Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of the world's ritziest hotels? From dumping coffee on a white silk Gucci gown, witnessing creepy political scandals to fending off crazed-sometimes naked-socialites, one thing is for sure: it is anything but a typical college job. Ballrooms and Ugly Poodles: Semi-Tall Tales of a Palm Beach Waitress is a collection of humorous stories inspired by the author's adventures working at a five-diamond historic hotel on the shores of Palm Beach, Florida-a far cry from her humble Midwestern upbringing. The stories paint a hilarious picture of what it is like serving some of America's richest and most powerful, all while wearing Kmart loafers and a used polyester tuxedo. A true behind-the-scenes look at the glitz and glamour of Palm Beach, this book may make you pee with laughter, while also providing a unique and rarely seen perspective of the excessively wealthy. But mostly just make you pee with laughter.

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "The Big Sleep" by Raymond Chandler. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A modern classic of true crime, set in a most beguiling Southern city—now in a 30th anniversary edition with a new afterword by the author “Elegant and wicked . . . might be the first true-crime book that makes the reader want to book a bed and breakfast for an extended weekend at the scene of the crime.”—The New York Times Book Review Shots rang out in Savannah’s grandest mansion in the misty, early morning hours of May 2, 1981. Was it murder or self-defense? For nearly a decade, the shooting and its aftermath reverberated throughout this hauntingly beautiful city of moss-hung oaks and shaded squares. In this sharply observed, suspenseful, and witty narrative, John Berendt skillfully interweaves a hugely entertaining first-person account of life in this isolated remnant of the Old South with the unpredictable twists and turns of a landmark murder case. It is a spellbinding story peopled by a gallery of remarkable characters: the well-bred society ladies of the Married Woman’s Card Club; the turbulent young gigolo; the hapless recluse who owns a bottle of poison so powerful it could kill every man, woman, and child in Savannah; the aging and profane Southern belle who is the “soul of pampered self-absorption”; the uproariously funny drag queen; the acerbic and arrogant antiques dealer; the sweet-talking, piano-playing con artist; young people dancing the minuet at the black debutante ball; and Minerva, the voodoo priestess who works her magic in the graveyard at midnight. These and other Savannahians act as a Greek chorus, with Berendt revealing the alliances, hostilities, and intrigues that thrive in a town where everyone knows everyone else. Brilliantly conceived and masterfully written, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a sublime and seductive reading experience.

For more than sixty years, The Wall Street Journal has prided itself not just on its serious journalism, but also on the whimsical and arcane stories that amuse and delight its readers. In that regard, animal stories have proven to be the most beloved of all. Now, veteran Journal reporter and Page One editor Ken Wells gathers the finest, funniest, and most fascinating of these animal tales in one exceptional book. Here are lighthearted, witty stories of breakthroughs in goldfish surgery, the untiring efforts of British animal lovers who guide lovesick toads across dangerous motorways, and the quest to tame doggy anxieties by prescribing the human pacifier Prozac. Other pieces reflect on mankind's impact on the animal kingdom: a close-up look at the nascent fish-rights movement, the retirement of U.S. Air Force chimpanzees that once soared through space, and ongoing scientific efforts to defeat that most hardy enemy -- the cockroach. Each of these fifty-odd stories -- from the outlandish to the poignant -- exemplifies the superb feature writing that makes The Wall Street Journal one of America's best-written newspapers. This charming and utterly captivating collection will be a joy not only to animal lovers, but to all those who appreciate artful storytelling by writers who are obviously having a wonderful time spinning the tales.

"Genre-bending and darkly comic, Grushin's fourth novel is a weird and wonderful triumph." –O, the Oprah Magazine Cinderella wants her Prince Charming dead in this sophisticated fairy-tale for the twenty-first century. Cinderella married the man of her dreams--the perfect ending she deserved after diligently following all the fairy-tale rules. Yet now, thirteen and a half years later, things have gone badly wrong and her life is far from perfect. One night, fed up and exhausted, she sneaks out of the palace to get help from the Witch who, for a price, offers love potions to disgruntled housewives. But as the old hag flings the last ingredients into the cauldron, Cinderella doesn't ask for a love spell to win back her Prince Charming. Instead, she wants him dead. Endlessly surprising, wildly inventive, and decidedly modern, The Charmed Wife weaves together time and place, fantasy and reality, to conjure a world unlike any other. Nothing in it is quite what it seems--the twists and turns of its magical, dark, and swiftly shifting paths take us deep into the heart of what makes us unique, of romance and marriage, and of the very nature of storytelling.

Updated edition of the beloved classic by the Queen of Regency romance herself, Georgette Heyer, featuring a new Foreword by New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James. Arabella's one little while lie has spread through the ton like wildfire... Arabella Tallant, modest daughter of a country clergyman, is on her way to her first London Season when her carriage breaks down outside the estate of the wealthy and bored Mr. Robert Beaumaris. Beau assumes she's simply another young lady throwing herself in his path, which goads the impetuous Arabella into pretending she's an heiress. Much to Arabella's dismay, rather than being brutally set-down, as she intended, Beaumaris is deeply amused. He counters by launching her into high society, which Arabella would enjoy very much if it wasn't for the fortune hunters. Arabella's unpredictable and innocent ways force Beaumaris to start helping others, including a stray dog, an unfortunate urchin, and eventually Arabella's reckless young brother. Along the way, Arabella and Beaumaris become more and more intrigued with each other—which neither will admit, of course, until under extreme duress. "Absolutely delicious tales of Regency heroes... Utter, immersive escapism."—SOPHIE KINSELLA "No one has ever matched Georgette Heyer for charm and wit." —LISA KLEYPAS "Utterly timeless charm... The dialogue sparkles with wit." —NORA ROBERTS, #1 New York Times bestselling author "Romance, adventure, side-splitting humor—no one writes like Georgette Heyer!" —LAUREN WILLIG, New York Times bestselling author

With 6 starred reviews, 8 best of the year lists, and over 20 state award nominations, everyone is raving about Mirror Mirror! "Remarkable."—The Washington Post "This mind-bending poetry is accompanied by Masse's equally intelligent, equally amusing art."—Time Out New York for Kids What’s brewing when two favorites—poetry and fairy tales—are turned (literally) on their heads? It’s a revolutionary recipe: an infectious new genre of poetry and a lovably modern take on classic stories. First, read the poems forward (how old-fashioned!), then reverse the lines and read again to give familiar tales, from Sleeping Beauty to that Charming Prince, a delicious new spin. Witty, irreverent, and warm, this gorgeously illustrated and utterly unique offering holds a mirror up to language and fairy tales, and renews the fun and magic of both.