Curve of Her Claw - Short Story by Margaret Fisk
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From the Ashes - Short Story by Margaret Fish
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Writers are the only true magicians in the world. They create worlds with words, and in the case of fantasy, they bring magic into our lives. Because of writers we can converse with dragons, follow a quest for the sake of good, and find love lost through the centuries.
The Illuminated Manuscripts Anthology is a collection of ten wondrous and magical tales ranging from epic to contemporary and from fairy tale to historical fantasy. Within this collection you will find pretty tales, dark tales and stories that might have you looking for magic in your own world.
The anthology includes both new and established authors, each with a wonderful touch for making fantasy seem real. These enchanting tales lead you into worlds filled with dangerous creatures, enchanted swords, and powers used for both good and evil -- and love lost and found. Come and take a walk down the paths where these stories lead, and enjoy the adventures you find along the way -- but do be careful. Magic is dangerous....
LOSING PATIENCE BY JOYCE FAULKNER
Joyce Faulkner, author of Losing Patience, ponders the natural and supernatural aspects of mortality in this collection of short fiction. On the surface, these tales are simple ghost stories, quirky mysteries and evocative sagas of bittersweet beginnings and endings. The first taste intrigues and entertains but after you put the book down, the flavor lingers -- luring you back into the labyrinth to discover her deeper meanings.
Faulkner’s stories twist a philosophical Rubik’s Cube to reveal new perspectives of old realities. She focuses on ethical conundrums -- guilt, forgiveness, fidelity and retribution. Her characters face complex choices about whether to hang on or let go. Their struggles are both bizarre and familiar -- life as we know it turned upside down.
Love to solve mysteries?
Welcome to our contest for readers. These nine intriguing stories about secrets will test your skills as sleuths. The question: Are our stories based on fact or are they purely fiction? Our lips are sealed, but if you correctly guess which are true and which are not, you can win a signed copy of another book by each of the authors, nine books in all, plus a free copy of Secrets II, due for release April 1, 2006. Additional contests run through 2010, with this volume in 2006 and 2007, and in yearly sequels. Ready to take up the challenge? Good. Prepare to be entertained and then send us your entry. Good luck!
According to the NEA, fewer Americans are reading books. We, authors from across the United States and Canada, intend to change that. How? Everyone loves a juicy secret so we wrote thrilling stories on that enticing theme. Life and death, love and hate, good and evil, cover these pages, as they do in real life. With words, we painted poignant pictures and breathed life into engaging characters, some worthy of admiration, some deserving of contempt. To lure folks into our world of words, we're also offering a nice bribe. Once there, we hope to get everyone hooked on books.
This book received a Silver Award from Blether, scoring 9 out 10 points for exemplifying a genre! Our sincere thanks to reviewer Tami Brady
"Unique and imaginative. The authors are talented."-Midwest Book Review.
Here is the Foreword by J. Richard Jacobs for Twisted Tails:
It is said that variety is the spice of life. If that ragged, worn out statement is true, then here, in TWISTED TAILS, you are going to encounter one of the tastiest literary meals you have ever ingested. Most anthologies are built around a theme, and this one is no exception, other than that its theme has nothing to do with genre, time of the year, specific holiday, style, or voice. You will find sweet, sour, bitter, tangy, titillating, tantalizing, torturous, terrifying, humorous, and horrifying in a blend designed to satisfy your every taste. You may even find some flavors you have never savored that are sure to please.
So, what is the theme of this anthology that sets it apart from all others? Each of the authors represented here was chosen for his or her unique voice and style, that is true, but, more importantly, each has an uncanny ability to do something that few writers can handle well. All of them are wondrous weavers of tale tapestries, as you will soon see, but they are more than that-much more. It is their twisted way of looking at their worlds askew that forms the foundation of this collection. They will entertain you, make you laugh, cause chills to course through you in places where chills have never gone before, bring tears to your eyes, and force you to grit your teeth. Then, when the timing is just right, they will most gently, lovingly, throw you into the path of an oncoming train. Enjoy!
Here is the Table of Contents:
1. VEIL by K. L. Nappier
2. IN DISTRESS by Jeremy Davies
3. DEAD WRONG by Steve Lazarowitz
4. THINGS by J. Richard Jacobs
5. SHANTY GIRL by Eugen M. Bacon
6. WITCHES’ SEASON by Marilyn Peake
7. REFLEX. ACTION by Jeremy Davies
8. CASSIOPEIA’S TEARS by D. L. White and Peter Prellwitz
9. THE STORY OF A TERMITE by Biff Mitchell
10. THE LIES WE TELL OURSELVES by Jamie A. Hughes
11. CLONE OF CLONES by Eugen M. Bacon
12. A UNIFORM SHADE OF RED by J. Richard Jacobs
13. A MATTER OF GRAVE IMPORTANCE by Steve Lazarowitz
14. AIN’T NO DOC FOR THE FALLING APART BLUES by Biff Mitchell
15. TIGER IN THE PLUM BLOSSOMS by Marilyn Peake
16. EMMA’S DILEMMA by Margaret Whitley
17. DUSK MAGNET by Eugen M. Bacon
18. AN EYE FOR AN EYE by Peter Prellwitz
19. TWELVE IN, TWELVE OUT by J. Richard Jacobs
20. AN AFFAIR OF THE MIND by Steve Lazarowitz
21. IN A BAD MOOD by Biff Mitchell
22. THROWING UP SASHES by Peter Prellwitz
23. RETURN TO ROSWELL by Marilyn Peake
24. PICTURE POSTCARDS by J. Richard Jacobs
25. THE TANK by Steve Lazarowitz
26. THE BIG RED GIFT by Biff Mitchell
27. ENOUGH by Jamie A. Hughes
28. PASSAGE by Peter Prellwitz
29. DON’T WAKE THE DREAMER by Terence West
30. NEGOTIATIONS by J. Richard Jacobs
31. EVENING STAR by Margaret Whitley
TWISTED TAILS - TWO - VOLUME I
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