Containing updated editions of the What’s in a Word and Why You Say it, this compendium reveals the history of common words and phrases. Are you a lover of language? Awaken your passion for words, and savor the sheer deliciousness of the things people say! Casual Lex holds the hidden pleasures found in our usage of words. This fresh edition of two etymology classics by Webb Garrison will turn you on to the fascinating—and often surprising—stories behind everyday words and phrases. Experience Casual Lex and discover: The phrase hell on wheels comes from the early American practice of renting railway flatcars to create rolling casinos and brothels bound for the Wild West. Gibberish was the word coined by English villagers to describe the hard-to-understand dialects of certain bands of Gypsies. Gymnasium comes from the Greek word gymnos, which means “naked”—Greek athletes trained and competed in the nude. If your joy of language has been aroused, then many more surprises await you. After all, even the most formal users of our language can benefit from a little Casual Lex “A rather good book to have at hand.” —Kirkus Reviews on Why You Say It

**This box set collection contains ALL THREE e-books in The Lex Chronicles Trilogy (Legends of Arameth)!** An evil force terrorizes Arameth, but those out to stop it have a serious problem: their prophesied hero is dead. Centuries ago, a malevolent magicborn overtook Arameth, fracturing their world and unleashing a devastating war between magicborn and their non-magic neighbors. To protect their magical heritage, the Ancients of Arameth sealed themselves off in The Core, wiping all memory of magic from the ordinary people. The remaining magicborns retreated into hiding, unable to use their abilities for fear of inciting the wrath of the Ancients’ dark regime—or the terror of their own neighbors. Two hundred years later, the damage wreaked by the Fracture threatens to unravel their world. A dark energy from The Core is slowly corrupting once-beautiful Arameth, and the Worldforce, the source of all Arameth’s magic, is destabilizing. The heroes sworn to restore the balance fail catastrophically in their final battle, and tensions peak between the peoples of Arameth. Fluctuations in the unstable Worldforce bring frequent disasters. But not all of Arameth’s problems come from The Core... Lex is a seventeen-year-old with no memories before this morning, and no clue why a group of villagers want him dead. Realizing they have mistaken him for a destructive magicborn who slaughtered innocents in their village, Lex flees for his life—only to discover he’s more tangled in the conflicts of the past than he ever imagined. And the mysterious girl he stumbles upon during his escape creates a whole new set of problems... An epic fantasy / portal fantasy / soft sci-fi mashup, this trilogy is teeming with quirky characters, fantastical creatures, surprises and suspense. With subtle clean/sweet romance, high-stakes adventure, and a strong focus on friendship and second chances, this all-the-feels fantasy series will keep you flipping the pages.

100 Rentals is the story of a twenty something that works at a video rental store called Shockwave Video. He assigned the job of handing out the prize of 100 free video rentals. The girl, Sara, who arrives to collect ends up changing his life forever. The story follows Lex and Sara as they try and figure out what love really looks like and how to overcome their collective pasts.

Step into the dark with New York Times best-selling author Cynthia Eden’s sexy “Dark Obsession” romantic suspense series. The "Only For Me" anthology contains the following titles: WATCH ME – Book 1 Do you like to watch? Watching gorgeous Gwen Hawthorne isn’t a hard job—but it certainly is tempting. Chance Valentine has tried to keep his distance from the sexy socialite for years, but when her father hires him to keep watch on her—as a twenty-four, seven bodyguard—Chance knows his control is about to be pushed to the limit. Chance soon realizes that he isn’t the only one watching Gwen. Someone else is out there, a stalker who won’t rest until Gwen is destroyed. Every day, every moment…Gwen is in danger. And Chance knows that if he can’t unmask the stalker, then he may just lose the only woman he has ever loved. WANT ME - Book 2 Sophie Sarantos has a weakness for dangerous men. She doesn’t like safe lovers—she likes men with a wild, rough edge. But Sophie may have attracted a lover who is too dangerous, even for her. Someone is stalking Sophie, slipping into her home, watching her day and night. The stranger seems to know all of Sophie’s darkest secrets, secrets that should never be revealed. Out of options, Sophie turns to ex-solider Lex Jensen for protection. Lex is part owner of VJS Protection, Inc., and Sophie hires him as her bodyguard. She thinks Lex is one of the “good guys” out there, but she couldn’t be more wrong. Lex has his own secrets. Dark, deadly secrets. And as his feelings for Sophie grow, Lex knows that he is going to have to stop pretending to be a gentleman and, instead, he’ll have to show Sophie who he really is. A man trained to kill. A man too used to evil. A man who will take any risk…as long as he can claim Sophie. NEED ME – Book 3 Innocent…or guilty? The cops think that Julianna Smith is a murderer. No one will listen when Julianna claims she’s innocent, and as the suspicions mount against her, only Julianna knows the truth…a killer is hunting her. Somewhere in the darkness, a stalker is closing in and preparing to deliver a final justice that she can’t escape. Devlin Shade isn’t a man who trusts easily, and when Julianna Smith walks into VJS Protection, he’s well aware of her reputation—the sexy blond could be a cold-blooded murderer. Only when he looks at her, cold is the last thing that Devlin feels. There’s an instant attraction between them—hot, fierce, primal. And he agrees to take her case. He’ll be her bodyguard. He’ll keep her safe from the enemy hunting her, and he’ll also find out the truth about the mysterious Julianna. If she is a killer, he’ll turn her over to the cops himself. BEWARE OF ME – Book 4 Criminal. Killer. Monster. Ethan Barclay has been called many things in life, and he usually doesn’t care what people say about him. He’s tough, hard, and brutal when he needs to be. But even the most dangerous of men can have a weakness. Ethan’s weakness has—and always will be—Carly Shay. Their pasts are tied together—twisted and melded by blood and death. Walking away from Carly was the hardest thing that Ethan ever did, but it was also his one good deed. He knew Carly deserved far better than him, and he wanted her to have a perfect life, a life that didn’t involve paying for Ethan’s sins. Only now the secrets from their past have been revealed, and Carly’s life is on the line. Ethan’s enemies, Carly’s enemies—the predators are closing in on them. But Ethan isn’t going to let Carly be threatened. He will move heaven and hell to protect her. He won’t lose Carly, not again, and for those foolish enough to try and take her from him…they are about to see just how deadly Ethan truly can be. Author's Note: Each book in the anthology is also available as an individual purchase.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Cynthia Eden offers readers a new "Dark Obsession" novel...WANT ME. She doesn’t play it safe… Sophie Sarantos has a weakness for dangerous men. She doesn’t like safe lovers—she likes men with a wild, rough edge. But Sophie may have attracted a lover who is too dangerous, even for her. Someone is stalking Sophie, slipping into her home, watching her day and night. The stranger seems to know all of Sophie’s darkest secrets, secrets that should never be revealed. Out of options, Sophie turns to ex-solider Lex Jensen for protection. Lex is part owner of VJS Protection, Inc., and Sophie hires him as her bodyguard. She thinks Lex is one of the “good guys” out there, but she couldn’t be more wrong. He doesn’t play at all… Lex has his own secrets. Dark, deadly secrets. And as his feelings for Sophie grow, Lex knows that he is going to have to stop pretending to be a gentleman and, instead, he’ll have to show Sophie who he really is. A man trained to kill. A man too used to evil. A man who will take any risk…as long as he can claim Sophie. Because there is one thing that Lex wants in this world…one person he desires above all others…Sophie. And no one will hurt her, not on his watch. Author's Note: WANT ME is a complete, stand-alone story. All of the books in the Dark Obsession series are stand-alone titles. Dark Obsession Series: WATCH ME - Book 1 WANT ME - Book 2 NEED ME - Book 3 BEWARE OF ME - Book 4

According to the website of The Velominati, the self-professed Keepers of the Cog, the optimal number of bikes owned is n + 1, where n is the number of bikes owned. But there's also an important corollary, s-1, where s is the number of bikes that will cause your wife or partner to leave you.' Into the Suffersphere: Cycling and the Art of Pain is a brilliantly witty account of one former racer's exploration of whether cycling is the one sport that pushes its participants to the very limits of human endurance, and delves painfully into the role that physical and mental suffering can play in this elite endurance sport. Drawing together sporting history and pro-cycling interviews, and investigating current medical, business and psychological theories, this is the story of the extraordinary lengths to which minds and bodies can be pushed. Peppered with recollections from the author's own racing experiences and offering a fascinating insight into the unique allure of pain in a sporting context, Into the Suffersphere explores a side of cycling that you would never have dreamed of - not even in your worst nightmare. An essential read for all MAMILs (middle-aged men in Lycra) and fans of sports writing and smart thinking.

LEX DANTE IS A HANDSOME AND TALENTED YOUNG MOVIE STAR. HE SHOULD HAVE THE WORLD AT HIS FEET BUT THERE IS A STREAK OF SELF-LOATHING IN LEX. HE HAS FOUND THAT FAME HAS DISADVANTAGES. HE HAS LITTLE PRIVACY AND HIS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS CAUSE MEDIA SPECULATION.WHEN LEX ARRIVES IN LONDON FROM HOLLYWOOD TO PROMOTE HIS LATEST FILM HE LEARNS THAT AN OLD FRIEND, TRUDY, HAS BEEN MURDERED. HER DEATH SPARKS OFF A TRAIL OF JEALOUSY AND REVENGE.CAN LEX FIND OUT WHO KILLED TRUDY?