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

This is the sequel to The Jack of Souls. As of today, March 12, 2017, it is95% complete. S

[COMICS OUT NOW!] What's worse than going to school? Going to school for knights in another world! After accidentally witnessing a woman killing a demon in the streets of Boston, Valeriana is kidnapped and forced to enroll in the magical Celeste Academy. It would've been great if she fit right in, but while everyone's calling upon fireballs and tornadoes, she's stuck being the only human in class! Surely demons can wait from destroying the world until she gets her life together, right? |Wattpad version is complete, but is otherwise an old draft. For the revised and edited one, please go to mylovelywtiter.co|

PUBLISHED UNDER CLOAK POP FICTION I am Aramis Rayne. Immortal. Full-time familiar. Short-term goal: Rescue my boss from total annihilation. And how to do that? I'm going to need a miracle.

It is publicly acknowledged that no girl in New Britain is as disciplined, heuristically accomplished or politically adept as an Academy girl. The institution's long held reputation for producing the most intelligent, devastatingly beautiful women with personalities as beguiling as their charm and wits sparked public interest for centuries. When Laurel is gifted a scholarship and transported inside its golden gates she is forced to dabble in lies and secret escapades whilst rubbing shoulders with the the creme de la creme of high society. Before long, the headmistress presents her with a special assignment as she does each girl, only it is the greatest undertaking of her life. "Dark Haven Academy is pleased to have you as one of it's own." ©hannahfoxx 2018

Can a natural killer learn to be human again? Regan's unique talent for murder makes her a perfect assassin. After a lethal encounter leaves her broken body washed up on a beach, she finds herself adopted by a group of teenage bodyguards. She doesn't intend to stay for long, but soon Regan finds herself faced with a choice: become a hero or stay a villain? *** The boy played with the flat brim of the cap in his hands and looked around the room. He sat back in his chair, trying to look casual, but the heel of his hi-top sneaker drummed rapidly on the concrete floor. Regan sat opposite him with her legs crossed and her hands folded on her tartan skirt. She watched him without a word and brushed a strand of blue-dyed hair behind her ear. Somehow this seemed to unsettle him more. 'Calm down,' she said. 'It's just murder.' *** Author's Note: Darkness Girl: Trickster God is represented by Louise Fury from The Bent Agency. P.S. The epic cover was made by Paul Kopetko (you can stalk him at paulkopetko.com). Enjoy!

Faye is used to being set against the mysterious monsters known as Aed. She has dealt with those they give power to, the Aedly, for all of her life. Unfortunately this time her enemies are just people, and for the first time in a long time Faye is alone. And she knows from experience that people can be the worst kind of monsters.

Callista is a tomboy but soon finds herself in a world of royalty and magic. Callista must learn to cope with her new world, new responisbilities, her grandmother's family, A father she's never known and the dangers that surround her. Love, Danger, Adventure, Magic, and even Humor.