Christmas Day is fast approaching. For Beckham, the family bulldog, it means just another year of being ignored while chaos and mayhem reign throughout the house. In this holiday short story full of laughter and family dysfunction, Beckham narrates an ill-conceived plan to create an unforgettable landmark moment in order to reclaim the spotlight.Christmas Day is fast approaching. For Beckham, the family bulldog, it means just another year of being ignored while chaos and mayhem reign throughout the house. In this holiday short story full of laughter and family dysfunction, Beckham narrates an ill-conceived plan to create an unforgettable landmark moment in order to reclaim the spotlight as the center of attention. As the extended family gathers to make merry and observe their annual tradition, Beckham has another idea in mind to celebrate and make it a day to remember.

A new Vampire Lord is rising, but the organization made to destroy him chooses to watch another man face him alone. A house owned by an hapless inventor is possessed by a spirit that succeeds where his inventions failed. A selfless female magi is approached by a beast who should be a man – is this the karma of magic? And finally, the Lord of Thyme threatens us all: unless Gertrude can stop him!A new Vampire Lord is attempting to rise, but the organization founded to destroy his kind chooses to watch while another man destroys him alone. A house owned by an unsuccessful inventor is possessed by a spirit that does what his inventions failed to achieve – with inhuman perfection. A selfless female magi is approached by a beast who is supposed to be a man – is this the karma of magic? And, perhaps most desperate and dramatic of all, Dr. Loonatik, former professional botanist, has snapped and will take over the world with his mutated thyme plants – unless the Hero(ine) Who Can Stop Thyme with his (or her) Chrome Weed Whacker of Dest-in-ee can save the day! Four tales, broadly different, perhaps linked only by their superb quality, have grouped together, combining their powers in order to make you say, 'this was a good book!'. Resist if you can.

It's going to be a great weekend because RJ is coming to Curtis Bay to hang out with his fun detective cousin Rebekah and her best friend Mouse. What RJ doesn't know is that they are planning to introduce and invite him to join Mouse's Secret Club...introduce him to it with a funny prank that is on him UNTIL it looks like it might be on the WHOLE town! Yikes! There could be trouble!Note: "Prank Gone Wrong" is a short story and a quick read. (estimated 23 pages) Rebekah, Mouse and RJ each have their own fun short story series and sometimes they come together, bringing you these special editions.They all love hanging out, solving mysteries and playing pranks together and we hope you will enjoy these special times as well. It's going to be a great weekend because RJ is coming to Curtis Bay to hang out with his fun detective cousin Rebekah and her best friend Mouse. What RJ doesn't know is that they are planning to introduce and invite him to join Mouse's Secret Club...introduce him to it with a funny prank that is on him UNTIL it looks like it might be on the WHOLE town!Yikes! It looks like the gang might have some explaining to do!

This is the second book in the Gonkers adventure series in which the children of a large family discover the ability to travel back in time and walk among Jesus and the saints. This book is a great teaching tool for children to learn about the Bible and Catholicism in an enjoyable way.This Christmas is going to be a special one for Officer Josh Dabbs and his husband Garrison Williams: For the first time, they're sharing the holiday with their children, Henry and Gabriella. Of course, this being the Dabbs-Williams household, there are crazy dogs, visits from the in-laws to prepare for, and the uncertain waters of parenthood as Gabriella tests her boundaries. But Josh and Garrison have each other, and their family and friends, and a house full of love, so the holidays can't be more perfect.

She’s a loner. Always has been. She’s fought to survive, tooth and nail. He’s a prince of the Arterian Royal Family – the greatest power in the galaxy.They shouldn’t meet. Their paths should never intersect. But they do.Because the Milky Way is on the verge of total war once more. Together, they can save everyone. If they are torn apart, all will fall….She’s a loner. Always has been. She’s fought to survive, tooth and nail. He’s a prince of the Arterian Royal Family – the greatest power in the galaxy.They shouldn’t meet. Their paths should never intersect. But they do.Because the Milky Way is on the verge of total war once more. Together, they can save everyone. If they are torn apart, all will fall….…A six-episode serialization, Shattered Destiny: A Galactic Adventure takes you on a break-neck journey through strange alien worlds, vast star systems, and a galaxy of secrets. Packed full of action, intrigue, and romance, it’s sure to please fans of the original Betrothed series.

A fortuitous discovery in the library solves a longstanding small town mystery.For decades the lands of Elleghane lay dormant, her fields fallow. Her men had gone to war and come back broken or not at all. Her women had died; of age, disease, childbirth and loneliness - all save one.Enarrah, grand-daughter of Alicia the Sighted One was the driving force of normalcy at Castle Strathenham. All looked to her for guidance, healing and hope since Lord William took ill grieving for his beloved wife Violet.She had hardship at every turn but faced each trial with a dignity and courage far beyond her nineteen years. Now she faced a true dilemma, a strange-clad knight dressed in black and white had appeared from nowhere wreaking havoc and bloodshed, but her gift of sight could only find good in him.After thirteen years of dangerous travels, the carnage of war and living by his wits Luke Wynnewood was a man adrift in a sea of emotional turmoil. His best friend had died in his arms, his lady fair was sent away from him by her father, and his king lay buried in foreign soil.His wandering had now led him to the Isles of Britain, to a new king and a quest.He had resolved that he would never share his feelings again. Then he looked into the soft green eyes of the plain dressed girl with the fiery spirit and his resolve was gone.Now these mythical lands must be reborn and a kingdom saved by the marriage alliance of this legendary knight and this girl of destiny. Together they must find their love and their courage to overcome all adversity, or the House of Elleghane will suffer and fall at the hand of a usurper possessed by an ancient evil.The Elleghane Saga by Honey Myers consists of twenty proposed volumes covering a time span of 1150 years from 1134 to 2184 AD. The saga will take you across the Continent, the Middle East, The New World, modern day America; and, in Book 20, to the far side of the galaxy.The ultimate historical romance series, The Elleghane Saga is a cross-genre blend with elements of folklore, fantasy, mystery, action-adventure, mythology and religion. We strive for excellence in our books, to entertain, enrich and capture your heart and imagination with drama, humor, hope and most of all love and romance. The men and women of the saga empower themselves and each other to be a force for good in their world and we hope they will inspire you to be a force for good in yours.We cordially invite you to join us and continue the journey through time and places with the brave men and incredible women of The Family Elleghane.The next books in the Elleghane Saga:"The Black and While Knight part 2""Freedom for Lady Annabella""Caledonian Ocean and the Princess of Tara""Lady Elizabeth of Kraigsleigh""Sir Philburt and The Borders Maiden""Lord Carlton Returns"and"Faerie Princess of Cornwall"

A collection of poems by Nemonica Bars with different themes. From the darkest poetry to the inspirational.The art of poetry..."It starts with a vision A simple thought And we put onto paper The things we have sought We draw out our pains, our thoughts and our fears But also, some happiness behind all our tears So go ahead, bleed out in ink as you cry But you won't be forgotten For artists never die."

The night the young slave Muus found the skyshard, Fate set things in motion that would change many lives. Muus' own and that of his master Kjelle; the life of Birthe the young wisewoman, and of Tuuri, who served the false Jarl Rannar. Follow their adventures in this first book of the Shardheld Saga, the great new fantasy adventure trilogy.Note: This is book 1 of a trilogyMuus is only a thrall, a chattel without rights, but he knows the small, blue shard he picked up belongs to him alone. His commonsense saves their lives from cold and starvation.Kjelle, heir to the Lord of a rich mininghold, is spoiled, and covetous of his thrall's tantalizing find. His greed causes an avalanche that leaves both young men marooned on an icy mountain slope.Birthe, young wisewoman and huntress, mother of baby boy Búi, is brave and clever. She knows her way through the snowy wilderness of the Norden and her songs are filled with magic.Now they are bound together on a danger-laden journey to a lost and burning land, where Muus needs to connect the skyshard to the Kalmanir, the standing stone that is the world’s fount of all magic. The Kalmanir's time is almost up and it urgently needs to be replenished before the magic of Gods and men runs out. The two boys have to learn to trust each other, for all around them, enemies abound. Rebels threaten both the kingdom and Kjelle's holding, and a tribe of mad idolaters is trying to recall the banned primordial Old Gods. Even more imminent is Muus' danger, for it comes from nearby, from the shard itself. An action-packed adventure in a snowy land full of betrayal, rebellion and danger.

She thinks it's her world. Unfortunately, we have to live with her.Sixteen-year-old Nikki Desmond is the product of too many, too much, and too little. Too many boarding schools, too much money, and too little discipline. After being expelled from a fourth prestigious New York boarding school, her mother sends her to Los Angeles to live with her father.In the screenplays for the fabulous first season of this teen sitcom, Nikki adjusts to life on the west coast while her father works towards correcting her surly, racist, and rude behavior with a combination of tough love, humor, and life lessons.Along with the first three episodes from the internationally popular sneak preview eBook, The Fabulous First Season includes:13 complete episodes from the fabulous first season in the proper screenplay format.Extras Including:Screenplay BasicsTV Episode BasicsCharacter descriptionsAuthor notesPresented like a DVD box set with pages, All about Nikki- The Fabulous First Season is a book designed to show Young Adult and independent readers who watch cable sitcoms on Disney and Nickelodeon how to write their own screenplays.

Real pitch meetings happened in tiny, stuffy offices, stacked to the ceiling with towers of shoddy, half assed scripts, fast food wrappers littering the floor like greasy shrapnel because busy people tend to toss without looking, and to top it off they always (and I mean always) reeked of stale coffee and the even staler guys who chugged it.Have you ever read a book and thought, "gee I'd really like to know more about all those background characters!" Well we here at Team Pop Culture thought of that; because we're awesome, and we've got you covered. Behold, the Everything Sucks series! All of these short stories are stand-alones, and will make sense even if you haven't read the novel "Pop Culture Sucks, Manifesto of a Vampire" (*cough* it's a great book though *cough*)The series will either introduce you to, or expand on, various characters from the Pop Culture Universe. You'll get peeks at things like: Iris's time in the Underground Gary's life in the late 1940's Stitch, the Speakeasy barkeep And many all new charactersSo whether you're familiar with these guys or not, this is a series you should check out!

As the bickering and somewhat repulsive Dungeon and Dragons Players leave for the night their characters come to life. With each breath the adventurers voice their anger at their lot in the Game.Location: The living area of one of the elite members of the Friday Night Dungeon and Dragons Club. Setting: The air is cold and the only light comes from the smoky torch, a handheld bull’s eye lantern and a glowing gem. Action: Within minutes the five men and women begin to fidget. As the bickering and somewhat repulsive Dungeon and Dragons Players leave for the night their characters come to life. With each breath the adventurers voice their anger at their lot in the Game. From their Player’s choice of names to their impractical choice of clothing, these characters have suffered cruel and unusual punishment and they are determined that it will now end. But before they can begin their new lives, a Lich King needs to be slaughtered, treasure needs to be plundered and cool good stuff needs to be kept out of the hand of the credit-stealing Players. The first tale of the Lost and Forlorn

In a society where morals are determined by a public opinion system, and social rating is the currency, truth can be a dangerous notion.In a society where morals are determined by a public opinion system, and social rating is the currency, truth can be a dangerous notion.Sixteen-year-old Rena has few memories of her childhood before adoption. A forest teeming with wildlife. Mountains reaching up to a blue sky. The voice of the man who raised her. The problem—they’re not real. Such things don’t exist in Esh, a self-governed metropolis shielded from the harsh environment by a transparent canopy. And beyond the city is only the Barrens, an endless wasteland of fog and freezing rain.When Rena’s violent instincts save the lives of her friends, her delusional past begins disrupting her prospects for the future. To find the source of her impulses, she’ll have to sort through the fragments in her mind. What awaits is a connection between her true identity, the city’s forgotten history, and the secret war being waged beneath the surface of her polite society.

Never had a Gift been so costly--Hell's vengeance seems to steep a price.All Jet wanted was a Gift, certainly not the responsibility that would come with it—the prophesied powers that would hurl him against Hell’s invasion. In a world where everyone is given special powers by their LORD, there was one among them that wasn’t: Jet Burner. Believed to be shunned by their God, he certainly wouldn’t have banked on anything worthwhile from his life. He was sadly mistaken. For it was his destiny to discover this Gift that would save the world he knows, but once his true nature and his planet’s hidden past are revealed, so too are instincts better left buried. Now Jet must restrain his new-found blood-lust and walk the path towards the Apocalypse.

In Ancient Rome, a young writer decides to publish a story that will change the world.Phasie was a good boy and loved to go on walks with his friends and eat oatmeal for breakfast. Everything would have been perfect, were it not for one problem: an awful, purple dragon often came to scare him in his dreams. His attempt to solve this problem led to amazing discoveries and adventures.--Since childhood, we've grown accustomed to thinking that dreaming is a trivial succession of meaningless illusions in which we are deprived of free will. Michael Raduga, author of the scandalous Phasieland Fairy Tales, begs to differ. As the founder of the School of Out-of-Body Travel, he has created the world's first tales for helping you and your children find out how to not be afraid of bad dreams, consciously travel in the dream world, and use this skill in quite a variety of ways in everyday life.

1888 and the SS.Liverpool is sailing from Durban to Southampton. On board is Jaak, fleeing the British gallows for two murders and wanted by the Russian Army. Also on board is a RussianSecret Service Officer who discovers who he is. The first story is free to introduce the characters and plot for more stories.1888.It began with a casual conversation between two bored passengers during a long sea voyage from South Africa to England. Dr. Grant, a British surgeon returning from India explains to Count Peter Evdokimoff, a Russian Nobleman the advantages of using hypnosis in place of an anesthetic during surgery. A few days later a fight breaks out below decks leaving one man dead and his killer seriously injured. Dr. Grant requests the assistance of the Count as he believes the injured man is speaking Russian. The Count agrees to assist, and he visits the patient. But Evdokimoff is no ordinary Count, he is a high ranking officer of the Russian Secret Service, the Okhrana, on his way to London to find the man who is funding Anti-Russian Jewish extremists. And he discovers that the injured man is no ordinary passenger, he is a Circassian with a Russian brand on his shoulder. The brand of a high-security Russian Island prison where convicted prisoners only go to be executed and none have ever escaped. Evdokimoff believes him to be a war criminal, "the butcher of Kokand, a ruthless killer, who was wanted by the Russian Army. When Grant jokingly offers to teach the Count's assistant Gurin to hypnotise him for surgery, Evdokimoff willingly agrees and the patient known only as Jaak, is tricked into allowing it. As Evdokimoff watches Jaak fall into a heavy trance and allow himself to be manipulated like a marionette to Gurin's every whim he realises that he has a perfect scapegoat to use in London and formulates a plan to use Jaak to draw out the dissidents. But Jaak has left a trail of bodies behind him in South Africa and Mikael, the brother of one of the victims is on his way to London to kill him.

Ellingsonian is a poem who slowly became a dairy. Sorry. I'll try to cling on writing just a diary from now, in additions to the tweets @poet8061 of course. Free! Visit my blog for more.Download, Blackout, a chapbook of stories about the 1995 Chicago Heat Wave. This e-book includes three full-length short stories and three flash fictions related to that historic event. That heat wave set a precedent for large urban areas and how they handle heat-related disasters, a growing phenomenon as global warming increases.Each of these stories has been published by a reputable journal either online or in print. The story, “Heat Island,” has been compared to James Joyce’s, “The Dead,” by an acclaimed author and the other stories have been warmly received for their rich characters and excellent writing. If you like the stories and feel they are worth money, please feel free to name your price and donate via the paypal button below. The stories are:High Rise – originally appeared in Prime NumberHeat Island - originally appeared in CrateCooler by the Lake - originally appeared in Atticus ReviewThe Last Man to Ever Let You Down - originally appeared in R.kv.r.yIt’s Next Door - originally appeared in Apparatus MagazineShagging Flies - originally appeared in Palimpsest

Under divine protection, Luitgard and Sieglinde knew the Church would not find them. But when the Dominican Justin appears at their gates, they begin to question. Luitgard and Justin leave in search of answers while Sieglinde remains, struggling with a new role and a new relationship. As the threats grow, the women learn the truth about their protections and that living in peace is not possible.Long DescriptionLuitgard is a High Priestess of the Mintharchs, a people who have spent nearly half of the thirteenth century hiding from the Roman Catholic Church. Under the protection of an ancient goddess, their home has had no contact with the outside world in that time but when a Dominican friar named Justin appears at their gates, Luitgard cannot figure out how he found them. She soon realizes that Justin is just as confused and just as worried. They leave the village in search of answers while Luitgard's fellow High Priestess, Sieglinde, is left behind to take over the leadership she had never expected to hold. On their journey, Luitgard and Justin learn that they have much more in common than had been suspected and begin to rely upon each other in a way Luitgard has never before experienced. As Sieglinde tries to remain strong for her people she is left wishing for the quiet life she would have had with the warrior Humbert. As both Luitgard and Sieglinde learn their situations are much more dangerous than they had anticipated, they begin to question how real their divine protection ever was and learn that their best hope for survival is trusting not faceless gods but the mortals by their sides.

Part Two in The Duck and The Doe series. Takes place in the 1970s in the American West, where two immortals with a complicated relationship are invovled in a complicated plot to exploit hippies.This follow-up novella to the critically acclaimed Our Blissful Bayou Beginnings is set in the American West in the 1970s against a backdrop of a counterculture spiritual movement. Rémi is attempting to live quietly as a tradesman in Arizona, but his peaceful respite is soon ended when Bichette forces her way back into his life. Against his better judgment he accepts a quest from her and soon he finds himself searching not just for a man foolish enough to cross his temperamental immortal beloved, but searching through Bichette’s own past and secrets as well.

This is a story of a girl who is able to "shatter" everything she touches. Whether it is a person, or a thing, it turns into glass and shatters into millions of shards. She was born with this power, and feared it. She vowed not to use it, unless necessary, but how long can she keep that vow? Who else, apart from her, really fears her power?Whatever I want dies...Whatever I touch breaks...Having an interest in someone's memories is a good thing... At least I thought it was until I realised what I had done to the lives I touched.Am I a bad person? No, I can't help it.Whenever I hear someone's story, I just want to visualise it in my head. When I want to see the details, I touch them. When I touch them, they shatter. They die. They break into a million glass pieces. There is only one thing I get from it. Memories.This is a story of a girl who is able to "shatter" everything she touches. Whether it is a person, or a thing, it turns into glass and shatters into millions of shards. She was born with this power, and feared it. She vowed not to use it, unless necessary, but how long can she keep that vow? Who else, apart from her, really fears her power?

The Death Drink has been reopened, Kalihan along with his friends have started creating havoc again. Acura now tries to persuade his celestial father Sonste to fight this war again. But his father gives him the idea of using the Panacea so as to resurrect the soldiers of yore. Brahm and Ugra the sons of Idaha undergo fast cell multiplication using a mixture of Soma and Panacea.The Death Drink has been reopened, Kalihan along with his friends have started creating havoc again. Acura now tries to persuade his celestial father Sonste to fight this war again. But his father gives him the idea of using the Panacea so as to resurrect the soldiers of yore. Brahm and Ugra the sons of Idaha undergo fast cell multiplication using a mixture of Soma and Panacea and become huge demi-gods. Acura along with the demi-gods excavate a very old palace near Salt Sea. Can they save the earth before it is too late? Find out by reading the second edition of Tribes of Chonohaush.

Will Franconi has a dark past that he’s kept a closely guarded secret―very few people have ever heard his real story and he plans to keep it that way. After surviving a hellish childhood, he’s now living the dream life where everything he touches turns to gold. But something’s missing. He doesn’t quite know what until a simple letter from a teenage boy brings Harper Newman into his life. A woman who just might fill up the empty places inside him…if only he could ever be worthy of her love. When a man has more money than he could possibly spend in five lifetimes, Harper has to ask herself what Will Franconi could possibly want from a woman like her? She’s learned the hard way that rich men always get what they want no matter the cost. If it was just herself she had to worry about, Harper would manage, but she’s guardian to her younger brother who depends on her for everything. After nearly losing his life in a car crash, she’s vowed never to let anyone hurt him ever again. Still, sometimes Harper can’t help but long to change her story from one of an always-cautious woman to an adventurous tale of a heroine who’s wild and free…especially when Will’s kisses and caresses make her utterly breathless. And as he begins to reveal his story to her, she discovers that he’s so much more than just another wealthy, privileged man. He’s kind and giving, and he fills up all the spaces inside of her heart that have been empty for so long. Together, can they rewrite their stories into a happily-ever-after that neither of them had previously thought was possible?