Showing results by narrator "Erin Bateman" in All Categories

This tale is of Anna Polis, a wealthy girl who enjoys sailing on the family's yacht, Honey, each summer to Annapolis. The message is that all types are abused and must face the meanness of others. Anna is able, with the help of classmates, to weather the attacks. She even fulfills earlier dreams of greatness in her school. It is the next bully who almost destroys the young woman as she studies at Duke University. Anna has a force on her side that even the vilest opponent can't conquer.

Snow flies on howling gales, trees moan their complaint against the December storm, and lights on the Christmas tree in the front yard flicker. Inside, family members settle around their fireplace's warmth, sharing memories of years past, and then the front doorbell rings.... A family rocker, a surprise gift, and a closely held secret revealed all set the stage for this family's unexpected Christmas.

Venus & Sappho Walk into a Bar is a collection of 12 contemporary women’s stories which explore differing aspects of female sexuality and homosexuality from a woman’s perspective. Vanessa de Sade has been writing fiction about the forbidden side of women’s sexuality for the last six years, and her stories and poems have appeared in a multitude of outlets ranging from feminist and literary magazines to glossy compendiums.

Christmas is coming fast, and Mildred Sauer isn't feeling festive or generous. Having faced disappointments and sadness in her life with stoicism and determination, this holiday season doesn't appear to be any different than those that have disappointed her in the past. A small child, two teddy bears, and a bevy of surprise visitors all conspire against her expectations, though, as Mildred's life goes topsy-turvy in a hurry. Can this Christmas even be saved?

This story covers the traditional nativity as told by Santa Claus to Scarlett, the youngest and newest of the colour fairies. He explains how and why Christmas started, why he brings presents, and how it all happens in one night. He also tells her why he no longer wears a green robe but a red one.

In Ayn Rand’s Anthem, humankind has entered a dark age at some point in the unspecified future. Individuality is no longer permitted, and people are assigned roles to fulfill in their lives. The work's protagonist, Equality 7-2521, is given an undesirable job as a punishment for thinking for himself and desiring to become a scientist instead. The novella outlines his journey as he starts to commit more “crimes” against society, such as desiring a companion of his own choosing, discovering electricity, and ultimately fleeing from his leaders.

In Verona, Italy, two young people in love defy the demands of their families and pursue their love for one another above societal expectations. Their decisions and pursuit of love send ripples throughout their family and friend circles, causing controversy and consequences. For centuries, the tale of the young star-crossed lovers has been a mainstay of both the literary canon and popular culture. This is one of William Shakespeare’s most known and beloved works with timeless themes and prose.

Tensions have been brewing since before time existed.... Now it's up to Nikole, Tako, and their group of unlikely friends to do nothing short of saving the world. No longer can people be complacent with their comfortable roles. Everyone is pushed to do more—to be more—as they join the cause and help save their species from extinction from an overwhelming power.

Having recovered from their previous adventure, Blair Blackenskiff and his allies set off, excited to meet the Major Spirit, Merceid, once more and finally recruit her. They need to travel, train, and tame as they cross the perilous Fringe Wilds once more. This time, however, another force of dangerous Prospects lurk behind the scenes. The curtain rises on this, the early stages of the first major conflict of the First Phase!

Forget everything you think you know about mass murderers and crimes of passion, because now you’re going to learn the truth. People don’t decide one day to go out and kill as many people as they can, or wake up one morning, grab the nearest shotgun or axe, and proceed to hack apart their loved ones. They do it because they’re infected with a jewel, a creature of intense beauty and danger. Once the jewel takes over a host’s body, that person dies, leaving the jewel in total control to thrive on fear and horror.

Amazing Fights! Cultivation! Monster girls! Mixed Martial Arts champion, John LeBrock, left Earth for the world of Azura. John learned the importance of cultivating the world’s magical energy called myst. Through this cultivation, John would be able to rise through the ascension ladder to unlimited power. John became one of the strongest cultivators at the Temple of the Weeping Sun in the beautiful region of Starfall. John’s rapid ascension and intense ambition begins to frustrate the Cosmic Observator, Hektor, causing a wide rift between the two powerful cultivators.

Lead singer of the start-up band Four Real Tricia Donahue left her hometown with one question: How can you love three men at once? She’s convinced herself it can’t be done - not without living up to her family’s infamous reputation. Now, years later, lead guitarist Michael Hill is touring with world-famous TRE, far removed from the small-town band he once called his family. Home will never be the same until he makes things right. Reunion time for four best friends with unfinished business means they will finally face the music.

Jen got her first taste of being a dominant during an intense relationship with Annabel while attending college, which only ended after graduation due to a misunderstanding. The women maintained a close friendship over the years while Jen concentrated on climbing the ranks in the police department and her former submissive focused on building a lucrative mail-order business. Fifteen years after university, a confluence of events reignites their kinky passions, but with an interesting twist: each of their male partners are included in the mix.

With the death of her beloved husband, the Jaerl of Antiroc, Laethine knew she had to take his place and be a good leader for her people. However, her husband had a secret, one that would thrust her into the cutthroat world of royal interplanetary politics and dark conspiracies.

Pearl Silver was happy. She had a good job teaching young nurses. She was married to a good man who loved her. She had a son who made her proud every day. Most of the time, her memories of her time fighting in the skies over Europe remained a distant part of her past. Something she was proud to have done, but that time was over. Her life twenty years later was very different, and she didn’t have much reason to tap into her psychic power—or to stay in touch with her old comrades in arms.

Atmospheric, elegiac, and—oh, yes—scary, here are seven tales about people confronting what people have wrought. And a few other things people had nothing to do with.

Two traveling college students confront their disintegrating relationship and the new American reality in a breakdown lane along the Italian Superstrade. A woman chases the ghost of her neglectful father to a vanished amusement park at the end of the Long Beach pier. In these atmospheric, wide-ranging, surprisingly playful, and deeply mournful stories, grandkids and widows, ice cream-truck drivers and judges, travelers and invalids all discover — and sometimes even survive — the everyday losses from which the most vengeful ghosts so often spring.

In need of extra income, Dane Caravelle applies for a new program that allows other people to “rent” her and lets them essentially live her life. This groundbreaking scientific technology is meant to allow those who may be disadvantaged or disabled to experience a normal life. Although it requires rigorous testing to become a rental, Dane is ecstatic when she’s approved.

After years of hard work, Zeke has finally made his way to the top of the food chain in the criminal underground. His first upper-echelon job is an international nightmare, but he has the skills to handle it. Unfortunately, the man that hired him—a dark force from Zeke's past—wants insurance, so he kidnaps Zeke's girlfriends to ensure the job goes smoothly. Zeke realizes there is only one way to handle this: with maximum violence.

In stark contrast to the dying world around him, Zeke's life had never been so wonderful. He had more work than ever, and life with Amelie and Delila was like something out of a dream. In a city where many died young, a bit of hope began to shine. A few days later, hanging from the balcony of the ninety-fifth floor of a hotel, Zeke finds himself wondering how things turned south so quickly. Plasma rifles, fast cars, and hot women. Zeke just hoped that would be enough to get him out of this one alive.