Piercing The Veil

In the six kingdoms of Paikmeriz, the elves and humans hold onto a fragile peace. Distrust, a hunger for power, and a burning desire for revenge now threaten a return to war. As an ancient and powerful evil rises over the land, only a troubled swordmaster may be able to prevent the bloodshed. 
The fires of revenge burn deep within Engerahin Lovdiena, a talented swordmaster who plots to repay the savage acts of a despotic king. After witnessing the death of his friend, and the imprisonment of the warrior's father, only retribution can temper his tortured soul. 
As the six kingdoms seek to unify under one ruler, Engerahin must temper his vengeful wrath when he is charged with protecting Arywin, the beautiful elven princess who may be the only hope of uniting the kingdoms of Paikmeriz. But there are those who wish to cling to their power and former glories. Corrupted by the poisonous words of his scheming advisor, the brutal and remorseless human King Gerahim of Warling seeks to extinguish the first rays of peace and hope. 
The enemies at home aren't the only threat, with rumors and fearful whispers that an ancient evil has re-awakened, threatening death and destruction across the land. Can Engerahin and Arywin succeed in bringing the kingdoms of Paikmeriz to stand together, or will their division lead to their inevitable downfall?

A short story by O. Henry first published in 1905. The story tells of a young husband and wife and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money. It is a sentimental story with a moral lesson about gift-giving.

Jonathan Barrett lets his greed ignore the warning of a watery grave and pays the consequences.

Casey's Angels is a short story that illustrates the unwavering love and fierce loyalty of dogs. 
It's told through the humble eyes of Casey, a sixteen year old Golden Retriever with the ability to smell angels and demons. Like most dogs, Casey is protective of his human and vows to keep him safe from harm at all costs. Though age has taken its toll on him physically, it has also brought him wisdom and enhanced his ability to sniff out good and evil. 
A condensed version of this story won a coveted top ten spot in the 2017 Florida Writer's Association Anthology. The publication's theme was "What A Character". Casey is a memorable character. He demonstrates that not all heroes don armor or wear capes. Some may have floppy ears and a furry coat. 
Don't let appearances fool you, beneath his golden coat beats the bravest and purest of hearts.

These pieces were all written as part of community contests. It's been great fun writing these shorts, and I'm happy to share them all with you. Some have a deeper message, and some are just fun (I'll let you decide which are which). Some are set in more fantastical worlds than others, but all have at least a mythical creature. Honestly, life is just more fun when you add in a dragon—whether it's your friend or foe.

Speed dating nights at the Apple Martini Lounge bring out all the usual suspects.... like a dozen insecure guys and, of course, Eddie Ridell. Eddie's a regular participant who's only interest is to hook-up for the night and not get involved in any serious relationships. 
Loud, cocky and obnoxious, Eddie's always confident he'll beat his male competition and win a date with the prettiest woman in the bar. But tonight, there's a handsome guy who enters the competition and poses a threat to Eddie. To turn up the heat even more, two new ladies have joined the event. Eddie's immediately mesmerized by one in particular - a long, lean, raven-haired beauty. But he's unsure if he's impressed her with his good looks. 
Determined to win a date with her, he pours on the charm and tries his best to convince this sensual lady he can satisfy her appetite for love