Is the Porcelain Princess a fairy story or does she really exist? Carey searches for the Princess as she tours with the puppet theatre inherited from her parents, hoping to somehow grant life to her disintegrating puppets. But why are real people illustrated in stories about the Princess? And why do they succumb to the Fading, slowly vanishing? Carey finds the Princess – but soon wishes she hadn’tIs the Porcelain Princess simply someone from a fairy story, or does she really exist?Carey has spent all her young life searching for the Princess, touring the kingdoms with the puppet theatre inherited from her parents. A few puppets have a semblance of life thanks to ingenious mechanisms, but they’re rapidly disintegrating and Carey hopes the Princess will reveal the secret of her life. But why are real people illustrated in stories about the Princess? And why do they succumb to the disease-like Fading, turning transparent and gradually completely vanishing?Carey finds the Princess – but she also finds that her own life is far more complicated than she had ever imagined. Views: 578
Supernatural detective Jack Nightingale investigates a spate of mysterious deaths in a struggling hotel. Plus six extra short stories from fans and writers drawing inspiration from the Blood Bath title and cover.Supernatural detective Jack Nightingale investigates a spate of mysterious deaths in a struggling hotel. Plus six extra short stories from fans and writers drawing inspiration from the Blood Bath title and cover. Other top writers contributing to the collection include Matt Hilton, Alex Shaw, Conrad Jones and Andrew Peters. Views: 578
CRAG BANYON. HE'S JUST SUPER.When Minus, the city's newly minted superhero, shows up at Banyon Investigations looking for help tracking down his archenemy, Banyon's first instinct is to tell his prospective client to take a flying leap. Supervillains are notoriously unforgiving types, and so when it comes to dealing with them Banyon has a firm business policy that consists of three pillars: truth, justice and running away. Not necessarily in that order.But the hero is a sad sack, and the office elf wants Banyon to take the case, and none of the really good bars in town are open, and so, caught in a weak moment, Banyon relents. Big mistake. Soon our plucky P.I. is caught up in the crazy chaos that comes hand-in-glove with the larger than life superhero biz. If he's lucky enough to survive the thrilling flights, dizzying heights, Spandex tights, bare-knuckled fights, and a doozy of a demented ex-girlfriend, Crag Banyon might live just long enough to make it to his own funeral.BANYON... Views: 578
At the end of the eighteenth century, all of Europe is at war.
In Palermo, sixteen-year-old singer-in-training Anna Maria Ludovisi is married by her dying father to Captain Henry Duncannon, the Perennial Bachelor. Mere minutes after the wedding he sets sail.
The threat of French invasion causes Anna to flee to Paris. At the end of the Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte is transforming France; Anna must transform herself into a professional singer in order to survive.
in 1805, Anna's opera company is traveling through Spain when events bring the long-missing Captain Duncannon and his forgotten wife back together again, as the English, Spanish, and French fleets converge for battle off the Cape of Trafalgar.
For Henry Duncannon as well as Anna, everything changes: the demands of war, the obligation of family, the meaning of love, and the concept of home. Can they find a new life together? Views: 578
In this fourth volume, unknown attackers begin launching assaults in Green Bay and nearly kill Claude Jolliet. But the biggest problems arise from a flood on the Mississippi that inundates the primary shipping and supply center of Canada. Elise and Shawn have 14 days to get systems there running again before the economy of the country collapses.In this fourth volume, unknown attackers begin launching assaults in Green Bay and nearly kill Claude Jolliet. A business war also erupts between the Murphy family and Tilden Foster’s family. But the biggest problems arise from a flood on the Mississippi that inundates the primary shipping and supply center of Canada. Elise and Shawn have 14 days to get systems there running again before the economy of the country collapses. In the process they discover friends and foes as the conflict between the Catholic north and Protestant south escalates. Views: 578
Tenet and Scarab have built a life in Ogden. They've become members of the community and work hard to pay back the Celtists for giving them sanctuary. Then all at once, the peace and serenity they have grown to love is lost as their old lives finally catch up to them. With everything at stake, Tenet must find the strength to finally face his worst enemy and settle the old score once and for all.Six years after the Ogden Septad offered Tenet and Scarab sanctuary in their small mountain village, life for the Lornes is peaceful and calm. The pains and trials of their old life faded away into days of hard but rewarding work as members of a community. Tucked away in their comfortable cabin, it gets easier and easier for the Lornes to ignore the past and build a future. They could almost believe the rest of the world didn't exist outside the comforting protection of the forest.And then all at once, Tenet's new life crumbles as his past finally catches up with him. Not only does he lose everything he loves, but the lives of everyone in his new nation about are thrust into chaos with the threat of war. With the help of the Ogden warriors and a few old friends along the way, Tenet must find the strength to finally face his worst enemy and settle the score once and for all. Views: 578
Dreaming of the Duke: A Duke’s Club Novel Views: 578
Actor, a young man of Ancient Greece looking to make a name for himself, ends up on a trail of side-kicking for some of the greatest heroes ever. However, each one seems to be a little off from their legend. All turn out to be jerks. Will Actor survive to be a hero himself?Actor, a young man of Ancient Greece looking to make a name for himself, ends up on a trail of side-kicking for some of the greatest heroes ever. However, each one seems to be a little off from their legend. Jason is a jerk. Perseus is an old fart. Theseus is a liar. And so on and so on. Only by the skin of his teeth is he able to survive each time, but when will he be the hero? When will he deserve to become a legend?This is a play in One Act intended for a minimum of two actors. It is a comedy-farce, and it requires a few basic props, blackbox theatre, some costume change for second (or more) actor(s), and repeatedly breaking the fourth wall. It's a good small piece for a mildly mature to fully mature audience.ATTN: Reading it is free. Producing it requires you to contact me the author. Please. Views: 577
Despite being born 700 years apart, Alice and Bethania have a lot in common. For one thing, they both believe that the same little boy is their son.Despite being born 700 years apart, Alice and Bethania have a lot in common. For one thing, the both believe that the same little boy is their son.The second novellette in the "Season of the Witch" series, Bethania's Broomsticks is a twisted fable retelling of the La Befana story. Views: 577
In "The Bamboozling of Bazalob", Derry and Jude are carried in a giant travelling pot to rescue their cousin Katie, from Bazalob, a gross mix of beast, bird and fish.In "The Flying Shoes" Sissy and Sam find two giant shoes in a field, in which they fly to the horrible home of Slobsky, a child-eating giant. Will they be able to rescue Milly and Moll, the giant's daughters and prisoner, Wendy?In “The Bamboozling of Bazalob", Derry and Jude are carried in a giant travelling pot to rescue their cousin Katie, from Bazalob, a gross concoction of beast, bird and fish. The children are guided by Mikono, the spirit of the pot and en route they enlist the help of bouncing Blodder, weird Gingali and reluctant Sydney, before finding Katie, who luckily was not to Bazalob’s taste!In “The Flying Shoes” Sissy and Sam find two giant shoes in a field and when they climb in, fly to the horrible home of Slobsky, a child-eating giant. There they find Milly and Moll, his unhappy daughters and Wendy, trapped in a wheel. Will they escape with the girls before Slobsky seizes them for supper? Views: 577
Grandpa was always good at telling stories. The one about the lighthouse people was one of his best. But sometimes its hard to know whether or not there's an element of truth buried in all that colorful narrative. Marinka is confident that those lighthouse people are just one of gradpa's random yarns, but her friend Teun is not so sure. Could the dead really be haunting the local beach?Bernard Mayne had solved the matter transmission puzzle and just needed a research grant to bring his project to fruition. But the Crayston Foundation, who had given Mayne the grant, wanted more and found it in a bright newcomer, Frederick Gallenmeadow. Gallenmeadow may have deciphered the ability to not only travel a great distance in a matter of seconds, but to also move through time.Both Mayne and Gallenmeadow are ambitious men and wanted sole credit for the discovery of trans-dimensional travel; the Crayston Foundation wanted the control.The series follows two students, Yvon and Artemus, and their six years at the Conar Academe for Exceptional Students. After rediscovering the research for the time/distance warp device, Yvon involves his best friend, Artemus, in the project. The time/distance warp project would be hard to keep a secret, but Cedric Kentry, the head of the science wing at the academe, manages to do so, at least until the project catches the attention of its original creators, Bernard Mayne and Frederick Gallemeadow. This is short story from within a nine book series called “Journey From Within”. Views: 577
What if you had a second chance to meet someone for the first time?
Cal Logan is shocked to see Nicole Bentley sitting across from him at a coffee shop thousands of miles from their hometown. After all, no one has seen or heard from her since they graduated over a year ago.
Except this girl isn't Nicole.
She looks exactly like Cal's shy childhood crush, but her name is Nyelle Preston and she has no idea who he is. This girl is impulsive and daring, her passion for life infectious. The complete opposite of Nicole. Cal finds himself utterly fascinated-and falling hard. But Nyelle is also extremely secretive. And the closer he comes to finding out what she's hiding, the less he wants to know.
When the secrets from the past and present collide, one thing becomes clear: Nothing is what it seems. Views: 577
An On Spec Retrospective Anthology. Celebrate On Spec Magazine’s Silver Jubilee with an anthology highlighting select stories from the past twenty-five years.
Stories:
Happy Eating on Ugrath 3 by Jason Kapalka; Star-Seeing Night by Alice Major; The Reality War by Bob Boyczuk; Casserole Diplomacy by Fiona Heath; Jubilee by Steven Mills; No Such Thing as an Ex-Con by Holly Phillips; Closing Time by Matthew Johnson; Foster Child by Catherine Macleod; More Than Salt by Elaine Chen; Where Magic Lives by Sue Bolich; The Black Man by A.M. Arruin; Pizza Night by Laurie Channer; Boys’ Night Out by Rob Hunter; Mourning Sickness by Robert Weston; Sticky Wonder Tales by Hugh Spencer; Emily’s Shadow by Al Onia; The Resident Guest by Sandra Glaze; Come From Aways by Tony Pi; Still by Greg Wilson; The Asheville Road by Corey Brown; Buddhist Jet Lag by Christian McPherson; A Taste of Time by Scott Overton; Penultimate by F. J. Bergman; Pilgrim at the Edge of the World by Sarah Frost Views: 577
