A young woman is so desperate to overcome her phobias that she decides to undergo hypnosis. Her chosen hypnotist cures all phobias... and then some.THIS IS A SHORT STORY OF APPROX. 5,000 WORDS.Claire knows only a world where most of humanity lives inside sparsely populated cities protected from the Outside by guarded walls. She is a new Driver whose job is to transport items between these cities. Under the watchful eye of her Protector, Shaun, Claire makes her first run from San Jose to Angel City to bring back medicine needed to save hundreds of lives. However, the trip takes them through the dangerous land of the Outsiders. Using their skills, Claire and Shaun must escape from their armed pursuers in a chase across miles of barren wasteland with no hope of help.

Driven by his burning desire to see people living above ground again, Paul is relentless in his quest to find the old satellites he'd read about in his grandfather's old diary. However he gets a bit more than he bargained for when he comes face to face with the impossible and gets an offer he can't possible refuse. Or can he?There are people who dream, and then there is people who dream and act on it. Paul is such a guy. Driven by his burning desire to see people living above ground again, he is relentless in his quest to find the old satellites he'd read about in his grandfather's old diary. Despite the lack of support by the underground community, he spends as much time he can above ground, as much as the UV and his suit will allow. However he gets a bit more than he bargained for when he comes face to face with the impossible and gets an offer he can't possible refuse. Or can he?

Clarity Nice and her friend, ethnographer Flower Parkwood, work in a village in Campeche, Mexico, where Flower´s boss, egyptologist Akhris Zephairi, hopes to find authentic Mayan archaeological ruins which will stand along a gambling resort sponsoring his work. When Flower stumbles upon the Mayan site, Clarity helps the head of the village, in stopping the presence of the new gambling resort.Teleoperator Clarity Nice and her friend ethnographer Flower Parkwood, reach the picturesque village of Miradorcito in the state of Campeche in Mexico. Brought to Campeche in a colorful guagua after a brief vacation in Cancun following the exposure of alcohol traffic in the British Virgin Islands (The Sugar Baby), Clarity works alongside Flower in an archaeological site to make some pocket money, using Flower's 'permiso de arqueologia', an observation and archaeological dig permit granted by Flower's boss, Egyptian egyptologist Akhris Zephairi. Zephairi's Alabastriah Foundation, funded by the Museum of Cairo, and its partner, a shady real estate developement company from Belize, Mangrove Barrier Resorts, are looking for new areas to dig in Miradorcito, and are out to invest a pile of cash.In agreement with Zephairi, the man behind the strategy to throw out of the village all the inhabitants of Miradorcito, the head of the real estate company, his accomplice Lever Fahibian, makes an offer to the elderly head of the village, Ms. Morales, to buy the land of her ancestors, in order to let Zephairi seek an obscure assortment of Mayan ruins buried under Miradorcito for centuries. Using a local authorization from the governor of Campeche, which grants Zephairi a permit to dig under Miradorcito, the egyptologist razes part of the village, insisting on building on the village site a gambling resort similar to those found in Belize. Backed by Zephairi, Fahibian uses the permit granted to build a Mayan historical village along the gambling resort, that will bring new tourist business to the area. Ms Morales can count on no one except Clarity and a toucan which has been passed on by her ancestors, to save the village from the jaws of Zephairi, who wants ownership of Miradorcito's land as a source of revenue for the Museum of Cairo, and has agreed with local politicians to get the traditional Mexican village relocated to Egypt.

Dino's girlfriend won't give him what he wants. Jonathon is afraid of what his mates will think of the girl he likes. And Ben is having extra lessons from his sexy teacher. Three seventeen-year-old boys discover sex for the first time: but do they really know what they're doing?

Scotch Rising follows the story of English soldier Esmond Clyde-Dalton as he investigates the murders of two men in the Highlands of Scotland in 1707. Along the way he will be joined by a colourful array of friends as he untangles a dangerous Jacobite plot.Edinburgh 1707. The English supporters in the Scottish parliament have narrowly signed the Act of Union. The controversial paper bringing England and Scotland together into one Great Britain will not be uncontested. From the Acts inception it appears doomed to carry the blood of Scots and Englishman alike. Esmond Clyde-Dalton returns to London a broken man after his wife’s death. He only seeks a dishonorable discharge. His superior Colonel Manner’s, known for his extensive spy network, has other plans. Sent to the highlands of Scotland to become an excise collector on Scotch. Esmond quickly becomes embroiled in solving the murders of two Scots men. As his investigation continues, Esmond soon realises life in Markinch is not all it seems. Esmond’s peaceful retirement turns to a fight to save not only his life, but also the lives of friends he has made in the highlands.

Uplifting! Heartbreaking! Each and All is the story of the baby boom generation. An urban family of 3 coming apart as they defend themselves from each other’s needs is taken in by a rural family of 14 adopted children who show them the power and beauty of common work and shared purpose. Hands to work, hearts to family. These are deep love stories that show the human heart need not be an island.Set in 1999 before their children took modern culture from them the way they took it from their parents, Each and All is a novel that shows the best and worst of what the baby boom generation has done to modern life. How they have changed the meaning of love, marriage, parenting, sexuality, material desire and ambition, art, culture and the meaning of work, and social responsibility, it is all here in intertwined love stories that cross generations and class. The generation that set communication and self-realization as the foundation of personal fulfillment, came to face the ultimate irony that they had created lives where every heart is an island facing loneliness, loss and a bitter isolation that comes with uncompromising demands for autonomy. One such little family on the brink of collapse is taken in by a rural family of 14 adopted children that has defied the momentum of pure individualism and created a way to live that binds those it touches in ways that affirm the deepest satisfactions of human purpose and shared commitment. In love and loss, strength and weakness, ambition and disappointment, one powerful family expressing an irrepressible enthusiasm for life has created a secular Shaker model of life where every individual can find meaning in the context of something greater than the self. Bring a big supply of tissues if you are at all vulnerable to tears of joy, tears of sadness, tears of pity and tears of loss. This is a book that can change a reader’s heart the way so many are changed in its beautiful pages.

"Your song, that's right. Such a clever little girl, now mind your manners and don't interrupt. As I was saying, no two songs are ever the same, the experiences we go through moulding the medley that becomes our own and my brother, well, he likes to collect these songs."Join Polly as she is thrust into a world of magic and song. An adventure of self-discovery, courage and friendship."Your song, that's right. Such a clever little girl, now mind your manners and don't interrupt. As I was saying, no two songs are ever the same, the experiences we go through moulding the medley that becomes our own and my brother, well, he likes to collect these songs."Each and every one of us is born with our own unique song. Music that twists and twirls around our destiny. Polly wakes one morning to find her song has become particularly attractive to an ancient evil. Join Polly as she is thrust into a world of magic and song and embark on an adventure of self-discovery, courage and friendship. A journey that sees her flee from an ancient evil that threatens to steal her very soul.

This tale is the end. It is the story of the death of a person in After World. Terry and Sylvia have worked together and done a miracle of medical science. They have cloned Terry and transferred his memories. Mess with nature and death soon follows. This is the tale of Terry's death.Seek not pleasure or fancy beyond this point. These stories are not for everyone and I would warn against those that are faint of heart from continuing. The deaths contained in these stories are no pretty, glamorized, or funny. They are detailed and raw.A Death in Afterworld is a short story series that focuses on the death of a person in the After World universe. Pitfalls, deaths, and murder are commonplace and are a means of survival for others.Death is final. Death is abrupt. Death is the end of one’s story. Now these people get their last story told before the book is closed on them.

A young mage ventures with his master to a hidden temple to spar in his mastery test. Using a mix of martial arts and elemental magic, the examinees must face one another in the combat arena.What would you do if you were adopted by a dragon? When ten-year-old orphan James nearly drowns in a bog, he finds himself rescued by Farloft, a centuries old dragon with a glittering collection of treasures and an even richer collection of stories. But, dragons and boys are not meant to live together – or are they? When Laval – a wizard harboring a secret hatred for Farloft finds out about James, he sees his chance for revenge.

In the hush sleepy town of Rosewood Creek on the outskirts of London, Suzanne Edwards, a young and vibrant girl struggles coming to terms with the sudden disappearance of her best friend, Melissa Andrews. Follow along on this streamline novella to discover the challenges, heartaches and horrors that emanate from the quest to uncover the events that follow.In the hush sleepy town of Rosewood Creek on the outskirts of London, Suzanne Edwards, a young and vibrant girl struggles coming to terms with the sudden disappearance of her best friend, Melissa Andrews. Follow along on this streamline novella to discover the challenges, heartaches and horrors that emanate from the quest to uncover the events that follow. With deep seated mystery, this novella will keep you captivated by the intense situations that unfold and the development of an obsessive and demented character. Who will solve the mystery behind the tragic events happening in this little town?

Meet the three little pigs appearing as workers in modern day office! The story & illustration by 4th grade girls, begins with the pigs dealing with a bad boss. The situation worsens considerably and any recovery from here is left to the little pig. He has to transform itself from being timid & shy to being a successful friend maker and a daring adventurer. Read the book to find out more!The 4 authors, Aparna Srinidhi, Divya, Nora & Weitong, all fourth grade girls, take the readers in an enthralling journey involving the famous three little pigs who made their debut in the Nursery Rhymes and Nursery Tales written by James Orchard Halliwell Phillipps. In this variation, the three little pigs appear as modern day office workers. As is typical in many offices, the nicest of nice pigs have to put up with a difficult situation, thanks to a big, bad manager, Samson.In a quick turn of events, the situation transforms from bad to worse. This transformation results in two of the pigs being eaten by the manager. The third piggy manages to escape the fate of the elder pigs. The little pig has to transform itself from being timid and shy to being a successful friend maker and a daring adventurer.It all starts with one thing: the little pig's determination to make things better. It finds support from none other than Little Red Riding Hood. While having an extra pair of hands will be helpful, it is not going to be easy! They have to overcome their weakness and come out of their comfort zones...Enjoy the story and the illustrations that form an integral part of the book!!!!!

Kaela is a princess of Kalepo, a kingdom that resides on a plateau above the Ethereal Plains. Her father just died, but she has little time to mourn his passing as a similarly dreary fate awaits her: exile from the kingdom by her sister Mariam, who has been crowned queen. Though sad, Kaela has the strength to push on, derived from a secret whispered to her in private by her father on his deathbed.Kaela is a princess of Kalepo, a kingdom that resides on a plateau above the Ethereal Plains. Her father, the king, has just died, but she has little time to mourn his passing as a similarly dreary fate awaits her. Because of an old tradition, she is to be exiled the moment her sister Mariam is crowned queen. For the sake of mercy, Kaela is granted seven days of amnesty so that she can climb into the mountains above the city safely away from the kingdom's guards. But instead of using those seven days to get ahead, she camps just above the city and prolongs her goodbye. But the seven days have now passed, and Kaela must escape the guards who now pursue her deep into the mountains.The Outcast and the Survivor is a chapter-series that follows Kaela, a princess of the mythical kingdom of Kalepo. After her father's sudden death, Kaela is exiled from the kingdom by her older sister Mariam, who claims their father's throne within moments of his passing. By being made an outcast, Kaela is forced not only to say goodbye to her homeland, but also to all of civilization. Kalepo is known only to itself, meaning that Kaela should expect to find a world devoid of humanity beyond the kingdom's borders, but because of something her father whispered to her on his deathbed, she knows that there is more out there, a world of dark secrets for her to discover. The Outcast and the Survivor is released one chapter at a time at the start of each month. There were times in the past when writers would release stories as a series, often for newspapers or magazines. It's not much different from TV series in that each chapter often has its own sort of conclusion, though the larger story is not completed until the end. The series is being written with the intent of ending it at chapter 36, which is scheduled for December of 2017, though this could change as the story develops.

Albino and ugly Maggie Turner vows to avenge her brothers. The village of Dry Acre does nothing to bring her brothers' murderers to justice. Even Maggie's father does little to stop the killing of his sons. So Maggie shapes the symbols of her family's dark magics in the dust, and in doing so, releases a swarm of wrath that sentences her to ever onward step a dark and blighted path.Maggie Turner is a daughter of a bone-shaker, and thus her family knows a nomadic existence. The settlement of Dry Acre shuns the ugly, albino Maggie and her brothers for the dark arts it is rumored their father practices. Rancher Randolph Harlington murders four of seven Turner brothers, and Maggie can only curse as Dry Acre does nothing to protect her surviving family. So Maggie turns to the only power that might protect her brothers, tracing strange geometries in the dust that pulsate with a wicked magic when her only friends ask for her help. Maggie summons the swarm, and the arriving blight forces her father to unleash the most terrible of his powers and sets Maggie upon a bone-shaker's path. The dead Turner brothers will have their revenge, and even the deadliest of gunslingers tremble as darkness chokes Dry Acre.

Modern soon-to-be college freshmen Melanie Geyer discovers she has the rare and amazing ability to Jump - time travel - between two times other than her own. One is Victorian England, the other a space station orbiting a devastated Earth far in the future. As more and more complications come to light, Melanie finds herself faced with an agonizing choice.Modern soon-to-be college freshmen Melanie Geyer discovers she has the rare and amazing ability to Jump - time travel - between two times other than her own. One is Victorian England, the other a space station orbiting a devastated Earth far in the future. As more and more complications come to light, Melanie finds herself faced with an agonizing choice.An 11,000 word digital exclusive from Loyalty Press and Karen Lofgren, author of the urban fantasy Imagine Someday and the epic space opera saga The Souls of the Stars.

Life on the road as a truck driver can be boring at times, but when bad things keep happening wherever you go, things are anything but boring. After stumbling across a murdered couple in a car one night, everywhere Joe goes, murders occur. Will he survive the long haul, or will the killer catch up to him?A long haul trucker's life is a very nomadic, lonely life. Life on the road can be boring at times, but when bad things keep happening wherever you go, things are anything but boring. One night on a lonely stretch of highway, Joe nearly hits a car parked on the highway. When he stops to help, he discovers a grizzly murder. After reporting the crime, he notices that people are being killed wherever he goes. Is the killer toying with him? Will he be next? Follow Joe as things quickly spin out of control and the body count gets bigger and bigger while he tries to deliver his load.

Welcome to the world of the Bootlegacy, where innocence meets the danger, intrigue and excess of 1920s organized crime.Good girl Sadie McKay is bored with her monotonous life. One night, she and her best friend set out to find some excitement, and it only takes a taste of the forbidden speakeasy for Sadie to fall head over heels. Of course, spotting the mystery man with his haunting good looks, all decked out in his three-piece suit and fedora, doesn’t hurt either. After a little of the joint’s famous liquid courage, she even works up the nerve to approach him, or, you know, run smack dab into him due to a little self-inflicted clumsiness. What Sadie doesn’t know is that the infamous gangsters of Chicago have moved in to her sleepy town, and she finds out too late, after she’s already smitten (not to mention trapped in a hidden underground tunnel), that her perfect Frankie is one of the wise guys. She soon finds herself immersed in the secrets and betrayal of organized crime, and when the bullets start flying, the excitement she was hoping to find, suddenly becomes more dangerous than she could have imagined. Welcome to the world of the Bootlegacy , where innocence meets the danger, intrigue and excess of 1920s organized crime.

Sarah has been an angel all year, and Santa still didn't bring her exactly what she wanted! This is the final straw. She decides to send one more letter to Santa: to tell him she is suing him! What will Saint Nick do?'Sarah Sues Santa' is the delightfully festive Christmas tale from P.J. Leonard, author of Kickstarter campaign success 'Tick' and 'Kami'.From P.J. Leonard, author of Kickstarter campaign success 'Tick' and 'Kami' comes this delightfully festive and thought-provoking Christmas Tale: 'Sarah Sues Santa'.Sarah Pebbleton has been an angel all year, and Santa still didn't bring her exactly what she wanted! This is the final straw. She decides to send one more letter to Santa: to tell him she'll be suing him. What happens next sets Sarah off on a journey to three very different houses where Christmas is celebrated very differently, and she learns the most important lessons of her life about the Christmas spirit and fairness...'Sarah Sues Santa' is inspired by P.J. Leonard's love for the season, and is offered for FREE as a Christmas gift to you!

Cutter is an Australian soldier finishing his tour of duty in Iraq. All he wants to do is get home to his wife and daughter in Sydney. But when his family become innocent victims in an underworld turf war, and the police are too gutless to act, Cutter takes the law into his own hands. When there are no rules there is only Vengeance: Cutter's Law by James HopwoodJudge, Jury and Executioner!Remember the men's action adventure stories of the '70s and '80s? Did you thrill to the blood and thunder exploits of the Executioner, the Death Merchant and the Penetrator? Now author James Hopwood introduces readers to Nathan Cutter in Hopwood's Pro Se Single Shot Signature Series- Vengeance. In Cutter's Law, the debut digital single in the series, Cutter is an Australian soldier finishing his tour of duty in Iraq. All he wants to do is get home to his wife and daughter in Sydney. But when his family become innocent victims in an underworld turf war, and the police are too gutless to act, Cutter takes the law into his own hands. When there are no rules there is only Vengeance: Cutter's Law by James Hopwood.

"Uncle Ezra," as he was known, the 90-year-old semi-retired cemetery caretaker, has one real friend--the cat called Blackie. When Halloween came around, Uncle Ezra would do his best to keep the vandals out of the cemetery. At his age, however, Ezra is too old to chase them away as he once did, but Blackie is there to help him--as only Blackie can.Cynnes Tarth has a secret. The people have forgotten what lies within the fog, but they do remember to be careful. Don't let the children play too much in warmlake. Don't go into the forest. Most of all, don't show any interest in the brinlins that live among the reeds. But Marim, a young Tessilar stranded on the island, doesn't know the rules. In hopes of establishing herself as a healer, she agrees to see a boy who is wasting away no matter how much he eats. When she recognizes his affliction as magical in nature, she must deduce what no one can tell her if she hopes to save his life.

Nebb Tuk is a down on his luck musician who gets the biggest offer of his life, to perform on a TV show that showcases mutants like him. But will he take the money and fame he is being offered or view the show itself as pandering to those who are different?Nebb Tuk has lived a hard life. He is a musician who has had every problem thrown at him and persevered because of his music. Due to a medical experiment that he volunteered for (in exchange for drug money) years ago, Nebb has bat-like wings coming out of his shoulder blades. This puts him on the radar of the producers of a very special TV show called Dookimon that showcases mutants like him. But will newly-sober Nebb take the money and fame that he is being offered? Will he view the show as a great outlet for the unique to shine or as pandering to those who are different?