Dreamweaving pits Diamondixi, a Dreamweaver, and Amehana, a storm ryuugami and priestess, together with Diamondixi's companion ice phoenix in an effort to save the halfbreed selkie Justin from the fate of ultimately becoming a Finman. But, is the effort real, or is it just a dream? Or is it both and perhaps something more all at once?Part of the Selkies' Skins universe.Dreamweaving pits Diamondixi, a Dreamweaver, and Amehana, a storm ryuugami and priestess, together with Diamondixi's companion ice phoenix in an effort to save the halfbreed selkie Justin from the fate of ultimately becoming a Finman. But, is the effort real, or is it just a dream? Or is it both and perhaps something more all at once?The story is a standalone short story that is part of the Selkies' Skins universe.This story is written at the request of Kristina Stumpf, who was a backer for the Selkies' Skins Kickstarter project.Starting in the area of Mt. Rhiana in the realm of Dragon Hearts, the three erstwhile heroes cross from one world to another and into the reality of Selkies' Skins. There, Diamondixi crosses into the dream of a young lad that had been kidnapped long ago.

Raped and reduced to working in a brothel to keep her baby, unwed, teenage mother, Lizzie, forges a new life for herself and her child in the Kimberley region of Australia. But can she evade her persecutors and ultimately bring to them to justice?Updated version of the second book in the 'Old Balmain House' SeriesRaped and reduced to working in a brothel to keep her baby, unwed, teenage mother, Lizzie, forges a new life for herself and her child in the Kimberley region of Australia. But can she evade her persecutors and ultimately bring to them to justice?This is a story of a girl from inner Sydney. Her family is poor, her father dies when she is nine, life is hard. But her courage rises above adversity. It is story of her struggle to survive and make a life of her own, first as a prostitute, then with her child in a remote outback town.This is the second book in the series, "Old Balmain House" and begins in the same house as the first book and continues part of the story of Sophie, the girl who vanished half a century ago. Lizzie, aged eight, meets Sophie, the girl who lived in the same bedroom as a child. Sophie becomes her friend.When Lizzie turns fifteen Sophie tries to warn her not to go in a car with three older boys.Lizzie ignores her warning and is brutally raped by these three men. Lizzie becomes pregnant and is determined to keep her child. She leaves Sydney and goes to Melbourne, to have and keep her baby. Here, penniless and desperate, she become a prostitute the only way she can support herself. She is discovered and the authorities try to take her child.She flees to Broome, a small town in the furthest corner of of Australia. Here she assumes the role of widow with a small child and settles into this friendly town. Her life is good until a man from her former life finds her and threatens to expose her or harm her child.She runs again. On a remote desert road her car breaks down. Without water, with her six year old daughter beside her, they face death from thirst. Help comes in an unexpected way. She takes refuge in a local aboriginal community. Her school friend from Balmain, now a journalist, seeks retribution from the the men who raped Lizzie many years ago and have continued their ways with others. Now, as successful business men, they seek to use the law to deny justice.

Sora Takinago is a robot designed by the poor but renowned scientist in in the town of Irabara, Japan. The town is known for science and its vast population of robots. These robots roam the yards and streets and homes all alike in the town Irabara. Sora is anything but your standard robot. In fact Sora is first genetically engineered robot with human DNA.DNA. The homosapien population has what we call dreams and this ability of unconscious mind has been placed into our hero Sora. Since the war of 2050 nightmares have infected the minds of the human race causing them to have demon filled dreams. Will Sora restore the peace to our dreams again or will we forever be mortified under the wrath of the Black Cat and her demons?

The genetic secret to all life in the universe revealed, and so begins the countdown to Armageddon.For over seven hundred years the harvesters had been voyaging into deep space, but each journey was becoming longer, because suitable planets were getting fewer and more difficult for the scouts to discover. Terrillia was a dying planet and nothing could be done to prevent the inevitable.The genetic secret to all life in the universe revealed, and so begins the countdown to Armageddon.For over seven hundred and fifty years the harvesters had been voyaging into deep space, but each journey was becoming longer and more dangerous, because suitable planets were getting fewer and more difficult for the scouts to discover. Terrillia was a dying planet and nothing could be done to prevent the inevitable.Master Maulik carried the responsibilities of feeding his race with pride, and he performed his harvesting duties with diligence and compassion... yet his heart longed for adventure.But it is often dangerous to long, for sometimes the heart receives that which it desires most, and Maulik finds himself plunged into a game of political intrigue and brinkmanship that could alter the balance of power in his galaxy as rival species form an uneasy alliance.For the ultimate doom approaches.And as opposing factions draw together he finds himself a pawn in the great game, his only true ally, his new found friend, the Kressa.Discover how the story begins, the preparations for war, deceit and double dealing, plans within plans, the strangest of friendships... and an entire race reduced to the status of livestock.

There once was a troll that liked to help people. He met a princess alongside a bridge and as the days passed, they became good friends. Then there came the day when she had to leave, but she promised to return. For how long the troll would have to wait; only time would tell. This is a short story for kids over 7 years old. I Hope you enjoy it.“Promises mean nothing on this ship. Tell me the password.”Nobody knows what really happened when Rachael Baptiste’s mom disappeared a week ago. So when Rachael’s second-grade classmate Raul tries to break into her mom’s computer only to be chased away by giant talking dogs, she follows him into the night and discovers that he—and her mom—have caught a magical sickness that lets them turn into magical animals, or Exotics.A group of evil Exotics, the Shadow Dogs, kidnap Rachael and Raul to a mysterious ship and try to force them to tell them her mother's secrets...but Rachael's not talking. Instead, she's trying to find a way to escape the ship and rescue the Exotic kids trapped on board, waiting to be sold as pets...or are they?

A brief but haunting glimpse into a community of reclusive rabbit-folk keeping their doors barred against a land changing for the worse. Much as they try to hide their children from the world, the world and all its strangeness has a way of finding its way to their doorstep. A strange spirit takes hold one night, drawing all the children from their beds to show them that there's nothing to fear.A brief but haunting glimpse into a community of reclusive rabbit-folk keeping their doors barred against a land changing for the worse. Much as they try to hide their children from the world, the world and all its strangeness has a way of finding its way to their doorstep, and their children are not content to stay safe forever. One little Long Ear remembers their little hamlet as it used to be when dozens of different races came to trade, and can't help but wonder what happened.That one little girl has her eyes open wide enough to see the first stranger drift into town in a very long time. Her parents keep their heads down and rush right on by. That stranger and her even stranger influence takes hold of the village one night, drawing all the children from their beds to show them that while the night may be dark and full of secrets, not all of them are to be feared. For the first time in far too long, a community is brought together in celebration rather than dread, and it's a night that none of them will ever forget.

This is a first person short story about some experiences of Karl - a psychiatric nurseRoam the streets of Ottawa with Charlie, a third year university student bent on recapturing the essence of his first love, all the while doing everything he can to destroy his relationship with his current girlfriend, Natasha. Explore the seedy underworld of Ottawa as Charlie's increasingly manic quest for self-validation quickly leads him down dark and dangerous roads. In his attempts to prove his own morality, Charlie will finally see just how dark the inner-self has become in an increasingly apathetic and superficial world.

When a case of mistaken identity lands Gwen in the role of her wedding planner boss, she faces the demands of a socialite bride and her domineering mother. Tasks like “firing” the best man and renting hot air balloons. But the one complication she can’t handle is falling for the groom. Stealing her boss’ identity was easy–but can she stop her secret crush from stealing her heart?A case of mistaken identity lands meek bridal assistant Gwendolen Lynch in the role of her legendary wedding planner boss. Instead of unmasking the charade, Gwen makes the split second decision to play along, and finds herself roped into the challenge of her small career with a socialite bride and her domineering mother. Juggling the outlandish requests–from firing “the best man” to renting hot air balloons–thrusts Gwen into the spotlight role she always dreamed of.Knowing she should escape before her true identity is exposed, Gwen clings to the masquerade for one reason: the handsome, boyish Ryan Miller. Whose opinions of the wedding fail to impress his bride-to-be, awakening Gwen’s sympathy for the seemingly forgotten groom.Stealing her boss’ identity? Now that was the easy part. The hard part is preventing her secret crush from stealing her heart away.

A young boy discovers he's able to take the splendors of his dreams into the real world. One night he finds a mysterious young girl laying with him.Sixteen-year old Confucius Clementine is a dreamer devoid of a social life and engulfed in the world of fantastical video games. But after suffering a concussion he discovers that he's been granted an unthinkable power... the ability to bring anything he so desires from his dreams into the real world. He creates a new persona called the dream savior to heroically transform the world, but upon awakening one night, he finds in his bed with him a mysterious girl, Rosewielder, the Fair Elf Princess. Confucius and Rosewielder learn that they're part of a magical but perilous world of vampires, elves, dragons, all the things of folklore and legend, veiled just beneath the commonplace. Rosewielder struggles to adapt to suburbia, slicing televisions in half with her sword and destroying giant serpents, whereas Confucius is mesmerized by the fair elf's radiant beauty, all the while, dark spirits forcing them to take up their arms as warriors to protect each other and the world.

Following the near destruction of his home, a young dragon must overcome his fears and save the empire from the emperor himself.Professor Charlie Douglas is at it again, sleuthing when he should be working on his classes and papers. After his successes in Murder at the Break and Murder in the Dorm, he's now working with a new homicide detective and hoping to impress her. Kate, Charlie's wife, is also getting involved. The chef at the University Faculty Club has been killed. The problem is that Charlie can't figure out why. He has suspects, but no motive. Perhaps this time he won't be of any use to the police, and that would be hard to take.

Following a chaotic business meeting, Liam flees the city for the quiet of a childhood beach.Stuck in the rain, he discovers lost and precious memories - but his memories don't return alone..._____________________________________________________________Erik Boman is a writer from Oxford. He is the author of "Short Cuts" and was awarded with the A.M. Heath literary prize in 2011.Referencing some of the characters from my book of Flash Fiction, Daemons Lurk In Plain Sight. This Novelette paves the way for my trilogy that is set in the same world.Everything is a mystery to Fox, she doesn't even know her last name. The Gods throw her a curve ball when her brother Jasper is infected by a Spear Daemon and the only way for her to save him, is to give herself to the Lord Death. He gives her the answers she has been looking for, she didn't expect to fall in love with him.

Going walking on Dartmoor on, what would probably be, the last decent Saturday of the year didn't sound like a bad idea to David. At least it hadn't until they got caught in a thunderstorm. But there are far worse things that you can be caught by in the dark on Dartmoor.David had never been one for hiking but, under the insistence of his best friend's younger sister, he had agreed to spend the last Saturday of October walking on Dartmoor. It hadn't sounded like such a bad idea at the time, at least until they got caught in a thunderstorm. But there are far worse things that you can be caught by in the dark on Dartmoor.When things start to go from bad to worse it will be up to David to try and save his three friends and himself from a sinister creature that lurks in the darkness.What is the creature on the moors? Who is Lavern Danner? And how did none of them notice the house on the moor sooner?

An evil that has not been seen for an aeon now threatens Yaloran, the last of the great cities. Prince Muda is their only hope for survival, but his usurper threatens to bring the city down around her. Will he be able to rally his allies and find the tools to battle with gods?Sandy, a retiree who is happily busy with projects, walks along a hilly waterfront every morning. When he can't avoid it, he puts up with the complaints of Wendell, another retiree who walks his wife to work along the same path. One morning, Sandy learns that Wendell was found dead on the rocks at the foot of a steep hill. The cops have written it off to a heart attack. But was it that? Or something else?

A scintillating epic fantasy …There are myths and there are legends, but none compare to those of the land of Elphamia...A scintillating epic fantasy …There are myths and there are legends, but none compare to those of the land of Elphamia...Long ago, in the age before Men, there was an ancient kingdom known as Elphamia, inhabited by a variety of creatures. Most people have heard of Elves, Faeries, Pixies and Leprechauns, but not many have ever heard of an Elphin Rabbit!From a time before memory, there was one Elphin Rabbit whose destiny was about to shape the Kingdom…

In this short story, a grizzled bar owner meets an unexpected arrival. The jaded man can't help but be suspicious of the youngster with mud on his clothes and a mysterious briefcase in his possession. The owner calmly supplies the customer with alcohol, trying to uncover his history. The information comes all too slowly, forcing the owner to pick sides in fight he wants no part of.Told through the voice of a grizzled bar owner, this short story focuses on the unusual event that unfolds in his country establishment. During the dead of night, a young man comes in, covered in mud and carrying a briefcase. The narrator, formerly of Sin City, can sense something is off about this customer. Jaded by his past line of work, he knows many people aren't what they seem and that most everyone harbors dark secrets. Simultaneously intrigued and suspicious, the owner tries to pry the truth out of the newcomer while they consume several drinks. Slowly the facts start to come out, but not before an unexpected arrival forces the bar owner to pick sides. Either way, blood will be spilled.

It had been ages…well…years since Eddy Tall had visited his cottage on Lake Of Mists…Too long in fact…Not since Sarah died.It had been ages…well…years since Eddy Tall had visited his cottage on Lake Of Mists…Too long in fact…Not since Sarah died…oh some six or so years earlier. When Eddy awoke from a night’s sleep that morning he decided the time was perfect to drive up to the cottage once more. Maybe he would get a sense of his beloved wife there because the cottage was where they were the most happy during their 55 years as Mr. and Mrs. Tall. It had been their hide-away from the world of business, family and a crowd of friends that were more interested in…well…That didn’t matter anymore. Eddy had locked all that out when none of those friends took the time to see Sarah off into the nether reaches of the afterlife….where-ever that was.

Harlan Coben follows four consecutive #1 "New York Times" bestsellers with a stand-alone thriller in the vein of his beloved breakout novels "Caught" and "Hold Tight." Megan is a suburban soccer mom who once upon a time walked on the wild side. Now she's got two kids, a perfect husband, a picket fence, and a growing sense of dissatisfaction. Ray used to be a talented documentary photographer, but at age forty he finds himself in a dead- end job posing as a paparazzo pandering to celebrity-obsessed rich kids. Jack is a detective who can't let go of a cold case-a local husband and father disappeared seventeen years ago, and Jack spends the anniversary every year visiting a house frozen in time, the missing man's family still waiting, his slippers left by the recliner as if he might show up any moment to step into them. Three people living lives they never wanted, hiding secrets that even those closest to them would never suspect, will find that the past doesn't recede. Even as the terrible consequences of long-ago events crash together in the present and threaten to ruin lives, they will come to the startling realization that they may not want to forget the past at all. And as each confronts the dark side of the American Dream- the boredom of a nice suburban life, the excitement of temptation, the desperation and hunger that can lurk behind even the prettiest facades- they will discover the hard truth that the line between one kind of life and another can be as whisper-thin as a heartbeat. With his trademark combination of page-turning thrills and unrivaled insight into the dark shadows that creep into even the happiest communities, Harlan Coben delivers a thriller that cements his status as the master of domestic suspense.

*A seafaring adventure of duty, love, magic, and a princess’s quest to protect her kingdom on her own terms. * Born to privilege, called to service, trained for command, seventeen-year-old Lieutenant Nile Greysik finally gets the chance to prove herself a leader. As she takes charge of a captured enemy ship, her orders will take her through hostile waters and stormy seas with a hold full of prisoners, a skeptical crew, and a handsome first mate whose every move undermines her confidence. To navigate to safe harbor, Nile must earn the crew’s trust . . . but first she must dare to trust herself.

She was a high-powered attorney with beauty, brains, and a brand-new dream house. Men found her irresistible. Women called her out-of-control. And when Marnie Newcastle disappeared one fateful night, everyone assumed she'd run off for a wild weekend of self-indulgent pleasure.But Samantha Miller suspected the worst. A close friend and neighbor, Samantha knew that Marnie's life wasn't as perfect as it seemed. Her past was haunted by abuse; her nights, fired by passion. So many men. So many suspects. And Samantha was determined to meet them face-to-face: The lawyer. The homicide cop. The contractor. And the gorgeous rock star who aroused more desire than suspicion.... With a lineup like this, Samantha would either fall in love -- or get herself killed.

A brand-new novel in an original eBook series from popular romance author Molly Harper! When Sadie & Josh compete for the same Kentucky Tourism Commission job, sparks fly—turns out Kentucky really is for lovers. Sadie Hutchins loves her job at the Kentucky Tourism Commission. Not only could her co-workers double as the cast of Parks & Recreation, but she loves finding the unusual sites, hidden gems, and just-plain-odd tourist attractions of her home state. She’s a shoo-in for the director’s job when her boss retires at the end of the year…until hotshot Josh Vaughn shows up to challenge her for the position. Josh is all sophisticated polish while Sadie’s country comfort, and the two have very different ideas of what makes a good campaign. So when their boss pits them against each other in a winner-takes-all contest, they’re both willing to fight dirty if it means getting what they want. But it turns out, what Josh and Sadie want could be each other—and Josh’s kisses are the best Kentucky attraction Sadie’s found yet!

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children. But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class. Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity’s overlords struggle for power.  He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society’s ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.