When Edie and Dylan first see each other in photography class, an instant attraction draws them together. But true love never does run smoothly—the two spar as much as they can’t keep their hands off each other. Then comes the college trip to Paris: Edie’s willpower will be tested to the limit! In between furious arguments and trips to the Louvre, the two share some passionate moments—but will it last?

After literally dodging a bullet and thwarting an attempted robbery, lovable loser Jim Bailey is thrust into the spotlight as a bona fide hero, a Messiah, a Real Life Neo of sorts. He's invited to appear on a morning talk show, and after making a complete ass of himself on national television, is given a choice: cash in on his celebrity or retreat into full on exile.Jim Bailey hates the spotlight. He hates it. Yet somehow, he always winds up in it. Dodger is his story, the story of a man in love with being in love, in love with being drunk, and in love with the idea of dodging responsibility and real life until the world ends completely. Along for the ride are the object of his affection, Kara, and Paige, the reporter who just won't let sleeping dogs lie and will stop at nothing to get Jim to spill his guts about everything. And so begins the tale of the Dodger...

Valiros is a world contained within a metal sphere. The government claim not to know what is beyond the sphere; that is a lie. The mighty overhead lights begin to fail, and the military move in and seize control. The fate of two worlds depend on a young Valiron with a vivid imagination. His name is Creyson Parthy, and this is his story...My name is Creyson Parthy. I live in Valiros, a picture perfect world contained within a metal sphere. What lay outside the sphere was a great unknown. Valiros has many mysteries, but none as peculiar as the thousands of Trojan Devices scattered throughout the land. We had no idea where they’d come from, what purpose they served… or the danger they posed.I was one cycle and eleven phases old, and I’d managed to live seven hundred and two days of an unremarkable life. I had a tedious job, no family, and I was being forced to bond with a boorish girl named Zeal Lotzer; the alternative was a life of service under the military. On day seven hundred and three, everything changed.It started shortly after my grandfather passed away. The High Darlon Council’s Public Representative, Minister Drake, arrived at my door with an unexpected proposal. There was, however, a far more sinister purpose behind their offer.It all happened so quickly. Panic spread across Valiros as the Trojan Devices began disappearing one by one. The mighty lights that illuminated our world started failing. Power was being drained from towns and villages, and their residents evacuated. With no reason or explanation, the military were occupying the streets and seizing control. Detained by the military, and pursued by an unknown faction, I was pulled into a world of deception, and discovered a government conspiracy that scaled generations. The Trojan Devices were preparing to attack, and only one person had the power to stop them. To prevent the pending disaster, I needed to uncover the secrets of Valiros, discover what lay beyond the sphere, and expose the truth of the Trojans. Time was running out, and the fate of billions rested with an insignificant Valiron, living an unremarkable life.My name is Creyson Parthy, and this is my story…

Set in Fort Myers, Florida, this is the action-filled first chapter of the soon-to-be-released novel Fireteam Zed: First to Fight. Fireteam Zed: First to Fight follows the struggle of a U.S. Marine 4-man fireteam that is separated from the main force during a zombie outbreak.Private First Class Douglas 'Java' Belfountain and his fellow U.S. Marines have been separated from the rest of the company during the zombie outbreak. Struggling to stay alive and find their way to safety the four warriors must fight hordes of the infected and roving gangs of the uninfected.This is the action-filled first chapter of the soon-to-be-released novel Fireteam Zed: First to Fight.

This is a very short story (less than 900 words), but it has been lovingly crafted.Fans of "The Lottery" and "The Lady or the Tiger" might enjoy this work.This is the story of the night watchman of the Tangi Bridge.Comprehensive lesson plans are also available.A longer short story, "The Executioner", is scheduled for May 2013.Thanks for reading!'Greywolf', volume eleven in the Stanton Chronicles series of novels.The Millennium war games amid 'Circles of Fear', the government and media covered up the fact blues guitar player Jason Brinkly fought the battle of Armageddon, but with the hand of whom on his shoulder? Governments and commercial entities withdraw to their own circles driven by fear as the awesome weapon ADAM resurfaces in the hands of Greywolf, but had it ever slept. They regrouped ready to strike, they waited a long time for the ageing vigilante to wane, they would soon beg for his return. The stock market crashed, as the rich ran for cover they left the poor to put the bill, the rich for no other reasons than wealth rather than purpose, were hunted down. Greywolf unlike Stanton was not confined by matters of state, but by matters of servitude. He lived by the gun, the gun of his father; he served the righteous, in the name of his mother. Greywolf began to stalk the corridors of power. Educated by the sword of the cross, armed with the power of technology, authoritative information far beyond the gun, loyal to none but servant to all, even Stanton struggled to understand his creation. His mother 'Bella Elizabeth', a ruthless assassin was horrified. Grey by the wisdom of his father's hair, wolf by the virtue of his mother, 'Greywolf' became the law.

Thirteen-year-old Sunny runs away from her current foster parent in search of her twin sister, from whom she was separated ten years earlier. On the way, she'll face a tornado, bullies, and a stray dog- and the fact that her sister may not be who Sunny hoped she would be.

Psycho Bob, an inmate at the college hostel, is a fat giant whose idea of fun often meant suffering for others. Tonight, a weird shoe fight riot has broken out and Bob has already been dominating by beating the crap out of most inmates. This is a fun story of how 18-year-olds of this Bob dominated hostel work together to catch him in a spot through conspiracy, risk, teamwork and double-crossing.Bob is the hostel psycho, a brash fat giant who often loses himself in enthusiasm and whose idea of fun often meant suffering for others. Most of the hostel inmates are tired of Bob's bullying and their inability to return the favor. Tonight, a weird shoe fight riot has broken through the hostel and Bob has already been dominating the entire proceedings by beating the crap out of most inmates with his heavy boots. Though scared of him, they ultimately hatch a plan of getting him alone and attacking him in a group. This is a fun story that deals with how 18-year-olds of this Bob dominated hostel work together to catch him in a spot through conspiracy, risk, teamwork and double-crossing.

It was a simple plan; sneak into the human city, find her husband, and hold him for a few moments. After that, she would go home and wait. So much for plans.Celeste, captured by slavers and sold to the royal family, is now Princess Elanya’s servant. The young princess doesn’t understand her role as a slave holder, and insists on forging a friendship with the elf.Short StoryIt was a simple plan; sneak into the human city, find her husband, and hold him for a few moments. After that, she would go home and wait. So much for plans.Celeste, captured by slavers and sold to the royal family, is now Princess Elanya’s servant. The young princess doesn’t understand her role as a slave holder, and insists on forging a friendship with the elf. Celeste dismisses the friendship and forges ahead with her plans.The Leaf Pendant is a short story about the genesis of the friendship between Princess Elanya and Celeste.

Vish’s chance meeting with Sparky, a charismatic stranger with mysterious influence over the entertainment industry, leads to a dream job and a romance with Troy, a starlet with a dark secret. After Troy vanishes, Vish’s quest to find her takes him deep into Los Angeles’ supernatural underbelly, where he finds himself at the center of a war between Sparky and his foes for control of Hollywood.While serving hors d'oeuvres to the beautiful people at a glittery Hollywood party, an aspiring young screenwriter named Vish meets Sparky, a charismatic stranger who claims he can do amazing things for Vish’s career. Vish’s attempts to find out more about Sparky set in motion a string of bizarre events, leading to a cushy writing gig on a hit TV series and a too-good-to-be-true romance with Troy, a sweet-natured starlet with a dangerous alter ego. After Troy dumps him without explanation, a heartbroken Vish tries to discover what went wrong in their relationship. His quest for answers leads him deep into Los Angeles’ seedy, supernatural underbelly, where struggling artists are a disposable commodity and fame often comes at a mortal cost. Vish finds himself at the center of a high-stakes battle between ancient forces for dominance in the entertainment industry. With a foul creature living in the earth beneath his apartment complex, a vicious coterie of murderous surf bums dogging his every move, and a disturbing lack of trustworthy allies, Vish’s best chance for survival lies with the mysterious and powerful Sparky. Vish must track down Sparky before he becomes the latest victim of Hollywood’s deadly allure.

In the midst of an invasion, Don Mourning is abducted from Amaranthine, the keep of Augusta. His abductor, the introverted assassin Sorana, takes him to her mother’s remote tower. There, Don negotiates a deal with Sorana’s mother, Mercy. In return for assistance in the rescue of his bound siren, Don agrees to track down a mass murderer and return its telepathic weapon to Mercy.In the midst of an invasion, Don Mourning is abducted from Amaranthine, the keep of Augusta. His abductor, the introverted assassin Sorana, takes him to her mother’s remote tower. There, Don negotiates a deal with Sorana’s mother, Mercy. In return for assistance in the rescue of his bound siren, Don agrees to track down a mass murderer and return its telepathic weapon to Mercy. Don and Sorana rescue his siren, Natalia. They join with other companions to form the Blade of Mercy. They struggle to evade the invading forces and bounty hunters, all the while searching for the mass murderer. The Blade discovers the invaders’ ultimate target is Xandria, home of the beautiful and revered race of sirens. Their path takes them through Raykez, a human city with a culture profoundly impacted by the presence of the musically inclined sirens. It is also impacted by the legend of the vilified race of banshee. In the depths of secrecy and deceit, an ancient and terrible injustice is uncovered—the legend of the Mortal Banshee.Allies are found and lost. The mission becomes ever more intricate, and ever more insidious. The stakes are raised: Augusta, Xandria, Raykez, justice, the life of Don’s sister… For the Blade of Mercy to complete its mission, they will have to challenge the most malevolent and feared creature of lore and nightmares. To do so, Don must call upon the blind faith of his closest friends in a final, multi-dimensional confrontation.

Why doesn’t eight-year-old Brett’s mother understand? All she wants is a pet. Since the family first moved to Texas a few months earlier, the girl has seen nary an alligator...either from her perch, high in the SUV motoring around the Urbs or the sub-urbs, or out the back or front doors at home. Why can’t her mother just get over what happened in coastal Florida to her three precious pups?If Brett has to believe in magic to get a pet companion - or two - she will. Of course she’d rather do it the normal way: by asking. Which of course she’s tried. Over and over again. And continually failed. But she always comes back to try again. Like today. Already scanned the area for alligators, too, and is relieved to report none. Now, if only Mom will cooperate.So far the woman’s first brunch martini has slid down without resistance, so Brett knows after one or two more, her mother may very well be in a cheery enough mood to agree. To something, even if it’s just another ant farm.The house keeper is always talking about ants made of fire, but she told Brett they don’t seem to have any in their yard. She’s also told the girl about Texas scorpions, and best thing about both of those pets? They’d be free.

12 Short Stories by the Tunbridge Wells Writers (Draft Copy)At age fourteen Femi Akindele, an orphaned street-boy from the Makoko slum in Lagos decided to call himself Pastor Gabriel Joshua. Unqualified and self-taught and now in his mid-forties Gabriel has become a highly acclaimed international speaker on African affairs, economics, terrorism, corruption, fraud and the widespread poverty and economic migration that results. But Gabriel soon discovers that popularity never guarantees solutions or support for change. Together with his loyal, boyhood friend Tunde Oyedepo who, aged thirteen, became Solomon, Gabriel’s long ambition has been to create an alternative society funded by private donations and profits from their own company, Solomon Trading. But the area he has chosen for his economic experiment lies on the poverty ridden but dangerous northern borders of Nigeria and, if he is to achieve anything and attract investment, it’ll need defending from the ongoing terrorism that still plagues the area. With the US, UK and other Western powers still unwilling to help, Gabriel again decides to do it himself with a small, private army run by an ex British SAS soldier. But then Gabriel receives notice of an international arrest warrant falsely alleging fraud, corruption and money-laundering by Solomon Trading in connection with a big Nigerian government contract. This is followed by the murder of Solomon Trading’s London-based manager. In an attempt to understand what is going on and who is behind it, they employ the services of London-based international commercial crime investigators Asher & Asher. What Mark Dobson from A & A uncovers is a mixture of corporate politics – Russian and French – and a highly-organised group of wealthy and corrupt individuals already financing a terrorist operation (the COK) with one purpose in mind – the overthrow of the democratically elected Nigerian President and the establishment of a vast, new West African state. What stands in their way is the widespread popularity of Gabriel Joshua, the recently elected Nigerian President Hamed Massoud Azazi. and the newly appointed head of the Nigerian State Security Service, Colonel Martin Abisola. With the story covering events in London, Washington, Cairo and Nigeria, “An Honourable Fake” is a powerful follow-up novel to Terry Morgan’s “The Malthus Pandemic” and the second in the Asher & Asher series.

Two college friends experience far more than they anticipate while on vacation in Targhee Forest Idaho.Two runners remain friends after college even though they live on opposite coasts. Their second summer out of school finds them on vacation in Idaho, where they admit to one another that their jobs are not as grand as they had once envisioned. While on vacation, they meet a strange character who holds the power to change their lives forever.

Trapped in a place removed from time and space - the Devil's Triangle - a rag-tag group is caught in an endless battle with horrible creatures that attack relentlessly - until the creatures find a way to invade Earth. Now a race is on to use future tech to stop them from overrunning all of humanity...Being-*The People Whisper*, Founder of Falcon Blanco-A Place for friends since 1975. Inspired Writer & Poet.I am trying to be creative by doing things that make sense to me. I am relating to whatever shows up in my daily life, being convinced that this is exactly what I need to learn, to grow and to heal myself. I see difficult situations and conditions as a challenge to which I am responding the best I am capable, taking self responsibility and being aware of my reactions that are caused.I like to express myself sharing my experiences with others who might be open for it. I have found ways to deal creatively with problems that are part of our life, so that we don’t need to suffer more than necessary to be motivated to doubt our established existence and ask questions, – to find answers that can turn our life into a joyful adventure.I am always ready to help others. I never do anything out of money interests. I do what feels right and is necessary. There is abundance if one is open to receive…I have created a space on the middle of the island Ibiza, in midst of unspoiled nature with many animals and plants. There is food and living space for more than twenty people, who could live together as a group of friends, being creative, expressing themselves in artistic ways and working on themselves and also doing practical things for others and the environment.BeiYinFalconBlanco, Ibiza, Spain

Stan Pike is an ordinary teenager, who stumbles into an adventure to seek a magical Emerald, which has the power to repair the recent damage to his town, caused by the terrifying dragon, Gordon the Gruesome. He and his best friend, Marvin, must race against the evil wizard Gustavo and his goblin army, in order to save their town.99.9% of boys born in Oadford are destined to fish, farm or build. Stan Pike falls into the other 0.1%. Not all boys are born equal. Stan Pike is the son of a fisherman, who lives with his father and elder brother in the remote fishing village of Oadford, set beneath the ominous looking Mount Smouldotion, home to the terrifying dragon, Gordon the Gruesome. Gordon created mayhem for the townsfolk for decades, but has not been seen for nearly a hundred years. All this changes however, when Stan, his elder brother Edgar and his best friend Marvin enter Gordon's lair, and an unfortunate blunder from the kind hearted but dim witted Marvin awakens the dragon, resulting in the devastating destruction of Oadford..The only way to save Stan's town is to find the mystical Emerald of Foundation, a magical emerald with the ability to construct anything. Stan joins a quest of brave town folk in the hunt to find the Emerald, but they are not alone in seeking the prize. Gustavo, the evil wizard, leads a fierce goblin army to the Emerald's resting place, as he seeks it to ensure world domination.The resulting race for the Emerald results in betrayal, sacrifice, heart break, booby traps, mass battles and heart pounding encounters, and is not to be missed!

Sheep Farm expands on Christ’s analogy of people as sheep in His parables. Bennie is a curious little sheep who is more than a sheep because he thinks for himself. Join Bennie as he ventures out into the greater world beyond the farm and meets new friends that may just be the key to the farm’s survival. Discover the strength and hope for the future we all can find when we engage our minds.“Let the little children come to Me.” Matthew 19:14“I am sending you out as sheep among the wolves.” Matthew 10:16For as long as any of the animals could remember the old farmer had run the farm and controlled their lives. They had little choice and for the most part did not care. The wolves in the woods were kept at bay, and no sheep were lost because of them. Only the old sheep remembered the threat of the wolves. Bennie did not fear the wolves. He always watched out for them and would quickly return to the farm if he even thought they were nearby. Sheep Farm expands on Christ’s analogy of people as sheep in His parables. Patrick Rees draws inspiration from Animal Farm in this portrayal of Bennie, the curious little sheep who is more than a sheep because he thinks for himself. Bennie and his friends will face their biggest struggle when their tranquil existence on the farm suddenly changes. Join Bennie as he ventures out into the greater world beyond the farm and meets new friends that may just be the key to the farm’s survival as it faces its greatest challenge, the wolves in the woods. Sheep Farm artfully shows how people can be more than sheep when they engage their mind. Follow Bennie in his wanderlust as he embraces the farm’s new experiences with freedom. Discover the strength we all can find and hope for the future in today’s children.

Chelsea had always done what her best friend Sarah asked. So when Sarah decided the class should put on an ambitious Christmas production, it is no surprise who ended up doing all the work for it. But even Sarah hadn't intended for it to turn out the way it did.When famine threatens a small fishing village in Norway, seventeen-year-old Lars is delegated to take his youngest brother Torvald with him to America, to live with Uncle Anders in Dakota Territory. The story is told by a descendant of Lars, who chronicles the adventures and misadventures of the boys and their friends and neighbors, including the story of Hans, an odd but lovable draft horse. The tales go on to include often-humorous accounts of courtship and marriage, as the boys grow into men.

Randy was a senior in high school, and everything was going great, or so he thought. When he wished to read other people's thoughts, he got his wish. It was not as great as he thought it would be. He realized that everybody thought he was a jerk, or used him to get what they wanted, including his girlfriend, teammates, and teachers. His little sister thought that he hated her, and his parents were fed up with his attitude. Randy was suddenly seeing himself as everyone else did, and he didn't like who he was anymore. Could he change, after all this time? Read and find out.Andrew’s Mission is a Portallas short story that tells some of the back story about one of the main characters from the Portallas series of books. Andrew is a young Woodsman in training now living in the village of Morelle, which resides in the western part of Forestium. We first meet Andrew in Forestium: The Mirror Never Lies, which is book one in the Portallas series.In Forestium: The Mirror Never Lies, Andrew joins his best friend, Joshua, who decides to go on an epic journey to help find the truth about his long-lost Father. In Andrew’s Mission, we discover how close the relationship is between Andrew and Joshua, as Andrew attempts to help save his best friend’s life by going in search of something that could very well kill him.

The greatest gift is getting what you never thought you wanted. Mitch Magruder, rich, successful, wildly popular surfer and entrepreneur, is always on the lookout for the next big wave or the next great deal. So when he s home for the holidays, he jumps at the chance to build one of his famous hotels right on the white, sandy, Florida beach where he grew up. The only thing standing in his way is Greta Mason. Divorced with two children, Greta welcomes the struggle to make ends meet at the ramshackle beachfront motel her father left her. The motel means everything to her, and no amount of money or hot nights of persuasion offered by gorgeous, sexy Mitch is going to change her mind. No matter how much his touch unravels her defenses. For once, Mitch finds he s the one doing the chasing, and Greta s doing more than throwing a monkey wrench into his perfectly orchestrated world. She s making him think about things he s never considered before, things other than the pursuit of money. Things like settling down with the right woman. Now if only he can convince her he wants more than hot sex, moonlit nights, and her hotel "