Showing results by narrator "Curtis Michael" in All Categories

World-renowned geneticist Danica Lawson woke up to a world that had been destroyed—by her own hand. She has no recollection of the downfall of society but is determined to repair the damage. Moreover, the first face she sees is one that’s eerily familiar—and undeniable handsome—even if she doesn’t recognize the sexy soldier with the deep, soothing voice. As Dani struggles to reverse the destruction, she realizes sinister forces are at play. For, a malevolent force is sweeping through their dystopian world, and the window to defeat it narrows each day its reign strengthens…

Summer, 1989. It is a time for splashing in the lake and exploring the wilderness, for nine teenagers to bond together and create friendships that could last the rest of their lives. But among this group there is a young man with a secret—a secret that, in this time and place, is unthinkable to his peers. When the others discover the truth, it will change each of them forever. They will all have blood on their hands. Odd Man Out is a heart-wrenching tale of bullies and bigotry, a story that explores what happens when good people don't stand up for what's right.

Charming Taylor Samuels doesn't expect his sister's video audition for the reality television show The World Traveler to result in anything. But when they're chosen to compete, he can do nothing but hope for the best. Adam Scott's best friend wants them to try to get on The World Traveler, and so Adam reluctantly agrees to make him happy. As the reality sets in that they'll competing, Adam tries not to panic too much. Little do they know that a twist in the show will see Taylor and Adam's worlds collide in a way they never imagined.

This trip to Greece was supposed to be simple—play the part of the perfect boyfriend, soak up the sun, and help my best friend's billionaire boss survive his family's relentless questions. I thought he would only be my ticket out of New York and away from the man whose dangerous secrets I stole. But nothing about Percy Davenport is simple. He's a genius with a yacht and a private jet but can't handle turbulence or, apparently, telling his mother no.

Gay bars have been closing by the hundreds. The story goes that increasing mainstream acceptance of LGBTQ+ people, plus dating apps, have rendered these spaces obsolete. Beyond that, rampant gentrification in big cities has pushed gay bars out of the neighborhoods they helped make hip. Who Needs Gay Bars? considers these narratives, accepting that the answer for some might be: maybe nobody. Greggor Mattson embarks on a journey across the country to paint a much more complex picture of the cultural significance of these spaces, inside "big four" gay cities, but also beyond them.

Since being thrown out of his home by his parents, Caden has been struggling to survive on the streets. He lives in constant fear, stresses over his next meal, and dreads trying to find a safe place to sleep at night. He eventually finds an unlocked car and settles in to sleep, but is soon interrupted when someone steals the car. With little choice but to ride along, Caden soon learns that first impressions aren’t always correct. Seventeen-year-old Damario has been raising his little brother and sister by himself since his parents were deported.

Rio and Caden have been together for a few years now. It’s a rare weekend they get to spend alone. When Rio suggests they get away to Tahoe for the weekend a few weeks before Christmas, Caden is too excited to even think of saying no. They start their trip and even though they think they’ve planned for every emergency, they can’t control what Mother Nature has in store for them.

Josh Moore lives with his family on the "wrong side" of Hamilton, a gritty industrial city in Southwestern Ontario. As a young boy, Josh plots an escape for a better life far from the steel mills that lined the bay. But fate has other plans and Josh discovers his adult life in Toronto is just as fraught with as many insecurities and missteps as his youth, and he soon learns that no matter how far away he might run, he will never be able to leave his hometown behind.

Clubbed Two is historical fiction, set in Philadelphia from 1982 to 1992. Club Sanctuary can be seen as a metaphor for the greater LGBTQ community, but it is written as a real place, with characters who are fabulous, funny, and flawed. The author combines historical characters and events with fictional ones, creating a story that's entertaining, informative, and emotional. The love story between the two main characters, Joey and Henry, serves as a vehicle for connecting the stories of diverse Queer characters.

In America's small business landscape, the fail-success rate leans entirely too far in favor of failure, and past experiences provided the author with invaluable insight into many of the reasons. Adam Starks' Vultured is part autobiography, part self-help book, highlighting the dark side of entrepreneurship by identifying pitfalls in the decision-making process as it relates to starting and running a small business. Serving as a cautionary tale, the book warns against all such mistakes one can make that may result in landing on the failing side of a small business venture.

Jacob Crestmore has given up on the idea of a brighter future, but when a mysterious woman reveals the wrongs of his past, he sets out on a journey to recover an artefact that can unlock a power he never knew existed. With an evil empire trying to stop him, and the threat of war looming, will he find the artefact in time?

The way we live, work, and consume will massively transform soon. Do you see it happening already? The COVID-19 pandemic was just the first of many disruptions to come. Before year 2030, ecological thresholds will be surpassed, humanity will be fully connected via the internet, social inequalities will reach critical mass, and exponential technologies will become truly “smart”. We have reached the inflection point in which all of humanity can pause to reexamine and to redefine our “normal” mode of operation in business, politics, community, and life!

Joey Crow and Caleb Hollings first see each other across the rural Oregon country road that separates the farms they live on. Joey, an orphaned Native American boy, has come to live with his grandparents on their farm after the mysterious disappearance of his parents from the local reservation. Caleb is the only son of devoutly Christian parents. The Crow Flies Free follows the two young men in the summer of their 18th birthdays as they begin to recognize their loving friendship has grown into a deeper kind of love.

Sex. Drugs. Lust. Courage. Loyalty. Betrayal. Drag divas. Hustlers. Porn. Gogo boys. Anything is possible at the gay club scene. Even love. Joey, fresh from the suburbs, gets involved in the gay club scene in Philadelphia during the late 1970s and early 1980s. He shares the stories of a diverse cast of characters, including his own special love story. Everyone at the club has a story, and every story deserves to be told.

Twelve-year-old Charlie is down on his luck: His dad just died, the share crops are dry, and Cap'n Buck - the most fearsome man in Possum Moan, South Carolina - has come to collect a debt. Fearing for his life, Charlie strikes a deal with Cap'n Buck and agrees to track down some thieves. It's not too bad of a bargain for Charlie...until he comes face to face with the fugitives and discovers that they escaped slavery years ago and have been living free in Detroit. Torn between his guilty conscience and his survival instinct, Charlie needs to figure out his next move - and soon.

A dark and gritty trip into the imagination of one of science fiction's most gifted authors, this collection presents all nine tales of the Budayeen gathered together in one must-listen volume. Here is the Budayeen: a gritty fusion of Bogart's Casablanca, New Orleans' notoriously seedy French Quarter, and a futuristic Muslim city, all welded together and serving as the perfect backdrop for Marid, a drug-addled policeman and anti-hero of world-class proportion. T

In 2007, three Muslim university students left the Canadian Prairies, seemingly without a trace. In the ensuing months, their disappearance raised fears that the men had become "radicalized," posing a grave threat to national security. From presidential briefings and targeted drone assassinations to a politically charged trial, the men's story sheds new light not only on the figure of the "radical," but also on the "moderate" Muslim, represented by a community forever changed by the men's departure.

Arianna Lawson has one goal: help her sister defeat the Sendaxa regime and live a solemn existence free from the chaos of their dystopian world. Life has taught her hard lessons about pain and loss, and she has no desire to open herself to love—even for the strong, stoic man who consumes her every thought.

When life has taught you to hide, can you ever spread your wings in the light? Writing songs has always been the way that Beatrice Cipriani processes the world around her, but as a painful introvert, none of those songs are ever performed. She excels at being invisible—she’s the best server in a fancy restaurant. Sometimes, though, it feels like she’s dying a little more with every passing day. Easton Moorland has finally made it big, but with a public company comes a board that has demands. As the chairman of a luxury brand, all eyes are on him, and they want him to look the part.

Grace Cromwell lives behind a cool, regal façade to mask the intense pain suffered in her past. Armed with an inner strength that others underestimate, she’s ready to restore peace to the world. Notions of her own happy ever after vanished years ago, even if her heart reserves a small space for the man who claimed it before the world was destroyed. Tristan Holder has one mission: to vanquish the evil dictator Luthor Cromwell from their ravaged dystopian world. Blinded by his need for revenge, he almost overlooks the woman Grace has become.