In a shattered world of airships and windborne cities, Captain Muller Jakes' crew betrays him when his plot to steal a fortune in gravstone goes awry. A lost city, a deadly sabotage, and a series of narrow escapes will force him to choose between his freedom and the lives of thousands. A high-flying adventure full of gadgetry, treachery and intrigue; a pleasing blend of steampunk and cyberpunk.I am Arkadia Castner. I am beautiful. I am popular. I am also the most messed-up witch you will ever meet. I can’t make water boil, or make the wind blow; I can’t even light a match without the aid of a flint. My 18th birthday is in six months, and if I don’t pass the Paranormal Safety Exams (PSEs) by then, I will be banished to the Isle of Shadows for eternity, never to be seen again – it will be as though I never existed. I found myself at the halfway house under the supervision and guidance of Den Mother and telepathic empath, Eloise Mayflower. The halfway house is the last chance for troubled paranormal teens like me to pass our PSEs and avoid banishment. Eloise knows everything I think and feel, and is supposed to be helping me, but I still can’t do basic spells a six-year-old can do. I hate it here, but I have no choice. This is my last chance. I had all but given up hope, when in walks Bohdan Drak. Tall, dark, and so damn sexy it hurts to look at him – even his muscles had muscles. He is a dragon shifter and wears the mark of having passed his PSEs. When our souls meet, we realize we have found our soul mates and perfect matches. My dying hope has found life again, and I finally have a reason to look forward to a future. I thought everything would be fine, but darkness and despair creep into my future. I have been framed for a murder, and everyone believes I am guilty. The paranormal council now watches my every move. Can I trust Bohdan and true love? I fear my destiny is to be banished forever … Views: 630
A cohort of venturers embarks upon a journey from the mongrel City-State of Uhl'iir across the shiftland known as the Nephraath Barrens. Out in the inimical wastes beyond the world that birthed them, they seek the lost treasures of a cultic pilgrimage to the depths of Neph's Chasm.A cohort of venturers embarks upon a journey from the mongrel City-State of Uhl'iir across the shiftland known as the Nephraath Barrens. Out in the inimical wastes beyond the world that birthed them, they seek the lost treasures of a cultic pilgrimage to the depths of Neph's Chasm.* * * * *The Tales of the Vast Land are the stories of the bold and the desperate, those for whom the challenge of the unknown is the only option. These heroes struggle not for gold and glory, or between life and death, but against the inimical strangeness of an indifferent world.The Vast Land is a sweeping realm of forgotten empires and lost gods, fitfully bordered by the formless chaos of the shiftlands. The civilizations of its Interior are piled on the ruins of a terrifyingly ancient history. A legacy of brutal warfare and struggles for primacy between the monstrous kith of legend predating the emergence of the Amaan, humans. Haunted by the atrocities of the Cannibal Wars that tore their own nascent empire apart, the Amaan have eschewed the growth of nations, instead raising independent city-states as population centers.Wielding broken virtues and unlikely sorceries, venturers are the drifters and exiles of the Vast Land, expendable strangers to be flung against unthinkable perils. Any who set off toward the flat horizons are given up as lost by the civilized kith of the Interior. Otherworldly wights roam the fringes, full of boundless malice and strange appetites. To walk in their steps, buffeted by the raw forces of creation pouring forth from the shiftlands, is to be transformed beyond the knowledge of all-kith. Views: 630
She looked up and paused in her stirring, the same disbelief surfacing on her face. "What? I've grown horns?"He shook his head. Curves. She'd grown curves and soft skin and a rosy tint to her cheeks.——-Nelson Trader's after-school tutoring with fellow senior, Brigitte Pink, is a mutual secret. No one can know he's spending time with her or the reason why. He has to protect his reputation. Something she says she's willing to go along with at first.Yet so much time together changes everything. Her adoration and his growing feelings require him to surrender the one thing he can't seem to let go of. His pride.A sweet short story of teen romance by best-selling author, SUZANNE D. WILLIAMS. Views: 629
We played our roles, told each other lies. But now Dylan is no longer just a mysterious deep voice on the other end of the line. We’re face-to-face and our relationship is very, very real. We still have secrets—but so much is crystal clear: The thrilling danger. The raw, naked desire. The need to keep feeling the way he makes me feel. Forever. Dylan is putting up walls, trying to keep me safe, but he can’t shut me out. He has seen my darkness and rescued me. Now it’s my turn, if only he will let me. Views: 629
“So did you ever work out Dramble’s riddle?” | Elly shook her head, “No, even to this day it puzzles me!” | “How does it go again?” | “Out of your heart the tears I keep and when I am no longer, your knowledge is complete,” Elly recited verbatim. | “I think I just solved it.” | “Where?!”A distant rumble echoed up and down the steep green valley walls; then a gentle breeze rippled across the valley floor stirring a patchwork of yellow, pink and blue, making the colourful tall stems of happy flowers seem to giggle softly and sway gently in the giddying silence. Patches of blue sky peered around the tall cliffs, partially obscured by lazy clouds hanging deftly and close to the rocky peaks. A monolithic giant, draped in the royal green velvet of deep rainforest, towered high above the trail and stood guard over the entrance to the enchanting scene, making sure only the invited found the secret, narrow breach.Something was beckoning, tugging at her heart strings and drawing her onto the path, urging her to keep walking. Step by step the trail led her deeper into the valley, tantalising her senses with each guarded step and piquing her curiosity.Where was she?Suddenly, the valley erupted into whispered laughter, adorable impish laughter echoing across the valley floor and entangled among the swaying flowers. She searched around trying to identify the voices, but they remained shy and hidden from her view. Then the sky opened and a warm, gentle shower drizzled over her, flooding her mind with childish delight as she tasted drops of water sweeter than honey. The rain began to teem down on her and as it did, the impish laughter increased; she heard a giggle trickle over her tonsils and then an echoing laugh bubbled up from deep inside her and spilled out into the rain. In a moment of ecstasy, she peered up at the sky and the mountains surrounding her and twirled on the spot, pirouetting like a ballet dancer, lost in excited elation and sending her long gown whirling around her.As suddenly as it came, the rain stopped and a gentle breeze caressed her face, dancing with her, calling to her in a loving whisper, “Elly... Elly... come to me, pretty lady,” enticing her down into the valley while its call halted her ecstatic dance. The voice made her heart burn within her and she searched among the flowers until she saw a beautiful young man standing on the path, beckoning to her with an outstretched arm. She gazed at the gesture for a moment, hesitating and a little confused, but then his haunting green eyes peered into the depths of her heart and overpowered her emotions, gently pulling her towards him...A gentle, easy read that will captivate your heart and hold it prisoner as it pleads with every word to take you deeper into an enchanted world of mystery, valour, romance and redemption.“So did you ever work out Dramble’s riddle?”Elly shook her head. “No, even to this day it puzzles me!”“How does it go again?”“Out of your heart, the tears I keep and when I am no longer, your knowledge is complete,” Elly recited verbatim.“I think I just solved it.”“Where?!” Views: 629
There are some things about me you should know. 1. I always wear my butterfly shell - even when I'm swimming or sleeping 2. I don't hurt myself any more 3. I believe in ghosts. I'd better start at the beginning. The beginning of First Year. Here goes ... The story of a strange year and a very special shell. Views: 629
Chris has to spend his weekend watching his grandfather who is recovering from hip surgery. He doesn't mind doing this, but as an unexpected Texas snowstorm kicks in, they soon realize there's something outside in the snow. Trapped with his grandfather, they must now work together to fight off their snow-born attackers.Broken into 4 sections (Me, You, Us, Forever), "Screaming White Noise" starts with writer's experiences (Me) then moves to his demented vision of love (You). It concludes with a bleak outlook of the present state of the world (Us) and how he hopes to leave it (Forever). Views: 629
Based loosely on the author's life, this novel recounts the narrator's journey following the footsteps of his Mauritius-born grandfather, Maxime, who abruptly boarded a boat bound for Madagascar in 1922 and never returned. Michaël Ferrier tells a tale of discovery as well as the elusive, colorful story of Maxime's life in Madagascar, which included a stint as an acrobat in a traveling circus and, later, as a diver and artist on marine expeditions. Maxime's story is one of adventure but also romance. He falls in love with a refined young Pauline Nuñes, Ferrier's grandmother, whose well-to-do family of Indian merchants owns a hotel famous for playing the latest music—including American jazz—and throwing popular dances and parties. Over Seas of Memory weaves these personal stories with the island's history, including its period as a Vichy-governed territory at the center of what was termed "Project Madagascar," the Nazi plan to relocate Europe's... Views: 629
Multiple terror attacks have crippled Russia. To stop the bloodshed, the nation's leaders reach out to America for help.Former Special Forces soldier and the newest covert agent of the U.S. Government, Aaron Hardy has his first mission.He must fly to Moscow and eliminate one man, an explosives expert supplying bombs to terrorists.His search uncovers a deadly plot that threatens to create global panic.What begins as a simple seek and destroy operation morphs into a race against time.The stakes are high and one major obstacle stands in Hardy's way. The Russian authorities suspect him of murdering four of their agents.Avoid being captured by the people he's trying to help.Stop a bomb maker before he unleashes unprecedented worldwide terror.And, you thought your first day on the job was tough.…An intense and gripping adventure you won't put down until the last page is read…Buy... Views: 629
From the deceptively staid halls of the Capitol to the most exotic parts of the world,a complex conspiracy that redefines international intrigue unfolds in The Puppets of Washington series.ETA 11-16-2016: New revised edition uploaded. LavinaIt starts with the shooting of Agent Talya Kartz, but where does it end? In the search for justice and truth, Talya must journey halfway across the world to find the man who pulled the trigger - a man who seems to be backed by sinister, all-powerful forces that have their fingers in every pie imaginable, from shady CIA-backed drug and arms deals to warehouses full of faulty armaments in Israel. And masterminding it all is a mysterious genius, known only as The Puppeteer.And as for Talya's search for truth, a search in which she needs to enlist the aid of the Canadian Secret Service? There is no truth, not in the world in which she finds herself. Washington itself seems to be involved, as is Mossad, who is covering something up, or creating cover for someone. It appears that in this dark, shady realm of secret agents, double-crossing, betrayals and murders there are only layers upon layers of lies, deceptions and masks. To delve into the darkness of this world is to peel back the skin of everything you thought was real - and see the seething underbelly of the underground world that exists below ours.In The Sadir Affair, the first volume of the thrilling The Puppets of Washington series, you'll be thrown headlong into a riveting, blitzkrieg-paced tale of murder, betrayal, and secret government agencies dealing in all sorts of deceptions, shady deals and lies. Warning - once you crack this action-packed, riveting book open, you won't be able to put it down until you've read every book in the series - and even then you'll still be hungering for more.Get even better value for money with the new Box-Set. Search "Puppets of Washington Box-Set" on the Store Search Bar Views: 628
Best friends Nat and Jenny, 18-years-old and fresh off their first year at college, take a summer road trip out west to explore America and themselves. After stopping off at a scenic overlook for Jenny to relieve herself outdoors, Nat discovers just how open her friend is now that they're away from home. When they stop for the night to camp, fancy-free Jenny takes off her dress to cool off leading an anxious Nat down an unfamiliar road of lust and passion with her best friend in the driver seat. This 5300 word short story is a tender yet explicit lesbian first time bicurious exploration. It contains young adult best friends road tripping out west, a squatting outdoor pit stop, girls camping and going nude, a simultaneous licking, and a soft squirt of an ending. It's a well-written, realistic story of friends coming together. Check the Look Inside for more!** Views: 628
An historical novel of the armaments industry during the Napoleonic Wars.A time of restoration and 18th Century drama revealing five men who created the biggest industrial city, civilisation had ever seen. They were the Iron Masters, masters of metal and men. Their cannons saved a kingdom, forged the greatest empire in the world and changed the history of the human race.Intrigue, bribery, adultery and murder were common in Merthyr Tydfil, a town where the furnaces burned day and night, the sun seldom pierced the soot filled sky and the Iron Masters ruled without pity.Nye Vaughn, a humble farm boy, walked to Merthyr to find his destiny, unaware that a war was coming which would engulf the known world and make bold men rich. To fight Bonaparte, Britain needed cannons, thousands of them. Vaughn built the largest foundry of them all and made his fortune but, when the world changed, the iron behemoth he constructed turned on him.Graham Watkins joins the ranks of historical authors as he weaves fiction and fact together with a pace that makes the reader turn the pages. The Iron Masters is a story of family, greed, betrayal and war. It's scope is epic from Wales, to Baltimore, from the age of sail to steam railways, from the Battle of Trafalgar to the defiant raising of the American flag over Fort McHenry, signalling the confidence of a new, powerful nation. Many of the characters and events are true and reveal an amazing time in our history. In his American book review, Alex Dunbar compares The Iron Masters with the writing of C.S. Forester and Margaret Mitchell, and adds, 'The Iron Masters is an epic tale covering half a century as Nye Vaughn fights his way from humble beginnings to create one of the most powerful families in Wales. Vaughn isn't Rhett Butler, he's a more complex character, but his story is equally compelling.' Gone with the Wind was written by one of the great classic authors and Forester's Hornblower sea stories are considered to be some of the best fiction written.Above all, The Iron Masters is a book about extraordinary men and women and how they deal with life’s challenges. If you enjoy a classic novel, are interested in the Napoleonic wars or Georgian Britain this is one of the best books to read. Views: 628
An old sorceress returns to her homeland, determined to seek revenge for the sins of the past, while embroiled in a plot that will jeopardise the future of her world. Blurring the boundaries between good and evil, this intriguing short story serves as prelude to the epic fantasy/science-fiction novel "The Key of Alanar". Rory Mackay is author of the critically acclaimed novel "Eladria".Written in celebration of 150 years of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ by Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson)Alice falls into a world of mad computer programs when she doesn’t do her Mathematics homework. Will she find her way back? Will she find her Bunny? Or will the Ultimate Viruses of Power have their way? Views: 628
Travel through lucid dreaming episodes. Get ready for the full story. Have a good night sleep.The Old Testament story of Joseph, in The Bible, has fascinated people for centuries. Here is a man who held a unique place in history. His is a true ‘rags to riches’ story, told out against the backdrop of the ancient Egyptian Empire. It is a story of hatred, of treachery, of slavery and prison. But above all this, it is the journey of a soul, of a man who through faith in his God prevails in seemingly impossible situations, to emerge as God’s man for the times.Joseph’s loss of freedom eventually leads to God’s reward for Joseph's faithfulness under very trying circumstances. God’s sovereignty, omniscience and power are revealed in the events that occur in the life of Joseph, and in the lives of others he comes in contact with.Joseph's brothers hate him and sell him to Ishmeelite merchants as a slave. Joseph is sold in Egypt to a high ranking Egyptian army officer. Joseph rises to become chief steward in the Egyptian's household. The Egyptian's wife tries to seduce him and fails; consequently Joseph is thrown in prison. In prison he interprets dreams for Pharaoh's former chief butler and former chief baker. As a result of this incident Joseph later is brought before Pharaoh to interpret Pharaoh's dreams.The interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams is a life changing moment for Joseph and for Egypt. Views: 628
