Showing results by narrator "Joe Hempel" in All Categories

Jaunty the Clown just wants to entertain families with lighthearted slapstick antics, but people think of clowns as terrifying, nightmarish creatures who hide in closets or under beds. When Jaunty, along with his fellow performers, are fired from the circus, they're told that the world just doesn't like clowns anymore. Still, clowns have to eat. And since these clowns don't eat children, to make ends meet they're eventually forced to take a job in a popular haunted attraction, the Mountain of Terror. But millions of oversized spiders are about to invade....

The most famous man in South Carolina lives jailed in the state capital. He stands accused of a staggering amount of wrongdoing—ninety-nine crimes and counting. Once a high-flying, smooth-talking, pedigreed Southern lawyer, Alex Murdaugh is now disbarred and disgraced. For more than a decade, prosecutors claim, Alex was secretly a fraud, a thief, a drug dealer and an all-around phony. On the night of June 7, 2021, they claim, he also became a killer.

All Joran wanted was a quiet life of research and study in his alchemy lab. It didn’t seem like so much to ask. But when an emergency at one of his family’s trading posts crops up, his father insists that Joran is the only one that can straighten it out.

After the death of his wife, Annika, Chester Lane is forced to pick up the pieces and start anew. Trouble is, some of the pieces don't appear to fit. There was much more to Chester's late wife than met the eye; her short life had been a troubled one, filled with frightening oddities—some of which may have had a hand in her untimely death. Perishing under horrifying and mysterious circumstances, Annika's absence casts a long shadow across Chester's life. Hungry for answers in the wake of her death, he starts asking questions better left unasked.

Do you struggle to hold people's attention and interest them? Find yourself stuck in boring interview mode? Whether you want to befriend strangers more easily, banter more smoothly with friends, or simply avoid the crushing tension of a never ending silence, Awkward Silences is the book you need to succeed. No more conversations that end prematurely - not by choice. Discover the subtle and nuanced tactics that allow you to seize control of any conversation and create social chemistry. This book will arm you with definitive tactics, maneuvers, and replies to whatever comes your way. This book is highly actionable, with step-by-step analyses of complex concepts like sarcasm, the ultimate witty comeback, conflict conversations, and storytelling. You'll get exact words and phrases, NOT just "be confident and make eye contact". Avoid those embarrassing, cringe-worthy moments.

The last Blockbuster video store in the United States is hanging on by a thread. And after a crazy night attempting to track down a lost VCR rental to collect the record-setting and internet-famous late fee, three employees, idealistic Eva, cinephile Jerry, and their tyrannical manager Randy, discover that this machine may actually have the power to change the endings of popular films, which, depending on the historical basis of the film, might also be changing the real world around them. Or could this just be an elaborate, increasingly deadly prank?

A group of boyhood friends in the summer of 1977. An annual rite of passage in a dark and alluring Pennsylvania wood. The channeling of a malevolent Presence. And a childhood game about to go terribly wrong.... Two brothers in the summer of 1995, reunited by the unspeakable nightmare of their past. A bewitching tavern proprietress and psychic intuitive from New Orleans. The revelation of an apocryphal prophesy.

Kyrie Kent hates baseball. She hates players even more. When her best friend drags her to a Ravens game, she spends the innings reading a book. Until she gets a glimpse of the closer - a pitcher who draws her like a magnet. Fighting her attraction to Easton Holliday is easy. All she has to do is keep her distance, avoid the ballpark, and keep her head down. At least, all that would have worked, but Easton doesn't intend to let Kyrie walk so easily. When another player vies for Kyrie's attention, Easton will swing for the fences.

Does public speaking make you feel paralyzed and tie your stomach into knots? Or do you want to learn how to get a standing ovation every time? Does the prospect of facing embarrassing judgment make your heart race? Maybe you just want to learn how to absolutely own a room from the stage and become a magnetic speaker? Wait...what do people even say to open and close?!

The Snowman's Children is a poignant, psychologically intense first novel that tells the story of an incident from one man's childhood in the 1970s, when a serial killer called The Snowman stalked the streets of suburban Detroit. The incident, a result of good but woefully misguided juvenile intentions, forced his family to leave their home, and eventually forced him, at age 29, to return to his hometown in search of three old friends.

It has been 20 years since the serial killer known as The Black Heart Killer terrorized the town of Newport in 1979. Life mostly returned to normal after the killer was captured. All the townspeople have to do is stay out of the woods where the bodies were abandoned.

The first three books in the Jonathan Shade series. Includes Modern Sorcery: Death by dark magic. As soon as I get over my ex, her father hacks her mother apart with a sword. She hires me to prove dark magic was involved. Hey, it's what I do as a paranormal investigator, so I get why she thinks I can help. But my secretary, Esther, a ghost from the 1920s flapper era, and Kelly Chan, my magically engineered protector, are dead-set against me getting involved. With all the deadly magic flying around, they may have a point.

Daniel Hill will never forget the day he heard these words: "Daniel, you may be white, but don't let that lull you into thinking you have no culture. White culture is very real. In fact, when white culture comes in contact with other cultures, it almost always wins. So it would be a really good idea for you to learn about your culture." Confused and unsettled by this encounter, Hill began a journey of understanding his own white identity. Today he is an active participant in addressing and confronting racial and systemic injustices.

The White Wolf, the Beast of Brenton Woods, a legendary creature said to walk like a man. When the full moon rises, it will feast. Unseen for years, truth has turned to rumor, mere folklore. Until something lures the monster from exile, calling it home. For Tyler and Ben, a firsthand encounter leads to an exploration of the forbidden depths of Brenton woods, and for Ben, the discovery of a family secret. When Wendy and her friend's hangout in the abandoned cabin is compromised, the hunt begins.

Thaless is still reeling from the actions of the assassin known as the Emperor's Mask, and in the aftermath, believers in magical superiority have been greatly emboldened. When a goblin girl named Tinga Vreeg goes missing, it seems like a tragic consequence of the atmosphere of hostility and anger toward the non-magical. But when Tane and Kadka investigate, they find a much deeper mystery. Tinga isn't the only one missing—and she might have been on the trail of something important herself.

Months after a family is forced to flee the beachfront property on 100 Winthrop Road, three young travelers lost outside of Cutler, Maine find themselves taking shelter in it. Strapped for cash, the three of them spend a night in the house, wondering why the lovely old building has been left abandoned.

Thirteen-year-old Joey Speight never expected the bone-chilling events that awaited him in this small river town. Uprooted from Chicago after his father's job loss, Joey’s resentment grows as he's forced to live with a Great-Grandma he barely knows. But the mysteries of Willow Falls soon engulf him, turning his anger into dread.

Imagine being able to easily control your impulses so they no longer run your life. Imagine being able to persevere and go beyond your limits whenever you need to, exceeding your expectations and those of others. Imagine being able to take action according to your intentions and convictions so that you routinely achieve your goals.

Success isn't just about talent or intelligence—it requires a powerful mindset and unwavering willpower. In Do The Hard Things First: Master Self-Control, renowned Personal Development Leader and Mindset Optimization Strategist, Scott Allan, presents a proven framework to overcome immediate gratification, conquer compulsive behavior, and cultivate the habits of self-control.

This how-to guide provides 30 quick-and-dirty action plans for overcoming 30 bad habits that are sabotaging your time management. Each habit is investigated to reveal its common triggers and explore how it cripples your productivity. You'll also receive a step-by-step blueprint for defeating each bad habit and reclaiming your time, clarity, and confidence in the process. The 30-Day Productivity Plan - VOLUME II is filled with actionable advice you can put to use IMMEDIATELY to triple your productivity.