The Demon King still lives, stronger than ever, devouring souls in search of immortality. Against him stands the scholar Taron, a newly-minted warrior of Lemuria, and Willow, a woman of unearthly loveliness, born of mist. . . Spellbound Taron must pass through the waterfall of molten gold that shields the secret portal to his beloved land. His brilliant mind and the speaking sword called CrystalFire are his weapons against evil. But nothing can protect him from the power of love. Willow, whom he once knew as a sprite who could dance in his hand, has been changed by a master stroke of magic into the form of a beautiful, highly sensual woman, desiring a thousand pleasures that she insists he alone can give her. Innocent and eager, Willow arouses his deepest needs and sexual hunger--and his love. He will risk all to save her, even if it means a battle to the death with the ultimate foe. . . "Douglas is on my keeper shelf!" --Alyssa Day, New York Times bestselling author Praise for Kate Douglas's DemonSlayers Series "Perfectly entertaining!" --Romantic Times (4 stars) "Wildly entertaining. . . A fabulous new world for fans of the paranormal." --Jayne Ann Krentz, New York Times bestselling author

It's hard to imagine any device more crucial to modern life than the microchip and the transistor from which it sprang. Every waking hour of every day people benefit from its use in cellular phones, computers, radios, TVs, and ATMs. This eloquent retelling of the story behind the invention of the transistor recounts how pride and jealousy coupled with scientific aspirations ignited the greatest technological explosion in history. Photos & drawings.

This work tells the human story of the process of invention that led to the invention of the transistor.

An epic tale of magic and warriors, of flawed human beings overcoming adversity and personal demons to do what must be done. · Eons ago magic users were unguided and undisciplined. There were those that applied magic intelligently, those that were unscrupulous, and worst of all, the amateurs. Magic ran rampant in the land. Those pure of heart came together to form a standard of discipline, they formed The Crystal into which the hearts, minds, and souls of hundreds, eventually thousands, gave their special talents. · Those powerful from the beginning, corrupted by the black arts, coveted the power of The Crystal and would try again to posses it, their previous attempt thwarted. But that battle used powers beyond control and the effects were devastating. Crystal Warriors, scarred by that battle, were scattered throughout the land. · But now the call goes out for their return, The Crystal is under attack, the need is urgent. Principal among those Crystal Warriors are Tarina, known as Awiel of the Dance, a beautiful veil dancer, Crystal Seeress, and wicked with a blade, far away in the southern lands. · Rowan, former Captain, psychically scarred, hiding far away in a place where there is little magic, disguised as an old man selling firewood. · Macon, a drunken sot who must pull himself together to become the powerful Crystal Warrior he once was. · Naomi, Tarina's fierce warrior woman companion, speechless by choice until she finds the man who killed the Crystal Seeress mistress she was sworn to protect and brutalized her. · They and many others are forever attuned to The Crystal and hear its call. They must heed the call and travel thousands of perilous miles to do battle with overwhelming forces. An epic tale of magic and warriors, but more importantly, of flawed human beings overcoming adversity and personal demons to do what must be done. This epic fantasy will leave you wanting more. Don't miss it! Reviews: ***** I love these characters! What makes this a fun read is the slightly flawed good guys, the babes with beauty, brains and brawn, and the magical characters Thisrena and Ith, the thnake that thpeaks with a lithp. Recommended reading. ·· J.D. King **** This is a good story, full of magic and some very surprising characters and twists... Charming and mysterious characters, magical creatures, and not-so-perfect foes make this a fun read. ·· Patricia Hamill on Goodreads **** I was intrigued with the story from the very beginning… R.L. Kiser has written chapter one so deftly to reel in readers’ curiosity to keep reading. Characterization is superb; both heroes and villains have flaws which also lead to humorous moments… the way the plot is developed is fresh, coupled with unpredictable and interesting twists. Kiser’s flawless writing style helps keep the plot tight throughout the story as well as maintain a good pacing. On the whole, a satisfying read and a great start for a series. ·· Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

"Without the invention of the transistor, I'm quite sure that the PC would not exist as we know it today."—Bill Gates On December 16, 1947, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain, physicists at Bell Laboratories, jabbed two electrodes into a sliver of germanium. The power flowing from the germanium far exceeded what went in; in that moment the transistor was invented and the Information Age was born. No other devices have been as crucial to modern life as the transistor and the microchip it spawned, but the story of the science and personalities that made these inventions possible has not been fully told until now. Crystal Fire fills this gap and carries the story forward. William Shockley, Bell Labs' team leader and co-recipient of the Nobel Prize with Brattain and Bardeen for the discovery, grew obsessed with the transistor and went on to become the father of Silicon Valley. Here is a deeply human story about the process of invention — including the competition and economic aspirations involved — all part of the greatest technological explosion in history. The intriguing history of the transistor — its inventors, physics, and stunning impact on society and the economy — unfolds here in a richly told tale."—Science News "Thoroughly accessible to lay readers as well as the techno-savvy. . . . [A] fine book."—Publishers Weekly