Showing results by author "S.J." in All Categories

I’m just so exhausted—always living on the edge of desperation, one paycheck away from ruin. But this new job… It could be the fresh start I need. It could change everything. The contract is only for three months, but if I keep my head down, work hard, and prove myself, maybe I could stay longer. Maybe I could make Black Mountain Lodge my home. As I pull down the gravel drive, surrounded by the forest and mountains and bright blue skies, I feel something I haven’t felt in a while. I feel hope.

Earth...Population: 1 Her name is Eve14. She is the result of a 1000-year project by the robots of Earth to restore the planet after all life was wiped out in 2065. 27 robotic minds, copied from Earth's great scientists, carried on after the species died. They mixed and matched those minds in endless combinations, producing a whole race of machines with human personalities. Immortal, but with memories of sensations they can no longer experience, some renegade robots now have a daring agenda. They want human bodies.

46 BC. Pompey is dead, Egypt is settled and Rome is controlled by the loyal Marcus Antonius. As the new year looms, Rome's greatest general and dictator Julius Caesar moves precipitously to take on the last stronghold of the rebel faction: Africa. Crossing against all advice in the middle of winter, with minimal forces and little forward planning, the campaign almost dies before it begins, legions scattered across the sea by vicious storms, the general putting ashore with just a single legion and his most trusted veteran commander: Marcus Falerius Fronto.

The Divide. It’s the edge of the universe. Now, it’s collapsing - and taking everyone and everything with it. The only ones who can stop it are the Sentinels - the recruits, exiles, and court-martialed dregs of the military. At the Divide, Adequin Rake commands the Argus. She has no resources, no comms - nothing, except for the soldiers that no one wanted.

Moving into my dad’s house at age 32 because my roommate scammed me out of my rent…not exactly what I’d call winning at life. So on my drive to Colorado, I decide I need one more night of freedom, and the cute motel on the side of the road is the perfect place to stop. Bonus that it has a bar. Extra bonus when I spot him sitting at the end of the bar.

51 BC. In the aftermath of the dreadful siege of Alesia, the tribes of Gaul lie broken and sparse, and yet the fires of rebellion still burn in the hearts of a few. As Caesar and his army continue to pacify the land wherever revolt can be found, a new conspiracy is rising. Lucterius of the Cadurci, survivor of Alesia, seeks to raise a new great revolt, building an army in his homeland, while a small group of dangerous warriors embark upon a secret and dangerous mission to rebuild all that was lost in that great siege.

August Porter is a lucrative investor, admired for his ethics and respected for his success. Engaged to a beautiful businesswoman, his life looks like the American dream. But August has a secret. His nights are spent fighting for his life—trying to escape talons that drag him into darkness, fleeing monsters promising an end to his future.

The war in Africa is over and the rebel cause hangs by a thread. With opposition to Caesar now led by Labienus and by Pompey’s sons in Hispania, Caesar is one step from ending the civil war that has plagued Rome for years. Before the war can be pursued, though, Caesar has matters to attend to in Rome. And against a backdrop of glorious triumphs and civil friction, the general’s old warhorse Marcus Falerius Fronto begins to uncover a series of events that may have a cause in common.

Feel overwhelmed by your thoughts? Struggling with anxiety about your daily tasks? Or do you want to stop worrying about life? The truth is we all experience the occasional negative thought. But if you always feel overwhelmed, then you need to closely examine how these thoughts are negatively impacting your lifestyle. The solution is to practice specific mindfulness techniques that create more "space" in your mind to enjoy inner peace and happiness.

I fell in love with Beckett when I was 7. He broke my heart when I was 15. When I was 18, I promised myself I’d forget about him. And I did. For a dozen years. But now he’s back home. Here. In Darling Lake. And I don’t know if I should give in to the temptation swirling between us or run the other way.

When I was nine, I went to my first funeral. Along with accepting my father's death, I had to accept new and awful truths I wasn't prepared for. When I was nineteen, I went to my mother's funeral. We weren't close, but with her gone, I became more alone than ever before. Sure, I have a half-brother who runs The Alliance. And yeah, he's given me his protection—in the form of a bodyguard and chauffeur. But I don't have anyone that really knows me. No one to really love me. Until I meet him. The man in the airport.

Luke Sackville’s Ethics Team is stretched to breaking point across several investigations, little realising that one man links them all. Narcissistic, cunning and ruthless, Mr Killjoy is reaping the rewards of cybercrime, and is indifferent to the fact that his victims are being driven to despair and beyond. Luke connects the dots and begins to home in, but as the villain is cornered he strikes out and none of the team is safe.

I have a nice life—living in my hometown and owning the coffee shop I’ve worked at since I was 16. It’s comfortable on paper, but I’m tired of doing everything by myself. Tired of being in charge of every decision in my life. I want someone to lean on, someone to spend time with, sit with, hug. And I really don’t want to go to my best friend’s wedding alone. So, I signed up for a dating app and agreed to meet with the first guy that messaged me. Now here I am, at the bar. Only it’s not my date that just sat down in the chair across from me. It’s his dad.

Anno Domini 1040. Christianity has swept unstoppably across Scandinavia, leaving few enclaves of the old ways clinging on to their fading world as King Olof of Sweden works to convert his people. A young warrior, Halfdan, has witnessed the ‘mercy' of the Christian lords, watched his people attacked, his village burned and the Odin stone toppled as heretical. Watched his father cut down by an ambitious Christian jarl and his zealous priest. Among the ashes of his world, he vowed an oath of vengeance before all the gods.

I overhear their bet—who can get Coach's daughter in their bed first? I'm ready to bring the entire Bexley U hockey team to their knees. Instead of fleeing, I flirt. Instead of hiding, I run just so they'll chase me. Luring my father's players into a trap has a certain appeal to it. Except, Aasher isn't fooled by my feigned temptation. He has too much riding on a perfect season and has plans to join the NHL after winning the Frozen Four.

After many months of clandestine organisation, Vercingetorix, backed by the druids and leading an army of rebellious tribes, is ready to make his first moves towards independence for his people and the annihilation of Rome's presence in Gaul. Meanwhile, Caesar tends to business in Aquileia, unaware that he is cut off from the bulk of his army in the north by the rebellion. Fronto and his friends are heading for a clash of armies the likes of which the north has never seen, and the Tenth's legate is about to face his most trying year yet.

55 BC and Caesar's army gathers in the north of Gaul, preparing to drive away invading Germanic peoples and to traverse the dangerous northern ocean bringing punishment to the tribes of Britannia for their assistance of Gaulish rebels. But Fronto's troubles don't stop there. As his burgeoning relationship with Lucilia steps to a new level, so do his responsibilities at home, a situation exacerbated by the disruptive influence of the villainous Clodius in the city, causing trouble and endangering those about whom Fronto cares most.

Cadmus Errol is the greatest inventor that Tellurak has ever known. His clockwork graces the spires of cities across the world. Yet in another, darker world, he lives the life of a slave. There, humanity is held underfoot, bound in service to the victors of a war fought untold generations ago. It will take all the wits and resources of the best that humanity can muster to break that hold. Can Cadmus Errol, the Mad Tinker, be the one to free them all? Or will his daughter take a shortcut through dangerous science to wipe out humanities oppressors? The Twinborn Chronicles: War of 3 Worlds is an epic fantasy series with multiple point of view characters. If you love steampunk gadgetry, heroes who get their hands dirty, and a DIY heroine, this series is for you!

Fleeing the machinations of William the Conqueror in France, the Wolves of Odin set sail for Britain. They make for the north of the country, heading to Jorvik–Viking York. Its earl, Sigurd, doesn’t believe they have arrived with peaceable intentions. To prove their good faith, he challenges them to fix a problem for him.

Ex-DCI Luke Sackville investigates a link between a senior executive and a large bet, little realizing that what he is seeing is the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface sinister forces are at work, and when he learns of a tragedy following a rugby match Luke spots a possible connection. He sets his team to work and they uncover a gambling syndicate whose cold and ruthless leader will stop at nothing to achieve his aims. It becomes a race against time as they battle to unmask the guilty.