George MacDonald (10 December 1824 – 18 September 1905) was a Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister. He was a pioneering figure in the field of fantasy literature and the mentor of fellow writer Lewis Carroll. His writings have been cited as a major literary influence by many notable authors including W. H. Auden, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien,Walter de la Mare, E. Nesbit and Madeleine L'Engle.C. S. Lewis wrote that he regarded MacDonald as his "master": "Picking up a copy of Phantastes one day at a train-station bookstall, I began to read. A few hours later," said Lewis, "I knew that I had crossed a great frontier." G. K. Chesterton cited The Princess and the Goblin as a book that had "made a difference to my whole existence". Elizabeth Yates wrote of Sir Gibbie, "It moved me the way books did when, as a child, the great gates of literature began to open and first encounters with noble thoughts and utterances were unspeakably thrilling." Even Mark Twain, who initially disliked MacDonald, became friends with him, and there is some evidence that Twain was influenced by MacDonald. Christian author Oswald Chambers wrote in his Christian Disciplines that "it is a striking indication of the trend and shallowness of the modern reading public that George MacDonald's books have been so neglected". In addition to his fairy tales, MacDonald wrote several works on Christian apologetics including several that defended a view that has been described as Christian Universalism.

Steele and Fleur's updated story. Book Two in the Dragons Love Curves. Formally Sass Me in Milly Taiden's Kindleworld and Live For Me, a Dragons Love Curves short story.

Dindi longs to become a Tavaedi, one of the powerful warrior-dancers who wield magic. No one of her kind has ever succeeded.But Dindi has a plan.DEADLY INITIATIONA DETERMINED GIRL...Dindi can't do anything right, maybe because she spends more time dancing with pixies than doing her chores. Her clan hopes to marry her off and settle her down, but she dreams of becoming a Tavaedi, one of the powerful warrior-dancers whose secret magics are revealed only to those who pass a mysterious Test during the Initiation ceremony. The problem? No-one in Dindi's clan has ever passed the Test. Her grandmother died trying. But Dindi has a plan.AN EXILED WARRIOR...Kavio is the most powerful warrior-dancer in Faearth, but when he is exiled from the tribehold for a crime he didn't commit, he decides to shed his old life. If roving cannibals and hexers don't kill him first, this is his chance to escape the shadow of his father's wars and his mother's curse. But when he rescues a young Initiate girl, he finds himself drawn into as deadly a plot as any he left behind. He must decide whether to walk away or fight for her... assuming she would even accept the help of an exile.

Swords and shields are insufficient. Crossbows? Nope. Knights in plated armor? Haven't been invented yet. No mere slingshot will do for David. King Herod has committed a heinous crime. In order to catch him, David must resort to super secret technology...and a good friend.'Dinner Date At Mt Isa' is the sixth and final volume in Ken Blowers' series of delightful short stories. The first story takes us to the quintessential Aussie town of Mt Isa to chase mysterious shadows. As we move through, we meet Aunt Edna, James the author, Matt Paint and many other new characters. The last story is a surprise prelude to Ken's new volume of stories starring B. Urglar, - stories.All stories, as always, are short and punchy, and just the right length to read in your dinner break. The stories have something to offer everyone. Full of new characters and locations, the reader is drawn into the every day lives of regular people they can identify with.You too can be immediately transported to a time and era that possibly no longer exists, so you can either reminisce, or choose your own adventure - in any event, your reading needs are more than catered for, with this smorgasbord of saga's.

Jayden St. Paul has issues. Big issues. He is turned into human and thrown to their world. He is as disoriented as a swan thrown in mud from a sparkling pond. There is no way out.But he tries to learn.He has to adapt. He needs to survive.And as he watches, he sees the signs—possibilities.A HUMAN, AND WORTHLESS... OR SO HE THOUGHTHIS NEW MISSION: FIND HIMSELF, FIND HIS WORTHJayden St. Paul has issues. Big issues. He is turned into human and thrown to their world. He is as disoriented as a swan thrown in mud from a sparkling pond. There is no way out.But he tries to learn. After a short while of wallowing, he comes out and investigates this world of humans. He observes them—what they like, eat, do, and say. He has to adapt. He is not ready to call himself human, but he needs to survive.But as he watches, he sees the signs—a smile, a caring hand on another's shoulder, laughter, delicious food, camaraderie, and friendship.Possibilities.How can he be not drawn to humans? Riddled now with their every qualities including their faults, how can he avoid to care? When one helpless female is kidnapped and is missed, Jayden finds that he has the power to instinctively know where she is. And his first act of caring is the first step that takes him to finding himself.If you wish to read more, download now!READER ADVISORY: This story contains contents that some reader may find objectionable, including sex and erotic themes.BONUS PREVIEW AT THE END OF THE BOOK!EXCERPTHer name was Marci Hayes. She was 26. She was described as attractive at 5’4” tall and 120 pounds. From her photo, he could see that she had shoulder length blonde hair and green eyes. He observed Marci’s image a bit more. Yes, he thought to himself, by human standards, she would look quite lovely.Would that be why she was taken? From what he knew of humans, they could be desirous of beautiful things.He went on to read the rest of the newspaper as he was going through his food. But he found that he couldn’t help but come back to the story of Marci Hayes. It felt as if he was inexplicably drawn to it. Something akin to a buzz or a hum that started somewhere in the back of his head was growing increasingly apparent as he scanned the news item once more.He stood up and reached for his wallet. Jocelyn arrived at his table as he was leaving her a generous tip.“Mind if I take the paper with me?” he asked as she started to clear his plates.She laughed in response. “For you honey, anything.” She straightened up, plates in hand, “It’s late and in a couple of hours I’ll have the new ones, anyway. Have a good evening!” She winked at him and turned to walk towards the kitchens.Jayden stared at her back for a moment, frowning a little. Not all humans were as exuberant, he observed. Could it be because he was, as she’d said, handsome, and she liked that? What else do human women liked in human men? Was her lively spirit the reason why he felt he could tolerate her, even like her as a friend?A human friend. For some reason, as he watched Jocelyn made an elderly couple laugh at another table on the other end of the diner, it didn’t seem such a bad idea.All Titles in the An Angel Bloodhound Series:1 - The Missing Heiress2 - Guarded Secrets3 - Angel Falling4 - Finders KeepersDownload and discover why readers are raving about Natalie Fields.Scroll up and get the book now!

Jina lives in land where trees are only a rumor. Her teachers talk non stop about the existance of trees, but Jina demands to actually see one before she will believe in this fairy tale.A collection of four short stories by F.G. King. Varied themes and styles, but all of them will elicit questions from you that you aren't likely to have asked before. See love through the eyes of an immortal, or learn the pains of a girl as she goes through her troubled life. Each story contained herein is a journey that is meant to be shared. We are all passing through, so pause a moment to recognize how valuable this journey is.

A Short story based in the world of The Shadow Tide Trilogy. Corain a merchant who works each day just to make it, one day he faced by tax collectors bent on destroying everything he has worked for. He faces the realization, pay the taxes or pay with his life. Will Corain survive or will a protector come?Download, Blackout, a chapbook of stories about the 1995 Chicago Heat Wave. This e-book includes three full-length short stories and three flash fictions related to that historic event. That heat wave set a precedent for large urban areas and how they handle heat-related disasters, a growing phenomenon as global warming increases.Each of these stories has been published by a reputable journal either online or in print. The story, “Heat Island,” has been compared to James Joyce’s, “The Dead,” by an acclaimed author and the other stories have been warmly received for their rich characters and excellent writing. If you like the stories and feel they are worth money, please feel free to name your price and donate via the paypal button below. The stories are:High Rise – originally appeared in Prime NumberHeat Island - originally appeared in CrateCooler by the Lake - originally appeared in Atticus ReviewThe Last Man to Ever Let You Down - originally appeared in R.kv.r.yIt’s Next Door - originally appeared in Apparatus MagazineShagging Flies - originally appeared in Palimpsest

This is a short story about love and frost, family and healing. A father and daughter in a small mountain town suffer the impact of a bitter snowstorm.“Benjamin walked out into the hallway and was surprised to hear some talk about Rosé. “Where is Rosé?” Raven asked Benjamin. He glared at her and walked quickly away. “I just wanted to know, Ben!” Raven yelled at him. He was infuriated; he wanted death upon himself. People are going to think I killed her because I abandoned her in 5th grade, he thought as he stomped through the hallways, Kylah is going to tell everyone I did it! He walked through the office and waved at the secretary; she marked him as “out” on the sheet when he left.”Roséaleigh Sanders struggled through her life ever since Kylah Pittman started school with her and ever since her dad passed away in 5th grade. The only friend she has is Benjamin, but Kylah took him for her own. So now Rosé doesn’t have anybody by her side. When Rosé dies, she follows Benjamin to see why he abandoned her in the 5th grade. Once Rosé persuades Benjamin to come back to her, Kylah wants revenge.{To Amber; you will always have a place in my heart. Rest in Peace, my friend.}

Imagine being trapped forever in someone else’s nightmare, with no means of escape. Or caught on one of the most terrifying roller coasters of all time, when suddenly the tracks ahead just disappear. Enter the world of Darkness Creeping, where hollow-eyed skulls arrive in the mail and nothing is as it seems. Boston Globe–Horn Book Award winner and beloved author Neal Shusterman walks on the dark side with this classic collection of masterfully creepy stories so horrifying, you may have to read them twice to remind yourself they’re not real.

The best writers of our generation retell classic tales. From Sir Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene to E. M. Forster's "The Machine Stops," literature is filled with sexy, deadly, and downright twisted tales. In this collection, award-winning and bestselling authors reimagine their favorite classic stories, the ones that have inspired, awed, and enraged them, the ones that have become ingrained in modern culture, and the ones that have been too long overlooked. They take these stories and boil them down to their bones, and reassemble them for a new generation of readers. Written from a twenty-first century perspective and set within the realms of science fiction, dystopian fiction, fantasy, and realistic fiction, these short stories are as moving and thought provoking as their originators. They pay homage to groundbreaking literary achievements of the past while celebrating each author's unique perception and innovative style. Today's most acclaimed authors use their own unique styles to rebuild the twelve timeless stories: Sir Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene - Saladin Ahmed W. W. Jacobs's "The Monkey's Paw" - Kelley Armstrong Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's "Carmilla" - Holly Black "Sleeping Beauty" - Neil Gaiman The Brothers Grimm's "Rumpelstiltskin" - Kami Garcia Kate Chopin's The Awakening - Melissa Marr Rudyard Kipling's "The Man Who Would Be King" - Garth Nix Henry James's "The Jolly Corner" - Tim Pratt E. M. Forster's "The Machine Stops" - Carrie Ryan Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto - Margaret Stohl William Seabrook's "The Caged White Werewolf of the Saraban" - Gene Wolfe Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birth-Mark" - Rick Yancey And six illustrations by Charles Vess

Alice Hoffman is at her magical best in a new novel about loss and healing. When her family is lost in a terrible disaster, 15-yr-old Green is haunted by loss and by the past. Struggling to survive physically and emotionally in a place where nothing seems to grow and ashes are everywhere, Green retreats into the ruined realm of her garden. But in destroying her feelings, she also begins to destroy herself, erasing the girl she'd once been as she inks ravens into her skin. It is only through a series of mysterious encounters -- with a ghostly white dog and a mute boy -- that Green relearns the lessons of love and begins to heal as she tells her own story.

Maggie is a seventeen year old girl who's had a bad year. She was smart and on track, but her mom left, her dad is depressed, she's graduating, barely, and her boyfriend of almost three years dumped her for a college football scholarship. Lately she thinks life is all about hanging on by a thread and is gripping tight with everything she has. Then she meets Caleb. She saves his life and instantly knows there's something about him that's intriguing, but she's supposed to be on her way to a date with his cousin. Things change when they touch, sparks ignite. Literally. They imprint with each other and she sees their future life together flash before her eyes. She learns that not only is she his soul mate, and can feel his heartbeat in her chest, but there is a whole other world of people with gifts and abilities that she never knew existed. She herself is experiencing supernatural changes unlike anything she's ever felt before and she needs the touch of his skin to survive. Now, not only has her dad come out of his depression to be a father again, and a pain as well, but Caleb's enemies know he's imprinted and are after Maggie to stop them both from gaining their abilities and take her from him. Can Caleb save her or will they be forced to live without each other after just finding one another?

Steven and his best friend Russell are back! When Russell's dog, Rodney Rodent, jumps into a mural to chase a demonic-looking gnome and disappears, the Flint Future Detectives are on the case. With the secret password (Bow-wow-wow yippee yo yippee yay!) Steven, Richelle, and Russell enter the mural too, only to find the mysterious Mr. Chickee on the other side. To find a way out, the detectives must complete a mission—finding Rodney Rodent. And that means they're in some wild adventure! As Steven says, "I second that emotion." From the Hardcover edition.

First Frost I am Gwen Frost, and I have a Gypsy gift. It's called psychometry – that's a fancy way of saying that I see images in my head and get flashes of other people's memories off almost everything I touch, even guys. My gift makes me kind of nosy. Okay, okay, maybe a lot nosy--to the point of obsession sometimes. I want to know everything about everyone around me. But even I don't want to know the secrets my friend Paige is hiding or the terrible loss that will send me to a new school – Mythos Academy, where the teachers aren't preparing us for the SATs, but to battle Reapers of Chaos. Now I have no friends and no idea how my gift fits in with all these warrior whiz kids. The only thing I do know is that my life is never, ever going to be the same. . . Touch of Frost My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy -- a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest. But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why – especially since I should have been the one who died... Kiss of Frost Logan Quinn was trying to kill me. My Spartan classmate relentlessly pursued me, swinging his sword at me over and over again, the shining silver blade inching closer to my throat every time. A smile tugged up his lips, and his ice-blue eyes practially glowed with the thrill of battle. . . I'm Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Academy, and I have no idea how I'm going to survive the rest of the semester. One day, I'm getting schooled in swordplay by the guy who broke my heart--the drop-dead gorgeous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invisible archer in the Library of Antiquities decides to use me for target practice. And now, I find out that someone at the academy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I'm afraid if I don't learn how to live by the sword--with Logan's help--I just might die by the sword. . . Dark Frost I've seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I'm supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I'm just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me--again. Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects--and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I'm also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me? It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can't use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me--and I'm in for the fight of my life.

Fourteen-year-old Archer Keaton discovers he has the ability to enter and explore his dreams. He is a dreamtreader, one of three selected from each generation. Their mission: to protect the waking world from the Nightmare Lord, who wreaks chaos in the Dream World. But as Archer's dreams become more dangerous and threatening, so too does his waking life. Rigby Thames, the new kid from England, builds a suspicious rock star-like following at Dresden High School a little too quickly. Even Archer's best friend and confidant, Kara Windchil, seems taken in by the cool guy with the wild blond hair, which definitely rubs Archer the wrong way. Archer must face two foes in two worlds, but he cannot succeed alone. Archer sets off to find other dreamtreaders in a desperate attempt to defeat the enemy terrorizing his friends and family.