Life in the Frontier Worlds can be brutal and cruel, but humanity presses on in the endless need to survive. In these Archives you will find snapshots of the people that make up the universe of the Avarice Dynasty. Few of them are champions and even fewer heroes; they are simply men and women trying to make a living anyway they can. Contains: Siitral Speedster, Endgame, Vagabonds and Torch AngelsWelcome to the Frontier Worlds! On the far side of the Milky Way Galaxy a super-cluster of stars proved capable of supporting the Journeymen who escaped Old Earth. The Barons are in control here but they leave the majority of ruling to the Alpha Cartels, who in turn leave day-to-day governing to the sector and planetary governor-generals. Life can be brutal and cruel, but humanity presses on in the endless need to survive. Here and there champions arise to brighten the darkness, whether through art, science, or simple good deeds.In these Archives you will find snapshots of the people that make up the universe of the Avarice Dynasty. Few of them are champions and even fewer heroes; they are simply men and women trying to make a living anyway they can.These are their stories.Series One contains the following short stories: Siitral Speedster, Endgame, Vagabonds and Torch Angels. Each is a self-contained story that adds flavor and depth to the Avarice Dynasty universe. Views: 500
A post-catastrophe mystery thriller, The Vanguard is the first part of a trilogy following the adventures of Sorcha Blades - courier, hacker and reluctant superhero. Sorcha and her friends are accustomed to doing whatever they have to do to survive, but making sure everyone else survives? That’s not really in their repertoire.“...a genuinely original and genre-busting novel combining speculative, fantasy and science fiction writing to great effect” The Bookbag ‘And so a time will come to pass when the vanguard will emerge from the underground to battle the forces of darkness for the first of the final times. There will be five to face these foes. One to speak in tongues, one to cleanse in flame, one to stand beyond sight, one to read beyond the veil and one to move the earth.’In the city that will not drown but cannot swim, Sorcha Blades keeps her head above water by wheeling, dealing and stealing. But when an accident gifts her and four friends with talents their world has never seen, they must take a stand against the angels and their acolytes before everything they never knew they cared about is swept away. Views: 483
The Sea, they say, is a harsh mistress. But she gives as well as takes, and the tiny fishing village nestled between the towering cliffs depends on her good graces for survival. James Fairweather is about to discover what happens when her favour is lost. The air is heavy with the tang of salt. On the horizon, clouds are gathering. And something is stirring in the deep, below...The Sea, they say, is a harsh mistress. But she gives as well as takes, and the tiny fishing village nestled between the towering cliffs depends on her good graces for survival.James Fairweather has always been beloved of the sea, right from his early, unusual entry to the village. But the winds are changing, and the tides are turning, and perhaps James is not as well favoured as everyone had thought.The air is heavy with the tang of salt. On the horizon, clouds are gathering. And something is stirring in the deep, below... Storm Watch first appeared in 'Tales from the Asylum: A Steampunk Compilation', published by The Last Line in 2010. 'Tales from the Asylum' is the first volume of 'The Asylum Chronicles'.The AsylumIt was built like a fortress; yet no-one questioned why. It had hundreds of uniformed wardens; almost no-one noticed.It held strange and dangerous inmates; no-one knew.Built in the 1870s, yet seeming to endure forever, the Asylum has seen governments rise and fall, has witnessed wars and riots. It has stories to tell, strange twisting stories of past and future. These are just a few of those stories; these are the Asylum Chronicles… Views: 456
The Myth of Kalvartr is a fantasy novel set in a world plagued with curses and war. Kingdoms are divided, allegiances are shaky. Follow the heirs of the Zhan Kingdom as they try to set things right in a land consumed by fear and greed.Follow four distinct viewpoints of characters within Asarelith, from the far Frozen Lands of the north to the cursed kingdom of the east, in this sample.At the heart of Asarelith lies a terrible secret; a secret so powerful that it could disrupt the peace held between the five provinces. The victims of dark magick have been reawakened and now roam the land, guided by the whispered words of an unknown terror. The Bloodguard, protectors sworn to the Eternal King of the old world, have reappeared in the Zhan Kingdom. They are searching for the heirs of their master, eager to overthrow the false king and return the true heirs to their rightful place on the throne.Others would see them fail. Assassins, sorcerers, and even gods will stand in the way of restoring Asarelith back to its former glory. War will break loose, secrets will unfold, and the truths of Zhan will surface once more in this epic fantasy novel. Views: 454
Seamstress Franny Calico has returned to her hometown of Prudence, Illinois just in time to find a body in the road and a mystery afoot. Excited to help, Franny is shut down by the town's new Sheriff and Franny's old crush, Sherman Jump. Franny will do anything to prove to Sherman that she's capable of solving this crime; even if it means dying to do it. Views: 450
Julie Blalock has a secret--she was once an MI6 Agent. A personal tragedy forced her to quit, but a chance offer to return for a one-time op is too tempting to ignore. Her mission: to pose as a rich socialite during the most anticipated high-class auction of the year--Esther May Morrow's sale of antique treasures, featuring Lot 62, a prize that has even the Ministry of Defence worried.Julie Blalock is approaching thirty and has an unfulfilling job with an accountancy firm. But she also has a secret--she was once an MI6 Agent. A personal tragedy forced her to quit eight years ago, but a chance offer to return for a one-time op is too tempting to ignore. Her mission: to pose as a rich socialite at Sotheby's, to gain critical intelligence during the most anticipated high-class auction of the year--Esther May Morrow's sale of antique treasures, featuring Lot 62, a prize that has even the Ministry of Defence worried. What secrets will Julie discover on her impromptu return to espionage? Views: 431
In this first novelette of the Magnetron Chronicles series, eccentric Nineteenth Century inventor Phineas J. Magnetron reveals his association with the secretive Hogalum Society. When his mentor and Society founder Dr. Hogalum dies, Phineas embarks on a daring and improbable caper to bring the good doctor's greatest dream to fruition posthumously, thus unearthing a haunting and compelling mystery.Phineas Magnetron is an eccentric Nineteenth Century inventor and former Union soldier whose war injury has unaccountably bestowed upon him a strange gift he doesn't completely understand. No stranger to peril and derring-do, Phineas is asked to join a secret organization of crime fighting adventurers by none other than Society founder, Dr. Yngve Hogalum.Traveling the globe in their Luftigel electric airship, Phineas Magnetron and his Hogalum brothers encounter mistrustful policemen, mentally ill criminals, wood-craving aliens, a witch doctor, a mad oracle, and a cross-dressing female matador, among many others. However, this "steam dream team" always manages to triumph over impossible odds and improbable obstacles as they preserve order in a disorderly world—with all the Steam Age weird science they can muster.The Magnetron Chronicles is a serialized steampunk tale re-envisioning the future of generations past with all the breathless melodrama and tumult of that Victorian-era pulp fiction staple, the "penny dreadful." The narrative harks back to the grandiose style of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, but gently satirized with a sprinkling of purposeful anachronisms, double entendres, tongue-in-cheek inventions, and droll Twainian humor. Adapted from "The Secret Journals of Phineas J. Magnetron," a web serial characterized by short chapters with cliffhanger endings, the story builds chapter by chapter, volume by volume, as quirky new characters join the fray and perplexing new mysteries and situations arise.The Magnetron Chronicles is a planned 12-volume series of novelette-length volumes. In this first novelette of the series The Magnetron Chronicles, we are introduced to Phineas J. Magnetron, an eccentric Nineteenth Century inventor blessed with a strange gift he doesn't completely understand. As a former soldier and current member of the Hogalum Society, an inscrutable secret organization of crime fighting adventurers, Phineas is no stranger to peril and derring-do. But when the Society founder dies, Phineas embarks on a daring and improbable caper to bring the good doctor's greatest dream to fruition posthumously. In the process, he not only horrifies his Society brothers, but unearths a haunting and compelling mystery. Views: 419
Proper young ladies in the 1920s don't get dirty, and they don't get into fights. But Colleen's uncle is killed, and she wants answers. When a sinister cult targets her, she pushes back - hard.Now she's running for her life. It will take all her courage, all her strength, and every steam-powered weapon she can devise to keep her alive long enough to unravel the mystery of her uncle's death.Proper young ladies in the 1920s don't get dirty, and they certainly don't get into fights. But Colleen's favorite uncle has died under mysterious circumstances, and she wants answers. When a sinister cult comes after her, she pushes back - hard.Soon she's running for her life, hunted by the cult of Katharis and aided by a secret government agency. It will take all of her courage, all of her strength, and every steam-powered weapon she can devise to keep her alive long enough to unravel the mystery of her uncle's death.The cult thinks she knows her uncle's secrets. They'll do anything, hurt anyone, to make her talk. But they've made a grave mistake. Colleen is going to take the fight to them, again and again, until the people she cares about are safe - or have been avenged.Book 1 of the Gears of a Mad God series. Views: 381
There's Trouble in the Skies... For Sophia Stevenson, there's no going back to the life she knew. She never asked for the powers that make her a precious commodity to the secret society of Illuminists—and their archenemies. Captain Bion Donkova would give anything to possess the powers that have fallen in Sophia's lap. If only the beautiful, infuriating woman could stay out of trouble, he wouldn't have to keep coming to her rescue... Bion and Sophia have friction to spare—and nothing fuels a forbidden passion better than danger... Praise for A Lady Can Never Be Too Curious: "Fascinating...inspiring...The chemistry is off the charts."—Fresh Fiction "Fast-paced, unique...a whole new world that I can't wait to read more of."—Night Owl Reviews "This story grabbed me right at the beginning...it's going in my personal library."—Long and Short Reviews Views: 367
The angels fell in heaps of blood and broken bones. Cassie Larke watched, like all humans, as they died on the streets and the world grew dark and cold. Twelve years later, Cassie discovered a strange man adrift at sea, with no memory of who he was or where he came from. When no one else can see him, Cassie begins to wonder if he's an angel.People are dying, and someone or something is after Cassie and her wayward angel. Does she have what it takes to save them both? Views: 362
A young demi-god and goddess find out that the world is being thrown into chaos and go on a mission to try and stop it.Beakers and ball gowns don’t mix. So when lady chemist and avowed spinster, Miss Liliana Claremont, receives a coveted invitation to the Earl of Stratford’s house party, no one expects her to accept. After all, it’s well known that Lord Geoffrey Wentworth, a rising political star, is in need of a suitable bride, and it’s assumed he will choose one from the select group of attendees.Yet Liliana has no desire to lure the rich and powerful earl into marriage. She’s come to Somerton Park for one reason—to uncover what the Wentworths had to do with the murder of her father. She intends to find justice, even if she has to ruin Stratford to do it.To get the evidence she needs, Liliana intends to keep her enemy close, though romance is not part of her formula. But it only takes one kiss to start a reaction she can’t control… Winner of the Golden Quill for best published Regency romance“Historical intrigue and heart-pounding passion make Sweet Enemy a great read. Romance fans will love it.” ~ #1 NYT Bestselling Author JULIE GARWOOD“Heather Snow combines sizzling tension, witty dialogue, and achingly raw emotions for a passionate love story you’ll remember long after the last page.” ~ Kathryn Smith, USA Today Bestselling Author“This is a debut novel that should be talked about, re-read and remembered for some time…welcome to my keeper shelf, Heather Snow.” ~ Romantic Crush JunkiesThe first full-length novel in the critically acclaimed historical romance series from national best-selling author Heather Snow. Views: 337
Seventeen-year-old Buddy has spent most of his life trying to escape the Lower East Side slums of New York City. Working as a delivery boy to support his family, Buddy wants to become an artist, a dream he's sure will never be realized. But that all changes when a delivery job puts him face-to-face with Mister Joey Drew, the eccentric owner of an animation studio.Mister Drew takes Buddy under his wing as an apprentice, thrusting him into a world unlike anything Buddy has ever seen before. There's the colorful cast of the studio, from the cranky, yet driven composer Sammy Lawrence to Dot, the writing intern and Buddy's counterpart. Working for Mister Drew, Buddy starts to think that maybe it's really as simple as Mister Drew says: Dreams do come true. But not everything at the studio is as picture-perfect as it seems . . .Something is going bump in the night at Joey Drew Studios, something that leaves behind trails of thick, dark ink. While the studio frantically... Views: 275
In the eternal battle between light and dark, the time may come when there will be no more daybreak.In this anthropomorphic fable from science fiction author Gareth Jones, the Masters of Night engage in an endless battle with the Bringers of Dawn. In the eternal battle between light and dark, the time may come when there will be no more daybreak. Views: 257
This book is a collection of short stories or ‘flash fiction’, inspired mostly by author Chuck Wendig's weekly writing challenges on his Terrible Minds blog. Most of the stories are based on these challenges and can be found on my short story blog, Under A Starlit Sky, with a few unpublished ones thrown in. Now, please, won't you journey into the dark and shadowy places?This book is a collection of short stories or ‘flash fiction’, inspired mostly by author Chuck Wendig and his fantastic and hilarious blog, Terrible Minds, where he hosts weekly Friday Flash Fiction writing challenges. Ninety-nine percent of the stories in this book I have written are based on these challenges and can be found on my short story blog, Under A Starlit Sky, with a few unpublished ones thrown in. I decided to compile them into the more convenient and easy to read format of an eBook, rather than scrolling through them online. Now, please, won't you journey into the dark and shadowy places? Views: 256
