For those who haven't met Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater (otherwise known as Riyria) this sampler will provide a brief introduction to them and the world of Elan. This sampler contains short stories previously published as well as a new excerpt from the upcoming book.The Thieves: A band of thieves sets upon two lonely riders in the middle of the night. They had a larger party. They had the element of surprise. There was no reason to be concerned, but they didn’t realize who they were dealing with. Origin: This was a scene written, and cut, for Nyphron Rising (the first novel in the Rise of Empire omnibus). Eventually, it became the opening of Theft of Swords when Orbit purchased and republished the series as three, two-book volumes.The Viscount: Eleven years before they were framed for the murder of a king, before even assuming the title of Riyria, Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater were practically strangers. Unlikely associates, this cynical thief decides to teach his idealist swordsman partner that no good deed goes unpunished. Will Royce wind up proving his point or be schooled himself? Origin: This was published in the fall of 2011 under the title The Viscount and the Witch. It was written to provide a gift to my fans after my books were removed from the market to make room for Orbit’s versions. It’s also the seed that later became The Riyria Chronicles, and this short now appears as the second chapter of The Rose and the Thorn.The Jester: Stop me if you’ve heard this one. A thief, a candlemaker, an ex-mercenary, and a pig farmer walk into a trap…and what happens is no joke. When Riyria is hired to retrieve a jester’s treasure, Royce and Hadrian must match wits with a dwarf who proves to be anything but a fool. Difficult choices will need to be made, and in the end those who laugh last do so because they are the only ones to survive. Origin: First released in the Unfettered anthology (edited by Shawn Speakman and published by Grim Oak Press), I did something a bit unusual with this short story. Faced with a word count restriction, I wrote what is essentially the climax for what could have been a full-length novel. I throw the reader into the middle of the action and make only brief allusions to what had come before. It’s an interesting experiment and seems to have worked out well based on the high praise it has received.The Death of Dulgath: When the last member of the oldest noble family in Avryn is targeted for assassination, Riyria is hired to foil the plot. Three years have passed since the war-weary mercenary Hadrian and the cynical ex-assassin Royce joined forces to start their thieves-for-hire enterprise. Things have gone well enough until this odd assignment to prevent a murder. Now they must venture into a forgotten corner of southern Avryn—a place whose history predates the First Empire. As usual, challenges abound as they try to anticipate the moves of an unknown assassin before it’s too late. But that’s not their only problem. The Countess of Dulgath has a dark secret she’s determined to keep hidden. Then there’s the little matter of Riyria’s new employer…the Nyphron Church. This sample is an excerpt, not a short story. It’s the opening scene to my new novel, which will be coming out before the end of 2015. It hasn’t yet been copy edited (I’m still writing the novel), so please forgive any minor mistakes you may find. I do think it’s in pretty good shape, but I often find my opinion and my editor’s opinion are two different things.

    D. Robb Treachery in Death Eve Dallas and her partner, Peabody, are following up on a brutal, senseless crime—an elderly grocery owner killed by three stoned punks for nothing more than kicks and snacks. And for the first time, Peabody is primary detective on the case, which means she has to get used to a new level of authority and responsibility. Good thing she learned the ropes from a master like Eve.But after rounding up the perps, Peabody stumbles upon a much trickier situation. Determined to start working out as hard as she grills suspects, she chooses to do it at the old, rarely-used gym at Central. After a grueling workout, she squeezes into one of the narrow shower stalls, happy to have the place to herself. Just after she shuts the water off, the gym door clatters open—and while she cringes inside the stall, trying not to make a sound, Peabody overhears two fellow officers, Garnet and Oberman, arguing. References are made to delivering product, and a house in the islands, and someone named Keener who’s supposed to look like an OD. It doesn’t take long for a naked and vulnerable Peabody to realize that both officers are crooked—guilty not just of corruption but of murder as well. Fortunately, the two clear out of the locker room without realizing there was a witness.Eve Dallas may have trained Peabody well—but this is too dangerous for one person to take on alone. Now Peabody, Eve, and her husband, Roarke, must try to get the hard evidence they need to bring the dirty cops down—knowing all the while that the two have already killed to keep their secret, and are no doubt willing to do it again. New York to Dallas It was one of Eve Dallas’s earliest takedowns, back in her uniform days. A monster named Isaac McQueen had been abducting young victims and leaving them scarred in both mind and body. Thanks to Eve, he wound up where he belonged, removed from civilized society in Rikers. But he’s not behind bars anymore.After his escape, McQueen has two things in mind. One is to take up where he left off, preying on the young and innocent—when necessary, with the help of a female partner all too willing to be manipulated and to aid and abet his crimes. His other goal: to get revenge on the woman who stopped him all those years ago, now a high-profile lieutenant in the NYPSD and married to one of the city’s richest men.Commanding Eve’s attention with a chilling and brazen crime, McQueen sets off the chase—forcing Eve down a road marked with blood and tears, a road that eventually leads southwest to Dallas, Texas, the home Eve fled long ago. And each new twist brings her closer to the harrowing memory of when she wasn’t a hardened detective but a vulnerable girl just like McQueen’s innocent prey. As her husband, Roarke, tries to rescue her from the nightmares that claw at her mind, and her partner, Peabody, doggedly works to support her, Eve must confront—and call upon—the darkest parts of her own soul in order to survive.

    She needs a lifetime... When Viscountess Kinsley’s father lost all but their home and then drank himself to death, creditors stood ready to seize what remained. Anne’s only hope of saving her family is to find a husband through Lady Peddington’s School for Young Ladies. Only, upon graduation, Anne finds herself the victim of jealous gossip that claims she seeks multiple lovers. Now, no respectable man will have her. RAKE RUINER Hatred is only a kiss away from love. When her husband dies in a duel over another woman, Charlotte Fairhaven sets childish notions of love aside in favor of something more reliable – pleasure. Unfortunately, the gentlemen of Scotland have little appreciation for her newfound freedom. Offers of marriage abound, driving her to a remote corner of the Highlands to evade her admirers. There, Charlotte discovers the most aggravating man she’s ever met, and the only one with any hope to mend her heart. THE WIDOW’S TREASURE Two years after her husband’s death, Lady Derwent is finally enjoying a life of freedom and delicious intrigue. She travels to the Scottish Highlands only to sell the estate of Ardbeag, but when Stirling James suggests Rob Ogilvy of Lochgarron as a possible buyer, her plans begin to unravel. Rob believes the scandalous English widow has set her wicked sights on his nephew. But after only one masked encounter with her, he determines to make her his own. MARRYING THE BELLE OF EDINBURGH A foul murder, a beautiful widow, and one man who will risk everything for love. Lord William Brandon has spent torturous days and desperate nights in love with his best friend’s wife. He resolves to marry another with the help of the Marriage Maker, but when the Belle of Edinburgh appears at a ball and asks for his help, he once again is powerless to resist her. A MATCH MADE IN THE HIGHLANDS Captain Logan Graham hoped to find peace and solitude at Blackstone Abbey, but painful memories from the battlefield, along with his lingering injuries, refuse to let him rest. He’s not fit for polite company let alone a wife, especially not one as beautiful as the lady who arrives at his door at the behest of the Marriage Maker. SEDUCTION OF A WIDOW She intends to win the race. He intends to win her heart... Evan MacLaren prefers to find his thrills on the high seas. Stormy waters might be fickle, but not as fickle as a woman—particularly a high-spirited widow. Yet Lady Carr’s adventurous spirit calls to him just as the sea does. Here is a woman who will never bore him. A woman who is as free and dangerous as any ocean. And he must have her. THE MARRIAGE OBLIGATION Confirmed spinster meets British spy. What could possibly go wrong? At eighteen years old, Cornelia Hardcastle discovered an ugly family secret that could ruin her family. There is only one way to ensure the world doesn’t learn the truth: never marry. Now that she's twenty-four, however, her parents have put their foot down. She must marry. THE MAID OF INVERNESS Despite Douglas Randolph’s attempt to avoid Society and his responsibility as the future Duke of Inverness, news he is has inherited the dukedom reaches him deep in the Scottish Highlands. That problem pales into comparison to the wager he makes with the man known as The Marriage Maker. Sir Stirling James swears he can find suitable husbands for four ladies directly descendant from Robert the Bruce. Little does Douglas know he is to be the first groom.

    But a few brave souls struck out into that desolate wilderness, desperate to free themselves from the restrictions of the civilized world…KING OF THE MOUNTAIN: Nathaniel King doesn’t need much incentive to escape the confining, bustling city of New York. When his uncle starts spinning tales of a great treasure hidden in the wilderness, Nathaniel finds the lure of the West impossible to resist. Nathaniel’s trail leads from danger to danger, and into the uninhabited Rocky Mountains. If he can survive, Nathaniel will unearth a treasure far more valuable than he ever imagined.LURE OF THE WILD: Nineteen-year-old Nathaniel King and a rugged mountain man named Shakespeare McNair are headed to a rendezvous of trappers and fur traders in the Rocky Mountains. But hostile Utes and Blackfeet Indians pursue them relentlessly, determined to have their scalps. Despite the protection of a friendly band of Shoshone, Nathaniel and his companion risk the loss of their freedom…and their lives.

     Dreamed of roping your own sexy cowboy? How about Six stories by award winning and best-selling Western Romance authors? These tales delight with romance, Wranglers and Stetsons. The Heartsong Cowboy by Melissa Keir- Can two people, one horse and the power of love cure a little girl? Ride of his Life by Deb Julienne-Battling your own demons is easier than fighting family. Clayton and Andie learn this the hard way... Radio Rose by Stephanie Berget- Cowboys and aliens … on a dark, deserted highway, it can be hard to tell the difference. 119 Days by RaeAnne Hadley- Divorced for five years, Celeste Howard was happy with her life. The only thing she missed was a man's touch. Sean Mison fit her ideal of a perfect one-night stand, but what began as a simple stress reliever grew into more than what Celeste signed on for. Promise Me Eden by D’Ann Lindun- She’s buried in grief. He doesn’t know how to help. Can they find their way back together before it’s too late? Cowboy in Waiting by Leslie P. Garcia- She’d buried a hero. She wasn’t looking for another. But her cowboy in waiting was far from a hero… Climb on board for the ride of your life!