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Katla, idiot of idiots, last warrior of Lundr, should know better than to release a dragon. Sacrificing humans to keep the dragons away may be less bloody than war, but it’s repulsive and cowardly. Real warriors fight their enemies head on. And that’s exactly what Katla intends to do. Her plans go south when, instead of preventing the sacrifice, she frees a sleeping dragon and is kidnapped to his frozen castle. Between his speed and bestial form, escape would be hard enough. But the dragon is compassionate, too—and nothing slays a lonely warrior faster than a kindhearted grouch. Soon, Katla is trapped between raging factions of her own heart. Stopping the sacrifices will recommence an age-old war, one she and her peace-loving dragon would wage from opposing sides. Now that they have tamed each other, could they truly go back to being enemies? Icy curses, blood magic, and sassy banter collide as a heroic dumbass finds herself falling for a dragon shifter in this comedic and heartwarming romance. |
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Who Built The Humans? by Phillip Carter Who Built The Humans? is a fragmented novel, a multiverse of 47 stories that combine into 11 interconnected universes. These universes range from soaring science fiction to searing satire, and pose increasingly strange answers to that ancient question, Who Built The Humans? Concepts and theories explored thoughtfully in one story will be relentlessly parodied in the next, and characters and objects will hop between universes to knit the multiverse together in unexpected ways. In this way WBTH is both a short story collection and a novel, and can be read in almost any order. No two stories from the same reality touch across the pages, meaning WBTH can be read front to back as a novel, or universe by universe if you become sucked into one particular reality. If this happens, helpful signs will lead you across time and space into the next story in that universe. This concept is pushed to its limits with the On-Series universe, a darkly satirical universe of poetic short stories that requires reader participation to decide the ridiculous fate of humanity. Will we be destroyed by shame machines, or remembered in the nightmares of some future cyborg? Within the book you will discover shapeshifting televangelists, talking crystals who hate anyone called Susan, the physical manifestation of your inner self, time travel (again), artificial afterlives, intelligent planets, bottleneck spacetimes, collapsing universes, poets that turn into black holes, black holes that turn into poets, shame machines that use those black holes for fuel, time travel, reincarnation cults, parallel universes, deceptive aliens, new Earths, old Earths, sarcastic living metaphors, robots who struggle to learn jokes, intersecting realities and the occasional probing. It's a ridiculous multiverse. You should visit it. (and visit Goodreads for the reviews) |
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THE DINOSAUR FOUR by Geoff Jones An R-Rated B-Movie Time-Travel Dinosaur Thriller Ten strangers trapped in time.... A ticking sound fills the air as Tim MacGregor enters The Daily Edition Café, hoping to meet his new girlfriend for coffee. Moments later, the café is transported 67 million years into the past, along with everyone inside. Time is running out as 10 unlikely companions search for a way home, while one member of the group plots to keep them all trapped in the past. Who will survive? Audiobook performed by award-winning narrator Nick Podehl |
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She's the One Who Gets in Fights by S. R. Cronin Do you know what your problem is? Sulphur knows hers. This 13th-century woman has trained as a fighter all her life in hopes of joining the army. Then, within days, both of her older sisters announce plans and suddenly Sulphur is expected to find a man to marry instead. Is it her good fortune her homeland is gripped by fear of a pending invasion and the army now goes door to door encouraging recruits? Sulphur thinks it is. But once she’s forced to kill in a small skirmish, she’s ready to rethink her career decision. Too bad it’s too late. The invasion is coming, and Ilari needs every good soldier it has. Once Sulphur learns Ilari’s army has made the strategic decision to not defend certain parts of the realm, including the one where her family lives, she has to re-evaluate her loyalty. Is it with the military she’s always admired? Or is it with her sisters, who are hatching a plan to defend their homeland with magic? The problem with being a woman who fights for what’s right is that now, she has to figure out what is. The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters consists of seven short companion novels. Each tells the personal story and perspective of one of seven radically different sisters in the 1200s as they prepare for an invasion of their realm. While these historical fantasy/alternate history books can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, together they tell the full story of how Ilari survived. Which sister do you think saved the realm? That will depend on whose story you are reading. |
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She's the One Who Cares Too Much by S. R. Cronin Do you know what your problem is? Coral knows hers. People have been telling this tenderhearted 13th-century woman for years. So when a heroic army officer proposes, she decides she’s stronger than people realize and her dreams have come true. Except, the perfect man turns out to be less than ideal. And she’s gotten pregnant. And her homeland is gripped with fear of a pending Mongol invasion and she cries about everything now that she’s with child. When a friend suggests the ever-caring Coral possesses a power well beyond what anyone imagines, Coral’s sister decides this formidable talent is what the realm needs. Can Coral raise a baby, placate an absent military husband who thinks he’s stopping the invasion, and help her sister save her homeland? This is just the sort of problem encountered by a woman who cares too much. The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters consists of seven short companion novels. Each tells the personal story and perspective of one of seven radically different sisters in the 1200s as they prepare for an invasion of their realm. While these historical fantasy/alternate history books can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, together they tell the full story of how Ilari survived. Which sister do you think saved the realm? That will depend on whose story you are reading. |
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She's the One Who Thinks Too Much by S. R. Cronin Do you know what your problem is? Ryalgar knows hers. People have been telling this over-educated 13th-century woman for years. So when an equally intellectual prince decides he loves her, it looks like everyone was wrong and her dreams have come true. Except, this prince is obligated to marry another. He is leading the army training to defend their tiny realm against an expected Mongol invasion. And he is considering sacrificing Ryalgar’s home nichna by abandoning it’s rich farmlands to their foes. If only he wasn’t such a nice guy. Another woman would ….. Ryalgar has no idea what another would do. All she knows is she has a multitude of university intellectuals and a family of tough farmers behind her, and a newfound connection with the witches in the forest. Why not devise her own strategy to keep the invaders from destroying her home? Then she can figure out what to do about this problem prince. It’s just the sort of thing that happens when a woman thinks too much. |
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Torpor; Or, The Disquieted Vicissitudes of the Inchoate by Jack CJ Stark Each night whilst everyone else was praying for good health and fortune, Arwen prayed for change. It arrived on a dank winter night. A Ma Shen folk tale told to and via Jack CJ Stark. |
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Nephilim's Hex by Susana Imaginário The Nephilim loom over Niflheim. Gods, Dharkan and mortals fight amongst themselves in their shadow. And Time is on no one's side. The gods are outmatched, their talents useless against the Nephilim's technology. Desperate, they turn on each other. New alliances form and fall apart, for there can be no peace when survival is at stake. Psyche, torn between a goddess's duty and a mortal's hate, sets off on her own to learn the truth behind her fate, unaware of the danger following her. Meanwhile, Chronos' own agenda involves a power so dangerous and unpredictable it's been long forsaken by both the gods and the Nephilim. Will it be worth the risk? |
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The Dharkan by Susana Imaginário The enemy is defeated. The gods strike a truce. And the Dharkan strike against the gods. Victory has cost both gods and mortals dearly. The veil between life and death in Niflheim is thinner than ever. Try as they might, the gods are powerless against the influence of Time, and their past mistakes threaten not only their future but their very existence. Now the fate of eternity rests in the unlikely alliance between the goddess of the soul and a soulless Dharkan, as they must work together to achieve peace between the living and the dead in Aegea. And although their goals may seem similar, the motivations behind them couldn’t be more at odds with each other. Meanwhile, a greater enemy approaches. Or maybe it’s already here... |
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Wyrd Gods by Susana Imaginário The God of Time wants to destroy Eternity. A mysterious immortal seeks vengeance. And a reclusive deity does what no god should ever do: she answers a prayer. As punishment, she is stripped of her powers and trapped in a mortal's body. Now a Wyrd – a fated god – she is haunted by the memories and thoughts of her host and must hide her true identity in order to survive in Niflheim, the rival Norse Underworld. There she discovers the afterlife is not quite what it used to be. Niflheim's new ruler threatens the precarious balance of a world overrun with outcast deities and mortals alike. To save her own sanity and find her way back to the stars, she must help the other Wyrd overcome their grievances to defeat this enemy, but those who would be her allies appear to have motives as hidden as her fragmented consciousness. And yet it seems the greatest threat to her freedom comes from within, and the prize it seeks is her immortal soul... |
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Achten Tan: Land of Dust and Bone by C. Vandyke At the crossroads between Mieville’s New Crobuzon and M.T. Anderson’s Viriconium, on the border of Dhalgren and D&D, just to the left of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld and Mad Max’s Fury Road … lies Achten TanTales from the Year Between is a biannual anthology that brings together some of the most talented writers from around the globe to invent an original world from scratch, then explore that world through their writing. After a week of intensive world-building, each author sets out to expand their new, fabulous universe through short-stories, flash fiction, poems, songs, and whatever other genres their boundless imaginations unleash ... In this inaugural volume, the world in question is Achten Tan, an at times brutal and at times humorous city located at the foot of the Godtree on the southern edge of the Bonewastes. Home to giant ants, mysterious mirror fragments, and the world’s greatest barbecue rib joint, Achten Tan is bursting with stories of fantasy and wonder. One part Italo Calvino, one part Frank Herbert, with just a dash of George R.R. Martin and L. Frank BaumWarning. Achten Tan: Land of Dust & Bone is weird. Inside its pages are drama and humor; action and longing; violence, death, and love. It’s strange and beautiful, a living instance of the old aphorism regarding the whole being greater than the parts. Oh, and there are also giant ants and a city obsessed with barbecued ribs.There are poems and short stories, one-act plays and flash fiction, epistles and excerpts from academic texts, erotic tales and even recipes. It’s a wonderful, fabulous, bizarre, and exciting mix of fiction by Skullgate Media. (Contains contributions by the following authors: Gabrielle Awe, Jesse Nolan Bailey, Ian Barr, Darius Bearguard, Jonathan Beck, Kyle Beers, Dan Berison , Benjamin Blattberg, Elvira Canaveral, Gregory Coley, Darby Cupid, Chris “Terry” Durston, Diana C Gagliardi, Erin Rae Hoffer, Sarah Houck, Debbie Iancu-Haddad, Roger Kristian Jones, Vincent LaBate, Allison Moore, Iseult Murphy, Chapel Orahamm, S.L.Parker, Sarah Remy, Rosalind Dando, CD Storiz, Imelda Taylor, Chris Vandyke, Kelly Washington, and Paul Worthington. Maps by Aaron Hockett) |
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The Kavordian Library Omnibus (Fyskar, Subject 15, Polaris Skies, Subgalaxia) by Chapel Orahamm Collects Fyskar, Subject 15, Polaris Skies, and Subgalaxia. Content Warning-18+, not suitable for young people-Depictions and mention of sex, blood, gore, violence, abuse, suicide, rape, death, homophobia, racism, sexism, drowning, PTSD, psychological trauma, war, language, loss of pregnancy |
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The Murder Next Door by Sarah Bell July 1912 Leeds, England. A man is found dead on his study floor and his now-missing wife is the obvious suspect. To their neighbour, Louisa Knight, it's a shocking piece of news but nothing more. However, when she tells her 'companion' over breakfast, Ada Chapman nearly breaks their teapot and looks ready to run out the door. For Ada watched Mrs Pearce leave from the window of her painting studio. A moment's glance of a fearful face brings back old memories and gives her doubts. As far as the more pragmatic Louisa is concerned, Ada's determination to investigate is bound to lead them into trouble. Again. Yet Louisa's curiosity cannot be denied, and as the pair delve deeper into their neighbour's life what they uncover only clouds the issue further. The question soon becomes not just 'Who killed Mr Pearce?' but also 'Does that person deserve to hang for it?' Even if the couple can find the guilty party, will they be able to agree what should become of them? |
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Double-Crossing the Bridge by Sarah J Sover “Sover’s ability to gross out readers is nothing short of gleeful…Comedy-fantasy fans with strong stomachs will enjoy this book.” – Kirkus Reviews Rent in New Metta is through the cavern ceiling. When Granu barely survives her first gig teaching students who attempt to fillet her for lunch, the baby-eating troll ends up unemployed and facing eviction. Granu's only prospect for income is grueling work in the tar pits. That is, until her playboy best friend devises a perfect, if suicidal, scheme—a heist! The Covered Bridge, the largest source of income for the city, has New Metta well under hoof. In a week, TCB Corporation pulls in enough cash to buy a small country. It's the ideal target, but security is top-notch. Granu needs three things to survive this heist: a crew of specialists, impenetrable sun protection, and gallons of grog. There’s just one thing Granu doesn’t plan for—those damn meddling billy goats. |
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More Time: A Brief Anthology of Indie Author Short Fiction by R. Tim Morris (editor) We might have made better decisions if we'd only had more time. Maybe more time would have been all we needed to love them right. More time could have fixed our mistakes. More time might have only made things worse. More time could have meant a bigger love, but eventually, it might have proven to be a lesser one. And even when the measure of time itself is altogether powerless, love will inevitably find us and leave us in so many more ways. In this short fiction anthology, a global collection of rising talents explore the connection between love and time. Their stories will take us from cancer wards to small town bakeries. From retirement communities, to parkade rooftops, to paranormal phone booths. Love will bloom beneath meteor showers, endure through the magic of mythical creatures, and elude us within the veils of memory. These twelve tales touch on the supernatural, the psychological, and secrets just beneath the surface, teasing our vulnerabilities. Eventually, love may end up being defined by nothing more than a pair of men's slippers, a pilfered hoodie, or a body on the sidewalk. And in all of these stories, one question could be asked: What if we had More Time? Featuring stories by Eloise Archer, Ioanna Arka, Emma Deshpande, Zev Good, R.Tim Morris, Natalie Pinter, Justine Rosenberg, Chet Sandberg, Abby Simpson, Isana Skeete, Lior Torenberg, and Perry Wolfecastle. |
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Chester K. Eddy isn't completely honest. But he's trying to be. When the struggling New York stage actor decides being totally open and honest is exactly the change he needs in his life, Chester doesn't expect being so obnoxiously transparent will only make things worse. After his brother kicks him out, his favorite bar cuts him off, and his best pal Melissa tells him she needs a break from their friends-with-benefits relationship, Chester quickly has few people left who still want to listen to him and his self-professed Honesty Movement. Along his way to newfound self-discovery, Chester will finagle his way into the tenuous role of Director's Assistant for a small-time theatre's production of an unknown play; he'll accidentally attend Sex Addicts Anonymous meetings; he'll find himself in the company of suspected serial killers; he'll drink a bit too much. And he might even have an eye-opening encounter with a talking dinosaur. But there's one truth Chester realizes he hasn't been capable of admitting: he's in love with Melissa. And he can't be completely honest until he's ready to tell her as much. |
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The Inevitable Fall of Tommy Mueller by R. Tim Morris The four of them walked slowly towards the Canal Street Station. Tommy in his bulky Empire State Building costume; Kate in mint green hospital scrubs; Jesse disguised as a superhero; and Patrick dressed as a frog. It was Halloween night, and Tommy made note of all the other ghosts, spirits and specters drifting around them. He didn't feel all that different from any of them at that moment, haunting a world they were only temporarily part of. But what brought the four together in this place at this moment? THE INEVITABLE FALL OF TOMMY MUELLER tells the story of four friends - Tommy, Kate, Jesse and Patrick - and how New York City has watched closely as each of them hit their lowest points. KATE PRINCE had dreams of being a writer and living a life free of regrets. But she's been stuck for years in a dead-end editing job and married to a man she's never loved. JESSE CLASSEN aspired to be an artist with the hopes of one day meeting the girl of his dreams. Instead, he found himself lost, falling into an affair with an older woman and floating directionless through the miserable world of comic book retail. PATRICK KOHN thought he was making the right decision when he left New York to marry an old girlfriend. But now his wife has died, and Patrick must raise a son he's never been comfortable around while facing the reality of returning to the city and the friends he once left behind. And yet, whether by fate or simply good fortune, TOMMY MUELLER has managed to build the perfect life for himself. Since he was a child he had always dreamed of living in New York City and he did so upon graduating from high school. He became a published author and stumbled upon the perfect apartment in Morningside Heights. He met Rachel, his long-time girlfriend, during the catastrophe of September Eleventh. Tommy Mueller's life is exactly as he planned it. But the great city awaits the falling of all its inhabitants, because the fall is inevitable. |
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Isabelle Donhelle is a professor of ornithology at the prestigious Hawthorne University in Boston. It's Isabelle's twenty-ninth birthday, and after escaping from a party she never wanted to be a part of, she has come to the conclusion that her life so far has lacked any significant, meaningful change. But following a chance encounter, Isabelle falls for a struggling student of hers. But things are not always what they seem, and this newfound relationship is much more than Isabelle wanted to believe it was. Now she must realize that change, whether desired or not, is always more complicated after the fact. |
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Privilege: A Trilogy by Bharat Krishnan In this epic saga about privilege and power, Rakshan Baliga will have to choose between the American Dream… and his own. New York’s drug problem is Rakshan's solution. Getting his hands on a super drug called WP could earn him glory, power, and a chance to win back his ex. But stealing it from the Top 1% is costly, and if Rakshan isn’t careful he’ll pay with his life. Discover how Rakshan’s journey sets off a chain of events that changes his city, his country… and the world. This OwnVoices political thriller is perfect for fans of Ocean’s 11 and House of Cards. |
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The Rest of Forever by Mandy Lawson As wedding day approaches, so does Lora Kate's looming court date to bring her attacker to justice. Her life is flung into chaos when she sees a blast from the past, lands a cover on a major fashion magazine, and has an unexpected duet. Is she juggling too much? Can Sam handle his new wife's busy, frantic lifestyle? And most importantly, are either of them prepared for a new addition to the family? |
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Just a Little Frosting by Mandy Lawson Newly engaged Lora Kate is over-the-moon happy. She is the boss of a major party planning company, and her fiance, Sam, is the sweetest man alive. And Garrett Smith, her new assistant, is amazing. He makes wonderful coffee, is completely organized, and keeps her day running smoothly - a professional in every sense of the word. However, he's gorgeous and has a crush on her. Besides doing the little extra for the job, he walks her to her car and brings her donuts. He seems to just know what she needs. Sam doesn't like the perfect assistant at all and jealousy begins to seep in. And that begins to drive a wedge between the happy couple. Can Lora Kate and Sam survive the holidays, wedding planning, and a New York fashion show? A fashion show where L.K. goes with her assistant and without Sam? Or will Garrett make his way into L.K.'s heart? |
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From New York to L.A. by Mandy Lawson Fall in love with best friend Check! Move to Los Angeles Check! Be an amazing Boss Babe Check! Commit to amazing boyfriend Uh...not yet Lora Kate London is starting a new job as the boss of Madden Party Company. Her best friend and boyfriend, Sam Bridges, is going to be her new assistant. With her boyfriend trying to get her to commit and her new employees being scared of her, L.K. is feeling the pressure, but all things can be made right with cake, coffee, and a good party. Los Angeles is where all of the celebrities live and L.K. is ready to plan. They take trips to the beach, attend fashion week, make a couple of ER trips, and tumble their way into the holidays. Sam's ready to propose, but L.K. isn't ready for that yet. Will he put a ring on it or will L.K. end up heartbroken again? |
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Lora Kate London has had a string of meaningless jobs and she's finally ready to make something of herself. Her roommate kind of bailed on her and she may have to give her coffee maker a funeral. But there's one person she can always count on, her best friend Sam Bridges. They've been friends for five years and she's his number one. L.K. lands a job as a party planner with a boss that is so hot he makes her melt right into her Jimmy Choos, but Sam doesn't trust him. At her first party, she ends up forgetting the cake and accidentally flashes the caterer! Luckily, her boss, Ben Sparks, thinks she's adorable. He buys her presents and gives amazing kisses, but things get a little dicey when Sam starts dating her new roommate. She might be a little jealous, but she shouldn't be. She has a hot boyfriend and Sam's just her best friend. Right? Who will capture L.K.'s heart? Bestie? Or Boss Man? |
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Ethereal Secrets: Shadows of Otherside Book 3 by Whitney Hill Arden Finch's conflict with her former guardian reaches the breaking point. As Arden's power grows, Callista works to twist the alliance away from her once more. To secure her ties with Otherside, Arden must outmaneuver both enemies and allies in a race against time. Between that and complications with the upcoming Reveal, a high-pressure case is exactly what Arden doesn't need. But the goddess Artemis has a task, one that will push Arden to her limits and force her to question everything. And as the Wild Hunt draws closer, she finds herself on a collision course with her past—and her future. |
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The Tribulations of August Barton by Jennifer LeBlanc August Barton could never have mentally prepared himself for his freshman year of college: not only has his anxiety increased, but his parents are divorcing, his new roommate thinks Augie is the biggest nerd in existence, and his grandma, a retired prostitute named Gertie, has taken to running away from her nursing home. Augie just wants to hole up in his dorm room with his Star Wars collectables and textbooks, but Gertie is not about to let that happen. What ensues is a crazy ride including naked trespassing, befriending a local biker gang, and maybe-just maybe-with Augie defeating his anxiety and actually getting the girl. |
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A Letter to Claudia by Barbara Avon A month after Luke changes the course of his life, he is overtaken by an intense desire to win back the very thing he lost. The ultimate sacrifice has caused him immense pain, but by employing the haunted Remington Typewriter, he sets out to change the future once more - as everything he types, comes true. Set in October 1972, and in the tradition of Twilight Zone, follow Luke as he attempts to win back the love of his life. "A Letter to Claudia" is the sequel to "Qwerty" - a book that readers have called "haunting, visceral, raw, and beautiful." |
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Teddington Rex is living his best life, star of the daily chat show and darling of the social elite. There's just one problem, his life is the only one there is... everyone else here is dead. Augustan Blunt has been fired and humiliated in front of the whole city, but a mysterious stranger has a job for him. All Blunt has to do is find someone living in the afterlife. It's an impossible task, but he's got nothing better to do, and it isn't as if anyone else is going to employ him. The Grim Reaper isn't feeling himself. He isn't feeling anyone else either, but he's never been accused of being 'handsy'. Something is wrong in the city of Gloomwood. The dead are coming to life, toys are causing problems, and an old friend has turned up in town. Whatever happens everyone seems to have the same goal. Get Ted Dead. |
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Augustan Blunt is a washed out cop with a bad attitude, a drinking problem and a troubled past, oh, he's also dead but that's okay so is everyone else. Other than that things are just peachy. Someone has stolen the Grim Reaper's head and Blunt has been told to find it. In a new city where the rules of the living don't apply Blunt's up to his neck in the brown stuff and he's never been much of a swimmer. With the aid of a woman who keeps turning involuntarily invisible, a journalist who hasn't written an article since she died, and a bureaucrat who can't say no to anyone, Blunt's got to stop whoever is stealing the heads of the city's elite. As he begins his investigations he finds things aren't all they seem. Who are the Gloomwood Youth Order? What do you call the murder of someone already dead? Why are people having their heads chopped off? And what is in the hot dogs? With time slipping away he needs to learn what makes the city tick before there's no city left. |
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All the Lines to Cross by Ashish Rastogi A sports star and a doctor. A jock and a nerd. Stop that eye roll. We know it is a trope washed threadbare on romance readers’ hands. But these two might be the ones to shred it to pieces. At least Sharon will, after meeting Jon. He is a flirt, has an OCD about his football career, and an ego stuffed to the brim in a 6’4” frame. She is no damsel in distress, an accomplished surgeon and the one holding the scalpel to get him back on the field. Stuck between their dance is Nate, playing cupid. Not a simple task when you are seven-years-old and the only adult amongst two petulant grownups. Stubborn brats! For Sharon and Jon, falling in love is the cheesy part, but staying in love? Well, that’s a story for a separate page on the playbook. Hey, wait. Don’t walk away. We need all the help to knock the nonsense out of these two. Membership to their @meddlesomefriends group is open. #meetcute #sportsromance. |
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The Broken Code by Ashish Rastogi Dr. Alisha Venkatesh faces death every day. She is an intensivist working in the ICU. However, this does not prepare her for the near-death situations of the two dearest people in her life. For Alisha, technology is like her second hobby. The first being medicine. She advocates for using tech to solve the world's health puzzle, a problem created by the system being broken at multiple places and in various ways. She also knows the dangers that technology presents. Alisha must use all her life's learnings to deal with an enemy who works right beside her—using her medical and IT knowledge to track and decipher patterns that the dark side has camouflaged. Despite having to deal with her own emotions, Alisha works with the two New York detectives Nick & his friend Miguel amidst a series of murders to stop a cyberwar. |
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Black Moon: The Chronicles of Tucker Littlefield by Tegon Maus "Well?" She asked after a few moments. "Well what?" I returned. "I don't see him anymore. Maybe you should go see if he's alright." "I beg your pardon?" "Don't give me that. What if something happened to him. You're the husband. Go see if it's safe," She admonished, striking me in the chest with the back of her hand. "And if it's not? Then what?" "Well, the sensible thing to do is throw yourself in front of whatever it is that's trying to eat you and give me time to get away of course," she said matter-of-factly. "Trying to eat me? Why the hell would you say that?" "I don't know, it just came to me," She shrugged. "How is it that I'm the one being eaten?" "You're the husband. People would talk if something happened to me and not to you." "In the future, let them talk," I grumbled. |
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Fall by Maxime Jaz When you think you have everything, one small step twists your life around. Golden-boy and medical student Jake has everything laid out for him: wealth, studies, and a brilliant girlfriend. A life people could only dream of. Until one morning, he trips during his morning run and is helped up by a kind stranger. This should be it, but Jake can’t get those green eyes out of his mind. There’s only one tiny problem: they belong to a man. This encounter triggers a series of ripple effects which will haul their lives over and lead them down unknown paths. An all-consuming burning love with heights and lows, and a pit of suffering, will shatter Jake’s world of lies, and shed light on truths he is terrified of embracing. Will Jake take that step into the unknown void he’s facing? Will Doug be there to catch him? As both of them plummet to depths unknown, will their love be strong enough to bridge the gaps between their worlds, and make them overcome the obstacles put in their paths? |
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Love Still Bites by Barbara Avon Satisfy your craving for fiction in a bite-sized morsel, or indulge all at once. This is my second collection of flash fiction that spans various genres. Primarily, though, love still bites. |
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Sometimes, the greatest expressions need only a very few words. This collection of short fiction includes comedy, loss, love, horror and every bit in between. Enjoy in bite-sized portions or devour all at once. |
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The Christmas Miracle by Barbara Avon Peter Travis is a handsome older man in his 60s. He left his heart in Niagara Falls when his first love was senselessly killed by a drunk driver. A year later, he opened Briana's Bistro in her honour. Peter found love again, with a woman twenty years his junior. They have twin boys, and he finally has found the peace that he has always longed for. At Christmastime, 2007, Peter hires a boy, Terry, who is down on his luck. During a wicked snowstorm, the bistro closes early. When the bistro goes up in flames, with his wife, Laura, locked in the staff room, Peter blames God. His life is once again turned upside down. The authorities suspect arson. Laura is in a coma, and even the doctors don't know if she will wake. Will she survive? Will Peter ever know who set the blaze? Triggered, he turns to the bottle, and is visited by the ghost of his first love, Briana. In this suspenseful Christmas tale, read about the power of true love, and find yourself believing that maybe, just maybe, miracles do happen. |
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The Christmas Ornament by Barbara Avon "The truth is, a man's success is measured not by what he has or what he can do but by who loves him. Until he is loved and feels love unconditionally, he is a ghost among us simply existing. I was sick of being a ghost." Christmas will not mean the same for Peter Travis this year. He and his wife have just suffered a devastating loss and he now fears that she is retreating into the arms of another man. Peter befriends a homeless man. A decorated war hero and finds comfort in the man's words. A published author, Michael describes his time in the war in his novel Home, Now and it is within the pages of his memoir that Peter finds out the truth about real and ever lasting love. Peter's wife is devastated and her heart can not mend after the loss her and her husband have suffered. To make matters worse, a man has come into her life that threatens her marriage and even her safety. Although she trusts her husband, she is unable to confide in him. The man threatening her is sinister and is known to Peter. She is now left to fend for herself and attempt to save her marriage and sets out to protect Peter the only way she knows how - by deceiving him. Set in 2006 with 1980's flashbacks. Will Peter Travis find the happy ending that he seeks? |
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Briana's Bistro by Barbara Avon “I harbor secrets and they weigh heavily on me. Not even Carl knows what I do every night after the day’s duties are done. I feel ashamed and yet I cannot stop.” The year is 2003. It's been three years since that fateful night when Peter Travis' world was turned upside down. In an effort to forget his pain, he has sold his house in the country where he once lived in solitude to open Briana's Bistro in downtown Ottawa. On the night of the grand opening, Peter meets a stunning blond woman and he can't get her off of his mind. Love has abandoned him and yet she stirs emotions in him that have long lied dormant. He is torn between guilt and passion and finally relinquishes his heart. However, the woman is not who she says she is, thrusting Peter into a rage that he can not overcome. What secret does the woman harbor that causes Peter so much anguish? What forces will lead him back? Will love prevail? At a time when all obstacles seem insurmountable, ask yourself, is love enough? |
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Michael's Choice by Barbara Avon Michael Rossi is back! After the death of Ottawa's first serial killer, things in the city are just getting back to normal. The city's imposed curfew has been lifted, the nervous energy in the air has started to dissipate and demolition has begun on Hayden's Amusement Park. After suffering at the hand of Stevie Phelps, and putting the pieces of their lives back together, Michael and Nicole Rossi are living the dream. Business at Michael's Place is booming, their daughter, Maria, is just learning to walk and the newlyweds are more in love than ever. Without warning, the dream is shattered. A brutal murder takes place and everyone deems it the work of a copy-cat killer. Just like Stevie Phelps, known as "The Carousel Killer", had done with his victims, the killer removed the victim's eyes. Nicole panics and slowly retreats into herself until Michael starts to believe she is seeking comfort in the arms of another man. Then, one night, he overhears a conversation in his restaurant that makes his blood run cold. Phelps continues to haunt the Rossi family, forcing Michael to make a choice. A choice that will change everything and help them emerge from the nightmare that has become their life. Making the wrong choice, Michael soon realizes, is truly the only way out. |
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Brooding, sexy, restaurant owner, Michael Rossi is determined to unravel the mystery behind the lady in the red coat. One secret can speak a thousand truths. Michael Rossi has an extraordinary talent. Every day, he sets out with his grandfather's camera to capture incredible images like the ones his Nonno used to take in Italy. His girlfriend recently left him with a broken heart and he's grateful for the distraction. One day, he sees through his lens, a beautiful woman kneeling at a headstone. He quietly snaps her picture and retreats to his two-bedroom home in the city, developing the film in his dark room. He returns to the cemetery daily and every day, the woman is also there. Finally, one day, Michael gathers the courage to approach her. It doesn't take them long to fall in love. Nicole harbors a secret, however. A secret that she is ashamed of and that has changed her in ways she can't describe. If spoken, it would threaten the love she shares with Michael. Ultimately, Michael becomes aware that something isn't right. The words unspoken between them, become the most powerful of all. |
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When Daniel Walker's wife, Amy, died in a freak accident, he gave up on love. He bought Joe's Grocery & Deli, and transformed it into "The Christmas Store" to honour her, and her love of Christmas. One snowy night, a woman knocks on the door. Daniel is immediately taken with the dark-haired beauty. Bianca is in possession of a key. She traveled from Toronto to Ottawa to unravel the mystery behind the magic relic. She didn't think she would fall in love along the way. When she is diagnosed with a terminal illness, what choices will she make to preserve their love? Is Daniel her future or will she leave him in the past? Does magic have limitations? Set between 1980 and 1990, "Promise Me" is "a most unusual love story, and one you won't soon forget." |
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Matthew Winters is in trouble. Everything he's worked so hard to achieve, is gone. One snowy Christmas Eve in 1932, he's offered a second chance. He meets Henry, the proprietor of a thrift store. It isn't your typical thrift store. The wares Henry purveys are magical. He returns home to confess everything to his beautiful wife, Anna. He convinces her that they can start anew, and use the timepiece Henry gives him to travel through time. "Don't ever let it stop ticking," Henry warns. In this mystical tale that marries time travel, romance and psychological horror, journey with the Winters across many decades to see what happens when you let love lead the way. A grotesquely beautiful love story that will test the hands of time. |
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His shadow crossed her frail body like some menacing presence as he stood. He leaned over to brush her thinning hair from her face, and kissed her forehead, trying to reach her beautiful mind. “I'll be right back,” he whispered in her ear. “I'm going to the store, but it will only take me a minute, okay?” In 1982, John Armstrong walks into a convenience store. He emerges with a second chance at life. He believes he's been given a gift - but at what cost? Windfall is a dark-themed fantasy/time travel story about a man who thinks he's won it all. |
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In the tradition of "Twilight Zone", Q.W.E.R.T.Y. takes you into another dimension. A place where all things are possible. Luke is an author and a widower. His aunt gifts him a Remington typewriter and he soon discovers that everything he types, comes true. "What if I can bring her back?" In this novella, that is a cross between time travel and paranormal romance, you'll read a compelling, poetic tale that follows Luke on a heart-breaking journey - one that will change everything. |
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My Love is Deep by Barbara Avon "I'm not ashamed for having loved. It is, I was once told, the best reason for dying and the only reason for living." Peter Travis is an attractive, single man in his 50's. Yet he's lonely. He was engaged once but his heart is empty now. He lives a quiet life in the country, just outside of Ottawa and although he has had his fair share of offers, he refuses to date. One woman remains on his mind and even more so now, after he receives a letter. After nearly 20 years apart, she's invited him to meet her once again, at the tree in Niagara Falls where they were engaged in 1986. Peter must fight with his own demons and summon the courage to reunite with his true love, a feisty Italian beauty who approached him in a bar in downtown Ottawa in the 80's. Will he have the courage to put his heart on the line once again? What forces will prevent them from rekindling their love? "My Love is Deep" is set in the year 2000 with 1980's flashbacks, describing a love that many of us seek and some never find. Above all else, it will remind you to love deep, always. |
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Jonathan Peters once held a prestigious position at Tribeck Advertising. He was well-loved in his neighbourhood. A newlywed, he and his beautiful wife Andrea, were looking forward to being parents. Now he lives a solitary life, and works in a flower shop. Now, they call him the "simpleton". It wasn't his fault, really. He found her in the bathtub. "An accident", they called it. Or was it? When the haunting begins to steal Jon's identity, he changes into a different man. He recognizes the ghost, though. It's someone he once vowed to spend his entire life with, and there's something she wants to say. |
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In the Fall of 1985, Jameson Brooks spends his days working for Frank's Moving. At night, he attempts to fill the void of an empty heart with one-night stands, fueled by alcoholic binges. Lina is a dancer, and a lonely spirit. She isn't interested in the advances of the handsome, yet rough rogue that lives above her. Her demons still follow her. Her abusive husband's ghost lingers, along with that of a very shady newspaper editor. When Lina disappears, love fuels James's drive to discover the truth, by using the clues hidden in the notes he finds underneath his door. Mortality becomes his greatest enemy. A paranormal romance with suspense and horror elements. Includes flashbacks to 1918. |
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Alyssa Fairfield by Tiffany Christina Lewis Smart, talented and fun-loving, Alyssa Fairfield is a junior at UCLA. She believes she is firmly in command of her life until one harrowing, late-night run proves to her that not everything is in her control. After surviving a vicious assault, Alyssa becomes devoted to finding her attacker. Now she must fight her own demons while developing her skills as an investigator, and trying to apprehend a cunning and deadly assailant. You will love this #OwnVoices story about survival and triumph, fighting demons and rising above tragedy. |
