Somewhere far in the north, in the middle of a dense forest, two girls have embarked on a sacred journey: a journey that is to end their carefree days among the children of their tribe. Grim as their world is, the destiny that is set upon them seems even darker, but such is often the way for the people of this land. First chapter of Fargoer, a novel set in the mythic far north.Somewhere far in the north, in the middle of a dense forest, two girls have embarked on a sacred journey: a journey that is to end their carefree days among the children of their tribe. Grim as their world is, the destiny that is set upon them seems even darker, but such is often the way for the people of this land. We welcome you to step into the dark northern forest. A place where no plow had touched the ground this far in the wilderness. Where the tall shapes of Viking ships struck terror and awe everywhere they set their sails. This was the age of dreams and legends, of powers now long forgotten. Tales carried by whispers in the cold wind in this dark land. Vierra is a young woman among the Kainu people, a tribe of age-old traditions and ways. Hers is the grim and solitary existence of a woman cursed with greatness and destiny. Can she break her path painted in stone and find a place for herself in her tribe and in her turmoil-filled world? Or will she become 'the Fargoer?' End of Innocence is the first part of Fargoer, a novel that draws its power from the harsh yet beautiful nature and folklore of Finland. The combination of fast-paced action and wonder for the long lost worlds of yesterday borrows heavily from pulp-literature of the 1930's.

A prophecy of murder.An elf hunted by dragons.One man who risks everything to save her.In my shadow you sleep, hungry for my soul.In my heart you live, nurtured and at peace.In my life you belong, always.The red dawn of war clashes with the tide. Black descends. Shadows come alive.I call to you. I see you across the field of battle, calling to me. So many stand between us.I turn away to the tide; the tide sweeps forward, surging, billowing, covering.I raise my hand and stare at the sky above. Silence descends. A hush. Tears fall down. Liquid, they fall down my face, down my grimy cheeks, onto my bloodstained clothes.I raise my other hand. A burst of time shoots forward, galloping like my heart as I wait for the final blow . . . but it never comes. I've frozen the moment in time as the blade meant for my heart pierces his.The sobs choke my chest as I stare at the metal, gleaming red like the rising sun, sticking from his chest. His eyes are frozen as well, locked onto mine. They look unsurprised. I sink down to my knees; tears fall harder.I hear your voice. A shout, a scream of pain and anger and despair and fear from across the field. I don't turn. I look straight ahead to the eyes that are locked onto mine as I bring both of my hands down in a gesture as sharp as the blade. Light explodes outward from me, shooting across the battlefield, consuming everything.I fall. He falls too. His eyes speak the things he cannot say. They close after a minute, but mine stay open.You reach me then. Everyone else is flattened, reeling on the blood-soaked earth, but you reach me. You turn me face up. You gather me in your arms. You weep, but my eyes are dry now. My eyes are dry. "It will be alright," I whisper to you. "It will be alright.______________________________________________________________________________________________________Auri is just an elven girl raised in the human castle and courts of Ardalan. She knows nothing about the prophecy of the White Queen, and even less about elves. All she knows is a world of human political intrigue, and the intelligence gleaned from her foster father's spies . . .The word is out. The Rebel Dragons are on the move again, and death, fear and destruction are all that they leave in their wake.  And then Liran finds her.Liran is the leader of the Vi`dal, an elite, elven task-force sent out years ago by the queen of the elves to find a way to stop the death that is spreading across the known lands. Their task--find the White Queen.The White Queen is the fabled hero of the future. A queen so powerful that she is able to unite dragons, elves, animals, humans and dwarves against the Rebel Dragons and defeat them. An elf who heals by touch, and who can travel to the center of the earth and ignite the fires of their dying world.An elf so powerful that she is said to be able to stop time itself . . . and even reverse it.

Embark on a harrowing quest into the heart of Native American lore as Whisper and Ian traverse the Land of the Dead to save his captive son. Together they face insurmountable odds and conquer demons, but these are only tests; to save Ian’s son, they must stop the Raven-Eater from unleashing his Army of the Dead on the living. To do so will take courage, humility, and extraordinary self-sacrifice.A gripping journey into the heart of Native American legend, Beyond the Western Sun follows the epic struggle of Whisper, a young female Cherokee apprentice, on a harrowing adventure into the Land of the Dead to save the captive son of Ian Diavya. Together they face insurmountable odds, conquer terrible demons, and in the process, find a strength and courage within themselves neither knew possible. What they don’t know is that these early adventures are only tests, for to save Ian’s son, they must also stop the evil-minded Raven-Eater from unleashing his Army of the Dead to destroy the living world. To do that, it will take courage, humility, and extraordinary self-sacrifice.An epic saga of hope, redemption, and undying love, Beyond the Western Sun is what all fantasy adventures must strive to be: a complex, intricate examination of human emotion set within the context of worlds known only in our imagination. And in this regard, Beyond the Western Sun is a stunning achievement. Melding fantasy and legend in an epic quest, the third novel of her young career signals the arrival of Kristina Circelli as a master storyteller. Creating the indelible character of Whisper, vividly portraying the worlds that she and Ian must traverse to accomplish their goal, and capturing their human frailties, hopes and fears with depth and touching sincerity, Ms. Circelli reminds us with stunning precision the greatness we are all capable of, and the heavy price our actions can rend.

What occult mysteries tie together a magical disappearing lake, a courageous young birdcatcher, a hidden god, and the savage politics of an ancient kingdom?Discover the wonders and wisdom of the Compass Rose in this new fantasy short story by two-time Nebula Award nominated author Vera Nazarian, set in the same mythic universe as her critically acclaimed novel DREAMS OF THE COMPASS ROSE."You Learn. You Work. You Fight."In spite her age, Aly should be the ideal Goolian combatant in her tribe. Her reaction time is faster than any adult. Her agility is off the charts, and she’s one of the top ranked sparring students in the entire village. If she could just fire a single beam of energy from her palms, like everyone else on her homeworld, she wouldn’t get pushed around, harassed in class, or long for acceptance. The Evaluations, however, can change that. If she can be the last one standing in a dangerous rite of passage that will put her years of training to the ultimate test, she’ll finally prove her worth to her people. Anything less, and she'll be the local outcast for the remainder of her life.There’s another person in the tribe longing for the same prize due to a similar dilemma, and it will take all of Aly’s strength to defeat her. There’s only one small problem. That person happens to be her best friend.Exciting, dangerous, and moving, Evaluations of the Tribe will take you on a gripping coming of age adventure*Novel contains science fiction violence and some mild language.

Alice knew she wasn't anywhere near drunk enough to be sitting on the manicured lawn in a quaint little garden looking at a large white rabbit, especially one quite so well dressed. She had been at the wedding rehearsal, now left wondering if Brian had been spiking her drinks. Alice could only wonder what her therapist in Toronto was going to make out of this...Set in and around Newport Beach, Vampires of Orange County takes place over one week in Morgan’s life as she looks for answers. Is the ex-boyfriend she never really left behind responsible for her blackouts, her sun-sickness and even her sudden craving for very rare steak? Or is it instead the friend with benefits who may have turned her Chihuahua into a vicious killer?Newport Beach, California-based author, John Bankston is the author of over eighty nonfiction books for young adults. Vampires of Orange County, is his first novel for an adult audience. Vampires of Orange County subverts this popular sub-genre by offering a protagonist who is a humorous and independent young woman who isn't seeking rescue.Volume One Morgan is attacked by an intruder at the Newport Beach tanning club she manages. After blacking out, she awakens in a hospital and learns she killed her attacker. Fifteen-year-old Stephanie has always been the good girl, but now she’s dating a man who’s not only older, but also her sister Morgan’s ex-boyfriend. Meanwhile, Morgan –– a vegetarian since she was eight –– orders a very rare steak. Fifteen-year-old Stephanie has always been the good girl, but now she’s dating a man who’s not only older, but also her sister Morgan’s ex-boyfriend. Meanwhile, Morgan –– a vegetarian since she was eight –– orders a very rare steak.

A gap in the Bible.. a second Saviour - the three days after the Crucifixion, and before the Resurrection. Found to have risen shortly after his death, Jesus spent the next three days with Satan, when Satan was still favoured by God before he was cast to Hell. The reader discovers Satan sought to save Mankind from God, and how all was not good in Heaven at the time.. told by the Holy SpiritThere is a gap in the Bible – the three days after Jesus was taken down from the Cross, and before his Resurrection. This story is about those three days. Scripture has Jesus rising from the dead on the third day – instead, in Double Christ we find Jesus rising shortly after being taken down from the cross. The reader follows his movements during the next three days where we learn Jesus spent most of his time in the company of Hassatan – or Satan as he is known today, but Satan when he was still favoured by God as his Chief Adversary, before he was cast from Heaven. The reader discovers Satan was Mankind’s greatest champion, and of how all was not good in Heaven at that time. A story told by the Holy Spirit (Paraclete), God's partner, in her words…

Turning sixteen should mean driving and dating, not certain death. Strange dreams of a young girl being led to her death haunt Arrabella's dreams every night. Arrabella begs help from her grandfather, the only person who knows the truth behind the dreams. He warns her that if she takes the first step toward unraveling the mystery she can't go back. Arrabella won't stop until she knows the truth.Turning sixteen should mean driving, dating, and breaking curfew. It should never mean certain death. Arrabella's excitement for her upcoming birthday is swallowed up by not only her dismay at being moved to a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere, but by the terror of the dreams that assault her every night. Stalking her dreams, the raven haired beauty warns her, taunts her, as she is paraded toward her death. Desperate for answers, Arrabella turns to her grandfather, the only one willing to delve into her family's dark past. Warning her that once she takes the first step, there is no going back, Arrabella's grandfather begins to unwind their awful heritage. The only joy she finds in the week leading up to her death is meeting Tanner Wheeler, a young man she barely knows but is immediately drawn to. A story of selfish betrayal reaching back to an age of merciless gods and blood sacrifice, Arrabella's world is sent into a deadly spiral.

(Second Edition Revised 10/06/13) Two people meet and two worlds join in a war unlike any wars ever fought. The CV USS Intrepid and the entire United States Seventh Space Fleet Task Force 70 is destroyed and the sole survivors are hurled into a world of wizards, knights, dwarfs and elves there the fate of both worlds will be decided.Mitch, Danielle, and Ethan are thrown into a world of magic. It is not by happenstance that this is so it is nothing more than games of the powerful. Pawns in the game of life and death where empires rise and empires fall their roles play a pivotal part in deciding the fate of others. Thrust from a world of science into a world of magic they must learn to adapt to a new and wondrous environment filled with immense good and equally evil inhabitants. They find inner strength in each other and new friends they never in their wildest dreams ever thought of meeting. They find tragedy and death perpetuated by an ancient evil that threatens not only their very existence but also life on two worlds. It is they and their new friends that must find a way to stop this ever-encroaching evil bent on the bringing darkness were light reigns.

Royden Doble and his family recently moved into a strange building called the Discovery Apartments. He soon realizes that this building is filled strange tenants including aliens and monsters. In fact his family are the only humans there. Royden learns a lot, but as things get treacherous he has to decide if he wants to stay or leave. Unfortunately for Royden, the decision isn't his to make.So, I Ate my neighbor's elephant. It didn't taste very nice. So, I say sorry to him in the best way I can; by using poetry.

Sadira Pascal's father is declared dead when his hovership, the 'Bright Star', crashes. But as Sadira looks into her father's crash, she realizes he might just be alive.It's bad enough that Sadira Pascal's father doesn't make it home to celebrate her fifteenth birthday. He might be a busy hovership engineer pulling overtime on a new design, but he's always been home for the important things. It's worse when she discovers her father decided to ride on the maiden voyage of his newest ship, the CAS Bright Star, without even telling her. But things really fall apart during Sadira's field trip with her class to observe the hovership launch. Instead of a successful flight, she watches the Bright Star fall out of the sky. The Central government confirms her father's death, leaving Sadira to pick up the pieces of her former life. While she struggles with her loss, Private Baruj Haddad tries to convince her that her father and the rest of the Bright Star crew are still alive. At first, Sadira doesn't believe there's any hope. But then she stumbles across a message that makes her think maybe, just maybe, her father is still alive. As she digs deeper into the Bright Star's crash, Sadira uncovers secrets about her father's work, secrets that put her and everyone she loves in danger.

I could ask you where you’ve beenMy whole lifeUntil this moment, now,But I won’t because I don’tCare – what, where,Or even how that led to thisOr what life used to hold.I could never miss the least of it.I got you for a while, and it’s always fullOf a whole lotta beautiful.At the center of our galaxy, right now, lives a most extraordinary species - Humans. Snatched from earth, generations ago, by alien slave traders, they are beginning to make their presence felt in the chaotic conflicts of the galaxy. This is the sequel to Helium3 Episode 1, second in the Helium3 trilogy. Someone has destroyed Starlight, the mining asteroid Mervyn Bright calls home. He suspects scheming Lord De Monsero, but how can he prove it? Together with his three close friends from the Space Academy, he follows a trail of clues through the gritty underbelly of the galaxy to an explosive secret. Thank you for your interest. Nick Travers

A short tale about identity, memory and expectation. When I was Not Myself is our first visit to the concept of Metanoia, an engineered memory loss used in therapy. When I was Not Myself is a science fiction tale offered for free exploring the concept of identity, memory and preconceptions.Abby Rose is a smart and capable member of the Vanguard. She also waits tables at the O Motel Bar & Grill between her shifts of zombie killing. When a strange and viscous series of murders closes in on her home, she finds herself fighting side by side with members of the VIG—vampire increment guard. Abby soon gets close to one of their leaders, Ethan Sterling, a tall, dark and handsome vampire. Loss is prevalent in this world, but can Ethan and Abby find their way, and avoid the loss of love?

A short story featuring characters from The Birthright series. Being a descendent of aliens seemed complicated enough to Rosamund Brandt, but after events in Inborn, she’s left with plenty of questions and concerns about her family history–and their future. But after another trip to the Lockewood mansion, she may have more to add to the list.A short story featuring characters from The Birthright series. Being a descendent of aliens seemed complicated enough to Rosamund Brandt, but after events in Inborn, she’s left with plenty of questions and concerns about her family history–and their future. But after another trip to the Lockewood mansion, she may have more to add to the list.More in This Series:Inborn (Book 1)

*Journey to an underground world where adventure awaits and heroes are made in this middle grade novel from the bestselling, Pulitzer-nominated author of The Monk of Mokha* and Her Right Foot. When Gran and his family move to Carousel, he has no idea that the town is built atop a secret. Little does he suspect, as he walks his sister to school or casually eats a banana, that mysterious forces lurk mere inches beneath his feet, tearing up the earth like mini-hurricanes and causing the town to slowly but surely sink. When Gran's friend, the difficult-to-impress Catalina Catalan, presses a silver handle into a hillside and opens a doorway to underground, he knows that she is extraordinary and brave, and that he will have no choice but to follow wherever she leads. With luck on their side, and some discarded hockey sticks for good measure, Gran and Catalina might just find a way to lift their town--and the known world--out of danger. In The Lifters, critically acclaimed author Dave Eggers establishes himself as a storyteller who can entertain and inspire readers of any age. **"This book is a ripper, full of all the good stuff: adventure, mystery, and lots of great jokes." - Mac Barnett, Caldecott Honor-winning author of * Extra Yarn* **"Full of surprises, magic, and heart." - Rebecca Stead, Newbery Award-winning author of * When You Reach Me* **"[A] cozy contemporary novel about lifting spirits and rebuilding community through teamwork and imagination." --* Publishers Weekly* **"A heart-gladdening work of allegorical genius." --* The Guardian* **"A warm and rewarding read . . .Eggers skillfully handles the trope of the kids who save the town, with plenty of humorous adult cluelessness but an equal measure of compassion." --* The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books* "Original . . . and always intriguing. . . . Eggers's story moves along briskly thanks to mounting suspense and bite-size chapters." --* Booklist* ** A Junior Library Guild selection

War threatens the peaceful land of Chiril… can one painter-turned-reluctant-swordsman really help? With an invasion of her country imminent, Tipper Schope is drawn into a mission to keep three important statues from falling into the enemy’s clutches. Her friend, the artist Bealomondore, helps her execute the plan, and along the way he learns to brandish a sword rather than a paintbrush.  As odd disappearances and a rash of volatile behavior sweep Chiril, no one is safe. A terrible danger has made his vicious presence known: The Grawl, a hunter unlike any creature encountered before.  To restore their country, Tipper, Bealomondore, and their party must hide the statues in the Valley of the Dragons and find a way to defeat the invading army. When it falls to the artistic Bealomondore to wield his sword as powerfully and naturally as a paintbrush, will he answer Wulder’s call for a champion?  From the Trade Paperback edition.