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Tears of War by A.D. Trosper

“Old things come again and new things surface.”

Faced with a looming war, the riders have no choice but to leave the safety of Galdrilene and reach out to the nations for help. But the Shadow Riders are doing the same and not all nations are opposed to their rule.

New discoveries are made, old wounds are reopened and betrayal hides among welcoming smiles.

As one nation begins to unravel it’s clear that some choices, even those made with the best of intentions, can have devastating consequences.

Everblue (Book 1 of Mer Tales) by Brenda Pandos

She wanted her life to change … he wanted his to stay the same.

Seventeen-year-old Ashlyn Lanski is tired of her boring, single life. Swimming and spending time with Tatiana, her best friend, are her only sanctuary. The girls plan to leave their drab lakeside town far behind for college, and Ash hopes to finally ditch her longtime crush for Finley, Tatiana’s twin brother. But when Tatiana and her family fail to return home after a family emergency, Ashlyn chooses to do something drastic to find them.

Finley Helton and his family are good at blending in as they run their sailing charter business in Lake Tahoe. But together, they guard an ancient secret. When a not so routine meeting forces Finley, Tatiana and their mother to return to Natatoria and Fin’s father on a dangerous mission, Fin can’t stay caged up for long.

Secrets lurk beneath the deep blue waters of Lake Tahoe, and a simple lifesaving kiss could change their lives forever.

Excerpt

ASH

“What’s wrong?” I asked and glanced over to where Tatiana looked, afraid her father might be storming down the beach towards us. Instead, a red Jeep rolled over the ridge and down the rocky path that separated our neighborhoods.

She tsked. “What does he want?”

My mouth parched as I caught a glimpse of Tatchi’s twin brother through his windshield. He wore his usual black baseball hat, and looked nothing short of adorable.

“He’s coming here?” My voice cracked.
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Immortal Prophecy by Samantha Adams and Kay Fry

The prophecy has been foretold…
Her destiny has been written…
Her fate has been sealed…

When Alessandra goes to visit a fortune teller at sixteen years old, she has no idea of the repercussions that will haunt her for the rest of her life…

Five years after that life changing night, she meets the evil vampire, Vincent whose fate is tied in with hers according to an ancient prophecy, and she finds herself in a terrifying situation, literally staring death in the face.

After a narrow escape, the secrets that people closest to her have been hiding come rushing to the surface…Alessandra soon discovers the world as she knew it doesn’t exist…and she is not what she thought she was…

Then she meets, James…again.

He’s gorgeous, dominating, and gets under her skin whether she likes it or not. Alessandra fights the connection she feels with the smouldering immortal, but they seem to be connected by a thread of fate she cannot escape, no matter how hard she tries.

Will she succumb to his ruthless pursuit and find the courage to save the immortals and mankind from the vampires?

Excerpt

In this scene, Alessandra has gone to visit a fortune teller with her best friend, Kathryn. It is here that she learns of the prophecy that will change her life forever…

“Alessandra,” Madame Isabella began, the tone of her voice becoming ominous and foreboding. Ally felt a shiver of dread run through her body. She should have listened to those instincts and gotten out of here, but no…

“You are a hunted woman, Alessandra. Two men are bound to you by destiny, but both have very different purposes. James Carlisle has been sent to protect you. Trust him with your life, he is your guardian and soulmate. Vincent, the other man, wants you dead…” She paused as she looked into the crystal ball, her eyes widened slightly and her lips parted in surprise. “Someone you love is keeping a secret from you that will shatter your world and change your life in ways you cannot imagine. You are not who you think you are, Alessandra.”

Ally, was vaguely aware of Kathryn’s arm around her. The feeling of dread had completely absorbed her to the point that she was paralyzed with fear.

“Are you ok, Ally?” her friend whispered, while giving her arm a squeeze.

Ally’s only response was a vague nod.

Madame continued, “Two people close to you will die, you cannot stop this. It is all meant to be and will mark the beginning of the prophecy…the prophecy you were born to fulfil.”

Ally’s breath caught in her throat. “Prophecy? What prophecy?”

“You were born to save an ancient race and kill Vincent. He will die at your hand if the prophecy is fulfilled.” The fortune teller paused for a moment, feeling desperately sorry for the sweet innocent girl sitting before her, but she knew that hiding the truth from her would ultimately lead to her demise. She leaned over and grabbed Ally’s hand in an effort to offer her some comfort. “The destiny that has been chosen for you will not be an easy one, but you were born to do this. No matter what do not lose hope, if you lose hope, then you have already lost, and you will die. Vincent will win, and the human race will be slaughtered with no one to protect them.”

Ally snatched her hand back as if it was burned. With a deceptively calm voice she said, “I want to go home, Kathryn. Now!”

“Of course,” Kathryn said as she helped her friend up.

“Ally,” Madame Isabella continued. “Remember that when you lose those people, things will have been set in motion that no one can stop. It will have begun.”

Unable to form any words, Ally glared at the woman, until Kathryn pulled her along and got her outside the tent.

Once outside, Ally felt like she could breathe again. They started walking so fast it was almost a light jog. Both were eager to get as far from that place as possible.

Madame Isabella watched the girls leave with a peculiar look on her face. “So the prophecy is true,” she muttered, shaking her head slightly in disbelief. “Poor girl, you have no idea what is coming for you.” A tear rolled down her cheek as she turned and walked back inside.

“I’m so sorry, Ally. I should never have forced you into that.” Kathryn felt dreadful for insisting that Ally have a reading too.

“It’s not true,” Ally muttered shaking her head. “It can’t be.”

Ally was still walking without a destination in mind, the only requirement she had was to be far away from Madame Isabella. Kat was walking with her, gently guiding her through the crowds. She could tell her friend was not watching where she was going.

“Not a chance that was way too bizarre,” Kat said, trying to be reassuring. However, they both knew that it more than likely was true. Madame Isabella seemed to be the real deal.

“Right.” Ally smiled trying to perk up. If I don’t believe it, then it won’t happen, right? Losing two people close to her, Vincent, a guardian and soulmate named James. It was all too much. Then the reality of what she had been told hit her. The air was knocked from her lungs, she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, and then everything went black…

New SF Anthology: Space Jockey

Have you had a change to check out my new science fiction anthology? You can download it on Kindle for only $2.99! 

And if you’ve already read it, don’t forget to leave a review!

A science fiction anthology about that classic career of the future… space pilot.

A young pilot thinks he knows the cost of war. Until he opens a forbidden door…

If you’re piloting a cargo of convicts on Titan, you’re already in trouble. Things can still get worse.

After the war, humanity gave up dreaming of the stars. But not him.

Can a fleet of ships run by citizens stop famine from being used as a weapon?

Every time he traveled to another world, he lost a little more of himself. Now they wanted him to make one last trip….

And more!

The anthology includes ten short stories, two novelettes, and one full novella, featuring stories by:

Learn More about the Worlds in Space Jockey

SHORT STORIES

Scott Whitmore – Green Zulu Five One
A young pilot thinks he knows the cost of war. Until he opens a forbidden door…
FIRST LINE: Tyko killed the first two Vyptellians quickly enough, sending bright green streams of charged slugs into spacefighters that were now millions of pieces of space debris….
Keep reading, “Green Zulu Five One”
Novel Excerpt: The Devil’s Harvest by Scott Whitmore

Ethan Rodgers – Farsider
If you’re piloting a cargo of murderers and rapists on Titan, you’re already in trouble. Things can still get worse.
FIRST LINE: I take a long drag from my cigarette, watching the androids load the metal pod onto the cargo deck under the supervision of four armed guards….
Keep reading, “Farsider”

Algis Budrys – The Stoker and the Stars
After the war, humanity gave up dreaming of the stars. But not him.
FIRST LINE: It was after the war, and we were beaten….
Keep reading, “The Stoker and the Stars”

Steve Brady – Going Hyperdown
Was letting this institution turn his brain inside out the best thing he could do for everybody in the galaxy?
FIRST LINE: Right eye day: the left eye was covered today. With one eye, which meant poor depth perception even in 3-D, Djonn went through all the four-dimensional (hyper) kinesthesia exercises….
Keep reading, “Going Hyperdown”

Jonathan Von Post – Garrett Lisi’s Exceptionally Simple Theory of E8 Stardrive
An advanced stardrive can turn the universe inside out. But it’s still not as twisted as the drive for revenge.
FIRST LINE: As I squeezed into the cockpit of the first starship, I had one last question….
Keep reading, “E8 Stardrive”

Adrian Tymes – AFK (Away from Keyboard)
For them, it was worth a fortune. For him, it was a part time job.
FIRST LINE: Rodrigo massaged his neck and shoulders as his computer logged in….
Keep reading, “AFK (Away from Keyboard)”

Tara Maya – Food, Peace, Power
Can a fleet of ships run by citizens stop famine from being used as a weapon?
FIRST LINE: Peace is always maintained by power; the only question is whose power….
Keep reading, “Food, Peace, Power”

Jack Skillingstead – Dead Worlds
Every time he traveled to another world, he lost a little more of himself. Now they wanted him to make one last trip.
FIRST LINE: A week after my retrieval, I went for a drive in the country….
Keep reading, “Dead Worlds”

Jillian Romanowski – 2134
She was reunited on the ship with the boy she loved—but he was promised to someone else.
FIRST LINE: I’m going to be collected tonight. The inevitable has finally arrived and I didn’t even get to say goodbye to him….
Keep reading, “2134”

Andrew Vu – The End of the Universe
The end is near. Just not in the way you think.
FIRST LINE: How else would one traverse infinite space? One individual, one soul, isn’t enough to map out the universe….
Keep reading, “The End of the Universe”

NOVELETTES

Philip K. Dick – Mr. Spaceship
How can you defeat living ships? With a living ship of your own…
FIRST LINE: Kramer leaned back. “You can see the situation. How can we deal with a factor like this? The perfect variable.”
Keep reading, “Mr. Spaceship”

George Zhao – Eyes on the Universe
How far would you go to prove a theory? How about 8000 lightyears?
FIRST LINE: The human body doesn’t really appreciate being vitrified and cryo-preserved….
Keep reading, “Eyes on the Universe”

M. Pax – Semper Audacia
She was the last one left. But she wasn’t about to give up.
FIRST LINE: The claxon blasted through the outpost. Leda vaulted onto her feet, reaching for the rings hanging above her bunk….
Keep reading, “Semper Audacia”

NOVELLA

Joself Vasicek – Star Wanderers: Outworlder
He was searching for a home. Instead, he found a girl without one.
FIRST LINE: Jeremiah knew something was wrong the moment he stepped out of the Ariadne’s airlock and onto Megiddo Station….
Keep reading, “Star Wanderers: Outworlder”

ENTER OUR CONTEST!

Win a FREE book if you can answer this question: In how many stories in Space Jockey does the hero physically pilot or ride in a ship, and in how many does the hero pilot the ship remotely?
EMAIL YOUR ANSWERS TO: contest@misquepress.com
Reviewers will be allowed a double entry in the contest. Sign up here for your review copy.

30. Secret Practice in the Woods

The Unfinished Song: Initiate

(Start at the Beginning of the Novel)

Chapter 3

“Moth Dancer” by Electric Rainbow

Gwenika, younger by two years, started her whining earlier than usual. “Do I have to practice today?”

“Dancer in the Dark” by marlene-d

“Begin girls!” commanded Tavaedi Brena. “Deer Leaps, from Still to Moving.”

Frost by Kate Avery Ellison

In the icy, monster-plagued world of the Frost, one wrong move and a person could end up dead—and Lia Weaver knows this better than anyone. After monsters kill her parents, she must keep the family farm running despite the freezing cold and threat of monster attacks or risk losing her siblings to reassignment by the village Elders. With dangers on all sides and failure just one wrong step away, she can’t afford to let her emotions lead her astray. So when her sister finds a fugitive bleeding to death in the forest—a young stranger named Gabe—Lia surprises herself and does the unthinkable.

She saves his life.

Giving shelter to the fugitive could get her in trouble. The Elders have always described the advanced society of people beyond the Frost, the “Farthers,” as ruthless and cruel. But Lia is startled to find that Gabe is empathetic and intelligent…and handsome. She might even be falling in love with him.

But time is running out. The monsters from the forest circle the farm at night. The village leader is starting to ask questions. Farther soldiers are searching for Gabe. Lia must locate a secret organization called the Thorns to help Gabe escape to safety, but every move she makes puts her in more danger.

Is compassion—and love—worth the risk?

Download Frost on Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Smashwords.

Excerpt

His eyes were closed and his face was pale. He was not dead, though—I saw the shallow rise and fall of his chest beneath his strange shirt and coat. Something in me loosened at the confirmation of his survival, like I’d been holding my breath.

Ivy reached my side. “He was moaning,” she said. At her words, he made a sound of pure agony that made my heart ache even if he was a dangerous Farther.

“He is probably full of infection.” I needed to step closer, to look him over, but I wasn’t sure if it was safe. I remembered last night and his expression when he’d woken in the barn. He had not looked grateful.

“His wound…” She pointed at the place where the blood had blackened his torn shirt and arm. “Shouldn’t we clean it again?”

I pressed my lips together. There was no way I was letting her within three feet of this Farther, not when he was awake. “Bring me some warm water and soap, and an extra shirt of Jonn’s. And some of the stew left over from last night’s supper. He’s probably hungry now.”

She hesitated, wanting to argue. The nervousness I felt rose up in me like a wave, and I snapped, “Go.”

She went.

With her gone, I could really examine him in the light of day. Last night it had been too dark to really see anything. His groaning was loud now, almost a keening. I’d heard the sound of my grandfather dying from stomach-sick years ago, and it was much like this. I crept closer, my midsection churning.

He was barely visible under the straw that covered him. His eyelids cracked open when I approached, and he rustled beneath his blanket of hay. I faced him without smiling or cowering. I wanted him to know that I was not afraid of him. Or at least, I wanted him to think that I wasn’t.

“You,” he whispered. His breath hissed between his teeth as the pain seized him again, and he shuddered. “You are one of those Snow People, the ones who live in the Frost.”

He was young, I supposed, probably not much older than me. But his voice had a strength in it that made him sound older than that. His hair was thick and dark, like every Farther I’d ever seen, and his skin was tanned darker than my pale Frost complexion. He had a thin, sharp face and lashes as long as a girl’s. They fluttered as he squinted at me.

“Yes,” I said, because the term Snow People was accurate enough when describing my village, although that was not what we called ourselves.

He took in my expression, and his eyes narrowed. “What are you going to do to me? Let me die? Or give me back?”

“Give you back?” I asked. What was he babbling about?

He sighed, and I realized that he had passed out again. His face turned the color of gravel and perspiration dotted his forehead.

I moved closer. My skin tingled at my nearness to him. There had been malevolence in his eyes—what if he sprang forward and grabbed me? What if he tried to hurt me? But he was unconscious and sick, and as my fears lessened, I grew bolder and leaned in to study his wound.

The blood had dried, leaving a sticky river of brownish-black down his shoulder and arm. The strange clothing on his back hung in tatters, exposing the torn flesh, and bits of rock and straw studded the wound. I could see from the severity of it that he would be dead before long.

The skin around his wound was swollen. I probed it gently.

He jerked awake at my touch, and his eyes flew open as he cried out. I staggered back, startled. Our eyes met.

Sweat ran down his forehead and dripped onto his nose. His eyes were wild with pain and terror. “Please,” he whispered, and for a moment he looked pitiful instead of defiant and dangerous.

I didn’t know what he wanted.

Find more from Kate on her blog, Twitter and Goodreads.

29. Capture

The Unfinished Song: Initiate

(Start at the Beginning of the Novel)

“Captured” by Arwen Danelle Robertson, arwenart.com

Kavio

…the men cudgeled his back. The blows brought agony without the solace of oblivion —the warriors knew their art, and steered their blows away from his head, aiming to hurt and subdue, not kill—yet. They tied his hands and feet, yanked his hair to expose his neck.

“Barbarian” by fdiskart

TO BE CONTINUED

Download the complete book for FREE or buy it on Amazon as an ebook or trade paperback: 

28. The Snowsnake

The Unfinished Song: Initiate

(Start at the Beginning of the Novel)

 

…follow him into exile. Or maybe some would-be enemy wanted to make certain he would never return.

 

27. Journey Gifts And A Warning

The Unfinished Song: Initiate

(Start at the Beginning of the Novel)

“89” by yag65

Kavio

“…accept being smoked out of the Labyrinth like a rat?” cried Nilo.

Download the complete book for FREE or buy it on Amazon as an ebook or paperback:

Download Space Jockey Today for only $0.99!

Space Jockey is ready to download for only $0.99!

Tomorrow the price goes up to $2.99.

A science fiction anthology about that classic career of the future… space pilot.

A young pilot thinks he knows the cost of war. Until he opens a forbidden door…

If you’re piloting a cargo of convicts on Titan, you’re already in trouble. Things can still get worse.

After the war, humanity gave up dreaming of the stars. But not him.

Can a fleet of ships run by citizens stop famine from being used as a weapon?

Every time he traveled to another world, he lost a little more of himself. Now they wanted him to make one last trip….

And more!

The anthology includes ten short stories, two novelettes, and one full novella, featuring stories by:

Learn More about the Worlds in Space Jockey

SHORT STORIES

Scott Whitmore – Green Zulu Five One
A young pilot thinks he knows the cost of war. Until he opens a forbidden door…
FIRST LINE: Tyko killed the first two Vyptellians quickly enough, sending bright green streams of charged slugs into spacefighters that were now millions of pieces of space debris….
Keep reading, “Green Zulu Five One”
Novel Excerpt: The Devil’s Harvest by Scott Whitmore

Ethan Rodgers – Farsider
If you’re piloting a cargo of murderers and rapists on Titan, you’re already in trouble. Things can still get worse.
FIRST LINE: I take a long drag from my cigarette, watching the androids load the metal pod onto the cargo deck under the supervision of four armed guards….
Keep reading, “Farsider”

Algis Budrys – The Stoker and the Stars
After the war, humanity gave up dreaming of the stars. But not him.
FIRST LINE: It was after the war, and we were beaten….
Keep reading, “The Stoker and the Stars”

Steve Brady – Going Hyperdown
Was letting this institution turn his brain inside out the best thing he could do for everybody in the galaxy?
FIRST LINE: Right eye day: the left eye was covered today. With one eye, which meant poor depth perception even in 3-D, Djonn went through all the four-dimensional (hyper) kinesthesia exercises….
Keep reading, “Going Hyperdown”

Jonathan Von Post – Garrett Lisi’s Exceptionally Simple Theory of E8 Stardrive
An advanced stardrive can turn the universe inside out. But it’s still not as twisted as the drive for revenge.
FIRST LINE: As I squeezed into the cockpit of the first starship, I had one last question….
Keep reading, “E8 Stardrive”

Adrian Tymes – AFK (Away from Keyboard)
For them, it was worth a fortune. For him, it was a part time job.
FIRST LINE: Rodrigo massaged his neck and shoulders as his computer logged in….
Keep reading, “AFK (Away from Keyboard)”

Tara Maya – Food, Peace, Power
Can a fleet of ships run by citizens stop famine from being used as a weapon?
FIRST LINE: Peace is always maintained by power; the only question is whose power….
Keep reading, “Food, Peace, Power”

Jack Skillingstead – Dead Worlds
Every time he traveled to another world, he lost a little more of himself. Now they wanted him to make one last trip.
FIRST LINE: A week after my retrieval, I went for a drive in the country….
Keep reading, “Dead Worlds”

Jillian Romanowski – 2134
She was reunited on the ship with the boy she loved—but he was promised to someone else.
FIRST LINE: I’m going to be collected tonight. The inevitable has finally arrived and I didn’t even get to say goodbye to him….
Keep reading, “2134”

Andrew Vu – The End of the Universe
The end is near. Just not in the way you think.
FIRST LINE: How else would one traverse infinite space? One individual, one soul, isn’t enough to map out the universe….
Keep reading, “The End of the Universe”

NOVELETTES

Philip K. Dick – Mr. Spaceship
How can you defeat living ships? With a living ship of your own…
FIRST LINE: Kramer leaned back. “You can see the situation. How can we deal with a factor like this? The perfect variable.”
Keep reading, “Mr. Spaceship”

George Zhao – Eyes on the Universe
How far would you go to prove a theory? How about 8000 lightyears?
FIRST LINE: The human body doesn’t really appreciate being vitrified and cryo-preserved….
Keep reading, “Eyes on the Universe”

M. Pax – Semper Audacia
She was the last one left. But she wasn’t about to give up.
FIRST LINE: The claxon blasted through the outpost. Leda vaulted onto her feet, reaching for the rings hanging above her bunk….
Keep reading, “Semper Audacia”

NOVELLA

Joself Vasicek – Star Wanderers: Outworlder
He was searching for a home. Instead, he found a girl without one.
FIRST LINE: Jeremiah knew something was wrong the moment he stepped out of the Ariadne’s airlock and onto Megiddo Station….
Keep reading, “Star Wanderers: Outworlder”

ENTER OUR CONTEST!

Win a FREE book if you can answer this question: In how many stories in Space Jockey does the hero physically pilot or ride in a ship, and in how many does the hero pilot the ship remotely?
EMAIL YOUR ANSWERS TO: contest@misquepress.com
Reviewers will be allowed a double entry in the contest. Sign up here for your review copy.