Jack and Melissa McGuane have spent years trying to have a baby. Finally their dream has come true with the adoption of their daughter, Angelina. But nine months after bringing her home, they receive a devastating phone call from the adoption agency: Angelina’s birth father, a teenager, never signed away his parental rights, and he wants her back. Worse, his father, a powerful Denver judge, wants him to own up to this responsibility and will use every advantage his position of power affords him to make sure it happens. When Jack and Melissa attempt to handle the situation rationally by meeting face-to-face with the father and son, it is immediately apparent that there’s something sinister about both of them and that love for Angelina is not the motivation for their actions. As Angelina’s safety hangs in the balance, Jack and Melissa will stop at nothing to protect their child. A horrifying game of intimidation and double crosses begins that quickly becomes a death spiral where absolutely no one is safe. How far would you go to save someone you love?

A story of the death of Osiris, and the journey of Isis to find the body of Osiris.This is a story of the murder and death of King Osiris of Ancient Egypt, and the story of the journey of Isis to find the body of her husband.

An officer who volunteers with local teenagers, has almost given up hope of helping them, when he gets the most wonderful surprise of his career.It only takes one person to change the life of a teenager. This short story allows you to see what changes one person has over a teenage delinquent to help change the young man's life around.

Natalee restores museum pieces, but she's not sure there's much hope for her own shattered life. Until one Christmas Eve, when she meets a stranger with a broken past of his own...Ebony is a smart, sexy, career-oriented black woman who wants nothing more than a summer fling with a man who challenges her mind and body. What she doesn’t expect is a blond haired, blue-eyed bass player—who won’t take “no” for an answer—to accept the challenge. When Ebony’s attempt at a brief fling turns into more, despite negative reactions from friends and family, she finds juggling love, family, and career are nothing compared to the ultimate betrayal she endures. Now her dreams spiral into lies and secrets that threaten her future and her best friend’s trust.

Running horses. Proud Romans. Fearless Barbarians. Roman Aquila against the White Owl. All is written here in blood.A short historic fantasy, opposing the rational to magic.Jeremiah Stalwart is from a small town. Though he is much smarter than his peers, he lives a pretty standard life. That is until some bullies chase him after school. He finds himself on a completely unfamiliar planet. Now it is his job to unlock the secret of how he got there and help scientists on his home planet to make the same journey. Join him as he takes the first step towards instantaneous space travel. About 11100 words.

Alice Butler has been receiving some odd messages - all anonymous, all written in code. Are they from someone at PopCo, the profit-hungry corporation she works for? Or from Alice's long lost father? Or has someone else been on her trail? The solution, she is sure, will involve the code-breaking skills she learned from her grandparents and the key she's been wearing round her neck since she was ten. PopCo is a grown-up adventure of family secrets, puzzles, big business and the power of numbers.

A short story about a young man who enters an English monastery in search of a better life and ends up trapped in time.At some point in the continuum of life comes the realization that one is indeed mortal. The phrase, “today is the first day of the rest of your life”, slowly becomes more poignant. Finally, the concept of one’s days being numbered becomes a constant companion. This story relates an experience of a man caught up in the end-game. Present day demographics would suggest that a number of readers would have more than a passing interest.William Gardner is proving himself to be a wordsmith of some note. THE QUESTIONER is an easy read with bountiful and beautifully manicured dialogue. He is also the author of the well-received fictional novella, A TALE OF TWO LEGACIES. It too is available on Smashwords.

Short Story: In The Lake And The River, Daniel and his son Charlie go upstate to the lake where both of them have spent much of their past. They reminisce on the shores of the lake, among memories and regrets, tears and laughter. Charlie comes to realize the stay holds more in store for him than he planned as his father seems in the mood to spill a few family secrets.I rolled back my neck in a feeble attempt to take it all in, but the shimmering metallic tower was too tall to perceive. “What are you?” This -- this was like nothing I ever seen before, and I was more than familiar with these trails. These hikes were like a Xanax for me. After every single panic attack, since high school, I have explored this forest, which has added up to more non-work/school time in the forest than everywhere else. Panic attacks were the way I related to world. And yet, despite all this woodsy exposure, up until that day, my most majestic woodland spotting was a mother helping a newborn deer take its first steps, which was pretty significant for me. But this -- this was something else. Something that kept me tongue tied and stupid. Standing next to it, I was nothing more than a speck of dust. I was just a girl, my singularity emphasized by nineteen years of timid experiences. I had nothing in my life to prepare myself for something unworldly. Or at least it seemed unworldly with it’s one, majestic aesthetic. Two, sudden appearance. And three, my fantastical impressionability. I mean, I walked down these woods just the other day and there was nothing here but forest. My black hair wrapped around my neck like a noose. I kept scratching the back of my scalp, nervous tic, as I followed the sun’s beaming rays, pointing towards a metallic door. I was small, frail even, scared and stupid, stupid, stupid. For no rational reason at all I needed to know what was inside. Pushing the metal door open with my bare hands, I yelped and jerked my hand away. “Fuck!”The radiating burn centered around my palm and went up my arm. I groaned once and then groaned again. The burn was painful but what hurt even more was the pressing reality. I really hoped that I was dreaming, but that hurt too much to be a dream. I choked on my breath as I looked up, into the sunny sky. I wanted to run back to my parent's house; I wanted to snuggle in my space where everything was calm and quiet. But, as I remembered what the next day will bring, I felt a contradictory pull towards the tower. For my family, the following day, was a day of mourning. First, my Aunt died a sudden death, defiling my home. Then, this out-of-place tower tripped up my woodsy sanctuary. Without the safety of what I knew, I went with what I wanted to know. I figured that walking right into my panic was a new self-destruction, and that gave me a little joy. El -- myself -- has been such a nuisance lately. The panic attack that brought on this hike was brought on by my first year of college. Like clockwork, it ended without me making one friend. El’s timidity is the thorn of my existence. I figured I could give her some payback and actually learn something. For that brief moment I thought I could handle knowledge. I said a little prayer, covered my palms with my sleeves, and opened the door.

This is a Study Guide for Jolly Time Books: Chasing Kelly’s Shadow, book 2 of an exciting children’s trilogy. You are encouraged to order a copy of the book before using this study guide. Most readers use this guide by first reading a chapter from the book, and then reviewing the corresponding section from this guide. The questions will facilitate meaningful conversations with readers.This is the story of John Lincoln as he travels from the suburbs of Macon Georgia to New York City and finally to the Roger’s farm in Howard County Missouri. It’s on this farm a wayward spirit discovers a life he couldn’t have ever imagined, a place to heal and have his faith in mankind restored.With intense highs and crushing lows this is the story of the enduring nature of the human spirit caught in the grip of addiction, internalized homophobia, prostitution, confusion, loss and adversity.From the ashes, a modern day family is forged from the fires of fate in this most unlikely of places, a cattle farm in Missouri, The Pride of Howard County.From the cotton country of Texas to the battle fields of World War I and finally a farm in God’s country sets the story of Gus and Grace Rogers. Through the floods and droughts with pure determination rises from the rich black dirt the two thousand nine hundred and sixty acre, Pride of Howard County.Now an aging farmer, Gus had never forgiven himself after losing his beloved young son in a tragic accident then followed by his daughter’s mysterious disappearance. And finally, with the death of his wife, he couldn’t imagine ever finding happiness again until he hires a young farm hand. This sets in motion a series of events that spiritually repairs the painful past. Gus’s beautiful daughter, Abigail, nearly loses everything in order to find herself and finally after many years returns to her parent’s farm to regain her father, her lost childhood and find in a stranger, her lost brother.And there’s Lucky, the fearless half starved Collie/Sheppard mix from nowhere that befriends the easy going Chocolate Lab, Muncie. And it would be this Muncie’s destiny to save the man that saved him and make it possible for this new age family to mend.

A dystopian set in the future, this short story follows Aniya Pearce, a sixteen year old girl who is about to take a test to find out whether she will be allowed to be admitted as a member of the controlled society.Set in the future, the new centralised government has a strict control over society, ensuring the population size doesn't get out of control like it did in the past. At sixteen years of age, all compound members must partake in a simulation test to determine their emotional, physical and intellectual capabilities. Aniya Pearce is one of the teenagers to be taking this test and she is terrified. Will she be Advanced and offered a position in the tough society, or will she join the others who have been Released?

A tough as nails widower is about to commit a desperate act at his wife's grave. Can an unexpected visitor stop him before it's too late?My First Christmas Tree is our first book celebrating the Christmas spirit with readers of all ages. The characters are fictional, but the experience with such a wonderful Christmas tree is based on actual events with our family. In the story, a young boy finally receives the answer to his Christmas prayers as he joins his new family. Along the way, he meets a Douglas Fir Christmas tree named Dougie. Both boy and tree learn about the healing power of true Christmas spirit, especially when shared together with loved ones!

A bike ride at the beginning of the summer break turns into a fantastic, sometimes terrifying, weird and wonderful adventure for twelve-year-olds: Samantha (Sam) Craig, Ben Cooper, and Tommy (Frog) Scott.A bike ride at the beginning of the summer break turns into a fantastic, sometimes terrifying, weird and wonderful adventure for twelve-year-olds: Samantha (Sam) Craig, Ben Cooper, and Tommy (Frog) Scott.Finding a chalice made of gold behind a waterfall, the three pals are transported to a different dimension, into a world where all manner of surprises and dangers lurk at every turn.Like it or not, the trio have been chosen to return the long lost chalice to the Keeper-in-Waiting, and only by fulfilling the mission will they have any chance of returning to their own world.The Chalice of Hope is the embodiment of all that is good, and must not be allowed to fall into the hands of the Dark One, for fear of evil spreading unchecked throughout Allworlds.Accompanied by two fairies, Figwort and Speedwell, (Fig and Speedy), Sam, Ben and Tommy set off on what proves to be a perilous journey through many lands, and are joined by Gorffin, (Gorf), a giant hairy troll from the Desert of Storms.Now numbering six, they venture into the unknown, having to face constant dangers and overcome many ferocious creatures and strange beings.

Bibliotechnica consists of twenty-five poems on libraries in a world of increasing change and automation, not always for the better, as observed by a bemused and not altogether unbiased participant. Read warily, or you might find them amusing — and read straight through. The effect is cumulative.Bibliotechnica consists of twenty-five poems on libraries in a world of increasing change and automation, not always for the better, as observed by a bemused and not altogether unbiased participant. Read warily, or you might find them amusing — and read straight through. The effect is cumulative. The poet is a life-long Californian who has worked for the past quarter century in the Stanford University Libraries. He is a founding member of the San Francisco Bay area writers’ group Spilt Ink, author of numerous essays, poems and short stories, a play, and an aspiring novelist. This is his first ebook.

Genre: Fiction, Where the Spirit Realm and the Natural World become One...The stars have gone... Long dormant relics bask in the light of a hundred comets, restoring magics of a previous age. Objects inert for eons become dangers and tools no one can ignore. The use of these artifacts will put everything at risk while at the same time providing the greatest opportunity for human advancement in history. No matter what happens to the people of Godsland, the dragons have plans of their own. The Fifth Magic is book seven of the Godsland SeriesThe World of Godsland fantasy series in order:The Dawning of Power trilogyCall of the HeraldInherited DangerDragon OreThe Balance of Power trilogyRegentFeralRegalThe Artifacts of Power trilogyThe Fifth MagicDragonhold (December 2014)The Seventh Magic (January 2015)

In this sixth part of the series, set in 1963, while the Snyders receive a great blessing, Eric senses a departure on the horizon. Laurie appreciates Eric’s gift, but learns a shocking truth when Seth remembers a key element from his tour in Korea.In a society where morals are determined by a public opinion system, and social rating is the currency, truth can be a dangerous notion.Sixteen-year-old Rena has few memories of her childhood before adoption. A forest teeming with wildlife. Mountains reaching up to a blue sky. The voice of the man who raised her. The problem—they’re not real. Such things don’t exist in Esh, a self-governed metropolis shielded from the harsh environment by a transparent canopy. And beyond the city is only the Barrens, an endless wasteland of fog and freezing rain.When Rena’s violent instincts save the lives of her friends, her delusional past begins disrupting her prospects for the future. To find the source of her impulses, she’ll have to sort through the fragments in her mind. What awaits is a connection between her true identity, the city’s forgotten history, and the secret war being waged beneath the surface of her polite society.