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"Stories about real life told in an assured voice." - William Wall author of No Paradiso "Stories of raw truth ranging from buoyant comedy to harrowing loss written with consummate skill." - Eoin Lynam, editor of Shorter Stories "A blast of cold air blasting through a warm room. These stories will hit you hard and stay with you long after you've finished reading them." - Paradoxical Magazine "An eclectic collection which showcases McDermott's subtle skill as a storyteller, tapping the depths of human emotion while providing the reader with a reflective journey into some of life's ordinary - and extraordinary - experiences." - Lyn Perry, editor, Tule Fog Press "This is an atmospheric, uncanny collection, with an almost sentimental cowboy feel at times and full of very Irish black humour at others." - Grainne Murphy author of Winter People "McDermott's writing focuses on the everyday and the mundane then skews it slightly. In some stories there is a vein of dark humour, in others a beautiful poignancy, and in some a surreal quality, all mined from the small things that pass most of us by. His unique observations make each story a journey into a world at once familiar yet also strange, intriguing and arresting. His short stories are fever dreams and visions that will linger in your thoughts. This is a collection to relish." - Shane Dunphy author of Bring Her Home "A staggeringly inventive collection both provocative and profound. The writing is immersive and arresting. These stories of the uncanny and the magical throb with pathos and the beating heart of the human condition." - Sophie White author of Where I End

Everyone seeks her song. But who among them is prepared to die for it…On a perilous mountain pass, Niena, the girl known as The Melody of Three, undertakes a treacherous journey with her fairy queen step-grandmother to escape all those who wish to control her. Niena's gift is also her curse. As the descendant of three races, she is the only one who can play the Evercharm, the lyre used to create the fairy, elf, and human worlds. For sorcerer Christaan De Rein and his trusted apprentice Higgins, he needs Niena for the protection of the Curators. But after one long week into their journey to capture her, it feels as if they are chasing shadows.When those shadows transform into seething Udur, the Teamor's vicious hounds, Rein's traveling party are not the only ones in imminent danger. Niena is learning fast that reality is not all that it seems. And if creation is to be stopped from unraveling completely, she must decide exactly who she can trust…

This collection of short stories presents a varied cast of protagonists, some hardened by life and some still vulnerable. The stories explore how fate can shape the path of life-life's ups and downs, peaks, troughs, and redemptive moments. The dreamers in these stories look to forge better lives for themselves.There is Sean, the failed student in "Barred," who sees himself as a victim and whose self-indulgence and rage in response to rejection leads to serious consequences for those around him.Eamon and Sarah, in "While Maintaining Social Distancing," form their unlikely connection against the backdrop of a pandemic."The Blue Line" has Clare as it's hero, a mother taking stock of her own life on a train journey following the death of her brother in America.There is also Daniel, a young inmate in "Winged," struggling to survive in an unrelenting and uncompromising world.The factory floor workers in "Dreamers" are trying to establish futures for themselves in 1940's Ireland"A Family Affair" explores the life of a Cork family from three different perspectives.These are just a snapshot of the dreamers contained in this collection. Dip in and allow yourself to be transported, moved, and inspired.

Enjoy these five winning short stories from the Riversong Short Story Contest, 2023. Unique, quirky, thought-provoking stories in various contemporary genres. "Showpiece" by Mikal Dobrovski"A.I. in the Jungle" by Admi Freoman"Forest" by Endy O'Hara"Looking Through Me" by Tiffany McNamara-Smith"Karma and Santayana" by Susanne Perry

Fog Lake City has a community of stray dogs called the Den. One of them is a four-year-old male named Scar, who was abandoned at a young age and prefers being alone.Roaming the streets, he discovers a young husky puppy named Comet left in a box in an alleyway. Forming an unexpected bond, Scar and Comet try to survive on the cold winter streets of Fog Lake City. After a sudden encounter with his former owner, Scar feels trapped in between two worlds. Is he a lonely stray or a lovable pet? He now has to decide where he truly belongs and what it means to be a family.

Enjoy these six winning short stories from the Riversong Short Story Contest, 2022. Unique, quirky, thought-provoking stories in various contemporary genres. The contest and volume was run and edited by Neela Tudurí-K¿epfisch, editor and writer at Sulis International Press. A panel of six publishers, editors, authors, and book reviewers reviewed more than 30 finalists to choose the six winners."Redemption in the Thorny Thicket" by Sean Anderson. "6EQUJ4, Thank You Very Much!" by Robert McDermott**"Coping with Covid-19 lockdown in Pretoria" by Nape Motana"So Rude" by Markus McDowell"Prep Work" by Susanne Perry"Jesus and Mayo" by Jack Towe

The Guardians of Magic are separated. Shumuti has lost her guidance. Sara, even more than that. With the King of Attaching venturing across the Winterburn River in search of those who are disloyal to their enemy region, Nimaz, and half of the Guardians held prisoner in Ringstone Keep, Shumuti's task has become more of a personal one. She must decide whether to rescue her companions, even if she fears she is walking into a trap. As the nature of their enemy reveals itself more and more, new allies step forward. But who can they truly trust? While Shumuti learns that there is more behind the Magic of Meteorath, Sara begins to realise she has abilities of her own.

As the true identity of the threat to the Guardians reveals itself, they realise how big of a challenge they now face. Determined not to give up, Shumuti leads the others on a desperate journey for knowledge; one that will lead them to uncover ancient secrets about the nature of Magic itself. But their enemies have plans as well, and it may already be too late to prevent them from unfolding. Summer is the final book in the Guardians of Magic series.

Eleven-year-old Eleanor is always exploring the woods in her backyard, searching for new discoveries. But one day something unexpected happens: she finds herself transported to a strange and enchanting world called the Togetherwood. She meets others who have also become lost: Dax, an excitable Labrador retriever, and Claire, a prickly tabby cat. Aided by many of the animals who live there, Eleanor, Dax, and Claire make their way through the Togetherwood to find a way home. In the face of the dangers and trials along the way, will the power of their friendship be enough to save them? And perhaps save someone else, too?

Every resident of Jonestown has a secret. Matt Lowell has several. What really happened to his brother, TJ, at their grandparents' farm? Why has his sister stopped talking to him? And, where's Gene Hackman? Matt hasn't seen him in days.

Based on the biblical Timothy, this book details the struggle of one man to reconcile the God of his people with the events of his life. For as long as he can remember, his mother and grandmother have told him the stories of God, but that God seems so far away in this pagan land. As Timothy learns to apply the stories of his faith, he begins to understand the nature of God. However, not everything turns out as he expects. Timothy finds himself wrapped in the middle of a plot that threatens to disrupt everything that he believes. Will his faith in God resist the trials ahead?More than just a biblical fiction, this book paints the grand narrative of God. On the surface, drawn in black and white, we find the story of a young man, Timothy, who finds faith. Within his story, revealed in vivid colors, is the story of the God who calls everyone to Him. This is the story of everything.

How would you describe life? If you bumped into God and it asked you to give an overview of what life on Earth was like, what would you do? You wouldn''t tell it one long, drawn-out story. Not at all. You''d give it a mixed bag of quick stories to give it a good taste of what life is. Now imagine you''d been asked this question on a warm day. It was a fierce warm day, and you''d forgotten to drink water. You''d become delirious from the dehydration and now you had to explain to an alien what life on your planet was like. You might begin to drift in and out of reality on that particular day. You might describe events that could never, and would never happen. Those stories might look something like the ones in this book.If that day did somehow come about, and you did find yourself talking nonsense to an infinite being on a lovely summer''s day, I''m sure you''d never again forget to keep yourself hydrated.

For a billion years, Jonathan Celestial has worked as a star, filling the night sky with warmth and light. Ostracized by all the stars because of a terrible event that unfolded many years ago, he is ready for a fresh experience. Excited to use the 30 days of vacation time he has accrued, he decides to fall to Earth and take on the form of a human. On Earth, Jonathan's cheerfulness and idealism collide with reality. He makes friends with the guitarist of a post-rock band, falls in love with a bookworm, and evades a governmental investigation which threatens to compromise his mission. Little does he know that his past and present are more connected than he initially thought, and soon he will have to confront the greatest challenge of his life yet: asking for forgiveness from someone he hurt.

Josie Burns and her little sister, Emily, are coping with the loss of their brother Andy, who disappeared from his bed in the middle of the night six years ago. Forced to move to Maine to live with two great aunts after their parents separate, they discover that a shared dream and a mysterious cupboard hidden in the basement hold the key to their brother's whereabouts. A foreign land that exists in a different time and the sinister man who rules it draw the sisters closer to an answer...and to a secret that will change their lives forever.

Fiona Taylor enjoys staying out late with her friends. She hates her mother. She's bored by her high school, and tired of her day-to-day life. A typical teenager, perhaps. Except, in some ways, Fiona is not typical. Her mother has forbidden her to enter the basement. A man jogs past their house every day trying hard not to look like a cop. And her mother's cello case seems to get heavier every time she brings it home. Oh, yes: there's also a killer in the history books called the Red Creek killer, caught years ago-but is about to become part of Fiona's life.

Chaos rattles our arrogance, shakes loose the dust, breaks rigor mortis. In chaos, you find out who you are-what matters, what you fear, what you love…Here is a collection of nine short stories about chaos in multiple genres: historical, speculative, stream-of-consciousness, poetic, literary, and more. Morty loves his job. Really loves it. Perhaps not so strange, except that he is an embalmer at a funeral home. What happens when someone loves their job so much they don't want to do anything else? Becky's husband is away on business, in the cold of a snowy winter, when her youngest of four girls develops diphtheria. In the late 1800s, what can a young mother do? What if everyone had a hat but you? And it really mattered? Poor Charlie. He really needs order in his life. He prides himself on schedule, structure, and sameness. So did his grandmother…and they found her dead in a house crawling with thousands of insects she had collected.Included stories: "Three Days," "Turn and Face the Change," 'Three Hours and Thirteen Minutes," "Ringing," "Hats," "Preparation," "Ten More Days," "Behind the Bar," "What Does the River Say?"

Just before sunset on January 12, 2010, a powerful earthquake hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Within a few terrifying minutes, over one-hundred thousand men, women, and children were killed. Thousands more were critically injured, and millions were displaced to rapidly erected tent cities or hospitals across the country. Swiftly came the international response. Health care professionals from every corner of the world dropped their work and descended on Haiti.Phillip Scott was a no-nonsense, suffer-no-fools Seattle trauma surgeon. His response to his university dean's memo looking for volunteers was, "I'm not interested in charity work. It's not my thing." After all, if you build a city of a million on cinder blocks on a fault line you're asking for trouble, right?But what happens when such a man is immersed in a catastrophic human tragedy? When the victims become human, not statistics?

An exciting new novel from South African author, Nape Motana. Babatunde's Heroic Journey is the story of Babatunde Okoronkwo, a Nigerian recipient of a Russian scholarship who does not return to his country once his schooling is complete. As the Soviet flag tumbles into a new epoch, he is consumed by zeal to be part of the transformation of a new society. He raises his hand and says, "Here am I, send me!"-having no idea where the answer to that prayer might lead him. Hungry crocodiles trail him on his tortuous journey, determined to make minced meat of him and his dream. But Babatunde refuses to give in, even if following his faith is like signing a death warrant. The burden becomes back-breaking, so he asks to be blessed with a strong back. When he's eager to shout, "Hallelujah," he senses a teeth-gnashing villain behind his back. And he's reminded that the tiger is not tame and never changes its spots. When he reaches the point of no return, he ignores both real and false alarms-because he has something to learn about being an African hero in Ukraine. 'The novel is a captivating novel that kept me awake all through the night while exploring the trials and vicissitudes of Babatunde Okoronkwo. It is so well grounded in Igbo cosmology, belief systems and aesthetics that one would hardly believe that it was written by a South African author.'- Professor Femi Shaka, University of Port Harcourt

Colonel Jonathan: An American Story is an unusual work of historical fiction-more history than fiction. A deeply-researched story of a remarkable man and his remarkable family, who lived in remarkable times, and who left an impact that intertwines with the history of America and extends from the eastern ocean to the western one. It is a story worth rescuing from beneath grandma's back porch, and gluing back together, and being read by everyone who has an even passing interest in America's beginnings.

A new literary novel by author Sean Anderson. Hugo Larson is a retired accountant living in North Seattle. Having recently lost the person most important to him, he attempts to make a life for himself in spite of that gaping absence. While he spends his time swimming, gardening, and accomplishing the mundane tasks of everyday life, he also has several important relationships to manage. Adrian is Hugo’s caring but foolish son, a young man desperately in need of career guidance. Hugo’s brother, Martin, brims with positive energy and a life many would envy: a kind wife, an illustrious teaching career, and a darling granddaughter—but at the implications of retiring. Then there is Paul, a serene next-door neighbor and friend who is haunted by his own loss, who goes on adventures with Hugo through the city. Despite all this, Hugo faces the heaviness of existence, confronts towering questions, embraces and then pushes away those close to him. Through the course of one year, he faces his past, struggles with the present, and questions the future. What waits for Hugo at the end of that year?

Based on a true story, Onesimus is the tale of a young, unhappy slave who lived during the first century Roman Empire. The world is a highly structured society of deities, slaves, masters, prostitutes, government corruption, soldiers-with little opportunity to move out of one's role. But he has a plan to become free and make something of himself-until he is betrayed. His response leads him on a path of danger, deceit, and discovery until he comes into contact with a famous leader of a young new religion based on the Jewish faith. What he finds will test his will and his courage, and through it, Onesimus becomes part of one of the most charming stories in history.