Meyer Brant has lived in the Outlands his entire life. Sometimes Traders bring magical artifacts from the Great Realms and other far off lands, but otherwise he is removed from the kings, sorcerers and magical creatures of the world. Instead, Meyer's biggest concern is enduring his daily Martial Training--a necessity in Vanroc, a town which lives in constant fear of Raiders. Yet one day during a sparring session, Meyer experiences a moment of supernatural strength, and his life is changed forever...

************************************************************************************** An outcast rogue must break a curse put on his fate, or die on his nineteenth birthday. To survive, he'll need the sword of a maiden, the aid of an immortal, and the power of forbidden magic that could cost him the only girl he ever loved. ************************************************************************************ *** THE JACK OF SOULS won a Silver IPPY this year! *** THE JACK OF SOULS won 1st place in the PNWA Competition in Fantasy! * *** THE JACK OF SOULS won 1st place in the Southwest Writers competition! * *** A "Featured Book" on Wattpad! * *** Now a "Staff Pick" on Kickstarter! * *** Available on Amazon in paper, hardback, and ebook ! * *** My contract with Kindle Select won't allow me to post more than 3 chapters here, but... *** Sign up for my newsletter on stephenmerlino.com for alerts when it's free on Amazon! * MY INSPIRATION I wrote this out of pure love of trickster rogues; I love the wit over brawn motif -- Odysseus over Achilles, Raven over Eagle -- so I like to play with it in my stories. In JOS I set the rogue and con-artist Harric against a foil of warriors in a land threatened by magic and civil war. Whenever possible I turn familiar tropes on their heads: instead of a handsome young Lancelot, I cast a broken-down ex-champion addicted to pain-killing herbs; instead of a dashing Squire Brian, the old knight reluctantly takes an ambitious young woman as squire. Similarly, I re-imagine the standard medieval milieu by infusing aspects of two of my favorite historical periods, Elizabethan England, and The American Frontier. Both eras boast a kind of nationalistic arrogance that borders on hubris, and a magnificent spirit of resourcefulness and re-invention that is fun to play with. SERIES The Jack of Souls is first in a series. I am posting parts of the sequel here now (The Knave of Souls), to help me refine the story.

A princess by birth and a crazy mad lab inventor by choice. Coralynn would do her best not to follow what the duchess or her sister would guide in the path to be a 'proper' princess. Find out what happens when a girl who wanted the normal and didn't believe in glittery fairytales is pushed into a whirlwind comprising mystical creatures, hot Werewolves, deceiving demons and dazzling Vampires after being engaged to one handsome King of a Vampire kingdom, His Highness Byron Walton. _______________________

Rowena Flores has problems...and we're not just talking about her anger management issues. After cursing her cheating ex-boyfriend, this home goods cashier's life is turned upside down when a pack of werewolf shifters accuse her of being a murdering witch. Will Rowena ever prove she's not a witch? Will the hunky pack alpha ask her out? More importantly, will she clear her name before she's burned at the stake? A Not So Cozy Mystery Series: Book I: Good Witch, Bad Alpha Book II: Never Cheat a Witch Book III: Oh, Shift! *cover made with Canva

The Goblin's Trilogy #1 After being raised by her three criminal brothers, Matilda is used to stealing what she wants. However, when she picks the wrong person's pocket, she, unfortunately, wins the attentions of the goblin king, or well, prince actually. In one fell swoop, her life shifts and a thief is made a queen. The queen of a hoard of nasty, ugly, vile creatures with a taste for chaos. Surprisingly, she finds that this arrangement suits her just fine. But even the goblin queen's crown might not be enough to slate Matilda's greed as she sets her sights on overthrowing Queen Mab and becoming ruler over the entire Unseelie Court. ---- Author's note: I'm shooting to update every Thursday or Friday, depending on my work schedule. Happy reading and beware of goblins. Beautiful cover is courtesy of @thisrosewillneverdie

Narrowly escaping an attack by wolves, Jaylin Maxwell is driven towards the alluring Quentin Bronx. Together, they unleash the beast inside Jaylin's heart. ***** Jaylin Maxwell has a strange relationship with wolves. They've saved his life before, but they're coming after him now. Attacked again, he only survives with the assistance of Quentin Bronx, a handsome man who brings his own wolf to the battle. Quentin is drawn to Jaylin, and despite their romantic tension, Quentin reveals a dangerous truth: there is a monster inside Jaylin, a monster that the wolves of the East are coming for. Under Quentin's guidance, Jaylin learns of his monstrous nature. Struggling to gain power over his body, and over his heart as he falls for the alpha protecting him, Jaylin prepares for the ultimate battle against the monsters coming for him-and the one inside himself. [[Winner of the 2018 Fiction Awards!]] [[word count: 150,000-200,000 words]]

The harsh winters and freezing blizzards of the tundra are all familiar to Anyu. Living amongst her tribe in the frozen wasteland, she has learned to survive and fend for herself. But when she is lost in a strange blizzard, Anyu finds herself in a world of creatures, spirits, and magic that she has only heard of in legends. Led by her mysterious guide Kano, Anyu searches for a way back home. But before she can leave, she will have to discover the truth about herself and the land she calls home. What has Anyu's tribe been keeping hidden? What is her connection to this strange new world? And what are the secrets hidden beneath the ice? Highest Ranking: #44 in Fantasy Cover by @KatrinHollister

Four empires united by a powerful authority known as the "Magic Council", has reigned over the four corners of the earth for nearly a century. East, West, North, and South. These four empires are formally known as... "The Compass of Casters." The Compass controls the rotation of the earth and keeps peace and balance throughout the world. However, there's one empire that is feared greatly by both humans and casters, an empire that reigns over the eastern lands titled, "The Sacrificial Casters" or "Saki's". When a bloodline of this empire obtains the title of full-fledged Caster; normally called True-Caster, they've exceeded the boundaries of magic and can use it without the use of "Monarian" language. There is a catch however. In order to obtain the title of True-Caster, a person of equal blood must be slain. Thus, aiming to obtain that title in the Saki Empire has been forbidden by the magic council. Those who had tried to obtain it after the law was set in place, were mercilessly executed. Our story begins with the birth of a baby, one that carries the blood of a Saki and became full-fledged at it's birth. Created by: Dimonlee Moore (@x_caster) Cover by: K. Weikel (@renesmeewolfe)

Sam is the most promising swordsman among this year’s crop of Paladin trainees...and knows it. Brash, cocky, and unbeatable with a sword (well, almost), Sam is the kingdom of Thule’s best hope against the violence wrought by demons. The only problem is that Sam is really Lady Samantha, daughter of the seventeenth Duke of Haywood, and if her father has his way, she’ll be marrying a Paladin, not becoming one. But Sam has never held much interest in playing damsel-in-distress, and so she rescues herself from a lifetime of boredom and matrimonial drudgery. Pity that Tristan Lyons, the Paladin assigned to train her, is none other than the hero of her childhood. He hasn’t recognized her as Lady Samantha--yet-- but if he does, he’ll take away her sword and send her packing. Sam is not the only trainee hiding secrets: Braeden is a half-demon with a dark past that might be unforgivable. Sam, Braeden and Tristan set out for the western coast, charged with rooting out an infestation of demons that has made the West unlivable. As they travel, they uncover a deep-seated corruption of power that threatens to derail everything they stand for. Rebellion stirs, led by a rival faction of warriors who tempt Sam to join them with an irresistible offer. A war between men is coming, and Sam must pick a side. Will saving the kingdom cost her life -- or just her heart? Reminiscent of Mulan, but with a medieval fantasy twist, Paladin is a tale of adventure, action, and romance.