Part of the Shadows Beneath - The Writing Excuses Anthology

    A series of minority governments, and endless Quebec referendums (designed to lose narrowly, to keep the money coming) have left Canada almost ungovernable. When the Governor General resigns in disgrace and the House of Windsor implodes in London, a media baron launches the idea of a Canadian king or queen elected by lottery.It starts as a joke — except that the lucky winner, King John, a bright and charismatic guy from Toronto, knows exactly what people want. Soon Quebec is gone, while Toronto’s surprise bid to leave Canada is averted by shifting his official residence, the new seat of power, to the Toronto waterfront. Many good things happen, and the politicians go along for the ride. And the blockades of Native lands are ended for good, after John is heroically wounded keeping the peace at risk to his life.His popularity soars and Canadian morale soars with it. Soon the rest of the world is taking notice of this model leader. In the United States, the blue states look enviously northward. Then Canada’s king, ignoring assassination threats, goes on a formal visit to Washington. . .From the Hardcover edition.

    Eve's Diary is a short story in Eve Rosser's point of view.

    He lives for the moment each day when the window of his dungeon cell shines a bit of light onto his bearded face.But everything changes when he gets a new neighbor--a young girl with a voice as beautiful as the springrise.They both know the rules: No singing. No speaking. Voices are dangerous. But they can't help themselves. And soon enough, Errik begins to remember himself, why he's here in this dark place, and why his captors will stop at nothing to ensure his silence.

    Accursed wizards and mysterious villains. Deadly battles and otherworldly spectacle. The untold adventures of the beloved Companions. Here are collected the best short stories of the original Dragonlance Tales 1 series, unfolding a world of heroism, magic, and fantasy. It is a treasure for loyal fans of the saga, and for new readers it is an enthralling introduction to the world of Krynn. This volume includes a new Dragonlance short story written by Margaret Weis in collabortion with Aron Eisenberg, Nog on television's Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.Riverwind and the crystal staff / Michael Williams --Stone's throw away / Roger E. Moore --Love and ale --Dagger-flight / Nich O'Donohoe --Harvests --Hide and go seek / Nancy VArian Berberick --Finding the faith / Mary Kirchoff --Into the heart of the story / Michael Williams --Exiles / Paul B. Thompson and Tonya R. Carter --Heart of Goldmoon / Laura Hickman and Kate Novak --Wayward children --Definitions of honor / Richard A. Knaak --Test of the twins / Margaret Weis --From the yearning for war and the war's ending / Michael Williams --Traveling players of Gilean / Margaret Weis and Aron Eisenberg.

    Many have tried. All have failed.This climbing season finds three teams making their bid up this murderous peak. And one man among them will discover these ugly truths: There are fates worse than death. There are fates worse than obscurity. To be remembered forever can be its own curse.

    Now Commander Vatta is backlocked and loaded and ready to win the fight against the marauding forces of ruthless space pirate Gammis Turek. For Ky, its not just about liberating the star systems subjugated by Turek and defending the rest of the galaxys freedom. Theres also a score to be settled and payback to be meted out for the obliteration of the Vatta Transport dynasty . . . and the slaughter of Kys family. But the enemy have their own escalation efforts under wayincluding the placement of covert agents among the allies with whom Ky and the surviving Vattas are collaborating in the war effort. And when a spy ring linked to a wealthy businessman is exposed, a cracked pirate code reveals a galaxywide conspiracy fueling the proliferation of Tureks warship fleet. Matching the invaders swelling firepower will mean marshaling an armada of battle-ready ships for Ky to lead into combat. But a violent skirmish leaves Ky reelingand presumed dead by her enemies. Now, as Turek readies an all-out attack on the Nexus systema key conquest that could seal the rest of the galaxys doomKy must rally to the challenge, draw upon every last reserve of her strategic skills, and reach deep if she is to tear from the ashes of tragedy her most decisive victory.

    The next thing Conan knew, he was up to his neck in Van pirates, killer ape-men, Aquilonian nobility, an ancient blood cult, a Stygian sorcerer and the murderous tribes of the dread Coast of Bones.

    Become entranced with the basic struggle of good vs. evil as you travel to a galaxy far, far away.

    It’s a wonderful existence for someone like The Big Guy and his furry brother, except for the flea problem. Then an expedition of explorers from the outside turn his world inside out. Or rather a very blonde beauty called The Woman does. It leads to his and his ape brother being convinced to fly to New York by zeppelin, where they become the toast of the town. They even make Hollywood movies. It seems perfect. At least until The Big Guy does something that comes quite naturally to him in the wild, but leads to public humiliation in this new found world. To make matters worse, his ape brother has grown to not only love the pampered life, meals he doesn’t have to chase down, good cigars, fine wines and statuesque women, he’s come to like the Wrong Woman.Changes are afoot. They lead to a return to the world beneath the mist, and a deadly and unexpected encounter with a foe that is in many ways far worse than any dinosaur. Envy, jealousy, greed, fleas, and pyramids under the mist, are all part of this rollicking novella of the sort only Joe R. Lansdale could write. And don’t forget dinosaurs.

    Here, the clairvoyant underworld plays by its own rules, and rival gangs will stop at nothing to win such a magnificent prize.Sixteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working for Jaxon Hall, the most notorious mime-lord in the city. He thinks she is hiding a powerful gift, but it refuses to surface. Maybe this is the opportunity she needs to secure her position in his gang, the Seven Seals…

    Clough FOR I AM A JEALOUS PEOPLE! by Lester del Rey LUVVER, by Mack Reynolds FROG LEVEL, by Bud Webster CAPTAINS CONSPIRING AT THEIR MUTINIES, by Jay Lake SHIFTING SEAS, by Stanley G. Weinbaum THROUGH TIME AND SPACE WITH FERDINAND FEGHOOT: 8, by Grendel Briarton ROCK GARDEN, by Kevin O'Donnell, Jr. THE GENOA PASSAGE, by George Zebrowski EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, by Ray Faraday Nelson I AM TOMORROW, by Lester del Rey WHEN THEY COME FROM SPACE, by Mark Clifton THE SEALED SKY, by Cynthia Ward METEOR STRIKE! by Donald E. Westlake WAITING FOR THE COIN TO DROP, by Dean Wesley Smith BEYOND THE DARKNESS, by S. J. Byrne THE SMALLEST GOD, by Lester del Rey THE SCIENCE FICTION ALPHABET, by Allen Glasser CANAL, by Carl Jacobi THE LOCH MOOSE MONSTER, by Janet Kagan MY FAIR PLANET, by Evelyn E. Smith BEFORE EDEN, by Arthur C. Clarke SEQUENCE, by Carl Jacobi PREFERRED RISK, by Frederik Pohl and Lester del Rey INTEVIEW: FREDERIK POHL, conducted by Darrell SchweitzerIf you enjoy this book, search your favorite ebook store for "Wildside Press Megapack" to see the more than 100 other entries in the series, covering science fiction, modern authors, mysteries, westerns, classics, adventure stories, and much, much more!

    She did not believe in vampires, until she turns into one. Should she follow her vampire cousin's lead and walk away from everything she knows, or join Shadow Falls, a camp for special teens?This short story from C.C. Hunter gives readers a look into Della's history.

    Sweet, smart, and totally marketable, with a power that lent itself well to the kiddie market, she seemed destined to be one of the company's most enduring properties...right up until the day she walked out on the hero world, choosing to return to a civilian life. The reasons are still coming out. More importantly, the Marketing Department is still trying to get her back.

    But now there's a rash of sightings on the Metropolitan Line and these ghosts are frightening, aggressive and seem to be looking for something.Enter PC Peter Grant junior member of the Metropolitan Police's Special Assessment unit AKA The Folly AKA the only police officers whose official duties include ghost hunting. Together with Jaget Kumar, his counterpart at the British Transport Police, he must brave the terrifying the crush of London's rush hour to find the source of the ghosts.Joined by Peter's wannabe wizard cousin, a preschool river god and Toby the ghost hunting dog their investigation takes a darker tone as they realise that a real person's life might just be on the line.And time is running out to save them.With this new novella, bestselling author Ben Aaronovitch has crafted yet another wickedly funny and surprisingly affecting chapter in his beloved Rivers of London series.