The final Friday of July was hot and hazy, just like many of the previous days had been that summer in northern New Mexico.

There wasn't much going on in the tiny town of Felson's Hell, an occasional dance at the schoolhouse just to let off steam seemed to be about the extent of things here. It sure was different from the busyness of Raleigh that comprised many of my more vivid memories.

Jerry Tanner has a a lot of experience with games, but can he survive being caught in a game played by the gods?

HUGS!
Shauna

"Welcome back Mr Tomlinson. How's the leg and wrist?" asked my assistant Bree.

"Getting better Bree but I'm still a long way from running the marathon again," I replied.

I'd run the NYC Marathon the previous year and raised more than $10K for charity.

"It is just nice to see you back again."

My driver John wheeled me into my office. Not much had changed in the five weeks that I'd been out of action. The pile of current project files had grown considerably but not much else.

"Will there be anything else Mr Tomlinson?"

“Idiots like you never learn,” Raben sighed. “Let’s make this interesting. I’m an Ianuarian. I’ll take on the six of you at one time. If I win I’ll patch up your wounds. If I lose you can have your way with the girls.”

The girls gasped and huddled together as the guys licked their lips.

“You’re on, kid,” the leader laughed. “Come on guys, the sooner we beat this smart ass the sooner we get the girls.”

As Raben stepped away from the girls the guys surrounded him. “This is your last chance to walk away,” Raben smiled at them.

A novelette ...

by
AuPreviner

What happens when the reporter becomes the news item instead of reporting it?

Copyright © 2018 by AuP reviner

A little bit of fluff inspired by a recent story by one of my favorite authors on this site – me ;)

Walking about at the pool party with all the company top management and VIPs from our most important customers I remembered how hard I had worked to become a ”Suit”. My goal was Customer Relations. My great talent is that I speak several languages. I had not been very successful until my cousin James got promoted, basically for going to work dressed as a woman, and not very convincingly at that! Well, he complains, especially about the high heels. I don’t believe him for a minute. He must be thrilled by his promotion. If he could, so could I!

Petshop is a perfectly responsible biodevisor. (Really) It's not her fault that her super cute and adorable creations don't always work out the way she intended. But this time, she learns that Karma is a bi...brat.

http://whateleyacademy.net/index.php

Wednesday morning as I entered the office Veronica in reception greeted me

- Hi, James. Nice to see you dressed properly again.

I hated it. Just because I decided to joke the Friday before and come dressed in a skirt, a nice blouse that just barely showed the bra under it, pantyhose and shoes with a bit of a heel my life was utterly and completely destroyed. My girlfriend and I had thought it would be hilarious and she had helped me to put on some make-up. Nothing over the top. Just some nice make-up that actually made my 25 year old but unfortunately rather babyish face a bit more mature.

At first everything went according to plan. The other engineers got the joke and had fun comparing my outfit with the usual “dress code” at the design office, i.e. jeans, baggy college shirts and such. Actually I was the only one in a skirt. Not that there were many females among us but anyway. I also got compliments from other people that I met while going from one place another. In one morning I had become modestly famous in the company. Then things started to go wrong, terribly, horribly wrong.

MacKenzie Hodge has lived a life of secrets and lies. Chief among them is his, it, or her true gender? Now faced with an important decision, Mac has to decide what kind of future they want. Fortunately for Mac, there's a whole summer to decide.

My name is Kevin Jackson. I am the third man in my family to carry that name. It used to mean something on this ship, but it doesn't hold much weight anymore. My grandfather was captain, my father was the science officer and second in command, and I'm working the cash register at Main Street Electronics.

Moment of truth. I'm in the hospital's cybercafe. It's three am so I have the place to myself and I'm about to do what I've been putting off since Michael told me the secret, or at least, what he claimed was the secret. I google 'Marcus Julius Naso', the name Michael told me was mine. .

Then I look at my search results and shudder. I attempted to usurp the throne of the Roman Empire before being assassinated in 407 AD? Oh, wait, that's the wrong Marcus Julius Naso!

The morning dawns as the Visund takes on a new passenger. At their next stop, the town market must be inspected to find clothing and footwear for the mystery woman, who is offered a temporary name. Eriana is introduced to the afternoon nap and asked to design... trousers?

The Voyage of the Visund

A tale of Anmar by Penny Lane

5 - First Steps and Stitches

Life soon returned to something approaching normality after the episode with Lucy's Mother. Lucy was working hard to complete her dissertation along with the spectre of her final exams looming ever closer.

Andrea spent a lot of time in her cellar workshop tarting up odd bits of furniture that she'd then sell for a bit of profit to the local second-hand shop. She also kept Lucy fed and watered while she finished off her dissertation. At the weekend, they usually headed off out of the city into the Pennines for a bit of exercise and relaxation.

Gradually the events of Easter Weekend faded into the background.

Lucy returned home on the second Wednesday of June in a jubilant mood.

"That's it, I'm done. It's all done, printed off, bound and submitted."

Andrea gave her a big hug and said,

"Well then to celebrate we are going out."

Jerry Tanner has a a lot of experience with games, but can he survive being caught in a game played by the gods?

MacKenzie Hodge has lived a life of secrets and lies. Chief among them is his, it, or her true gender? Now faced with an important decision, Mac has to decide what kind of future they want. Fortunately for Mac, there's a whole summer to decide.

 

Gaby Book 16 - Sweet Sixteen

 
 
“So let me get this right, if Mart is the ‘father’ they can’t take her away?”
“She’d have dual nationality so it would be more difficult and we lived here we’d be safe.”

The first day of sophomore year I walked down to the school bus stop. My best friend since we were toddlers, but who had spent summer somewhere else, was already standing there waiting.

- Hi, Sally! Love that dress!

Sally looked at me surprised. I don’t know why. That dress really was beautiful and it made her look gorgeous. The thin black pantyhose made the most of her stunning legs.

- Jake! You knew. You knew all the time!
- Yep. I probably knew before you did yourself

I answered my best friend who the last time I’d seen him had been known as Sal, short for Salomon. I was happy for her. It had taken her much longer time to come out of her shell than I had expected and hoped. I was looking forward to what new relationship we would have. I really was.

My head was bowed against the chilly wind as I made my way down the busy sidewalk. Above me, buildings loomed like giant grey dominoes, their blank windows reflecting the gloomy winter sky. I maneuvered through the crowd surging alongside me. It was four o’clock on a Friday, and everyone was eager to make it back home and slough off their coats, hats, gloves and scarves. I, however, was not headed home. My destination lay a little further ahead, on the corner of the block. I approached with haste, drawing my scarf more tightly around my face as tiny flecks of snow began to fall.