Showing results by author "C.A.L." in All Categories

Explore diverse new universes of possibility through a variety of creative and fresh new ideas - all in one anthology. From dragons to mythical death dealers, from murder on the moon to deep space mystery, these stories bring you the hot new talent in science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

Once again, FBI agent Katherine Katt and Detective Mickey (Mouse) James are thrown together in a battle of wits and wills as a city's lawmakers are being murdered one at a time. As a matter of duty, Katt is called in to figure out who could do such a thing. James' purpose is more personal. His cousin is the only survivor, and he's there to make sure the killer doesn't finish what he started. In order to succeed, Katt and Mouse seek the help of someone even more dangerous than the person they are hunting.

Sadie Lee Branch is an investigative reporter who needed to drop everything to go help her family. What was supposed to be a nice change of pace quickly turned into murder, larceny, and betrayal. Sadie quickly discovered that 10 years away from home was a long time and the friends (and enemies) you knew could change a lot in that time. Without knowing who to trust, the girl that got away was afraid that coming back could cost her a lot more than the loss of an old acquaintance. It could cost her everything.

Kim lived and hung out on the most dangerous blocks that Brooklyn had to offer. She was a part of a wild-ass crew and to top it off, her brothers were nothing to fuck with, and the whole hood knew it. Kim and her girls were the popular chicks. Every guy wanted them, and every female wanted to be down with them. With all of the hood popularity came nothing but drama and sticky situations. These girls all try hard to keep themselves out of the dangerous mix, but you know how the saying goes: "What goes around comes around".

After chaos breaks out around the country, the US government releases a mysterious chemical gas that takes the lives of millions of citizens. What was originally a plan to restore law and order throughout the country rapidly crippled the population and left the remaining citizens vulnerable in a world where survival is the only thing that matters. Along with a rapidly increasing crime rate, the effects of the chemical gas are causing dreadful mutations, and humanity faces the possibility of extinction.

There’s a fine line between genius and insanity. The home of such a man existed 100 years ago. A rich, egotistical, megalomaniac built it and used it for science as well as pleasure. Now his great-grandson has returned to re-establish the family's traditions. Seven women are dead because of the curse of Castle Grey. Tall, beautiful and intelligent, Special Agent Katherine Katt of the FBI was sent to Monterey, California, to find the man responsible for the murder of those seven women.

What does a gentlemen's club, mysterious men in black, a dead body, a broken down car with a lady in dire need, a heavily pregnant beauteous sheriff's deputy, and Miz Demetrice trying to unionize exotic dancers have in common? Why, it's Bubba Snoddy and the day things went south, yet again. Quite naturally, or unnaturally, there is a humdinger of a mystery, and Bubba is right in the middle of it.

Heroes, real heroes, seldom want to save the day. They didn't start out thinking they would save the girl, take down the bad guy, and get it all done before breakfast. Those heroes are for the movies or cheesy mystery novels. That isn't Ben Simeon. This small-town cop had already fought his battles while serving his country. He longed for peace and quiet. But whether he liked it or not, Detective Benjamin Simeon would once again be forced to take up the badge of honor and fight until order was restored. Or die trying.

Victoria Chase, a beautiful young attorney, joins a prestigious law firm in Boston and becomes embroiled in a high profile case with some shocking turns of events. From the opening scenes' gentleness to the harrowing finish, the listener will be riveted to keep on listening.

It was the quiet after the storm. I sat up in bed - what had awakened me? I tried to sit still to listen, but my heart was pounding. Throwing off the covers I turned to look out at the rising moon shining brilliantly through the departing storm clouds, its silver lighting up my room. Goosebumps rose on my arms and I tried to rub them down. At the pool, I peered down from the diving board, watching as the rising moon cast its light upon the water. Moonlight trailed into the water and bubbles began to rise from the bottom, the pool thrilling to the moonlight as its water called to me.

Jane is a woman without a past. She wakes up in the back of a car with handcuffs on her wrists, with a man intent on doing her harm. She escapes, but into the murky underworld of New Orleans. A mysterious man shadows her, and strange memories tantalize her. People want to hurt her, and an unearthly creature stalks the night. Insanity might be a possibility, but everything is horrifyingly real. This sultry world is anything but ordinary.

This story doesn't happen in your time, nor does it happen in your world. And though I am no longer a part of the ancient world that I once called home, my spirit still floats on the wind with wings of eagles. You see, this story takes place thousands of years ago in the land of Marangail. We lived on the open plains amongst snow covered mountains. We covered vast distances over streams and glades. We were hunters by trade. We hunted during all of the seasons, through torrential rains, blistering summers, and bone-chilling blizzards. This tale is not my own, though. No, this is a tale of a young female with the heart the size of a Golden Eagle.

Tessa, a self-conscious introvert, attempts to avoid a party, and everything goes wrong. When a handsome stranger offers to lend a helping hand, she isn't sure things will ever be right again.

For over 20 years, the name John Agar on a marquee meant action to moviegoers - from World War II land, sea, and air battles, to the frontier West, to the new frontier of 1950s science fiction, where he stood fast against some of the era's most memorable movie monsters. Agar's rise to fame was meteoric: during World War II, the $83-a-month buck sergeant met and later married "America's Sweetheart", Shirley Temple, and was soon offered a screen test and dramatic instruction by Hollywood mega-mogul David O. Selznick.

Is a little white lie a problem if it empowers your dream? Meet Idealist artist Lidia Lundon who lies to her wife to get her own NYC gallery and conspires with Dennis Gavin, accountant, internationally recognized ceramicist, and serial killer? Plagued with writer’s block and PTSD, Rachel Allen is distracted by discovering the owner of a 1937 teenager’s diary and unraveling a wealthy family’s murderous secrets still in play.

Meet Ted X. Donovan - rich, well-connected, driven - a one-man wrecking ball. Enter Rachel Allen, the unwary prey in Ted Donovan’s cat-and-mouse game. After struggling to recover from a vicious attack, can she rise above her fears to face and survive this new, even more malicious assailant? Against the backdrop of worldwide unrest, a ruthless international cartel controls the global economy by whatever means necessary, whether it means blackmailing the US president, employing elite assassination teams, or destroying an African government

By a twist of fate, Senator Sarah Daniels Vanderhagen Mitchell (Dani) is the first woman Vice President of the United States. She faces a series of trials both personal and professional, which isolate her from those she cares about and works with. Dani must deal with a failing marriage, a distant President, a power-hungry Senator, a global cartel run by her father, and a technology that threatens the privacy of every citizen while empowering governments, and choose between human rights and due process.

It's the day of Bubba and Willodean's wedding. The sun is shining. There isn't a cloud in the sky. The pergola is decorated in high style with baby's breath and ribbons streaming galore, and the preacher is ready. So what can possibly go wrong? Just about everything can go wrong. While 22 types of canapes are being served along with gallons of mimosas, Bubba finds the one thing that he well and truly did not want to find. There's a dead body in his house. Then the dead body disappears while Bubba goes for help. Then the body reappears.

One year has passed since Zoë Delante's last big case, and everyone's favorite Wiccan has managed to carve a normal-ish life for herself and her boyfriends, Jacob and Daniel. Then she gets the call that someone has discarded dead babies like empty soda cans off I-295 in the Baltimore/D.C. area, leaving strange scales all over the crime scenes. Another serial killer? Zoë dives into the case when her one-year-old niece comes up missing, and she discovers that the guy running the Church of Holy Light knows magick, and lies about it....

Saucy fun for the overly indulgent sporting gun. Fifty Shots at Game is a short parody filled with puns and wordplay that any field sports fan would enjoy. Innuendo to shoot down the heartiest of hearts and sternest of frowns.