Free Preview to The Awakening.When Landon receives an inheritance ring engraved with a cryptic riddle from his deceased father, he must set out to unlock the ring’s secrets.Sports agent Blake Tuttle represents many of the day's greatest superstars of the diamond, court and field. Blake's skills at the negotiation table earn him the respect of the athletic world, and Blake takes pride in his ability to discover hidden talent. So he finds it difficult to believe the Shoemaker when that tycoon of the sporting world tells Blake that his new sneaker is enough to make any man or woman plucked from the street an overnight legend on any playing field. Blake admires those athletes he represents, and so he bets the Shoemaker that it is the athlete, and not the equipment, spectators admire when they witness the winning of championships and the breaking of records. The Shoemaker and Blake pluck an unknown player from anonymity; and after fitting a new pair of green and gold sneakers upon that aging athlete's feet, take their seats in the arena to gauge the reach of a simple pair of green and gold sneakers

"The Twelfth Monster of Chaos"--tells of Omar, a reclusive, bitter storm demon, living in obscurity until an old frenemy returns. Seven words--"Chaos reigns and her resurrection is imminent"--and an ancient artifact brings back the past he's trying to forget. Now he has to battle Tiamat, the creator of all things, to protect the world and the woman who edged past all of his defenses.The Phantom of Pilberry Place (13,100 words)A fun, rather rude short story for kids around 10 plus. Schoolboy Sam Fisher has been pumping for years, but is unable to stop. Doctors cannot end his rare problem, which makes finding a girlfriend impossible. One day naughty Uncle Peter finds an old diary hinting of a lost magical village named Pilberry Place, rumoured to be home of a mysterious phantom and his incredibly powerful pumps. Perhaps Sam will find answers there? Sam is drawn into the world of pumps further when meeting the friendly phantom who shares very surprising news! Will Sam finally learn to control his pumps better and will he ever win back his one true love Violet Elizabeth?

Eric Sanderson wakes up in a house one day with no idea who or where he is. A note instructs him to see a Dr. Randle immediately, who informs him that he is undergoing yet another episode of acute memory loss that is a symptom of his severe dissociative disorder. Eric's been in Dr. Randle's care for two years -- since the tragic death of his great love, Clio, while the two vacationed in the Greek islands. But there may be more to the story, or it may be a different story altogether. As Eric begins to examine letters and papers left in the house by "the first Eric Sanderson," a staggeringly different explanation for what is happening to Eric emerges, and he and the reader embark on a quest to recover the truth and escape the remorseless predatory forces that threatens to devour him. The Raw Shark Texts is a kaleidoscopic novel about the magnitude of love and the devastating effect of losing that love. It will dazzle you, it will move you, and will leave an indelible imprint like nothing you have read in a long time.

All, Human and Tauran alike, look forward to the generosity of their Masters. In the Urionverse, you need to be careful what you wish for...This Anthology brings together four separate short stories. Each is set within the confines of The Urionverse, and tells a cautionary tale for the unwary.“I’ve seen things you would never believe. I know things that most people would never consider. I’ve experienced things that your worst nightmares don’t even come close to. And that is something that you never want to get involved in.”Ailia has been missing out on a lot of things in life. She’s never experienced those little things – happiness, friendship, love. In the need of a new beginning, she moves to Scotland. The plan was to find those things. Get a good job, make some friends and hopefully meet a man who would love her. She never expected to meet someone like Egan. Egan’s different. He’s mysterious, secretive and doesn’t trust anyone. He doesn’t want Ailia anywhere near him. It’s too dangerous.But when a dark creature becomes obsessed with Ailia, she is forced to walk the line between life and death, and Egan may be the only person who can save her.In a world where danger is real, love and friendship are the most valuable things a person can have. The question is: who can you trust?

Anisah and her friends, Geth'n and Pet'r, are chosen by the Al-Esfer'n, immortals unable to help them save their home, Aerolan, and the world of Narhtrae and, potentially, other worlds from the devastation of their arch-enemy, Baalsa'n.The three have no knowledge of the ways of war, have no known magical powers and are totally unaware of what is about to happen to them.Will they survive?The Young Shall Inherit follows the path of three young people on their journey to discover themselves and, in the offing, discover more than they had anticipated.Young adults facing a challenging beginning to their independence and revealing their heroic endeavour to achieve the best ending.They are chosen by the Al-Esfer'n, immortal but helpless, to help save the world of Narhtrae and, potentially, other worlds from the devastation of the arch-enemy, Baalsa'n.They meet coincidentally but seem driven by the urging of mysterious voices within their dreams prompting them to do so. Eventually, they learned they are the focal point on which others will depend to help save their world – Narhtrae – from the horrible outcome of war, driven by hatred of an evil being - Baalsa'n - and that Aerolan, their home, is the first to be attacked.They must prepare themselves without knowledge of what they need and unaware of the necessary information and skills to combat this eventuality. It is not an easy task and their adventures, along the way, often prove hazardous to them and those around them. Anisah, our heroine, and her two friends, Geth'n and Pet'r, are given elements of magic by their benefactors, the Al-Esfern, though the young people are not aware of these gifts. As their lives begin to become more complicated, the new abilities seem to be available when they need them. And Anisah has other secrets, she is not aware of which complicate her part in their effort.The three have no knowledge of the ways of war, have no known magical powers and are totally unaware of what is about to happen to them.Will they survive? And what of their lives? Do they lose their freedom?Everything is a surprise to the young and untrained youngsters. So who are they and who are their adversaries? What will the Al-Esfer'n do to help?And most importantly, how will Baalsa'n react and are their lives and the life of their world at risk.

Book One: Piper Cavanaugh is The Rhine Maiden, a descendent of the sirens who lured sailors to their deaths with beautiful singing. After vowing never to use her supernatural power of command, she is more than happy to stay at home with her two little girls, but one little slip-up and her secret has come back to bite her – literally.“She speaks and they obey,” but even a supernatural ability can’t help this stay-at-home mom control her own life. Don't Rhine on My Parade is a laugh-out-loud urban-fantasy with an unlikely protagonist, a young mother who has an unusual power. Blessed, or perhaps cursed, with the ability to command obedience, Piper Cavanaugh’s normal life turns upside down in this full-length novel. A descendent of the sirens who sang sailors to their deaths, Piper has vowed to never use her power of command, but one little slip-up and her secret has come back to bite her – literally. Now she must gain permission to join the United Supernatural Beings, or it’s open hunting season on all of humanity. While juggling toddlers, keeping her husband in the dark, and babysitting her rebellious kid sister, Piper finds herself befriending a vampire, stealing from murderous witches, and doing battle with “Satan,” otherwise known as her mother-in-law. And she thought grocery shopping with her kids was hard!Don't Rhine on My Parade is a refreshing switch for readers who long for a more relatable heroine. With commonsense and sass, Piper handles diapers to decapitations as only a mother can. Filled with comedy, action, and thrills, Don't Rhine on My Parade expands the borders of urban fantasy into the suburbs!

Orphans of the Celestial Sea is a Steampunk serial chronicling the adventures of Tom Cain and his misfit crew as they try to unravel the mysteries surrounding their airship Hecate and the plague of psychosis-inducing Mist which is slowly destroying human civilization.Tom Cain, and the crew of the Hecate take on more than they'd bargained for when they agreed to transport a group of shady characters and their cargo to Atlantis. Pursued by a mysterious zeppelin, they race to unload the hot goods before the authorities catch up, but betrayal is in the wind, and Tom will need all his wits about him if he's to escape the deal with any profit at all.Orphans of the Celestial Sea is a Steampunk serial chronicling the adventures of Tom Cain and his misfit crew as they try to unravel the mysteries surrounding their airship Hecate and the plague of psychosis-inducing Mist which is slowly destroying human civilization.

For Skye Mackenna and Cassie Evans, Parkerville is just a playground of mysteries and adventure for these sixteen-year-old girls, and it's time to give this town a run for it's money and figure out what the secrets are and how to solve them. Much to the dismay of the boys and the Keepers of the town, they seem to be always one step ahead.Golden Shackles…Seasons change and so have our girls. Skye Mackenna and Cassie Evans are much wiser than when they first came to Parkerville. They know much more about the town and every day seems to beckon them to new clues as to why they’ve been summoned.They’ve fallen in love a couple of times and have a few regrets, but now, with the help of the golden bracelets they must wear; they are able to see, feel, and hear things as never before.Not only have their young lives opened up to impossible possibilities, but they’ve been confronted by bullies, and been lied to by people who are supposed to love them. Answers are still slow to come for our girls; however, the powers they’ve discovered within themselves; grow stronger every day. Sixteen years is not a long time to spend on the earth, but the boys, the new and different ways to see a holiday have both puzzled and delighted their minds.A slumber party that reveals a little too much and two mysterious strangers who show up to add to the already out-of-control night.So, go ahead, Parkerville, bring on the alarms, the boys, the Chases, ghosts and anything else you’ve got up your sleeve. Cassie and Skye can handle anything you have to throw at them.Harriet Trevathan and Nancy C. Wilson were friends in their teen years in the 60's and decided to write a fictional story of those years and some of their memories. I'm not saying that they lived in a town like Parkerville, that's another story altogether, but the adventures and fun are a part of these books. Harriet writes for her character Cassie and for Cassie's friends and family. Nancy writes for Skye and Skye's friends and family. Nancy wrote the ghost story of Malcolm Beech in the slumber party chapter.

Icarus, while flying his airship over the island of Crete, discovers the love of his life, but in order to be with her he must escape her father’s tortuous maze and defeat him.The Flight of Icarus is a new age retelling of the Greek myth of Icarus and Daedalus. It takes place in the not so distant post apocalyptic future. Icarus, after the death of his parents, is left to survive in a post apocalyptic future. All he has is the airship that he built with his father before he died. On his journeys, Icarus finds Arianna, the daughter of the self proclaimed King of Crete and the love of his live. Their forbidden love gets Icarus imprisoned in the Kings maze, built by Icarus’ grandfather. In order to reunited with his love he must escape the maze and defeat the King.

In a land far away, in a land so different with our own, it is in a land where magic exist and alive. It is a land where a Blessed can control: Wind, Ice and Fire.Lady Carla Koell is betrothed to a man who loves another.What a warrior lady should do? Of course, she should break it off. But it is not as easy as it should be.In a land far away, in a land so different with our own, it is in a land where magic exist and alive. It is a land where a Blessed can control: Wind, Ice and Fire.Lady Carla Koell is betrothed to a man who loves another.What a warrior lady should do? Of course, she should break it off. But it is not as easy as it should be.Between the Blessed tournament and errant fiancé, the lady is caught between a rock and a hard place… ** This is short story, the prequel of The Blessed Series. It can be read as standalone and no cliffhanger.

Fierce and proud, the Rigante dwell deep in the green mountain lands, worshiping the gods of air and water, and the spirits of the earth.  Among them lives a warrior who bears the mark of fate. Born of the storm that slew his father, he is Connavar, and tales of his courage spread like wildfire. The Seidh--a magical race as old as time--take note of the young warrior and cast a malignant shadow across his life. For soon a merciless army will cross the water, destroying forever the timeless rhythms of life among the Rigante. Swearing to protect his people, Connavar embarks on a quest that will take him into the heart of the enemy. Along the way, he receives a gift: a sword as powerful and deadly as the Seidh who forged it. Thus he receives a name that will strike fear into the hearts of friend and foe alike--a name proclaiming a glorious and bitter destiny . . . Demonblade.

Ever since Viola's boyfriend broke up with her, she has spent her days silently wishing—to have someone love her again and, more importantly, to belong again—until one day she inadvertently summons a young genie out of his world and into her own. He will remain until she makes three wishes. Jinn is anxious to return home, but Viola is terrified of wishing, afraid she will not wish for the right thing, the thing that will make her truly happy. As the two spend time together, the lines between master and servant begin to blur, and soon Jinn can't deny that he's falling for Viola. But it's only after Viola makes her first wish that she realizes she's in love with Jinn as well . . . and that if she wishes twice more, he will disappear from her life—and her world—forever. Jackson Pearce spins a magical tale about star-crossed lovers, what it means to belong . . . and how important it is to be careful what you wish for.

In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling-or dangerous Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper from the clutches of a devious criminal demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him... for the life of the girl Jasper loves. One false move from Jasper, and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens and tightens. From the rough streets of lower Manhattan to elegant Fifth Avenue, the motley crew of teens follows Jasper's elusive trail. And they're about to discover how far they'll go for friendship. More than ever, Finley must rely on powerful English duke Griffin King to balance her dark magic with her good side. Yet Griffin is at war with himself over his secret attraction to Finley... and will risk his life and reputation to save her. Now, to help those she's come to care for so deeply, Finley must infiltrate the criminal gang. Only problem is, she might like the dark side a little too much...

From the lost Journals of the Seven Wonders saga comes the story of Burt Wenders—one of the first of the chosen kids to be marked as "The Select." In this thrilling prequel to Book 1, delve into the mystery and the magic of Seven Wonders, the brand-new adventure series from Peter Lerangis, the bestselling author of several books in the 39 Clues series. It's the year 1894, and thirteen-year-old Burt and his father are on an archaeological expedition gone wrong. After a tumultuous boat ride, Burt and the archaeologists find themselves stranded on what seems to be a deserted island. That is, seems to be deserted until Burt starts hearing music that no one else can hear . . . and blacking out with no explanation. Maybe there is something to Burt's father's expedition after all? All but tortured by his surroundings, Burt ventures to find out. He can only hope to survive.