Book picks similar to
Before the Bond by K.M. Shea


fantasy
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short-stories

Libra Ascending


Tamar Sloan - 2021
    One Task. Save the universe.Brielle has never been normal - she sees things no-one else does. But as it looks like she’s about to be adopted after growing up in an orphanage, she’s the closest she’s ever come. All she has to do is act...well, normal.The new guy in town, Tristan, is anything but that. On the first day she meets him, he starts talking to her of visions and aliens and a darkness so evil, it will take twelve Zodiac heirs to defeat it. Brielle knows she should run the other way, as fast as she possibly can. If only she wasn’t so undeniably drawn to him…When assassins attack and Brielle can no longer deny she has powers, she begins to wonder—is Tristan telling the truth? Are there others like her? Are her feelings so powerful because she and Tristan are soulmates? And ultimately, will Brielle have to sacrifice everything she’s ever wanted so she can join a daunting fight to save the universe?

Academy of Magic


Angelique S. AndersonTracy Korn - 2019
     Choose wisely because the magical education you pick could set the course of your whole life….or sometimes ever after. Join Mages, shifters, princes, princesses, witches and spies in this fantastical collection of magical academy books by USA Today and Amazon best selling authors. Scroll up to start your magical education now. Class is now in session.

Willow Brown, Christmas Fairy


John Osborne - 2012
    Noah has always contended that living with a fairy can be brutal. Now Willow has the chance to tell her side of things, as she picks up her pen and relates the story of her best Christmas ever.Willow is skeptical when Noah asks her to accompany him to his parent’s Wisconsin dairy farm.“Meet his parents?! I wish he hadn’t put it that way. Say “I want you to see the farm” or “Let’s spend some time with the cows” or something like that. When a guy says “I want my parents to meet you” … well, there are implications. I know, I know, I’m much older than his parents are and I’m a big girl, but still. I was a basket case by the time we got to Wisconsin.”Things go well at first despite Willow’s misgivings, but soon she begins to suspect Noah isn't telling her everything. Secret chores to do, boxes being moved about and a mysterious farm building no one wants to talk about add to her suspicions. When it becomes clear that Noah’s parents are up to something as well, and the word marriage comes up, Willow plans her own surprise.Another sweet, sexy little romance from the author of 'An Ordinary Fairy' and 'Willow Brown, American Fairy'.Watch for a new Willow Brown short story, 'A Houseful of Fairies', available on May 17th, exclusively for the Kindle.

25 Gates of Hell


Brian KeeneAlex R. Knight III - 2020
    A group of storytellers banded together to chronicle the tsunami of evil that ensued. Their scribblings depicted events so horrific, the manuscript was hidden away.Now, dear reader, you seem to have stumbled upon it.And you have opened it.You must reap what you have sown.Come, step into the pages. See firsthand what hell is capable of.Of course, just know, you won’t last long enough to scream.

Essence: A Divine Dungeon Anthology


Dakota Krout - 2019
    Young or old. Each has their own path to power.Delve into the world of the Divine Dungeon with new and old cultivators alike. Discover the Lion Kingdom’s beginning, learn the origin of Odin and his ravens, and take a philosophical approach to cultivation. These stories and more are included in the first short story anthology set in Dakota Krout’s Divine Dungeon universe.Eight incredible new tales told by eight amazing authors.Check out this LitRPG and GameLit fantasy anthology today! Lion Start by Rohan HublikarJoin Garron and Andros as they flee an oppressive Noble house and begin learning the secrets of cultivation while evading capture. Perhaps their methods will even create a legacy of its own? Legacy of Thunder by Steven WilldenLearn the origin of Odin and his ravens, back when they were all simple cultivators in Azguardia. How did a child eventually become one of the most powerful and well-known lightning users of all time? Flight of the Glitterflit by Ryan BallTest both the dangers and joys of surpassing your personal limits with Jack, as he learns what it really means to determine your own destiny. A person’s fate is never what you would suspect. Splat! by Raymond JohnsonA simple Dungeon Goblin has been killed in the same way over and over, constantly revived by the dungeon it has bound itself to. Is there more to the deaths than simply fighting adventurers? The Spirit Dungeon by Alexis KeaneAn infernal cultivator is driven from his home by true necromancers. During his escape, he finds a secret that could allow him to live nearly forever. Will he be able to control it? Hidden Lantern by James AuwaerterThe Inquisition has arrived. At least, one of the members has. It is up to him to determine if this area is worth saving… or should be purged by fire. Butcher Boy by Dakota KroutFollow the saga of Ramset as he learns what it means to be a cultivator in a city where men are only allowed to be mere mortals. Axiom by Dennis VanderkerkenWhat is cultivation? How is it possible? Philosophy to the rescue! When an old man loses everything, he decides that age is not going to be what stops him from rescuing the young ones that have been ‘recruited’ by the raiders that took them.

Curious Reality: From the World of "Spilt Milk"


D.K. Cassidy - 2015
    Cassidy, the best-selling author of Spilt Milk: A Collection of Stories, continues the story of some of the characters that first appeared in Spilt Milk. Everyone believes in their own version of reality. Will the past deeds of Caleb, Joy, and George come back to haunt them? Discover realities on the spectrum between normal and fantasy. Earlier experiences shape the present and future. Choices change lives. • Can a murderer decide to stop killing? • Can a woman regain the confidence she had in her twenties? • Can a lonely man find the perfect companion? Welcome to the world of Curious Reality. Are any of your realities curious?

Beginnings and Endings: A Selection of Short Stories


Jane Suen - 2017
     All come together in Beginnings and Endings, a trilogy of short stories that will bring a lump to the throat. Grits Girl explores the beginning of a lifetime of love over a favorite bowlful of breakfast. The Accident is an ironic story of how life can change in the blink of an eye. In The End of Summer, two men come to terms with their past through an unexpected detour and the innocent joy of a child. Each story is layered with unexpected twists and turns, and there’s a bonus flash fiction, Pick Me, to bring you a smile that will last the day.

Queens of Fennbirn


Kendare Blake - 2018
    From birth until their claiming ceremonies, this is the story of the three sisters’ lives…before they were at stake.The Oracle QueenEveryone knows the legend of Elsabet, the Oracle Queen. The one who went mad. The one who orchestrated a senseless, horrific slaying of three entire houses. But what really happened? Discover the true story behind the queen who could foresee the future…just not her own downfall.

Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies


J.K. Rowling - 2016
    William McGonagall is celebrated as the worst poet in British history. There was something irresistible to me about his name, and the idea that such a brilliant woman might be a distant relative of the buffoonish McGonagall.’ – J.K. RowlingPottermore Presents is a collection of J.K. Rowling’s writing from the Pottermore archives: short reads originally featured on pottermore.com with some exclusive new additions. These eBooks, with writing curated by Pottermore, will take you beyond the Harry Potter stories as J.K. Rowling reveals her inspiration, intricate details of characters’ lives and surprises from the wizarding world.These stories of heroism, hardship and dangerous hobbies profile two of the Harry Potter stories’ most courageous and iconic characters: Minerva McGonagall and Remus Lupin. J.K. Rowling also gives us a peek behind the closed curtains of Sybill Trelawney’s life, and you’ll encounter the reckless, magical-beast-loving Silvanus Kettleburn along the way.Cover art by MinaLima

Tales from The Lake Vol. 1


Joe MynhardtDaniel J. Stone - 2014
    Daniel Stone’s “Alternative Muses”; and a cult horror story in the jungles of South America in William Ritchey’s “Las Maquinas”.Vol.2, 3, and 4 now available. Proudly brought to you by Crystal Lake Publishing - Tales from the Darkest Depths Interview with the Authors: So what makes Tales from The Lake so special? Jennifer Loring: Tales from the Lake is one of the few anthology series where you can find a balance of established horror authors alongside new and emerging talent.J. Daniel Stone: Tales from the Lake is special, I think, first and foremost in that it's an open-themed horror collection. Themes tend to—more than I want to admit, and some might disagree—constrict writers. I don't like that about themes. But with Tales from the Lake we are reading stories by writers who are not given any rules. Just write what one loves and submit. That's wonderful. Tell us more about your story, and in which volume it appeared? Jennifer Loring: My story “The Fine Art of Wrecking” was the first place winner of the Tales from the Lake competition. It's based on the traditional legend of wreckers on the East Coast using false lights to run ships ashore to be plundered, but takes a Lovecraftian turn.J. Daniel Stone: My story “Alternative Muses” was the 2nd place winner in the original short story writing contest. The story focuses on a young couple who live on the fringes of society, but who soon are taken back to reality when they get pregnant. Things take a dark turn, and the need to transcend normality and complacency drive this story to a wicked ending.

A Southern Season: Stories from a Front Porch Swing


Eva Marie Everson - 2018
    Four stories. Each one set in the enchanting world of the South. These are the kinds of stories your grandmother told you from a front porch swing. Ice Melts in Spring by Linda W. Yezak When Kerry Graham's boss forces her to return to the Gulf of Mexico where her husband drowned years ago, she feels only spring's chill and not the warmth of the Texas sun. Can the joy of a reclusive author and the compassion of a shrimp-boat preacher thaw Kerry's frigid heart? Lillie Beth in Summer by Eva Marie Everson With the untimely death of his wife, Dr. James Gillespie believes God has abandoned him. He also believes he's never met anyone like the young widow Lillie Beth, whose beloved Granny lies dying at home, and who sees a God who sweeps hope through a farmhouse window. Can a young woman whose husband died in Vietnam restore a faith that is all but dead. Through an Autumn Window by Claire Fullerton Because her larger than life mother Daphne Goodwyn is dead, forty-year-old Cate returns to Memphis with one thought in mind: something always goes wrong at a Southern funeral. But surrounded by the well-mannered society that raised her, the nostalgic rites of a three-day, autumn mourning bring the unexpected gift of the end of sibling rivalry. A Magnolia Blooms in Winter by Ane Mulligan With Broadway stardom within her reach, Morgan James returns home in winter to help an old friend. Maybe it s just nostalgia, but when she sees him again, an old flame rekindles. When she s called back to NYC to take the lead in a new musical, will fame be worth losing the man she loves?

Tales of Wonder Every Child Should Know


Kate Douglas Wiggin - 2002
    You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

The Avoidable Orphan


T.M. Clark - 2015
    He’s a man of the African bush, and coping with ‘girlie feelings’ was always Helene’s department, not his. When an orphaned baby elephant is found, Rodger sees an opportunity that might help him reconnect with his children. But interfering with the orphan goes against his usual conservation methods. It will require a new approach to save both the baby and his family.

Sword and Sorceress 26


Elisabeth Waters - 2011
    The roster of contributors over the years includes Mercedes Lackey, Charles de Lint, Diana L. Paxson, Emma Bull, Jennifer Roberson, and countless others. Sword and Sorceress 26 includes stories by Kat Otis, Deborah J. Ross, Jean Tatro, Jonathan Shipley, Melissa Mead, Michael Spence and Elisabeth Waters, Margaret L. Carter, Dave Smeds, Patricia Duffy Novak, Michael H. Payne, Pauline J. Alama, Steve Chapman, J.C. Hsyu, Jonathan Moeller, K.D. Wentworth, David L. Burkhead, Julia H. West, Joette M. Rozanski, and Katharina Schuschke.

100 Tiny Tales: Short Stories Told in Exactly One Hundred Words


K. Kris Loomis - 2019
    Why not try some microfiction short stories instead? These bite-sized, slice-of-life short stories are crafted with only one hundred words, so they go by in a flash. Perfect for time-challenged fiction lovers, these humorous yet thought-provoking stories can be read when you’re waiting in line, riding the bus, or whenever you need a short mental break. Go on. Try some flash fiction. Grab your copy of 100 Tiny Tales today! 100 Tiny Tales: Short Stories Told in Exactly One Hundred Words is written by K. Kris Loomis, a native South Carolinian and the author of the novels, The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane and The Murder of Leopold Beckenbauer, as well as the short story collection, The Monster In the Closet and Other Stories. Kris is also a nonfiction author who writes books about yoga, meditation, and the time she spent living in South America, including After Namaste: Off-the-Mat Musings of a Modern Yogini and Thirty Days in Quito: Two Gringos and a Three-Legged Cat Move to Ecuador. When Kris isn’t at her standing desk writing, she can be found playing chess, folding an origami crane, or practicing a Beethoven sonata on the piano. She lives in Rock Hill, South Carolina with her husband and two cats. You can connect with Kris at her website, www.kkrisloomis.com or her Amazon Author page, or find her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram @kkrisloomis.