Six of your favorite authors have banded together to remember beloved blogger Niki Mattes. These stories of magic, mating and mayhem celebrate her life and love of books. All of the proceeds of this project will be donated to offset Niki's final medical costs. Locked in Magic by Mia Ellas: Jack Harrington is a lover, not a fighter. The pack playboy is running from his responsibilities and for his life. When Lyla's life is in danger, Jack's wolf takes over. And fighting is what the wolf does best. Escaping the Ashes by Olivia Hardin: I live to serve the gods. A servant, a protector, an assassin. I've given my life and my death to duty, an ongoing cycle I can't escape. But then I've never before has a reason to... Undeniable by Tamara Kendall: Running from a broken heart means losing myself in alcohol and women . . . until I meet an irresistible redhead who offers me the chance to join an organization that will use my mind manipulating powers to do good. But when a mission takes us undercover, revealing a plot for worldwide anarchy, even our undeniable passion takes a back seat to saving our own lives. Never Trust a Dragon by C.G. Powell: Five years after Lenni's death, Tam is still clinging to his past. But with some gentle prodding from his wife's ghost, he decides it's finally time to give life a second chance. Soon Tam finds himself waist deep in Dragons and over his head in Merlins—What's a man to do? Skin Thief by Melissa Lummis: Ninovan Arrighi thought she'd seen it all until she's assigned to track down a skin thief: her ex-partner, Quil Boudinot. But Quil, with his dark good looks and quiet earnestness, couldn't have been the psychotic fiend who peeled the skin of those people while they screamed. Could he? Knead to Know by Liz Schulte: Maggie Edwards can't sleep, eat, or die—but, she can bake. However, just before the Halloween grand opening of her bakery, a pesky reporter witnesses an accident in her kitchen and gets a little too close to the truth. If she can't convince him to keep quiet, not only will she lose her chance at happiness, but they both could lose their lives.

Jordan Ortiz decides he can no longer hide who he truly is. He’s gay. He comes out to his family, then he comes out to everyone, and it goes well. Like, way better than he thought possible. But that’s about where it ends. There aren’t enough out gay kids at school for him to build a queer social life or even consider the possibility of dating. For now, he’s happy to be the gay bestie for his BFF, Hannah. Benjamin Cooper is the captain of the football team and has known Jordan for almost his whole life. And he has a secret. When they won an award at the science fair in grade nine, Jordan hugged him—and that’s when Ben realized he had feelings for Jordan. As he watches Jordan come out and flower into who he is, he can’t help but feel ashamed—ashamed at what a coward he is compared to Jordan. When a broken leg and fair-weather friends leave Ben feeling lonely on Christmas break, he spends New Year’s Eve with Jordan, just hanging out in his basement like they used to years ago. But as the countdown to midnight happens and the ball is about to drop, Ben has something else in mind. At the stroke of midnight, he kisses Jordan. What starts with a surprise kiss leads to a year of shared secrets, hidden love, relationship troubles, and broken hearts. Through it all, one fact holds true—Jordan loves Benjamin and Benjamin loves Jordan. But is that enough to carry them through when Ben wants to stay firmly in the closet, to the very point that this might destroy what hope they have of true love? BONUS: Includes previews of "Gay Love and Other Christmas Magic" and "Drag Queens, Emo Teens & Big Dreams" by Dylan James.

How do and how did people perceive, manage and respond to natural disasters? How are the causes of natural disasters explained in history, how are they explained today? This volume investigates relationships between forces of nature and human culture in a multidisciplinary context bridging science and the humanities. Forces of nature and cultural responses is divided into four sections: (1) ball lightnings, (2) earthquakes and tsunamis, (3) volcanic eruptions and plagues, and (4) hurricanes and floodings. Specifically, Section 1 investigates theories and case studies of ball lightning phenomena. Section 2 includes a psychological study on the impact of earthquakes on academic performance, a study on tsunami vulnerability and recovery strategies in Thailand and a study on the social and economic aftermaths of a tsunami and a hurricane in Hawaii. Section 3 consists of a chapter on volcanic eruptions and plagues as well as cultural responses in Ancient Times and a study on contemporary vulnerability and resilience under chronic volcanic eruptions. Section 4 investigates the impact of hurricane Katrina on the current jazz scene in New Orleans and cultural responses to floodings in The Netherlands in Early Modern Times.

Los Angeles magazine is a regional magazine of national stature. Our combination of award-winning feature writing, investigative reporting, service journalism, and design covers the people, lifestyle, culture, entertainment, fashion, art and architecture, and news that define Southern California. Started in the spring of 1961, Los Angeles magazine has been addressing the needs and interests of our region for 48 years. The magazine continues to be the definitive resource for an affluent population that is intensely interested in a lifestyle that is uniquely Southern Californian.