warmed by a cozy library fire and a nearly priceless collection of single malt scotches.

An Amazon Charts bestseller.

For a Florida police diver, danger rises to the surface in an adventurous thriller by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Naturalist.

Coming from scandalous Florida treasure hunters and drug smugglers, Sloan McPherson is forging her own path, for herself and for her daughter, out from under her family’s shadow. An auxiliary officer for Lauderdale Shores PD, she’s the go-to diver for evidence recovery. Then Sloan finds a fresh kill floating in a canal—a woman whose murky history collides with Sloan’s. Their troubling ties are making Sloan less a potential witness than a suspect. And her colleagues aren’t the only ones following every move she makes. So is the killer.

Stalked by an assassin, pitted against a ruthless cartel searching for a lost fortune, and under watch within her ranks, Sloan has only one ally: the legendary DEA agent who put Sloan’s uncle behind bars. He knows just how deep corruption runs—and the kind of danger Sloan is in. To stay alive, Sloan must stay one step ahead of her enemies—both known and unknown—and a growing conspiracy designed to pull her under.

Two Alpha shifters join together to lead their pack and build a family.

Commitment, loyalty, and strength aren’t enough to make Wesley Stone’s birth pack accept an Alpha with a physical imperfection, even if it’s a meaningless mark. Putting the safety of his pack above his own wellbeing, Wesley trades himself for another Alpha and agrees to mate with a stranger in a mysterious, insular pack.

Alphas from Jobe Root’s family have led the Red River pack from the first day shifters walked the earth. Now the time has come for Jobe to fulfill his destiny, but to do that, he needs his mate by his side. Spiritual, easygoing Jobe reveres Mother Nature and trusts in fate, yet he can’t help being nervous about how his mate will react to his new life in Red River, his new life with Jobe.

Two Alphas with contrasting personalities, different upbringings, and divergent beliefs come together for the good of their packs. But to stay together, Wesley and Jobe must see beyond the surface and embrace every facet of themselves and their union.

Paige Glasgow, an American psychiatrist visiting Spain, discovers the decapitated head of a Muslim woman on the beach. Is the work of jihadists? the Sons of the Emir? Or a hate crime perpetrated by the Knights of Constancia, Catholic terrorists hell-bent on reviving the Inquisition. Against her better judgement, Paige enters into an abusive relationship with a seductive officer of the Knights, making herself a player in the centuries-old conflict between Muslims and Christians.

The Pope is to attend the dedication ceremony of a statue of the Virgin within sight of the Moroccan coast. The jihadists threaten bombs. The Knights retaliate by kidnapping HAMID, an imam’s child. Growing attached to the infant, Paige refuses to return him to the jihadists. With fire and guns the ceremony becomes a killing zone. Only the Pope has the power to resolve the hostilities. His actions will change her life, challenge her relationships and faith…Can she live with whatever he decides?

What if there is a way to tap into finding miracles every single day?

Stress, unforeseen crises, commitments, aging parents, kids, money worries . . . none of it goes away. But if you manage it right, you can recreate the joy of Christmas every day of the year no matter what the circumstances.

Through the tools taught in this book (and the FREE accompanying journal workbook and online Advent calendar), you will be able to:

-Reduce stress and develop consistent self-care;

-Claim and prioritize time for yourself;

-Reframe your perspective;

-Discover tools for dealing with negativity, difficult people, and corrosive emotions;

-Restore your sense of purpose;

-Renew your ability to see miracles in everyday life.

Just a few minutes a day and you can go from Grinch to gratitude - any time of the year! But don't wait around . . . years of stress and silent resentment can lock in like the weight of the Grinch's sled. 

Remember happiness is not a once a year event. Join the Miracle on 31st Street Community and reclaim your joy today!

What if Cleopatra faked her death and escaped on a pirate ship? While her sister sailed for Wales with the most valuable ancient books from her Library of Alexandria? And they both landed in an imagined new world filled with crypto-creatures and historical humans?

Trekking the desert of 1st century New Mexico, Cleo from the Yucatan and Alex from Nova Scotia, they’d need bravery and help from friends and lovers to evade inner demons and determined villains across an uncharted wilderness.

Living in a haunted lighthouse in the small town of Sea Breeze, California with her two elderly aunts, Agatha Bright has everything she wants. She owns and runs a bookstore / soup shop on the beach, and her soups are loved by everyone in town. Her life is regimented and organized.
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But Agatha has secrets that might get her in big trouble. Dark secrets.
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When a woman goes missing, the suspicion falls on Agatha, turning her life upside down. The new detective in town, Remington Cumberbatch, has seen a lot of weird things as a detective in nearby Cannes, California, but he’s in for a surprise with Agatha, her family, and the quirky town of Sea Breeze. He begins to investigate Agatha as the number one suspect, but the attraction is immediate.
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When the missing woman turns out to be murdered, the mystery deepens, and Agatha must help Remington find the killer before she winds up in prison…or worse.
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The Fear Hunter is the first installment of the Agatha Bright Mysteries, a funny, romantic, small town cozy mystery series with a touch of magic. It is a spin-off series of the Matchmaker Mysteries and the Goodnight Mysteries with some characters from both.
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Agatha Bright Mysteries…Agatha Bright has a delicious recipe for murder.
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“Elise Sax will win your heart.”—New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis
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“Sax will make you laugh. Her larger-than-life characters jump off the page and make crazy seem like a fun place to hang out.”—New York Times bestselling author Christie Craig
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“With quirky characters reminiscent of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series and a small-town heroine redolent of Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse” --RT Book Reviews

“Fans of laugh-out-loud romantic suspense will enjoy this new author as she joins the ranks of Janet Evanovich, Katie MacAllister, and Jennifer Crusie.”—Booklist, on An Affair to Dismember
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“A lighthearted and amusing caper with a sexy side order of romance . . . Gladie is an endearing mess of a character, and the book is fast-paced and amusing, with a large cast of quirky, small-town characters.”—Kirkus Reviews, on Matchpoint
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“There’s plenty for fans to enjoy in Sax’s third Matchmaker installment, complete with energetic narration, zany humor and a mystery that’s as engaging as the details of Gladie’s love life.”—RT Book Reviews, on Love Game

A Boomer, an Xer, and a Millennial walk into a book...

Hammerhead Hirsch, a charismatic middle-aged boho known as The Pugilist Poet for his boxing medals and Beat poetry chops, is an ecstatic new dad—until the mom bolts. Can Head last fifteen rounds as a single dad with a paltry income, scanty prospects, biting demons, and a "ball-and-chain" kid? The tale is told by a worshipful youth who accompanies Head on a turbulent yet often hilarious ten-year journey of struggles, missteps, love, and growth.

What some fine authors say:  

"This is a rollicking, big-hearted tale, full of laughter, bravery and unflinching humanity. The touch is light, but the questions are big ... in this deeply funny and deeply felt novel." (Emily Kiernan, author of The Great Divide)   

"...Jon Sindell's big fat juicy love letter to literature, Los Angeles and, most of all, love. With prose that zings, swings and frequently sings, Sindell tells a tough yet tender tale of brazen heartbreak amid '90s bohemian hipsters." (Tracy DeBrincat, author of Hollywood Buckaroo)

"Funny, sad, relatable, and engrossing" (Stephen D. Gutierrez, American Book Award winner)  

"With unflinching honesty, humor and a keen eye for detail, Sindell brings unforgettable characters to life." (Martin McCaw, author of The Low Road)

In his own bestselling tradition of Eye of the Needle and The Key to Rebecca, Ken Follett delivers a breathtaking novel of suspense set in the most dangerous days of World War II. Look out for Ken's newest book, A Column of Fire, available now.

D-Day is approaching. They don’t know where or when, but the Germans know it’ll be soon, and for Felicity “Flick” Clariet, the stakes have never been higher. A senior agent in the ranks of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) responsible for sabotage, Flick has survived to become one of Britain’s most effective operatives in Northern France. She knows that the Germans’ ability to thwart the Allied attack depends upon their lines of communications, and in the days before the invasion no target is of greater strategic importance than the largest telephone exchange in Europe.

But when Flick and her Resistance-leader husband try a direct, head-on assault that goes horribly wrong, her world turns upside down. Her group destroyed, her husband missing, her superiors unsure of her, her own confidence badly shaken, she has one last chance at the target, but the challenge, once daunting, is now near impossible. The new plan requires an all-woman team, none of them professionals, to be assembled and trained within days. Code-named the Jackdaws, they will attempt to infiltrate the exchange under the noses of the Germans—but the Germans are waiting for them now and have plans of their own. There are secrets Flick does not know—secrets within the German ranks, secrets among her hastily recruited team, secrets among those she trusts the most. And as the hours tick down to the point of no return, most daunting of all, there are secrets within herself. . . . 

Filled with the powerful storytelling, unforgettable characters, and authentic detail that have become his hallmarks, Jackdaws is Ken Follett writing at the height of his powers.

LANCE AND BUCK CHANEY, BROTHERS BY BLOOD, HARDENED BY WAR…

After being seriously wounded in his pursuit of the Carter brothers, Deputy Marshal Buck Chaney wakes to find himself in the middle of a sheep war in Blanco County, Texas. On one side are the Texas cattlemen who’ll do whatever it takes to rid the range of the animals and those who come with them. On the other is a Mexican family who only wanted to be left alone. Outgunned, Buck sends for help from his brother.

But Lance Chaney has problems of his own.

The newly appointed sheriff of Comanche County has a killer in his town who is hellbent on blotting out something from his past and wants no remaining witnesses. The corpses stack up until the main suspect is murdered in jail, with his dying breath he utters the words, “Grand Valley.”

Now Lance must dig into the past to find a killer before it’s too late.

Two brothers, counties apart, and fighting a stacked deck. In the end it’s only the law that counts. Their law. Chaney Law…

THE THIRD SPRAWLING WESTERN COLLECTION FROM JACK BALLAS – INDIAN PRIDE, OUTLAW RAGE, AND FRONTIER JUSTICE.

From Alabama to the Rockies; these difficult and deadly life contests are painted in the Old West by the life and death with man and nature. Ballas’ characters are entwined in these complex struggles with carpet baggers, gun-fighters, Comancheros, bandits, cattle rustlers and western spies.

This land of opportunity is full of those that will take advantage of weaker people, but also men that will not stand by to see citizens bullied.

The Jack Ballas Classic Western Collection, Volume 3 includes: The Rugged Trail, Trail Brothers, West of the River, Hanging Valley, Land Grab, The Homesteader, and A Town Afraid.

Some things are worth fighting for.

Riley's life is better than it's ever been before. She has the love of her life, a family made from those she cares about, an adorable "little" rescue dog, and even her horse business is doing pretty good. Everything is great. Everything is wonderful. At least on the surface.

But an online hate group has her in their crosshairs. She's made a fool of them too many times, and now they're out for blood. The literal kind, not the virtual stuff. When they say they want to "frag" her, they aren't talking about online kills in a video game. Now, the threats have moved to real life – with real guns.

While she has an army of friends willing to fight beside her, she wasn't ready for this. She'd prepared for some bullying. Maybe a few more embarrassing stories to come out. But this?

Real people are being hurt. People she cares about might be next. Picking a fight online is one thing, but is her need to prove that women deserve respect really worth taking a risk this big?

Someone's going to get hurt.
And she's terrified it won't be her.


The Gamer Girls series features strong women and the men who love them. Knowledge about gaming and/or gamer culture is not necessary to enjoy this story. Graphic language and situations that are suitable for a mature audience are included. FRAGGED is a standalone novel which moves forward a larger story.

TRIGGER WARNING: discussions of gun violence, bullying, cyber harassment, stalking, slut-shaming, and more. This is a love story, but finding love isn't always easy.

The acclaimed modern science fiction masterpiece, included on Library Journal's Best SFF of 2016, the Barnes & Nobles Sci-Fi Fantasy Blog Best Books of 2015, the Tor.com Best Books of 2015, Reader’s Choice, as well as nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Kitschie, and the Bailey's Women's Prize.

Follow a motley crew on an exciting journey through space—and one adventurous young explorer who discovers the meaning of family in the far reaches of the universe—in this light-hearted debut space opera from a rising sci-fi star.

Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.

Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn’t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe.

Patrick Gawain knows monsters. He's seen plenty of the human sort in the Holy Lands, and as he sails home from The First Crusade, a hooded apparition begins to stalk him. Convinced that he's lost his mind, he holes up in a monastery to convalesce and, if recovery proves impossible, to hide his demons from the world. But a stranger comes to find him and presents a barely credible invitation: travel to Avalon and serve with the Avangarde, an order of knights sworn to protect young scholars from around the world.

Thinking it will be a fresh start, Patrick agrees, and soon discovers that Avalon is more than a myth; it is the site of a vibrant secret academy - and it's also full of ghosts, goblins, and talking wolves. He can capably protect the castle from the island's supernatural beasts, but in the relative peace of the academy life, his hooded demon returns and his troubled heart causes him to sabotage the love of a young woman, Katherina. When an ancient being with sinister designs for the island infiltrates the academy, Patrick is the first to suspect its true nature when it begins its quest by seducing Katherina.

Patrick soon learns that before he can defeat monsters, he must first defeat his personal demons.

An art historian finds – then loses – a portrait by Johannes Vermeer in this thrilling art mystery set in Munich, Heidelberg, and Amsterdam.

When Zelda Richardson investigates a new lead about a missing portrait by Johannes Vermeer, no one expects her to actually find the painting in a retired art dealer’s home in Munich, Germany. Not her parents visiting from America; her boss, private detective Vincent de Graaf; or the rightful owner of the Nazi-looted artwork.

However, Zelda’s jubilation turns to horror when she arrives to pick up the portrait and finds the art dealer dead and several frames smoldering in his fireplace.

Was the Vermeer a fake and its ‘discovery’ a cruel joke played on a Nazi victim? The Munich police, Zelda’s family, and Vincent certainly think so.

Yet the art dealer’s best friend believes he was murdered and the real Vermeer stolen by an underground network of art looters, one established during World War II and still active today. The problem is, no one believes him – except Zelda.

Zelda soon finds herself in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with immoral art collectors, corrupt dealers, and an all-to-real killer who wants her to stop searching.

Can Zelda uncover the truth about the Vermeer before she is painted out of the picture permanently?

The Vermeer Deception is Book 4 in the Zelda Richardson Mystery Series. The novels in this series can be read in any order.

"Dark twists and delightful turns follow this unique look at infidelity, cuckolding, jealousies, and a craving for redemption." –Authors Reading

Sylvia Sumner is meeting her lover, Jim Hart. From an alleyway, she dashes across the road and hurries down a pathway crossing a field. Tucker Stewart, who has loved Sylvia since one, brief encounter in the woods back in high school, sees her from his office window and follows her. He fails to acknowledge that her husband, the detective-obsessed Forty Sumner, is watching them from a distance. Forty takes his gun to go after Tucker. In the aftermath of that night, Sylvia revisits the past overshadowed by her father’s estrangement. Tucker faces his own father’s tragic legacy, inadvertently befriending Forty. When Jim Hart is found dead, the town is in a mad scramble to rectify the wrongs laid bare when Sylvia disappears to go in search of her father. The lesson they must learn is that the only way to their salvation is forgiveness.