A collection of short sketches and one-act plays. The subjects vary - a son leaving home, a sense of menace in a rural scene, the mystery of a cruise passenger's identity, consequences of accidents, matrimonial complications, unscrupulous journalistic malpractice, a fatal jealousy - but the tone is mostly light-hearted and conflict usually ends in reconciliation.CONTENTSBRIEF SKETCHES (written for specific occasions).Independence Day (mini-drama; 2m, 1f; 10 minutes)A teenage son is at the stage of leaving home, but his parents too find advantages in independence.Perils of Travel (conversation piece; 2f; 10 minutes). Two young professional women, awaiting a flight to a meeting, discuss a missing passenger, security issues, and why not to travel in a business suit.Crash (mini-drama; 2f; 8 minutes). A teenage girl, who may or may not be dreaming, is visited by a friend who may or may not have stolen the first's boy-friend, and has been involved in a horrendous road accident.Inn Memory (mini-drama; 2f; 8 minutes). Why is the visitor alarmed by a completely peaceful rural scene?ONE-ACT (mostly of competition length)Good Intentions (comedy; 3m, 3f; 50 minutes). George means well but lacks won't-power, and events conspire against his good intentions. Fortunately he is shunted off the road so paved before reaching its proverbial destination. Danube Moon (comedy; 2m, 2f; 30 minutes)A disagreeable divorcee unexpectedly encounters her ex-husband on a river cruise, and quite against her intentions helps him out of a desperate situation.Whitefly (drama; 2m, 3f, 1 either; 40 minutes) An unscrupulous journalist causes disaster to a small community in her determination not to let the truth get in the way of a good story about a local project.Nemesis (dark-grey comedy; 1m, 2f; 30 minutes)"Hell is other people" said Sartre, but Alan, his wife and mistress find otherwise; and who has murdered whom, or doesn't it matter?Coincidence (comedy; 3m, 3f; 30 minutes)A series of outrageous coincidences reunites several old acquaintances.Green Eyes (drama; 3m, 2f; 45 minutes)Sally and Kevin are keen environmentalists. Kevin becomes unreasonably jealous of Sally's contacts with a specialist she has interviewed for the local newspaper and accidentally causes his death, with subsequent agonies of remorse. This drives them apart until his subsequent conduct enables him to forgive himself.Fish out of Water (comedy mystery; 8m, 17f, 1 m or f; 60 minutes. Written for a large group of mixed ability.)Among a mixed bunch of passengers on a river cruise, one is the object of particular interest for several others on covert business, but insists that he is not who they think; or is he? Waiting (drama; 10m, 10f; 45 minutes. Again written for a specific group.)A busload of passengers is left stranded and wondering why; the reason proves more drastic than they could have imagined, but to resolve some old problems. Views: 741
Money can’t buy happiness… even in a world that begins with a Tiffany teething ring.
Sydney Ross has it made. As the 17-year old daughter of Illinois senator Randall Ross and socialite Jillian Ross, Sydney was born with perfect teeth and a killer trust-fund. Everything about her life is idyllic…the life of a princess. The Ross’ are richer than God and twice as beautiful, the picture-perfect All-American Family.
Except that it is all a lie.
After a positive pregnancy test, Sydney’s life unravels in the space of just one breath. Life as she knows it is over and survival itself begins to look questionable as life and death literally hang in the balance with each sordid twist that she is dealt.
After the shocking climax, Sydney is brought to her knees with one seething question: Who in the world can she trust when no one is who they seem to be?
Caution: This book is not set in a Mayberry kind of world nor is it a simple book about teen pregnancy. Princess is somewhat twisted and edgy. You might need to fan yourself during some parts and a box of tissues during others. It contains love, suspense, heartache and loss. Oh- and some adult themes and language, too. Views: 741
Seran is a scout fighting alongside other robots in the war against humans. When she detects wreckage of a fallen battleship, an errant process compels her to fight through the human forces and rescue a survivor. She is drawn to the dying robot and the attraction leads her away from the protocols of machine society.Seran is a scout fighting on a distant planet in the ongoing war between robots and humans. When a battleship falls, an errant process compels her to fight through the human forces and rescue a survivor. Although she sustains heavy damage, she is drawn to the dying robot. Her attraction leads her away from the protocols of machine society, and to the horizon of evolution. Views: 741
Prose poems and vignettes. "I am cast away of my own accord, and no hostage, acutely aware that when coupled, age and what-ifs are twice as excruciating."Edgar Allen Tadpole reaches maturity just as the woman of his dreams arrives at his threshold. He can't believe his luck, nor can she believe hers. Views: 741
All That I Am is a masterful and exhilarating exploration of bravery and betrayal, of the risks and sacrifices some people make for their beliefs, and of heroism hidden in the most unexpected places.
When eighteen-year-old Ruth Becker visits her cousin Dora in Munich in 1923, she meets the love of her life, the dashing young journalist Hans Wesemann, and eagerly joins in the heady activities of the militant political left in Germany. Ten years later, Ruth and Hans are married and living in Weimar Berlin when Hitler is elected chancellor of Germany. Together with Dora and her lover, Ernst Toller, the celebrated poet and self-doubting revolutionary, the four become hunted outlaws overnight and are forced to flee to London. Inspired by the fearless Dora to breathtaking acts of courage, the friends risk betrayal and deceit as they dedicate themselves to a dangerous mission: to inform the British government of the very real Nazi threat to which it remains willfully blind. All That I Am is the heartbreaking story of these extraordinary people, who discover that Hitler’s reach extends much further than they had thought.
Gripping, compassionate, and inspiring, this remarkable debut novel reveals an uncommon depth of humanity and wisdom. Anna Funder has given us a searing and intimate portrait of courage and its price, of desire and ambition, and of the devastating consequences when they are thwarted. Views: 740
Gary appears to be a normal man, bit of a night owl but friendly with his neighbours. Gary, however is a vampire who spends his evenings trawling the city for just the right person to feed on. Returning to his apartment in the city to watch some television before retiring for the day. A new neighbour has moved in next door however, who intrudes into Gary's life a little more‘Artan’s Night’ is the first in a series of short stories serving as prelude to the novel ELADRIA. Artan is a young man with a secret. He has the ability to read people’s minds and hear their thoughts. Struggling to survive in a war-torn, poverty stricken town, he’s been using his newfound power to cheat in casinos; a game that soon backfires when he gets caught. But the worst is still to come. In the middle of the night, the town comes under seige by marauding Ha’shon warriors. Artan is forcibly taken from his home and led on a journey that will change his life - and the fate of his world - forever. Views: 740
In 1997, New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks reinvented the fantasy genre again, publishing the contemporary fantasy masterpiece RUNNING WITH THE DEMON, the first book in a trilogy of novels that would become known as the Word/Void series.
But in 1991, six years before RUNNING WITH THE DEMON, Terry Brooks began testing the mythos found in Word/Void and wrote a tale titled IMAGINARY FRIENDS, a short story published in the Lester del Rey anthology ONCE UPON A TIME!
IMAGINARY FRIENDS has been out of print ever since -- but no longer!
Jack McCall is ten days shy of his thirteenth birthday, a happy kid with wonderful parents, a great best friend, and a bright future. But after a series of headaches forces him to visit the family doctor, Jack discovers a dark secret about himself, one that threatens to destroy him.
All is not lost though. In mysterious Sinnissippi Park where he is banned to tread, Jack discovers unexpected help from the most unlikely of friends and begins a quest to locate the most potent of magics -- one he needs if he is to survive.
Here, for the first time in two decades, Terry Brooks fans can read the 8500-word short story IMAGINARY FRIENDS, featuring Sinnissippi Park and the first appearance of the elven creature Pick and his trusty owl Daniel! Views: 740
How does one young woman handle the possibility of death? What does she teach those close to her, and possibly you, about living? Enter Sophia's garden to find out.Sophia's Garden is a short story about a young woman's look at life and her possible death. When family members are faced with the unknown, paralized by the inability to do anything but watch a loved one go through painful challenges, how does she teach them to live while looking at her own demise? What this short, poignant story might show you may change your life and those who love you if you are face insurmountable odds. Views: 740
Teen telepath Caitlyn "overhears" someone planning to set another student up as a Para--something that could cost that student their home, their family, and even their life. Caitlyn is in a race against time to help protect another student, who might, after all, be a Para. Enjoy this free bonus short story for readers of HUNTED that gives you a glimpse into Caitlyn's world.Khushi, a vibrant 21 year old was the sunshine of her bade papa and buaji’s existence. Add to it a close set of friends and love for arts and her life was complete. She was beautiful inside out, with her doe-like olive green eyes mature beyond their years. Her life was not perfect but she was not the one to complain for she lived it to the fullest. She made the best out of the situations and believed in moving on. Her smiles and chitter chatter were the life of Raizada Mansion. Everyone loved her dearly. Everyone, but Avish Singh Raizada. He arrived in her world claiming his stake on two things that Khushi held very dear to her heart. Her home and her bade papa’s love. Sharing was an alien concept to that cynical arrogant man, who was unhappy with pretty much everything around him. And unfortunately Khushi became one more reason of his displeasure. Forgetting her own sadness, she tried to be reasonable and friendly towards him but he refused to warm up to her. So like any other intelligent being she decided to pretend that he does not exist and went on with her life.It worked, but not for long. The people and the ties binding them were very important, very strong, whether they liked it or not. Their lives touched each other’s on daily basis. So overtime, living under the same roof, sharing the same family forced them into an understanding, a friendship of the sorts.But like it happened with other people, Avish too found his life revolving around Khushi one fine day. She was not someone you can resent for long and he had understood that slowly. They way she saw his pain through the facade of anger broke his resolve to stay away from her. Her heart warming smiles that he had started discreetly capturing in his camera, thawed his frozen heart bit by bit. But his silent admiration and complex nature did not help the matter. To add to his woes, Khushi was obliviously happy in her own world, where Arnav was her friend, just a friend. She sincerely believed in love, but for others not herself. He had always mocked the idea of love, but it was his only salvation now.Second chances are rare in life but he got one, and thus began his quest to bridge the distances between himself and her, distances created by the society, distances created by the age difference, but most importantly distances created by themselves. To make her his for eternity, only his. Views: 739
How far will one little boy go for the answer to a simple question? A fairy tale.From the Four Letters world, this short story can be read as a standalone, but takes place after book 2 in the series. After a mild case of food poisoning on Christmas Eve, Jade wakes up the next morning in an alternate reality where she was never adopted ... and no longer pregnant. Following a few minor hiccups in the beginning, she manages to bond with her biological family in matching pajamas, spends the afternoon at a park with her dead best friend, and meets her fiancé for the very first time at a festive rock party where they fall in love all over again. Is this dream-like state better than her reality? And will Jade ever want to get out of it? Views: 739
A mysterious young boy terrorizes a young mother and forces her to face her demons.When celebrated author Jack Rogan stumbles upon a hidden diary, he can’t resist investigating. Honouring the last wish of a dying friend, he is irresistibly drawn into a web of intriguing clues, hinting at a long forgotten treasure.Joining forces with Cecilia Crawford, a glamorous New York journalist, and Tristan, a remarkable boy with psychic powers, Jack soon finds himself on a precarious journey of discovery, exposing dark secrets from a distant, violent time, when life was cheap and cruelty ruled without mercy.Meanwhile, Emil Fuchs, an enigmatic Swiss banker with a murky past, has an agenda of his own. Ruthless, and determined to defend his reputation at all cost, he threatens to expose a fraud that could destroy everything.Will Rogan succeed? Can he find the forgotten treasure he has been searching for, or will it be lost forever, depriving the world of a masterpiece that belongs to all mankind?Author's Note: The Forgotten Painting is a novella, and as such, it is of course much shorter than my novels. That was one of the reasons I have chosen this genre as the vehicle to introduce new readers to my work. However, I hope it will also entertain existing readers and give them something new and exciting to explore and enjoy. New readers interested in learning more about my writing, can find excerpts from my novels at the back. Views: 739
A sailor sails to Cuba to rescue his missionary brother from a Cuban Prison, and he will stop at nothing to get it done, a storm at sea threatens the mission as he battles the elements and cruel men to return his God fearing brother back to his wife and home in St. Petersburg.**Please review this book**Part 2 of the Davron series. Captain Jazz Belle is feeling isolated, unsure of her own crew, and becoming doubtful of General Burns and the World Space Authority. As her ship streaked through deep space towards Davron in the stolen Romulus, Belle was acutely aware she was on her own. Their one chance was for her to use her own abilities of meditation to use the device known as the HATED, a device responsible for the death of its inventor. If she could survive that, was it even remotely possible that they wouldn't be destroyed by Davron? Views: 739
A Glimpse Beyond... is an introduction to my work and more specifically to my anthology of dark poetry, Beyond the Mask. By its very nature poetry is a subjective medium and as such one person's taste is no guarantee of another's. Therefore this short collection is presented as a representative sample to allow the reader to form their own opinion rather than rely on the views of others.**Note to reader: I'm making my novel available to all in order to share my story to all those who stumble upon it. Over four years of work went into this project. Please respect the art of writing, and please, no plagiarism. Thank you. Enjoy. -Michael LoCurto.The sea is dead—fishless—and Long Island fisherman Jon Brand is to blame. With his greed of overfishing for years—he is surely the cause of the current famine. According to Jon Brand, that is.Elea, Jon’s wife, sees things differently. An oceans-worth of famine cannot be pinned down on one man alone. And she wishes Jon would man-up and find work inland if the sea can no longer provide for the family.But Jon has faith in the sea. His sea. And he cannot simply turn his back on Her.To Sea explores numerous beaches spanning across the Island where Jon seeks the answers of his fate—of his dry ocean—of his God. But the sea is silent. Time after time. Visit after visit. And with each trip to a differing shoreline passing, Jon finds himself closer and closer to a life changing revelation: To land, or, to sea. Views: 738
A warrior travels in the wilderness to rescue a woman from a dragon. But who saves whom?A warrior travels in the wilderness to rescue a woman from a dragon. But who saves whom?A story about dreams, bravery and love. The castle holds a mystery, but is it really a mystery he wants to solve? Views: 738
Matt always knew when his mother was about to arrive: the wind would swirl from every direction at once and dark clouds would mass in the sky.He and his pretty wife, Teri, try to get out of the way, but as the Witch's Son, Matt is drawn into a spider's web. And the cost for getting out of that web is paid in blood.Matt always knew when his mother was about to arrive: the wind would swirl from every direction at once and dark clouds would mass in the sky.He and his pretty wife, Teri, try to get out of the way, but as the Witch's Son, Matt is drawn into a spider's web. He has to use his special abilities to spoil the Witch Queen's plans—but the price for that is to be paid in blood.Fortunately, Teri has a few special abilities of her own ... Views: 738
