A compelling and heart warming set of four short stories by Mary Grand, author of ‘Free to Be Tegan’, which has over 70 reviews at amazon.co.uk, averaging 4.7 stars.
The New Arrival
Rachel has moved to the Isle of Wight determined to become invisible. Hiding a shameful secret she cultivates a ‘cold polite smile as effective as an electric fence.’ However, unexpectedly, into her life comes a loving, crazy, individual: Lottie the cocker spaniel. Everything is about to change.
Catching the Light
Erin thinks she has found her fairytale prince. However, the honeymoon in a remote cottage in Wales shatters the dream. For the first time in her life Erin discovers the mystical world of fairies.
Belonging
Megan works in a Theatre for the Deaf. She is Deaf. Her language is British Sign Language. One evening she meets John, who is hearing, and two worlds collide. This is the story of the struggles, joys and tears of their remarkable relationship.
The Outing
This was to be the most important day of Kay’s life. However her mission to be free from years of guilt reveals so much more than she could possibly imagine.
Free to Be Tegan
Also included is an excerpt from the author’s full length novel ‘Free to Be Tegan’.
Tegan, aged twenty seven, is cast out of the cult, rejected by her family and the only life she has known. She is vulnerable and naïve but she also has courage and the will to survive. She travels to Wales, to previously unknown relations in the wild Cambrian Mountains.


 

Make your own liquid African black soap in minutes! Includes five easy recipes using natural ingredients. You also receive information about essential oils and where to buy links for African black soap and other healthy additives. “Liquid African Black Soap Recipes for Skin and Hair” makes a great companion book to “Nilotica [East African] Shea Body Butter Recipes [The Whipped Shea Butter Series], Book 1” and “How to Make Handmade Shampoo Bars.”

Have you ever had a terrible secret you didn't want anyone to know? Petri does and it may get her killed. Life is hard on Upworld, especially for the residents of Under City, and it's even harder for those who don't fit in. Petri has alway been different and now those differences may cost her life. Her one hope is to leave the only home she's ever known while evading the mob that's calling for her blood. But Petri has never been outside of her sector of Under City, never mind off the planet. And the laws of Upworld forbid people like her from leaving. Will Petri overcome the odds and make good her escape? Maybe...with a little help from her friends.


**Trigger Warning: please note that this story contains depictions of violence and sexual assault. If these types of situations cause you distress, this may not be the story for you.

**Please note that this story contains explicit sexual scenes including BDSM. If this type of material offends you, this is probably not the story for you.

Her world has always been dark, but he might be able to change everything...


Fiercely independent Helen Winters was born completely blind, but she vowed never to let her disability keep her down. She did not expect a traumatic event to devastate her life and force her to drop out of college. Disillusioned by the cruelty of people, Helen retreated from society to live by herself as a reclusive writer in the woods--where no one could ever hurt her again.


When a brilliant young doctor shows up on her doorstep, promising her that his new research can give her the ability to see for the first time, Helen stubbornly refuses. She has learned not to trust anyone, and to rely only on herself. But Dr. Liam Larson will not take no for an answer. He makes it his personal mission to rescue Helen from her loneliness, and bring joy into her world once more--the joy she has denied herself for so long.


When Helen's demons come racing back into her life, threatening to rip her apart and destroy the strength she has carefully rebuilt, Liam is the only one who might be able to save her. Can he reach the broken girl in time, helping her to heal and see the world in a different light? Or will Helen's grief send her spiraling out of control, lost to him forever?

 

Do you believe in second chances? Third? Fourth? Destiny’s determined to keep offering another shot...if they're brave enough to grab it.

Heather, the quirky non-conformist, is the complete opposite of her conventional, yet highly sought after boyfriend, Lance. She doesn't know it yet, but her perfect boyfriend isn't perfect for her. When Nicolo, a vibrant new employee starts at her job, he ignites a fire inside her, and she finds herself second-guessing her boring future as a lawyer’s wife.

Nicolo always questioned his purpose in this world, until Heather’s dynamic personality finds a way into his heart. She makes him believe he can conquer the world, while he gives her a glimpse at an adventurous future. Before they reveal their true feelings, a vindictive boss fires Nicolo, leaving Heather with no possibility of contacting him.

Five years later, Lance, deeply engrossed in law school, has yet to propose. During a rare night out, fate reunites Heather with Nicolo and that old spark is still very much alive. Torn between losing him again and the emotions she can no longer suppress, they launch into a powerful love affair. Heather discovers passion and warmth, and knows she must leave Lance.

With love this perfect, what tears them apart a second time?

Fate continues to step in, as Heather and Nicolo cross paths every five years. Will they ever fulfill their destiny, or will insecurities keep them apart?

Every Five Years is a witty, heartfelt story of true love and what happens when life keeps getting in the way.

An illegal book. A missing girl. Unlocking her secrets could destroy everything she’s ever known…

Anais is a lowly scullery maid in the Great House. When she discovers a book of magic, she breaks the law to secretly practice the spells within. Her hopes of a better -- and more magical -- future are dashed when a girl from the kitchen goes missing. Anais stumbles into a series of events that threatens to undo everything she knows and has grown to love.

Determined to find out whether the girl fell victim to the monsters rumored to be lurking on the edge of Brightshire, Anais puts her newfound magic into action. Can she save the girl and her home or will her precious secrets cost her everything?

Buy Anais of Brightshire to start the medieval magical adventure today!

"My name is Rylee and I am a Tracker."

When children go missing, and the Humans have no leads, I'm the one they call. I am their last hope in bringing home the lost ones. I salvage what they cannot.

I'm on the FBI's wanted list.

I have a werewolf for a pet, a Witch of a best friend, and have no need for anyone else in my life.  But when a salvage starts to spin out of control, help comes from a most unexpected direction.

One that is dangerously dark, brooding, and doesn't know a thing about the supernatural.

One whose kisses set me on fire.

Some lucky women meet the man of their dreams and live happily ever after. Some lucky women focus on a career and make their own happily ever after. And then some women wake up after fifteen years of marriage and discover that their luck just ran out … right into the arms of another woman.

Jana Embers isn’t one to sit back, though. The first thing Jana realizes she needs to do is empty the joint bank account, then she’s thinking she might take a tire iron to her soon-to-be-ex-husband’s truck. After that, she’s not sure what she’ll do … Maybe she’ll adopt a cat.

From the award-winning author comes a gripping, supernatural adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

MARKED (Book 1)
Sixteen-year-old Kara Nightingale is unpopular, awkward and positively ordinary—that is until one day she is struck by a bus and dies...
Within moments her life changes from ordinary to extraordinary as she wakes up in a mysterious world with a new career—as a rookie for the Guardian Angel Legion. Kara is pulled into the supernatural where monkeys drive the elevators, oracles scurry above giant crystal balls and where demons feed on the souls of mortals.
When an Elemental child is kidnapped, Kara is sent on a danger-filled quest and plunges into a situation more dangerous and deadly than anything she could ever imagine.

From the best-selling author comes this captivating, funny debut novel and winner of the Readers’ Favorite Award.

ELEMENTAL (Book 2)
When seventeen-year-old Kara Nightingale is suddenly struck by lightning and dies—yet again—she finds herself back in Horizon, where angels, oracles and other supernatural beings occupy a mystical world unknown to humanity.
But when Kara accidently strikes an angel with her newfound powers and nearly kills him, she is banished to the angel prison Tartarus. What’s more, Kara soon discovers her mother’s soul has been taken by Demons.
Hunted by the Legion, Kara takes refuge with a new band of angel friends. And when she decides to venture into the Netherworld to find her mother’s missing soul, will her powers be enough to save her mother and save the mortal world?

HORIZON (Book 3)
Much to Kara’s horror, a horde of demons is released into the mortal world, through the Mirror of Souls. Thousands of human souls are dying every day. The Guardian Angel Legion works relentlessly at trying to secure the mortal world from Demons. But when Kara discovers the truth behind the Demon Lord's plans, can she return to Horizon safely and warn the Legion before it's too late?

"My name is Rylee, and I am a Tracker."

When children go missing, and the Humans have no leads, I'm the one they call. I am their last hope in bringing home the lost ones. I salvage what they cannot.

Underestimating demons is a bad idea, and it's a mistake that may cost not only my life, but the life of a missing child.

If I can swallow my pride, and allow Agent O'Shea to help me find a way to deal with the demon, we might be able to save the child.

With this salvage, it's a race against time, a test of trust, and a temptation that I'm doing my
damndest to ignore.

If only swallowing my pride and ignoring temptation was that easy.

Start a dangerous adventure with Carrie O'Connor, one of the best operatives of the Canadian Intelligence Service, in PRIORITY TARGET.

After hunting a terrorist mastermind in Mogadishu--the capital of war-ravaged Somalia--Carrie is assigned a new mission: confirm the elimination of a priority target hit during a drone attack. While trying to balance her work and her rocky relationship with her fiance, she partners with Josh Barrett, the best CIA field agent in Somalia, for their joint task.

In Somalia, they discover evidence leading to a troubling revelation about the errant drone strike. Carrie finds herself a target in what appears to be a massive cover-up. Determined to find out who wants her dead, she begins to cut through a complex web of lies and deceit, even if it means going to war with the CIA.

In the vein of bestselling authors like Brad Thor, David Baldacci, and Vince Flynn, PRIORITY TARGET is an action-packed adventure and a powerful page-turner that will keep you reading through the night.

Belief is a powerful magic.

Valerie Diaz has a power that she can't contain, and it's killing her. Bounced between foster homes and the streets, she only has time to concentrate on staying alive. But a visit from the imaginary friend of her childhood opens a world of possibilities, including a new life half a universe away on a planet that is bursting with magic.

The Society of Imaginary Friends follows Valerie on a journey that straddles two worlds. In order to survive, she must travel many light years away to a realm where anything is possible. On the Globe, imaginary friends come to life, the last of the unicorns rules the realm, and magic seeps from the pores of all the Conjurors who live there. But choosing to embrace her potential will set Valerie on a treacherous course – one filled with true love, adventure and perilous danger.

Ebony is a smart, sexy, career-oriented black woman who wants nothing more than a summer fling with a man who challenges her mind and body. What she doesn’t expect is a blond haired, blue-eyed bass player—who won’t take “no” for an answer—to accept the challenge.

When Ebony’s attempt at a brief fling turns into more, despite negative reactions from friends and family, she finds juggling love, family, and career are nothing compared to the ultimate betrayal she endures. Now her dreams spiral into lies and secrets that threaten her future and her best friend’s trust.

The biggest thing on 15-year-old Tommy's mind is convincing Mom to let him go to the drive-in, but when an accident claims his mother's life and puts him in the hospital, the arrival of his estranged, alien father brings more changes than he had bargained for. It doesn't take his father long to figure out that Tommy knows nothing about who or what he is. Without any explanation, Tommy finds himself onboard his father's spaceship where he is forced to trust a man he does not know in a world he knows even less about.

Adapting to his new life seems overwhelming, and his father's solution may prove to be Tommy's finest challenge yet...Jayden. A few months younger than Tommy, high strung and always in a mood, the doctor's daughter definitely didn't like being 'told' to help Tommy fit in. Jayden is not the most welcoming or patient of tutors, let alone a friend. As fate would have it, Tommy quickly learns that none of these things compare to the peril that comes from being born with amethyst eyes.

A looming hurricane has nothing on the storm raging inside...

Karina Valdez loves a good adventure, but jetting off to the Bahamas with a complete stranger is taking it to the extreme. She can’t believe her meddling best friend entered her in a radio dating contest. Even more shocking? Karina won! A tropical getaway she can do. Making a love connection with a hot local bachelor, not so much. Especially when she’s not looking for a man.

Meteorologist Andrew Romano is psyched over winning the radio contest. He’s ready to settle down and get married, prove once and for all that he’s not a player. The contest will surely help his chances—he’s been matched with his perfect woman. Too bad she doesn’t want him. To make matters worse, an erratic storm has shifted direction and is whirling toward them. Andy will do whatever it takes to win over the elusive beauty and keep her safe. He can handle a hurricane. But what about the other storm waiting to be unleashed?

When a young girl is kidnapped, street-smart but damaged San Francisco ex-cop California "Cal" Corwin is engaged to find and rescue her before murder raises the stakes. As a straightforward case takes unexpected twists, Cal must quell a growing fear that an anguished mother may never see her child again. With a shadowy crime lord lurking behind every unexpected clue, Cal struggles to tie up loose ends before evil claims its next victim.
 

New York’s Finest
Blogging as *The Socialmedialite*
April 22
LADIES AND GENTS! I have an announcement!
You know that guy I featured on my blog a few months ago? The really, really hot Irish rugby player who plays the position of ‘hooker’ in the RLI (Rugby League International)? The one with the anger management issues, the body of a gladiator and the face of a movie star? The one with the questionable fashion choices leading me to ask whether he was the lovechild of a leprechaun and a hobbit? Ronan Fitzpatrick? Yeah, that guy. Well, I have a confession to make…

THE HERMIT
Annie Catrel, social media expert extraordinaire at Davidson & Croft Media and clandestine celebrity blogger, can make anyone shine in the court of public opinion. She is the Socialmedialite, anonymous creator of New York’s Finest and the internet’s darling. Virtual reality is Annie’s forte, but actual reality? Not so much.

THE HOOKER
Ronan Fitzpatrick, aka the best hooker the world of rugby has seen in decades, despises the media—social or otherwise. The press has spun a web of lies depicting him as rugby’s wild and reckless bad boy. Suspended from his team, Ronan has come to Manhattan to escape the drama, lay low, fly under the radar. Only, Ronan isn’t easy to overlook, and he can’t escape the notice of the Socialmedialite…

THE PLAN
When Ronan is sent to Davidson & Croft Media to reshape his public image, he never expects to cross paths with shy but beautiful Annie, nor does he expect his fierce attraction to her. He couldn’t be happier when her boss suggests pairing them together.
What lengths will Annie take to keep her virtual identity concealed? And what happens when the hooker discovers who the hermit really is?

The Hooker and the Hermit is a collaboration between authors L.H. Cosway and Penny Reid, is a full length 110k word novel, and is a standalone.

Five friends wake up to discover they are left alone on earth--the rest of humanity is gone.
Empty streets are littered with stalled-out cars, buses, and motorcycles. A sunless and moonless sky is covered with an enormous barrier that prevents any view of the heavens.
And silence, pervasive and absolute, reigns. Nothing stirs. The air is oppressive and there is no wind, not even the softest breeze.
As far as the five friends can tell, there isn’t another living thing on earth other than them, neither animal nor plant. What happened to life on earth while they slept? Or is it that something happened to them? Are they still on earth, or have they somehow been transported elsewhere? If so, where? Heaven? Hell? Another planet? Or are they pawns in a sophisticated computer game? Or is it all just their imagination?
Aram believes they aren't dead. He believes if there is a way into the Silent World, then there must be a way out. He convinces his friends to stay focused and put up a worthy fight to find their way back to the reality they once knew. He can't give up, because somewhere out there, beyond the frightening new world, his new-born son is waiting for his Daddy's return.

Yolanda Carter is preparing for Valentine’s Day as romance and macarons are baking in Yolanda’s Yummery. But things take a dark turn when the body of someone she knows is found dead in a nearby dumpster.

Teaming up with Detective Winston Churchill to find the killer, some employees are suspects, including Yolanda’s boyfriend, Nigel Garvey.

A February 14 appearance on the TV show, America’s Best Bakeries, and the Yummery’s upcoming first anniversary are overshadowed as she strives to run her business and help the detective.

Macarons of Love also contains recipes for French macarons and cupcakes!

Perhaps everyone could use a miracle, but very few will find the one they truly need.

Amid a war torn land, hidden deep within an enchanted forest, hides an orphanage where miracles abound. It s a magical place built by a resolute king who is determined to defeat an evil sorcerer waging bitter war against his people. Victory just might take a miracle, and so the orphanage may very well hide the key to winning the war.

A young girl named Kelsey also desperately needs a miracle. She embarks on a quest to find the mysterious and hidden orphanage. Along the way she s joined by several traveling companions, including an over-sized snow leopard and a boy who cannot speak. In a land enchanted, it's difficult to know the difference between what's real and what isn't ... and what a true friend looks like. Join Kelsey and her companions as they embark on an extraordinary adventure and a quest unlike any other.

The Orphanage of Miracles is a work of fiction that examines the concept of miracles and what it takes to find or make the one you need.