************************************************************************************** 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.

When dragons brawl after millennia of peace, Aeris loses her entire family in the ensuing war. After ten years of hiding underground from powerful families seeking her Draconian blood, Aeris's hopes for restoring balance depend on reviving her family's fallen dragon Khaus. As a vengeful voice invades her head, Aeris resolves to destroy the man who took away everything. Soon, her mind and body are not her own and she finds herself a pawn in a dragon's game since the dawn of time. Humans are not her only enemies... Content warning: This story contains some violence and death. [[Winner of the Wattys 2014]] [[Winner of the "Junior Award" as Second Place in The Write Awards 2014]] [[Featured fantasy book by Wattpad]]

Acting normal is not the same as being normal. No one knows that truth better than Suthe Montikwe. Born with the unlucky genes of a distant druith ancestor, she's had to hide her talents in order not to be outcast by society. Her strategy is to smile, keep quiet, and work hard. While that method may keep her safe, it's also alienated her from her neighbors and friends, and the worry that she may be discovered is never far from her thoughts. When her country sends out a warrant to capture anyone who practices magic, Suthe is forced to seek refuge elsewhere, all the while wondering at the sudden proclamation. Why has the government taken an interest in her, and when will she be able to return home? Unsatisfied with her lack of answers, Suthe decides to investigate. But the more she looks, the deeper she gets herself into trouble, and she comes to realize that this mystery does not involve her country alone. The threat of war looms on the horizon, and Suthe will need to put her trust in the strangers she meets, including a dangerous spy wanted for the betrayal of his own country. But most importantly, Suthe will need to trust herself, and her abilities, if she ever wants to see home again. ~*~Current cover by Amanda-Mae ~*~ ~*~Previous cover by italychick~*~

In the future, everyone who's bitten by a zombie turns into one... until Diane doesn't. Seven days later, she's facing consequences she never imagined. * * * * * As civilization collapses under a relentless wave of zombies, Diane and her friends take shelter in a military base. However, while she's rescuing another survivor, Diane gets bitten by one of the monsters. She hides it and runs away, knowing she only has days left to live. But she soon discovers she isn't turning into a zombie - she's turning into something else. --------- Excerpt: I looked up and stared. My reflection looked back at me in the mirror of the dark room. My eyes were literally glowing, there was no mistaking it. It was not a reflection of light, or any of the other excuses I had used or others had assumed. They were glowing a light sapphire blue color. It was not a bright glow, but it was definitely a glow. Glowing eyes were not normal. Okay, at this point I had to admit it, I was no longer normal. What was I then? For that, I had no answer [[Word count: 495,000]] Copyright August 2016. All Rights Reserved. Readers may not copy, alter, or steal this story. Fanfictions are allowed to use my *world* and *zombie rules* as long as credit is given. Cover was lovingly made by JimenaVivancoo.

There was a time when the king of the human world raged war between humans and dragonkind, forcing their rulers to seal the portal between both worlds and leave the one thing they loved above all else behind. Now, in a land full of turmoil, one huntress learns of her bloodline and how she alone has the ability to harness her dragon's power and save both lands. Will she be able to free the human citizens from their tyrant leader and save her own people from extinction? Or will she fall prey to those wanting to use her powers for their own greed? *Currently working on re-writes of this story. Will be awhile* -3/14/23 *Cover is made by Christina aka Surehuinel from deviantart.com, her work is amazing please check it out http://surehuinel.deviantart.com/

[Featured Story and Wattpad Prize Winner 2014] When Malachi, an exiled murder, activates a magic relic and duplicates his world, he uses his newly found power to win over the Larks, dog-like creatures from the North. Seeking to locate his missing daughter and plot revenge on those responsible for her disappearance, Malachi marches south, leaving destruction in his wake. Whik Winfield, a young, adventurous Hemonstalian, is swept up in the chaos. He escapes with fellow survivors to the mysterious island of Sebolt, leaving everything he knew behind, including his best friend Sonora. Whik hoped peace could be restored in his new home, but when he finds a mysterious device and creates a world of his own, his troubles double. Can Whik understand how to wield his world-building power before Malachi takes it all away? When the path of worlds can change with a shift in the wind, Whik learns that all second chances come with a price. This dark fantasy novel interweaves Whik's story at ages 9 and 17, as he comes to terms with creating another him, attempts to stop the fall of his nation from a ruthless murderer, and realizes that in order to save the girl he loves in one world, he may have to die in another.

"As I laid on the filthy mat, my white hair fanning out like a halo around my head, I felt that ice inside of me fester. It grew and spread until it spanned across my entire body. It engulfed every thought inside my head, every feeling that was bubbling up inside of me. Like a virus. The cold quieted it all, until everything was still and silent... Until I felt nothing at all." Eira Gellert's world comes crumbling down as her sister is forced to leave for the army. Now alone and desperate, Eira looks for a job in a society where if you don't have a job by nineteen you either go into the army or starve. When searching, Eira stumbles across a woman claiming to be a half fae in charge of a spy rebellion going against the king of the fae kingdom "Hiraeth". She offers Eira a job to work as a spy for her. Eira reluctantly agrees, knowing she has no other options. But the deal does not come without a price, to enter the fae kingdom, Eira must become fae. Now equipped with uncommon powers and other fae abilities, Eira is thrust into a world she's only ever heard fairy tales about. One's with evil kings and dark crowns and warriors made of wings and fire. There, she meets Sable Deidre, the king's killer. He is made of darkness and known for his brutality. Can she overcome her fear of this new life and the killer before her, or will his shadows swallow her whole? THE FIRST BOOK IN THE CHRONICLES OF KINGS TRILOGY -Warning: mature content -This book does have future plans for publishing. All my ideas are my own, please do not copy or steal them- -Cover art: Elena Sai -I want to get this book traditionally published, so it will be taken down eventually-

Born with glowing green eyes. Destined for rotten luck. Peasant girl Meya Hild was 'given' the opportunity to become a Lady. At swordpoint. By mercenaries. Engaged to a dying nobleman. Poisoned with one month to live. Tasked to loot a castle. In a kingdom running out of resources. Little did Meya know this shenanigan would lead her across land and over sea, from a mountain made of sapphire to an island shrouded in spiral clouds, with masquerades, heists, kidnappings, shipwrecks, alchemy, romance, and an unexpected 'bump' along the way. Let the misery begin. 🐉 🎯 PROGRESS: Book One (Chpt. 1 - 65): 100% Book Two (Chpt. 66 - 125): 100% Bingers, YOUR TIME HAS COMETH. Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7iYf3f78K4QInWwpz6z3Mp?si=35Rt2vgkTryCM3vD9eKVXA&pi=cE-JGby3RgeKW 🎨 Cover: @NamtanTangren / Namtan [糖人] https://www.deviantart.com/tangrennamtan 📋 Content Guidelines: Most chapters are safe for work/school. Chapters containing intimate scenes will be marked with ❣️ Although not depicted explicitly, this story touches on mature subject matter such as depression and suicide, drug addiction and overdose, human trafficking, organ harvesting, abortion and rape. It's also loosely based on medieval times, and some scientific misbeliefs (concerning health and pregnancy, etc.) are present. Young readers are urged to use discretion. ⭐ DOs & DON'Ts ⭐ 💖DO: Add LUMINOUS to your library & follow me so you don't miss any updates! 💖DO: Comment away! I love answering them. Please be polite and respectful! 💖DO: If you enjoyed Meya's adventure, spread the word! 🚫DON'T: SKIP THE PROLOGUE! You have been warned by the dragons that be that you will regret it! Why don't I just rename it "Chapter 1"? BECAUSE PROLOGUE SOUNDS COOLER!

"*Completed*"I froze the first boy I ever kissed. And I don't mean he got cold feet..." Megan is pretty unhappy when she's forced to move to a tiny, freezing town in Canada. It's going to be totally boring, right? Things heat up when she discovers that she possesses a growing power that's becoming more and more difficult to control. Not only that, but the power has attracted some interesting people. A smouldering young man who claims to be her rescuer, and his icy but attractive enemy. They're both claiming to be the good guy, so who exactly is she supposed to trust? Megan finds herself embroiled in an ancient battle between two kingdoms, slowly discovering an identity she never knew she had. Cover designed by Marie Tilmant

[12 Chapter Preview of 2019 Edition-2025 Edition Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble] When an army of darkness falls from the sky, Alex Kingsley enlists the help of her male peers and ventures into spirit-infested lands to save humanity. ***** She's an outcast cursed to consume the memories of anything she touches. A woman fated to repopulate the nation's army. A breeder barred from the sword. And she's desperate for a taste of freedom. So when a tournament is held to recruit the army's best candidates, Alex Kingsley does what she does best: she intervenes. But it's only after dark forces are unleashed upon humanity that Alex finally has the chance to prove herself -- and put her curse to good use. ***** 2020 Watty Award Winner: Fantasy 1st Place Admiration Awards 2020: Fantasy