Tia is the Keeper of the Stories for the inhabitants of Glitter in the Kingdom in the Caverns. She dreams of a life she knows will never come true for her; life outside of the caverns for her people and a mate for herself. Hope for her people blossoms when an unknown creature is captured at the entrance to their kingdom even as her dream of a mate becomes even more impossible. Many generations ago, her world was invaded by giant alien beings who took the precious animals that gave life to their world. Now harsh sand covers it, leaving it barren on top. Tia recognizes the captured female as the golden haired goddess the legends spoke of that would renew their world once again. Jett is the youngest royal son of the King from the Kingdom of the Sands. His thirst for adventure leads him to an unknown cavern where an unusual Kingdom exists. He is captivated by the slender, delicate female he discovers. Unable to resist, he returns again and again until he knows he must steal her away. Unbeknownst to Jett, Tia is dying. When he steals her away from her world he expects to claim her as his bride. Now, he must make the ultimate sacrifice if she is to survive. He knows one thing for certain; he would do anything for the love of Tia. Can two hearts beat as one? Or will one life have to be sacrificed to save another… Words: 8,874 (approximate)

Kidnap a dragon? How daring! How *stupid* Cimorene, the princess who refuses to be proper, is back--but where is Kazul the dragon? That's what Cimorene is determined to find out. Luckily--or perhaps not-so-luckily--she's got help: Mendenbar, the not-very-kingly King of the Enchanted Forest, has joined her in her quest. So with the aid of a broken-down magic carpet, a leaky magical sword, and a few buckets of soapy lemon water, they set off across the Enchanted Forest to tackle the dragon-napping and save the King of the Dragons.

Victor Pelevin, the iconoclastic and wildly interesting contemporary Russian novelist who The New Yorker named one of the Best European Writers Under 35, upends any conventional notions of what mythology must be with his unique take on the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. By creating a mesmerizing world where the surreal and the hyperreal collide, The Helmet of Horror is a radical retelling of the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur set in an Internet chat room. They have never met, they have been assigned strange pseudonyms, they inhabit identical rooms that open out onto very different landscapes, and they have entered a dialogue they cannot escape - a discourse defined and destroyed by the Helmet of Horror. Its wearer is the dominant force they call Asterisk, a force for good and ill in which the Minotaur is forever present and Theseus is the great unknown. The Helmet of Horror is structured according to the way we communicate in the twenty-first century - using the Internet - yet instilled with the figures and narratives of classical mythology. It is a labyrinthine examination of epistemological uncertainty that radically reinvents this myth for an age where information is abundant but knowledge ultimately unattainable.

For the first time, all the wonders of Shannara have been gathered into one single volume. This indispensable resource illuminates the history, mythology, magic, characters, places, and events of the bestselling series. Full-color paintings and b&w illustrations throughout.

First of a 4 part series: Secret of the Demon.The young Duke TecDemon rises to his father's throne after his death. He yearns to be free of the burdens of being a leader and to set off and see the world. His craving for adventure is soon met when his kingdom is destroyed by vicious beasts and his beloved is missing! His only hope is in discovering a secret power linked to his family's past."Never look back; you may only find what you left or let you go", she told him one day. Now, though, it's different. Vassilis has only a moment to reminisce all about his life: his childhood in Greece, the big family secret, the life-changing betrayal, the long train journey, the birth of a child, his new start in London, his ravishing love affair...No matter how long this narration may take, in reality it only lasts for a moment. Is it enough to encapsulate a whole life?A story about passion, love, solitude and betrayal. A novella about fate's strange games and life's unexpected turnovers. A book about the people's journey to a destination that becomes very different to the one initially set.

Secrets, superpowers, and a handsome savior. This could be a spring break Alex Parker will never forget—provided she survives.Possessing the uncanny ability to fry a television set from twenty paces can really wreck a girl’s social life.If you’re looking for proof, just ask sixteen-year-old Alexandra Parker. After catching her boyfriend in the arms of the prettiest girl in school, she made the journey from social elite to social pariah in a haze of electricity and exploding electronics. But finding herself at the bottom of Bay View High’s social hierarchy was nothing compared to the shock of discovering who—and what—she really is.After being zapped out of a burning bookstore by the mysterious Declan—a hero nearly as handsome as he is infuriating—Alex finds herself under the protection of the powerful Grayson family. It’s through them that she learns the truth: that the world she’s always known is nothing like it appears to be... and that she has far more in common with them than she might want to believe.Now, on the run from a fire-wielding hit man and a secretive government organization, Alex must navigate a strange and treacherous new world filled with superhuman mutants known as Variants. As she begins to unravel the many secrets of her family’s past, she uncovers the real reason for her parents’ death twelve years earlier—and finds out that the threat to her family, and to everyone she cares about, is still dangerously real.

For those who wish to know more about some of the history of Sacred Wind world, this book of appendices includes: Appendix 1 – A Quick Guide to Quantum Computing, Appendix 2 – The Bi-Millennial Deity Conference, Appendix 3 – The Frothy Ale Tsunami of ‘87, and Appendix 4 – History of the Cestrian Music Tournament.May Odin bless your wind for reading...‘Sometimes there are tales that must be told, songs that must be sung, and farts that must be farted. And sometimes the spirit of these great adventures, heroic deeds, songs of glory, and flatulent blessings is powerful enough to touch the hearts, ears and nostrils of the Gods. And so it is with Sacred Wind.Certainly I know that I, King Beef Vindaloo-Boiled Rice III, puff my rice with pride and thicken my sauce when I recount the adventures of the Companionship of Wind. How a stranger from beyond distance and beyond time (a lad called Aiden Peersey, from your reality) joined Sacred Wind in their quest to win the Cestrian Music Tournament, to save the faerie queen, to win freedom for our land, to be able to fart freely, and to win the right to their cheese. It is the stuff of legend. And sometimes the Gods decree that such legends need to be manifest in the entire Multiverse… although not necessarily the smells.However, even though this most splendid tale has been told in the marvellous Sacred Wind books 1, 2 & 3, there are other tales that need telling. And so a series of historical appendices has been commissioned by none other than Odin himself. You have here the first four of these enlightening pieces of literature, with more to follow. So read with pride, my friends… and if you feel the need to have a small fart at any time, know that it will cause pleasure to many.May your rice be forever fluffy, may your poppadoms be crisp, may your curry be hot, and may Odin bless your wind.King Beef Vindaloo-Boiled Rice III.’

Mary J. Smith's diary reveals hidden facts about being a shape shifter. This short introduction to Blue Magic holds secrets that Lionel will not learn, but you get the chance to know.Happy Holidays!Here is a quick preview to the newest story I am working on. Blue Magic is about one man who is given a house and responsibilities by his dead best friend. One of those is taking care of a sister that he never knew that his friend even had. That sister is the focus behind this short little story. You delve into her mind to find out what it is truly like to be a shape shifter.

Luca is pretty sure that his father, Darius, can see the future. How else could he tell such fantastic stories about their adventures together, before they even happen? But even if Darius has a knack for keeping them out of real danger, Luca worries that Darius has forseen his own death. Now Luca has to find a way to prevent the one future he's always feared...This is the story book that was written by Daniel Thornton and illustrated by Lewis Braswell and was used to unfold a scavenger hunt and story that led to Daniel proposing to Mary Beth!

Terry Brooks' Shannara series has become a modern classic, and now, 25 years after it was written, it is a must-have addition to your eBook library. For a limited time only, take advantage of this exciting opportunity -- buy Elfstones of Shannara and get The Sword of Shannara for free! Sword of ShannaraLiving in peaceful Shady Vale, Shea Ohmsford knew little of the troubles that plagued the rest of the world. Then the giant, forbidding Allanon revaled that the supposedly dead Warlock Lord was plotting to destory the world. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness was the Sword of Shannara, which could only be used by a true heir of Shannara--Shea being the last of the bloodline, upon whom all hope rested. Soon a Skull Bearer, dread minion of Evil, flew into the Vale, seeking to destroy Shea. To save the Vale, Shea fled, drawing the Skull Bearer after him.... Elfstones of ShannaraAncient Evil threatens the Elves: The ancient tree created by long-lost Elven magic, is dying. When Wil Ohmsford is summoned to guard the Amberle on a perilous quest to gather a new seed for a new tree, he is faced with the Reaper, the most fearsome of all Demons. And Wil is without power to control them....

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them. Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket. Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking. But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class. Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

Everyone has a past, but for most it isn’t so far in the past as Seth Sangre. His past is literally from thousands of years ago. Seth’s past led him to the present seeking something that might help him save his country from destruction. He has been in the present for over three years now, and he just found exactly what he has been looking for. Mari had dreams of college being a fresh start, one where she would start over and not fall for the good looking player like high school. Unfortunately for her, that’s exactly what ends up falling into her lap on the first day she moves into the dorms. Now she has to hold to her promise to herself not fall for the handsome Seth Sangre. But he doesn’t plan to make it easy for her. Seth has already marked her as his next conquest. As the semester progresses, Mari learns that Seth might just have a past of his own that’s literally in the past. Suddenly, Mari finds her future along with her past put into question. She’s connected to Seth far more than she ever wanted to be, and maybe he isn’t the player who she thought he was. If Mari can trust her heart enough to follow him, Seth will lead Mari on an adventure of a lifetime-and reveal family secrets she never knew existed.

Now includes THE LOST CHAPTERS, four previously unpublished chapters with author commentary and editor notes! Still staggering under Paragor's relentless attacks, Alleble's remaining allies flee from the four corners of The Realm to safety within the Kingdom's walls. But there is little time for Alleble to mourn before Paragor, the Wyrm Lord, and the deadly Seven Sleepers unite against the followers of King Eliam. As Alleble begins to lose hope, Paragor unleashes The Final Storm. Will anyone survive to see the dawn? What to expect in The Final Storm, Lost Chapters Edition: Extended Chapter: Original Chapter 20, for the first time, readers will learn how Paragal gathered a secret army to overwhelm The Elder Guard on the night of The Betrayal. Extended Chapter: Original Chapter 21, readers will remember Kaliam and Merewen's marriage, but never were able to see Kaliam's romantic (if clumsy) proposal. Learn one of Kaliam's most guarded secrets. Extended Chapter: Original Chapter 31, where readers will experience the full wedding ceremony and celebration as Kaliam and Merewen marry, even as the final storm approaches. ALL NEW MATERIAL: Ever wonder what your favorite characters were up to while Aidan, Antoinette, and Robby were not in The Realm? In this double-length chapter, readers will go on an adventure to the chilling world of Frostland. Something has been hunting in the forests there, and it's up to Nock and Mallik to do something about it.

When Michael Malone is assigned a new mystery to solve by the UNICORNE agency, he knows he's in for another strange and deadly adventure. This time, he is sent to a local comic shop, where UNICORNE agents have detected unusual activity -- specifically the prominent display of a comic book starring a disturbingly familiar heroine. . . . The more Michael investigates the comic shop, however, the more he realizes that something much more sinister lurks within its walls. An invisible army has come to life, with a menacing maniac at its head. Even worse, Michael gets the sense that some of his fellow UNICORNE agents cannot be trusted, and that his own life may be in danger. Can he solve the case and defeat his enemies before it's too late? And is he any closer to finding his missing father? From NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Chris d'Lacey comes the action-packed second installment in the remarkable and thrilling UNICORNE Files series!