In a private room sheltered from the Colombo riots, a seventeen-year-old girl gives birth to a hatechild. At a city gym, an introverted fitness instructor obsesses over his unattainable client. Inside an untended guest-house room, an adolescent cricket champ is caught unawares by his coach’s violent fury. By a rain-drenched gravesite, a special-needs teacher confides in a stranger. Edgy yet tender, racy yet warm, these interlinked stories take us into the unfamiliar everyday of Sri Lankan living, where smugglers, waiters, single moms and cheaters cross paths as they attempt to negotiate a web of shock, subterfuge and irony. A collection of infinite brio and charm, this is Chhimi Tenduf-La at his inventive best.

Bad Reputation is the unexpurgated story of Joan Jett, the single most exciting rocker of the American 1980s, one of the biggest-selling acts of the age, and one of punk rock's most valued elder statespeeps. Through its pages, a welter of exclusive interviews and observations paint what might well be the last great tale of rock hedonism, but one that comes with a twist in its tail. The rockers are women, the groupies are guys. It could have been the plot line for a movie or even a sitcom, but the Runaways, Jett's first band, made it happen, and Jett made it last. The first serious female rocker of the 1980s, Jett became the template for everyone that followed. But unlike so many of her peers and counterparts, she never lost her credibility, never sold out, and never gave up. And she has backed her reputation up with genuine star power, following the chart-topping “I Love Rock 'n' Roll” – one of the most played '80s anthems of all time – with “Crimson and Clover ” “Do You Wanna Touch Me ” and “I Hate Myself for Loving You” before the decade ended. And, while the 1990s saw Jett purposefully step away from the spotlight, she remained, and remains, America's number one Queen of Noise.

From the dates from hell to love at first sight - a light-hearted look at the often obscure subjects of gay male desire.

Now in paperback! From the author of the Navy SEALs Oral History series-an intimate look at the world's most efficient and deadly warriors. Snipers have a rich history. This fascinating book follows their tasks and techniques from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars through both World Wars, to the Korean War and Vietnam-the genesis of modern sniping-to the current conflicts in the Middle East. Also, readers will see how sniping has evolved on the civilian side in law enforcement. Readers will learn about the tools of the trade, but most importantly, they will hear from the experts themselves: military snipers, as well as civilian police and SWAT snipers. Capturing the suspense and action of the hunt, the words of these men draw readers into the close-knit, little-known world of men who need only one bullet to get the job done.

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.

"Augmented Reality" game Transdimensional Hunter seems too real for comfort as the world of the game merges with reality. Now, teenage game prodigy Lynn Raven will have to conquer the game or be destroyed by it. REALITY BITES—AND IT HAS BIG TEETH Becoming a global celebrity overnight would make most people happy. Not Lynn Raven. As a teenage gaming prodigy, she’s enjoyed years of anonymity behind the virtual mask of Larry Coughlin, war-hardened vet and virtual gaming mercenary. But now Lynn has stepped out of the shadows to compete in the cutting-edge augmented reality game TransDimensional Hunter that has taken the world by storm. And she’s winning. But with success has come swarms of paparazzi drones, jealous teammates, and a backstabbing rival team that will use any trick in the book to ruin her. Then there’s the game itself. At times, the “augmented” reality seems too real for Lynn’s comfort, and strange accidents keep happening. Something is going on; she just has to figure out what. Lynn would much rather fight monsters than do paparazzi interviews, but somehow she’ll have to master both—and pass her senior year to boot. She managed to step into the real, but will the storm of reality now defeat her for good? At the publisher’s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). Praise for Into the Real: “The disturbing realism is balanced by dangerous monsters, clever tactics, explosive action, and a compelling twist at the end . . . immersive, highly technical near-future sf; perfect for dedicated gamers or for fans of Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One.” —Library Journal “I found myself enjoying the story and Raven’s relationship with the AI that’s her guide in the game, and I was invested throughout. It wasn’t so much a coming-of-age story as a growing into and appreciating one’s own skin . . . I’m really looking forward to how things will play out from here.” —The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction “Ringo and Sherrer have created a modern day Ender’s Game using the technology of Pokémon Go . . . The characters are vivid and interesting, and the action is strong enough to carry you along.” —Upstream Reviews “The futuristic world of the gamers and the game itself will interest sf readers. . . . YA: Teens will relate to Lynn, the main character, and if they are gamers, they will enjoy her gamer and VR adventures.” —Booklist Praise for John Ringo: “. . . the thinking reader’s zombie novel . . . Ringo fleshes out his theme with convincing details . . . the proceedings become oddly plausible.” —Publishers Weekly on Under a Graveyard Sky “[Ringo’s work is] peopled with three-dimensional characters and spiced with personal drama as well as tactical finesse.” —Library Journal “. . . practically impossible not to read in one sitting . . . exceedingly impressive . . . executed with skill, verve, and wit.” —Booklist “Crackerjack storytelling.” —Starlog