Tethered By Crystal Brinkerhoff 24 ~ 5 790 The bodies wouldn’t sink. His muscles ached and his back screamed at him. Dragging the corpses into the ocean had been much harder than he’d expected. Heavy with salt water, his crew uniform clung to his body and trapped in granules of sand that chaf ... #horror #thriller
Mistress Mary By Caren Hahn 7 ~ 16 298 It's bad enough helping her aging mother-in-law sort through fifty years of clutter. But when she finds an antique doll that takes the nightmare to a new level, Mona is ready to call it quits. The doll, however, has other ideas. #horror #humor
Headless By Cass Weldon 6 ~ 13 267 Indigo dismounted her motorcycle with carefully unhurried speed. The moon overhead was bright and silvery, and the noise coming from the house was happy—chattering voices and scattered laughter pouring out from golden glowing windows. The autumn nigh ... #horror #thriller
Fat Man Blues By Richard Wall 6 ~ 4 654 "Hobo John" is an English blues enthusiast on a pilgrimage to present-day Mississippi. One night in Clarksdale he meets the mysterious Fat Man, who offers him the chance to see the real blues of the 1930s. #adventure #historical #thriller
The Gentleman Physician By Sally Britton 6 ~ 26 268 Nathaniel Hastings bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing while his patient, Lady Huntington, continued to spout nonsense about the reasons behind her various ailments. He knew very well nothing troubled her that a good conversation could not cure. ... #historical #romance #clean romance
Incognolio By Michael Sussman 6 ~ 12 223 Ever since the concussion, I can’t get the damn word out of my head. I haven’t a clue what it means. But I love the sound of it. So, I’ll make it the title of my novel and allow the entire story to spring forth from this mysterious word. My neuro ... #humor #thriller
The Purse By Dan Hahn 6 ~ 13 202 The smell of coffee lingered lightly from lunch as warm afternoon light streamed through the windows onto the linoleum topped table. Lorine sat with her purse open, engaged in the light conversation of old lovers. Yet Stanley hadn’t been in her life ... #fantasy
Black Dragon By Genevieve Ann Atwater 5 ~ 5 150 It was in the air. The islanders stared in amazement, their mouths hanging open, as the great ship cut through the clouds above them, gleaming gold in the noontime sun. Its sails were all scarlet, and rising above them waved a crimson flag marked wit ... #fantasy
Avril's Phoenix By Michelle Harris-Genge 5 ~ 5 338 Avril Bale has it all, which makes her ill-prepared for a tragedy that rocks the foundation of her security and sense of fairness. Avril’s Phoenix probes why bad things happen to good people in an emotional, uplifting journey following heartbreak. #literary #realistic fiction
Red Marks the Child By Amira Awaad 5 ~ 11 163 This desert land was exceptionally dear to me. Its warm sands resound in the drumming beats of my eye-lashes. The sultry wasteland engulfed fresh oases with water that was pure — it pulsed and it pulsated. It throbbed like the beating of a living hea ... #adventure #mythology
A Spider's Journey By Natalie Nielson 4 ~ 4 48 A treat was here somewhere, and Grogle was going to find it. Standing on his back four legs, the front two prodding around, trying to sense disturbances, with the other two poking into buildings. The first few days had been easy, Grogle only had to ... #adventure #fantasy #horror
Semper Romanus By Christopher Jones 4 ~ 21 163 At the edge of Roman power, a yearlong struggle with the invading Carthaginian horde leads to division within the halls of Saguntum, Rome's farthest outpost. #historical
Spooky By Rae Sterling 4 ~ 10 402 It was the day before Halloween that I found her on my doorstep. She was just too adorable, a tiny black kitten with huge green eyes just sitting on top of the Jack-o-lantern on my porch like some sort of Halloween postcard. I was supposed to be leav ... #horror
Blog Entries of the Brokenhearted By Stephanie Van Orman 4 ~ 29 323 The wind blew the grass in waves that rippled like the waves of the sea. The tombstones didn't bend to the wind. She couldn't see him, but in her mind, he was there. #modern #paranormal #young adult
The Librarynth of the Lost By Taya Okerlund 4 ~ 14 412 An evil assassin is plotting the death of Fairy's crown prince. The princess will have to get her hands dirty, making some sketchy bargains, just to protect them, but the traitor is closer than you think. #adventure #fantasy #middle grade
Red Wrath By Gerhard Gehrke 4 ~ 9 249 I was sitting in a bar, brooding and thinking about superheroes. There was a special on the news all about them. The large flat-screen televisions mounted on the wall should have been showing the Mets game. Instead we got a fawning comedian whose fil ... #fantasy #science fiction
Supervillain High By Gerhard Gehrke 4 ~ 6 300 “See that guy there in the purple mask robbing the bank? That’s my dad.”Brendan stopped the video on his phone and waited for a reaction. Mr. Childes, his school counselor, nodded as if this was something he had heard before. The older man took his ... #science fiction #young adult
The Follower By M. K. Martin 4 ~ 5 486 I watch her sleep, her short bristle of hair twisted into sweaty knots. I can’t help her and it’s killing me. I lay down next to her, the heat baking off her in waves. I sigh and the dust puffs out, a few small dry leaves flap at me as if annoyed by ... #science fiction
Dragonsphere By Richard Fierce 4 ~ 3 213 It was dark and cold. The distant sound of dripping water echoed throughout the narrow tunnel, part of a large system of interconnected passageways and caves deep in the Viss Mountains.A hooded figure navigated his way through them hesitantly, pausin ... #fantasy
DRIVEN By The Behrg 3 ~ 10 81 They will call her Monster. Child killer. A seething psychopath. Though right now she is just another hapless driver fighting traffic on her daily commute, unaware of the destination to which she will arrive. For her next stop is not a location, but ... #horror #literary
The Descent, Chapter One By Apryl K.B. Lopez 3 ~ 12 164 This short novella is a prequel to The Cavern and will entertain readers of new adult and young adult fiction, complete with action and confronting personal regret. #adventure #dystopian #new adult
The Net Conspiracy: Meijuan's Plight By DM Coffman 3 ~ 16 139 Meijuan, a female leader from the Li-ren tribe on Hainan, whose son (the mayor) has allowed in an evil presence, tries to warn authorities of their pending attacks. #mystery #thriller
The Emerald City By Cassiopeia Fletcher 3 ~ 27 168 Nine-year-old Jonas is about to embark on the journey of a lifetime: crossing the main street to the corner store all by himself. #adventure #literary
The Color of Magpies By Nikki Lower 3 ~ 15 62 She was fine. She didn’t need any help. She just needed to try harder.Kneeling on the grated metal floor of the conservatory, Magatha could feel the faint, ever-present whirrings and rumblings that kept the giant spheres of House in illogical motion ... #fantasy #new adult
The Billionaire Mentor By Deb Goodman 3 ~ 8 234 A billionaire explorer and a suspense novelist at a dating retreat? Too bad their relationship is fake. #romance #clean romance
Dollie By Miranda Renaé 3 ~ 4 282 Nora had a love-hate relationship with her job, the smells of a campfire, and fresh dirt being the love. She sat down on a log at the edge of the fire, watching her clients, the bright lights of their phones, and orange spikes of the flames highlight ... #humor #thriller
Dragon's Fury: Chapter One By Brian Meeks 3 ~ 5 223 From out of the mist it flew... ...a dragon bent on revenge and hungry for power. Who will stop him? #adventure #fantasy
The Speed of Sound By Steppen Sawicki 3 ~ 5 170 Jay had never been much of a talker. He had won Carrie’s heart with gentle touches on the hand and shoulder, neck and waist. He had made her dizzy with rare utterances of her beauty and his love, precious because they were so rare. When they married ... #science fiction
Eagle in the fridge By Zenta Brice 3 ~ 42 377 I need to pee!’ ‘Great!’ I definitely can’t let Karl back in the house by himself. He has a quite serious predilection for destruction. I can’t leave my spot here either, not right now. ‘Well, do it, then.’ I bend down and unzip his trousers. ‘Nobody ... #historical
Ultimas Drake By MIchael Young 3 ~ 9 113 Meckule fidgeted in his ceremonial attire, wondering whose name he needed to curse for coming up with such fickle clothing. Not for the first time, he wished he had been born in the Dorian Clan instead of the Scarlatti. Then, he would have been broug ... #fantasy
Black Dragon: Chapter One By Genevieve Ann Atwater 2 ~ 25 34 Erica has lived an ordinary life despite her odd, golden eyes, but her world is turned upside down when she is suddenly sent away without explanation, to a secluded island, where magical guardians called "Dragons" protect their people from outsiders. #fantasy
Spring Cleaning By Natalie Nielson 2 ~ 3 27 Flora forced her window open, past the lingering frost. She breathed in the crisp breeze filtering down from the enchanted tree above her little home. It was still a little too early, but Flora had already decided; she was starting spring cleaning. ... #fantasy
Ghost Music By Antoinette McCormick 2 ~ 2 137 An unexpected inheritance unleashes an unimaginable horror. #horror #modern
Deus Ex Mechina By Zach McClellan 2 ~ 16 166 A dark figure crashed through the window of the saloon into the dusty street, releasing a grunt of pain. Jeers called out after him as he scrambled away. “Teach that slimeball a lesson, Sloan!” “He’ll think twice about cheating!” “Wow, he had to have ... #fantasy #western
My Beauty For Your Ashes By Traci Wooden-Carlisle 2 ~ 9 107 It all started with one lone tear. It escaped unguarded, quickly falling from her high cheek bone, wetting the concrete below. It was closely followed by another. Soon there was a rain of tears splashing against the once warm, dry stone underneath he ... #romance #clean romance #spiritual
Rebel Mage: Awakening By Ben Swallow 2 ~ 8 188 Is still in the middle of the night as I wake up. I frown as I look around. It is still dark and there is no one in my room. What woke me up, then? I was already falling back asleep when I heard a sound from outside the room. It sounded like clatte ... #fantasy #romance #clean romance
Christmas Eve Frenzy By Adelaide Walsh 2 ~ 11 139 “2040. That is a year that will live in infamy in our history. That year, Dr. Zack Temba and Biolance unleashed a scourge, a lethal virus, on all of us that eliminated millions of the Journeymen around the world, reducing the rest of us to mere subje ... #dystopian #romance #clean romance
REN By Amira Awaad 2 ~ 6 143 The ancients used to say that a spirit resides in everything. That all matter, living and inanimate, are gravitational channels of energy. They believed that some individuals were selected to encompass magnificent fragments of older souls. But unles ... #adventure #mythology
As a Sword in My Bones By Jessica Joiner 2 ~ 14 124 "If the Royal Council does nothing to curb my mother's cruelty, the oppressed people of Boldaria will revolt and this nation will be engulfed in a civil war," Prince Tristan Leander warned as he finished speaking before the gathered members of the tw ... #adventure #spiritual
A Quest By Gerrit Stainer 1 ~ 16 43 An old story: a young man on a journey. Even a small errand can take on the meaning of a myth. #fantasy #romance #clean romance
Lightness By Gerrit Stainer 1 ~ 28 70 Thirteen is too old to be talking to a toy - but what if the toy is your only friend? #fantasy #science fiction
Shall We Dance By Sandra Walls 1 ~ 7 86 The tenement flat was on the first floor. It was a room and kitchen with a separate toilet. Not one in the middle stairwell of the close like some tenements in Glasgow.Me and my three older cousins were in the bed recess, they were sleeping already, ... #realistic fiction
How I Saved a Planet! By Stephen Quatro 1 ~ 17 139 The next town we encountered was Maryville. I suggested that Qarl and I split up for a bit to try to find the others more quickly. Qarl agreed, ducking down a side street while I continued up the main thoroughfare into the center of town. Something s ... #fantasy #humor #satire
Destruct By Sheridan Anne 1 ~ 17 158 My best friends’ scream jolts me out of my daydream. I whip my head in her direction, trying to figure out what’s going on. Jacinta dashes across our small room, fumbling and cringing as she tramples every piece of our belongings on the way. I try my ... #fantasy #young adult
Kora By Marina Epley 1 ~ 17 190 A thrown stone misses my head by inches. I shudder but continue walking, eyes focused on the muddy ground under my feet.“Filthy pig!” I hear voices behind me. “Don’t you ever wash your ugly face?” Tears well up in my eyes. I guess I do resemble a pig ... #dystopian #young adult
Pharaoh's servant By Rebecca Lee Varady 1 ~ 6 99 The old cook’s day started several hours before the sun rose and ended several hours after it set. His position at the Palace was of great importance, and he was responsible for the Palace’s entire food preparation - from the Pharaoh’s banquets to th ... #mystery
Weather's Store By Thelma Giomi 1 ~ 19 96 It is that hour before darkness when everything on earth is a black paper-cut silhouette against a near colorless backdrop. It is the hollow hour when I feel like I’m the only sentient being left. In this absolute void I want to reach in and hold ont ... #literary
Earthcore: Initiation By Grace Bridges 1 ~ 22 91 Ko ahau te taniwha. I am the taniwha, that legendary beast called dragon by the ignorant. Some call me kaitiaki—the guardian—others call me mythical. Ha! As if their beliefs on the matter make any difference to the fact. I am here. My siblings are ma ... #fantasy #young adult
Lost Soul By Bill Joyce 0 ~ 4 86 To whoever finds this…This is my final testament to a life lived as I chose. I leave it to others to judge the value of my purpose and actions. I make no excuse or have any misgivings for the path I took in this lifetime. I believe that I was born to ... #thriller
Eagle in the red By Zenta Brice 0 ~ 2 174 Time to walk home,’ Ilse brushed down her apron. ‘My water jug is empty, child, and bread all handed out. We can do no more here today.’ Millie nodded and sighed. Offering water and food to the passing refugees was exciting enough, and an honourable ... #historical
A Child's Cry By Bill Joyce 0 ~ 6 96 Somehow the Good Lord had found a way to blend tomboy playfulness, crusader dedication to mission, and fairytale princess beauty into one human being. Her somewhat husky voice always echoed with laughter, hinting that something more intimate was poss ... #thriller
The Finding By Bill Joyce 0 ~ 18 100 The valley spread for many miles, protected by three mountain ranges and the Great Sea to the west. The mountains to the north, known as The Blackened Heights, stood like dark, cold shadows seemingly without life. They had always been so, yet in the ... #fantasy
The Demise By Jess Peters 0 ~ 21 153 I woke up in a cold sweat with panic surging through my body. It felt like the walls were closing in around me and endangering me making me feel as if I was afraid of my own shadow, but I knew I was better than that. It wouldn’t happen. I will not fa ... #dystopian #young adult
The Net Conspiracy: Yi's Story By DM Coffman 0 ~ 16 177 A Chinese American attorney is sent to China as an undercover spy to ferret out corruption. But graft is a common mainstay and the Net organization will stop at nothing, including murder, to prevent him from succeeding. #mystery #thriller
Seven Stars of Midnight By Bill Joyce 0 ~ 15 100 Joabh moved effortlessly through the intricate dance of the Tonla. Her long black hair braided and tied down with a black silk strap. Her blouse, jacket, and leggings made of soft deerskin died black, absorbed the moonlight and helped her blend into ... #fantasy
Tarnished Guardians By Bill Joyce 0 ~ 5 90 Megs, Naval Lieutenant Commander Katharine Marie Callaghan of JSOC, carefully marked off the basement of the upscale residential home in the suburbs of Toms River, New Jersey. This was not her type of case but there was no questioning the orders rece ... #thriller
Shadows Within Dark Places By Bill Joyce 0 ~ 17 138 The two chastised children held the covers tight to their chins as their father continued the story. “Then the dark evil, Jadarr, ate the child in front of the townspeople, leering at them as they watched in terror. ‘The night belongs to me and your ... #fantasy
Traveler By Bill Joyce 0 ~ 5 94 The situation had come to a horrible climax and I was too far from the women to be able to help. I called for Emily and Megs, via ear buds but they were still five minutes from the warehouse. I was about to leave my lookout position when two of the m ... #thriller
Excerpt from Payday Blues By Bill Joyce 0 ~ 8 92 Stuffed chairs, full bellies, and deep rich coffee made for easy conversation. Alan was a close friend and I allowed his southern charm to guide the evening’s agenda. I knew that I would get a head full of NOLA history, providing details of what ever ... #thriller
Phoenix By Daccari Buchelli 0 ~ 5 121 Darius, can you feel that?' A tingling sensation seeped into her bones. It pulsed through her, prickling the hairs on the back of her neck. 'Darius, something feels wrong.' Violetta turned and was surprised to find Darius facing away. His tall fram ... #fantasy #mythology
Fateful Italian Passion By Olga GOA 0 ~ 25 4 A suspense-filled, dark romance set within the beautifully eternal backdrop of Rome, Italy is where two broken souls, Milano and Veronica, find one another. A journey of love and darkness entwined as they attempt to fill the void in their hearts. #new adult #realistic fiction #romance
Passion's Pathway By Bill Joyce 0 ~ 2 86 My daily routine has become a natural progression of peaceful days. It is an enjoyment I never expected but I daily rejoice in its happenstance.What the world sees each morning is a man shutting the main door to a three story mansion and, with walkin ... #thriller
Guardians By Sandra Golden 0 ~ 6 115 Ten ships had been built for this journey to their new home. The journey would be a long one, and even if they could, they would never return. So the ships were loaded with everything they would need to survive the journey, all that they needed to bu ... #adventure #science fiction
A Mercy Strained By Bill Joyce 0 ~ 5 90 I checked my surroundings carefully. It is second nature and gives me a calm sense of control. With the full 360-degree surveillance completed, I tensed my calf muscles beginning another round of exercises. I had been in hiding for eighteen hours, an ... #thriller
Excerpt from Domestic Guard By Bill Joyce 0 ~ 10 88 Angel stood at parade rest at the foot of the new grave with a tin marker for its headstone. It would be replaced with a small flat stone that would have a gravesite number and the words Jane Doe.No one but the cemetery staff attended the funeral. Sh ... #thriller
Don't Believe Them By Steve Stroble 0 ~ 34 133 Hearing bad news from your boss is uncomfortable enough. But when the unexpected changes involve what will raise your stress levels maybe a hundredfold, the situation quickly escalates from critical mass to nuclear. “Are…are you certain you are doi ... #realistic fiction
Excerpt from Enough By Bill Joyce 0 ~ 4 100 Chapter 1 - Tears The slow procession from the hearses to the small painted church under the pecan trees held all in silence. The shuffle of feet on the worn tile floors and the creaking of pews beat out the rhythm of last march of the Benning family ... #thriller
Green Eyes By Tijana Popov-Trnovac 0 ~ 1 108 When a shy and anxious Dean meets 'larger than life' Damien Jones and the sparks fly, none of their lives will ever be the same. #modern
Shatter My Heart By Thelma Giomi 0 ~ 16 76 Ian hit Schenley Park at a full-out run. He kept running until he reached a deeply wooded area. The coolness shimmered over his damp skin. He drew in several breaths of the musky air hoping to cleanse his lungs of the antiseptic smells of the operati ...