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Hiking with Shark Tooth
My sweetie and I are hiking from our house to Skyline Ridge and maybe even to the Pacific Ocean. But I have a disabling nerve disease, so we must hike in very small segments. Read the first installment of our adventure here. And although I’ve gotten way behind in posting about the hike, I’ve at last posted another installment here.
Safe as Houses For Free on Royal Road
At the request of a friend, I’m posting a chapter a week of Safe as Houses for you to read for free on the online fiction site Royal Road. Here’s a link to it. Enjoy!
Also, I’ve started a new story and I’ve decided to put it on Royal Road rather than my own web site. Here’s a link to the new story, which is called Tiffany.
Rose and the Mountain Goblin: a New Novel for Younger Readers!
I’ve just published Rose and the Mountain Goblin, my first novel for younger readers (though adults have found it good light-hearted fun too). Here’s a snippet:
The Goblin’s pointy cap poked up from the bottom of the window, giving Rose time to pretend to be asleep before his face appeared.
He wouldn’t try to come in the window: the can of paint was loaded and ready to dump on him. She wondered how he’d try to get in tonight.
Shrew-bah, shrew-bah, shrew-bah… He was sawing a hole in the wall! Rose sighed: her beautiful wall with the mural she had painted with Daddy and Mommy! She’d have to fix it before she could sleep. Her eyes narrowed and she got the goo can ready…
Rose is a little girl who thinks scary monsters are fun. She uses brains, magic and her knowledge of quirky science nuggets to defeat the evil mountain goblin. Right under the surface is a lot of good stuff about empowerment and acceptance. Rose and the Mountain Goblin is fun for all ages and makes a great read-aloud for younger kids – I’ve performed oral versions at day cares and kids have loved it.
If you’ve got Kindle Unlimited, the Kindle version is free! Otherwise you can buy it as a paperback here for $3.95 or a Kindle version here for just 99 cents.
If you like the book enough to give it four or five stars, you’d help me out a lot by leaving a review on Amazon. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, just your opinion of the book and maybe what your favorite scene was or who your favorite character was and why.
Andrea Novis, my First Novel
Andrea Novis, first published here on this website in a somewhat different form, is now a Kindle book. You can buy the Kindle edition here. There is also a paperback edition available here. In the meantime, their rules require that I leave only 10% of the older free version on my web site. Here’s a link to the first two chapters, which you can read for free.
Here’s a brief description of the novel: “Princess Andrea Novis is locked in the dungeon of King Markul’s castle. But an ancient prophecy says she will restore the enchanted land of Elemar, lost ages ago. How can she keep her sanity in total darkness and escape to fulfill her destiny? A tale of magic with just a bit of spice.”
The published version is considerably expanded and explores the characters much more deeply.
Safe as Houses, my Ongoing Vampire Tale
If you’re checking my stories out for the first time, the bulk of what’s on this site is my novel “Safe as Houses,” a quirky, character-driven vampire story. The Table of Contents lists all the chapters in their proper order. Or you can just plunge in with the first story in the series, Safe as Houses. You can also click here for a quick synopsis of the story so far. Or if you want something really touching and don’t mind spoilers, read my favorite episode. Here’s another favorite episode, exciting and action packed with a crazy surprise twist at the end (followed up on in an amusing way here.)
When you finish a chapter, you’ll see a line of buttons that you can use to share that chapter on Facebook, Twitter and several other places. So if you like what you read, let other people read it too! Also, please consider voting for “Safe as Houses” at TopWebFiction.com. And here’s a link to the glowing 4.5-star review of my story on webfictionguide.com.
The first three volumes of the novel have been published on Amazon.com. Here are links to Volume I: Inside Job (Kindle edition or paperback), Volume II: Outside (Kindle edition or paperback) and Volume III: Homes, Invasions (only available in Kindle edition). Volume IV is only on the website for now but coming as a Kindle book soon. I’ll finish Volume V eventually…
Nonfiction: Memories of Harbin Hot Springs
Did you love Harbin Hot Springs, that beautiful clothing-optional oasis which burned to ashes so recently? I’ve just posted a set of memories which should provoke a lot of “Oh my, I remember that so well…” Read my article here. I also publish articles from time to time on various topics. Here’s a list of all the current stuff.
Other Fiction
I’m most drawn to sci-fi and fantasy. I do like hard sci-fi and I try to make sure all the science is completely accurate. Here’s an example of my hard sci-fi. I also write weird fantasy. Fantasy doesn’t have to be all swords and sorcerers; it’s fantasy, isn’t it? I’m working on a grownup story about kids climbing a gigantic tidal wave made of blue jelly and a story about a world shaped like a giant spiral. Those aren’t up on the web site yet.
There’s also The Sky is Made of Stone, a hard science fiction short story with an idea I don’t think I’ve seen anywhere else. When Mac hears that an asteroid is approaching his world, he goes out to catch it with his bare hands. I’m pretty sure I got all the math and science right, but feel free to pick any holes you find.
Our lives have mature content. So do my stories. They’re not erotica but sex, violence and strong language shows up if truly part of the story. You might read 20 pages without a single f-word or naked buttock, then find yourself in a firestorm of passion.
My Other Hats
Storyteller: I’m also a professional storyteller. Click here to go to my storytelling website. (Note: there’s no direct link back here. That site is 100% family friendly.)
Math and Science Tutor: On the left side of my brain, I tutor high school and college level math and science. Click here to go to my tutoring website. (Again, no direct link back here.)