standard ishue–Katie

How greedy are you? There’s a fine line between want and take. Can both be considered a sin? Are you willing to find out?

It’s time for another volume of Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology! This is Day Five of our traditional introduction to the authors and their stories.

The release date for the sixth volume, Avarice, is April 3, 2018!

You can Pre-Order the eBook on Amazon and order a print copy after the release. Please consider posting a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Introducing the remaining five authors of Avarice and their blurbs. Come back tomorrow to learn more about our staff members!

*****

Robert Walton is a retired middle school teacher and a lifelong rock climber with many ascents in the Sierras and Pinnacles National Peak, his home crags. His writing about climbing has appeared in the Sierra Club’s Ascent. His publishing credits include works of science fiction, fantasy and poetry. He also worked as a newspaper columnist for a time. His historical novel, Dawn Drums, won the 2014 New Mexico Book Awards Tony Hillerman Prize for best fiction, first place in the 2014 Arizona Authors competition, and first place in the historical fiction category of the 2017 Readers Choice Awards. Most recently, his short story “Uriah” was published in Assisi, a literary journal associated with St. Francis College in Brooklyn.

Website: chaosgatebook.wordpress.com/

Facebook: facebook.com/search/top/?q=dawn%20drums

Fallen Angel by Robert Walton

Glory, victory, even immortality are centimeters away. Rock climber Tony must make one more move to reach the most difficult summit of his career, the ultimate pinnacle of his sport. He’s sacrificed everything—money, love, self-respect, his body—to reach this vertical moment. There’s no going back, no chance of trying again. Or is there?

*****

D.A. Weaver has lived in sunny California her entire life. When she was a kid, however, she’d wander off to wherever her creativity took her, usually recruiting her friends to be the actors in her latest play. Whether it was the dirt lot “stage” down the street that transformed into an island plagued by cannibals and haunted by quirky pirates, or a refrigerator box spaceship in the backyard that traveled to worlds that were yet to be discovered, reality was always the most distant location in her mind. As far back as elementary school Doreen knew that the only thing that would make her truly happy was to bring those concocted people and places to life for others to enjoy. Doreen is excited to a part of this project again. Her short story, “Retribution,” can be found in Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology: Wrath.

Twitter: @daweaverwriter

Avaritia’s Peak by D.A. Weaver

Cole has lived in the Sierra Nevada Mountains his entire life, and he’s a natural at guiding people through the old gold-rush trails. Until one day a greedy tourist insists that Cole bring him to the top of the mountain, where legend has it, tons of undiscovered riches still exist. Will Cole face the demons that have haunted him his entire life or continue running from his past?

*****

Daniel I. Weaver has been writing fiction for almost two decades near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A father of three plus two German Shepherd rescues, Dan spends the majority of his day working as an executive at a large health plan while secretly pining to spend that time crafting some new adventure. His fiction has previously been published in various anthologies and quarterly magazines including Light at the Edge of Darkness (2007); Dragons, Knights, and Angels Volume 46 (2007); Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology: Gluttony (2017) and Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology: Wrath (2017).

Twitter: @writinbloodfilm

Facebook: facebook.com/daniel.weaver.3192

Facebook Author page: facebook.com/Writ-In-Blood-1826076440976059

Website: authordanieliweaver.com

Survival by Daniel I. Weaver

In a post apocalyptic future where survival is a struggle for some, but entertainment for others, two teenagers gamble everything for a chance at a better future. All they hoped for was a life outside the blight, but what they find inside the Colony is nothing like what they expected. Every choice becomes a fight for survival in a place where they quickly realize every opportunity comes with a price.

*****

Madison Wheatley is a poet and fiction writer from Northwest Indiana. She teaches English at an alternative middle/high school, where she makes it her goal to put a book in the hand of every kid who claims they “don’t like reading.” When she isn’t teaching or writing, you can find her getting lost in the library stacks, playing video games, or suffering at the gym. Her work has been published in Shapes and Names, Cave Region Review, and Seltzer.

Instagram: @mwheatleywriter

Website: madisonwheatley.com

Twitter: @mwheatleywriter

All That Glitters by Madison Wheatley

When Liv finds a gold coin that magically makes copies of itself, she knows that this discovery will save her life. Friendless and mourning her mother’s absence, she watches her wealth steadily accumulate and imagines how she’ll buy herself a new life, far away from her alcoholic Aunt Alicia. But as the strange coins multiply, they begin to eat away at Liv’s sanity, and it becomes harder for her not to succumb to their sinister suggestions.

*****

Mari L. Yates wrote her first story in kindergarten. From then on, Mari knew she wanted to be a writer. Working in the healthcare industry by day, she writes whenever and wherever she can. She’s currently working on editing her first mystery/thriller novel and writing a fantasy novel. When not found with a notebook or laptop in her hands, she loves to read, cuddle with her two cats, watch movies, and play video games.

Facebook Author Page:  facebook.com/marilyates

Twitter: @Meadowmirth

Instragram: @Meadowmirth

Website: marilyates.com

Secrets and Gold by Mari L. Yates

Cerdreq, a once-great dragon warlord, is led into a trap by his own avarice. Forced by an evil witch to assuage King Amaury’s ever-growing thirst for more wealth by destroying towns, Cerdreq grows bitter. Princess Emelyne attempts to show him there’s still good in the world, while striving to earn the acceptance of those around her. Who will win and who will lose in this deadly, rapacious game?

I’m feeling greedy today for people to purchase this anthology, because in this particular instance, we only practice avarice in order to donate the proceeds to First Book! Please stop by their website to see what you can do to help.

It’s time for another volume of Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology! This is Day Four of our traditional introduction to the authors and their stories.

The release date for the sixth volume, Avarice, is April 3, 2018!

You can Pre-Order the eBook on Amazon and order a print copy after the release. Please consider posting a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Introducing the next four authors of Avarice and their blurbs:

*****

Yvette O’Kay is a writing goddess that has been creating stories ever since she was a little girl. She is from New York and has been featured in four previous volumes of Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology: Sloth, Envy, Gluttony, and Wrath.

Moonlight Calling by Yvette O’Kay

Alone in a decrepit and crumbling castle, a dragon protects her hoard. She thinks back to a time long ago, when kings and queens ruled the land and wealth was ripe for the taking. Back then, the land around was scorched and all the people had fled for their lives—a desolate kingdom where her only subjects were her ever-growing treasures. Then, one day she catches sight of a treasure that she must have and takes to the night for her hunt.

*****

K.T. Stephens writes YA and children’s books and is especially enamored of the circus. Just mention acrobats and strongmen and she’ll jump headfirst into this world of magic, color and precision and take you with her. When she steps away from the big top, she works as editor, publisher, and author on her pet project—Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology—and writes adult literature under the pseudonym Katie Stephens. She recently moved with her husband and two adorably obsessive felines from the green rolling hills of Ohio to New Mexico, where the sun shines an astonishing 310 days out of the year. Her financial investments now include suntan lotion and dark glasses.

Twitter: @standardishue

Blog: standardishue.com

Facebook: facebook.com/katie.stephens.169405

Facebook Author Page: facebook.com/KatieStephensAuthor

Circus Curses by K.T. Stephens

When Human Cannonball Aiden McGrath dates another member of the circus troupe, he discovers firsthand that you don’t mess with a gypsy’s daughter because, well, curses. Soon after Drina’s mother casts his fortune, a freak illness leaves him partially paralyzed and unable to communicate. He loses everything he owns to medical bills, and now someone is stealing from the circus. All Aiden has to do is eliminate the curse, get the girl, and stop the thieves before the circus closes down forever.

*****

M.J. Travis is a native southern Californian who began writing when her second child was no longer in need of constant supervision. Her love of books began at an early age. She mostly writes short stories for YA and children, but has just started to leap into the workings of a novel. She has previously been published in the Seven Deadly Sins series.

A Wildflower by M.J. Travis

Abuse is all Jason Stymes has ever known. Passed from one foster house to another, he finally lands in the home of his dreams. Almost an adult, Jason knows his time is limited. Either his foster mom adopts him, or he ends up on the streets. One person lies in Jason’s way. Will he do the right thing? Or will his life-long hope of having a loving mother drive him to perform the unthinkable?

*****

Elle Turpitt has always preferred spending time in fictional realities over real ones, often of her own creation. She returned to her home in South Wales after studying Creative Writing at the University of Hull. When not writing, she is often immersed in TV, films, video games, or books. Her first published piece was in Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology: Wrath, and she is honoured to again appear in the SDS Anthology.

Twitter: @elleturpitt

Blog: elleturpitt.com

Facebook: facebook.com/elle.turpitt 

Ashworth Manor by Elle Turpitt

Viv can see ghosts, so the haunted Ashworth Manor is the last place she wants to go. It’s a place kids enter and never leave. But there’s treasure, and Viv’s family needs money fast. Viv enters the manor to confront the ghosts reluctant to part with their treasure. Can she convince them to give her the treasure and release her from the evil inside?

Avarice is defined by the Church as extreme greed for wealth or fame. It’s a sin of excess, like Gluttony or Lust. If you dig deeper into a person’s psyche, modern descriptions may include: treason, theft by violence, deliberate betrayal or disloyalty, and manipulation of authority. What a wealth of writing ideas when the theme is Avarice.

It’s time for another volume of Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology! This is Day Three of our traditional introduction to the authors and their stories.

The release date for the sixth volume, Avarice, is April 3, 2018!

You can Pre-Order the eBook on Amazon and order a print copy after the release. Please consider posting a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Introducing the next four authors of Avarice and their blurbs:

*****

Chris Kennedy writes for fun and enjoys twisting history into parables. His family tells him he’s a compulsive liar because he likes to make things up. When not researching his MA, he works for a modern communications company and dreams of retirement, which he intends to spend making up more lies and turning them into yet more stories for this excellent series.

Hungry Ghosts by Chris Kennedy

The Clinic is ancient and rotten. It conceals itself behind a mask of sterile glass and polished chrome, where the richest clients can trade their hard cash for an illusion of youth and beauty.  Maeko Yoshida is the only one to perceive the danger. She must risk everything she has to strip away the mask and expose the corruption at its core, before her friends are drawn to the ranks of the Hungry Ghosts. 

*****

Tonia Markou is a Greek-German writer and Creative Writing graduate, currently editing her first YA novel. Basically just a big kid, she enjoys writing and reading fiction for young adults. Her short stories have appeared in Flash and The Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology: Envy, Gluttony and Wrath. She’s the proud owner of a vast Converse Chucks collection, and is obsessed with stationery, mugs and pajamas.

Twitter: @toniawrites

Facebook author page: facebook.com/toniawrites

Website: medium.com/@toniawrites

The Wolf’s Appetite by Tonia Markou

Devon wants to be as famous as his former classmate, Theodore. When he steals Theo’s magical locket, it seems as if all his dreams finally come true. But how far will he go to make sure it stays that way?

*****

Geraldine McCarthy lives in West Cork in the Republic of Ireland. In a former life she was involved in tutoring, lecturing, translation and research. She has been writing short stories and flash fiction for over two years now. Her work has been published in The Fable Online, The Incubator Journal, Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology: Gluttony and Wrath, Scarlet Leaf Review, Brilliant Flash Fiction and Every Day Fiction.

Facebook: facebook.com/cruthaitheacht

The Price of Everything by Geraldine McCarthy

It is the summer before her final year in school, and Arianna wants to get a job to save up for a holiday. She juggles working at a shoe boutique and babysitting on weekends, but finds herself under increasing pressure to make time for the important people in her life. What will she prioritise?

*****

C.P. Mulé, of the Greater Philadelphia area, grew up mere yards from the point of the Delaware River, where Washington crossed the iced body to defeat the Hessians. He’d watch the water course along the floodplains some days, as he dreamt of making his own mark on his country, which started so close to home. He’d invent his own nicknames, naive of his ego, in the hopes that he’d build character. Build character he did, but not by any natural affair. The assortment of many masks he had developed never gave him any sort of satisfaction. In an effort to better himself and those he loved dearly, the boy took off his mask and put on his glasses, with the smell of coffee beans itching his nose. His work has also been published in Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology: Wrath. He is very humbled to appear in the SDS Anthology again with his second published work, “Major Trenton Saves the Day.”

Twitter: @cpmule

Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorCPMule

Website: CPMule.com

Instagram: @TheMuleman

Major Trenton Saves the Day by C. P. Mulé

Every city needs a superhero. For New Jersey’s capitol, Miss Major Trenton is the gal. She’s rough, tough, and ready to mow her enemies down. The nefarious Ghoul Goblin is up to no good once more—despite his losing batting average. Can Major Trenton save the day?

“Poverty wants some things, Luxury many things. Avarice wants all things.” –Benjamin Franklin

Of the seven deadly sins, Pride, Envy, and Avarice are the three that most human beings possess in one form or another. Mild or intense, deliberate or careless, they are inside us all. Do we have the fortitude to prevent an escape from our thoughts and into reality?

It’s time for another volume of Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology. This is Day Two of our traditional introductions to the authors and their stories.

The release date for the sixth volume, Avarice, is April 3, 2018!

Pre-Order the eBook on Amazon and order a print copy after the release. Please consider posting a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Introducing the next four authors of Avarice and their blurbs:

*****

Kassandra Flamouri‘s storytelling career began at the age of three with “Squirm the Worm,” which was warmly received by an audience of assorted beetles in rural New Jersey. She went on to study music composition and ethnomusicology at the Sunderman Conservatory of Gettysburg College. Now, as an exam prep tutor and budding college planning counselor, she has time to devote to her first love, writing. Her work has appeared in Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology: Envy and Timeless Tales Magazine under the pen name Tamara Linden. Kassandra currently resides in Pennsylvania with a very sweet and loving man and an only intermittently sweet and mostly grumpy cat.

Facebook: facebook.com/flamourifiction

Patreon: patreon.com/flamourifiction

Website: flamourifiction.com

Twitter: @lindifleur

Instagram: @lindifleur

True Love Scars by Kassandra Flamouri

I bet most girls think their crushes’ girlfriends are evil, soul-slurping succubi, and I was no exception. The difference was that I wasn’t speaking metaphorically when I told Danny his perfect new girlfriend with her perfect, mile-long legs and perfectly perky boobs wasn’t a girl at all but a demon. Like, an actual, honest-to-god, bleed-you-dry-and-wear-your-skin-as-a-onesie demon.

*****

Lai Fox hails from Cape May, New Jersey where she lives with her cat, Ralph. She studied at La Salle University, learning about psychology and how to survive in the city. When she’s not making up stories and people, she works as a counselor aide and enjoys films, food, and Disney World. This is her first publication.

Facebook Author Page: facebook.com/laifoxwriting

Instagram: @ayyfoxy

The Wild Card by Lai Fox

Sarah can’t remember a time that her family wasn’t poor. After years of hard work and saving, she’s about to go to college. Her family decides to take a trip to the nearby city of Las Vegas for one last hurrah before she leaves. On their last day there, Sarah urges her father to slip a twenty into the slot machine. What happens next could change their lives forever. 

*****

E.E. Green believes anything has the potential to become a great story. Four-year-old E.E. demonstrated this belief when she strung together random numbers and called it a love poem to her parents. From that day on, she has danced the line between her fictional imaginings and reality, and in 2017 she finally strung enough random words together to complete her first novel. As a Minnesotan living in Ohio, E.E. makes a home with her husband, three children, and two dogs. There’s another little one on the way, but she’s not ready to reveal whether the new addition is a baby or a puppy just yet. E.E. is delighted to see her short story, Pleonexia’s Labyrinth, in print among the many creative tales compiled in Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology: Avarice.

Twitter: @EmilyJulesGreen

Pleonexia’s Labryinth by E.E. Green

A poor girl in servitude to the kingdom is required to follow her young prince into a labyrinth designed by the she-witch, Pleonexia. Within its walls, the prince is promised a treasure beyond his wildest desires—but only if he chooses the right path and sees to it that it’s lavish. With each wrong path, the prince’s avarice grows, and the poor girl must follow him deeper into the maze. Is the treasure waiting in the heart of the labyrinth the one thing that should satiate all greed?

*****

Sarah Hegerty never knows what day it is or if she should be sleeping or awake, an affliction of years of shift-work. Most of the time she remembers that she lives in Australia, the big island in the Southern Hemisphere—at least when she remembers she is on Earth. The lucidity that comes from juggling a normal life with sporadic sleep does have its benefits though. Characters from worlds existing only within her mind scream at her to be written into life. Sometimes, just sometimes, she succumbs to their desires. Playing the System is Sarah’s first published work, although, if the voices don’t let up, it’s sure not to be her last.

Website: sarahhegerty.com

Twitter: @sarahhegerty

Facebook: facebook.com/SarahHegertyAuthor

Playing the System by Sarah Hegerty

Adam and Josh are best friends, that is, until Adam realises there is something else he desires more than anything. A PlayStation. Adam is willing to do whatever it takes. After all, there’s no harm in playing the system a little, is there? What’s the worst that could happen?

What defines a sin? Author Teresa Bassett described it well: “Where does weakness end and evil begin?” Is committing a sin a deliberate act of intent, or simply an oversight of a corruptible character? Perhaps a combination of the two?

Welcome to the world of Avarice, where possession is glory, desire rules the mind, and both people and creatures throw aside all for what they covet.

Twenty-one authors. Twenty-one stories. One theme: Avarice.

It’s time for another volume of Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology! This is Day One of our traditional introductions to the authors and their stories.

The release date for the sixth volume, Avarice, is April 3, 2018!

You can Pre-Order the eBook on Amazon and order a print copy after the release. Please consider posting a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Introducing the first four authors of Avarice and their blurbs:

*****

Teresa Bassett is a writer from Cornwall, UK. She has written stories and articles for a variety of publications, and is proud to be included in each of the previous volumes of Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology. Her debut novel, The Time Crystals, is due to be published in 2018 by Books to Treasure. A graduate of the University of Bath, she has worked as a foreign tour guide, translator and teacher. She and her husband live with their eccentric greyhound and even more eccentric cockatiel in a caravan on a former tin mine, where building their own home keeps them exhausted.

Website: teresabassett.co.uk

Blog: treeandleafblog.com

Easily Led by Teresa Bassett

Under-achiever Dan and his best friends Pete and Kate are about to leave school with nothing but a kick up the backside and a good riddance. As they contemplate a bleak future, Kate comes up with a crazy plan. She insists no one will get hurt—but is it really the start of a big adventure, or will the trio’s greed set them on a course towards disaster?

 *****

Mae Baum grew up among the snow and birch trees of upstate New York, but currently makes her home in the urban jungle of Atlanta with her husband, daughter, and two cats. Always to be found with her nose in a book, she enjoys exploring fantastical worlds and now loves making up her own. Her story, “Ice Bonds” was published in the anthology Between Heroes and Villains, and her fairy tale retelling, “Bluebeard’s Wives” is due to be published in the anthology A Bit of Magic in Spring 2018. She’s currently hard at work on her Imogene Payne urban fantasy series.

Facebook: facebook.com/maebaum

Website: maebaum.com

A Greedy Alliance by Mae Baum

Abandoned by her workaholic mother, Annie, a teenage thief, seeks the love she’s never known. Claudia, a lonely ghost, desires material goods that she cannot use. A chance encounter leads to a bargain, but will they each be satisfied with the result?

*****

Callie Bradford spent much of her youth obsessively searching spider-filled basements for hidden doors and secret passageways. Despite her lack of success, she still hasn’t given up looking. Callie lives in Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband and a one-eyed dog. Her work also appears in Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology: Gluttony and Wrath.

The Cindy Lopez Scholarship Fund by Callie Bradford

After Brianna’s family suffers a financial crisis, she gets a part-time job at a catering company. Sent to serve at a party she normally would have attended as a guest, Brianna tries to hide in the kitchen rather than risk losing face with the popular crowd. But when a chance encounter in a back room opens her eyes to a bigger threat, Brianna must decide where her loyalty lies.

*****

Susan Conner is a writer and artist from Phoenix, Arizona. She’s about to gather up her dogs and cats and embark on a grand adventure to a tiny house in the wilds of Montana. There, she hopes to finish several novels and produce vast quantities of magical artistic creations on her family’s remote cattle ranch. Her stories are for adult and young adult audiences, and always have a few quirky elements in them. Her artwork has been juried into local galleries and recently published in Memoir Magazine. She’s doing jumping jacks of joy to once again have a story included in the series Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology.

Twitter: @SusansWordJar

Aunt Clara’s Ghost by Susan Conner

Trapped in limbo for twenty-five years, the ghost of a teenage hoarder longs for someone to open up the boxes of the precious items she collected before she died. Inside one of them is something that might release her from her eternal torment.

The cover for the sixth volume of Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology has been released! Many thanks to our cover designer, Luke Spooner of Carrion House. His vision: “For the theme of the piece I decided to capitalise on the idea of magpies as greedy, hoarding creatures with avaricious appetites for shiny things.”

Keep an eye out for pre-ordering through Amazon. The release date for this amazing young adult anthology is April 3, 2018.

Each volume of this series follows one theme of the Seven Deadly Sins, with a contemporary update to the original sin as described by the Catholic Church many years ago. The authors selected for each volume are from the writing site Scribophile, and they belong to the YA Authors Group. Scribophile welcomes all writers and authors–you can join for free!

Follow my website for more information about the authors of Avarice and the release of this volume as the month progresses.

Imagine this: Combine a roller coaster of teenage emotions—those volatile, hard to control passions—with frustration and anger. Can you visualize it? Or perhaps you remember your own younger days, as you pushed through those sensations and into adulthood.

Scary? It can be when the theme is Wrath.

It’s my pleasure to introduce you to our final seven authors and their stories! If any of their blurbs catch your eye, consider posting a review on Amazon or Goodreads. The anthology will be released on August 11, 2017!

A Lion’s Wrath by M. Polo

Justin has been seeing the same therapist for three years and there are few things he hates more than their weekly sessions together. He usually feels powerless and at the mercy of his psychiatrist, but today is different. Empowered by new information, Justin feels ready to take on Dr. Winters and make sure he never has to discuss his issues with her again.

M. Polo is a German-Panamanian who has lived in many places including Costa Rica, Canada, Ireland, Spain, Finland, Sweden and his very own head (a pace he still regularly resides in today). While he is new to the world of writing fiction, he has always made make-believe part of his private and professional life: creating video games, entertaining his children or leading his adult friends into fantasy worlds of heroes, dungeons and dragons. It fills him with pride and joy to appear in the Seven Deadly Sins Anthology with his first published work, A Lion’s Wrath.

Connect with M. Polo

Twitter: @authormpolo

Facebook: fb.me/authormpolo

Blog: http://www.cluelesswriter.com

Suppression by M.X. Selles

Daniel is tired of feeling purposeless, but he’s not allowed to feel much else. He’s at the mercy of adults who don’t allow true emotions to surface. Haunted by his memories, he lives day by day in a state of boredom and apathy—until he meets a mysterious girl with the promise of escape. Can he suppress the rage from his past, and get out for good?

M.X. Selles spends much of her time obsessing over her beautiful cats in the south of England. Sometimes, she likes to pretend she is a human feline. She’s always loved writing and is currently working on a science fiction young adult novel. She is extremely excited and honoured by her short story featuring in Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath.

Crazy Stupid by K.T. Stephens

Cheri couldn’t control her emotions. She’s lost everything—school friends, property, and her grandmother—out of rage. Using witchcraft passed down through the female line of her ancestry, she casts one spell after another to contact killers from the past. She hopes to find someone who will teach her how to control herself by examining their inner turmoil and psyche. Nothing works until she makes contact with a young Cherokee warrior. Convinced he held the wrath of his entire people when he killed their betrayer, Cheri brings the dangerous man into her world. Still, her grandmother’s voice echoes through her mind: Are you crazy? Or simply stupid?

K.T. Stephens writes YA and children’s books and is especially enamored of the circus. Just mention acrobats and strongmen and she’ll jump headfirst into this world of magic, color and precision and take you with her. When she steps away from the big top, she works as editor, publisher and author on her pet project—Seven Deadly Sins: A YA Anthology—and writes adult literature under the pseudonym Katie Stephens. Although her two grown children live on opposite sides of the USA, she lives squarely in the middle of the country with her husband and two adorably obsessive felines.

Connect with K.T. Stephens

Website: http://www.standardishue.com

Twitter: @standardishue

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatieStephensAuthor

My Monster, My Friend by M. J. Travis

Julie never expected to hear her name called on Valentine’s Day. But there she was, walking to the front of the class to receive a red heart. Her excitement is short lived, though, when she realizes the Valentine was not from an admirer, but a cruel hoax instigated by two mean girls. Julie’s anger erupts, unleashing the monster inside her. Will this monster help her when she needs it the most? Or will one little mistake, caused by her outrage, end the life of someone she loves?

M.J. Travis is a native southern Californian who began writing four years ago when her second child was no longer in need of constant supervision. Her love of books began at an early age. She mostly writes short stories for YA and children, but has just started to leap into the workings of a novel. She has previously been published in the Seven Deadly Sins series.

Dying of the Light by Elle Turpitt

Eliza and Chloe were born into a culture that relished powers. As twins, one was destined to be stronger, and with that strength came the possibility of uncontrolled rage. When others sought to steal the strong twins’ power, they chose the wrong girl. After Chloe’s funeral, Eliza makes her way to the place where her sister died, determined to find those responsible and enact her revenge.

Elle Turpitt has always preferred spending time in fictional realities over the real one. These, sometimes, are of her own creation. She returned to her home in South Wales after studying Creative Writing at the University of Hull. When not writing, she is often immersed in TV, films, video games or books. Although she has been writing and creating stories ever since she could talk, Dying of the Light in the Seven Deadly Sins Anthology is her first printed publication.

Connect with Elle Turpitt

Twitter: @elleturpitt

Blog: elleturpitt.com

Retribution by D.A. Weaver

Judie is the local eccentric homeless woman who spends her days keeping the quiet beach town of Newport clean and green. Something that came easy when she was young, lately the complete disregard that people have for the environment is killing her. When Judie meets Ashley she tries with all her might to teach the young girl to have respect for the earth, but Ashley’s latest destructive stunt just may be her last.

D.A. Weaver has lived in sunny California her entire life. When she was a kid, however, she’d wander off to wherever her creativity took her, usually recruiting her friends to be the actors in her latest play. Whether it was the dirt lot “stage” down the street that transformed into an island plagued by cannibals and haunted by quirky pirates, or a refrigerator box spaceship in her backyard that traveled to worlds that were yet to be discovered, reality was always the most distant location in her mind. When her friends couldn’t join her, there was always an imaginary friend or two who were easily persuaded to join along in her adventures. As far back as elementary school Doreen knew that the only thing that would make her truly happy was to bring those concocted people and places to life for others to enjoy.

To every child young and old: May you always find happiness, adventure, and a whole lot of magic along your journey. And don’t forget to let your imagination come out and play today!

Connect with D. A. Weaver

Twitter: @daweaverwriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DA-Weaver-137180410174918/

Bully by Daniel I. Weaver

Bullies leave scars—some physical, some emotional, but all forever. When a terrifying beast appears in the shadows of his high school and a former bully is found mutilated, Corbin begins to wonder if his prayers have been answered. Determined to keep Sam away from the girl of his dreams, Corbin embraces his anger and calls on the beast. But things aren’t always what they seem.

Daniel I. Weaver is a Pennsylvania native and has been previously published in Light at the Edge of Darkness and Dragons, Knights, & Angels: Issue 46. A healthcare professional by day, Daniel much prefers reading and writing fiction, kayaking, martial arts, and cinema. With most of his children well on their way toward adulthood, Daniel finds himself with more time to pursue those passions and looks forward to publishing many more pieces in the future.

Are you a slow-to-burn person who simmers until you explode? Or does your anger flash hot and bright, only to be extinguished moments later? Does revenge calm the rage?

The twenty-one authors of Wrath’s volume in the young adult series Seven Deadly Sins have their own ideas.

It’s my pleasure to introduce you seven more authors and their stories! If any of the blurbs catch your eye, consider posting a review on Amazon or Goodreads. The anthology will be released on August 11, 2017!

No More Fruit Cake by Matthew Dewar

Kendra starts working at Hope Springs, where she will care for elderly patients with dementia. She is full of young ambition, and wants to make a difference. But a low budget and understaffing mean the patients can’t get the proper care they need. The workers who do show up seem to be more concerned about the looming full moon than anything else. Kendra doesn’t believe in the old wives’ tale, but could there be some truth to it?

Matthew Dewar’s passion for reading and writing developed at a young age. Fascinated by all genres, enthralled by the endless creativity of imagination, and captivated by foreign worlds and intriguing characters, Matthew makes time in his busy schedule to write every day. If he’s not reading or writing, you might find Matthew working as a physiotherapist, teaching group fitness classes, entertaining his dog, or dreaming of travelling to an exotic destination.

In May 2017, Matthew published Nightmare Stories, a collection of young adult horror fiction where twelve young teens discover that happily-ever-afters only exist in fairy tales. His short stories have appeared in From the Stories of Old, and The Seven Deadly Sins Anthology: Gluttony.

Connect with Matthew Dewar

Facebook: Matthew Dewar Author

Twitter: @WriterDewar

Website: matthewdewarauthor.wordpress.com

The Tattoo Artist by J. Grabarek

Since Pop’s death, Billy has complied with all of Ma’s requests. One night he meets Sara, a young tattoo artist, who weaves her magic through words she writes on Billy’s skin. Ma hates the tattoos, while Billy feels newfound energy surging through his body. When Ma crosses the line with Sara, Billy is forced to take a stand or forever be left to do what he is told.

J. Grabarek is a beautiful Californian enchantress who weaves stories from inside a secret chamber in the darkest parts of her castle. Her dragon Blue snores by her side as she writes of the sea, mermaids, and delicious tacos. Blue stop it. She meant sailors, ships, and hot dogs. Blue wants the readers to know the truth: he’s hungry, he is a Pug dog, and the stories are written while she is sitting in a maroon bean bag in her closet. She and Blue intend to read her story and other excellent stories in this Wrath volume of the Seven Deadly Sins Anthology while sharing a few slices of pizza.

Connect with J. Grabarek

Twitter: @J_Grabarek

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/J-Grabarek-119559642005671/

Seeing Red by Chris Kennedy

College student Danny is a computer genius, building an artificial intelligence robot that can do his classwork for him and earn him some extra dollars on the side. He even personifies the robot, naming her Maud’Dib. Danny scavenges as much memory and other parts as he can to add to her, including Wi-Fi access. Soon, Maudie takes control of her motherboard and starts making her own decisions: humans were starting to look not only unnecessary, but downright dangerous.

Chris Kennedy writes for fun and enjoys twisting history into parables. His family tells him he’s a compulsive liar because he likes to make things up. When not researching his MA, he works for a modern communications company and dreams of retirement, which he intends to spend making up more lies and turning them into yet more stories for this excellent series.

Zach’s Awakening by Tonia Markou

Zach isn’t worried about the strange recurrent dreams he’s been having, until they begin to creep into his daily life. Things get weirder when a glowing lightning bolt appears on his arm. With the help of the new girl at school, Zach starts to realize what is happening to him. Can he accept his destiny in time to save himself and the school from a vengeful god?

Tonia Markou is a Greek-German writer and Creative Writing graduate, currently working on her first YA novel. Basically being a big kid, she enjoys writing and reading fiction for young adults. Her short stories have appeared in Flash, and The Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology: Envy and Gluttony. She’s the proud owner of a vast Converse Chucks collection, and is obsessed with stationery, mugs and pajamas.

Connect with Tonia Markou

Website: http://toniapolis.jimdo.com

Twitter: @toniawrites

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toniawrites/

Out in the Sticks by Geraldine McCarthy

Sixteen-year-old Arianna lives in Ireland and is excited about the school trip to Paris, especially as her boyfriend, Tony, will be going. Her mother is easy-going, but her father needs to agree to it, and he runs on a short fuse. When her father loses his temper, Arianna becomes angry with him, and her acts of rebellion escalate.

Geraldine McCarthy lives by the sea in West Cork in the Republic of Ireland. In a former life she was involved in tutoring, lecturing, translation and research. She has been writing short stories and flash fiction for almost two years now. Her work has been published in The Fable Online, The Incubator Journal, Seven Deadly Sins: a YA Anthology (Gluttony), Scarlet Leaf Review and Brilliant Flash Fiction. She was delighted to bring back the character, Arianna – one year older and bolder – for the Wrath edition of SDS.

Connect with Geraldine McCarthy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cruthaitheacht/

Wrath: An Archaeological Case-Study by C.P. Mulé

The year is 3082; the human species is well nigh finished on what is now known as the planet-state of Europa. An Archeologist has returned from another intrepid journey amongst the remnants of what was once called North Eastern America. The cocky chap relieves himself of the late-world’s many stressors the same way his ancestors did: A journal entry in the twilight of his otherwise dark and foreboding study.

C.P. Mulé has had many childhood nicknames—all of his own invention. The boy of yesteryear took inspiration from films, athletics, or even from on-the-nose dad jokes. This assortment of many masks never gave him any sort of satisfaction. In a journey to better himself and those he loved dearly the boy became a young man; he took off his mask and put on his glasses. Now his every day is filled to the brim with joys and the world’s great mysteries like this very publication. He is so very humbled to appear in the Seven Deadly Sins Anthology with his first-ever published work, Wrath: An Archaeological Case-Study.

Connect with C.P. Mulé

Twitter: @cpmule

Blog: cpmule.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCPMule/

Instagram: @themuleman

Soaring Hearts by Yvette O’Kay

Three different people, three different wrongs, and one intention in mind: revenge. Their own brand of justice burning in their hearts, Wrath guides the hands of three young adults as the ancient entity helps lead them down the path of revenge.

Yvette O’Kay is a writing goddess that has been creating stories ever since she was a little girl. She is from New York and has been featured in three previous volumes of Seven Deadly Sins: Sloth, Envy, and Gluttony.

We all have that “kind” self who smiles at strangers, doesn’t hurt other people’s feelings, and keeps calm when faced with confrontation. And then there’s the other.

The one lurking in the shadows, ready to appear when patience runs thin and blood starts to boil. The one who revels in the aftertaste of destruction. The one we try to hide.

What happens when we invite the darkness to come out and play?

Twenty-one authors. Twenty-one stories. One theme: Wrath.

Welcome to the fifth volume of Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology!

This is Day One of introductions to the authors and their stories. If any of the blurbs interest you, consider posting a review on Amazon! The release date for this volume is August 11, 2017.

Banana Creme Pie by Elizabeth Archer

Odd, awkward and irritating, it’s Julia’s first time at an American school after a life as a missionary kid in Africa. Why are some people so infuriating? Why is banana cream pie something Elizabeth will never forget?

Elizabeth Archer lives in Texas and dreams of other places and other worlds. She writes poetry, fiction and too many novels. Her current passion is fairy tales. She has been published in a variety of places, including three volumes of Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology: Pride, Sloth and Gluttony.

Connect with Elizabeth Archer

Twitter @elizabetarcher

Getting Even by Holly Atwood

Ivy’s brother’s corpse is rotting somewhere in the Somme mud, but he hasn’t left her yet. With his thin, sad ghost trailing at her heels, she sets out to exact justice against the man who sent him to his death. But will her revenge cost her all of her brother that she has left?

Holly Atwood is paid to work in a library–living the dream–and spends her free time working on a fantasy trilogy, out of sheer masochism. She is honoured to make her first appearance in print with Getting Even in the Seven Deadly Sins Anthology. She likes cats, baking and triathlon. She hates fish.

Portuguese Proverbs by Teresa Bassett

Liz and her friends invite new girl Paula from Portugal to join them for lunch at school. Paula is a quiet sort, and they find out her father just got a job at the local factory. Liz is surprised when her best friend, Carole, verbally attacks Paula, shocking them all. Until the girls find out that Carole’s father was sacked from the same factory. Liz is disappointed in her friend’s actions, but it’s Paula who has to make things right.

Teresa Bassett is a writer from Cornwall, UK. She has written stories and articles for a variety of publications, and is proud to be included in each of the previous volumes of Seven Deadly Sins: A YA Anthology. Her debut novel “The Time Crystals” is due to be published in 2017 by Books to Treasure. A graduate of the University of Bath, she has worked as a foreign tour guide, translator and teacher. She and her husband live with their eccentric greyhound and even more eccentric cockatiel in a caravan on a former tin mine, where they are busy building their own home.

Connect with Teresa Bassett

Website http://www.teresabassett.co.uk

Blog https://treeandleafblog.com/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Teresa-Bassett-119027158260032/

Rest in Peace by Callie Bradford

Ghost hunting is the worst after-school job—high stress, no time for friends, and no actual money. Wren has been struggling with her own demons while helping lost souls move on to the other side. Now she’s facing the biggest challenge of her life, and she’s not sure she can handle it alone. But maybe she doesn’t have to.

Callie Bradford spent much of her youth obsessively searching spider-filled basements for hidden doors and secret passageways. Despite her lack of success, she still hasn’t given up looking. Callie lives in Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband and a one-eyed dog. Her work also appeared in Seven Deadly Sins: Gluttony.

Gone Missing by Dakota Canon

Lydia has lost much in her short life. She’s always hated her foster mother’s frequent trips to Walmart, where she’s forced to babysit her foster brother. She’s not even allowed to linger in the parking lot to watch the crazy homeless woman who’s captured her attention. But one day, when a silver charm in the jewelry section catches Lydia’s eye, she becomes convinced things will change–that the charm will work wonders and mend her broken heart.

Dakota Canon is a left-brained professional by day, masquerading as a right-brained artiste by night. She has been writing stories since the second grade when she spent a whole year penning her future autobiography. After far, far too many years in school, one preteen, a viscous cat, and an unfulfilled desire to discover a theory she could name after herself, Dakota started assembling her writings into something that might someday resemble a novel. She has been lost ever since.

Connect with Dakota Canon

Twitter: @DakotaCanon

Website: https://dakotacanon.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dakota-Canon-151083325455801/

Katanga’s Courage and the Wrath of Nissool by Susan Conner

Hell hath no fury like a teenager scorned. It doesn’t matter how much Stretch tries to distract Corinna from her ex-boyfriend Zach (the jerk), Corinna is bent on revenge. When they enter a carnival tent and hear the tale of Katanga and Nissool, Corinna can’t get her hands on the magical elixirs fast enough. Who would suspect the combo would release a wrath so primeval, new legends are about to be spun?

Susan Conner is a desert dweller of Phoenix, Arizona, where she routinely escapes the heat and her adult responsibilities by creating quirky stories filled with magical, fantasy, and sci-fi elements. Cursed with a vivid imagination bestowed upon her by a fragrant, banjo-playing Sherpa with a charming drawl and eyes the color of a glacier lake, she paints, draws, and writes novels for adults and young adults alike. She’s ecstatic to once again appear in the Seven Deadly Sins Anthology, which featured her story, The Makara, in its Gluttony edition.

Connect with Susan Conner

Twitter: @SusansWordJar

Victorless by A. R. Curry

The duel Cyclops Kings rule together, greedily overfilling their treasure troves until The Day of Dominance. On this day, each king selects a handful of slaves to battle in the coliseum on their behalf; the winning side determines which king will get the biggest cut from that year’s spoils. However, this year’s stakes rise for a young warrior who finds himself pitted against an opponent he can’t bear harm. Problem is, if he refuses or loses, he dies. And his younger sister will share his fate.

A. R. Curry is an unremarkable individual who has decided to write about remarkable things in order to live vicariously through them. This way, he can at least take credit for impressive achievements, imagined or not. He’s a graduate of the University of Missouri – St. Louis, and the father of three genuinely remarkable children who, thankfully, are on much better trajectories than him.

We have our cover for the fifth volume of Seven Deadly Sins, A YA Anthology! Luke Spooner of Carrion House, our design artist, has outdone himself once again. We couldn’t have asked for anything more appropriate. Wouldn’t you agree?

The publication date of this volume will be in early August. I’ll be posting author introductions, bios, and blurbs of their stories in the next few days. The Seven Deadly Sins anthology highlights young adult authors from the writers’ site, Scribophile. You should join!

And so the excitement continues…