She restores historic carousels -- her dream career -- working from her own studio in a former roller skating rink. Though black herself, she spent her first years in a Basque immigrant community in Nevada, the adopted child of a single mother. And after the mother's death, she was raised by her Aunt Joy in a Catholic Worker house.  Mirai has a lot going for her -- but then, why is everything suddenly falling apart? Her current, year-long carousel project is veering crazily out of control, in both schedule and budget. The guy who dumped her only months before has shown up married and -- as far as Mirai is concerned -- to the worst possible person. Her mother's death long ago is looking less and less like an accident. And Joy, the one person who has had her complete trust, may know more about that death than she has let Mirai believe.  Mirai knows how to restore a carousel, but can she restore relationships with those she loves? Can she strip the old paint of past wrongs to prepare her life for new, more vibrant colors? And will her eyes be clear enough to spot the brass ring when it finally comes within reach? ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Anne L. Watson, a retired historic preservation architecture consultant, is the author of several novels, plus books on such diverse subjects as soapmaking and baking with cookie molds. She currently lives in Friday Harbor, Washington, in the San Juan Islands, with her husband and fellow author, Aaron Shepard. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// SAMPLE Next morning, I picked out Will's car parked on the street in front of the coffee shop. No room for doubt -- Will had a real screamer of a car, an old red Mustang convertible. Not that he described it that way. His version started off with "1964-1/2" for the model year and "poppy red" for the color, then veered into details about the color of certain key engine parts -- at which point I had always zoned out so far, I didn't hear the rest of the speech. There it sat, parked at the curb in Peregrine Falls, Idaho, already collecting a few admirers. Not even counting the vanity plate -- ORGAN4U -- the car had so much of Will's personality attached to it, I felt mildly nauseated. As an alternative to kicking a fender, I slammed into the coffee shop. "Whoa, Mirai! Remember us?" The crew had gathered at the only big table in the Clearwater Cafe. I'd been so wrapped up in my own problems, I hadn't even seen them. They were all there -- Evangeline, Harvey, Mr. Papadakis. And Will. Neither fight nor flight was practical. I sat down at the table. The waitress hurried to me with a coffeepot and mug. I ordered the special and sipped my coffee. "Clearwater" was certainly the word for that coffee -- they must have named the restaurant after it. I glanced around the table, skipping over Will. Mr. Papadakis caught my eye. "What's the agenda?" he asked. "We'll go to the park as soon as we're done here. Check out the carousel, then have lunch with the committee. We have to give the owners a preliminary report tomorrow morning." Evangeline smiled. "How long are you staying?" she asked me. "All week. You?" "I'll stay awhile. I may want to work on things in place." In Evangeline's case, "awhile" could mean several months. She had an answering service, but no permanent address. At the moment, I envied her. Harvey shook his head. "I'm leaving tomorrow night. I'll come back later, when the work on the building starts. For now, a couple of days will do it." It was Will's turn, so I had to look toward him then. He sat quietly, holding a coffee cup. Will had never worn jewelry, but now a ring glinted on his finger. A plain gold ring on the fourth finger of his left hand. A wedding ring.

    After numerous flings with married men, she longs for the man currently sharing her bed to make good on the promises moaned to her in the heat of passion. Realizing too late she’d never be more than Charles’s plaything; she begins to reevaluate her priorities in love and life. As the head of Bello Enterprises, Vasilios Bello is a charismatic genius who everyone has eyes for, including Cyndi, his personal secretary. Women trip over their feet to be seen on the arm of this corporate shark. Unknown to anyone, including his closest advisor, Vasilios has a deep, dark secret that he’s forced to remain vigilant and keep under wraps. Mythical creatures only existed in the fairy tales told to children to keep them afraid at night. Thrown together while avoiding a potential tragedy, Kharynn can’t deny her attraction for the chocolate Olympian who saved her life. In his eyes, Vasilios saw Kharynn as the ultimate temptation: beautiful, voluptuous and inviting. Realizing that their attractions were reciprocated, Kharynn and Vasilios engage in a hypnotic love affair. But once Cyndi and Charles discover their betrayal, will their unpredictable temperaments tear these two lovers apart? He vowed to protect her from harm. She vowed to be his forever. Will their impossible love story be a match made in eternity?

    

     When I asked them if they had werewolves, and they said yes, I was prepared for a new and exhilarating joyride. But as soon as I saw two handsome men, ready to go at me and let their primal desires take over, I knew this would be a night to remember. A 3500 word short story This is part of a series of short stories. They can all be read as standalones in any order. Other parts: A Werewolf’s Desire A Vampire’s Desire (Free with KU) - amazon.com/dp/B00OID43P8 A Billionaire’s Desire (Free with KU) - amazon.com/dp/B00OMG3000 A Werespirit’s Desire (Free with KU) - amazon.com/dp/B00OV6JS7U A Devil’s Desire (Free with KU) - amazon.com/dp/B00P0MH9ZC This steamy werewolf menage erotica is recommended for 18+ DRM Free

    

    But a chance meeting at Logan Airport introduces them to Aoife, an elderly Irish widow who is returning home to the joys and stresses of her tight-knit family. Encouraged by their conversation with Aoife, the sisters are determined to see more than the usual tourist attractions. By veering off the beaten paths, they find holy wells and unexpectedly encounter ghosts and fairies. They sing in pubs and have fun meeting interesting people. Their new experiences ignite passions both spiritually and physically. Through rich descriptions of Ireland’s beautiful scenery and the stories told by its people, this tale brings readers along on a colorful and engaging journey.

    When empath Jade Calhoun moves into an apartment above a strip bar on Bourbon Street, she expects life to get interesting. What she doesn't count on is making friends with an exotic dancer, attracting a powerful spirit, and developing feelings for Kane, her sexy landlord. Being an empath has never been easy on Jade's relationships. It's no wonder she keeps her gift a secret. But when the ghost moves from spooking Jade to terrorizing Pyper, the dancer, it's up to Jade to use her unique ability to save her. Except she'll need Kane's help--and he's betrayed her with a secret of his own--to do it. Can she find a way to trust him and herself before Pyper is lost?Witches of Bourbon StreetJade Calhoun was never fond of her empath abilities. Now she's discovered she has another gift she'd rather not unwrap--magic. But when her mentor, Bea, becomes gravely ill and insists Jade's the only one who can help, she's forced to embrace her witchy side.It's too bad she spent a decade shunning the magical community and never learned to harness her powers. Because time's run out. A trapped spirit has revealed a clue to Jade's long-lost mother. The resident angel has gone rogue and disappeared with Jade's boyfriend, Kane. And if that wasn't enough, her ex appears to be possessed.To save any of them, Jade will need to find a way to control her inner white witch--without succumbing to black magic. Otherwise, she'll lose everything...including her soul.

    Just a down home girl, she enjoys driving her truck, listening to country music and, oh yes, the occasional brew.This witch just wants to enjoy the quiet life. When her no-good, hipster husband cheats on her with a trombone player, she moves back to take over the family farm in rural Eastern Kentucky. Here, she's expecting some peace, content to play in her garden, restore the dilapidated farmhouse, and throw her money away at the town auction house every Friday night.But the town of Kudzu Valley just won't let a witch rest. From the high school basketball coach looking for a charm to help the team win the big game to Lola Ellen Pearson who wants to hex the local Pizza Hut for giving her food poisoning the night before her fourth wedding, everyone wants SOMETHING from the town's resident witch!When Cotton Hashagen's dead body is found, though, all eyes turn to Liza Jane. After all, hadn't she JUST accused the local librarian of a terrible crime? With the townspeople and police turning their eyes to Liza Jane, it's going to take a lot for her to prove that she didn't put a "whammy" on him AND solve the mystery to find the real culprit!

    She wants to settle down and start a family, but men have broken her heart too many times. When she joins the Muzzles & Paws marriage agency, she wants to find someone who’ll love her without reservations. Cage is a successful and wealthy werebear, but something’s missing in his life: he hasn’t found his mate. The women he meets go after his shifter genes and his family name. In a desperate attempt to find true love, he joins a marriage agency to find a human mate. When Amy responds to Cage’s ad for a mail order bride, they like each other instantly. They agree to meet to see if they’re compatible, but things will not be as easy as they seem, and they might never find true happiness.Shifter Brides series: Book 1: The Bear Needs a BrideBook 2: The Bear Needs a Wife

    With peace in their lands, Levi and Reece have been living a life of serenity and peace, raising their three young children at Oxley Manor. Everything seems perfect and well until Levi realizes something: a holiday he knows his wife as always loved on her home planet of Earth has never been celebrated in his realm. In fact, Reece hasn't had the privilege of enjoying her favorite holiday in over six years, and Levi vows to change that. But can he? With his sister's wedding at hand, his own daughter professing her love for another as well, and wanting to have a new holiday introduced to Pemdas...Levi is determined to find a way to make all of this work no matter the sacrifices he must make.

    Along the way, he will have countless encounters, and he will meet numerous adversaries. Follow him on his journey to fulfill the last wish of his master. Follow him on his journey as he realizes that he is more than just a creature created to perish as a shield. This is the story of Jiablu, the strongest undead caster.

    When her friend Doris proposed sending for a mail order husband for Gretchen, who was seven months pregnant and unwed, she hoped for the best for her friend, but still felt badly for herself. Darryl Miller has always been known as one of the demon horde. If he stays in Beckham, Massachusetts, he will never rise above the reputation, but he has nowhere to go! When he receives a letter from his sister asking him to marry her pregnant friend, he only hesitates for a moment. Two weeks later, he arrives in Salmon to marry a stranger. The only trouble is the stranger refuses to marry him. Within an hour, he finds himself married to another friend of his sister’s. Will he be able to make a go of life with the beautiful straight-laced schoolteacher? Or has he made a huge mistake leaving everything to travel across country? A Distant Shore: a Kansas Crossroads novelette by Amelia C. Adams Collette Barnard has traveled from England to America to work as a ladies’ maid for a spoiled socialite who doesn’t want the California life her husband is seeking. When her employer leaves her husband in the middle of the night, Collette is discharged and abandoned in the town of Creede, Colorado, with little money and no idea what to do next. When the kind hand of fate lands her at the Brody Hotel in Topeka, Kansas, she meets a handsome young man named Gabriel Brody, who is also struggling to choose the right path for his life. Perhaps together, they can piece together a future from the bits that have been left them. Mail Order M’Lady by Carra Copelin Lady Anne Medvale, the daughter of the Marquess of Thamesford, has created a scandal by running away with a prominent politician. In America, alone and penniless, she answers an ad in the Grooms’ Gazette and travels to Beaumont, Texas as a mail order bride. Morgan Grant, a dedicated cattleman/lawman isn’t looking for a wife, but circumstances present themselves and he marries an unlikely mail order bride. Can the two of them overcome their differences to live happily ever after? Mail Order Millennium by Peggy L Henderson Growing up in a privileged society may seem glamorous, but having every material possession has left Sherri Stucki feeling empty, exploited by her friends, and abandoned. A world where people see past her money seems like a far off dream, until a mysterious stranger offers her a second chance at the life she seeks. Alexander Walker learned the hard way that city life – and its women – were not meant for him. He must complete one final job before returning to a life of solitude in his beloved mountains. The last thing he needs is a distraction from a spunky socialite who seems like a fish out of water. As they travel together toward new destinies, Alexander and Sherri discover that the life they desire can only be found in each other. Mail-Order Brides of Coldwater Creek Josie by Margery Scott Josephine (Josie) Parker’s birthday is coming up, which means she’ll have to leave the Chicago orphanage where she’s lived her entire life. With nowhere to go and no future to look forward to, she agrees to become a mail-order bride to Cooper Thompson, a rancher in Coldwater Creek, Montana. Cooper Thompson is happy with his life. He has his work, his family, and enough money to get by. He doesn’t need – or want – anything more, especially a wife. When Josie arrives in Montana, she’s shocked to learn that Cooper’s sister actually wrote the letter, and that he knows nothing about it.

    Her father, the pack's Alpha, warns her not to wander off by herself during a meeting between the most powerful packs in the region. Full of excitement, she disobeys him and runs off into the woods to play. But it's not long before her father's fears are realized, and she's captured by the Ice Palace Pack and taken to their underground territory. Delilah has never been mated before, but it's the winter solstice, and, before the pack's annual mating frenzy can begin, a were-female from another pack must be shared between them. Scared by what this might mean, but dazzled by the good-looks of the males, Delilah has a tough choice to make - and one that will bring her more pleasure than she could have imagined. Ravished by the Ice Palace Pack is a 11,000 word erotic short story. It contains strong sexual themes, and is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

    Soldiers from two planets unite to face an ancient alien enemy.Captain Jack Chestire has been exiled after a government coup. But this war hero finds a new purpose when he discovers a gate to another planet...Where he becomes a pilot in a squadron of quantum-powered fighters.Their foe is a terrorist organization led by an alien-human hybrid: a warlord who is worshiped as a living goddess. Human courage is pitted against alien technology as the final battle is fought to decide the future of the human race.

    This novel was previously published with the title: The Dragon King: First Emperor of China. The text is unchanged. Only the title and cover are new. East Eats West It’s 220 B.C. The ancient Western Empire is crumbling. In a desperate bid to save his throne, the Greek king over Babylon sends his son, Antiochus, a dishonored warrior, into the mysterious land of the Far East to capture a mythical creature that will give him absolute power: a dragon.What Antiochus finds is beyond his imagination:A mad emperor on a quest of immortality, a beautiful concubine with whom he falls in love, a mysterious power of magic and technology, and the true nature of the dragon that protects this world.And Antiochus and his companions are not getting out alive. Spin-off Series to Chronicles of the Nephilim What if the pagan gods of the nations were fallen angelic Watchers from God’s throne? Jezebel: Harlot Queen of Israel is part of the series Chronicles of the Watchers that charts the influence of spiritual warfare on human history, just like Chronicles of the Nephilim and Chronicles of the Apocalypse .