After the death of her parents, little Ann has lived under the guardianship of Aunt Margaret, constantly moving from place to place. For many, high school is a time of nostalgia, but for Ann it holds a secret so terrible that she has buried it under years of false memories. With the help of an unknown guide, they delve into her past to uncover a long hidden secret. The results will surprise you.Under the guardianship of Aunt Margaret; after the death of her parents at age five, Little Ann had suffered through a constantly changing environment before they finally settled in a small town outside Durango. For a time life was happy until she started high school. For many, looking back on high school is a time of nostalgia, but for Ann it held a secret so terrible that she had buried it under years of false memories. But with the help of a seemingly unknown guide, they delve into her past to uncover a long hidden secret that has plagued her since childhood. What will happen when her unknown guide forces her to face a conflict that has caused such heart break? Who will be her savior, as a voice from her past reaches out to guide and save her. And why is the voice so strangely silent as she faces the truth buried in her past? The results will not be what you expect. Views: 466
Matthew has been discharged from the British Army after serving 22 years. He returns to Suffolk and the small country side town of Stowmarket, in which he grew up. At first he finds it hard to settle back into the life he once knew. Finding it hard to obtain employment with skills he had picked up while in the Army. However, a shock awaits him when it comes to finding himself a girl friend.Bored in the Breakroom is a compilation of flash fiction and slightly longer stories that I have written, most of which had already been published on my blogs as well as blogs run by others.Originally this collection had no theme and was instead just a glom of everything I thought worthwhile. During the editing process, Matt DeBenedictis mentioned the strong presence of academic and office life in many of the stories. We decided to do much pruning here and add some detail there to make the content less burdensome. The result is a more cohesive narrative about the lives of academics and young, urban professionals.All stories written by Jay DiNitto.Edited by Matt DeBenedictis. Views: 466
I am driving along a long dark country lane, when suddenly a deer jumps out and hits my car, sausing it to swerve off the road and hit a tree. I am airlifted by helicopter to hospital, where I am rushed to surgery. Unfortunately, I go into a coma and 'die' on the operating table. I find myself in heaven, where I meet up with some old buddies who have got there before me.Have you ever wondered what it will be like to die and go to Heaven? What is heaven like? Is it all Angels and singing? Or is it a bit like down here on earth but without all the nasty things like illnesses, road rage, arguments, disasters etc.Jesus said that he is going to prepare a place for us, where there are many mansions.This short story / Novella is my take on what I think Heaven would be like (or what I hope it will be like)I am driving along a long dark country lane, when suddenly a deer jumps out and hits my car, sausing it to swerve off the road and hit a tree. I am airlifted by helicopter to hospital, where I am rushed to surgery. Unfortunately, I go into a coma and 'die' on the operating table. I find myself in heaven, where I meet up with some old buddies who have got there before me.I won't tell you any more, as it will spoil it for you.If I get enough readers to like this book, I might write a sequel. Views: 466
Over the past several years, Ken Wharton, himself a former soldier, has been prolific in his coverage of the Troubles, which spread their tentacles far from the streets, and fields of Northern Ireland. Over 4,000 people died in or as a consequence of them and it cost the lives of over 1,300 British soldiers - a fact which is unacknowledged by the MOD - and the lives of over 300 policemen and women. This is Ken’s sixth book about the period and he draws on meticulous and detailed research, first-hand testimony of the soldiers who trod the same streets as himself, and an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the near 30-year period of murder, violence and civil war. The first-hand accounts help us to understand and examine the fears of the young soldiers who patrolled the dangerous streets of the Ardoyne and New Lodge, of Andersonstown, Turf Lodge and Ballymurphy and of the Creggan in Londonderry and the Derrybeg in Newry. He looks at the Loyalist paramilitaries and treats their sectarianism and mindless murder with the same contempt with which he treats the Republicans. He does not mince words about the Irish-Americans and their political stooges in the US Government, judicial system and the ordinary ‘7th generation Irishmen of the American East Coast.’ This is a book not just for soldiers, but for anyone who wishes to look back and try to understand the madness inflicted upon several generations of innocent Irish and British people. In years to come, historians - both social and military - will reflect on this period of insanity with a greater knowledge than hitherto. If you wish to know how it felt to be an innocent sectarian victim, or an off-duty soldier or policeman or a young lad from Leeds, Liverpool or London hard targeting through the Lower Falls, then this book is a must read. Views: 466
Some truths are better left unfound. For two years Craze’s dear friend, Lepsi, has been missing. The murmurings of a haunted spaceship might be a message and may mean his old pal isn’t dead. The possibility spurs Craze and Captain Talos to travel to uncharted worlds, searching. Out there, in an unfamiliar region of the galaxy beyond the Backworlds, they stumble upon a terrible truth. Meanwhile, Rainly remains on Pardeep Station as acting planetlord, dealing with the discovery of her lover’s dark and brutal past. Alone and questioning her judgment, her introspection unlocks more than heartache. Latent protocols in her cybernetics activate, forcing her to face a sinister secret of her own. In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendants to survive in a harsh universe. This is the fourth book in the science fiction series, The Backworlds. A galactic adventure. **About the Author
M. Pax is author of the sci-fi series, The Backworlds, and the science fiction fantasy The Renaissance of Hetty Locklear. A Browncoat and SG fan, she’s also slightly obsessed with Jane Austen. In the summers she docents as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory where the other astronomers now believe she has the most extensive collection of moon photos in existence. No fear, there will be more next summer. She lives in stunning Central Oregon with the Husband Unit and two lovely, spoiled cats. Views: 465
THE GIRL
She was red-haired, beautiful and passionate, but she had the essential innocence and trust of the good, the born victim.
‘What’s your real name, Roy? Tell it to me so the baby at least may know who his mother should have married.’
HER LOVER
He lied to her, took her splendid body, used her shamelessly, until she became pregnant and refused an abortion.
‘I told her. She went very pale. She knew now that she had surrendered her everything to someone she didn’t know at all.’
THE DETECTIVE
To him this was more than a murder – it was a hideous, personal outrage.
‘First the girl and her baby,’ he thought. ‘Then her parents, her friends, all victims of the one act of destruction … He needed to kill girls to make him feel good.
Barlow tells this story from the point of view of the three principal characters. The analysis of the interplay of goodness and evil makes this a clever novel, inspiring pity, terror and a good deal of admiration for the Author's neat yet compelling style, never losing suspense along the way. Views: 465
Inga Simpson gives readers a character so realistic . . . . that it's hard to believe he's a work of fiction.
Beautiful and absorbing - captivates to the very end of the book.
It's the summer of 1971, not far from the stone-fruit capital of New South Wales, where Mr Wigg lives on what is left of his family farm.
Mrs Wigg has been gone a few years now and he thinks about her every day.
He misses his daughter, too, and wonders when he'll see her again.
He spends his time working in the orchard, cooking and preserving his produce and, when it's on, watching the cricket.
It's a full life.
Things are changing though, with Australia and England playing a one-day match, and his new neighbours planting grapes for wine.
His son is on at him to move into town but Mr Wigg has his fruit trees and his chooks to look after.
His grandchildren visit often - to cook, eat and hear his stories.
And there's a special project he has to finish . . . .
It's a lot of work for an old man with shaking hands, but he'll give it a go, as he always has. Views: 465
Celebrating her birthday, seventy-two-year-old Andrea Falstaff receives an unexpected visitor, her first lover from five decades ago. Yet Thom Sugerman is still thirty-two years old, the same age as when Andrea last saw him. Andrea struggles in accepting the love Thom still carries for her, while her family wonders just who this man is to their matriarch.Andrea Falstaff celebrates her seventy-second birthday with family, but an unexpected guest from her past disturbs the party. Yet how can Andrea’s first lover Thom Sugerman still be so young; the last time Andrea saw him, five decades before, he was already thirty-two years old.With no apparent reason for Thom’s odd reappearance, and no other place for him to go, Andrea allows him to sleep on the sofa, yet Thom wants to resume their previous relationship. Andrea struggles with feelings she never lost, while trying to explain to her adult grandchildren just who this man is, and what he means to her. Views: 465
Gavin Talbot is one of the best criminals the world doesn't know about. Known to the Police only as Raven, Gavin is left wondering what to do when a job gets interrupted. The obvious answer seems to be:'Find the next job'.A long dense narrative poem set in a neo-decadent future. Portrays the tempestuous love affair of a cyber-enhanced woman and her wandering paramour. Rhysling Award Finalist 2002Bruce Boston lives in Ocala, Florida, once known as the City of Trees, with his wife, writer-artist Marge Simon, and the ghosts of two cats. He is the author of fifty books and chapbooks. His poetry and fiction have appeared in hundreds of publications, including Asimov's SF Magazine, Amazing Stories, Weird Tales, Strange Horizons, Realms of Fantasy, Pedestal, Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, and The Nebula Awards Showcase. One of the leading genre poets for more than a quarter century, Boston has won the Bram Stoker Award for Poetry, the Asimov's Readers Award, and the Rhysling Award, each a record number of times. He is the author of the dystopian SF novel The Guardener’s Tale (available as an ebook) and the sixties-counterculture novel Stained Glass Rain (forthcoming as an ebook), and has received a Pushcart Prize for Fiction. Views: 465
When Rachel Peters and her best friend Susan attend a swinger's party disguised as a bisexual couple,she never imagined she'd be sitting next to the father of her straight-laced boss, Ryan Stanley - the man she just happens to have a serious crush on. When Ryan reveals he has feelings for her, too, things get complicated; he suspects there's more to her than meets the eye - even if it's not true!What do a sex-obsessed virgin, a stuffy boss, and an over fifty swinger’s party have in common? They’re all about to ruin Rachel Peters’ life. Rachel has a way of falling into trouble – courtesy of her wacky best friend Susan who will do almost anything to ditch her virginity before she turns thirty. When Susan’s latest scheme takes them to a swinger’s club disguised as a bisexual couple, Rachel has no idea the stinky, old man sitting next to her is the father of her serious, straight-laced, and oh, so sexy boss, Ryan Stanley – the man she just happens to have a major crush on. As if things couldn’t get worse, the elder Stanley believes she and Susan are lovers, and he agrees to keep her ‘secret’ if she’ll keep his. What ensues next is a wacky adventure full of secrets, old lovers, and general chaos – and things are bound to get crazier when the truth comes out. Views: 465
Welcome to another bend in my labyrinth. What you have here in your here is the beginning of a journey you are unlikely to forget. Some of you may have even already been down this road (and already have an idea of what’s in store.) but most are first timers (oh boy, fresh meat!) so I promise to not be kind. For as the familiar few will tell you, this is an old story (although totally improved)!In the mid-eighties, when I was but a disturbed young adult, I was wandering through my brain one day looking for a way to express myself in a shocking manner. You see I was kind of a messed up adolescent and had tried nearly everything to release my anger and hatred. Which was probably not far from happening. Thankfully I had an addiction far greater than any drugs I could take; I was addicted to horror. Stephen King, Clive Barker, Peter Straub; all had shrines in my room. They were my release from the insanity of real life and took most the pressure off my awkwardness. Thus, near the middle of my senior year in high school, I sat before an old typewriter and a stack of ditto paper (whats that?) and created what was to be the first issue of Fright. I have taken great pains to resurrect the originals for you here as an introduction to what was and is to come. Of course I am much older now (and entering my second adolescence) with a little more understanding of how these things are supposed to be done so most grammatical and spelling errors, unless intended, have not only been corrected but the stories themselves are improved in every way. I believe my mother would be proud and that I’ll probably end up owing my father money if this sells. Perhaps even the original dittos will be collectors items! Please let me know if you still own one!So, without any further ranting I present to you the history of Fright! Views: 465
How do you fight a deadly disease that comes from beyond planet Earth?When a 2,000-year-old mummy is unearthed in central China, investigators from all over the world fly in to Washington, DC, for a top secret meeting, hoping to find an answer to its mysterious genetic anomalies.But the scientists may have mistakenly released a new, deadly disease of extraterrestrial origins in the process of examining the genetic markers of the ancient mummy. The devastating human error causes a worldwide plague—one that penetrates the barriers of the human immune system. Sino expert Eric Logan and archaeologist Dr. Marcia Kessler lead an expedition back to the icy glaciers of China to extract a much older 20,000-year-old mummy, which could help them formulate a cure. Even as they embark on their mission, the strange illness afflicts the people around them, turning men into mindless monsters.The team retreats to a remote Buddhist monastery and must hold off a vicious...
**How do you fight a deadly disease that comes from beyond planet Earth?**
When a 2,000-year-old mummy is unearthed in central China, investigators from all over the world fly in to Washington, DC, for a top secret meeting, hoping to find an answer to its mysterious genetic anomalies.
But the scientists may have mistakenly released a new, deadly disease of extraterrestrial origins in the process of examining the genetic markers of the ancient mummy. The devastating human error causes a worldwide plague—one that penetrates the barriers of the human immune system. Sino expert Eric Logan and archaeologist Dr. Marcia Kessler lead an expedition back to the icy glaciers of China to extract a much older 20,000-year-old mummy, which could help them formulate a cure. Even as they embark on their mission, the strange illness afflicts the people around them, turning men into mindless monsters.
The team retreats to a remote Buddhist monastery and must hold off a vicious army of victims. As they wrestle with the possibility that they may be the last living humans on earth, someone finds an ancient burial object that may hold the key to ending the apocalyptic epidemic . . .
Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a *New York Times* bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors. Views: 465
It's hard to get ahead in the breakneck world of California real estate. Sarah finds herself locked in an interesting battle with the top dog; a handsome, yet enigmatic, bachelor who will stop at nothing to make a sale. As the stakes get higher, she surprises herself by what she is forced to accomplish.Approx. 50 pagesWhile normal kids are slamming energy drinks and cramming for exams, Celeste will get her adrenaline rush fighting a fire breathing dragon. She wants to meet friends in the quad to exchange lecture notes, but first she must exchange blows with a shapeshifting demon on the rooftop. Life isn’t always fair for a superhero, but at least she doesn’t have to do it alone. With her brother and sister as sidekicks, they alternate between saving lives and getting on each others’ nerves. Together the trio encounters unspeakable odds, mystical forces and comes face-to-face with an image that will haunt them forever—their grandmother in a leopard print bikini. "Okay, little side note here. If a psychopathic killer asks if you want to see a trick, say no. That’s the smart thing to do. I, on the other hand, responded, 'Bring it'.” -excerpt from THE CONDUIT Views: 465
