Ian Cooper: 36 books

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Franklyn is going to California. He will work at a gas bar and start going out to auditions. It's midday and mid-summer in Kansas when a girl in a flatbed Ford slows down to take a look at him.

Evan has the summer off and he might as well enjoy it. Making the rounds of public parks and beaches, he talks to everyone. The peculiar habit of dropping things and being forgetful bears surprising fruit. The number of bored and lonely housewives can be downright exhausting at times. As for the lovely Nathalie, she's in for something a little rougher.

In Dawson’s Glen, mommas keep close eyes on their daughters and daddies have a shotgun handy. Floyd’s just some boy who growed up in a holler, and not all that keen on hard work and application. He also has this magic phone number, and a souvenir postcard from the lady herself. Her name is Misty Pearl and her skills are considerable.

It’s just Penn Newburgh and his digital camera, all alone and out in the woods. He’s on the trail of a cougar, the biggest cat in North America. He’s got fresh tracks, but what are the odds? And that ain’t the half of it, as there’s more than one kind of cougar. A short and romantic tale of adventure.

Looking for Love is something we all do once in a while. The results can be surprising, from lonely middle-aged bachelors, to college boys with a plan, Cro-Magnon raiders and predatory beachcombers.

Brandon is out with the Slamster, touring the singles bars on a Friday night. The longest, sexiest legs anyone has seen in years walks in. Out of the blue, Kim, owner of aforesaid legs, asks a dazzled Brandon to dance. He only wishes he knew if Kim was a boy or a girl. After two and a half years without a date, and not much in the way of prospects, the question is a compelling one.

Albert may have a little snow on the roof, but there's still some fire in the furnace. His thoughts are the worst, it's like he just can't deal with it. When a couple of young hotties turn up on his doorstep, they confront him with one or two issues, including his lonely and empty life. A short story.

Steve and Theresa have a baby. They’re staying home, conserving money and entertaining themselves. It’s the long weekend. Good friends like Mitch and Kelly, some cheap wine, a few doobs, two well-prepared lady conspirators, and a little something else thrown in for good measure, turns a simple game of Spin The Bottle into something just a little bit different.

Devlin is far from home and starting a new career as a reporter. Responding to an anonymous note, his life spins out of control. Dev really ought to have seen that coming.

Passively waiting for some nice lady to come along and discover him isn’t working for John. He’s been alone for far too long. Something needs to be done about it. A quirky lady carpenter and a face from the past are enough to crack that fragile shell wide open. Rebecca has been alone for a while too. She has tickets to the big premiere, and no one to go with.

After a successful raid, they stumble onto the greatest prize of all. Daron shares the rewards with his men. They know enough not to damage the merchandise. A short and barbaric story.

Helen has taken a fancy to a soldier living in her neighborhood. Just looking at him causes a flutter in Jill’s tummy. They’re wondering what it’s like to be taken by a real man in a place swarming with pimply-faced boys and dirty old men with beer bellies. Conspiring together, the life-long accomplices set a honey trap for Phillip. A short and erotic story

A chevauchée is nothing more than a raid, designed as much for punishment as for plunder. Sir Thomas has seen it all, and lived to tell the tale. The withered old man was a vigorous knight and a pillar of the community, with his wife and sons gone before him. Sir Thomas Jolly is on his deathbed....