A Fantasy debut novel

Twelve-year-old Donovan and his best friend, Akenji, are standing on the riverbank in their small fishing village south of the Wood Elven Forest, dreaming about their future when, suddenly, Boric's Barbarians invade and undertake a massive slaughter. The orphaned boys are kidnapped and face a life of slavery until an Elven commander, Alayna, and her Elven Rangers intervene. In "Birth of the Half Elves," by author H.L. Watson, adventure and romance are intertwined when Donovan, in a quest to avenge a brutal act of wrongdoing, risks his own life to rescue the Elven Princess Brandela.

Four words that evoke memories of princesses and goblins, of fables and fairy-tales. They have become an archetype, harking back to a time when the word novel was synonymous with fantasy. In fact, English literature was forged in the fires of sorcery and unreality. Where would you look for these stories in your local book store? Certainly not in the fantasy section. Back when Moby Dick was published there were no fantasy and sci-fi, no mystery or romance, only novels. Alexander Pope did not worry about cross-genres when he composed The Rape of the Lock, and Robert Louis Stevenson was not catering to horror fans when he wrote Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In this anthology of short and flash fiction, sprinkled with unnatural poetry, Kim McDougall reveals the grit, lust and beauty that goes on "Between the Cracks."

"Remnant," by author Roland Allnach, is an anthology consisting of three stories within the speculative/science fiction genres. The stories are linked in theme by characters seeking self-truth, redemption, and their moral center. The three novellas, in order of appearance in the anthology, are: "All the Fallen Angels," in which a convicted war criminal attempts to make peace with his past; "Enemy, I Know You Not," in which a military officer that was captured and tortured tries to find his loyalty in an abyss of suspected betrayals; and "Remnant," in which the survivor of a global pandemic is confronted with the prospect of making peace with his memories when other survivors attempt to bring him back from self-imposed isolation.

Andrew Merritt loves to sketch pictures of ships. But he never expected his drawings would become real ships, or that his maps of a country he created could result in a journey to a fantastic land. When Andrew’s uncle disappears and leaves behind a mysterious leather pouch, Andrew uses it to store the pictures of the ships he draws. To his surprise, he soon begins to receive letters in the pouch, asking for more weapons and equipment to use in battle. Andrew quickly realizes that what seems impossible is true—his drawings have become reality. Like the classic children’s fantasy novels, "The Chronicles of Narnia" and "Alice in Wonderland," "Drawn to Danger" by Jeff Burton allows its young hero to be pulled into a marvelous fantasy world, and it is one full of fun and excitement, but also danger.

In "Vampire Ascending," author Lorelei Bell has blended Gothic romance and fantasy with a modern setting to create a compelling new chapter in vampire lore. Drawing on literary vampire traditions and giving her own paranormal and clairvoyant twists to old stories, Bell has penned an intriguing page turner that delves into the passions and hopes, lusts and longings of the vampire heart. The main character, Sabrina, rather than being a vampire or a stereotypical female vampire ass-kicker, is a human unsure of herself, searching to make sense of who she is, a very human quest that will make Sabrina’s journey resonate with readers.

During the last Interglacial, more than 125,000 years ago, humans hybridized with the R'il'nai and spread across the galaxy to colonize other planets. Although they formed the Jarnian Confederation, they still depended on the R'il'nai for guidance and protection—not only from the Maungs but from each other. "Homecoming," by author Sue Ann Bowling, is a science fiction novel you won't want to miss. A boy must learn to accept his differences. The last survivor of a dying species seeks love. A woman struggles to retain her sanity after two hundred years alone. All must face the responsibilities of power.

With "Castlebots," author Terry Goudy is not simply writing entertainment fiction. He has chosen to write young adult adventure novels to inspire his readers. In a recent interview with Reader Views he stated, “Each reader, like Scott Freeman, in his or her own way can become an unsung hero, too, and live a life full of hope, purpose, and significance. This is a breaking news alert delivered through the gift of storytelling, that you have the opportunity to have a future and hope.” Like Scott Freeman who must overcome significant challenges, Goudy believes his readers can overcome challenges to become unsung heroes and to carve our their own futures for themselves. Young adult readers agree as the stories both entertain and inspire them to dream about what they might accomplish.

After spending years researching and pondering the story of Atlantis, author Robin Sutton has created a novel based around her own unique theory that the Atlanteans survived in the ocean, developed advanced technology to live underwater, and built the city of Ambrosia. The Bermuda Triangle’s mysteries can be explained by the superior technology of the Atlanteans and their efforts to protect their identity. That is—until one Ambrosian decides he wants to create a trade agreement with the land dwellers. "Ambrosia: Weapons Underworld" is a dynamic blend of fantasy and mythology combined with science-fiction technology. Readers are taken on an imaginative deep-sea adventure so compelling they will find it difficult to stop reading to come up for air. Robin Sutton delights in the unexpected; she refuses to write formulaic novels and instead keeps her readers guessing on every page. With vivid descriptions, imaginative technological marvels, and a startling revelation about one of earth’s greatest mysteries, "Ambrosia: Weapons Underworld" will both satisfy readers and leave them wanting more.

The first two books in the ITP series by author David Gelber are now available, "Future Hope" and "Joshua and Aaron." The stories belong to a genre that would best be called speculative fiction, or science fiction with thought provoking biblical themes. "Future Hope" speculates on the future of our Earth, what we are, what we may become and what we could have been. The story also offers commentary on the world we have made for ourselves, while it keeps you entertained. "Joshua and Aaron" continues with these themes while focusing on Joshua Smith's personal struggle and doubts about God and salvation.