Sycamore Tales brings you new stories of murder, crime and a surprise ending that may twist your way or not. This new collection of stories enhances your curiosity of what’s next. The stories will keep you deeply involved and at any given moment things will turn around in a different direction, with a pleasing ending.B-4John Allen leaves his apartment for a walk to get some cigarettes. Little did he know that night would determine the direction his life would take. Accused of murder, he spends twenty-five years in prison. With the help of a young energetic lawyer right out of law school, his case is reopened. John Allen is set free from a murder he didn’t commit. Or, did he?THE VOYAGE OF DEATHWho in the world would ever imagine a weekend outing, a simple cruise around the Gulf of Mexico, would end in such a tragic way. Three families leave the coast of Florida to relax in the sun and enjoy the gulf, a getaway from it all. But, unaware of what lurked in the bloody waters. Not only is the breeze of the gulf waters fragranced with salt, but also with the stench of death. All seems well at first, but when the storms began to rise, no one could turn back.FERGUSON’S TRESTLE AT SWINDLER’S POINTOllie, a young boy at the time, witnessed the murder of his mother and father. After several years on the run, he returns back home. Strangely enough, when he comes back, murders begin to happen. Is it a coincidence or has the murderer of his parents returned also. As the story unfolds, it leads you to the truth. When the truth is revealed, will it set you free?OTHER SIDE OF NOWHERE (A Parable)The Other Side of Nowhere is a short-short story of the adventures of an old man who goes out from the land of Wuz to seek the other side of nowhere. It is a fun piece, a play on words and entertaining, breaking up the rut of life. Instead of drinking black coffee each day, it’s good to add a little cream and sugar at times. That’s what nowhere is about. Change!THE GARDEN OF THE SEVENTH TRELLISThis is a short-short story with a little different layout of events. A man buys and old antique mirror trellis. When he takes it home, he admires the fine craftsmanship of this piece of furniture. But, he soon finds out that what you see in the mirror may not be you. Is what you see real or not? He may not have gotten a bargain after all.PLEA OF NOT GUILTYJeremiah is a good man, hard worker and dedicated to his family. Unfortunately, one night a murder takes place on his property; he and his family will never be the same. As the story unravels, you find that the KKK is working in the background and protecting their own. Jeremiah is found guilty and sent to prison. Butterfly, his daughter, knows her daddy well and sets out to clear his name from all the lies and mess that has come against him. Butterfly takes on a big job. Can she do it?

When the little boy—now a man—from the end of the lane returns, can Ox ignore the song that howls between them?

Marlo and Joe have to go to Joe's sister's boring wedding tomorrow. Just the thing two fun loving boys want to do on a Saturday, spend the day inside and bored. But, they promised to stay out of trouble. Will some things prove too tempting to resist or will it be a piece of cake?This is the third story in the series. A new story will be released each week in the final months of 2011 and the beginning of 2012.

A world in chaos, caught in the pincer movement of corruption and anarchy. The time for tackling the causes was long gone, squandered by those elected for that very purpose. Procrastination, being paraded as a duty of care, had pushed the planet past the point of no return, or had it? A global threat of a different kind entered the fray. It should have been a unifying straw for humanity to clutch.A world in chaos, caught in the pincer movement of corruption and anarchy. The time for tackling the causes was long gone, squandered by those elected for that very purpose. Procrastination, being paraded as a duty of care, had pushed the planet past the point of no return, or had it? A global threat of a different kind entered the fray. It should have been a unifying straw for humanity to clutch; a veritable last chance saloon. There was, however, an obstruction lurking in the wings - trust. Even if this common enemy could be neutralised, what then? Of all the possible scenarios, the most unlikely suddenly became reality. Humanity had never faced such a bizarre future, one in which it could be preferable to have none.

Sycko is a loser: he can never hold on to a job for more than a few weeks, he’s got no girlfriend, no one knows how he scraped through school and he’s just been fired again. But when his friend Judas, who realizes that Sycko has his final pay along in cash, takes him to a seedy bar that also runs a brothel upstairs, Sycko gets into a chance encounter with Jeremiah, Master of the Temple...Sycko is a loser: he can never hold on to a job for more than a few weeks, he’s got no girlfriend, no one knows how he scraped through school and he’s just been fired again. But when his friend Judas, who realizes that Sycko has his final pay along in cash, takes him to a seedy bar that also runs a brothel upstairs, Sycko gets into a chance encounter with Jeremiah, Master of the Temple. Master Jeremiah decides to take Sycko to his Temple where he has the chance to completely change his life. Little does Sycko know that lurking beneath the attractive surface of the Temple dark secrets are hidden. Suspenseful, sinister and dark humor capture the frightening reality of a young man descending into religious fanaticism.

Carmela Matthews is bound for college as a pre-med student. She decides to spend her summer vacation with her grandmother in the country. One night, a boy she's attracted to invites her to a party. What happens next will change the course of her life forever. Based on a true story.Carmela Matthews is bound for college as a pre-med student. She decides to spend her summer vacation with her grandmother in the country. One night, a boy she's attracted to invites her to a party. What happens next will change the course of her life forever. A cautionary tale that will stay with you always. Based on a true story.

Here are poems from nature, family, love, loss, and life. From one who finds poetry everywhere, as a gift to the world.My poems are written for myself alone. As such, they are now given freely to the world.I find that elements of the natural world run through my poetry, and it is in Nature that I am most deeply inspired and connected to the Creator.It is my hope that everyone who reads these poems will find many that resonate with them, and express something they feel in a different voice.Poetry is the voice of the heart, and runs through all the Arts. Here my little voice may join with all the others, great and small.Hold on to the good!

Arty has a crush on his best friend. Then, on the night that Arty’s about to share his true feelings, a mutual friend attacks Larissa in the most shocking way.Arty and Larissa have the perfect relationship. She’s beautiful and afraid of her own popularity. He sits alone and draws comics. They're both social misfits—him obsessively, her secretly. They go to different schools, but they trade late-night phone calls and between-class meetings in Hebrew School. They never run out of things to say. Then one night, one of their common friends attacks Larissa in the darkest and most unforgivable of ways—the same night that Arty was planning to kiss her. Larissa’s world falls into a tailspin, and at the same time Arty's own life threatens to explode. He wonders if being a guy is just like being a time bomb. His own body—his own head—feels like a traitorous enemy.As Arty and Larissa find themselves betrayed by their own feelings and torn apart by circumstance. What will this mean to their group of friends? Who can he trust? Will Larissa ever be the same—and can Arty ever feel the same about her again?

Herakles is the most celebrated hero of Greek mythology and famed as a warrior without peer. Born through a God's infidelity, Herakles lived in a brutal and violent world, populated by belligerent deities and vicious monsters. Named Alkides at birth, this is the story of how the most famous son of Zeus came to take the name Herakles, and the horrific crime that changed the course of his life.Liliana Dapprima was living her life exactly how she planned. She had an amazing job as an interior designer and lived with her best friend, Violet, in Toronto. But, everything changes when her father forces her to move to New Jersey to re-design his businesses in New York City. Upon her arrival in New Jersey she finds out she must live with her old flame, Emilio Amante. This was the man that completely smashed her heart from which she never recovered. Now she must get along with Emilio while trying to date a new guy in her life, Lucas. And to make things more complicated Emilio is Lucas’s boss. Dealing with a love triangle is hard enough on Lily, but now she also must deal with secrets from her family. She is constantly lied to about certain events and when she gets attacked multiple times by a rival family, she wants answers and will go to any extent to get them.

When Sophie unwittingly puts her foster parents most valuable mare, Aria, in danger, she is afraid she will be sent away. So she keeps her mistake secret, hiding Aria in a remote canyon. But little does Sofie know that a terrible evil is drawing near.Sophie has lost count of all the foster homes she’s lived in. Finally, at Joel and Kalene’s ranch, she feels at home. When she unwittingly puts their most valuable mare, Aria, in danger, she is terrified she’ll be sent away and conceals her mistake – and Aria – letting her foster parents believe the mare was stolen. Then Sophie is hit by a car. She knows she must go to Aria as soon as she can, though she’s not sure how she’s going to carry hay with a broken arm. But feeling hungry is not Aria’s biggest problem, for a terrible evil has found her and knows she is alone.

Nankichi Niimi & Kenji Miyazawa are undoubtedly two of Japan's most highly regarded writers of fantasy fiction. Book 4 of Tales From A Japanese Dreamland contains four wonderful stories by Niimi and one story by Kenji. In addition to the title story, this book also includes Grandpa's Lamp as well as Kenji's much loved Ame-ni-mo makezu. A truly wonderful collection.Nankichi Niimi & Kenji Miyazawa are undoubtedly two of Japan's most highly regarded writers of fantasy fiction. Book 4 of Tales From A Japanese Dreamland contains four stories by Nankichi Niimi and one story by Kenji Miyazawa. This wonderful collection contains the following stories.Gon the FoxGon is a cheeky fox that loves to play pranks on people, but one day he plays a prank that has unexpected consequences, so he decides to make amends. Niimi wrote this story when he was only seventeen years of age, and now more than seventy years after his death it remains one of the best known and loved Japanese stories of all time.A Story With A MessageGon is a very lonely fox who yearns for friendship. He makes mischief because he feels left out. But everyone is capable of recognizing when they have done something wrong and turning over a new leaf, and Gon is very brave for doing so. This story emphasizes how important it is that we give mischief-makers like Gon a second chance, before it is too late. Other stories included in this book include:The Story of the GiantAll of the town's people are terrified of the giant because he is enormous and he is the son of that horrible old witch. But is it possible that they may have misjudged him?Grandpa's LampMinosuke was born a poor orphan, but with a little luck and a lot of hard work he manages to carve out a business of his own and starts to rise up in the world. One day a competitor arrives that threatens to take it all away from him. A fascinating insight into the period of transition in Japan, from a country in darkness to one bathed in light.When the Thieves Came to Hananoki VillageWhat could be a better hunting ground for a thief than a village where people don't even bother with proper locks? The only trouble is that these thieves have no idea what they are doing, and it is up to the boss to train them. But just when the boss appears to have made a wonderful score, the story takes an unexpected turn.Ame-ni-mo MakezuThis is often referred to as one of Kenji's most famous poems, however it is actually a beautiful Buddhist prayer with universal appeal across all cultures of the world. Although he wrote this prayer while lying helpless on his deathbed, it expresses Kenji's wish to help others without concern for his own ego, and its significance has increased greatly in modern consumer-driven Japan following the Great East Japan Earthquake as people pause to think about what is truly important in life.Kenju's Forest PlaygroundKenju is different from other kids his age, and he gets teased a lot. But Kenju can see things all around that others can't. One day, completely out-of-the-blue, he decides to plant seven hundred cedar trees, and those trees become something that no one ever imagined. This is a story about a boy who has an intellectual disability but still has something invaluable to offer the world if only they would bother to take notice.

A grimoire. A witch. A Demon.Monroe Jacobs is a darned good witch! But there is also something wrong w/her. Demonic energy makes her stronger, she can ward off Demons, & Lucifer wants her. Sometimes being bad is better. That's Luther Craig's philosophy. The hybrid Demon is reluctantly sent to New Orleans, LA to protect Monroe from Lucifer's Hellhounds. But what happens when things go wrong?A grimoire. A witch. A Demon.Ellie Elizabeth Jacobs, often known as Monroe due to her fascination with vintage attire and old movies, is an 18 year-old witch and a darned good one! But there is also something very wrong with her. Demonic energy makes her powers stronger, she has the ability to ward off Demons, and Lucifer wants her. Sometimes being bad is better. Or at least that's how Luther "Thorne" Craig feels. The hybrid Demon son of the cursed Cain and the Demon Lilith, Luther is reluctantly sent to New Orleans, Louisiana by his brother, the hybrid Demon ruler of the Outer Levels of Hell, to protect Monroe from Lucifer's searching Hellhounds. But what happens when things go wrong?In this riveting spin off from R.K. Ryals' Redemption series, Monroe is faced with an old grimoire, an ancient curse, and a journey to discover a family secret that may surprise them all.

Before the beginning, God was lonely.Finally the true tale of the life of God is told. From before the Big Bang through vaguely intelligent design to the present day and onto a rather bleak future The Concise Re-Telling of the Life of God documents the lonely misunderstood life of our all-seeing Lord and how She overcome her inauspicious beginnings and journeyed towards a happy-ish ending.Diamond earrings from Tiffany’s, her own personal nanny, a generous godmother, jaunts to New York, a chrome and hand carved wooden swing set, riding in her father’s 1950 M.G. touring car, or her uncle’s Rolls-Royce to a yacht club or a polo match . . . these are every day people and things in the life of a girl named Emmy. Emmy's father, Mr. Agostini, is a Don Quixote obsessed aristocrat, and her mother, Mrs. Agostini, is a spoiled Southern belle. Emmy is a girl given to fancy, making her life even more colorful. Nevertheless, there is trouble in paradise.Early in the story, Emmy is told by her father that she has her own, personal, guardian angel.The story paints clear and searing portraits of wickedness, cruelty, unconditional love, sacrifice, chivalry, wealth, arrogance, humility, and those ephemeral characteristics of hope and optimism in the face of insurmountable predicaments.The screenplay adaptation (unproduced) of this book has already won a Gold Award at the WorldFest International Film Festival. A Gone With the Wind kind of story set in the era of Madmen (late 1950's). Emmy, the daughter of an eccentric aristocrat and her beloved nanny suffer the whims of an evil socialite. Ages 9 and up.

In 2091, partying Floyd Pinkerton crashes on an ice planet in a stolen craft. Soon Earth frenemy Bob Tripeman also crashes a stolen ship. They team to fix Bob’s, of Zzurkwin design (insect-like aliens), to face the beings’ reclamation attack, and being located by Earth authorities, on launch! Their escape primes Floyd’s next on-the-lam space misadventure…after witnessing Mother Earth’s dire fate!The story opens in the year 2091 with hard drinking, cigar smoking Floyd Pinkerton spiraling out of control in an unknown planet’s atmosphere. Through flashbacks, readers learn that Floyd stole the craft (the Blue Maiden) from his employer on Jupiter’s moon, Ganymede--running away from a broken relationship and unsatisfying life. Tailed by the Sun System Sheriff, he hurriedly executes a “jump” through space (using astrogation to travel large distances) and lands smack into the Place That Should Not Be’s (his name for the planet) atmosphere. The Maiden crashes to the surface. He’s unable to budge the craft and, not mechanically inclined, thus stuck. Fully loaded for weeks with rations, booze and stogies, for a while he drinks, engages in shenanigans and wallows in his fate before turning on a distress beacon (praying to not attract “authority types”) and, via ship computers, assessing the planet outside--a low-gravity ice world. He finally ventures out to explore after hearing a large “crash,” his suit outfitted with a PCAH (Personal Consumption Airlock Helmet, allowing one to drink, smoke, etc.). He finds that another craft has crashed to the surface, an alien-looking, banana-shaped model. Could he be the first human to encounter alien life?... Turns out the craft was piloted by an old Earth nemesis of his, Bob Tripeman, who claims he obtained it from an insect-like alien race, the Zzurkwins, which Floyd highly doubts. Deciding that “Cruizy Suzy” (Bob’s name for the banana-shaped ship) is the only one fixable, Bob gets to work, mooching booze and smokes while taking his sweet time and continually rehashing/exaggerating an Earth-based event back in high school where Bob “saved” Floyd’s life. (Floyd crashed a ground car into a snowy ditch and was stuck. Walking to find help, Bob picked him up and proceeded, for weeks, to milk his “saving” Floyd by mooching booze, smokes and more.) They also share general memories of their childhoods on Earth, now an overpopulated world wherein America has been overtaken by the Crescent Jihad, a militant Islamic group that simply walked in and conquered, with most U.S. citizen zombified by smart devices and even Smart Brain Chips (SBCs). Eventually, they launch Suzy back into space, where they are soon attacked by Zzurkwins, who actually board, wanting their craft back (Bob’s explanation of the turn of events is suspect and short on details). What’s more, Tri-World authorities (Earth, Luna and Mars, the Sun System bodies with appreciable human colonization) make radio contact, wanting them both to turn themselves in! Floyd and Bob attempt to lose their pursuers by piloting an escape pod (large enough to hold most of their supplies) into a nearby asteroid belt, landing upon a large ’roid that happens to house an observatory. Via computers controlling multiple telescopes, they discern the Zzurkwin home planet nearby within the system along with, having little choice, their next destination, a habitable moon of the Zzurkwins’ world curiously populated by…human beings? Just before embarking upon this next leg of their on-the-lam vacation, they stumble upon a remote, real-time feed of a familiar planet--and witness a rather dire fate for their beloved Mother Earth! This book serves as a prelude to a novel series, The Cosmic Misadventures of Floyd Pinkerton, Space Crock.

Sixteen-year-old Margaret Beverly hates her old-lady name, but reconstructing a new identity is proving difficult. Introverted and covered in zits, Margaret's quest is immediately tested by her new Satanic stepsister, a gossiping class bully, and a flirtatious young man who doesn't care how nerdy she is. But is juggling really the answer? Or will she be doomed to nothingness forever?Sixteen-year-old Margaret Beverly hates her old lady name. Fortunately - or maybe not - a loophole in her mother’s latest divorce rips it away from her. But reconstructing a new identity is proving difficult. Introverted and covered in zits, Margaret develops a New Me project that is immediately put to the test by her new Satanic stepsister, a gossiping class bully, and a flirtatious young man from choir. But how can he like her, when she can’t even like herself? Is juggling really the answer? And if the New Me project fails, will she be doomed to nothingness forever?

The Heroes face off against a new, seemingly indestructible foe while mentoring the mysterious Jim.A scandalous moment of surrender to Marcus Fairweather, Earl of Sheldon and May Thorne is riddled with guilt: all despite the fact her debauched husband’s passions are sated anywhere but in the marital bed. Worse, when Squire Thorne is brutally murdered, her legacy is determined by a clause in her late husband’s will. Thus wedlock to his lawyer, a man of zealous moral and religious bent is utterly abhorrent to her. Nonetheless, the lawyer is of mind to enact the clause in haste, and his ardent advances are somewhat intense and unsettling. But who shot Squire Thorne poses a mystery – the lawyer, the earl, or a strange intruder who steals nothing? In the aftermath of death a long-held family secret is finally revealed, and when a shadowy figure looms in her moonlit bedchamber, she fears the outcome...

Despite her best efforts, Jazz is still very much alive, she’s eliminated most of her enemies, and it’s making her depressed. Just when she thinks she might die of boredom, Ship arrives home, but he’s missing something, something important. But before Jazz can initiate a search, she’s going to have to answer the door and it’s not the welcoming committee come knocking.Jazz: Monster Collector, the serialized adventures of Mirth’s only deferred species bond collector. Stories just the right size for your commute, lunch break, or anytime you want a fast, exciting read. Want more? Follow episode by episode as Jazz seeks to uncover the secret force behind the inter-dimensional takeover of the planet she loved, a little place once called Earth.Episode 17- Broken: Despite her best efforts, Jazz is still very much alive. But she’s facing multiple warrants, she’s homeless, she’s eliminated most of her enemies and the latter is making her really depressed. With nowhere else to turn, Jazz and her loyal followers hide themselves away in Uncle’s underground submarine. Just when she thinks she might die of boredom, Ship arrives home, but he’s missing something, namely that demon soul Jazz always found so annoying. So why is she missing it? What happened to Ship? Who happened to Ship? Before Jazz can answer these questions, she going to have to answer the door and it’s not the welcoming committee come knocking. Jazz, Monster Collector, Season One: Earth’s Lament: Jazz is a deferred species bond collector, which is a polite way of saying, Monster Hunter. She hunts them and whenever she can she destroys them. Her hatred for the bvorcs, goblins, trolls, and fairies that live side by side with humans on the magically conjoined planets called Mirth runs deep. But only Jazz knows why, how deep, and what she’s willing to do to express it. But Jazz’s greatest enemy is the invisible power behind the hostile takeover that destroyed the Earth that she remembers. And that’s one enemy Jazz probably won’t live to face.A fast paced futuristic serial with a touch of noir and a lot of trouble.

It all started when Emma was picked up from school by someone she didn't expect. Her father, a high flying executive, has disappeared and she has to trust this woman who she hardly knew with her life. Was she in danger? Could she trust Claire?Emma was 12 years old and she had to make decision that no girl should have to make...Emma is mixed up in a web of mystery, intrigue and plain terror!It all started when she was picked up from school by someone she didn't expect. Her father, a high flying executive, has disappeared and she has to trust this woman who she hardly knew with her life. Could she trust Claire or was she being manipulated for some strange reason?Where was Emma's father?Was Emma really in danger?Was she being kidnapped?Emma was 12 years old and she had to make decision that no girl should have to make...

‘Everybody likes everything these days. The whole world is a nerd.’ ‘Are you mad because other people like Star Wars? Are you mad because people like me like Star Wars?’ ‘Maybe.’ If you broke Elena’s heart, Star Wars would spill out. So when she decides to queue outside her local cinema to see the new movie, she’s expecting a celebration with crowds of people who love Han, Luke and Leia just as much as she does. What she’s not expecting is to be last in a line of only three people; to have to pee into a collectible Star Wars soda cup behind a dumpster or to meet that unlikely someone who just might truly understand the way she feels. Kindred Spirits is an engaging short story by Rainbow Rowell, author of the bestselling Eleanor & Park, Fangirl and Carry On. Kindred Spirits has been specially produced for World Book Day.

Everything comes to a head in this seventh book in the New York Times bestselling series. The world of Erdas will be changed forever. Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan were once ordinary kids. Then they discovered that they had spirit animals-wise and powerful partners who granted them with amazing gifts . . . and a legendary responsibility. Together, the team has journeyed across Erdas, racing to stop a merciless foe. They have laughed and fought together. They've won challenges and lost friends. Some have even lost themselves. Now that journey is about to end. They must reach a place forgotten by time and face off against an ancient enemy breaking free from his prison. They have just one chance to stop him . . . or the whole world will shatter.