Nicola Marter was born with a gift. When she touches an object, she sometimes glimpses those who have owned it before. When a woman arrives with a small wooden carving at the gallery Nicola works at, she can see the object’s history and knows that it was named after the Firebird—the mythical creature from an old Russian fable.
Compelled to know more, Nicola follows a young girl named Anna into the past who leads her on a quest through the glittering backdrops of the Jacobites and Russian courts, unearthing a tale of love, courage, and redemption. Views: 410
Four years ago something happened to Robbie at the beach's edge. Now he carries a fear that keeps him out of the ocean. Can he whip this fear before it whips him?PLEASE “RATE“ THIS STORY at the bottom of this site. Thanks!A Story about dealing with FEAR --- Four years ago something happened to Robbie at the beach's edge. He stepped in the wrong place by accident and suffered much pain for it. Now, years later, he carries a fear that keeps him out of the ocean. Can a compassionate uncle help him whip this fear before it whips him?PLEASE “RATE“ THIS STORY at the bottom of this site. Thanks! Views: 410
The Wonderful Roundabout is a collection of illustrated short stories for children, meant to inspire little ones to be kind, brave and curious. Each story is split into parts of approximately 500 words, so they can be easily read at bedtime. They are suitable for children over 5 years of age as the narratives may be too complex for those younger.The Wonderful Roundabout is a collection of illustrated short stories for children, meant to inspire little ones to be kind, brave and curious. Each story is split into parts of approximately 500 words, so they can be easily read at bedtime. They are suitable for children over 5 years of age as the narratives may be too complex for those younger. The stories usually portray characters facing challenges. One friendly bear wants to learn how to read. A brave sailor leads the way to a magical island. A smart little boy tries to build a flying machine. They each succeed by perseverance, openness and ingenuity. They achieve great things by doing simple, good deeds. An important aspect of the book is that there are no situations where a character has to do wrong in order to gain something. Even when battles take place, as they sometimes do on pirate ships, they have no detail of violent gestures or actions. This is a point that has been attentively pursued throughout the book. There are many classical children's stories that involve a great deal of violence. Hansel and Gretel's own parents leave them in a forest to die, the huntsman in Snow White kills the wolf, Cinderella's sisters are filled with envy. The Wonderful Roundabout was written with the belief that stories can set the foundations for the moral character of children and, therefore, should, in all ways, inspire kids to become caring, generous and motivated individuals. Which is why references to violence or mischief are removed. The obstacles our characters face are more those that appear when one tries to follow a dream that is not readily accessible - such as reaching a magical castle, transforming a bicycle into a mouse or building a bridge in a beautiful place. Simply put, if at least one child becomes a better person after hearing one of the stories, then The Wonderful Roundabout would have fulfilled its purpose. Views: 410
Set during the War of 1812, Amelia Samuels is being forced into a loveless marriage by her father. When she has nobody left to turn to, she befriends the village stranger, Patrick Buchahan. Together the two discover the reason behind her unwanted engagement, but perhaps a little too late.While the nation fights in The War of 1812, Amelia Samuels fights her own battle. Her father is forcing her to marry Thomas Van Martin, the son of the wealthiest man in Millersport. Thomas is everything she's against in a man and the last thing she wants is for him to be her husband. When she has nobody to turn to, she befriends Patrick Buchanan, the village stranger. After falling in love, Amelia and Patrick discover the reason behind her unwanted engagement but Amelia finds herself in grave danger before she can make things right.Amelia's Story is about a village seeking the truth. It's what happens when one man's mistakes effects the entire community. Though the residents of Millersport never learn the complete truth, the readers of this story will know exactly what happened that frightful night of August 25, 1813. Views: 410
Nora’s has been through hell and it has only begun. She has never felt so betrayed or so lost ever in her life. Death is creeping up on her and her family. Will she be able to stop it or will she just accept what fate has dealt her. She isn’t the type to let the people she loves and herself slip into the darkness of pain.Johnny Reese is hurting and he wants to protect his family. He seeks refuge from the cult leader of the S.K.U.L.L.S. and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep his mother and siblings safe. Martin West is having a hard time coping without his best friend, Max Shaw. He’s lashing out and losing control, and Jennifer’s new relationship with Johnny Reese is driving him crazy! Max Shaw is adjusting to life on the other side of the tracks, but danger lurks on all sides.Clouded by doubts, unspoken hurts and forces outside of their control, these young teens take an emotional journey that challenges faith in the face of pain. Views: 410
One of India's two greatest epics, the Ramayana pervades the country's moral and cultural consciousness. For generations it has served as a bedtime story for Indian children, while at the same time emgaging the interest of philosophers and theologians. Now this magnificent new translation makes the monumental work available to a new audience. Believed to have been composed by Valmiki sometime between the eighth and sixth centuries BC, the Ramayana tells the tragic and magical story of Rama, the prince of Ayodhya, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, born to rid the earth of the terrible demon Ravana. An idealized heroic tale ending with the inevitable triumph of good over evil, the Ramayana is also an intensely personal story of family relationships, love and loss, duty and honour, of harem intrigue, petty jealousies and destructive ambitions. All this played out in a universe populated by larger-than-life humans, gods and celestial beings, wondrous animals and terrifying demons. In... Views: 410
Five dark fantasy and horror stories, all written in 2011 and 2012. Under Glass: horror (mirrors); Warmth in Winter: fantasy (ghosts, spies, soldiers); Sans Merci: fantasy (coffee, betrayal); Over the River: fantasy/paranormal (Halloween); Boon: Horror (zombies, apocalypse, Thumbelina). Cover image: "Window," by Lucrecia Beatrice (www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=24701)Five Stories for the Dark Months contains five dark fantasy and horror stories by Katherine Traylor, all written in 2011 and 2012. 1. Under Glass: A girl discovers the danger of being rude to a mirror.2. Warmth in Winter: A young border guard and a foreign spy must avoid pursuit while traveling through a forest full of hungry ghosts.3. Sans Merci: During a stolen coffee break, a young father meets a beautiful stranger who is much more than she seems.4. Over the River: A young woman wanders to the riverbank on Halloween and is invited to a strange party. 5. Boon: A very dark Thumbelina retelling, inspired by zombies and Norse mythology. Views: 409
The Cossacks have always been cavalier with safety in their mines, believing it manly to take risks. But when a score of Cossack miners are trapped underground, it falls to the Welsh miners to save them – at a cost. The Tsar rewards the bravery of the rescuers with gold medals, but when John, Glyn, Richard, Alexei, and the women travel to St Petersburg, both Sarah and Glyn's Cossack mistress Praskovia remain in Hughesovka to help nurse the victims of an epidemic of typhoid that began in the pit houses. But Sarah has another reason for remaining. While the men are away, Sarah leaves Hughesovka forever, carrying a secret that has driven her from the first real home she has ever known and the only friends she has. Meanwhile, unbeknown to the immigrants, Richard's first love, Alice, and Glyn's estranged wife, Betty, are travelling the long miles to Hughesovka, along with Richard and Anna's younger brothers. But what will chapel-going Betty, who has a... Views: 409
Ellery Queen: The Art of Detection: The Story of How Two Fractious Cousins Reshaped the Modern Detective NovelPublishers Weekly: "Considering the wealth of professional and personal information, it's tempting to call this definitive." Francis M. Nevins, twice winner of the prestigious Edgar award for critical studies of Cornell Woolrich and Ellery Queen, delivers an unsurpassable work on "all things Queen." With an extensive bibliography, detailed histories of Ellery Queen in books, movies, radio and television, and reminiscences by both Fred Dannay and Manfred B. Lee who formed the writing partnership that created Ellery Queen, the book provides the most complete account available of how two Brooklyn cousins reshaped the modern detective novel. With 12 pages of photos and an index. Views: 409
In a world ravished by evil, nothing is as it seems. The Darkness beckons to the soul conjuring lilting spells to lull the world and heavens with its discordant lullaby. Only light can conquer the darkness. Only death offers a glimmer of escape. Who will protect the protectors? Who will rise to defend The Realm? PURCHASE COMPLETED NOVEL at SMASHWORDS: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/312401In a world ravished by evil, nothing is as it seems. The Darkness beckons to the soul conjuring lilting spells to lull the world and heavens with its discordant lullaby. Only light can conquer the darkness. Only death offers a glimmer of escape. Who will protect the protectors? Who will rise to defend The Realm? Views: 409
Part seven of the 'Light & Darkness' series, with songs from end of summer and fall of 2012.ChiarOscuro Episode Two The Winds (Words 5,734)The City of Lemekia, right on the Eastern border of Aludin, faces the tides of war of an old enemy. The city is evacuating with only a few citizens left as tensions rise and soldiers start to strengthen the city. Meanwhile a small group embark on a small mission...SERIESChiarOscuro is an ongoing online fantasy series being published at https://chiaroscuroseries.wordpress.com/. Taking place in an alternate world where humanity is just discovering it's full potential after nearly being brought to extinction five millenia ago, the darkness that once threatened humanity has returned, seemingly with the intention to finish what they failed to do 5,000 years ago.ChiarOscuro is made up of 'Books' each one containing an Episode (these normally span a week or two) and a chapter is released throughout the duration of an episode. The official site will be the first place to find the newly released chapters at first, as well as extra pieces that delve deeper into the lore, world and characters of ChiarOscuro and once the Episode has concluded, it will be shortly be available as a single 'Book' to read in full.So follow a small select few in this time where the world's and humanity's certain is uncertain and travel with them to meet many different cultures, people, beliefs, customs through deserts, mountains, the city of nine walls and even the parts of the world the human eye cannot see...SERIES SUMMARYTaking place in a world where at the dawn of human civilisation, a catastrophe struck nearly bringing humanity to extinction and close to forever changing the world as we know it.They called them Demons, twisted, ruthless creatures with no seemingly other drive than to conquer all those weaker than them as they were the strongest and fittest and Earth seemed close to falling into the hands of these strange beings, who came to our world with no warning and legends speak of skies literally tearing open as Demons invaded our world.However, humanity as it always seems to do, fought back and though most of the people living at that time were forever lost, the Demons were defeated, the remaining leaving this world or scattered as they fled the humans only hours before they had been slaughtering mercilessly.It’s been 5,000 years since those events, though many dismiss the tale as legend and humanity has only recently started picking up again, there have been some strange reports recently across Aludin and with the mysterious Decabia to the east, the era of peace may soon be coming to the end and new heroes will have to answer the call to defend humanity’s flame once again, as they did so 5,000 years ago. Views: 409
