In "Mercury Rain" a soldier fighting a new enemy learns the importance of holding on to his memories. "Blackwater," the title story of the collection, is an homage to Stephen King's short story, "Graveyard Shift," and it tells the tale of Paul Hawkins, a mine worker who disturbs something terrifying in the Blackwater Hills of Durham, Pennsylvania, in the summer of 1976.

    She plans to start the new year off as a full-time career woman.What she doesn’t expect is for her brother’s friend, Kyle, to show up and steal her heart. But, after a bad breakup, can she ever trust another man with her heart?Kyle is charming, mature and well-mannered, too good to be true. Will her shattered heart find healing or does she risk having it shattered again?

    She promised to love, honor and cherish her husband, but Thomas kept secrets. And now as Hannah wades through all of Thomas’s unpaid bills, baby mama drama and her inability to conceive… she must decide if love is enough to keep her at home when her heart and mind is in turmoil over something that only God can fix.This short story is loosely based on the Old Testament story of Hannah’s pleas for a child of her own (1 Samuel 1:1-2:26).

    Especially when broken promises cut deep and unknown secrets whisper loudly in the dark.

    Enter Henry Ogden, mild-mannered village vicar. Hardly the stuff of heroes . . . until adversity brings out unexpected talents. A Christmas Equation – A chance meeting between a reluctant viscount and a self-effacing companion revives memories of their shared past—a time when they were very different people. With secrets to keep, Sarah Clendenin wishes Benjamin Radcliff gone . . . but he’s making calculations of his own. Crimson Snow – A trail of blood drops leads Jane Merrywether to a wounded stranger—the only person standing in the way of her wicked guardian becoming an earl. John Rexford, long-thought dead, has returned to claim his inheritance and his promised bride . . . if he can survive a murderous Christmas. A Perfectly Unregimented Christmas – After years at war, Viscount Pennyworth returns to his ancestral home to find some peace and quiet and to avoid the holiday he loathes. But four naughty boys, a bonnet-wearing goat, a one-eyed cat, a family secret, and one Annabelle Winters, governess, make this a Christmas he’ll never forget.

    He's also a notorious, no-good player—the wrong kind of man for a woman with big responsibilities. But at a mutual friend's lavish wedding, passion and curiosity get the best of maid of honor Vanessa, and Ralph reveals himself to be the best man in more ways than one.Ralph has had more than his share of women, but none has captivated him like Vanessa. To convince her that his player days are behind him, he'll have to show her what kind of man he truly is. He'll have to fight every inch of the way to break through her defenses and claim the blazing ecstasy they both want . . . and show her why she can't—and shouldn't—say no.

    But her plans for a new life in New York don'tinclude being a virgin at age thirty! She never had the chanceto dream beyond her small Mississippi town--but with a littlehelp from Riley Martin, that's about to change....This bad boy done good left for the big city but returned tohis roots. Now divorced, he is just the man Nell should seeabout her...uh, problem. Riley can't believe the offer ofseduction coming from the sweet, shy woman of his secretfantasies, but he's going to do his very best to convince her, in the most intimate ways, that her place always was, is andwill be--with him.

    The past nine years have brought her fame, fortune and supermodel status, but they haven't lessened her regret at leaving her high school sweetheart behind. A chance encounter proves that Austin Reynolds definitely hasn't forgiven her. But it also becomes clear that some flames just grow hotter with time… The handsome real estate mogul has one broken engagement on his résumé, but Janna was the only one to ever steal his heart. Their incredible connection reignites an undeniable passion in them both, and workaholic Austin rediscovers his lighter side. But soon another can't-refuse offer beckons Janna overseas. Will it be déjà vu…or is their love finally ready for the spotlight?

    Her childhood friend Tracie is a computer expert whose personal vendetta backfires. Eva is a jurist but uses men to hide her pain and mask her childhood tragedy, and her cousin Tina wears a sweet exterior but takes risks that threaten to jeopardize her professional career. Kevin and Aaron are sexy twins who go to great lengths to get the women they want; and Angelo, gorgeous and ambitious, lets nothing stand in his way to accomplish his career goals, even at the expense of friends.Pilar is a beautiful but naive orphan who overnight is catapulted to fame; and Denene, a woman scorned, is determined to wreak havoc in the lives of those she feels has wronged her in some way. From the heart of Los Angeles to the South of France, In Laws and Play Cousins tells a story about love and heartbreak, success and envy and the price it ultimately commands.

    In this piece, Syx is fighting the possibility of depression due to carelessness on her end, while indulging in the most freeing period of her existence. Life has never been more complicated, yet she's never felt so alive in all of her days. Her most shameful moment of weakness happens to be the most gratifying and beneficial experience that she just can't seem to shake. Tag along as Syx continues on her journey through the city. ******THIS IS A NOVELETTE!******

    You'll fall in love, too!Love's Replay: David Henderson is so desperate to stop his father from selling their family's auto dealership, he'll even marry to prove he's serious about the future. Enter ex-lover Sandra Miller, who is back in town to help her successful business career. Too bad those prospects hang on partnering with David, the man who once crushed her heart. Will the mistrust and jealousy that tore them apart before prevent a replay of their rekindled love?Just My Type: Janiyah Henderson enjoys her stress-free post-college life, but when her dad insists she can't handle a "real job," she's determined to prove him wrong. Her high-spirited ways clash with the conservative instincts of her new boss, accountant Fredrick Jenkins, yet attraction brews between them. When Fredrick shows Janiyah the man behind the numbers, she realizes she could be just the type of woman he needs.Making It Real: After five years in prison, Kareem Henderson is on the right track as a barber, with a goal to open a high-end salon. But he needs society connections to make his dream a reality. Patrice "Neecie" Baldwin, needs a shield to return home, so she offers Kareem a deal: Pretend to be her fiance, and she'll introduce him to her well-healed relatives. But as they grow closer, this fake relationship might become something very real.From One Night to Forever: When trucker Aaron Henderson rolls into Reliant, Tennessee, for business, a singing beauty at a bar stirs feelings he's long forgotten. Then his one-night stand turns out to be his new partner's baby sister. When Kacey Randal learns that Aaron's working with her brother and has a list of conquests as high as his big rig's mileage, she's ready to pretend their night together never happened. But the fire burns hot between these two--can Kacey tame Aaron's roaming ways to go from one night to forever?Sensuality Level: Sensual

    Jacoby Knight just wants to find a woman, who wants to join themselves with his body and not his massive bank account. These two strangers meet and find they can meet each other needs, yet one night won't do when passion this hot meets.

    

    Because of his deep relationship with his sisters and mother, he knew all that it took to make a woman feel loved and appreciated. Because he watched heartbreak lead one of his sisters to kill herself with the use of drugs and alcohol, he knew all that it took to break a woman. Lianne Rodgers is the epitome of a gifted soul. Her love for music blessed her with a record deal at the age of seventeen, and since then she’s been traveling the world for years gracing stage after stage with her tremendous talent. As much as she loves what she does, she’s tired – mentally, physically, and emotionally. When Lianne returns to Memphis for a break, she falls in love with Jabari’s cooking after a visit to his restaurant. She ordered the food to go and ate it at home to avoid being seen and recognized, but the food was so good she made her way back to his restaurant to meet the man behind the best meal she’d ever had in her life. Jabari is used to people singing his praises for his food, but Lianne’s praises touch him in a different way. A different place. And when she asks him to be her personal chef during her stay in Memphis he happily agrees just for the chance to be near her. They say food nourishes the soul, and Jabari uses his culinary skills to reach Lianne in a way that no man ever has. There’s just one problem – she’s in a relationship with her manager. When her break is over, Lianne is committed to returning to her man, her life, and her career… but after waiting for a woman like Lianne for years… Jabari has no plans of letting her get away from Memphis or him that easily.

    One big secret. An even bigger love. Sean Morrison has returned to Lovetown, TX, with one purpose in mind: Claim Janiya Thompson as his wife. He has his faith, his military career, his upscale apartment, and with Janiya by his side, his life will finally be complete. But Sean has a secret that could destroy his newfound relationship. Will he have the courage to tell Janiya the truth?Janiya “Niya” Thompson has only known grief and uncertainty in her small town life. She doesn’t see any hope for a brighter future until her childhood friend, Sean, returns to town. Now, Janiya begins to yearn for more and opens her heart to new possibilities. Will Sean be a part of her healing or will he bring more pain?