ABOUT the middle of the last century, at eight o'clock in the evening, in a large but poor apartment, a man was slumbering on a rough couch. His rusty and worn suit of black was of a piece with his uncarpeted room, the deal table of home manufacture, and its slim unsnuffed candle. The man was Triplet, scene painter, actor and writer of sanguinary plays, in which what ought to be, viz., truth, plot, situation and dialogue, were not; and what ought not to be, were—scilicet, small talk, big talk, fops, ruffians, and ghosts. His three mediocrities fell so short of one talent that he was sometimes impransus.

Herein lies the first chapters by Students just starting the journey of their first novels.This anthology contains new writing from new writers.

CIRCLES OF FEAR is about family feuds, music, romance, love, sex, crime, corruption, murder, politics, wealth, power and the battle of Armageddon.CIRCLES OF FEAR is about family feuds, music, love, sex, crime, corruption, murder, politics, wealth, power and the battle of Armageddon. Author Brian Cain has played blues harmonica for fifty years, sung and fronted boogied blues bands for thirty five years. During this time he witnessed blues guitar players being exploited, shafted, robbed and usually thrown on the scrap heap. Sometimes he watched as they argued with venue managers of over a few lousy bucks.Author Brian Cain has made a blues guitar player the most powerful person in the universe in a tale of the battle of Armageddon at the turn of the second millennium. The extreme character of Jason Brinkly is one blues guitar player who has a win.A feel good story as he battles the normal boredom, come fun life in a band, and is thrown to the lions of darkness in the conflict of Armageddon. Carrying the sword of the cross from a most unlikely source he must rise from boredom, fight through disaster, wrangle with stardom, and confront power, kicking arse all the way. Where will this lead and can a humble blues guitarist overcome such odds?

The thief turned killer, the determined young bounty hunter, the City Guard who want him to fail.An Ilvenworld novella of 27 thousand words, sequel to "Gifted Apprentice".Sallis ti Ath is in Marka, driven to make a name for himself and be the best bounty hunter. The city's wealthy are plagued by a series of thefts and now the thief has committed murder.Sallis claims he will succeed where all others have failed and swears to bring the thief to face justice. But the young bounty hunter quickly learns that, not only do some want to see him fall, but there is much more to his commission than he realized.

"IT'S GOING TO BE WOOF-ONDERFUL!" There is nothing Nicky wants more in the world than a dog to play with. But Mum and Dad don't want a dog. Then Grandad has an idea - he and Nicky can make a dog: a snow-dome dog. Even better, he has some special clay, found at the end of a rainbow, so that the dog will be extra-special. Maybe even magic . . .

The best gunwoman in the Solar System comes looking for Ghaavn, to settle an old slight. The only man with a chance to beat her is another of Ghaavn’s enemies. The only problem is that he is also dead!A series planetary romance.Bulays and Ghaavn #12Clarissa Farrell awakens one morning with the certain knowledge that a friend has died. Was it a coincidental dream or precognition? Investigating the phenomena leads to recognizing more of her own uncanny perceptions. But when a reporter interested in her story turns out to have fraudulent motives, she is left to question all of her new found abilities. Looking ahead, she faces a choice: retreat to her old safe ruts or jettison her middle aged holding pattern.

Someone's set a treacherous trap for Alec and his horse...

Shasta and Adrian met and fell in love under far from normal circumstances. Pride has kept them apart. Can love give them a second chance?Shasta and Adrian met and fell in love under far from normal circumstances. When Shasta left for collage they broke up. Shasta now has a secret that has kept her from Adrian for years. When Adrian is hurt in a serious accident Shasta rushes to his side. Now she must face him and her past. Will Adrian be able to forgive her? Can they find a second chance at love?

What if:You had 20 minutes to live?Your tranquil Amish community was invaded by vampires?You were buried alive?World War I never happened?You fell asleep and couldn’t wake up?These are a few of the possibilities presented in this collection of 12 short stories by speculative fiction author Glen Robinson.What if:You returned from war only to discover that your childhood sweetheart is with your mortal enemy?Your tranquil Amish community was invaded by vampires?You were committed to a mental institution, only to have your nightmares follow you?You fell asleep and couldn’t wake up?The resort you chose for spring break turned out to be something horribly different?You had 20 minutes to live?You were buried alive?World War I never happened?You fell in love with a painting?These are a few of the possibilities presented in this collection of 12 short stories by speculative fiction author Glen Robinson. Some will startle, some will mystify, but all are guaranteed to make you think.

Exiled from the planet he liberated, by the Federation he founded, for crimes committed in a previous life, Guardian Ford must embark on his most challenging mission yet. Steal a ship, recruit a crew, uncover the shocking truth behind the 'Meat Run' and deal with arch nemesis Jasper. But nothing is as it seems, even AI's have hidden agendas and everything including freedom comes with a price.Exiled from the planet he liberated, by the Federation he founded, for crimes committed in a previous life, Guardian Ford must embark on his most challenging mission yet. Steal a ship, recruit a crew, uncover the shocking truth behind the 'Meat Run' and deal with arch nemesis Jasper. But nothing is as it seems, even AI's have hidden agendas and everything including freedom comes with a price.Liberating their planet was the easy part. Cast adrift in a dark and dangerous universe Ford and his crew, old and new, are about to discover just how deadly it can be. The once mighty Malstrom corporation has retreated to its core worlds to make one last desperate stand against it rivals. While the quasi-religious cult the Brethren offers salvation from the fall of humankind for those deemed credit worthy and Raiders prey on the those seeking refuge from the ensuing chaos. Against them all one crew and one ship stand for justice, a beacon of hope in the night

On Nevin Reasoner's last day as a college lecturer, he meets a peculiar small man dressed in tunic and breeches. Anson claims he is a “mage” from a place Nevin cannot find on any map. Following some inspiring and amusing experiences, Nevin agrees to help. Magery and scientific acumen are needed to overcome obstacles and pacify the warring kingdoms.Book 1 of The Chronicles of Nevin Reasoner introduces the title character. Nevin Reasoner never completed an advanced degree because he wanted freedom to explore the sciences without pedantic constraints. As a result, he lost his job as a Lecturer at Hempstead College. On his last day, he discovered a peculiar small man in his office recovering from a physical assault. Anson, dressed in tunic and breeches, claimed he was a “mage” from a place Nevin could not find on any map. Anson pleaded for help in ending persecution, anarchy and devastation in his land.Nevin refused to believe that magery existed beyond sleight-of-hand, superstition, or rational explanations—until he was shamed for his own scientific chauvinism. Following some inspiring and amusing experiences, Nevin agreed to help Anson and together they contrived a plan. After a deliverance to Antrim by extraordinary means, Nevin gradually sorted out the scientific plausibility for the spellwork he witnessed and helped carry out. After all, he saw nothing supernatural, no talking animals, and no items created out of nothing. The mage and the “sage” teamed up with a soldier for a so-called alliance for Antrim. Both magery and scientific acumen would be needed to supplement their courage in overcoming obstacles to pacify the warring kingdoms. Sometimes they had to deal with physical altercations, forcing Nevin to use his relatively large size in an unfamiliar role as a fighter. Unfortunately, another stranger to the land brought science for nefarious uses to aide one side with impending tragic results. Forced to add a high-born woman to their troupe, they put their plan into action to turn the tide of war.Book 2 of The Chronicles of Nevin Reasoner picks up the story when they must face the destructive effects of science gone wild.

Three Worlds are dependent on each other, Earth, Shenka and Grafflin, but Shenka is in danger of destruction as the sorrows of Earth are gradually encroaching on it's borders. Two Earth children may be able to save them all but that will need the protection of two Shenkans, Belle who will protect the girl Joni and Henderson who job is to protect George. Everything that happens is for a reason.A Fantasy novel with a difference, there are no long journeys or quests to find an amulet or other such treasure, no magicians or wizards; but strange things do happen.Everyone on Earth has a Guardian, but not everyone can recognize them, but others have known them all their lives. Two children who are bought together by a twist of fate are so important to the existence of Shenka that two of Shenka's own are sent to protect them.A snowflake falling in the summer, followed by the scream of a woman and a cry of a baby, fractures the border between Shenka and Earth, the race is now on to find the source.

The warrior-mage Chelinn and his friend Lodrán have visited many strange places. But when a curse goes awry, sending them to a place where mundane devices have supplanted magic, nothing is familiar at first.The Crossover transports classic fantasy characters into a modern-day setting. Neither Earth nor Termag will ever be the same!The warrior-mage Chelinn and his friend Lodrán have visited many strange places. But when a curse goes awry, sending them to a place where mundane devices have supplanted magic, nothing is familiar at first. Then, after rescuing a merchant, they find themselves embroiled in a far more dangerous situation.As hundreds of lives hang in the balance, two heroes and their new friends must use all their talents to foil an evil plot—and survive until they can catch a rainbow and return home.The Crossover transports classic fantasy characters into a modern-day setting. Neither Earth nor Termag will ever be the same!

The talent God gave her makes her an outcast. Mary Kincaid has a gift, a healing touch. Once a street urchin, Mary was rescued by the kindly Liang, who taught her the ancient art of massage. She believes her ability to ease pain is more than a physical treatment—it’s a ministry. But folks in town see it as scandalous and act as though coming into contact with Mary might tarnish them.The talent God gave her makes her an outcast. Mary Kincaid has a gift, a healing touch. Once a street urchin, Mary was rescued by the kindly Liang, who taught her the ancient art of massage. She believes her ability to ease pain is more than a physical treatment—it’s a ministry. But folks in town see it as scandalous and act as though coming into contact with Mary might tarnish them. And when Liang suddenly passes away, Mary is unsure how she will survive on their homestead alone. Seth Hatchett thinks Mary must be some kind of seducer. No woman would touch a man who isn’t her spouse. But he soon sees Mary is a woman of faith whose hands do “good work.” Seth offers to help her—not out of pity or to make her more respectable, as Mary thinks—but out of love. Despite her feelings for the most eligible Texan around, Mary’s heart is torn. She desperately wants to accept his love. But will doing so mean she has to choose between Seth…and her ministry? The Secret Touch of Mary Kincaid is a novella.

Sutherland Saga Part 1. When Robert Sutherland and his friend Alastair Stewart meet fellow students Elizabeth Turnberry and Margaret MacCreedy in a pub in Edinburgh in the fall of 1913, relationships develop and dreams unfold. But the outbreak of war in the summer of 1914 will lead to deception, incarceration and murder. Is there hope at all for those who fought for us?Set against the backdrop of world-changing events of the twentieth century, the Sutherland Saga consists of a sequence of four novels, each of which chronicles one generation of the Earldom of Winston. In Those Who fought for Us, Part 1 of the series, twenty-one year old Robert Sutherland, heir to the Earldom of Winston, commences his studies at the University of Edinburgh in the fall of 1913. Shortly thereafter he befriends the brilliant Scotsman Alastair Stewart, also a student at the university, and the two subsequently meet up with Elizabeth Turnberry and her friend Margaret MacCreedy in a pub in Edinburgh. As the school year progresses, relationships form, hopes for a bright future thereby unfolding for each in their own way. But war breaks out in the summer of 1914, leading to a tearful but poignant parting for the four. Each of them will serve in a war to end all wars, the horror of it subsequently dashing all their hopes and dreams. Still, through the course of the greatest conflagration in recorded history their paths crisscross recursively at such places as Gallipoli, Verdun, and the Marne, each time further entangling by now inextricably intertwined relationships. Each of them desperately attempting to retrieve their hoped for dreams, the sinuous threads of their past cannot be escaped. By war’s end murder and mayhem will change each one of them, thereby affecting the Earldom of Winston irrevocably. Who shall succeed, who shall fail? Indeed, is there hope at all for those who fought for us?

Enjoy this heartwarming short Christmas story of a Christmas store owner who finds herself in a Christmas gift exchange. How can the "Santa" ever surprise a person who for Christmas, it's just business?Bullying involves an initial desire to hurt. This urge is expressed in action. A more powerful person or group directs the action. She reflected upon the past to a time where fear rose with her each morning. Loser! loser! Here comes the black loser! they chanted. Surrounded, Sarah panicked. Unable to run away from her tormentors, she froze. Humiliated, Sarah sat on the ground. The bullies soon lost interest and walked away screaming obscenities at her. The memories may fade with time but the scars will remain forever.

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When the USR unleashes a devastating attack, the scattered resistance will band together. They will plot a daring operation with only one goal: to strike at the very heart of their enemy...After surviving the USR's deception, Ryan Kaspar, Krysta Ortiz, and Robert Clarke link up with a new rebel squad. Their mission: to destroy the population control drug aimed at making women sterile. Krys, who is infected with the drug, is also dying from the effects. In desperate search for a cure, Kaspar will risk anything to get his hands on it, while the resistance needs it in the fight for the people.Agent William Sullivan's wife was killed by a mysterious poison that his doctors had never seen before. Believing all along that it was the resistance who killed her, his faith in his employers is shaken by a strange telecast put out by the resistance. His quest for the truth takes him closer and closer to who he thought was his enemy. Now, questioning everything, Sullivan will stop at nothing in his search for answers, but at what cost?When the USR unleashes a devastating attack, the scattered resistance will band together. They will plot a daring operation with only one goal: to strike at the very heart of their enemy...PATRIOTS & TYRANTS

There is a great divide between Vampires and Werewolves. There has been for centuries. But can Erik and Phoenix's love reunite the rival packs or will Kade, Eriks brother destroy any chance they get.Join Erik and Phoenix as they fall in love while having to fight for their lives against Kade, Eriks possessive brother through blood and creator.Have you ever questioned that Vampires and Werewolves exist? Have you ever thought that you would someday fall in love with someone who is wrong but so completely right?***Phoenix wants to live a normal life but this will never happen because she is a werewolf. She’s lived through horrendous wars and lost people close to her. Because of this, she has shut herself out of society choosing to stay safe rather than live the life she should, one without fear.Enter the gorgeous, dark and mysterious stranger, Erik. Phoenix feels a strong attraction to Erik. He could be the perfect reason for Phoenix to start living again. However, Erik doesn’t appear to be the person Phoenix thinks he is.Phoenix must learn to trust her heart, but whilst she battles between her head and her heart, can the two of them work together to break the age old war between vampires and werewolves?Are they willing to risk everything including losing their own lives?