Julianne can't believe she landed a job 'across the pond' as event planner at a country house in Cornwall, England. Her first assignment: a celebrity wedding! Surrounded by rugged shores and elegant gardens at a house to die for, Julianne must keep her nerves at bay if she's going to make this event a success. Her attraction for the estate's handsome and mysterious gardener isn't helping either...It’s the career move of a lifetime, and Julianne can’t believe it’s hers: a position as an event planner at a country house in Cornwall, England, beginning with the wedding of a celebrity! If her old firm's senior planner back in the States hadn't fallen suddenly sick with the chicken pox, Julianne would never have found herself chosen for a life in one of England's most beautiful coastal counties, surrounded by rugged shores, quaint cottages, elegant gardens and a house to die for.But life in Cornwall isn't exactly as Julianne imagined it. Her first bride-to-be is a resentful, petted snob, the groom is immature and bored, and the Cornish staff of Cliffs House has a difficult time believing that an event planner from a mid-level position can handle a wedding this big. And then there's a personal matter -- the handsome, sometimes charming, sometimes standoffish gardener Matthew Rose. He and Julianne have a strangely complicated relationship somewhere between friendship and attraction. But with a secret in his past, and a scheming bridesmaid plotting to have Matthew all to herself, will Julianne find a way to untangle her feelings and the problems of planning a perfect Cornish wedding? Views: 765
The next installment in the exciting Rescue Bears series from Scarlett Grove!
Dashed hopes ...
Drew Bock is thrilled when he meets his fated mate at a wedding and the chemistry between them is immediate and overwhelming.
But when she runs away after their one amazing night together, cutting herself off from him, her friends, and everyone else, Drew’s beyond devastated. How could his own mate treat him like some terrifying beast?
Dazed hearts ...
Quinn Jacobs isn’t trying to hurt Drew, or anyone. She’s just a little freaked out and needs some time to get her head together.
She’s always known who she is -- a confident, curvy, sassy woman who loves her PR job. But her shifter-hating parents filled her head with countless lies while she was growing up. How can she be mated to someone she’s been taught her whole life to fear?
Dire straits
When Quinn finally comes back, nine months later, Drew isn’t at all sure he’s ready to forgive her. But she needs him ... and so does their soon-to-be-born child.
Their reconciliation turns perilous when Quinn goes into labor while they’re trapped in an isolated cabin. Can Drew, with a little help from the rest of the rescue crew, keep his new family safe and make sure they get their happy ending? Views: 765
ONE. DEUX. TRE. is a short story collection that takes a look at three relationships, each at different stages and the issues that surround each stage of each relationship: trust, loyalty, and death.Comprised of three stories set in Galveston, Texas, ONE. DEUX. TRE. examines the issues that plague relationships at their various stages. In "All Along,: a young, could-be couple meets for the first time in a state of exhaustion and delirium after not having slept adequately in weeks. In order to finally rest, the two must put their trust in one another without really knowing one another at all. in "Show Me", Charlie Good is struck by a hit-and-run driver, while his boyfriend frantically searches to discover his whereabouts and whether or not his boyfriend is still alive. In "VItas Vit," an accident leaves a Annabelle Black a widow, though her grappling discontent with her husband causes the grieving process to be difficult. Views: 765
I realized she might not be good in the eyes of the society or in the eyes of my friends, but still she was carrying a heart of gold! In due course of time she became a good friend of mine.Whole night I could not sleep. I was thinking about her, my career, my family, my friends and my teachers. I was thinking, had the girl accepted my proposal and had my love affair blossomed, what would happen? What my friends would have thought about me? What my teachers would have thought about me? Was she a bad girl or a good girl by heart? Finally, I realized she might not be good in the eyes of the society or in the eyes of my friends, but still she was carrying a heart of gold! Views: 765
Sand City, a town in the Pacific Northwest, where the rents are too high and the rain never stops. On the surface, it appears normal – except this city is run by General Savage, an alleged supervillain.Grateful for a second chance, Kimber Wellington ignores the city’s strange obsession with super villains. That is, until the daughter of General Savage nearly dies in his arms.Sand City, a town in the Pacific Northwest, where the rents are too high and the rain never stops. On the surface, it appears normal – except this city is run by General Savage, an alleged supervillain.Fleeing Chicago and the disastrous mistakes of his past, Doctor Kimber Wellington accepts a job at the only hospital willing to hire him. Grateful for a second chance, he ignores the city’s strange obsession with supervillains. That is, until the daughter of General Savage nearly dies in his arms. Kimber couldn’t be any more different than Reader, the self-professed supervillainess-in-training, who insists she has superpowers that just so happen not to work around him. She’s deranged, violent, abrasive – and has never known kindness from anyone else. Unfortunately, helping her places Kimber in the crosshairs of Reader’s arch-nemesis. Drawn to the part of her that’s good yet horrified by her dark, violent world, Kimber finds himself at a crossroads: stay in Sand City at the potential cost of his own life, or abandon the city, the people and the compelling supervillainess who need him. Views: 765
Dr. Herbert Marriott has a problem that only murder can solve. Luckily for him, the perfect weapon is locked away in his rundown museum, one too incredible for any court to accept. The cursed chair kills all who rest upon it. But will Herbert’s victim be so easily drawn to her fate?A four and half thousand word short story.THE HEALING PLACE Clare NonhebelSYNOPSISFranz Kane has invested time, money and energy into setting up The Healing Place, a state-of-the-art building with superb facilities, offering an impressive range of holistic therapies and mind-enriching courses to city-dwellers eager to escape the stresses of life.Running such an enterprise has stresses of its own, and not only lighter-hearted errors such as locating Primal Scream Therapy in the next room to Silent Meditation; some serious concerns are beginning to surface. Although Franz promotes inclusive acceptance of every person and every shade of belief, barring religion and obvious cults, there are few people he genuinely trusts. Now two of them - his girlfriend Ella and the psychic, Sharma, a mainstay of The Healing Place - have some challenging questions for Franz.Cracks are beginning to appear in the fabric of the building, and in the persona of Franz himself. He experiences first an outburst of rage against a local vicar, then fear of a sinister stranger who mirrors Franz's own dismissal of moral imperatives, and finally a near-violent impulse against Ella, newly pregnant with his baby.Despite Ella's and Sharma's warnings and encouragement, Franz clings to his image as 'the man with no yesterday,' avoiding every question about his past. But when Sharma takes time out from The Healing Place - in response to a request from local police to help find two kidnapped boys - circumstances begin to force Franz to face himself and his own history.When he makes a sudden decision to go to Ireland, he invites Ella to come with him, on the condition that she asks no questions of him. Trusting his integrity but struggling with fears for Franz and for the future of their unborn Ella begins to find some answers when they visit a convent nursing home where a frail and elderly Catholic priest is dying.But just as they both begin to uncover the past, the future is jeopardised: The Healing Place faces its own baptism of fire, apparently an arson attack by someone who wishes Franz harm.Sharma, who challenged Franz to stop pretending to accept every version of truth as equally valid and to confront his own beliefs and prejudices, is struggling to remain calm as he moves nearer to discovering what has happened to the abducted children. His own children, meanwhile, who had been taken abroad when their mother left him are returning home with an overwhelming need of their own - to be their father's main priority.Reviewing his own priorities, and more aware now of his motivation for founding The Healing Place, Franz has to confront the question of whether the remedies it offers are actually healing anyone.An unexpected source of enlightenment turns up in the form of childhood friend, Patrick, now working in London, who has been looking for Franz under his original name, and a young doctor, Jake. Their shared vision for a new project begins to absorb Franz as well, if he can learn to trust again and work with them as a team.Patrick, who grew up with Franz and knows his extraordinary history, and Ella who until recently only knew him in his recent role as director of The Healing Place, hold between them the key to Franz's own healing.But before they can all move forward, there are still two frightened children to be found, and in the process of standing in for Sharma in one of his classes, Franz begins to understand something of the strange path that Sharma himself has chosen and the hazards he is going through in tracing the abducted boys.At the same time, the vicar and the sinister figure both move into the spotlight and will each make their indelible imprint on the future of The Healing Place, on Franz and Ella and the generation to come. Views: 765
Three hundred years after a global pandemic, Webster City, near the ruins of Chicago, is the last city on Earth. Surrounding enemies threaten to destroy it. However, when Major Carl Davidson investigates the suspicious death of a brilliant biochemist, he discovers the city's real enemies are within and a dark plot is afoot to slaughter the last of mankind. A post-apocalyptic dystopian thriller.Centuries ago, the human race was nearly crushed in its struggle to defeat the evil forces of Aboleth. Led by a powerful order known as the Valier, humankind prevailed, but at a terrible price. In their desperate attempt to achieve victory at any cost, the Valier fell and became a curse on civilization known as The Dread Lords.Time has passed. The world has moved on. The Lake Valleys of Sheridan has known peace for centuries. Only, for Niam Maldies, life has been anything but tranquil. He has been hounded by a gang of ruthless bullies all of his life; and to make matters worse, a year ago, his brother and sister died in a mysterious accident that left him reeling in pain.When Niam hears a mysterious Voice that leads him into a series of dangerous situations, he and his two best friends are set on a collision course with an evil sorcerer. As the three friends struggle to uncover the culprit behind a string of ghastly and supernatural murders, they discover a greater plot that may spell doom for their homeland. Now they must rely on the strength of their friendship if they are to survive, for they were born in fulfillment of a dire prophecy: The Dread Lords must rise once again if mankind is to survive its most ancient and implacable enemy. Views: 764
How do you clothe a book?
In this deeply personal reflection, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Jhumpa Lahiri explores the art of the book jacket from the perspectives of both reader and writer. Probing the complex relationships between text and image, author and designer, and art and commerce, Lahiri delves into the role of the uniform; explains what book jackets and design have come to mean to her; and how, sometimes, “the covers become a part of me.” Views: 764
Yasra Desro has yet to live up to her expected potential. As the daughter of two powerful Vendii majji and having been born at the right time and under the right circumstances, she should be one of the most powerful majji of her time…according to her parents’ expectations.
Instead she has never shown the slightest glimmer of majic. She is, she believes, what her people refer to as a non. A person without majic. And, quite frankly, she’s all right with that. She’s tired of trying to live up to her parents’ preconceived notions of what would make her a worthwhile person. She’s ready to accept her powerless state and move on into her future as a non.
Dendri Adiron is the complete opposite of Yasra. He has known from a ridiculously early age that he was bound to be one of the greatest majji of his time…and he did not disappoint. He is a powerful Aspano majji with a fearsome reputation. Exactly the kind of majji Yasra has always preferred to avoid.
The two of them are destined to meet, and that moment will change both of their lives forever. Neither has realized it, but there is a huge gaping hole in each of their lives…just waiting for someone special to come along and fill it.
The trouble is, will they both recognize that before it’s too late? Views: 764
Invisible darkness swirls between the stars. Galactic tendrils grasp upon nebulous evil hands—forever binding humanity inside a black sea of unknown. Something is out there. There’s no escaping it. Your dreams whisper the cosmic truth, but you refuse to believe in something…called…DARK MATTER!Sometimes it happens even to the best of us – starting out as a faint black smudge on your floor then spreading into something insidious and gelatinous. You get on your hands and knees to scrape it off, but this mysterious substance somehow adheres to your skin. Washing and scrubbing won’t help as it oozes into your pores; attacking and controlling your mind. You hear whispers, feel hands roving your body, and see apparitions. Dark Matter has taken control, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Your eyes will want to absorb some of the most horrifying stories and poems ever written. Dark Matter demands it! Views: 764
When Ethan Allen was first drawn into the world of The Elementals, he had no idea of the importance he played in their existence, now how different he truly was. Thrown in the middle of a civil war, a vital key to the stability and freedom of his kind, he fights not only for his survival, but for the survival of a world that has been seeking peace for thousands of years.Think living on the moon as a teen would mean an escape from cliques and teenage pranks? Think again. When Marci's longtime friend Jess joins the pop-crowd at school, Marci finds herself talked into participating in one of their initiation rites and questioning herself, her friendships, and her values in the process.This Luna Short Story includes a special excerpt from CONVERGENCE, a full-length novel by the same author. Views: 764
Summer vacation is a time to relax and enjoy time off from school. But it's not always fun and games. And sometimes it can be a living hell.Free Origin Story from the upcoming novel "fiX" by Michael Golvach - https://mikegolvach.netAll Her Teeth Were IdeasBy Rebecca LooseAll Her Teeth Were Ideas is a modern adaptation of three of Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories. The collection consists of Berenice, The Black Cat and The Tell-tale Heart. This book has been published as part of a university project for the Creative Writing department at De Montfort University, Leicester. Views: 763
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.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: 763
An old man embraces his last few moments on earth.An elderly man looks over the past few years of his life before he says goodbye to the life he knew. Views: 763
There is a creature haunting the swimming pools of Beverly Hills. Is there a connection between the creature and the beautiful girl Josh is falling head-over-heels in love with? Secrets, lies, true love, and murder are at the heart of this action packed paranormal romance."Young love, paranormal creatures, and murder." There is a creature haunting the swimming pools of Beverly Hills. 16 year-old Josh Butters believes he sees a connection between the creature and the mysterious and beautiful girl next door. Before long, Josh finds himself falling head-over-heels in love with the girl, Lara, who it turns out is an enchanted being. Josh discovers that he and Lara are soulmates, drawn together by the siren’s song, destined to be together from birth. But there’s a dark secret to being Lara’s soulmate, a secret that involves battling creatures, and an age-old feud. Josh must decide if the price for being Lara’s one true love is a price he’s willing to pay. It could cost Josh, his family, and friends their lives. Dangerously exciting, yet mystical and romantic, Moondancers is a page turning thriller that asks the question "do you believe in soulmates?" Views: 763
