The short fiction of Susan Knier spans generations and time periods, ranging from the drama of human life to the unexplained on the outer fringes of reality. In “Leaving,” two children face a dangerous dilemma when their fugitive father is seriously injured in a remote wilderness camp. A woman struggles to adapt to 21st century life after many years in a cloistered monastery in “Matins And Lauds.” A mysterious young man protects the grand destiny of an impoverished but brilliant classmate in “Saving Grace.” In “Under A Butterscotch Sky,” a woman and her terminally ill daughter immerse themselves in coverage of the first manned mission to Mars, their isolation paralleling that of the astronauts. This collection of short fiction is accompanied by poetry and selected dream accounts of the author.

A Financial Times Best Science Book of 2023 • A Science News Favorite Book of 2023 • A Scientific American 2023 Staff Recommendation "The next-best thing to traveling through space and time." —Laura Helmuth, editor in chief of Scientific American A rip-roaring tour of the cosmos with the Bad Astronomer, bringing you up close and personal with the universe like never before. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel the universe? How would Saturn’s rings look from a spaceship sailing just above them? If you were falling into a black hole, what’s the last thing you’d see before getting spaghettified? While traveling in person to most of these amazing worlds may not be possible—yet—the would-be space traveler need not despair: you can still take the scenic route through the galaxy with renowned astronomer and science communicator Philip Plait. On this lively, immersive adventure through the cosmos, Plait draws ingeniously on both the latest scientific research and his prodigious imagination to transport you to ten of the most spectacular sights outer space has to offer. In vivid, inventive scenes informed by rigorous science—injected with a dose of Plait’s trademark humor—Under Alien Skies places you on the surface of alien worlds, from our own familiar Moon to the far reaches of our solar system and beyond. Try launching yourself onto a two-hundred-meter asteroid, or stargazing from the rim of an ancient volcano on a planet where, from the place you stand, it is eternally late afternoon. Experience the sudden onset of lunar nightfall, the disorientation of walking—or, rather, shuffling—when you weigh almost nothing, the irritation of jagged regolith dust. Glimpse the frigid mountains and plains of Pluto and the cake-like exterior of a comet called 67P. On a planet trillions of miles from Earth, glance down to see the strange, beautiful shadows cast by a hundred thousand stars. For the aspiring extraterrestrial citizen, casual space tourist, or curious armchair traveler, Plait is an illuminating, always-entertaining guide to the most otherworldly views in our universe.

From the author of The Many Worlds of Albie Bright comes another cutting-edge cosmic space adventure for anyone who's ever looked up at the stars and wondered about the universe. How amazing would it be to have a dad who's an astronaut? To see him go on rocket launches, live in zero gravity, and fly through space like a superhero? Jamie Drake knows. His dad is orbiting Earth in the International Space Station. Jamie thinks it's cool, and he's proud of his dad, but he also really misses him. Hanging out at the local observatory one day, Jamie is surprised when he picks up a strange signal on his phone. Could it be aliens? Are they closer to our planet than anyone realizes? With his dad in space, Jamie feels he has no choice but to investigate on his own. But when something goes wrong with his dad's mission, Jamie is reminded that space is a dangerous place. He decides it's time to prove that he's a hero too. The Jamie Drake Equation is about the wonders of space, the courage of astronauts, and the lengths to which we will go to protect the ones we love. "Thrilling, smart and surprisingly poignant . . . will leave young readers with a hunger to know more about the universe and our planet's place it it. --BookPage

Winter's Orbit meets Ilona Andrews in this sexy enemies-to-lovers romance. “Constance Fay...wildly combines heart-stirring romance with a high-stakes adventure in a wonderfully deep space odyssey. This passionate story is a heady mix of suspense, romance, and intrigue, all set within an intricate and intriguing new world!”--Rebecca Zanetti, New York Times bestselling author of You Can Hide The captain of a ragtag mercenary ship is given an offer she can't refuse by the ruthless head of an intergalactic noble family. The only catch? She'll have to team up with his son--an upsettingly competent hardbody with his own agenda--to get her reward. She’s got a ramshackle spaceship, a misfit crew, and a big problem with its sexy newest member... Temperance Reed, banished from the wealthy and dangerous Fifteen Families, just wants to keep her crew together after their feckless captain ran off with the intern. But she’s drowning in debt and revolutionary new engine technology is about to make her beloved ship obsolete. Enter Arcadio Escajeda. Second child of the terrifying Escajeda Family, he’s the thorn in Temper’s side as they’re sent off on a scouting mission on the backwater desert planet of Herschel 2. They throw sparks every time they meet but Temper’s suspicions of his ulterior motives only serve to fuel the flames between them. Despite volcanic eruptions, secret cultists, and deadly galactic fighters, the greatest threat on this mission may be to Temper’s heart. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

In my early high school years I wrote these poems. Recently, I have uncovered them and added a bit of wisdom, truth, and heart to each of them. What a great treat it was to acknowledge my youth, and to experience my poetry time line. If you remember anything about this book, remember to remember yourself. It's all under your hat!

2026: Something is growing in the Pacific Ocean. "The Slick" appears to be a strange, fungus-like organism, but its DNA is unlike anything else on the planet. Rumours start to fly. Was life discovered deep beneath the Martian icecaps on a recent Chinese space mission? If it was, no-one is confirming it, but could that same life now be spreading through the ocean and threatening Earth's entire food chain? Brilliant scientist Dr. Mariella Anders is recruited to join an urgent NASA mission to Mars to see if she can uncover the truth of this organism, but this is no straightforward investigation. Corporate powers are committed to exploiting the secrets of the Slick for profit; radical eco-terrorists strike out against rampant genetic engineering; and a second Chinese mission to Mars at the same time has its goals shrouded in mystery. The secret of life on Earth and Mars might be found on the red planet, but who can Mariella trust with the truth once it's found? And what price will she have to pay for it?

Finding Home. Finding Faith. A matchmaker for an instant father. Secrets. And friends who just might find a happy ending if his past doesn't destroy everything. He just wants a fresh start… Thomas Smucker moved to West Kootenai to escape his past. But when tragedy happens, he suddenly inherits a five year old niece…now what? She’s always wanted a family... Scarred by a childhood accident, Lovina Graber believes she’ll be single forever, despite her deep longing for a husband and family. And then she meets Thomas, an instant father, who needs a wife. Lovina to the rescue...she'll find him the perfect Amish woman. Even if she has to ignore the spark between them… But her secrets could cost him everything Thomas wants a wife...but he can't ignore his feelings for Lovina. But when her secret comes out, he'll have to choose between his niece and the woman he suddenly can't live without. Instant father. Matchmaker. A found family…and unexpected love. But will her secrets--and his past-- destroy everything? A heartwarming book three in the Big Sky Amish Collection. Big Sky Amish Collection Beyond the Gray Mountains On the Golden Cliffs Under the Blue Skies ​​​​​​​Big Sky Series by Tricia Goyer Beside Still Waters Along the Wooded Paths Beyond Hope's Valley