Friday S Curious Shop

The Old Curiosity Shop was expanded from a short tale to save Dickens's failing periodical Master Humphrey's Clock (1840-1); it is the first of his novels of which the complete manuscript, many corrected proofs, and some working notes survive. This makes it uniquely interesting to both the textual critic and general reader. Forster's Life of Dickens played down the novelist's dependence on his friend's help, but the proofs reveal at first hand the nature of Forster's assistance as well as Dickens's own practice. In conjunction with the manuscript, which contains two previously unprinted notes to his publisher, they show Dickens dealing with the unexpected demands of weekly serialization of an unplanned, full-length novel. This is most obvious as he approaches the death of Little Nell, in whose fate both he and his readers became emotionally involved. This is the first edition to benefit from the recent revelation of material which Dickens had himself obscured or discarded on manuscript versos, and the first to scrutinize the importance and impact of the wood engravings dropped into the text.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1875.

A store for the curious. Enter if you dare… Riley Anderson needs a job. Desperately. If she doesn’t find paying work soon, her roommates will kick her out. And living on the streets of New York City as winter approaches…? Not appealing. The Wanted Ad for Friday’s Curious Shop seems like the perfect opportunity. Pays well. Starts immediately. She even likes secondhand stores. Perfect. Even if the shop does feel a little…strange. But things get weird once she crosses the threshold. What’s wrong with that customer? Why can’t she go into the backroom unescorted? Why are her self-preservation instincts screaming to run? Doesn’t matter. A job’s a job. And Friday’s Curious Shop is hiring. Everything will be just fine. Right? Author’s Note: This novella is also published in the collection HAUNTS AND HOWLS WHERE DEMONS DWELL. keywords: Urban fantasy; paranormal urban fantasy; contemporary fantasy; magic fantasy; action and adventure; short story collections; demons and devils; witches and wizards; urban fantasy magic; magic and mayhem; monsters and demons; myths and legends; paranormal fantasy; dark fantasy; horror fantasy