A street in New Haven. A line of people, blocks long, more closely packed than the rush-hour subways of the good old times. Poynter has been on the line since before dawn, as are thousands of others, pressed together, waiting their turns at the window to present their individual petitions. His is for more space—a notion so preposterous that when it is discovered it shocks, reverberates down the line, almost triggering violent reactions. In front of Poynter, so tightly jammed against him that he can see no more than the side of her face, is a girl petitioning to change her job. And, locked together in this fearful proximity, they talk, explore their predicaments, and perhaps fall in love. My Petition for More Space chills by its glimpse of a world grown so crowded that dissent is an inconceivable crime and acquiescence the law of survival. Feelings of hope and fear, desire, anger, frustration erupt sporadically, sparked by the friction of numbers. Call it... Views: 463
You're seventeen, and studying hard for your A levels. How would you like it if you were suddenly adopted by a Great Being, who had been around for ever and knew everything? 'Pretty useful, with all that knowledge and the exams coming up', would be your first reaction, I expect. But then the Great Being lets slip that the end of the world is just around the corner.Tom Fletcher is a worried man. Middle aged and balding, he hasn't sold a house in weeks and his job is on the line. His wife is cheating on him and he is falling in love with his secretary.He is bewildered by the world. Animate and inanimate objects take on personalities and behaviours in his fertile imagination which make even the commonplace events of daily life into battlegrounds where misunderstanding and confusion reign.All he asks is to be loved, -- but not by the intimidating Carole who contrives and schemes to get him into her bed.In his mind there is a simple solution. Kill his wife and marry his secretary. But where to get the gun?Pausing only to reflect on topology and the meaning of life, Tom pursues a single minded route through a minefield populated by topless dancers and hippopotami, only slightly phased by a tendency to see people as donuts, and use Exchange and Mart as his guide.Frogs, Pizzas, Water Beds, Pygmies, Licorice Flavoured Condoms and an Ostrich all have key parts to play in this drama of everyday folk.This is a love story, or perhaps a murder story, or maybe it's just a tale about a man who doesn't own a decent jacket..... and in the background lurks the mysterious Geoffrey, without whom the story would be incomplete. Views: 461
From the author of the international bestseller Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind comes an extraordinary new book that explores the future of the human species. Yuval Noah Harari, author of the bestselling Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, envisions a not-too-distant world in which we face a new set of challenges. In Homo Deus, he examines our future with his trademark blend of science, history, philosophy and every discipline in between. Homo Deus explores the projects, dreams and nightmares that will shape the twenty-first century – from overcoming death to creating artificial life. It asks the fundamental questions: Where do we go from here? And how will we protect this fragile world from our own destructive powers? This is the next stage of evolution. This is Homo Deus. War is obsolete You are more likely to commit suicide than be killed in conflict Famine is disappearing You are... Views: 461
“MaryJanice Davidson’s Undead series is laugh-out-loud funny.”—*Heroes and Heartbreakers*
New York Times bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson is back. So is Betsy Taylor, “everyone’s favorite vampire queen” (Bitten by Books) and this time Betsy’s going viral…
If Betsy Taylor has learned anything about ruling Hell it’s: 1) she can't do it alone, and 2) she doesn’t have to. She’s got the help of a devoted vampire king, a dateless zombie, an exhausted new mom, an unshowered cop, a bitchy ghost, a kindly dead priest, and her late stepmother (“Go Team Satan!”). But the latest major hurdle in her post-dead life is so big she can’t even see it until it’s on CNN.
Betsy’s father and half-sister Laura (a former Anti-Christ with a grudge) have outed Betsy to the world. It doesn’t take long for the story to become 24-7 headline news. What’s more, people are not only prepared to believe in vampires, they want to kill them. For Betsy, social media has never felt so…unsocial.
Before long the mansion on Summit Avenue is swarming with reporters, would-be vampire/zombie killers, and desperate emos begging to be turned. Betsy has been forced into the unenviable role as the reluctant face of the vampire nation. All she knows is, she has to look good—this is hi-def!—and stay true to who she is. H8ers be damned. Views: 461
A Collection of Tales by A Variety of AuthorsFamaron Venge the ruler of Parscan agrees to take care of his friend's kids Ohgood and Ratie begrudgingly. They decide to go to the realm known as the Caristic, to see if Ohgood is the one who can unlock it. The Caristic is a massive wonder and magic filled world inside the world, that was sealed and never to be unlocked unless the right person were to try. And every person on their 18th birthday goes and sees if they are indeed the one. Before long they learn of a coup attempt as Famaron has all he can do to keep himself and Ohgood and Ratie alive. They find deception at every turn with many of his own soldiers being a part of the coup. Famaron uses the bulk of his magical abilities to keep the murderers at bay, as spells take the place of guns. They finally get themselves a dragon to survey the wreckage of what was once Parscan, and everywhere they look death and total choas ensue. It is a time of friends in breathing and no more. Views: 461
With Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Joy of Less, spring cleaning takes on a whole new meaning. You'll read stories about people who found happiness in an unlikely way: by saying no. No to buying more stuff, no to taking on additional time-filling commitments, and no to trying to please everyone all of the time. Views: 459
Star Sailor is a series of episodic short stories about a girl named Najima Dezetoiles, and her travels by raft throughout a galaxy once rocked by a terrible war.In this episode, Najima travels to the desert planet of Nanda IV, where she meets the anti-Imperial rebel Otto al-Kara. But what are the intentions of this handsome, gun-toting terrorist in an Empire-controlled town?Najima's eyes trained across the room. From the hall on the opposite end of the control room, following the new girl and Priya, a tall man with olive skin and a thick, black, scraggly beard entered the room. The others nodded as he approached Najima and looked her over. He had a gaze like granite, his cheeks decorated with scars, and his body was well built, his arms looking as hard as the cave’s walls. "You look even smaller up close, kid,” he said, in his deep, gruff voice. “Not exactly what I expected when I was told you saved my friends.” "I can hold my own," Najima returned with a grin, no hesitation in her voice. "Are you the boss man, then?"He returned her grin. "My name is Otto al-Kara, and this is my little group of heroes. What's your name?""Najima Dezetoiles.""How does it feel to be hanging around with a group of terrorists?" Views: 459
Erin has just recently been crowned Queen. Everything is going well until one cold night when an attempt is made to assassinate her and what remains of her family.An inventor has sunk all of his life savings into inventing a time machine, but discovers that using his machine to help people creates some very series and complicated problems. Views: 458
LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2019 'One of the best writers in the world today' Hanif Kureishi 'Haunting, moving, beautifully written - and based by an extraordinary cast of characters who capture the diversity of modern Turkey. A masterpiece' Peter Frankopan 'In the first minute following her death, Tequila Leila's consciousness began to ebb, slowly and steadily, like a tide receding from the shore. Her brain cells, having run out of blood, were now completely deprived of oxygen. But they did not shut down. Not right away...'For Leila, each minute after her death brings a sensuous memory: the taste of spiced goat stew, sacrificed by her father to celebrate the long-awaited birth of a son; the sight of bubbling vats of lemon and sugar which the women use to wax their legs while the men attend mosque; the scent of cardamom coffee that Leila shares with a handsome student in the brothel where... Views: 458
Do you remember who I am?Do you remember my name?I guess I’m to blame.If I am, If I’m to blame,I’ll push it away again and Into the holes in my veinsWhere my blood has spilled to nearly kill meOnce and for all, for all of the same,Because I’m the one to blame, I guessI’m the one to blame, so,If I’m to blame,So be it as it may, becauseIf I’m to blame,It no longer matters what I say.I’m bruised enough toBe no more used too much,And… if I’m to blame,Do you remember who I am?Do you remember my name?I guess I’m to blame.If I am, If I’m to blame,I’ll push it away again and Into the holes in my veinsWhere my blood has spilled to nearly kill meOnce and for all, for all of the same,Because I’m the one to blame, I guessI’m the one to blame, so,If I’m to blame,So be it as it may, becauseIf I’m to blame,It no longer matters what I say. Views: 458
Winner of the Best of Issue in Neonbeam magazine #4, this short tale of a Japanese woman caught up in a web of involuntary assassins is now available for free.Asami's job is simple: meet a contact at an agreed time and place then hand over a murder weapon. After that, she is free to leave. That's what everyone else does.But Asami never leaves. She stays and watches the murder with her own eyes.This behaviour confuses the contacts, her boss, and the messenger who delivers her assignments.Why does she stay?What does she hope to gain?She asks herself the same questions until one assignment gets personal and she feels compelled to do more than just watch. Views: 458
The first 50 years of Australia's settlement by the white man was a time of brutality, cruelty, and harshness - not always on the part of the prisoners.One man, transported for a crime today's world would consider minor, finds that regardless of his crime, regardless of his past, he comes to a time when he discovers some things are worth dying for.Australia's first 50 years was a time of harshness, brutality, and cruelty not often seen in the annals of our world. And these forms of treatment were not always committed by the prisoners.One man, sentenced to transportation for a crime we would regard, today, as minor, finds his life tormented by only the most vicious of treatment - yet, at the end, discovers that sometimes even one's most cruel of masters can be worth dying for. Views: 458
My take on the whole "parallel world" thing. It is my longest short story to date, based on a conversation, a dream, a memory and an idea.Brought to you free. Your opinion matters. Please leave a rating for others to enjoy.Salunas Tac always wanted to do something more. To be something more. When Gaiana, the Druid Mother, visits Aazronia for her Reconcilement blessing, she regales him with tales of the Gift Giver. Inspired to do something for the families of Aazronia, Salunas takes on the mantle of Gift Giver, using his Coercer powers to help spread joy throughout the land.On Whetu, a powerful Abomination has arrived through the Great Portal. Flying to the Druid village under the cover of darkness, it attacks, taking two children and infecting others. When Magistrate Marcus appears on Whetu, with information about the powerful Abomination that is lurking there, he must convince the Druids to take deadly action. On the eve of Reconcilement, this is one thing they refuse to do. Seeking out the help of the Earth Mother, and friends they have gathered along the way, they strive to bring about a resolution that will save humanity. Views: 457
