A short story about a mischievous being tormenting a Catholic priest. Cover by S. Rain Lawrence.Seventeen-year-old Rowan Harper knows her life is forever changed the moment her schizophrenic mother commits suicide. What Rowan doesn’t realize is how much her mother’s choice altered her own fate. It’s not until after meeting Jet, a sapphire-eyed dead boy, Rowan begins to learn of her new destiny as becoming her mother’s replacement for something she never knew existed. Plus a bonus short story-Choice- told from Jet’s perspective!People often say everything happens for a reason. Seventeen-year-old Jet Donavan Mathews is about to find out that statement is not always true. Jet will learn that sometimes there are moments which were never meant to occur, moments where you are left with a choice.

WARNING! This is a Zed Lab Experiment! "Slaps face" description: Julia is fifteen years old and the doubts of all the teen-agers, a nickname that her father has given her, "Slaps face", and a family of our days, with the separate parents from not too long, to the takings with the economic crisis...WARNING! This is a Zed Lab Experiment! "Slaps face" description: Julia is fifteen years old and the doubts of all the teen-agers, a nickname that her father has given her, "Slaps face", and a family of our days, with the separate parents from not too long, to the takings with the economic crisis. Its rebellious character and the innate sense of the humor do of her a character all to discover. Also for her psychoanalyst.

After weeks of waiting, Dan is finally able to be in the live audience of his favorite show. It should be a normal episode, yet as Dan watches the contestants he notices one girl in particular. Dan becomes convinced that the show plans to kill her. Yet what can he do from way up in the stands and who would listen to him if he did? Also includes a sample of The White Lilac, a YA dystopian novel.After weeks of waiting, Dan is finally able to be in the live audience of his favorite show. His seat is near the top of the bleachers, but the huge screens and the atmosphere are worth it. It should be a normal episode, yet as Dan watches the contestants he sees some discrepancies. One girl in particular stands out. Normally he wouldn’t have noticed her, but he becomes convinced that the show plans to kill her. Yet what can he do from way up in the stands and who would listen to him if he tried. The Stadium is slightly futuristic, but has a contemporary feel. Also included is the first chapter of The White Lilac, a YA dystopian sci-fi.

Samantha hears about the bombings at the Boston Marathon and struggles to deal with the tragedy. Meanwhile, she faces a crisis of her own when she sees a stray dog hit by a car. A short, non-illustrated story, for my readers who may be struggling with the tragic news.We follow Gus Bovington through a typical 24 hours in his work life, and watch as he issues directives to subtly brainwash his fellow citizens.No adult-only content.

A radio play about a young and older couple. The men are employed, with equally educated unemployed wives. The trend amongst couples in emerging economies replaces the denial of men to let their wives pursue public careers with a ruse. Still the modern African wife is limited by the shackling desire to be a good wife first, not her spouse’s economic and intellectual inability to dictate to her.This is a play written for radio but would suitably serve as a staged play. It sets to highlight the subtle new trend that is recently becoming evident amongst educated couples in emerging developing economies. The previously traditional conservative chauvinistic denial that had seen husbands out rightly refusing to let their spouses pursue every twist and turn in their preferred public careers, has been un-noticeably replaced with a highly misconstrued make-believe cooperation.It presents the modern wife with hopes that are still quite limited by her very own, age old self-shackling desire to be the good wife/mother firstly, and not practically her spouse’s economic and intellectual inability to dictate to her. He is limited to exploiting her only by relying solely on this one over-powering desire of hers.In a modern African cosmopolitan suburb reside two couples, who are very close flat neighbours. The younger couple is a newly married pair, while the much older couple already has teenage children. Though both men are gainfully employed, their equally well educated spouses are uncomfortably unemployed housewives.The articulated relationship the middle-aged couple had willingly shared with a highly principled civil society worker culminated in a genuine praxis that jarred both couples’ older and newer marriages with a reasonably honest intellectual quake of sincerity. The experience is a rude awakening for the two sets of couple and becomes a basis for the supposedly superior masculine gender to learn first hand that indeed what is good enough for the goose is good enough for the gander.The play is about only two of these couples’ normally quiet mornings.

Daegonlot: a floating island separated from the mainland of Darkenfel, and home to the last of the dragonriders. They have settled in the city of Goldenspine and allowed the rest of the world to forget them.At 16 years old, Daxon knew he was too old to be chosen to be a dragonrider. On his way home one night he was surprised when a wild dragon's egg was left in his care by the largest dragon he had ever seen. Agreeing to raise and protect the as yet unhatched egg, his hopes to become a dragonrider once more blossom, but again, fate intervenes. When the young dragon hatches, Daxon's world is turned upside down and thrown into chaos. After learning of a mysterious orb and the possibility that it might hold all the dragonrider's dragons in thrall, he is determined to not let the same fate befall his young charge. He must find a way to protect the hatchling from the fate of the other dragons and a way off of Daegonlot before it's too late.

When John Corwin embarked on his new life, building a campground, he had no idea what awaited him. Running from his past and trying to control his future, he would find love, adventure and the answers to life that others only dreamed about. Along the way, he would have to fight against an evil that wanted to take away everything. There are answers in the Mist. But they come with a price.A dark future awaits...After a decade of storms, disease, drought, and riots, the US conquers its troubles by militarizing its government. Old democratic allies in Europe respond uneasily to the change.in 2055 Arinna and Michael Prescot are just two of the many former soldiers sent to foreign embassies in the hopes of strengthening faltering US alliances. But as the US becomes embroiled in new internal terrorism, its agents in Europe are offered intimidation and lies rather than explanations. And the price of seeking the truth to events back home is steep.As the growing conflict in the US threatens the peace of Europe and tips the world toward World War III, choices of loyalty need to be made - if Michael and Arinna can determine who to trust and if the price of their help is worth the cost. Global events hinge on a few individuals as an apocalyptic war threatens Europe, and no one is more unprepared than its potential saviors.Stories from the War consists of eleven interlinked short stories that are a prelude to the military dystopian thriller trilogy Friends of my Enemy.Set in Europe, this near future fiction series of novels unfolds through the intersecting lives of a small handful of people and explores adult themes, both dark and hopeful, of friendship, romance, and family, including how these influences direct everyday choices which ripple outwards to impact governments on the verge of an apocalypse. Because not all influence is good, and not all decisions can be made in time.What readers are saying:“Part one of what appears to be an interesting tale of tangled relationships and covert happenings in a future earth torn asunder with riots and natural disasters. Strong characterization and believable scenarios coupled with a setting that is thought provoking and entertaining. I want to read the next one. Check this story out!” - J.Williams 4 stars“Autumn has done it again. This book will grab you and carry you from beginning to end without a moment of boredom. Think of the quotation "The Enemy of my enemy is my friend" and you gain some insight into the substance of the story. I normally like Fantasy Adventure, but this novel was a great walk through something a little different. Can't recommend it enough.” - Victor 5 stars

Two university graduates celebrate by climbing Mr. Rainier in 1965. They are quietly visited by aliens who seem very friendly. The information that comes is fascinating and believable. In my first part, our couple feels safe and secure with warm feeling of the future, but can an alien culture really be trusted?Ultimate voyagers created to explore the deepest depths of space encounter ultimate celestials ...An ultimate voyager explores deep space and discovers an extraterrestrial signal and traces its origins to a desolate ice world where it encounters a hideous devil-like life form presence, and an ultimate voyager leaves space and time and encounters one of the deadliest menaces of all creation ...An ultimate hyperdrive voyager is created to explore the universe and in the depths of deep space the crew discover an extraterrestrial signal and trace its origins to a desolate ice world where they encounter a hideous devil-like life form presence, with supernatural powers, which starts killing them to get the voyager, which it could use to locate and destroy the Earth, and in the end they leave the universe when their entrance to hyperspace goes wrong, and in the depths of a minding-bending universe discover a world with strange transcendents, where phenomena of unknown origins exists!Another ultimate voyager leaves space and time after it encounters one of the deadliest menaces of all creation, hidden away in a colossal void since the dawn of time, and on a world in the depths of a new minding-bending universe encounter another of the deadliest menaces in existence, which travels through time and has supernatural origins!

A book of poems by three different creatures, er, people. (Myself -- Artemis Vega, Obidiah Winston, and RR Turock)Some are religious, others are nature, and most are just life-ness“A Life For Sale” is a dark and moving poem about a woman with a final, mournful wish for the living, told through the guise of an estate sale. A special link to a recording of the author reading this poem is available in the back of this short eBook. From the author: “This piece came to me out of nowhere while I was in the middle of preparing for a cross-country move. I sat down with a powerful sense of sorrow I couldn’t shake, and a poem (of all things!) formed on the pages. "Between you and me, it’s the only poem I’ve written and actually liked (and I’ve written quite a few that will never see the light of day). It’s a fun side-project. Poems aren’t something I will release very often, or maybe ever again, but I hope you connect with this glimpse into another side of my writing. Enjoy.

Book 1 of the 5 book "Reality" series of science fiction books authored by D.P. AllenThis is Book 1 of the 5 book "Reality" series of science fiction books.What does a 20th century man have in common with 16th century Spanish conquistadors and the Bermuda Triangle? How can one man survive, resist the chance to be a god and lead an entire people to freedom? Mike is about to find out who he is and what he is. He is about to push himself and an entire race to the limits of physical and mental endurance. Somewhere along the way he'll discover his innermost desires and the rewards they can bring. That is, of course, if he can survive long enough to see them happen! Sail to a land that is both familiar and foreign and begin an adventure that no one could ever imagine.

William Shakespeare's comedy Love's Labours Lost is edited with an introduction by John Kerrigan in Penguin Shakespeare. 'What fool is not so wise To lose an oath to win a paradise?' Ferdinand, King of Navarre and his lords Berowne, Dumaine, and Longaville agree to form an austere academy, taking a solemn to have no contact with women for three years. But when the Princess of neighbouring France arrives with her female attendants, their pledge is quickly placed under strain. Soon all are in smitten and confusion abounds, as each struggles to secretly declare his love in this comedy of deception, desire and mistaken identity. This book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Love's Labours Lost, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary. William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was born to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden some time in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote about 38 plays (the precise number is uncertain), many of which are regarded as the most exceptional works of drama ever produced, including Romeo and Juliet (1595), Henry V (1599), Hamlet (1601), Othello (1604), King Lear (1606) and Macbeth (1606), as well as a collection of 154 sonnets, which number among the most profound and influential love-poetry in English. If you enjoyed Love's Labours Lost, you might like The Merry Wives of Windsor, also available in Penguin Shakespeare. 'The most beautiful of Shakespeare's comedies' Kenneth Branagh

Life in Ibiza can be glorious and fast, especially for those who have money. Sarah Cassells is an intelligent girl and has many admirers. Having completed her training as a chef, she hears of her father's violent death on the island, and refuses to believe it when told it was suicide.

Almost everyone, at some time, dreams of being the hidden king or queen of a far-off land. Almost everyone dreams that someday that secret identity will be revealed, heralding a new life filled with magic and power and love. Teenager Ali Warner has good reason to believe in such a fantasy. While hiking in the woods behind her house, Ali stumbles across a plot by the elementals--mysterious creatures who live in a neighboring dimension--to invade and destroy the Earth. Not only that, she discovers that she has been chosen to stop the attack. Why Ali? It is very possible that she is more than human . . . Eager to earn her magical abilities and learn her true identity, Ali sets out on a great adventure. The journey will take her far from home and through a series of dangerous tests that require not only courage and strength, but an insight into life itself. Accompanied by a devious leprechaun, a loyal troll, and three close friends, Ali strives to reach the top of a forbidden mountain and lay claim to the Yanti, an ancient talisman of great power that even the elementals cannot control.

Two irresistible boys. One unforgettable summer. Lori can’t wait for her summer at the lake. She loves wakeboarding and hanging with her friends—including the two hotties next door. With the Vader brothers, she's always been just one of the guys. Now that she’s turning sixteen, she wants to be seen as one of the girls, especially in the eyes of Sean, the older brother. But that’s not going to happen—not if the younger brother, Adam, can help it. Lori plans to make Sean jealous by spending time with Adam. Adam has plans of his own for Lori. As the air heats up, so does this love triangle. Will Lori’s romantic summer melt into one hot mess?

From the Pulitzer Prize winner: a journey through mid-century America, as lived by the extraordinary Langdon family we first met in Some Luck, a national best seller published to rave reviews from coast to coast. **Early Warning opens in 1953 with the Langdons at a crossroads. Their stalwart patriarch Walter, who with his wife had sustained their Iowa farm for three decades, has suddenly died, leaving their five children looking to the future. Only one will remain to work the land, while the others scatter to Washington, DC, California, and everywhere in between. As the country moves out of postwar optimism through the Cold War, the social and sexual revolutions of the 1960s and '70s, and then into the unprecedented wealth—for some—of the early '80s, the Langdon children will have children of their own: twin boys who are best friends and vicious rivals; a girl whose rebellious spirit takes her to the notorious Peoples Temple in San Francisco; and a golden boy who drops out of college to fight in Vietnam—leaving behind a secret legacy that will send shockwaves through the Langdon family into the next generation. Capturing an indelible period in America through the lens of richly drawn characters we come to know and love, Early Warning is an engrossing, beautifully told story of the challenges—and rich rewards—of family and home, even in the most turbulent of times.

Thor, the Norse god of thunder, is worse than a blowhard and a bully—he’s ruined countless lives and killed scores of innocents. After centuries, Viking vampire Leif Helgarson is ready to get his vengeance, and he’s asked his friend Atticus O’Sullivan, the last of the Druids, to help take down this Norse nightmare. One survival strategy has worked for Atticus for more than two thousand years: stay away from the guy with the lightning bolts. But things are heating up in Atticus’s home base of Tempe, Arizona. There’s a vampire turf war brewing, and Russian demon hunters who call themselves the Hammers of God are running rampant. Despite multiple warnings and portents of dire consequences, Atticus and Leif journey to the Norse plain of Asgard, where they team up with a werewolf, a sorcerer, and an army of frost giants for an epic showdown against vicious Valkyries, angry gods, and the hammer-wielding Thunder Thug himself.

After adopting an orphan human boy, the First Herd is finally ready to make the treacherous journey across the mountains to find the Sweet Grass that promises survival. But when their leader, Estrella, is captured by cruel men, it delivers a blow to the very heart of the herd. If the horses turn back, they'll never make it across the mountains before winter. But if they leave Estrella in captivity, the wild-born filly will surely perish. This conclusion to Kathryn Lasky's Horses of the Dawn trilogy will make your heart beat to the rhythm of thundering hooves, leaving you breathless as you join the herd's final fight for freedom.

Welcome to Nvengaria, a land where magic happens, shape-shifters are real, and fairy tales come true. England 1819 Wallflower Penelope Trask believes nothing will ever happen in her village of Little Marching, Oxfordshire. Handsome princes only sweep in and carry off innocent maidens in the fairy tales she collects, never in real life. Prince Damien of Nvengaria is tired of living inside a fairy tale. His entire life has been ruled by prophecy, magic, and avoiding being assassinated by his mad father and the head of the Council of Dukes. When his father dies, he inherits a kingdom divided, his opposition led by Grand Duke Alexander, who will do anything to keep the monster's son from ruling Nvengaria. To make good his claim to the throne, Damien must fulfill a prophecy that reunites the lines of the original two princes of Nvengaria, best friends who'd carved a kingdom out of wild lands near the Transylvanian mountains. Damien's task—to bring back the Princess of Nvengaria, her line lost centuries ago. The price of disappointing the people, Alexander promises, will be Damien's execution. Damien tracks down the long-lost princess to the village of Little Marching in England, where nothing remotely interesting ever happens. He will have to convince the lovely Penelope that he is no charlatan, and that Damien's life and his kingdom depends on her facing danger with him. Along the way, the prophecy says, they will fall in love. And the prophecy is never wrong ... Note: The Nvengaria series is paranormal historical, the books loosely based on well-known fairy tales: Penelope and Prince Charming—Cinderella The Mad, Bad Duke—Beauty and the Beast Highlander Ever After—Snow White and the Seven … Highlanders The Longest Night—Little Red Riding Hood (and the Big, Bad Wolf)

In ROCKET SCIENCE, Jay Lake's first novel, Vernon Dunham's friend Floyd Bellamy has returned to Augusta, Kansas after serving in World War II, but he hasn't come back empty-handed: he's stolen a super-secret aircraft right from under the Germans. Vernon doesn't think it's your ordinary run-of-the-mill aircraft. For one thing, it's been buried under the Arctic ice for hundreds of years. When it actually starts talking to him, he realizes it doesn't belong in Kansas-or anywhere on Earth. The problem is, a lot of folks know about the ship and are out to get it, including the Nazis, the U.S. Army-and that's just for starters. Vernon has to figure out how to communicate with the ship and unravel its secrets before everyone catches up with him. If he ends up dead, and the ship falls into the wrong hands, it won't take a rocket scientist to predict the fate of humanity.