Sid Sharp is a lonely guy whose life is changed forever one froggy morning in this quirky frog prince retelling for all ages.Sid Sharp is a lonely guy. If only the beautiful Miss Emma Lavender from the post office with whom Sid has secretly been in love with for months, would notice him, he would be a happy man. One busy morning at the post office, a funny kind of fate intervenes for Sid and Emma in this quirky, Roald Dahl inspired frog prince retelling. Views: 996
For years, underground street artist Ignatius has dodged surveillance cameras to spray-paint a dissident symbol: a dark visage with fiery eyes. Dissatisfied with his impact on the totalitarian country he calls home, Iggy sets his sights on tagging the most important government building in the nation. But will the soldiers of the Guard let him get away with it?For years, underground street artist Ignatius has dodged surveillance cameras to spray-paint a dissident symbol: a dark visage with fiery eyes. Dissatisfied with his impact on the totalitarian country he calls home, Iggy sets his sights on tagging the most important government building in the nation. But will the soldiers of the Guard let him get away with it?"Fire Eyes" takes place in a dystopia where the government conducts mass surveillance and keeps a Watched list of its own citizens. The Church has become as powerful as the State, and people who resist are called Heretics and face execution. As a short story set before the events of the novels We, The Watched and Divided We Fall, "Fire Eyes" both makes a great entry point for new readers and provides new perspective to fans of Adam Bender's acclaimed books. Like his novels, this short story by Adam Bender exposes a current political issue in an exciting speculative fiction adventure, carrying on the tradition of dystopian classics 1984 by George Orwell and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, as well as more recent blockbuster novels like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.This eBook includes a free sample of We, The Watched, the celebrated debut novel by Adam Bender. Views: 852
On his tenth birthday, a boy living on the moon asks his grandpa about the blue planet glowing in the forever-night sky, and why they live the way they do. A short story by the author of We, The Watched.A woman is kidnapped off the streets of NYC, a terrible thing on any day, but this is the beginning of the awakening of the Avatar. Or is he? John Fleuric, a software creator, becomes the center of attention of all involved when power, energy, sex, and death, weave their existence as they become joined in a vision of the Universal Plan and the fate of everyone.From Boca Raton, to New York City, to Roanoke, Virginia, this book is a metaphysical journey; an awakening awareness as the struggles of the universe are revealed through a diverse group of people who have been connected by fate.Energy and power abound in a battle to understand what the universe is trying to tell them and what the fate of mankind will be.With every vibration of energy upon one of the seven chakra the group slowly awakens to the building blocks of existence, laying out choices of paths they may or may not take.A young woman, Jackie, a Coast Guard Petty Officer draws the attention of street preachers in New York, who believes she is involved with the coming of a new Messiah.Bernie who had only met Jackie is intrigued but unsure why.Jamal the prophet of the coming black messiah.John a software creator becomes the center of attention of all involved when power, energy, sex, and death, weave their existence as they become joined in a vision of the Universal Plan and the fate of everyone.Sex, violence, and revelations into the mind of creation are keyed into the reader as their own Chakra's awaken. Everyone who reads this book will experience an awakening triggered by their life and their energy. Views: 831
Corporal Tex has to try and survive in the Legion – her officers dead, her friend Breska extremely ill, her fellow soldiers deserting around her as the local Venusians attack their fort, cut off from resupply. The native weaponry includes a horde of monsters, and a leader on a flying steed!A Gender Switch AdventureIndia started hating Oliver just after Christian’s death. She humiliated him in front of the whole school in order to deal with what Christian had done to her. Then Oliver left town to go to University. Now it’s time for her to start a new life but she never expected to see Oliver again, especially during her first day of school. Many things have changed since they been apart. Now he is captain of the Rugby team and the most popular bloke on campus. Oliver took her place and he is making her life a living hell.This time it’s all about him and she is the one who suffers. She fed on her hatred for too long and she refuses to be that way anymore but this is only the beginning of her humiliation. Views: 819
The city of Astar shines as a lone beacon of peace, free from the constant warring of the inhuman, gemeng tribes of the Plains. Aerlid, a man neither human nor gemeng, tricks his way into Astar with his charge, a young gemeng named Riley. In the human city, she experiences a type of fear and oppression foreign to her, and longs for the freedom of the world beyond the city walls.In an empty and dangerous world, the human city of Astar shines as a lone beacon of peace, free from the constant warring of the inhuman, gemeng tribes of the Plains. Aerlid, a man neither human nor gemeng, tricks his way into Astar with his charge, a young gemeng named Riley. In the human city, she experiences a type of fear and oppression foreign to her, and longs for the freedom of the world beyond the city walls.Unbeknownst to her, the world is changing. To the north, another human city is discovered, where the people do not constantly fear invasion by the gemengs, while in the western city of Coastside, a young man begins speaking to the fishpeople, gemengs that dwell within the ocean.But something far worse is coming. The ancestors of the gemengs, creatures far more powerful than either gemeng or human have faced in centuries, are returning. Unaware of the danger, Riley abandons the safety of Astar, while the people of the city remain sure in the strength of their walls… Views: 806
An Erica Joan Stark story.Stark must cross the Seas of Venus to find a missing friend. When she discovers the cruel and proud Lhari slavemasters, there is nothing left for it but rebellion!A Gender Switch Adventure.When four Zurich Gnomes of the American Capitalist Church are kidnapped, Noodles and Botzi are summoned by Papa Speculatus III to his Basilica, the Golden Sucks Tower on Wall Street to go on a mission and save them. The missing Capitalist monsignors are the only ones who hold the codes to the multi-billion bullion stored in Swiss caves. Our boys can’t unravel teaser clues which they found, and as a last resort they enlist the brains of the famous Negative Detective, Professor Matto Pipistrello to explain what is going on. Alas, some serious murders cause a change in plans, and the Bio-Teks have to return to tell the Papa he too is in great danger. The anti-clutter reactor which Noodles invented has been stolen from the CERN laboratories in Switzerland and the ancient brotherhood of the Calamari, thought extinct, has surfaced with a vengeance, not only to annihilate Papa Speculatus III but also the whole Capitalist Church….But wait! -There’s more…..Who is Leonardo da Ladro? And what are chief Nazis Hermann Goering, Joseph Goebels, Heinrich Himmler and Albert Speer doing singing Wagnerian arrangements in the key of Hitler from the skies over Manhattan? Views: 759
Matty and Rory are the only two women strong enough capable of finding a home for several thousand desperate colonists of Venus. The dangerous seductive powers of the plant people of the Sea of Morning Opals may stop them, as may the strange Golden Swimmers.A Gender Switch Adventure.Seventeen-year-old Allie Collins would rather hide behind rumors than face the truth—her life will never be the same as it was before the accident. As a star athlete grieving in the shadows, she hopes to find normalcy in boys and basketball. When her best friend sets her up with the popular Shane Moretti, Allie drags her feet, reluctant for added complications. Then she decides that dating Shane would be the perfect shield from last summer’s tragedy. However, what starts as a mere distraction proves much more complex. As Shane leads Allie into questionable situations, gossip continues to swirl.Battling for her own identity while barricading painful emotions, Allie won’t escape her senior year without new wounds. After all, tragedy is no stranger to her. The events that unfold will draw readers deep into a well of emotion in Rumors, a Lingering Echoes Prequel. Views: 720
How does the stonemason make such perfect statues?Will the girl of young Thomas' dreams find the gift he left for her?What does the strange creature on the deserted planet want from Captain Anderson?These and other questions are explored in The Stonemason and Other Tales. Four stories of the disturbing and the macabre that will take you into the darkest nights and coldest tombs you can fathom.Two homes in the mountainsSnowed in for winter’s keep;A river in between them,A rope tight o’er the deep.A mother and her daughter,A father and his son,A cottage and a cabin,A story yet unspunBut time did freeze a tin canDangling from that ropeA messenger from days gone by,Echoing long lost hope.Until a cold November daySaw decades fall away;Young hands inscribed a folded scrap,A missive sent to say…_________________So begins the plucky correspondence of Timothy and Genevieve, two children about to uncover a story long-buried... one filled with love, with loss, and with hope. An enchanting Christmas story laced with joy, God's healing hand in the broken places of life weaves through each letter passed over the river in that tin-can strung from the rusted pulley. Enter into a simpler time in this petite tale, written to be just long enough to tuck into a stolen moment as you rest your feet and quiet your heart in the bustle of a busy season. Views: 719
Noel Winters is lonely this Christmas. Lonely, despite being overcrowded by friends and family, which he would prefer to label as associates. This is a tale of a lazy procrastinating youth who is no longer young enough to pull that lifestyle off.Disillusioned with himself as much as the outside world, he draws inspiration from his younger adopted sister, Hannah.Noel Winters is lonely this Christmas. Lonely, despite being overcrowded by friends and family, which he would prefer to label as associates. This is a tale of a lazy procrastinating youth who is no longer young enough to pull that lifestyle off.Disillusioned with himself as much as the outside world, he draws inspiration from his younger adopted sister, Hannah. Hannah is a nine-year-old self-proclaiming Jew, which means little more than a recent pork abstinence. She has a wide-eyed passion for life, a bright optimistic light in the shadow of Noel’s pessimism. The season of joy is full of questions for Noel. Where is life leading me? Do I follow? Are cigarettes really that costly? Am I a drunk? Should I be sober before trying to answer these questions?Amazon reviewers"It is not often that a book has the ability to both make me laugh out loud and bring me to the verge of tears; this book had that capability." "Perfect Christmas gift for those who question the tradition!""Parts read like early Nick Hornby while the protagonist with his disconnection and confusion of modern life felt like someone out of Douglas Coupland novel, yet it still felt fresh and new. It moved easily from serious, to funny ,to touching, all in all I highly recommended it.""I read the book in two days, and found it hard to put down. Absolutely brilliant." Views: 682
An Erica Joan Stark story.Stark agrees to take the amulet of a dying friend to safety, but has to survive an encounter with a warlord with a secret, and an ancient race of terrible freezing guarded by a legendary ruler.A Gender Switch Adventure.Jessi hung up the phone. That was the fifth time she tried calling home with no answer. She had just started eating lunch when she remembered she had forgotten to call home. It was something she would never forgive herself for.It was something she would never forgive herself for…It wasn’t until lunchtime that Jessi remembered to call home. No answer. She tried calling several times while she ate her lunch. Still no answer. She closed her eyes and rested her arms and head on her desk. She breathed deeply, wishing she had remembered to call earlier. Until Forever is a story of a young family that is torn apart by the devastating effects of alcoholism. Can healing take place in a relationship when an unforgivable act is committed? Will Jessi's pain and Mark's guilt keep them apart forever, or will unforeseen circumstances bind them together? Author BioDarlene Shortridge attended Alderson Broaddus College as a voice major. She found she was more passionate about her writing classes than her vocal classes. She left college early and since that time has written various projects such as Bible School Curriculum and poetry. She has also written and recorded a CD of original music. She lives abroad with her husband and two children. Until Forever is her first novel. Views: 665
Asmara is one of the most powerful mages in the world. Or, she would be if she could use her magic. She is a shadow mage, a wielder of rare and unusual magic, with the power to peer into the souls of others, to change them, to destroy them. And yet to use it comes at a high price, as shadow mages who use their power rarely make it past their twentieth year. On the plus side, it means she can charge a high price for her services as a mercenary.After resisting her magic for twenty years, war breaks out between Mance-Jolune and the neighbouring land of Lakasha. Tension between the two lands is nothing new, but this time, something is different. The Lakashan's somehow have trained shadow mages, and are using shadow magic in war for the first time. Asmara is suddenly of great interest to the King and all his spies, and refusing to use her deadly magic is no longer an option. Views: 658
China has executed Ambaghai, the Mongols’ khan, on a hurdle with donkey ears and tail from the theatre, in mockery of the horse peoples of the steppe. It cries for hachi.China has executed Ambaghai, the Mongols’ khan, on a hurdle with donkey ears and tail from the theatre, in mockery of the horse peoples of the steppe. It cries for hachi. ‘Hachi means that which is owed, or felt due. It can mean an act of humanity. It can mean vengeance. It meant justice.’The Mongols go to war for Ambaghai’s hachi, in a century when no steppe people is fit to tackle China. They believe battles are won by the just, and the size differential doesn’t bother them. They are wrong, but the Mongol God comforts them with an omen. Temujin, the baby of that battle day, has in his hand his people’s future victory. The Chinese have crossbows, but the Mongols have belief.(Where Amgalant starts. Of Battles Past and the next, When I am King, can be found together in Amgalant One: The Old Ideal) Views: 643
Captain Winters leaves the clean, safe ships of space to descend into the underworld of ancient Mars. An old lover that has fallen under the sway of the old Queens, and Shanga, the going back drug that reverts those of Earth to their bestial nature. Winters knows that naked and defiant she might not resist her own atavistic urges, but is willing to risk all for Jim.A Gender Switch Adventure.Getting stood up on Valentine’s Day has taken Molly Mack places she never would have dared to go… After Molly Mack’s deadbeat boyfriend dumps her on the most romantic day of the year, Molly finds herself pushed to the edge—and in a tight spot. The only rescuer for miles around is her grumpy, laconic—and piping hot—neighbor, Dave Jenkins. Before long, Molly and Dave have struck enough sparks to bring the fire department running. Now the question is, Does Molly still want to be rescued? Or is she exactly where she wants to be? Length: 6,000 words, or about 30 pages. Views: 643
An Erica Joan Stark story.Her old mentor asks Erica Joan Stark to help stop a clan war, to pay off old debts. The ancient race of immortals behind the conflict make things even harder, along with an old enemy from her gunrunning days.A Gender Switch Adventure.Five years ago intergalactic hitman, Chase Darkstaar hid a weapon of pant wettingly devastating proportions and had his memory wiped.Now, with intergalactic civil war on the cards, he's back. Sort of. He's spent the last five years being a bit of a wuss. Gathering a team of equally misfit misfits he has to travel across the stars putting his memory back together so that they can find the Trimedian and save the Universe. honestly, we're doomed. His plans are generally rubbish... Views: 604
The Army of Malkala must fight a juggernaut many times its size and face the temptation of gold and lands; a temptation not everyone can resist.For centuries, the nation of Malkala has bought peace with the larger, though fractured, Empire of Chesia through trade subsidies and bribes.Now, a warlord has united the Empire under his Red Dragon banner and he's not interested in buying from Malkala; he wants to own it.The Army of Malkala must fight a juggernaut many times its size and face the temptation of gold and lands; a temptation not everyone can resist. A Griffins & Gunpowder Short Story of Approximately 6,300 words. Suitable as a stand-alone story. Views: 569
