Highest ranking in Fantasy 28. Vincent was a traveller. He had visited most of the important cities and towns in the entire Empire. He had encountered men of greatness, men of cowardice and experience had taught him well how to differentiate among them, for the latter usually chose to wear the mask of the former. He had witnessed the alchemists, the mages, the dark magicians, the masters, the mind readers, the knights. He had been fortunate enough to appreciate the play of the gladiators from the pits and the lances in tourneys. Vincent had watched men fly, tame wildest creatures, walk on water. In fact, he was of the opinion, which most would agree was well founded, that he had seen enough for a single lifetime. But what Vincent the blacksmith saw next, created a memory so deep, that others seemed to fade. An unbelievable incident occurred in the little town of Andlenore. But the consequences of that incident, were not limited to the town. The ripples spread like wildfire.

Ten years have passed since darkness cloaked the Whispering Woods. Madness awaits all who enter. Tamberlain. A small trading town on the border of the woods scrapes by with what they can from farming the eastern fields and fishing Lac Dualdon. A place four companions-once bound by adventure, magic and gold-call home. Otis Stonesinger is a Dwarf healer and military strategist. Haygen takes pride in his mother's human side, but has learned to embrace his barbaric Orc heritage. The Faeling, Wesley Whiteknuckle is an orphan raised in a world of Assassination and Thievery. Finally, Kayla, a mystical Elf, is trained in the magic arts. Spread far across the land of Lyborna for a much-needed rest, a tragedy brings the four friends back to Tamberlain only to be thrust into a war they never saw coming. What brings this new evil to the land? The Whispering Woods hold the answers. Book #1 of the Companions series. [Completed]

Young,sixteen year old Ali was an athlete,and she made amazing grades. She was living a great life,she still had both of her parents,a little nine year old brother named Sam. Ali had shoulder length hair,it was also blonde. She also had dark brown eyes. Sam has brown hair and green eyes. Ali,and Sam were at school one day,the last class of the day,when it happens. Ali was just talking to her friends,Ashley,Dylan,and then all the usual is gone. All Rights Reserved

Just a bunch of urban legends and scary stories.

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