Returning to her hometown after ten years to finalize her divorce, Romy Satterfield must contend with her long-abandoned feelings for her former flame, Julian McElroy.

From USA Today bestselling author Sally Kilpatrick comes a country-fried take on Romeo and Juliet. The second worst thing Romy Satterfield ever did was fall in love with Julian McElroy. The first was to marry him. For decades, her family and his have been locked in a feud—their farms separated only by a narrow creek and thick band of bad blood with both sides committing their fair share of sins. Once upon a time, Romy and Julian thought they could change that—right up until the moment he stood her up on their wedding night. When her father breaks his leg, Romy reluctantly returns to care for him and the family farm. Seems like the universe is saying it’s time to get that divorce—especially since she’s engaged to Nashville’s most eligible bachelor. All she has to do is get Julian to sign the papers—too bad he’s never been one to make things easy for her.

In print and on-line, science fiction and fantasy is thriving as never before. A multitude of astonishingly creative and gifted writers are boldly exploring the mythic past, the paranormal present, and the promises and perils of myriad alternate worlds and futures. There are almost too many new and intriguing stories published every year for any reader to be able to experience them all. So how to make sure you haven’t missed any future classics? Award-winning editor and anthologist Jonathan Strahan has surveyed the expanding universes of modern sf and fantasy to find the brightest stars in today’s dazzling literary firmament. From the latest masterworks by the acknowledged titans of the field to fresh visions from exciting new talents, this outstanding collection is a comprehensive showcase for the current state of the art in both science fiction and fantasy. Anyone who wants to know where the future of imaginative short fiction is going, and treat themselves to dozens of unforgettable stories, will find this year’s edition of Best Science Fiction and Fantasy to be just what they’re looking for!

Starting with the Nebula-winning title story, this “outstanding” fantasy collection by the author of Ahab’s Return will have you “entranced and delighted” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). Few writers can extract as much enchantment from the mundane as award-winning author Jeffrey Ford. His talent for storytelling is readily evident in The Empire of Ice Cream, his collection of ordinary and extraordinary juxtapositions. The bittersweet Nebula Award–winning title story introduces a composer with synesthesia who finds the sound—and woman—of his dreams through a cup of coffee. Then there are the fairies that inhabit sandcastles in the fleeting moments before the inevitable rise of the tide. Ford populates this charmed collection with stories taken from his own life as well, including “Botch Town,” which finds him as a schoolboy, and “The Trentino Kid,” which recalls his experience digging for clams.

A dog detective is hired by a female human to investigate a murder that she committed. But of course, all is not as it seems. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

These Prisoning Hills is a post-apocalyptic Appalachian "weird fiction" novella by Hugo and Nebula Award nominee Christopher Rowe. "Haunting and heartfelt, violent and vibrant."—Alix E. Harrow Deallocate all implications, Fortran harrows all the nations. In a long-ago war, the all-powerful A.I. ruler of the Voluntary State of Tennessee—Athena Parthenus, Queen of Reason—invaded and decimated the American Southeast. Possessing the ability to infect and corrupt the surrounding environment with nanotechnology, she transformed flora, fauna, and the very ground itself into bio-mechanical weapons of war. Marcia, a former captain from Kentucky, experienced first-hand the terrifying, mind-twisting capabilities of Athena’s creatures. Now back in the Commonwealth, her retirement is cut short by the arrival of federal troops in her tiny, isolated town. One of Athena’s most powerful weapons may still be buried nearby. And they need Marcia’s help to find it. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.