Modern Fiction

Short stories by Kalin Ringkvist that are (mostly) not science fiction, each with an introduction by the author. In the Name of Justice - A 14 year old who tries methamphetamine for the first time and witnesses a suicide for which he is soon blamed. Canned Air - A rebellious and foul-mouthed fourth grader and his inhalant addicted mother try to decide if they want to ditch his grandfather's funeral for some mother-son bonding. Foreman at a Racism Factory - It's not easy developing the implants that will orchestrate the next race war. Both Sides of the Story - Two children watch their ...

Scratch Sullivan just wanted to survive the apocalypse in peace...but when the undead bring their war right to his doorstep, it's time to ranger up and rain hell down on his enemies! It's been eight years since the bombs fell and the dead rose, and the world has become a very dangerous place. But unlike most folks, former Army Ranger Scratch Sullivan is getting by just fine. Sure, it's hell on earth, but Scratch seems to fit in. He makes his living by hunting the dead, vampires and zombies alike, with the odd revenant thrown in for good measure.

Jim Loney is a mixed-blood, of White and Indian parentage. Estranged from both communities, he lives a solitary, brooding existence in a small Montana town. His nights are filled with disturbing dreams that haunt his waking hours. Rhea, his lover, cannot console him; Kate, his sister, cannot penetrate his world. In sparse, moving prose, Welch has crafted a riveting tale of disenfranchisement.

When tyranny tightens its grip, ordinary people rise up. Maidan Revolution is a searing work of historical fiction inspired by the real-life events of Ukraine’s 2013–2014 Revolution of Dignity. Set during one of the most explosive uprisings in modern European history, this powerful novella follows a disillusioned American war photographer who returns to Kyiv—a city he once loved—only to be swept into the firestorm of a nation’s fight for freedom. Through the lens of his camera, he documents more than just conflict—he captures courage, sacrifice, and a people’s refusal to be ...

This is an updated version for all ages retold in wonderful storytelling fashion. John Bunyan was a simple maker and mender of pots and pans who received very little education. In spite of that, he penned the most successful allegory ever written. Embark on a perilous journey with Christian, the lead character, from the City of Destruction to the luminous safe haven of the Celestial City. The journey will encourage you to “set your hope fully on the grace to be given you” amidst the obstacles of life.

A ravishing young mind reader stalks the streets at night in kitten heels, prowling for men to murder. A soft-spoken genius toils away in the city morgue, desperate to unearth the science behind his gift for shape-shifting. It’s a match made in 1928 Chicago, where gangsters run City Hall, jazz fills the air, and every good girl’s purse conceals a flask.

An allegorical story of World War I set in the trenches in France and dealing ostensibly with a mutiny in a French regiment.

Gripping and compassionate, Land of Big Numbers traces the journeys of the diverse and legion Chinese people, their history, their government, and how all of that has tumbled—messily, violently, but still beautifully—into the present. Cutting between clear-eyed realism and tongue-in-cheek magical realism, Chen’s stories coalesce into a portrait of a people striving for openings where mobility is limited.

Detective Andrew Logan hears that Detective Antonia Oliver is back in town. It’s been four years since they were involved in a hot, heavy, and steamy affair. Andrew’s life gets complicated when Toni is assigned as his new partner. Paired together, they try hard to ignore the sexual chemistry that’s stronger than ever between them. One homicide investigation turns deadly and Toni’s life is in danger. Andrew goes into action, determined to protect the woman he’s trying his damnedest not to fall in love with.

After her troublemaker mother’s mysterious death, Kira fled her wealthy Texas town and never looked back. Now, decades later, Kira is invited to an old frenemy’s vow renewal celebration Though she is reluctant to go, there are things pulling her home. . . like chilled wine and days spent by the pool . . . like sexy Jack, her childhood crush. But more important are the urgent texts from her grandmother, who says she has something for Kira. Something related to her mother’s death, something that makes it look an awful lot like murder.

A standalone paranormal romance… Twenty-Three: I was created to serve the king. I’m supposed to be a vegetarian virgin spending all my life reading motivational scrolls and working out. The others think of me as the troublemaker because I was the first one to sneak women into our room. When the king dies and it comes time to flee for our lives, I convince them to run. What happens next is nothing we could ever have expected: a new world, a place where the sun shines and there are people without magic. And then I meet her, my Isolde. Isolde thinks I’m just a mage named Alaric. She ...

We live within the ruins of an ancient civilization whose size has rendered it invisible. Remembered in myth as Atlantis, Lemuria, or other lost world archetypes, the remains of this advanced civilization have lain buried for millennia beneath the deserts and oceans of the world. Investigating the perennial myth of a forgotten fountainhead of civilization, J. Douglas Kenyon presents extensive physical and spiritual evidence of a lost great culture, the collective amnesia that wiped it from planetary memory, and the countless ways ancient catastrophes still haunt modern civilization.

My new teacher had a very hands-on approach. I thought I’d found a perfect life after meeting Sophia, but my education in passion was far from over. When she introduced me to her friend Jenny, I discovered a captivating teacher with a unique approach to self-discovery. Jenny promised to help me explore my desires, confront my fears, and unlock the secrets of my own heart. As I navigated this new dynamic, I found myself drawn into a world of introspection and sensation. With each lesson, I delved deeper into my own psyche, discovering strengths and vulnerabilities I never knew existed. My ...

Leonidas: I am a Dragon Prince of the House of Smoke...and I am cursed. Falling in love was never in the cards for me. An angry witch made sure of that - if I lose my heart, I lose my life. Only now, a treaty guaranteeing peace will die with me, unless I convince some hapless human to fall in love with me and bear my child - a dragonling born of magic and a love that's true. But I know nothing of love. Five hundred years of guarding my heart and opening my bed mean I've got zero chance at this.

Agent Tony Mendoza has a sleeping problem… every time he falls asleep, he dreams of her. But it’s not any cozy, cuddly encounter his subconscious conjures, nor some kinky, carnal congress. Instead, Tony’s nights are haunted by nightmares of his supernatural stalker bleeding him dry. He’s also seeing things. Shadows flitting at the edges of his vision, cloaked figures lurking in darkened doorways, and a 7-foot-tall homeless man who accosts him and disappears. Except, the leviathan vagrant turns out to be real—and he’s killing people close to home.

The 'Old Bastard' raised his grandson to be a hero, not a slow horse. Now, far from joining the myths and legends of Spook Street, River Cartwright is part of Jackson Lamb's team of pen-pushing no-hopers at Slough House. Which doesn't mean he won't ditch everything and go rogue when his grandfather comes under threat. Lamb worked with Cartwright back in the day, and knows better than most that this is no innocent old man.

Savushun chronicles the life of a Persian family during the Allied occupation of Iran during World War II. It is set in Shiraz, a town which evokes images of Persepolis and pre-Islamic monuments, the great poets, the shrines, Sufis, and nomadic tribes within a historical web of the interests, privilege, and influence of foreign powers; corruption, incompetence, and arrogance of persons in authority; the paternalistic landowner-peasant relationship; tribalism; and the fear of famine.

Things seem to be working out for Sophia in New York: having come from Australia to be at the centre of modernity, she’s working at the Museum of Modern Art, living in a great apartment with a boyfriend interviewing for Ivy League teaching positions. They’re smart, serious, dine in the right restaurants and have (a little unexpectedly) become engaged just before he leaves to hike the Appalachian Trail. Alone in the city, Sophia begins to wonder what it means to be married – to be defined, publicly – in the 21st century.

Un audiolibro para quienes creen en el amor, les han roto el corazón o usan apps de citas. Para quienes saben que el cariño es el regalo al que uno se aferra cuando aparecen obstáculos. Para quienes buscan amar a otras personas o a sí mismos, y tienen fe en que este siempre se presenta de maneras únicas e inesperadas en la vida. Una abogada bipolar experimenta altas y bajas en sus citas. Una madre trata de reconstruir la relación con el hijo que dio en adopción cuando ella era adolescente.

A road trip that redefines passion. I thought I had it all—the open road, beautiful company, and endless exploration. Then Ava swept in, a free-spirited artist who turned our road trip into a journey of self-discovery. In her gallery our desires transformed into vivid art. Through a sensual art session we grew closer, returning as a family bound by passion and spontaneity. Ava's bohemian energy contrasted with Claire and Sophia's elegance, creating an exhilarating dynamic. My education in desire had never been so vibrant, and the canvas of our lives was just beginning to take shape.