“Like the howl of an accordion—half sorrow and half joy, wondrous and exquisite—these stories squeezed my heart.” —Sandra Cisneros, author of "The House on Mango Street" * In "Once More to the River," Erasmo Guerra writes a moving account of his boyhood on the Texas-Mexico border. An award-winning novelist and journalist, Guerra explores present-day political and cultural realities, and recounts the shattering loss his family suffered when his teenage sister was murdered. Told with lyrical prose and a reporter’s ear for the “Tex-Mex” language of the region, these stories capture the voices of South Texas. By turns humorous and haunting, powerful and tender, this collection is an intensely personal chronicle of tragedy and the triumph of survival.

Writing a novel and getting it published: That's your goal. And nothing will keep you from making it happen. Such a goal, of course, presents a number of challenges. Make sure you have the tools you need to overcome them and succeed. In THE NOVEL WRITER'S TOOLKIT, NY Times Best-Selling author Bob Mayer shares a veteran writer's hard-won advice with a style that's straight from the hip. He lays out the nuts and bolts of novel writing, along with guidelines for starting, finishing and revising your work. You'll learn how to: Develop story-worthy ideas Translate those ideas into a compelling plot -- one that keeps readers mesmerized Pace your story for maximum excitement Create realistic, complicated characters Submit attention-getting manuscripts Self-contained chapters make it easy to focus on the just the elements you need. Take in the advice, sharpen your skills, and hit the ground running. Mayer provides all the reliable information and instruction you need to make your dreams of publication come true. What are you waiting for? THE NOVEL WRITER'S TOOLKIT ensures that you're properly equipped for success! “A book to inspire, instruct and challenge the writer in everyone.” #1 NY Times Best-Selling Author Susan Wiggs "An invaluable resource for beginning and seasoned writers alike. Don't miss out." #1 NY Times Best-Selling Author Terry Brooks

According to Rayea, the oldest daughter of Satan, the origin of vampires started in Hell, and it started with her. Rayea isn't daddy's little girl, even if he is the most powerful fallen angel around. He wants her to take an active role in the family business. But she's not interested in his schemes for world domination. When Rayea is turned into a vampire, her adventure begins. Blick, her best friend (pretending to be a hellhound/werewolf) rescues her from a horrible eternity with her father and evil sister, Stephanie. They escape to the House of G where Rayea hopes to find peace among Blick's angelic friends until her father comes for her. After Rayea kills her father, everyone believes the worst is over. A relieved Rayea travels to Earth and finally meets her fantasy heartthrob, the actor Ashton Taylor. Rayea is preoccupied with her vacation, her friends, and her new romance until she learns that Blick is deathly ill. Will she be able to save him in time? The first 3 installments of the Vampire from Hell series are included here. They are as follows: - - - (Part 1) The Beginning - - - (Part 2) A Vampire Among Angels - - - (Part 3) A Vampire On Vacation Reading Level: 13 and Up Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Special thanks to Wattpad for letting my book be on the Featured Page beginning January 29th, 2014! Copyright 2011-2013 by Ally Thomas. All Rights Reserved. Cover Design by Cora Graphics. Learn more at http://www.allythomas.com

Disastrous dates to avoid.

What happens when ancient magic collides with the internet? One thing is certain, modern life will never be the same again. A thousand years ago, a young thief, Tung, and a disgraced wizard, Madrick, are thrust together in an executioner's dungeon. In the darkness, Madrick reveals an incredible secret about a legendary spell. The great spell helps them escape their prison cell... and eventually their century. Catapulted into the present day, their lives collide with Michael, a computer hacker who plans to destroy the world's largest bank. But sinister people are tracking their every move and they will stop at nothing to steal their spell. **Please note, for copyright reasons, the complete story has not been published here.

Casual Friday is the story of hit man John Lago’s very first assignment as a recruit with Human Resources, Inc., a placement agency that sends assassins, disguised as interns, to take out high-level targets under cover of corporate invisibility. John will go on to become the most successful “intern” in HR’s history. You can read more about his career in The Intern’s Handbook

The Magnetron Chronicles, Volume 1 Phineas Magnetron is an eccentric Nineteenth Century inventor blessed with a strange gift he doesn't completely understand. As a former soldier and current member of the Hogalum Society, an inscrutable secret organization of crime fighting adventurers, Phineas is no stranger to peril and derring-do. But when the Society founder dies, Phineas embarks on a daring and improbable caper to bring the good doctor's greatest dream to fruition posthumously. In the process, he not only horrifies his Society brothers, but unearths a haunting and compelling mystery. About The Magnetron Chronicles: The Magnetron Chronicles is a serialized steampunk tale told in the grandiose style of Jules Verne, but with satirical Twainian wit. Chapter by chapter, the story builds as quirky new characters join the fray and perplexing new mysteries and situations arise. Traveling the globe, Phineas Magnetron and his Hogalum Society encounter suspicious policemen, mentally ill criminals, wood-craving aliens, a witch doctor, a mad oracle, and a cross-dressing female matador, among many others. However, this "steam dream team" always manages to triumph over impossible odds and improbable obstacles as they preserve order in a disorderly world. More information: http://themagnetronchronicles.blogspot.com

"Jane Eyre" follows the emotions and experiences of its eponymous character, including her growth to adulthood, and her love for Mr. Rochester, the byronic master of fictitious Thornfield Hall.

WHAT'S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN? With the nursing home about to close for good, can a grumpy old man find a killer—and figure out his relationship with his new lady friend—before all the suspects move away? Read this novel on your Kindle Fire, iPad, tablet or smart phone! Get the free app here: http://www.wattpad.com/getmobile

SNAP, a multinational celeb TV show and magazine, is the holy grail for Maxie Gwenoch. When she snags the job as managing editor, she’s looking for fame, fortune and Jimmy Choos. What she finds is a media empire owned by Baron Kandesky and his family. A family of vampires. They’re European, urbane, wealthy and mesmerizing. And when she meets Jean-Louis, vampire and co-worker, she’s a goner. The Kandesky vampire family rose in Hungary centuries ago. They gave up violence and killing to make a killing on the world’s commodities markets and with that beginning they built SNAP, an international celebrity multimedia empire. Now cultured…and having found food substitutes for killing…they’ve cornered the world market for celebrity and gossip journalism. They haven’t fully left the past behind. Their Hungarian neighbors and rival vampire clan, the Huszars are starting to ramp up attacks, maybe looking to start a war to take over all the Kandeskys have built. Maxie believes she’s found her ultimate career. She doesn’t realize that she’s found a family feud like none other, a centuries-old rivalry between vampire families, with her as the linchpin. Bells ring with Jean-Louis, but she doesn’t realize they’re alarm sirens until she learns that Jean-Louis is second in command of the Kandeskys…but by then it’s too late.