Bøker av Kruze J. R. Kruze

The second collecton of short stories by J. R. Kruze.Known for a unique take on common situations, and a dry wit, Kruze is also able to look at usual circumstances and see unusual aspects to write about. These stories will let you start wondering about the world around you.Mystery, fantasy, paranormal, romance and science fiction are a few of this mixed genre collection.Enjoy seeing your world through J. R. Kruze's eyes...This anthology contains: - One Thought, Then Gone by J. R. Kruze - The Lazurai Returns by C. C. Brower & J. R. Kruze - The Case of the Forever Cure by J. R. Kruze - Ham & Chaz by C. C. Brower & J. R. Kruse - The Girl Who Built Tomorrow by J. R. Kruze - Synco (TM) by J. R. Kruze & R. L. Saunders - On Love's Edge by J. R. Kruse - The Case of the Naughty Nightmare by J. R. Kruse - To Laugh At Death by J. R. Kruze - Voices by J. R. Kruze - The Case of the Walkaway Blues by J. R. Kruze & S. H. MarpelExcerpt:"Life isn't fair!" I cried out to no one in particular in the cluttered machine shed I called my shop.I would have run to my mother's skirts to bury my tear-soaked face in her lap, except I'd long been trained that this would only make the teasing worse.I was better off getting a clean work rag - one that didn't have oil or grease on it, or something worse - and wipe them away. "Just suck it up, bimbo." That's what I learned to tell myself. With five older brothers, I got treated like just another son in the family. They all taught me from an early age that tears didn't matter. And even if they got a tongue-lashing from Mom, I'd still inherit a little hell-on-earth later for every story I blubbered to her. Not that I'd ever get touched, although that happened. And they'd get away with it as long as they didn't leave a mark or rip any of my clothes. But the worst was when they would wreck something I was working on.And that's how I taught them to leave me alone. Because I was a better "fixer" than any of them. Once they found that out, they'd bring their stuff to me rather than try to figure it out for themselves.And when the teasing got real bad, they'd wind up with something of theirs suddenly start to run badly - or wouldn't run at all. Right when they needed it the most. Of course, they couldn't prove I'd done it.So they quickly learned to stay on my good side. And stay out of my shop. And never, ever, "borrow" my tools.Because it wouldn't stop until they did. I was just built that way. "Eye for an eye" type of gal. "Hell hath no fury..." and all that. When they started racing, life got better for me. They learned that their little sister was an advantage no one else had. The machines I worked on for them gave them an edge - they performed better, ran faster, lasted longer than anyone else's. And if they wanted something special done, I'd find little gifts on my workbench - or somewhere I'd notice. That worked just great. They won their races, and my life got easier.Until I discovered how nice boys could be outside my family. Ones who didn't need their machines fixed or tuned. The ones that gave me stuff because they liked me.But wasn't prepared to find someone who really understood me. Even my parents didn't get the scope of what they had created...Scroll Up and Get Your Copy Now.

"JOHN, I JUST MET A ghost who's dying."I raised one eyebrow, waiting for the punchline from my favorite time-bender."No, it's not what you think. I haven't gone off the deep end. The government made him into something they call a ghost.""Figure if the government's involved, then it's going to be screwed up... But a ghost - dying?""Running out of juice, actually. Kept alive on some sort of weird life support that he won't fix to save himself.""Suicidal?""No, he says there's another in worse shape than him. A girl detective - of sorts.""And you got this from one meeting?""No, he appears once a year for about 5 minutes - so I tracked him back. And I've been talking to him for decades now.""5 minutes at a time?"Carol nodded, and bowed her head.I raised it with a gentle touch to her chin.And saw a tear roll down her cheek."Please, John. Help me help him - and her."Anthology containing: - The Case of the Time Bent Beau by S. H. Marpel- The Case of the Walkaway Diner Redoux by J. R. Kruze, S. H. Marpel- Walkaway Redemption by S. H. Marpel- Felicity by S. H. MarpelExcerpt: I didn't often see Carol like this. In fact, never.Her eyes were hollow, her skin pasty, and she looked like she had slept in those clothes more than once. Not her ordinary tidy, perky self.Unlike some other of my guests, Carol always knocked politely. So softly, sometimes she had to knock twice to get my attention.This time, I rose at her first knock. Because there was some insistence in it this time. That's when I got a good look at her."Carol..."Her red-rimmed eyes met mine and I held out my arms.She melted into them for a long hug between friends.And I waited for her to speak.But when she didn't, "I've got some coffee I can warm up, and there's some of Hami's cookies left."Carol only looked up at me and nodded, then released me so she could drop onto the couch-bunk. I returned with the cookies after I'd poured this morning's coffee into a pan on the hotplate and set the coffeemaker to run another batch. A second look at her face persuaded me that this might be a long story she wanted to tell...Scroll Up and Get Your Copy Now.

Escape to happily-ever-afters on a moment's notice -- and stay there for hours or days if you want...This huge anthology of romance short stories all happen in the land of fantasy. Whether worlds where magic rules, or dystopian societies where love conquers technocracies.If you have a weekend for binge-reading, or just a few minutes. You'll be transported to worlds where the only laws are those of the heart.And once that story has tickled your heart strings, maybe there's time for just one more...From two years of published short stories, out of four author's output, this anthology has only one theme throughout - how does the couple get together regardless of the fantastic world around them?Come. Open the first story. Get entranced. Let your heart soar.Romance has never been more entralling than in fantasy worlds - and in small bites.This anthology contains:- On Love's Edge by J. R. Kruze- Root by J. R. Kruze- The Autists: Brigitte by J. R. Kruze- The Case of the Naughty Nightmare by J. R. Kruze- The Girl Who Built Tomorrow by J. R. Kruze- Ham & Chaz by J. R. Kruze, C. C. Brower- The Case of the Forever Cure by J. R. Kruze, C. C. Brower- One Thought, Then Gone by J. R. Kruze- To Laugh At Death by J. R. Kruze- Voices by J. R. Kruze- The Case of the Walkaway Blues by J. R. Kruze, S. H. Marpel- Our Second Civil War by R. L. Saunders, C. C. Brower- The Ghost Who Loved by S. H. Marpel- Story Hunted by J. R. Kruze- The Tunnel People by R. L. Saunders- Becoming Michelle by R. L. Saunders, C. C. Brower- Mind Timing by R. L. Saunders, C. C. Brower- A Sweet Fortune by R. L. Saunders- The Autists by J. R. Kruze- The Caretaker by C. C. Brower- Keyboard in the Sky by R. L. Saunders- Her Eyes by J. R. KruzeScroll up and Get Your Copy Now.

Walking down the highway - barefoot, feverish, and in only a nightgown.At least the storm had quit.Now if I could get my chattering teeth to stop, it would help - maybe.Up ahead, I see some stopped cars. Some have their lights on. Maybe I can get help. Too bad I can't travel any faster the way I am.That's odd. Nobody in them. Lights on, but no one at home.Except for a crying baby. And no one answers my calls either.No, I can't leave her alone. At least there's a shawl they left with her and her blankets.So she and I are on the road again. Toward the next town, which is just a couple of painful miles ahead.Me and the baby have something else in common besides my barefoot walking and feeling alone...Noner of us remember what happened to get us here.This anthology contains:- The Healers Chronicles: Birthdays - 01 by S. H. Marpel- The Healers Chronicles: Origins- Lazurai Homecoming by J. R. Kruze, S. H. Marpel- The Lazurai by J. R. Kruze- Ham & Chaz by C. C. Brower, J. R. Kruze- The Lazurai Returns by J. R. Kruze, C. C. Brower- The Healers Chronicles: Miracles by S. H. MarpelExcerpt:I woke up not remembering much of how I got here, where I was, or who I used to be.There were two babies, one on each side of me, who were sleeping soundly. All of us in a big bed that was soft and warm.My hair and white muslin nightgown were drenched. Like I'd been out in the rain with them. Even soaked the sheets a bit.But the babies were both dry.I could hardly move from where I was, since the top sheet and quilted patchwork comforter had been tucked in around all of us so tight.

How do you defend against a person who could kill you with a single touch?An unforseen bi-product of terrorists bombing a children's hospital, the Lazurai were deadly. A mere touch could spread that killer virus to others. Even downwind, without a sneeze or cough to start it.All that survived were babies. The government made it worse by their experiments. All those growing children wanted was to feel love like any child. When they grew older, their powers increased. And they found they couldn't be stopped.By anyone or anything.Then they escaped...These collected tales explore the universe of the Lazarai, their own growth as a super-species of human, and their unique outlook on life and living.Extract: Late morning that day, he saw someone walking. Miles off yet. Coming toward him, along the edge of the road and staying off the pavement. Chuck could tell because the highway was laser straight for miles in both directions.You could hear anything coming when there was traffic. And then hear it going.Walkers made no noise, and took a long time to get there. A long time to get gone."Well Mr. Lazurai, take your time. I'm in no hurry." Chuck said out loud to no one in particular.He figured that this had to be a Lazurai as he was walking.People told stories about them: they wouldn't always kill you right off. If they liked you, then you had a few days. The people that lived were cursed anyway, as anyone they knew would leave them alone after that. As what the Lazurai gave a person could also affect the other people around them. Big or small community, it didn't matter. Viruses spread.Chuck didn't care. He would not leave Charlene and she would not leave her baby. So if this was the end, he was as ready as he would be.By the time the walker was nearly in earshot, Chuck had finished off the rest of his lemonade and was ready for a refill. But he stayed on that bench in the shade and waited to meet this person.His only real hope is that the end would be swift and painless. For everyone concerned...These collected tales explore the universe of the Lazarai, their own growth as a super-species of human, and their unique outlook on life and living.Scroll Up and Get Your Copy Now

Before the cities left, and plunged our world into a global dark age, there were stories that told that history.Collected here are the works of four authors who have been telling scraps and pieces of what happened. All through the eyes of the people (and animals) who lived it. Some are fantastic, others could be tall tales, perhaps some are downright lies. But that is all why they had to be published as fiction.Because few people would believe it, even as a TV documentary. All highly speculative. And that's why it's called Speculative Fiction. But its a very human telling. You may even find yourself in here...This anthology containing:The Lazurai Returns by C. C. Brower & J. R. KruzeWhen the Cities Left, I Danced by C. C. BrowerThe Lazurai by J. R. KruzeA Sweet Fortune by R. L. SaundersOur Second Civil War by R. L. Saunders & C. C. BrowerBecoming Michelle by R. L. Saunders & C. C. BrowerMind Timing by R. L. Saunders & C. C. BrowerWhen The Wild Calls by C. C. BrowerThe War Bringeth by C. C. Brower...and many more.Excerpt:Each with a thundering roar, the cities took flight.Cities - whole cities - roared into the atmosphere, their protective globes turned red and then yellow with the reflections of the exhaust.Their fusion reactors scarred the skies with fume trails. Any place on earth you could see them rise. All the 50 United States and all the major countries who could afford the technology had cities flying that day.They turned their major cities into a one-species "Noah's Ark" to save humanity from itself. Take the best and brightest, and all who could fit, up past the atmosphere and beyond it. Seek a "new life in the stars."This statement came from the last international broadcast. And it played out at its end with a great symphony chord.Unstated was the little-hidden fact that the richest corporate heads and their families and investors all traveled on-board as well, first class.The Arks took temporary station along the "ring of pearls" - those satellites in orbit protected by the same shield as the cities. For a while, their glow added to those pearls. But one by one, those pearls extinguished. Some, with powerful enough Earth telescopes, could see them absorbed into the cities.Around two weeks later, the cities one by one moved out as a string of their own towards the moon.Later, a hail of meteors followed in their wake. We didn't know what those were at first. The last radio transmissions we could receive said they were falling into desolate areas. We couldn't check this as the cell phones and land lines had all quit working at that point. The towers still worked locally as long as they were solar powered. But just as quickly as the Internet had died, all intercontinental communications ceased.Because that "ring of pearls" they'd taken with them were all the major satellites that still worked. While they were also in orbit, they were scooping up all the other "non-vital" satellites and orbiting debris as some grand ecological gesture. These either burned up when they ran into the Arks greater power fields or were just absorbed into them... - - - -Scroll Up and Get Your Copy Now.

A different take on time travel. What if the "grandfather murder conundrum" didn't exist? Where you could freely travel in time without affecting your or anyone else's present?The trick is that this also tends to "haunt" you, even drive you insane...This anthology contains:Time Bent by S. H. MarpelA World Gone Reverse by J. R. Kruze, S. H. MarpelA Very Thin Line by S. H. Marpel- - - -Time Bent:TIME HAUNTED HER. IT didn't do what it was "supposed to" when she was around.It ran forward, backwards, sideways. Sometimes time helped her solve her problems, sometimes it made them worse.For a lovely young woman, you'd think there would be young men lined up to talk to her at any gathering. But she stayed away from them - perhaps to protect them from what was "haunting" her.Two Ghost Hunters came to help her solve it. But she left with only the promise of returning "just in time" - and didn'tOr was this time-problem contagious? Were other people at risk because of her - or could she pass it onto her children?Life didn't seem any more safe, just because you could bend time any way you wanted.A World Gone Reverse:When the hamburgers all disappeared, along with the buns I was warming, I thought I was seeing things.But when my spatula went through the cast-iron grill top - I had to let it go out of reflex. No way was I going after it - I'd been burned too many times.It wasn't like I had a choice after that. Because the grill itself dropped out through the bottom of the rolling coach we were cooking out of that summer.I looked up at Hami, my order-taker, business partner, and lover - only to see her fall through the floor as well. A look of shock and trying to say something, but frozen in time.Then the coach disappeared, and I fell with it - but only as far as the pavement it used to be parked on. I could see the asphalt beneath my feet at least.Until it turned to some sort of foamy waves lapping on a beach I'd never seen before. Green hard sand. Green water.And a long white line that went down this beach like it was some sort of dual-lane highway going nowhere...A Very Thin Line:I was walking in my pasture one sunny afternoon, when a pair of hands pulled me into the underworld.Once I arrived, I relaxed - a bit. Because it was an old friend. Carol. A time-bender and now a Lazurai as well. Meaning she could walk through rock - and other things."Hi John. How have you been?" Carol was standing in front of a crystal fire place, warming herself from the magma heat that was channeled out of the earth's core."Not bad, Carol. Other than being pulled deep into the earth without a simple request, or how-de-do.""Sorry about that. Really. But I need your help - because I'm worse than haunted now - I'm being hunted.""And I'm the only one who can help you?"She smiled, embarrassed, and shrugged. "Yeah, that about sums it up - other than how many people are after me..."- - - -Scroll Up and Get Your Copy Now

The body disappeared, the witnesses forgot their stories.And I had 24 hours to solve the mystery before all the evidence vanished.I had no memory of how this all started. Only that I was brought in to solve a mystery in a single day before I had to move to my next assignment. Because I'm a time-jumper. And I go where I'm sent.Because I'm damned good at figuring things out. You don't have to have a string of degrees behind your name to figure out things.The trick is, I "borrow" someone else's body while I'm on the job, for the time I'm here.All I know on this job had a missing corpse already. And it happened when no one was around to see, on a government naval base in the heart of New York. Where sub-contractors came and went constantly.I just had to solve it faster than the witnesses either "forgot" or "disappeared."Like I said, I had only 24 hours.Anthology containing:-The Case of the Time Bent Beau by S. H. Marpel-The Saga of Erotika Jones 01 by J. R. Kruze-The Saga of Erotika Jones 02 by J. R. Kruze, S. H. Marpel-The Saga of Erotika Jones 03 by J. R. Kruze, S. H. Marpel-The Saga of Erotika Jones 04 by J. R. Kruze, S. H. Marpel-The Saga of Erotika Jones 05 by J. R. Kruze, S. H. Marpel-The Saga of Erotika Jones 06 by J. R. Kruze, S. H. Marpel-The Saga of Erotika Jones 07 by J. R. Kruze, S. H. Marpel-The Saga of Erotika Jones 08 by J. R. Kruze, S. H. Marpel- The Saga of Erotika Jones Book Universes Notes by J. R. KruzeExcerpt:I didn't want to get out of bed for this new case. I felt tired, the bed was warm, and there was this hunk beside me. Broad shoulders, firm bum, sculptured abs - everything a gal could want.Still, the beeper was vibrating, it's staccato tempo on the side table persistent and annoying.I had my job to do. And under 24 hours, as usual, to see if I could solve this one.So I picked that annoyance up and saw the texts that had come in for me. On her beeper. My host's.That was the trick - I "borrowed" someone's body and ID for the cases that came in. How they did it, the nuts-and-bolts, I didn't really know. Nor did I know my own past - any more. Too many of these jumps had kinda swiss-cheesed my memories.The texts were all from Finn. He was my partner, my bar-buddy, and somehow was connected to the reason I still did this. Still, he made it interesting, and cheered me up when things got too solid and graphic.This morning he'd texted me the body was already missing, already cleaned. Said I needed to get there quick, since we both knew the reasons - the witnesses would be "forgetting" what they saw nearly as quick.Finn had a theory, and it was closer to true than anyone else believed - other than we who lived in the strange worlds where humans and fairies crossed paths, and where we fought the hidden wars to keep humans safe - in spite of themselves. The darker half of the faery kind were organizing for something - and these human bodies showing up and disappearing were just collateral evidence of their larger plan.Somehow. Having a working theory, anyway, was better than having none.My feet on the floor now, I bent to scoop up my underthings and found a too-short cotton bathrobe lay tangled in them. Slipping that on gave me some relative decency...Scroll Up and Get Your Copy Now.

A massive collection of quick escapes into alternate universes where you can live through the eyes of everyday people finding themselves in fantastic adventures.Mysteries, Romances, Fantasies, and Science Fiction - all sorts of speculative fiction beyond the ordinary and humdrum.But why devote weeks to reading a huge novel, when you can escape in the few minutes you have and be back before anyone notices you were gone?That's the great advantage of having short stories that are simple to get into and easy to return from. Commutes, breaks, down-time - all the times you're otherwise bored to tears. You could simply be enjoying solving a mystery, indulging in a light romance, living an adventure in deep space - or right down the block.Why not - after all? If you carry a smartphone around with you, then you can carry this 700+ page book for just for those occasions.Stuck in a layover with a few hours to kill? Read on and on and on. And in between stories, you can check in with reality for awhile and see if you can fit in just one more story before you have to board...An incredible investment. Because all these stories read differently every time you do. This one book has enough stories to entertain, educate, and inspire you - so you might not have to buy another book this year...This anthology from four up-and-coming authors was built from their original standalone stories. (And if you like them, there's more where that came from...)This Anthology contains: - A Mystery Reader - An SF/Fantasy Reader - A Romance Reader - A Writer's Reader - A Humor Reader - A Mind's Eye ReaderScroll Up and Get Your Copy Now

New Tales from New Authors that take you into worlds you've probably never dreamed existed.Midwest Journal Press is proud to announce this anthology of short stories in Fantasy, Science Fiction, Parody and Satire.We present the works of J. R. Kruze, R. L. Saunders, and C. C. Brower, all in one volume for the first two months of 2018This anthology contains:Fantasy and Science Fiction Short Stories by J. R. KruzeParody & Satire by R. L. SaundersFantasy and Science Fiction Short Stories by C. C. Brower Short Stories by J. R. KruzeDeath By AdvertisingHer EyesThe LazuraiA Goddess VisitsA Nervous ButtMax Says NoShort Stories by R. L. SaundersKeyboard in the SkyCats Typing RomanceThe Rise and Fall of President Frump - R. L. SaundersThe Integrity Implosions - by R. L. SaundersThe Maestro - R. L. SaundersShort Stories By C. C. BrowerWhen The Cities Died, I DancedThe CaretakerPeace: Forever WarThe War BringethSnow Cave - Part IThe Emperor's ScribeSnow GiftMr. Ben's New Rail RoadWhen Vacation Plans ReviseLong Overdue SantaReturn to EarthNew characters, new worlds, new adventures. Mysteries to solve. Romances to tempt you. Action adventures out of the ordinary.All ready to transport you to new worlds. Get Your Copy Now.

The first collection of our short stories for 2019 continue in our tradition of mysteries and speculative fiction. This contains the first quarter's work from a couple of our authors.And ongoing credit is given to our fans who gave us story ideas.A World Gone Reverse tells the second installment of a time bender's journey, and her escaping the black SUV types trying to capture her.Erotika Jones make her debut as a sexy female detective who occupies a new identity each time - and only 24 hours to solve the crime. Before all evidence and witnesses disappear.A Dog Named Kat employs a talking canine to help a girl resolve her mother's death.The Girl Who Saved Tomorrow brings up the alternate history record of a female genius-type engineer who is enlisted by a time-jumping savant - with just 12 hours left to save the world.The Faith of Jude spotlights a member of the Ghost Hunters team as she battles a group of artificial intelligences in a courtroom - for the fate of humanity.A Very Thin Line is the third installment of Carol the time bender (you met her above) and takes the fight for her and all her friends to the government types who have been chasing her.Dark Lazurai tells the story of two original Lazurai, saving the life of one who has become uncontrollably radioactive.As usual, we present these bi-monthly to collect all our published stories in nice anthologies so you can keep updated with our author's book universes as they develop.Feel free to share these with your friends.And be sure to get your bonuses at the end of the last story, as these parables are based on strange secrets hidden in plain site. And that makes these books read differently every time.Anthology containing: - A World Gone Reverse by J. R. Kruze, S. H. Marpel - The Saga of Erotika Jones 01 by J. R. Kruze - A Dog Named Kat by J. R. Kruze - The Girl Who Saved Tomorrow by J. R. Kruze - The Faith of Jude by S. H. Marpel - A Very Thin Line by S. H. Marpel - Dark Lazurai by J. R. Kruze

The vision was always started the same:A strong, certain woman walking toward me through the falling, blown snow.Definite, measured steps brought that mystery woman closer.A pace I was familiar with, somehow.And yet vulnerable.Her sleeveless dress and soft flat shoes would be soaked by these moist white flakes by the time she reached me. Within minutes after, she'd be shivering in the gusts that blew her long hair about her shoulders, and make the long hem of her dress flap like a battle pennant.Just as her walk was that of a conqueror.Her play was not a calculated risk or a chess stratagem.She knew my responses. My gallantry will make me take off my heavy overcoat and wrap it close around her. And she will then fold into my arms as I direct us toward the nearest warm doorway.She knew, I knew - not a number any longer.Excerpt:I shouldn't have been surprised to see the wreckage of that explosion.But I was. We were. The man who in a short time had become my friend and protector - and me.He seemed to hide any reaction to it - or honestly didn't have any.All of my professional life and career was in those ruins.We were there to reconnoiter, to weigh and evaluate the occurrence, to re-experience the devastation first hand.The wreckage seemed absolute.If I found anything that survived that firestorm to take with me, it would have to fit into my hands or pockets.The many books, anything combustible - those were gone. Anything plastic or fusible - they were melted or also gone to ash.The blast-temperature was high enough that little was left. Even the floor was somewhat buckled from the blast heat warping the steel beams beneath it, plus the weight of the pooled water the fire department used to extinguish it.The brisk fall winds had now evaporated or blown most all of the water and ash out that wide open hole in the side of that building.My friend and rescuer was here for his own reasons. And I came along, like I did everywhere now. Because his immediate future was also mine, like it or not.He only stood there now, turning and peering into what we could see. Statuesque, but not a statue.As I stepped carefully among the husks of furniture and fallen remnants of building materials, my polished street shoes were becoming the color of that muddy ash.For it was raining again, and the wind blew that rain back through the open gap where floor-to-ceiling windows once stood to keep all weather out on that corner office.Of course, I was past crying about almost anything left of my former life now. The wetness on my cheek had to be rain or blown mist. Had to be.My foot kicked something that tinkled, so I stopped.The dim light showed some glint in all that sooty ash. We carried no flashlights, nothing to give anyone a clue that we were there. Streetlights and the surrounding buildings gave us any light to see by.A break in the clouds brought the full moon's light across our scene.At my muddy toe was a small globe that used to sit in it's little clear Plexiglas perch on my desktop.I bent, picked it up and wondered if what it held inside was still intact.Shaking it, I heard the rattle. Just maybe.I started to twist and unscrew its two halves, my hands slipping without getting a grip.But then he took my arm...

A collection of short stories from new voices - the breaking edge cross-currents of mystery, fantasy, science fiction, and romance.From our authors at Midwest Journal Press - from works published between November and December 2018.Worlds new or perhaps re-visited - but only you will know if this is the stuff of dreams - or nightmares. - A ghost haunted by her death, since she only appears each year for a few hours, she has little time to work out how she died, and keep it from happening again. - When the amateur detective becomes haunted, it's up to those he's saved to rescue him from his own worst nightmares. - How do you solve someone's problem when they are haunting themselves? A recurring post-apocalypse scenario that only loops on an immortal being trapped at its center, and able to kill anyone who tries to help her. - A Smart Home who kicks out the owners, reassigns their title, and turns off the lights in the neighborhood - except for the red and green lights that pulse in an ominous, haunted glow. - And the saga of a moon colony escapee named Sue. Who only wants to rescue her own family from that prison. All she has to work with is a decimated human population pushed into a new Dark Age, sentient telepathic animals, spirit-form elementals - and no space flight available to take anyone across those 240,000 miles of empty space in between...Anthology containing:Clocktower Mystery by S. H. MarpelSmart Home Revenge by S. H. Marpel & R. L. SaundersFinding Grace by S. H. MarpelThe Mystery of Meri by S. H. MarpelTime Bent by S. H. MarpelWhen the Crow Calls by C. C. BrowerTotem by C. C. BrowerMoon Bride by C. C. Brower, S. H. MarpelThe Moon Cleaner by C. C. Brower, S. H. MarpelBlood Moon by C. C. Brower, S. H. MarpelMoon Shadow by C. C. Brower, S. H. MarpelMoon Queen by C. C. Brower, S. H. MarpelMoon Rebels by C. C. Brower, S. H. MarpelAlice in the Moon by C. C. Brower, S. H. MarpelScroll Up and Get Your Copy Now

Beware Your Dreams"Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity for success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream."~Lao Tse"The longer the night lasts, the more our dreams will be."~Chinese ProverbIt all began in mid-air.A beautiful blue day, fluffy clouds with a hint of high wispy cirrus horse-tails above them. If it weren't for the fact that I was falling through the air it would have been a nice day to be alive.Just laying on my back, relaxed and falling to my certain end. Enjoying the ride, as it were. Wind buffeting all around as my body fell as fast as the air permitted it to move. Odd to see what my "last thoughts" would be. Always wondered about this particular ending. It's been a long time since I dreamed this way.Turning slightly, I saw my bed coming up - a small dot in the distance. So I wrestled my hand to pick out my small handbook and the other tightly grasped my pen. Writing carefully on a new blank page: "It all began in mid-air..."Then the bed hit.I sat up, in a cold sweat. The room was just as normal, no hole in the roof or anything. It was night, as usual - or early morning, the clock corrected me.Since the sheets were damp, I had no choice but to also change my drenched t-shirt. Sliding back in, I was comfortable enough for now...(from the first chapter)***Paranomral Indiana Jones meets the Matrix******A new author brings psychological magic into the fantasy genre.******Hope for we who lived to see our nightmares in broad daylight.***Scroll Up and Get Your Copy Now.

The Complete Hooman Saga - to date...There are stories before and after the moment a single young girl crash-landed on Earth and was rescued by telepathic wolves.Those stories explain how the major cities seceeded from their national governments on Earth and rose as one to take off for the moon.And there are stories that tell how Sue brought peace to the wolf clans, rescued her family, and de-powered the elites who had condemned the rest of the human species to extinction.This first library of the Hooman Saga starts off with the dystopian world not too far removed from where we are now - and then extends it to its logical conclusion.A general overview of the story conflicts (without spoilers):The US major cities seceded from the rest of the country - and were let go without incident. (One newspaper headline read "...And Good Riddance!") Since the major violent protests were all occurring inside them, it was "no biggie" for the peaceful countryside and small towns to wish them luck with that.Of course, this meant that the major "social" and "news" media also wound up in those walled-in areas. Again, loss of those didn't seem to mean anything to the rest of the country. These major cities were joined by other major global cities as one Compact. And then, sharing their technology, they used their new fusion-powered protective domes to lift off the surface. All under their announced plan to "save the planet from ourselves". Soon after that, the outlying areas were affected, however.Once in orbit, they removed all the man-made satellites from orbit, absorbing them for re-cycling or destroying them with their shields. And then left to start moon-mining colonies.While the Earth below them was not only plunged into a new Dark Age, but the virulent infections created in the metro-area hospitals were loosed on the planet once they left.Soon after, a new sentient species replaced humans as dominant. Lupus Sapiens - the new evolution of wolf.This is the saga of one girl who escaped the moon prison colonies, and returned to earth with the purpose of somehow saving the family she left behind. Against all odds...This box set contains the entirety of Book One and Book Two, parts 1 and 2.Over 180,000 words, and over 600 pages of text. Scroll Up and Get Your Copy Now.

While these authors make writing seem effortless, it's always easier to read than write. And where these ideas come from is anyone's guess.All we can say is that we are blessed with their output.Along with Volume 11, we're wrapping up three new author's production this year.While we wrap up two series with the final installments of the Healers Chronicles and Walkaway Blues, we also start a new series with Corona-XI.Most of this volume has to do with building and completing the Saga or Erotika Jones series. All great mystery, adventure, and a little time travel.I hope you enjoy all these great stories. Excerpt:"REMIND ME, SAL, WHY we are here again?"Above us floated a massive mountain of rock, which was showering us at every small breeze with tiny stones and sand dust.Taking shelter in it's thin shade for some relief from the moderate heat of the endless Gobi desert on all sides, it made for a very uncomfortable position. Even though the desert was cool compared to the Sahara and others, sweat was still a given at this time of day. Along with the sandpaper bath.Sal just sat there on her own camel, dressed in her light brown caftan and matching turban, smiling at me like I'd just cracked a joke at my own expense."John, how many times can I say you're cute?'"If I tell you, will it get us on top of that big piece of rock - so we can start talking to the ghosts in charge of this mess?"She shook her head no. "Sorry, John. We're just waiting for someone to give us an invitation."I shrugged. "Someone we know, I hope?"The sand rumbled beneath our feet, and the camels got fidgety. I was used to writing books, walking pastures, tending quiet cattle on foot. Even my riding horses was a long time ago. But the past few days had gotten me used to these long-legged desert-beasts. Or so I thought. For me, a nervous camel just meant one thing: hang on for dear life.Right at that thought, a sand devil spun up between the two of us. At that, the camels calmed - not what I expected their reaction to be.A female figure emerged as the whirling sand died away. Long and flowing coal black hair with silver highlights framed a smiling face shining out above her timeless and young body - dressed today in a tan silk blouse tucked into British horse-cavalry pants and tall, brown leather boots. As if she'd just stepped out of a fashion magazine for desert tourists."Hi-ya John, Sal. Need a lift?"Anthology containing:Corona-Xi01 - Empress Oracle by S. H. Marpel, J. R. KruzeThe Saga of Erotika Jones 02 by J. R. Kruze, S. H. MarpelThe Saga of Erotika Jones 03 by J. R. Kruze, S. H. MarpelThe Saga of Erotika Jones 04 by J. R. Kruze, S. H. MarpelThe Saga of Erotika Jones 05 by J. R. Kruze, S. H. MarpelThe Saga of Erotika Jones 06 by J. R. Kruze, S. H. MarpelThe Saga of Erotika Jones 07 by J. R. Kruze, S. H. MarpelThe Saga of Erotika Jones 08 by J. R. Kruze, S. H. MarpelThe Healers Chronicles: Miracles - 03 by S. H. MarpelThe Case of the Walkaway Diner Redoux by S. H. MarpelScroll Up and Get Your Copy Now.

"Well, this is curious - I've only got papers that say to take one of you."My two latest deaths stood in front of me."The other is supposed to keep on living. But here you both are."Neither spoke to volunteer which was which."So, you both intend to keep on living, in spite of my orders to take one of you."Silence signaled assent."You know that no one has ever cheated Death. Just because you have some spirit-guides looking out for you doesn't mean I won't end up with one - or even both of you."I tapped a long, bony finger."Or maybe all four of you, just to make it completely fair. Because the more those two gals are working to keep you both alive, the more they are just making a bargain with me."The two men standing there looked at each other.Then turned to me and shrugged. At the same time, like they'd rehearsed it."Alrighty, then. The Game is on. Let's see who can beat Death and keep living. It's like always - all or nothing."And I never lose..."This anthology contains: - The Healers Chronicles: Birthdays - 01 by S. H. Marpel- The Healers Chronicles: Origins - 02 by S. H. Marpel- Lazurai Homecoming by J. R. Kruze, S. H. Marpel- When Death Lives Twice by S. H. MarpelExcerpt: JUDE AND I GOT RUSHED in here again last night.Because both our boys slipped under again. Flat-lining like before.Rochelle kept telling us we two sisters were doing great at nursing them, that there was nothing anyone else could do any better. But now each of us had only one duty right now - and that was to save the guy we were "assigned" to.We knew Rochelle had never seen anything like this before. Sure, she'd had people just give up and die on her. Especially when she couldn't get to them in time. Even after she'd brought them back to life once or twice or more.But under the care of a Lazurai healer, body death is extremely rare.Sure, they both had serious wounds when they came in. But those had all been patched. And there were only faint lines now where the jagged cuts had been repaired. In time, there wouldn't even be any scars to show. The surgery here was expert.Yet this was the third time both of us had to come in and stop the slide.And once we did, it left us both exhausted. Of course, it didn't help that we were either sleeping on hallway couches or a nearby wheeled gurney just to be on call.At least we had plenty of towels around to sob into when it got to be too much...Scroll Up and Get Your Copy Now.

The third collection of short stories by J. R. Kruze.Known for a unique take on common situations, and a dry wit, Kruze is also able to look at usual circumstances and see unusual aspects to write about. These stories will let you start wondering about the world around you.Mystery, fantasy, paranormal, romance and science fiction are a few of this mixed genre collection.Enjoy seeing your world through J. R. Kruze's eyes...This anthology contains: - The Girl Who Became Tomorrow by J. R. Kruze - The Autists: Brigitte by J. R. Kruze - Dark Lazurai by J. R. Kruze - The Girl Who Saved Tomorrow by J. R. Kruze - A Dog Named Kat by J. R. Kruze - The Saga of Erotika Jones 01 by J. R. Kruze - A World Gone Reverse by J. R. Kruze, S. H. Marpel - The Arrivals by C. C. Brower, J. R. KruzeExcerpt:I TORE OFF THE HEADSET with it's VR goggles and earbuds. They skidded across my massive desk, scattering papers and files like a mini cyclone. Only stopping when they wrapped around the very solid, unmovable gray base of Lady Liberty.Someone had cast her as a thick bronze piece, originally created as a classless idea of a lamp support. I took out all that wiring and plugged that hole so she again stood for something. It's original message of friendship between two nations, united in the birth date of universal independence and freedom, had been altered by marketing to mean wanting "...huddled masses yearning to breathe free."But those weren't my favorite lines, which were at the beginning, "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!"I stood at that thought, and walked over to the two walls of plate glass, floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked that N'Yack harbor. Clear days would allow you to see that Gray Lady standing with her back to us, far out in the harbor.And my thoughts always went back to my own grandmother and her grandmother - who had started and fostered a lineage of independent geniuses, ones who kept that legacy of pushing forward the technologies of this culture.They didn't come here through that harbor, but instead were born and raised in the Heartland. Extreme geniuses with talent far beyond their time, education, and sex.Along with that natural-born freedom to think, to innovate, to create a better world than the one we each were born into.I brushed a black lock out of my eyes and swung the rest of that long dark mane out of my way. And put my arms akimbo as I stood there, defiant against the history that had brought me here to this point in time, this office.That's what I thought as I looked far out across that harbor, looking for the real Gray Lady out there.Not for long.Because right about the time of that thought, I got a blinding flash of intuition and my reflexes soared me into action. Literally.I ran, leaped, and flew across to the other side of my up-armored desk, where I landed and curled into a reverse-rolling ball of tucked knees and arms. A ball that bumped to a stop back under that tiny desk crawlspace.Just before the explosion blew what was left of those two glass corner walls out into the streets below. And ignited the rest of my former office into a fireball.At least that's what they later told me happened.Scroll Up and Get Your Copy Now.

A collection of short stories from new voices - the cross-currents of mystery, fantasy, science fiction, and romance.Worlds new or perhaps re-visited - but only you will know if this is the stuff of dreams - or nightmares.Wolves that talk to nearly-extinct humans through their minds.Witches that not only represent the five elements, but also the five principles that can defeat all magic.Goddesses who have to work together to defeat a priestess who has mastered social media, and is threatening to use it to zombify the world.How an angel regained her lost wings by finding her true self.A female mechanical genius escapes her failure by learning the finer points of marketing - and its key single core basic.Satire that bites a little close to the truth of our modern times - the political theatre that turns deadly - and a woman witness who profits from her mis-statements about abuse, but loses all trust of the people around her...Anthology containing:When the Crow Calls by C. C. BrowerWitch Coven Harvest by S. H. MarpelFreed by S. H. MarpelThe Alepha Solution by S. H. MarpelGaia by S. H. MarpelA Case of Missing Wings by S. H. Marpel & J. R. KruseThe Case of the Naughty Nightmare by J. R. KruseOn Love's Edge by J. R. KruseSynco (TM) by J. R. Kruze & R. L. SaundersThe Girl Who Built Tomorrow by J. R. KruzeBeltway Gremlin by R. L. SaundersThe Lonely Witness by R. L. SaundersThis massive collection of over 400 pages can keep you enthused and distracted for hours.And the ideas in these stories keep re-writing the stories in between your readings. A near-infinite resource to keep your entertained indefinitely (well, together with the earlier four volumes...)Scroll up and Get Your Copy Now.

2020 was a year none of us will soon forget, but we'd rather...At least we have some decent fiction - fantasies and mysteries in exotic surroundings as well as the ordinary.Our latest anthology of this year's works has all of these in a single volume. And we collect the last of this election year's artistic output into this single volume.Of course, we also have a little satire, with a president making his appearance in two of our stories. And while his opponent didn't appear, the riots did. Even our authors are not immune to being inspired by the reported events, though I can assure you none of them were ever in personal danger from these or that pesky virus which only spread worse the more you tried to lock it down...And that sounds like some editor should put a bug in one of their ears with a new idea for a story.For now, I'll leave you to this marvelous collection of these New Voices stories.Excerpt: THE SMALL TWIN-ENGINE plane rocked in the sudden thunder storm, lightning flashed outside. Cabin lights flickered on and off. Along with the sky flashes exposing the passenger's drawn faces to alternate pitch black and brilliant white.Besides the pilot and the stewardess, the only occupants in the rocking craft were a man, his very pregnant wife, and an attending doctor.In the midst of the thunder and whining engines, A cry rang out, then another.Two young children entered this world inside that small airplane.In the next minute, that craft pitched forward, pushing all the occupants against their seats. The husband and wife each holding tight onto one child each, while the doctor grasped his black medical bag to his chest with one hand, and the arm of his chair with the other - both hands white from a straining grip.Seconds turned into eternity as the plane plummeted through the flashing clouds.In the cockpit, the pilot was furiously working to level out the plane at least into a gliding pattern. All by brute force of his straining arms, legs, and back. At his side, strapped into the co-pilot seat, the stewardess was working through the re-start sequence to get the engines powered again, to get the hydraulics and electrical working once more.With her practiced moves, any observer could see they had been through similar scenes before. Their quick, sure actions coming from repetitive training and sheer muscle-memory - despite the steep angle of descent and the continual rocking that shook the craft.At last, the engines caught again, and lights flickered back on in the cabin. Thrusting the throttle full forward, the young woman in the co-pilot seat then helped the straining pilot pull back on the shared yoke of that plane, using the controls on her half of the small cockpit.They got their too-rapid descent back under control only a few thousand feet above the storm-whipped waves. There the clouds left them as a retreating ceiling, and they were now below the cloud-to-cloud lightning. As the pilot pulled the throttle back to a more normal speed for the new conditions, the stewardess patted his shoulder. "I'd give you a kiss, lover, but I need to check on our guests."Anthology containing: The Autists: Jenna by J. R. Kruze, S. H. MarpelIdylls of a Lazurai by S. H. Marpel, J. R. KruzeRiot Wall by S. H. Marpel, R. L. SaundersThe Eye In Team by J. R. Kruze, S. H. MarpelThe Case of the Tenacious Typist by S. H. Marpel, J. R. KruzeThe Girl Who Believed Tomorrow by J. R. KruzeThe Projector by S. H. Marpel, R. L. SaundersThe Panic of 2020 by S. H. Marpel, R. L. SaundersDoppel by S. H. Marpel, R. L. SaundersScroll Up and Get Your Copy Now.

"Something's not right here," I stated the obvious."Looks like a trap," Sal returned.Bernie heard it first and ran toward John.That courageous dog knocked John down just as the incoming explosion hit.Sal got her shield up and I returned fire, giving them what they gave.Then it got quiet, too quiet.I turned around. Sal had tears coming down her face, and she didn't dare to let go of her shield. Bernie and John were both down, twisted on the ground and blood showed on both Bernie's fur coat and John's jacket. Who's blood, I couldn't tell from here.Only a split-second look. Because more incoming explosives filled the air around that dome."Jude?""Yes, Sal?""I've got to get these two out of here.""Go ahead. I'll be with you shortly."I felt them phase out.And then I let my anger out for real.This anthology contains: - When Death Died by S. H. Marpel- When Death Lives Twice by S. H. Marpel- The Case of the Time Bent Beau by S. H. Marpel- The Case of the Walkaway Diner Redoux by J. R. Kruze, S. H. Marpel- Walkaway Redemption by S. H. Marpel- Felicity by S. H. Marpel- NaN by J. R. Kruze- Wolver's Village by C. C. Brower, S. H. Marpel- The Healers Chronicles: Birthdays - 01 by S. H. Marpel- The Healers Chronicles: Origins - 02 by S. H. MarpelExcerpt: John felt something out there. But he didn't worry about it. With Bernie standing guard, he knew any human soul approaching would be sensed before they could get within a hundred yards of his cabin.But what he felt wasn't human - or wasn't recently. And that is what got him up, out of his comfortable writing chair.Two steps and he was at the door. By reflex, he grabbed his ball-cap off the row of hooks near it.The summer moon shone brightly. And showed a reflective glint off all light-colored surfaces. The black-and-white border collie Bernie opened his eyes at the silent opening of that cabin door.John just nodded at him. So Bernie rose on his four legs and sniffed the air. His ears perked to detect any sound out of the ordinary hoo-hoo's of owls and scurrying feet of night creatures."What do you sense, Bernie?" John's thoughts sent clearly to the dog, a talent he'd been refining with someone nearby who could help him master it."Nothing. What did you feel?" The black-white collie still was at alert, all senses tracking anything out of the ordinary."A once-human. Someone I've met before." John looked first down the overgrown driveway and then to the cow-path trail some visitors liked to frequent.Bernie started, pointing his hears and eyes down that path. Then he relaxed, and smiled as he began panting. "Yes, they seem familiar. Not that we've met, but they know you."John relaxed, and came over to Bernie to scratch his back. And wait.Soon the moonlight showed two female forms coming down that wide cow-path. One tall and dark, the other shorter and dressed in a white, long gown. It would be some time before they got into enough light to make out their faces...Scroll Up and Get Your Copy Now.