Illustrator and writer's Carolyn Marie Castagna's first shared short story.A small icicle hanging from a roof peers inside a window at a small reading room, and learns about magical human qualities, and the importance of the one most special human feeling.

    Despite a few variations from telling to telling, the story remains the same—the Queen was jealous of the girl’s beauty, and this jealousy culminated in the Queen’s attempt on the sweet, naive girl’s life. Another tale far less often spoken of is the one that explains what caused the Queen to become so contemptuously vile. Still, some have attempted to guess at the reason. Perhaps the Queen’s true nature was that of a wicked hag and her beautiful, regal appearance a disguise used to fool the King. Others claim that the Queen might have hated the girl for her resemblance to the King’s first wife. Mostly, the Queen is painted as a morally abhorrent woman who never loved another being during the course of her miserable life.In fact, the theories about exactly what cause the Queen’s obsessive vanity and jealous rage are too numerous to catalog. This book recounts a version of the story that has remained untold until now. It is a tragic tale of love and loss, and it contains a bit of magic. It is a tale of the Wicked Queen…

     The legions of Chaos have overrun the world. Uërth is in ruins. With the Heavenly Host’s fall, Angel Swords rained from the heavens, littering the world in what was. Only the most honorable and purest of heart are able to take up the Angel Swords and wield them against the throngs of Chaos. These mighty Empyrean Knights are all that stand between Uërth and annihilation. Saedeus is neither pure of heart nor honorable. Nor does he wish to wield an Angel Sword. He just wants to be left alone with his mushrooms. And his pet rock. But he might not have a choice. When he inadvertently takes the soul of a dying Empyrean Knight into himself, his world, and his obligations, grow forever larger. With the help of his pet rock, the spirit of a heavenly knight, and the sword of a fallen angel, he might be able to make all the difference. If he doesn’t die first.

    Using drugs to suppress reality, her life is more than she can stomach most days. All she wants is to disappear, and on one fateful night, her wish is granted. There is a world that exists just beyond the fabric of our own. When Carmen is dragged there against her will, her hopelessness seems to disappear, replaced by a determination to survive. The Keeper of Crows is charged with guarding Carmen, but is safety a possibility in a world so desolate? Can love blossom when danger lies in wait? Together, they fight like hell, seeming to lose more ground than they gain with each battle against the dark enemy threatening to tear them apart. Can love keep her safe? Can it give her the strength she needs? When the lines between life and death, reality and dream become blurred, who will save the souls trapped in the spaces between Heaven and Hell? Who will save Carmen's only love, The Keeper of Crows?

     At the age of six, Ebon Drayden discovered he was an alchemist—a wizard who can transform matter with a simple touch. But his father forbade him to use his magic, and kept him from attending the Academy where he could learn to use it. Just before his seventeenth birthday, Ebon’s aunt enrolls him in the Academy against his father's wishes. Now at last he has the chance to use the magic he has so desperately yearned to control. But his family's dark name plagues him. His very presence terrifies the other students. Teachers regard him with suspicion. And before long, he is drawn into a scheme that spans all the nine kingdoms of Underrealm. THE ALCHEMIST'S TOUCH (Book 1) Distrusted by his fellow students and spurned by his instructor, Ebon is drawn into one of his family's shadowy schemes. It begins innocently enough—a package delivered to a tavern in the dead of night—but soon even his own kin suspect him of playing both sides against the middle. His only allies are two other outcasts within the citadel. With their help, he hopes to uncover the truth of the conspiracy—but his family's cruel bodyguard may not have Ebon's best interests at heart. THE MINDMAGE’S WRATH (Book 2) The High King’s Seat reels from a devastating attack. Those within the Academy attempt to resume their studies, all the while haunted by the empty chairs of those who died in the fighting. But the Academy is not yet safe. A murder shocks students and instructors alike to the core. And while the faculty hunt for the culprit, Ebon senses another fatal conspiracy brewing in the very bowels of the citadel. Someone has been stealing artifacts of immeasurable power, and only Ebon and his friends have any hope of stopping them. THE FIREMAGE’S VENGEANCE (Book 3) The Academy killer has escaped, and now holds the Dean’s son captive. Ebon and his friends want to save the boy—but their danger is even more personal, for the killer desires revenge against them. As the Dean grows increasingly suspicious of Ebon himself in the kidnapping, and the recent murders, he must play a deadly game of cat and mouse. For if anyone discovers the secret that Theren is forced to hide, it will mean a slow death under the knives of Mystics for Ebon and all his friends… Grab your box set now and save 40% off buying the individual books!

    Negotiating with aggressive advisors and hostile kingdoms is one thing, but when his beloved lies at death's door, he'll do anything - even forsake those he's sworn to protect - to find a cure.Receiving word of a magical stone with the power to heal her, he embarks on an epic adventure to retrieve it. When mythical beasts, scheming elves, and even enemy kingdoms stand in his way, he'll stop at nothing to get what he needs to save his wife's life.Will Alexander destroy lives, betray loyalties and ruin peace forever? Or will he realize what he's doing before it's too late?Join Alexander Drygo on a journey of love, loss, and madness told through the eyes of those closest to him. Soul Siphon is a collection of novellas, including an exclusive, never-before-released story, Sentinels of the Stone.Fans of R.A. Salvatore, Brandon Sanderson, and Patrick Rothfuss will love this epic sword and sorcery adventure.

    Traveling to Saltwater's Weep is a dangerous journey. A powerful coterie of adventurers led by the Warlord rules the city. Their dark fingers extend throughout and nothing is as it seems.Taking his time to plan his attack, Jace seeks to gain control of new allies and servants before he sets out on his Quest. Join him as he takes new lovers, fulfills new temptations and gains in immortal power. Watch villains creep from the sidelines with agendas of their own. Can a fledgling Incubus survive in a dangerous world when might makes right?Contains Explicit Content that is meant for 18+ readers, may not be suitable for everyone.

     What if humans were more powerful than they thought? What if an alien race had a reason to keep humanity entrenched in fear? And what if ancient beings that we've met before were still trying to protect us? And just what if the fate of Earth depended upon an average 17-year-old girl with a few secrets of her own? Would she discover that the power of love was truly the strongest of all? "The Glass Wall" - Book One of the "Glass Wall": - A mysterious and dangerously handsome stranger ... - A slightly jaded 17-year-old girl ... - A paranormal world hidden within our own ... 17-year-old Sydney's only interest in life is flying under the radar. But destiny has other plans when the tall, handsome, and unusual Rafael Channing moves into the neighborhood. Athletic and with killer looks, he wears black eyeliner like a magician and always seems to be there when she needs him the most. What starts out as a light-hearted investigation with her gadget-happy foster father takes a serious turn when she discovers that Rafael isn't human. Add Jareth, the country's latest rock sensation, into the mix and Sydney is swept into a mysterious world of Tulpas, the Fae, and the Brotherhood of the Snake. Sydney doesn't know she's a Blue Thread of Fate. She doesn't know the fate of humanity depends on her choice of whom to trust--Jareth or Rafael. And she certainly doesn't know that she's taken the first step on the unexpected path of love. "The Brotherhood of the Snake" - Book Two of the "Glass Wall": - The first kiss ... - A secret revealed ... - The arrival of the Mesmers ... After breaking the Glass Wall, Sydney finds herself on the run with Rafael. And as her feelings for him awaken, danger arrives in the form of Mesmers, agents of evil sent by the Brotherhood of the Snake. But when Jareth struts back onto the scene, it isn't long before Sydney finds herself immersed in sinister secrets, and the subsequent whirlwind of events leaves her wondering just who is right and who is wrong? "The Inner Circle" - Book Three of the "Glass Wall": - A love is born that cannot be denied ... - The Brotherhood of the Snake just might be winning ... - A Decision of Fate is made ... As Sydney navigates through the supernatural dangers surrounding her, she seizes control of her destiny and begins to fight back. And as she spies on the Inner Circle and the Brotherhood of the Snake, she discovers the power of human thought. And finds out she can no longer deny the love that she feels. But then both Rafael and Jareth's secrets are revealed and a Blue-Threaded decision of fate is made. But is it the right one? "The Egg" - Book Four of the "Glass Wall": - A death ... - A beginning … - An egg to change the world ...

    However, Magpie Windwitch, granddaughter of the West Wind, is not like other faeries. While her kind live in seclusion deep in the forests of Dreamdark, she's devoted her life to tracking down and recapturing devils escaped from their ancient bottles, just as her hero, the legendary Bellatrix, did 25,000 years ago. With her faithful gang of crows, she travels the world fighting where others would choose to flee. But when a devil escapes from a bottle sealed by the ancient Djinn King himself, the creator of the world, she may be in over her head. How can a single faerie, even with the help of her friends, hope to defeat the impenetrable darkness of the Blackbringer?

    She’s not sure about the whole island thing, but figures the world is only big enough for one ghost island.Boy was she wrong.She finds that the supernatural has followed her and Samuel—the old circus ringmaster, who she thought was dead—is right in the middle of it all.The Circus of the Dead Chronicles will be short novella length adventures that will be released every two weeks until the end of the first set. I’ll be releasing 10 novellas in this series in 2021.

    Naseby, England. Baroness De Meaux lives a comfortable life and is content with where she fits into the hierarchy of society. She was groomed for the story she’s telling but several things set her apart from everyone around her. When her mother passes away suddenly, the visions she hides from the world—the ones that show her the future—force their way to the surface. And when she’s faced with the impossible, it leaves her questioning just how far apart her two contradicting worlds really are from another. Can Margaret make peace with her past and what she assumes is her imagination? Or will she give into the myths from her childhood to shape the future? Through it all, Margaret knows one truth is universal: trust is hard-won and easily broken when you don’t know who’s on your side.

    

    I live with my dad who has a big tattoo that says Live to Ride. He is so strong he can lift up a car, but he can't tell me what he's thinking. Maybe he's thinking about my mother who shot through.Sugar Boy is my best friend. We hang around down at the river, in the bush tunnel, or beside the railway tracks riding our bikes fast enough to beat the train. There's only two of us, but we're the whole team.I don't know what would happen if I didn't have Sugar Boy . . .

     One – I would’ve tried shielding Miles from the ugliness of the mirror. Two – I would’ve listened to the warnings that despite the evil I’ve already met, worse was coming. Three – I would’ve recognized that while I was trying to keep everyone in the light, darkness crept into the hidden corners of myself I never knew existed. Four – I wouldn’t have so willingly trusted others just because they are family. Five – Most importantly, I would have shielded my heart before it turned black.

    Orphaned as a baby, the only thing she has from her past is her unusual name. Now, at seventeen, she's willing to give it up if it means she can disappear. What she doesn't know is that, in the West, eleven have been sent to find her, and when they do, her whole world will change. They are the Star Riders, those chosen by Adonai to protect the worlds from the forces of darkness. All alone, they search for the one prophesied to be at their side at the end of days. A special child with unknown powers who will change everything.