What is left on earth after all the good people go? A bizarre mix of Clones and Urchins inhabit what is left of civilization as the Last Detective in the World operates in an underworld where crime pays. The original novella, Dydeetown Girl, is a Nebula Award finalist.

Kids are disappearing at Bixby Elementary, and no one knows why. But that’s only the second strangest thing happening inside the crumbling inner city school.Kids are disappearing at Bixby Elementary, and no one knows why. But that’s only the second strangest thing happening inside the crumbling inner city school.Who’s responsible? That’s just what Drew and the rest of the Zero Avenue brats want to know, but are they ready for what they’ll find? Because finding out means unraveling the threads of a conspiracy that blurs the line between myth and science, and between friends and enemies. Because finding out draws them into an adventure that tests their character, and their loyalties to each other. Seeing Harley selected for the Vice-Principal’s Special Studies program triggers Drew’s suspicions—and his jealousy. Digging deeper, he traces the program’s tangled roots to clandestine research carried out during WWII. Driven by their sense of loyalty, Drew and the rest of the brats follow the program’s long shadow from the war’s twilight, to the present day and the abandoned amusement park where they get one last chance to right a wrong decades in the making.

Newlyweds Joel and Sonnet have just wrapped up a housewarming party in Suburban Phoenix. Custom-built on the site of a meteor crash a half century ago, the young couple received everything they wanted in their dream house. Unfortunately, Joel and Sonnet also got what they didn't want: thousands of unwelcome, venomous guests.Newlyweds Joel and Sonnet have just wrapped up a housewarming party in Suburban Phoenix. Custom-built on the site of a meteor crash a half century ago, the young couple received everything they wanted in their dream house. Unfortunately, Joel and Sonnet also got what they didn't want: thousands of unwelcome, venomous guests. Despite a clean inspection report, the house is crawling with more scorpions than your average infestation, leaving husband and wife to avoid the pests' numbing and potentially fatal sting.On a night that will forever alter their fates, Joel and Sonnet are forced to uncover the mystery of the scorpions' origins. What they find challenges their greatest fears as well as their love for one another.

A fanzine. For fans.In the depths of winter, Emery is digging. Two months after the conclusion of Mutt, he is building an underground highway into the walled city of Rittenhouse to smuggle food and medicine to those living in the wasteland outside. When the gateman Green comes to him with news of a secret shipment and plans to intercept it, Emery sees a chance at redemption for his past failings. But as the search pulls him into a broadening web of conspiracy, his closest friends worry he is in too deep, determined find the shipment--or lose everything.

Word of Abby's talents reading tarot cards has reached a mob boss who wants her help in some business matters and he doesn't take no for an answer. When the police seek out her psychic intuition to shed light on a masked man who's been attacking women, Abby finds herself working both sides of the law on her own, leading her to wonder, why didn't I see this coming?

Thomas, the young King of Havilah, is drawn to a forest beyond his lands. Here he discovers seven figs, fruit from the long forgotten Eden.In the land of Cush, Princess Lilya suffers under the rule of her father, until the day when young King Thomas of Havilah invites her away to his lands. There, she hopes to find peace she has never known. But Thomas has been drawn to a foreign land, to figs he hopes are from Eden and the Tree of Life. When he eats them to heal his wounds things change within him, distorting him in ways he could not predict. Now Lilya must make a decision. Does she stand by Thomas's side or act to dispel the evil consuming his soul? Amidst this world Lilya has befriended a dragon. There are secrets within the beast that could determine all their fates.

This is short story about a woman who buys a magic mirror in a junk shop and ends up with more than she bargained for.Short story in which YOU are the monster, as you roam your lair killing and eating all who enter. That is until he shows up.Inspired by the sword and sorcery fantasy gaming books by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone. A story told as if YOU are the monster.If you read this story then why not leave me a review to tell me what you thought. Any feedback (be it good or bad) is always most helpful.

A cab driver had been advised that he would "meet all kinds, but whatever happens . . . it is none of your business." On an otherwise normal shift, he makes two runs to a certain house. While the first run is innocuous enough, the second trip could be murder. He is no longer certain if his "none of my business" credo will excuse his complicity in an act that just might have fatal consequences.Tommy, a cab driver in a rich resort town, had been told early in the game that he would "meet all kinds, but whatever happens, remember . . . it is none of your business." On an otherwise normal work shift, Tommy makes two runs to a special house in town. While the first run is innocuous enough, the second trip could be murder. Tommy is no longer certain if his "none of my business" credo will excuse his complicity in an act that just might have fatal consequences.

Guido's dead, but he hasn't lived yet. Will he get a second chance? Or will Satan have his evil way?Dull Guido has kept himself out of trouble (and life) for 34 years 5 months and 14 days, only to die on the night before he finally has his first big adventure, a world cruise. Graham Reader, the Grim Reaper, tries to help him navigate the world 'up above', only for Guido to find out that there are worse things than death.

Jake Barnes, an odd man, is a struggling novelist that makes his living at a publishing house where the owner and the other employees find him too strange to fraternize with. His social life and his writing career change when a mysterious man shows up on his doorstep demanding that Jake hand over the man’s cat. Quirky humor.In A Fool For A Client, Hobie Burrows returns to San Francisco after the conclusion of A Dream Is A Pinhole In Time. Not only does he have to face a future without Keiko, Lott & Pembroke (his old law firm) undermines his plans to practice law as a solo practitioner in San Francisco. Can Tiranoan technology and a wealthy client help him succeed on either account?A Fool For A Client is a story in The Encircling Belts of Tirano Saga. Planet Tirano creates a unique milieu for the series The Encircling Belts of Tirano Saga. Its aristocracy consists only of pureblooded descendants of the leaders of the mother ship that landed two millennia ago. Genetically engineered women, conceived in vitro, control Tirano’s computer network and hyperspace portals. Vhirko, clones of women who died valiantly in battle, guard Tirano’s monarch. Tirano has been at war for decades with a savage alien species that becomes sentient only if mentally linked in groups of four or more.Tirano’s King Mhikhel unleashes fundamental, and uncontrollable, changes to this milieu when he acknowledges as his child an illegitimate son of a commoner and raises the child (Tarnlot) as a prince. Despite the aristocracy’s antagonism, Mhikhel grooms Tarnlot to serve as the Lord Chancellor (the highest governmental post, which is normally held by a member of the aristocracy) when Mhikhel’s heir (Prince Zhun’Mar) assumes the throne.In A Bastard’s Oath Tarnlot must rescue the throne for Zhun’Mar’s by foiling both an aristocrat’s coup d’etat and the aliens’ coup de main. In the series’ second installment, A Dream Is A Pinhole In Time, Tarnlot and Zhun’Mar escape an ambush in deep space by entering a hyperspace fissure that strands them on a planet in an unknown galaxy: present day Earth. The third installment, Outliers of Tirano, begins the stories of Siniastra, Zhun’Mar's daughter. Sibyl of Doom continues the story of Siniastra's quest to serve as Queen of Tirano despite the efforts of Tirano's aristocrats to remove her from the throne.

A short story about love and ambition.'Hold On' won first prize in the Federation of BC Writers Literary Writes competition.They are the light against the darkness. The steel against the necromancy of the Druj. And they use demons to hunt demons…. Nazafareen lives for revenge. A girl of the isolated Four-Legs Clan, all she knows about the King's elite Water Dogs is that they bind wicked creatures called daevas to protect the empire from the Undead. But when scouts arrive to recruit young people with the gift, she leaps at the chance to join their ranks. To hunt the monsters that killed her sister. Scarred by grief, she's willing to pay any price, even if it requires linking with a daeva named Darius. Human in body, he's possessed of a terrifying power, one that Nazafareen controls. But the golden cuffs that join them have an unwanted side effect. Each experiences the other's emotions, and human and daeva start to grow dangerously close. As they pursue a deadly foe across the arid waste of the Great Salt Plain to the glittering capital of Persepolae, unearthing the secrets of Darius's past along the way, Nazafareen is forced to question his slavery—and her own loyalty to the empire. But with an ancient evil stirring in the north, and a young conqueror sweeping in from the west, the fate of an entire civilization may be at stake…Praise for The Midnight Sea"A spellbinding fantasy with some moral weight and a meatier narrative than usual, one likely to leave readers quite satisfied... Ross conjures an epic of demons and daevas, family, loss, and the turmoil of a kingdom in peril."-Kirkus Reviews"An addictive, action-packed, glorious page-turner!" -Am Kinda Busy Reading"For a world of shifting alliances and trusts, fully realized and multi-faceted characters, and a fantasy that takes place in a little touched upon setting in young adult literature, The Midnight Sea delivers on all fronts and starts off a new series of romance, magic, and a well-written and captivating story." -Bibliobibuli YA"GUARD YOUR HEART. For in The Midnight Sea, Kat Ross delivers a riveting fantasy of unparalleled proportions that stole a piece of mine." -Flylef Reviews"I really hate the word ‘epic’ because, let’s face it, it’s so overused and it’s lost its true meaning, but this book deserves that word." -Book Reader Chronicles"The Midnight Sea has everything I enjoy in a fantasy and more. I highly recommend it for readers who love elemental magic, kick-ass heroines and a captivating story." -Cover2Cover Reviews"Kat Ross creates a rich fantasy world, full of new and scary creatures, lots of magical powers, and an intricately woven plot that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page." -Book Briefs

Welcome to the November-December 2013 issue of Uncharted Frontier EZine, our 14th issue! This month's issue contains stories dealing with the dark and fantastic! Richard Lawrence continues his Merlin saga, Ben Franklin travels through time?! Don't miss this issue!Welcome to the November-December 2013 issue of Uncharted Frontier EZine, our 14th issue! This month's issue contains stories dealing with the dark and fantastic! Richard Lawrence continues his Merlin saga with the appearance of a new rival in an Old One whose name will ring familiar if you've ever travelled to Lovecraft Country! David Rutter's Collection of Poetry is not to be missed! Not to mention, Ben Franklin's infamous Time Travel experiment?! You heard it here folks.Enjoy our latest issue!

A Budding Love... A Town in JeopardyJust as Noah begins to woo Valerie, a rash of crime invades the usually peaceful environment of Ridgeway. When the safety of the innocent citizens of town becomes more threatened than ever before, Noah must find a way to protect them, and the woman he loves.Loving the Lawman: A Roses of Ridgeway Novella©2014, by Kianna AlexanderHistorical Romance- Interracial BWWM (African American Heroine, Caucasian/White Hero)Heat Level: Sweet (love scenes take place off page, behind closed doors)Setting/Time Period: Victorian America- California, US, 1884Length: Loving the Lawman is a novella, approximately 37,500 words longBooks Like This: If you enjoy the multicultural historical romance novels of Beverly Jenkins, you will likely enjoy historical romance works by Kianna Alexander.-Explore love, life, and the challenges of a bygone era.-Ridgeway, California: A fictional, mixed race settlement founded by abolitionists in 1853, after the madness of the California gold rush died down. Located near present-day Oakland, California, the town is home to a little less than 500 citizens. In Ridgeway, everybody knows everybody else- which can be a good thing- or a bad thing.The Roses of Ridgeway: The feisty, determined female citizens of the settlement. They are intelligent, loving, and know their own minds- but they are far from perfect. The Roses are: Lilly Warren, Prudence Emerson, and Valerie Ridgeway.**Please Note**: The Roses of Ridgeway series books are SWEET in nature. There is no offensive content that would limit these books solely to mature adult readers. Expect some brief foul language, and light violence, and affectionate moments. However, sexual relations take place behind closed doors and are not portrayed on the page. Therefore, these books are appropriate for readers of all ages, from young, to mature, to young at heart.The Darling of the Founding FamilyValerie Ridgeway is the granddaughter of Ridgeway's founder, and the sole heir to the town's ownership. A tall, graceful beauty, she's had a slew of suitors- most every eligible man within fifty miles of town has come courting for her. Despite her loveliness, however, Valerie has developed a reputation for rejecting men with her icy demeanor. Only a select few of the townsfolk know the secret shame that fuels her bitterness. Approaching thirty, she's given up on the fairy tale of marriage, choosing instead to give her time and effort to the betterment of the race.The Keeper of the PeaceNoah Rogers, Ridgeway's sheriff, takes his job very seriously. An intense man by nature, he bears the responsibility of the safety of the townsfolk, with only a single deputy to aid him. He's eschewed romantic entanglements in order to give his full focus to his very important work- that is, until he lay eyes on Miss Ridgeway. He's desired her from afar, biding his time, watching as she cut down a string of "suitable men," one after another. He's aware of her reputation; still, he senses a vulnerable, radiant creature beneath all the sass and ire, one he intends to discover.A Budding Love... A Town in JeopardyJust as Noah begins to woo Valerie, a rash of crime invades the usually peaceful environment of Ridgeway. When the safety of the innocent citizens of town becomes more threatened than ever before, Noah must find a way to protect them, and the woman he loves. But when shocking violence, loss, and grief threaten to unravel their hard-won courtship, will they find a way to overcome it all, so that Valerie can truly begin loving the lawman? The Roses of Ridgeway Series ChronologyThis is book #3 in the Roses of Ridgeway series. Below is the series chronology:Book 1: Kissing the Captain- Lilly and Ricardo's storyBook 2: The Preacher's Paramour- Prudence and Derrick's storyBook 3: Loving the Lawman- Valerie and Noah's story

How can a school boy be Britain's most wanted terrorist? Thirteen-year old Elvis moves to his step-father's crumbling London home and is confronted by apparitions from the Black Death of 1665. Somehow he's got to get them back to where they came from, but in the process he catches plague himself and ends up in hospital. Soon half of London is sick and police track the illness back to Elvis's door.A group of random strangers are invited to take part in a mysterious lottery with an intriguing premise. Twenty-seven accept the offer.But what begins as an unusual social experiment quickly descends into something much more sinister. The contestants receive more than they bargained for, and the dark side of human nature reveals itself.As the lottery spirals into a life-and-death struggle for survival, Alice Kato is left searching for answers. How far are ordinary people willing to go to win this extraordinary amount of money? Is there anyone she can trust? Is there any way out?And just who exactly is pulling all the strings?Everyone has their price. Most just don't know what it is yet.

A criminal profiler investigates the killing of a New York City heiress, only to discover that her death is linked to two other murders on the same day: a dot-com millionaire in San Francisco, and the team leader of a government counter-terrorist project in Los Alamos, New Mexico.Scorpio Rising (New Age noir)In the space of one hour, three strangers die violent deaths. A hit-and-run vehicle kills a dot-com millionaire jogging in San Francisco. A car bomb obliterates the team leader of a government counter-terrorism project in Los Alamos, New Mexico. An assailant ambushes a New York heiress walking home from Broadway and forces her own pepper spray down her throat.In all three cases, investigators reach an immediate impasse. Each victim leaves an estate of millions, but their beneficiaries all have perfect out-of-town alibis. Theories swirl around the victims like flies on a corpse – a contract killing for financial gain, a lover’s quarrel spiraled out of control, a domestic al-Qaeda strike...? The police are stymied and the FBI is worried.Axel Crowe, criminal psychologist, is summoned to New York by the brother of the woman who was murdered. Crowe is a man with an obscure past but a brilliant reputation. Occasionally he consults as a profiler for the police. More commonly, he is a finder of wayward people and stolen possessions. Despite initial stonewalling from the NYPD, Crowe profiles the killer in his own unique way – using astrology, palmistry and other unconventional techniques.His investigation follows a tangled trail of illicit relationships – from one suspect to another and, eventually, yet another. Ultimately, he learns that all three victims were killed in the space of one hour. But is it coincidence or conspiracy?Facts are gross, but the truth is subtle, Crowe’s guru used to tell him. And although the truth lies buried in the past, Crowe is relentless until he uncovers it.

It is the distant future and Earth appears to be at peace. Into this tranquil world a man from another era wakes up. Upon exploring his surroundings he finds the people to be friendly and helpful. However, he feels a malevolent presence is at work, not only in this new world but he fears also within him. A Novelette of 14,200 words, this is a science fiction story.It is the distant future and Earth appears to be at peace. Into this tranquil world a man from another era wakes up. Upon exploring his surroundings he finds the people to be friendly and helpful. However, he feels a malevolent presence is at work, not only in this new world but he fears also within him. The first book in the Charred Earth trilogy.A Novelette of 14,200 words, this is a speculative science fiction story with a hint of adventure and high technology.

This book is set to FREE: if you enjoy the stories please make a donation to Saluki Welfare Fund. Every donation, large or small, helps the dedicated volunteers who rescue, care for and find new loving homes for Salukis who have fallen on hard times.Come take a peek into the lives of some of the characters who live in my imagination.The stories:Polly Polo - an elderly car breaks down in bad weather and a phone call to the breakdown service is needed.Emily’s Hat - Emily’s husband is promoted and she must prepare for the company executives’ day out at Ascot.Simile and Metaphor - a teacher is lacking inspiration for a class assignment until she overhears a conversation in a shoe shop.Jackie’s Bike - an adventure goes terribly wrong when Jane ‘borrows’ Jackie’s brand new bike.Out the Other Side - Sophie persuades her husband that they should move to Devon, but their son throws a spanner in the works.Something About Suzy - an abused Saluki escapes her fate as a brood bitch and discovers what it means to have a home and family.Time Out - a teenager volunteers to help the disabled and learns some important life lessons.Spirit Passing - it’s time for Mandy to say goodbye to her terminally ill grandmother.

...breaking as it did on the stillness of the night, amid this dreary waste of ice and snow, where there was not an object to remind us of life, and not a sound seemed ever to have been heard.The log of a citizen of the dead; this is the chronicling of one man who is numbered among the walking dead after a city is plagued with an infection that eliminates the people's natural ability to create red blood cells. Their bodies rot away, but the mind is left harrowingly intact.

On the eve of her ninth birthday Molly Miggins visits the funfair where her parents are due to perform a live magic show. Molly's mum is a High Witch and her father is a stage magician who uses real magic. During the performance the disappearing trick goes badly wrong and both of Molly's parents vanish. Molly meets a wizard who tells her that only she can rescue them.On the eve of her ninth birthday Molly Miggins visits the funfair where her parents are due to perform a live magic show. Molly's mum is a High Witch and her father is a stage magician who uses real magic. During the performance the disappearing trick goes badly wrong and both of Molly's parents vanish. Molly meets a wizard who tells her that only she can rescue them.To succeed in her quest Molly must become a junior witch and try to find a way into the mysterious 'void' where her parents have been trapped. At the witches academy Molly is given an ancient, damaged wand called, Wonky, but because of a slight twist in the wand Molly finds it almost impossible to aim a spell accurately. Can Molly master the wand and rescue her parents before the wizard’s deadline or will the nasty tricks and traps he has placed in her way prevent her from fulfilling her quest?

Enrique Kates interviews Margaret Kamalova on the connection between the Learning Language process, and Yoga, Chakras, Meditation, Right Brain/Left Brain, Self Hypnosis. Enrique Kates is a highly experienced conversational English and Spanish teacher. Margaret Kamalova is a professional Yoga teacher with vast experience in this field.Hello, my name is Enrique Kates! I’m a highly experienced conversational English and Spanish teacher. I’ve been teaching since 1976, and online since 2008.Through the years I’ve heard my students ask questions such as: Why can’t I learn this? Why do I forget it? I’d like to be like ___. It seems so easy for him? Why is it difficult for me, and so easy for him? And on and on…For the last few months, I’ve been giving English lessons to Margaret. A Yoga practitioner, and a professional Yoga teacher.Through our conversations I’ve learned a few things that I’d like to share with my students, and readers in general.Now, I realize that there is a connection between cI also know that most people are not aware of these connections. For this reason, I’ve invited Margaret to have this conversation with me, and answer some questions for us.