Miranda Chase—the autistic heroine you didn't expect. Fighting the battles no one else could win. Revenge? A terrorist attack? Or a declaration of war? The head of the Senate Armed Services Committee lies dead. The murder weapon? An Air Force jet deliberately crashed into his DC hotel room. Half a world away in the South China Sea, an F-35C Lightning II — America's newest fighter jet — crashes during landing. It cripples the aircraft supercarrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. An accident? Or China's next move toward world domination? Miranda Chase and her NTSB air-crash investigation team are spread thin as they struggle to unravel multiple horrific crashes at once — and halt a global firestorm before it burns them all. Worst of all? The next target could be Miranda herself. "Miranda is utterly compelling!" - Booklist, starred review"Escape Rating: A....

Petty Officer Vera Chu lives her dream of serving aboard a US Coast Guard cutter. Newly assigned to patrols of the treacherous Columbia River Bar only affirms her resolve.Lieutenant Hammond Markson flies his Dolphin rescue helicopter as if it's a part of himself.Only when a desperate rescue on the storm-tossed Oregon Coast cliffs throws them together do they find out how truly exciting life can be.

-a Delta Force romance story- Kurt fights as a sniper for Delta Force, the most skilled operators in any military. Out on the edge, the line often blurs. This time he sees the edge clearly, and must walk right past it. Mira has worked as Kurt's spotter in Iraq, Yemen, and a dozen other places. This time they are taking on a "friendly" power, but no question exists—her place lies at his side. There exists a truth that they must learn, a truth fit For Her Dark Eyes Only.

Local Gloucester artist Morgan Henry built a career carving sand. Upon the arrival of a magnificent racing yacht off the beach, he alters his latest contest entry to match. Little does he know that his past skippers the boat. Mary Elizabeth sailed away from Gloucester and made her name on the ocean racing circuit. She never once looked back. Yet for reasons beyond her understanding, she returns. On the beach, in a sand sculpture conceived by a boy but carved by a man, she discovers that her past and her future are more connected than she could possibly imagine.

-a Night Stalkers 5E romance story- Co-pilot Danny Corvo accepts his role as straight man on the jovial crew aboard the Night Stalkers' helicopter Calamity Jane II. Ignoring his attraction to the wildly vivacious Crew Chief Carmen Parker proves to be much more difficult. Racing through the tail end of a hurricane off the Panamanian coast—what a crazy time to declare his feelings. But this stormy night must be the one to tell her how he's felt Since the First Day.

-a Night Stalkers CSAR romance story- The most dangerous mission of all...CSAR—Combat Search and Rescue. Captain Diana Price flies into battle to rescue the wounded. Her past left her no other choice. Captain Jack Slater chose flying CSAR missions because the future makes no promises. Can they rescue each other before they risk it all on a Dawn Flight.

-Delta Force romance story #10- Ramiro dreams a simple dream: become a great chef to capture the heart of the best cook he ever met. Now, in just-next-door restaurants in their old neighborhood—the barrios of Medellín, Colombia—he brings a modern twist to catch her attention. Estela's worries center on the last gasp of the drug cartels that still haunt her neighborhood. When a pair of American Delta operators start a card game in Ramiro's restaurant, she wonders if she too can Play the Right Cards.

-a Firehawks Lookouts romance story- Marta Chavez possesses the dubious honor of spotting the most fires in a single season from her perch high atop Swallow Hill in the rugged Lolo National Forest. Her fantasies of finding a decent man feel as ephemeral as wildfire smoke. Until Tyler Brown crash lands his firefighting helicopter at her remote cloister and they both must survive the Blaze Atop Swallow Hill Lookout.

The Second Annual Volume of short stories originally published monthly for free on www.mlbuchman.com. It began in 2014 as a gift for my fans, but I quickly discovered the joy of the short form. I have a lifelong love of short fiction as a reader, but it took me until 2014 to begin writing it. Inside this volume I have collected the second year's worth of those short stories and added introductory commentary for each tale. Come join me as the Night Stalkers fly to the rescue, the Hotshots stride into wildfires, dreams are sewn (literally), and chefs are murdered with flair. Come join my characters as they find adventure, romance, and true love. A baker's dozen of short tales certain to tickle anyone's fancy.

-a Future Night Stalkers romance story- Mission: Canmerica (East and West) have long since fallen. China and Russia, well, the less said the better. The UK's vast habitats float safely above the far side of the Moon—and Canmerica's Delta Force and Night Stalkers have joined them there. No one knows quite what the Australians and Kiwis have done. But the India Particle Beam tyrannizes the rest of the Eastern Hemisphere and must be stopped. Team: Royal Delta Marine Syra Clairbourne, a third generation Spec Ops pilot. Royal Engineer Lucius Markham, an Earther who has climbed the gravity well to space for the first time in his life, to fulfill a dream. (Syra instantly labels him "Roodee" for Royal Dweeb Engineer.) The key to India's Particle Beam is the massive—and heavily protected—mirror launched into orbit. Using it as a reflector, India has literally burned...

-an Oregon Firebirds romance story- The Oregon Firebirds are the very best at one thing—saving homes. Finding their own poses problems. Jasper Jones flew as Curt's wingman since he moved in next door at the age of six. But meeting Curt's stunning older sister? He never could talk to her when they were kids. Time hasn't fixed the problem. Jana Williams holds herself together by the thinnest of threads. She lost her dream job as an Army helo pilot the day she lost her hand. And with that, her sense of self worth. But nothing prepared her for the impact the right man could have on her life and her heart.

Against all bounds of common sense, Janine lands herself in charge of her yacht club's annual Christmas Potluck. Sailing the tricky course between a clean finish and a complete wreck, she desperately needs a rescue. Or perhaps it's time to set her own course.Howie loves to sail but saving to buy his own boat takes time. He volunteers as crew when he can. And for the annual whirl of yacht club parties, he gate crashes as Santa.When he sees one club has declared a pirate theme, he can't resist and goes in with full sails set.But neither of them expect to find love in Santa's gift bag.