First Cycle

Most days, Shalene Gupta was the person she’d always aspired to be. She was hardworking, excelled at work, and had a long-term boyfriend who she desperately loved. Then, every month like clockwork, it all came crashing down in fits of rage and inconsolable sorrow. Work became meaningless, and she struggled to get through the day. The lows were subterranean. After years of struggling to get an answer from doctors, Shalene learned she was one of millions who live with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe form of PMS.

Kanti had spent many sleepless nights torturing himself with thoughts of the day when he would give up on returning to Tish. Old and grey, back-stooped from decades of labor, he would try to get up out of bed, and change his mind. Why bother? He couldn’t have been more wrong. He was still young, his pelt still tanned, and his back didn’t hurt when he rose. Everything had conspired to keep the two lovers apart: rivals, foes, distance. Now, he needs his friends’ help more than ever if he wants his old life back.

In the autumn of 2020 Ned Boulting (ITV head cycling commentator and Tour de France obsessive) bought a length of Pathé news film from a London auction house. All he knew was it was film from the Tour de France, a long time ago. Once restored it became clear it was a short sequence of shots from stage 4 of the 1923 Tour de France. No longer than 2.5 minutes long, it featured half a dozen sequences, including a lone rider crossing a bridge. Ned set about learning everything he could about the sequence – studying each frame, face and building – until he had squeezed the meaning from it.

Every winter—a season that lasts a decade and a half - the Earthmen have neighbours: the humanoid hilfs, a nomadic people who only settle down for the cruel cold spell. The hilfs fear the Earthmen, whom they think of as witches, and call the farborns. But both peoples have common enemies: the hordes of ravaging barbarians called gaals, and eerie preying snow ghouls. Can the hilfs and the farborns overcome their mutual suspicions and join forces? Or will they both be annihilated?

The comet, Cain, came from beyond our solar system, its debris containing elements unknown. Now, in the isolated region of Fairbanks, Alaska, the skies shift and stretch as an interstellar dust cloud seeds the atmosphere. When a plane shudders its way through pulpy, swirling, bruise-shaped clouds, lit with sudden cracks of lightning, the sky opens and the aircraft vanishes…but only for a minute. When the flight lands, everyone on board and in the community will be changed forever.

It's the 22nd century. Humanity has taken its first steps into the galaxy, and we've found ourselves in a vast playground of alien races and cultures. As the newest players on the universal stage, though, we're at the bottom of the food chain. Welcome back to the Four Horsemen universe, where only a willingness to fight and die for money separates humans from the majority of the other races. While some of the stories deal with mercenaries, others introduce listeners to the other guilds, organizations, and races that make up the landscape of the Four Horsemen universe.

“What’s wrong?” The bigger geroo asked, twisting Kanti’s helmet free. “Can’t breathe?” The commissioner accidentally let his last cleaning crew starve to death. So now, Kanti and 49 of his teammates will have to spend the rest of their lives in a one-room barracks, with only a single airlock protecting them from the planet’s poisonous atmosphere. Surrounded by towering monsters, on a world where the very air is lethal, mysterious burrowing strangers are pushing the crew into a panic. Will Kanti be able to keep them from tearing each other apart?

Depik. The race of catlike assassins is feared galaxy-wide. Few living people have seen them, as the sight of one is usually the last thing its victim sees. When Reow is implicated in killing the Depik governor, though, her clan is declared anathema. Her four offspring are placed under interdict - they are to be killed on sight - and Del, Flame, Blade, and Death must flee with their molly, Susa. With Reow dead and Hunters tracking them across the galaxy, will they live long enough to find the real killer, or will they find themselves assassinated by their own kind?

In the tradition of The Boys in the Boat and Seabiscuit, a fascinating portrait of a groundbreaking but forgotten figure - the remarkable Major Taylor, the Black man who broke racial barriers by becoming the world’s fastest and most famous bicyclist at the height of the Jim Crow era.

Riding a motorcycle offers a sense of freedom unlike any other. But there's a lot you need to know before heading out on your first trip. Your First Motorcycle is a beginner's guide to the best, safest, and most cost-effective ways to start riding motorcycles. Experienced instructor and enthusiast Lee Heaver takes new bikers from zero to 60. Filled with entertaining anecdotes, this audio takes all the difficulty out of learning to ride, and gives listeners the confidence to safely hit the highways and meet new amazing people.

Peacemakers. The Galactic Union's most capable enforcers and resolute negotiators, their name alone elicits fear and awe among the Union's citizenry. Having completed a harrowing confirmation mission, Jessica Francis stands ready to become Earth's first Peacemaker and believes obtaining her commission is a mere formality. However, certain members of the Guild question her ability. Worried that she'll fall back on her mercenary ways, they want Jessica to prove her mettle.

A Door Once Closed… Now Waits to Open Again. Every year, on the same night, at precisely 3:33 AM, someone vanishes from the town of Black Hollow—without a trace. No bodies. No explanations. Just whispers of an ancient phenomenon known as The Vanishing Hour. Investigative journalist Evelyn Cade never believed in ghost stories. But when she receives a cryptic message from Cassandra Moore, a woman who disappeared a year ago, she is thrust into a mystery darker than anything she has ever uncovered. The message is simple, chilling, and impossible: "Find the Vanishing Hour." Determined to ...

We use words like "honor", "loyalty", and "tradition" to talk about our families. But behind closed doors, if you listen closely enough, you can hear the muffled sounds of suffering. If you are one of those people, take heart in knowing you are not alone. The good news is that you have a choice. You can decide to do things differently, even if it means being the first in your family to do so. Join Felicia Harris and unburden yourself of the weight of family ideals, influences, and imperfections by choosing to believe that what you've always known is not all there is.

Five hundred years have passed, and Earth is but a distant memory, a story told to children. Bellatrix is humanity’s home now, as well as its future. When the alien race responsible for mankind’s rescue returned, humanity found that its rescue came at a price—it had to serve its alien masters to repay that act, and the Chosen were formed.

"Tour de France Basics: The Essential Guide for First-Time Spectators, 2nd Edition" is the ultimate resource for North American enthusiasts eager to delve into the world's most famous cycling race. This extensively revised and expanded 2nd edition is meticulously crafted to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the Tour de France, ensuring you can relish every moment of the race. Whether you're a devoted cycling aficionado or a casual observer, this upgraded guide equips you with all the essential knowledge required to follow the race with heightened appreciation. From delving ...

Introducing "Life Cycle of Martins," your comprehensive guide to the captivating, yet often overlooked world of these incredible avian creatures. Immerse yourself in the pages of this engaging Kindle eBook and soar to new heights as you uncover the intricate life cycle, migration patterns, and unique behaviors of Martins. Delicately crafted, this enthralling narrative embarks upon a journey into the enchanting life of these winged wonders, ensuring it caters to every curiosity. From the basics of the various types of Martins to the stunning and incredible transformation of their life cycle,...

Set in the mist-laden realm of Elderglen, The Hollow Vale: Short Stories: The Seer of Velden tells the story of a younger Caelwyn and Velden Nan, a figure of mystery and reverence known for her silence and her connection to the Wyrd. Through half-spoken truths and glimpses of forgotten threads, her journey as a seer explores the weight of prophecy and memory in a land shaped by both history and myth.

After three long years in exile, Nalia is ready to return to her homeland and sit on the throne that is rightfully hers. But the gods might have other plans. Forced to endure untold horrors on the journey to Arjinna, Nalia learns that it will take more than cutting down the tyrant Calar to get her crown.

The Children of Avalon: A Journey Through the Wyrd invites listeners into a mythic world where the land hums with ancient stories and the threads of the Wyrd weave past, present, and future into one. Sent by the Daughters of Avalon, Aurelia, Brynn, and Eira leave their marshland home to uncover the secrets of the Thorn Bushes—mystical guardians that hold the truths of the land and the soul. From the shifting currents of the Whisperflow to the shadowed groves of Brinmere and the haunting cliffs of the Mouth of Ffall, their path is anything but straight.

Agent Terrence Kovacs has worked for the New Petersburg Counter-Intel Department propagating fake UFO stories for so long that even he has a hard time separating fact from fiction. Especially when he's approached by a beautiful woman named Vita, who claims she's been sent from another planet to liberate Earth.