Piercing The Veil

There are places in this world that serve as reminders of things hopeless and lost. Recesses of death and dread that swallow all light that dares wander too close. Yet some secrets, no matter how horrifically hidden, are too tempting to pass by. In Epitaph and Elegy, we join two seekers tempted by forgotten knowledge held in the skeletal grasp of a long dead city. Danger lurks in the bones of the city and every shadow is a threat. Will you follow Sylvia and Povel as they march towards doom? Do be careful, for graves are greedy things.

A Confractionery Tale is a story about decadence and decay set in a cheery corner of a world identical to our own. The Confractionery is a monster that appears for children who have eaten far too much candy and comes to teach children the ways of candy monsters and taffy trolls. But what happens when the lessons being taught aren’t actually in the best interest of the child?

Cast through a portal into another world in a desperate act to save her. Ten year old Layleen of Saransay, is left alone and devastated by the seeming loss of not only her parents, buteverything she’s ever held dear. When the child who calls herself ‘Lolli’ is taken in by the kindlysorcerer Harlan and his snide son, Nathaniel. Will her dragging and listless grief finally overtake her? Or will her true feisty spirit shine through as she throws down the gauntlet, in the face of Nathaniel’s constant arrogant taunts?

Beyond the cascading water lies an army of forgotten warriors, memory of their sacrifices nearly lost to the sands of time. Though, there is still one who remembers, one who can never forget. Haunted by his past and the faces of all the lives he extinguished, an aging mage seeks to give the souls he damned a new purpose. To call them forth for one last purpose.

When it comes to Esoteric Surgeons, Dorian Black is the best there is. Under contract for the organization known as Ziggurat, he's brought in to consult on an entity that haunts his memories. In an attempt to correct his past mistakes, he becomes both the hunter and the hunted, but that’s never bothered him. What really bothers him is the same question that’s been nagging him for years. Who is this enemy? Two mysterious objects may lead him to the answer he seeks. However, it's more than likely that the book with strange notations, and an even stranger watch, will leave him wishing that he never asked the question in the first place.

After decades of watching her family struggle, Aisling O’Reilly is ready to get some answers. With little more than her stuffed bear, Clover, for protection, she’s planning to leave the Glade and enter the human realm to find out why so many of them have lost interest in her family’s shamrocks. However, there can be many dangers in that unfamiliar place and she may be getting herself into more trouble than she expects.

For seven long years, Atticus Whaley has pursued his calling with single-minded devotion amongst The Society of the Confabulum. But when some old friends come calling on the eve of his induction as the Guardian of the Dream Gate, will Atticus prove his readiness as a true servant of Calissus? Or will his much anticipated future spiral out of his control?

A man, cursed to walk in mirrors, seeks to rekindle a dying flame... and fix what has been broken within him.A brilliant mind, who finds herself once again tied to his fate... and to his curse.They make their way toward… the MAD CITY

Young blademaster Aron of Darien is keeping out of trouble teaching swordsmanship in the city of Oxport when one of his pupils brings a young man, Roger, to him who has been badly beaten trying to rescue his sweetheart from a brothel. Aron is disinclined to do anything until he hears that the man who inflicted the beating is Saxish and possibly one of a group of mercenaries who betrayed Darien leading to the death of Aron's father. If the man was one of the betrayers then Aron will kill him, but first he must establish if he was at Darien. They plot the rescue, Aron kills the Saxishman, Roger and sweetheart are reunited then a Saxish wizard rides into Oxport.

In the six kingdoms of Paikmeriz, the elves and humans hold onto a fragile peace. Distrust, a hunger for power, and a burning desire for revenge now threaten a return to war. As an ancient and powerful evil rises over the land, only a troubled swordmaster may be able to prevent the bloodshed. The fires of revenge burn deep within Engerahin Lovdiena, a talented swordmaster who plots to repay the savage acts of a despotic king. After witnessing the death of his friend, and the imprisonment of the warrior's father, only retribution can temper his tortured soul. As the six kingdoms seek to unify under one ruler, Engerahin must temper his vengeful wrath when he is charged with protecting Arywin, the beautiful elven princess who may be the only hope of uniting the kingdoms of Paikmeriz. But there are those who wish to cling to their power and former glories. Corrupted by the poisonous words of his scheming advisor, the brutal and remorseless human King Gerahim of Warling seeks to extinguish the first rays of peace and hope. The enemies at home aren't the only threat, with rumors and fearful whispers that an ancient evil has re-awakened, threatening death and destruction across the land. Can Engerahin and Arywin succeed in bringing the kingdoms of Paikmeriz to stand together, or will their division lead to their inevitable downfall?

In the six kingdoms of Paikmeriz, the elves and humans hold onto a fragile peace. Distrust, a hunger for power, and a burning desire for revenge now threaten a return to war. As an ancient and powerful evil rises over the land, only a troubled swordmaster may be able to prevent the bloodshed. The fires of revenge burn deep within Engerahin Lovdiena, a talented swordmaster who plots to repay the savage acts of a despotic king. After witnessing the death of his friend, and the imprisonment of the warrior's father, only retribution can temper his tortured soul. As the six kingdoms seek to unify under one ruler, Engerahin must temper his vengeful wrath when he is charged with protecting Arywin, the beautiful elven princess who may be the only hope of uniting the kingdoms of Paikmeriz. But there are those who wish to cling to their power and former glories. Corrupted by the poisonous words of his scheming advisor, the brutal and remorseless human King Gerahim of Warling seeks to extinguish the first rays of peace and hope. The enemies at home aren't the only threat, with rumors and fearful whispers that an ancient evil has re-awakened, threatening death and destruction across the land. Can Engerahin and Arywin succeed in bringing the kingdoms of Paikmeriz to stand together, or will their division lead to their inevitable downfall?

A short story by O. Henry first published in 1905. The story tells of a young husband and wife and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money. It is a sentimental story with a moral lesson about gift-giving.

Jonathan Barrett lets his greed ignore the warning of a watery grave and pays the consequences!

Jonathan Barrett lets his greed ignore the warning of a watery grave and pays the consequences.

Casey's Angels is a short story that illustrates the unwavering love and fierce loyalty of dogs. It's told through the humble eyes of Casey, a sixteen year old Golden Retriever with the ability to smell angels and demons. Like most dogs, Casey is protective of his human and vows to keep him safe from harm at all costs. Though age has taken its toll on him physically, it has also brought him wisdom and enhanced his ability to sniff out good and evil. A condensed version of this story won a coveted top ten spot in the 2017 Florida Writer's Association Anthology. The publication's theme was "What A Character". Casey is a memorable character. He demonstrates that not all heroes don armor or wear capes. Some may have floppy ears and a furry coat. Don't let appearances fool you, beneath his golden coat beats the bravest and purest of hearts.