Decades of deception rule a land built on mystic traditions, shrouded fables, and heroic legends. A village bent by the tyranny of an oppressive Overlord rallies behind the single, strong-willed man who can save them from complete destruction.Decades of deception rule a land built on mystic traditions, shrouded fables, and heroic legends. A village bent by the tyranny of an oppressive Overlord rallies behind the single, strong-willed man who can save them from absolute destruction. His name is Ralic, the son of Ralic the 11th and chosen liberator of his people. Armed with the Sword of Destiny, the only weapon powerful enough to destroy the evil Overlord, Ralic seeks the hidden, dark castle tucked away in the furthest recesses of a forbidden forest. A battle of brawn and wits ensues, quickly descending into chaos and madness for Ralic, his wife, Tenay, and the people of an imagined island. Nothing is as it appears, as years of treachery are set ablaze, destroying their world. Still, the people learn the value of holding fast to that which is true, honest, and sacred – the written word. In this fun, empowering short story discover the real meaning behind ‘The pen is mightier than the sword.’ Explore a blend of science fiction and fantasy, weaved through the illusionary words of writer Kell Inkston. Visit the website kellinkston.wordpress.com for free downloads and more magical tales of heroes, villains, and cherished lands.

"Have we met?"He laughs again and turns to look at me. "Every day of our lives," he says. His face is familiar. I've seen him before, the stubble and the angles of his jaw. "Where have I seen you? I’m usually good with faces."He smiles and turns back to his coffee. "Oh, just about everywhere," he says."There's a diner at the wrong end of the highway. I've seen it before, but I don't know where."Frank pulls into a diner parking lot to get something to eat. The service is terrible, the cook is rude, and the food leaves something to be desired. But who is that man at the other end of the counter, and why is he so familiar? Something about him is wrong. He's a phantom, haunting the depths of Frank's peripheral vision. Has this all happened before? Is this guy a ghost from his past?From THE BODY DOUBLE:"Have we met?"He laughs again and turns to look at me. "Every day of our lives," he says. His face is familiar. I've seen him before, the stubble and the angles of his jaw. "Where have I seen you? I’m usually good with faces."He smiles and turns back to his coffee. "Oh, just about everywhere," he says.I take a bite of my hamburger, and it's about like every other diner hamburger I've ever had."We come here every day," he says.I look over at him, and he's stirring his coffee. "I've never been here," I tell him.He looks over, raising one eyebrow at me. "Sure you have. You were here yesterday. We had this conversation, only you asked me how old I was.""I wasn't even in the state. You're thinking of someone else.""No," he says. "It was you."

Giovanni is having trouble concentrating at school because he's tired from his part-time job and he doesn't have time to play with any of his friends any more. His local village is getting ready to hold their annual star festival, but Giovanni feels as if he's been left out. But then the most amazing thing happens, and Giovanni finds himself riding on a train heading through the Milky Way.Giovanni is having trouble concentrating at school because he's tired from his part-time job and he doesn't have time to play with any of his friends any more. His local village is getting ready to hold their annual star festival, but Giovanni feels as if he's been left out. But then the most amazing thing happens, and Giovanni finds himself riding on a train heading through the Milky Way.A Story With A MessageAt one time or another in our lives we must deal with the grief of losing a friend or loved one. Quite often it is difficult to move on after such an event. But what if we were to remember an amazing train ride across the Milky Way that we shared with that friend, each time we thought about them? What if we were able to turn our grief into a resolve to make a difference in the world and to live the life that our friend missed out on as well as our own? What if we made an effort to keep their memory alive by embracing life, wouldn't that make a difference? Wouldn't that help us move on? This is the story of Night on the Milky Way Railway. About this TranslationThis translation includes a simple glossary (just click on the featured word to jump to the explanation) to help you navigate your way through the galaxy, which can also be accessed at the back of the book after you have finished reading the story. I have also added the translation of the 'Cello Voice' sections that Kenji cut from the final version. The Cello Voice sections provide an interesting insight into the author's motivation for writing the story. A much more detailed glossary can be found on the Little J Books website.All effort was made to create a translation faithful to the author's vision. No material has been used in this translation that wasn't written by the author, and the names of the characters have not been changed.About the Author Born in 1896, Kenji was brought up as the eldest child in a wealthy household in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. From a very young age he had an insatiable appetite for knowledge, with interests spanning geology, astronomy, through all types of flora and fauna, cinema, music, painting and literature. A devout Buddhist, Kenji turned his back on the family pawn broking and second-hand kimono business, becoming a teacher at the local agricultural high school, and writing poems and fairytales to help spread a Buddhist message of universal peace.Night on the Milky Way Railway is his longest story, and is considered by many to be his best.

The island nation of Keykan is losing ships and sailors to violent storms, but how to stop the death continues to evade the leaders. The current president, having himself lost family to the storms, travels to the United States seeking help from that president, but finds no help, until he meets a long-haired man, unkempt at best, with something in his eyes that bespeaks trust and ability.The island nation of Keykan is losing ships and sailors to violent storms, but how to stop the death continues to evade the leaders. The current president, having himself lost family to the storms, travels to the United States seeking help from that president, but finds no help, until he meets a long-haired man, unkempt at best, with something in his eyes that bespeaks trust and ability. Another short-story adventure in the life of Mike Maltby.

“Demon Eyes,” is a 2,100 word, quirky urban fantasy story. It is about a young woman who is frustrated she always has red-eye in photos despite attempts to correct it. When the photo clerk point out to her the reason her eyes are red is because she’s a demon, her quiet evening of picking up photos is turned upside down by a series of surreal events.“Demon Eyes,” is a 2,100 word, quirky urban fantasy story. It is about a young woman who is frustrated she always has red-eye in photos despite attempts to correct it. When the photo clerk point out to her the reason her eyes are red is because she’s a demon, her quiet evening of picking up photos is turned upside down by a series of surreal events. The story was originally published in Youth Imagination.

Did Jesus visit Cornwall during the period of his life not covered by the gospels? We have legends that tell us that he did. This is a story about what he might have done during that period. He spends a winter in a secluded creek, collecting tin to take home to the Holy Land. Joey has a dog and a coracle and visits many small villages. It is a work of the imagination but it is possible.Gone in a Flash is an assortment of five short stories, to be read separately, or be devoured all in one sitting. Each story is between 400 and 550 words.One of the stories, Flash Cleaner, was written for a challenge on a writing website. Convention says that we must never start a sentence with the word 'And', but it was suggested that Jerusalem would not be right without 'and' starting the opening line, and that there could be more instances where 'and' sits comfortably at the beginning.Flash Card is available as a PDF from the OLD NEWS page of my website.

A college student walks home at night, followed closely by a tall stranger, in a town that's terrorized by a knife-wielding serial killer.A short story.It all began when Rey found a black crystal ball inside the old relic. Taken out of the blue by the mysterious power of the crystal, he finds himself in the world called Terra, a world where the civilization shaped by magical orb called Sphere.Two decades have passed after the fall of the Dark Lord and Spheria at the time of peace since then. But now the unknown menace spreads in the Kingdom of Ishtar, on the west a mysterious army called Phantoms swept one village to another, took their peoples and leaved the place into desolation. His unexpected meeting with Scarlett, a royal guardian, has brought him into a mission to investigate this mysterious incident. Along with Aska of the Volk Tribe, a tribe who can transform into wild beast and Eorin, a girl skilled in crafting magic they went into a dangerous journey; hunts by assassins and dragon rider, fought against Gargantua, an abominable giants from nameless realm and battles against the Phantoms.On the journey they found that the old enemy began to rise and the old horror will spread upon the world.

A tale of courage, love, old rivalries, and adventure.In the land of Eluria, honor is everything. As in "Life or death" everything.Join Kendalion,Tokonami, Karutoshi, and Karuka in their quest to stay alive and conquer their worst nightmares. It may all seem jolly in the beginning, but that is just a mere illusion. The world of Eluria is a vast continent, but there's only room for a few champions to be considered "honorable" and these four are on their way to many challenges, both with their allies and foes...Let's just hope that they can put their differences aside and work together first...

The following novel is my graduate thesis. A philosophy teacher in Bangkok Thailand grieving the death of his wife during the uncertain times of political upheaval begins to write a philosophic treatise but dependent on drugs, alcohol, and hallucinations of his wife in the form of a geckoKaren was the love of Jack’s life… until she dumped him to take a job as a research assistant at a shady government contracted science lab in another town. He tried to put her behind him, but spiraled into a deep, years long depression. Until Karen appeared in his dreams and whispered a mysterious number. Now Jack finds himself placed on a terrorist watch list. His bank accounts are frozen and he’s pursued by relentless government agents with bizarre super powers. Broke, injured and with his life in ruins, Jack must decide how far he’s willing to go for the one that got away.

Our adventure began with the arrival of a peculiarly small Christmas card, which sent us hurtling to the mystical land of Onisha, where Umahia, the Grand Mystic, asked for our help to fight Miafra, the evil, the Mystic who had stolen Umahia's power, the seasons, free will and all time.If you liked Harry Potter, you will LOVE this story! We were not boy wizards, vampire’s assistants or even living skeletons, we were normal everyday people living normal everyday lives, with no inkling of the tremendous events that were about to unfold. Our adventure began with the arrival of a peculiarly small Christmas card, which sent us hurtling to the mystical land of Onisha, where Umahia, the Grand Mystic, asked for our help. He told us that he needed our help to fight, stop and ultimately defeat ‘Miafra, the evil,’ the mystic who had stolen his powers, the seasons, free will and all time. Umahia told us that we had powers, powers that up until then we had no inkling we possessed, which might, just might help us to defeat the evil man…We had no idea, no inkling whatsoever, that we were going to be attacked by Protectors atop Hound-Horses, fight a statue hell-bent on killing us, be betrayed in our sleep, and be forced to fight a dangerous beast called a Dragonsaur. No, we had no idea at all. If we had, we might have chosen not to heed Umahia’s call, leaving the land of Onisha - and the Earth - exposed to untold dangers. J K Rowling, eat your heart out (!?!)

Jemma's Social Media Campaign fails to gain traction among the hordes, she ups the ante. Tragically!Jemma 's first Uni assignment is to create a social media campaign to raise awareness and money for a charity of her choosing. Amongst the hundreds of thousands of other Social Media Campaigns, Web pages, she struggles to gain traction. Disheartened, she applies advice given to her in a way that it was not intended.We are all on a similar journey to Jemma, trying to be seen, heard, or get noticed, in a busy world. With the Web, it's easy to put it out there, but to stand out from the crowd and get noticed that's the real issue.

65 pages / 12,649 wordsCinderella made a vow to her mother, before her mother tragically passed away on midwinter's day. Ella had sworn to watch over her father and care for him. But then her father had married anew. Her stepmother and two stepsisters took sharp delight in causing Ella grief from morn to eve. They bullied her, called her Cinderella, and treated her as little more than a slave in65 pages / 12,649 wordsCinderella made a vow to her mother, before her mother tragically passed away on midwinter's day. Ella had sworn to watch over her father and care for him. But then her father had married anew. Her stepmother and two stepsisters took sharp delight in causing Ella grief from morn to eve. They bullied her, called her Cinderella, and treated her as little more than a slave in her own home. It took all of Ella's courage to swallow the insults and to honor her word.Now the crown prince had returned home from the battlefront, and a ball was announced to celebrate his arrival. All eligible young women from the entire kingdom were invited to attend.Ella had but one desire left. To see the king's gardens one last time before she fled home. It would be a final way to commemorate her beloved mother before considering her vow's terms to be complete.She had no idea what waited her on that arched stone bridge ...* * *Cinderella - A Retelling with Strength and Courage is Book 1 of a gently cliff-hangered short story series. The series honors the original intention of the Grimm Fairy Tales - to present women of strength and courage tackling challenges which seemed insurmountable. With each new book a new heroine is interwoven into the story. The series sequence leads up to a happily ever after ending. The series is clean romance and is suitable for teens and up. Half of all author's proceeds benefit battered women's shelters.I publish my books one at a time to get feedback and suggestions as I go. If you prefer to read your stories complete, you are welcome to wait until the sequence is complete and then buy the box set. Either way, you support the cause!I have been working on these stories for many years. As fairy tales are so integral to so many young girls' lives, it was critical for me to do my very best to present each heroine in a way which honored her strength and showcased her ability to stand on her own. I feel strongly that no woman should ever sit around waiting for a man to "rescue" them. They should not endure abusive behavior in the hopes that a man will change or magically become that prince.Be the change you wish to see in the world.

It was the vacation of a lifetime - the chance to experience a day in the life of a famous person from history - as a "hitchhiker" inside their mind. What could possibly go wrong?GENRE: Children’s Adventure(An Unofficial Minecraft Book for Kids Ages 9 -12)Book 1: The Angry GhostSteve can't wait for the carnival to come to town. Excited, he drags his sister to see the creature they brought as the main event - a ghost called Herobrine. But it all goes horribly wrong as Herobrine escapes. Steve realizes he has a connection to Herobrine - but what could it be? Steve and his sister must set off to a journey that takes them to the capital city and to the Nether to find out more.Author’s Note: This short story is for your reading pleasure. The characters in this "Minecraft Adventure Series" such as Steve, Endermen or Herobrine...etc are based on the Minecraft Game coming from Minecraft ®/TM & © 2009-2013 Mojang / Notch

As it so often does, trouble started with a small dot on the horizon. While Mufroen dozed in the early morning heat of the desert, fate rode across the sands, heading for the tribe’s camp in a steady, clopping pace.Sword of the sands is the first part of a sword and sorcery series that has all the tropes of high fantasy and fast-paced adventure. The stories are rounded, have independent endings and can be read as standalone shorts. Read together, they make for a longer adventure.This first story introduces Mufroen, a young and hardened swordsman from far out in the sun scorched high desert. He returns in part three, Sword in the City and the upcoming fifth story Dog’s Blade.1. Sword of the Sands2. Book of Magic3. Sword in the City4. The Isles of Krake5. Dog’s Blade - Expected end of March 2017. Also expected around that time is Swords and Magic; bundle of the first five stories.

Cal Denaldor is the newest owner of the Rhaveren, an enchanted sword he wields for one purpose: revenge. Or is the sword wielding him? On a search for the man who kidnapped his wife, Cal must decide to take charge of his fate, or accept the path the sword has chosen for him. Visit www.jenniferbresnick.com for full-length works by this author.The Man Who Loved Christmas, the title of the first story in this collection of mystical tales, is an almost fairy-tale about family and life and Christmas and love that never dies. Protagonists in the other stories range from a teenage girl to an old woman with the theme of family and love and unseen possibilities in the Christmas season.This collection contains six stories of mysticism, hope and charm, a Christmas gift to readers.

Little Girl Lost! When E’steem finds Melissa, a lost little girl wandering around Times Square, she runs afoul of Brimstone Jack, a demon pimp out to get a payday at the child’s expense. Can the Devilish Diva beat back Jack and his exotic army of demon dancers and help the lost little girl get back home?Adar Rahid has only been a general for two months, but his problems are already multiplying. He has his hands full with a father who wants to kill him and Helam Morgol, another general who is secretly laying plans to take over the Rarbon city government. When Adar interrupts a brutal attack he is quick to accuse Helam of being the orchestrator, but reconsiders after a confrontation with Helam leaves him wondering if Helam is just as much of a pawn as he. While events unfold Adar Rahid struggles to find a distinction between his methods and those employed by Helam Morgol as both take drastic actions to gain the upper hand. Readers are taken on an adventure between dueling generals in this tale of epic fantasy and science fiction. This action packed story is based in the War of the Fathers universe and happens twenty three years before the events in War of the Fathers. This is the second of four parts.

Kaela and Astor are tossed into the unknown as the Necromancer uses the world stone to send them across the stars in hopes of saving Eliana before it is too late.Kaela and Astor are tossed into the unknown as the Necromancer uses the world stone to send them across the stars in hopes of saving Eliana before it is too late.The Outcast and the Survivor is a chapter-series that follows Kaela, a princess of the mythical kingdom of Kalepo. After her father's sudden death, Kaela is exiled from the kingdom by her older sister Mariam, who claims their father's throne within moments of his passing. By being made an outcast, Kaela is forced not only to say goodbye to her homeland, but also to all of civilization. Kalepo is known only to itself, meaning that Kaela should expect to find a world devoid of humanity beyond the kingdom's borders, but because of something her father whispered to her on his deathbed, she knows that there is more out there, a world of dark secrets for her to discover. The Outcast and the Survivor is released one chapter at a time at the start of each month. There were times in the past when writers would release stories as a series, often for newspapers or magazines. It's not much different from TV series in that each chapter often has its own sort of conclusion, though the larger story is not completed until the end. The series is being written with the intent of ending it at chapter 36, which is scheduled for December of 2017, though this could change as the story develops.

Twelve thrilling stories, not very scary, just enough. Do you like spending relaxing evenings with your friends, a glass of red wine in your hand, the crimson liquid shimmering under the yellow glare of the candlelight? So do I.Twelve thrilling stories, not very scary, just enough.Do you like spending relaxing evenings with your friends, a glass of red wine in your hand, the crimson liquid shimmering under the yellow glare of the candlelight? Do you like listening to their stories about things that happened directly to them, or more often, to someone they know, or even more often, to someone known by the person they know? Do you like to listen to the night insects play their monotonous music at night while the pale moon shows its mysterious face in the small, square window of the room in the country house where you and your guests have gathered? Do you like hearing stories that seem strange and impossible during the day?Then, this book is for you…

*The Dark-Hunters are ancient warriors who have sworn to protect mankind and the fate of the world is in their hands. . .* He is solitude. He is darkness. He is the ruler of the night. Yet Kyrian of Thrace has just woken up handcuffed to his worst nightmare: An accountant. Worse, she's being hunted by one of the most lethal vampires out there. And if Amanda Devereaux goes down, then he does too. But it's not just their lives that are hanging in the balance.  Kyrian and Amanda are all that stands between humanity and oblivion. Let's hope they win.

From the author of Legion and the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive comes an action-filled novella about privilege, culture clash, and expectations. God-Emperor Kairominas is lord of all he surveys. He has defeated all foes, has united the entire world beneath his rule, and has mastered the arcane arts. He spends his time sparring with his nemesis, who keeps trying to invade Kai's world. Except for today. Today, Kai has to go on a date. Forces have conspired to require him to meet with his equal—a woman from another world who has achieved just as much as he has. What happens when the most important man in the world is forced to have dinner with the most important woman in the world?

Two Exes. One holiday adventure. Merry Ex-Mas? Seventeen-year-old Lila Beckwith's parents just left for vacation, and Lila's all set to throw the holiday party of the season. But when her Christmas-obsessed little brother, Cooper, discovers that global warming is melting the North Pole, he and his best friend, Tyler, take off on a runaway mission to save Santa. Lila has to get Cooper safely home before her parents get back on Christmas Eve. But the only person who can help her is Tyler's older brother, Beau — a.k.a. Lila's musician, anti-everything ex-boyfriend. It'll take more than a Christmas miracle for Lila and Beau to overcome their differences and find their fugitive brothers. But could a journey destined for disaster help these polar opposites fall in love...all over again?