standard ishue–Katie

Being dead doesn’t mean you have to stop living!

Working Stiffs: At a time when civil liberties have been eroded and unemployment has exceeded Great Depression levels, nanotechnology provides the ability to reanimate the recently dead. Far from zombies, but nothing like their former selves, “Revivants” are a ready source of cheap labor able to perform simple, routine tasks. Great news for some sectors, but for many, the economic and social impact is devastating.

You have to admire Scott Bell’s dry humor, creativity, and expertise with fight scenes. He’s got it all covered. This book is science fiction in its purest form and a delight to read.

Amazon Review:

Don’t stop there, though! He’s got a series going about an ex-Marine who’s a magnet for trouble, Abel Yeager:

Yeager’s Law

Yeager’s Mission

About the author:

Scott Bell holds a degree in Criminal Justice from North Texas State University, and has enjoyed careers in both asset protection as well as sales. With the kids grown and time on his hands, Scott turned back to his first love—writing. His short stories have been published in The Western Online, Cast of Wonders, and in the anthology, Desolation. Yeager’s Law is his first published novel, with more on the way.

When he’s not writing, Scott is on the eternal quest to answer the question: What would John Wayne do?

Want more of Scott Bell? Follow him on Facebook and his blog, Texanation!

THE ART GALLERY by KATIE STEPHENS

When the sole purpose of the company you work for is to send people back in time to fix things, mistakes happen. Kara Brennan’s job is to pursue those mistakes and bring them back to the present before they can do more damage, even if her mark happens to be the dangerous Jack the Ripper. Kara’s lover and fellow teammate sent Jack through the wrong art gallery painting, but now Quinn Markham searches her out for another reason. Another mistake, one that could eliminate his very existence.

Lucas Taylor doesn’t understand why he appears during the American Revolution as a British soldier. Even more disturbing, while attending a celebratory ball in eighteenth century Philadelphia, he recognizes Kara as the young orphan he hasn’t seen in sixteen years—in the twenty-first century. He’s never forgotten her.

Kara identifies her mark, but never expected him to be the boy she knew from the orphanage. Lucas Taylor had been her hero once before. Will her girlhood dreams of the perfect man turn out to be true? Or can Quinn keep Lucas from winning back the only woman he ever loved?

Katie Stephens

If you discovered a sealed box with “Katie’s memories” scribbled on the side, you’d find a lifetime of partially completed stories, plays and musicals. Katie Stephens has opened that box and writes both non-fiction and fiction, where she happily experiments with all genres. Although her grown children are scattered east and west across the country, she lives solidly in mid-America with two kitties and a husband who keeps asking when she’s really going to retire.

WITCH by ELENA KANE

When suspicion is everywhere, how can love be found? Especially, when you’re the one they seek.

Elena Kane

I am a preschooler teacher who lives in a small town in Ohio. I have three wonderful children who I love with everything in me. Together, we love movie night, playing board games, and the occasional game of hide-and-go-seek. I love watching football games in the fall, especially when my kids are playing in the marching band. OSU Buckeyes absolutely rock and Green Bay Packers were my favorite team, although that may change now that they’ve released my favorite player. Christmas is the greatest holiday there is. I simply cannot get enough of the lights, decorations, music, and anything else that has to do with the wonderful holiday. I love flowers, the outdoors, and flip-flops are an absolute must. Beaches are incredible and someday I want to take permanent residence on one. I think it’s the combination of water, sand, and being warm year round, that appeals to me the most.

ROLF’S QUEST by AUBREY WYNNE

A wizard, a curse, a fated love…

When Rolf finally discovers the woman who can end the curse that has plagued his family for centuries, she is already betrothed. Time is running out for the royal wizard of King Henry II. If he cannot find true love without the use of magic, his line will end.

Melissa is intrigued by the mystical, handsome man that haunts her by night and tempts her by day. His bizarre tale of Merlin, enchantments, and finding genuine love has her questioning his sanity and her heart.

From the moment Melissa stepped from his dreams and into his arms, Rolf knew she was his destiny. Now, he will not only battle against time and a powerful duke, but defy his king and the gods to save her.

Aubrey Wynne

Bestselling and award-winning author Aubrey Wynne resides in the Midwest with her husband, dogs, horses, mule and barn cats. She is an elementary teacher by trade, champion of children and animals by conscience, and author by night. Obsessions include history, travel, trailriding and all things Christmas.

Her short stories, Merry Christmas, Henry and Pete’s Mighty Purty Privies have won Readers Choice Awards and Dante’s Gift received the 2016 Golden Quill and Heart of Excellence award, as well as being a Maggie and Aspen Gold finalist.

Besides her Chicago Christmas novellas, Aubrey will release “A Vintage Romance” series inspired by tales of her stepfather, who served for the British Air Force in WWII. The stories will be set in the 40s & 50s. Her medieval fantasy series will launch in 2017 with Rolf’s Quest, winner of the NTRWA Great Expectations and a Rebecca and Fire & Ice finalist.

PASSION’S CHOICE by JANIS SUSAN MAY

Tourist Elissa McLaughlin falls over the edge of the Hathor chapel reconstruction at Deir el Bahri, but when she lands she finds herself in the time of its construction. Taken as a pleasure woman by the general in charge of building, she soon finds herself constrained to a dangerous masquerade in the center of political intrigue that could change the course of Egypt’s history forever. It is no time to fall in love…

Janis Susan May

Janis Susan May is a seventh-generation Texan and a third-generation wordsmith who writes mysteries as Janis Patterson, romances and other things as Janis Susan May, children’s books as Janis Susan Patterson and scholarly works as J.S.M. Patterson.

Formerly an actress and singer, a talent agent and Supervisor of Accessioning for a bio-genetic DNA testing lab, Janis has also been editor-in-chief of two multi-magazine publishing groups. She founded and was the original editor of The Newsletter of the North Texas Chapter of the American Research Center in Egypt, which for the nine years of her reign was the international organization’s only monthly publication. Long interested in Egyptology, she was one of the founders of the North Texas chapter and was the closing speaker for the ARCE International Conference in Boston in 2005.

Janis married for the first time when most of her contemporaries were becoming grandmothers. Her husband, a handsome Navy Captain several years younger than she, even proposed in a moonlit garden in Egypt. Janis and her husband live in Texas with an assortment of rescued furbabies.

TIMELESS HEART by KARYN GERRARD

Suffering from burnout, elementary school teacher Sandra Cranston is on leave and trying to eliminate stress from her life. That plan is blown when she discovers an abandoned carriage deep in the woods. Inside is a man, Jerrod Ross, who fuels all of her wicked Regency dreams and fantasies. Take him home? Sure, why not?

Jerrod Ross has been ripped from the only world he has ever known—1821 Cornwall, England. A mine owner with many responsibilities, all he wants to do is return to his time. But his growing attraction for the lovely lady who found him makes staying in the future a temptation he finds hard to resist.

Torn between duty and desire, past and future, the hardest thing Sandra and Jerrod will do is admit their feelings. Or say—goodbye.

Karyn Gerrard

Karyn Gerrard, born and raised in the Maritime Provinces of Eastern Canada, now makes her home in a small town in Northwestern Ontario. When she’s not cheering on the Red Sox or travelling in the summer with her teacher husband, she writes, reads romance, and drinks copious amounts of Earl Grey tea.

Even at a young age Karyn’s storytelling skills were apparent, thrilling her fellow Girl Guides with off-the-cuff horror stories around the campfire. A multi-published author, she loves to write sensual historicals, particularly in the Victorian era. She also writes contemporaries. Tortured heroes are an absolute must.

As long as she can avoid being hit by a runaway moose in her wilderness paradise she assumes everything is golden. Karyn’s been happily married for a long time to her own hero. His encouragement and loving support keeps her moving forward.

FALLING by MEREDITH BOND

Long-hidden secrets, ageless magic, forbidden romance—nothing Erin could have ever imagined when she called on a hypnotist to cure her of her fear of falling. When fate gives Erin and David a second chance they need to find their happily ever after before things go very wrong… again.

Meredith Bond

Meredith Bond’s books straddle that beautiful line between historical romance and fantasy. An award-winning author, she writes fun traditional Regency romances, medieval Arthurian romances, and Regency romances with a touch of magic. Known for her characters “who slip readily into one’s heart,” Meredith’s heart belongs to her husband and two children.

STEALING A LADY’S HEART by TAMMY ANDRESEN

Graham Fairfield needs a miracle, not the troublesome daughter of a duke, Lady Charlotte. When she is kidnapped, Graham knows it his duty to set his own troubles aside and save her.

Tammy Andresen

Tammy Andresen lives with her husband and three children just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. She grew up on the Seacoast of Maine, where she spent countless days dreaming up stories in blueberry fields and among the scrub pines that line the coast. Her mother loved to spin a yarn and Tammy filled many hours listening to her mother retell the classics.   It was inevitable that at the age of 18, she headed off to Simmons College, where she studied English literature and education. She never left Massachusetts but some of her heart still resides in Maine and her family visits often.

FAITH AND THE TEXAS LAWYER by CARRA COPELIN

Faith Daniels is transported from 2016 Galveston, Texas to 1900 Galveston, in time for the most devastating natural disaster on record.

When a strange woman shows up inside Joe Benning’s house telling fantastic stories of disaster and destruction from a hurricane, can he let her go to save her life?

Carra Copelin

I write contemporary and historical romances but, unlike so many other authors, I didn’t write from childhood or read long into the night beneath the covers with a flashlight. I found romance novels as an adult. After reading about a million, I discovered numerous people residing in my head, all looking for a way onto the printed page.

I’m a member of Romance Writers of America and Yellow Rose Romance Writers, plus I’m a regular contributor to the blogs, Smart Girls Read Romance and Sweethearts of the West. I’m a member of The Daughters of the American Revolution, and The Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

My husband and I live in North Central Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex where we enjoy our family and grandchildren. In addition to writing and researching, I enjoy my Bridge group, crochet, and tracking down our relatives through genealogy.

SCANDALOUS ENDEAVORS by AMANDA MARIEL

Lady Amelia’s willing to create a scandal to stay in her beloved England. A Scottish duke ignites her passion, but will she abandon her endeavor for love?

Amanda Mariel

Amanda Mariel dreams of days gone by when life moved at a slower pace. She enjoys taking pen to paper and exploring historical time periods through her imagination and the written word. When she is not writing she can be found reading, crocheting, traveling, practicing her photography skills, or spending time with her family.

Amanda lives along the Lake Huron shoreline in northern Michigan with her husband and two kids. She holds a Master of Liberal Arts Degree with a concentration in literature and has a long-standing love affair with sugary junk food.

COUNTERFEIT COUNTESS by LYNNE CONNOLLY

John comes back to an inheritance he doesn’t want and a wife he didn’t know he had!

After Waterloo, John Dalkington-Smythe travelled overseas to Canada to find some peace and make his fortune. A frantic visit from his cousins, the Earl of Graywood and his brother brings him back home, but a tragic incident aboard ship leaves John the new heir.

In London, John meets the woman calling herself his widow. Except he isn’t dead and he’s not married. When he discovers the impostor is the woman he’s desired for years, he decides to persuade her to keep the position of Countess of Graywood.

Faith spent years trying to ignore the presence of Lieutenant-Colonel Dalkington-Smythe, her husband’s military commander. Finding herself in dire straits after Waterloo, she poses as his widow. She only ever meant it as temporary. To find that John is alive comes as a severe shock, but her feelings for him are as strong as ever. The passion John and Faith discover together is worth fighting for.

Someone is threatening to expose Faith’s deception and destroy John’s fortune and position in society. If they don’t discover the identity of their unknown enemy and thwart the schemes, John and Faith could lose everything—title, fortune and even their lives.

Lynne Connolly

Award winning, top selling author Lynne Connolly writes historical romance, paranormal romance and contemporary romance.

She lives in the UK with her family and her Mews, Jack. She also loves travelling, and often incorporates the places she visits into her books.

Love Across Time

A Multi-Genre Romance Collection

Release Date: January 10, 2017

Enter the world of yesterday… Ten full-length historical and time travel romances by bestselling authors will take you from Ancient Egypt to the British Regency to the American West and more.

Sexy, stubborn heroes and beautiful, daring heroines follow their hearts to prove love does indeed transcend time. Explore another century and find your timeless happily ever after.

Take a mini-tour of this set releasing next week! I’ll be highlighting two authors and their book every day for the next five days–and will finish in just enough time for you to get your order in. I only have one question for you:

Where else can you get a box set of ten full novels for 99 cents? And guys, don’t forget Valentine’s Day is coming soon!

Thanks for reading my blog! Comments are welcome.

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2gPQaSs

iBooks: http://apple.co/2hBys2t

B&N: http://bit.ly/2h6tMAy

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2hMqNkA

Universal: http://books2read.com/LATbox

We’re very proud to be working with artist Luke Spooner of Carrion and Hoodwink House. He has an innate ability to design the perfect cover with minimal direction. If you’re ever in need of artwork, check out his websites. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Luke Spooner, a.k.a. ‘Carrion House’ and ‘Hoodwink House,’ currently lives and works in the South of England. Having graduated from the University of Portsmouth with a first class degree he is now a full-time illustrator and writer for just about any project that piques his interest. Despite regular forays into children’s books and fairy tales, for which he has won awards for literary and artistic merit, his true love is anything macabre, melancholy or dark in nature and essence. He believes that the job of putting someone else’s words into a visual form, to accompany and support their text, is a massive responsibility as well as being something he truly treasures.

Luke has designed every cover for the Seven Deadly Sins series. He can be found on Facebook, and at his Carrion House and Hoodwink House websites.

For his story, “When Your Number’s Up,” Michael Donoghue created an illustration. It’s a fascinating look at a possible future and a peek into the mind of a master storyteller. Examine the picture and then read his story in Gluttony. You won’t be disappointed. This is our very first illustration for SDS. We plan to add some more for the box set, due out Fall 2018.

Next week, we’re going to have a release party on Facebook. We’d love everyone to stop by and say hello. There will be author interviews, some games and prizes, and a great way to network if you’re a writer. Hope to see you there!

Today, I’m presenting the final four authors in the Gluttony anthology. Stay tuned for our official release date!

Games by K.T. Stephens (Scrib: Katie Stephens)

Erica grew up a foster child, handed off from one family to another. In those early years, she learned to keep her mouth shut, take whatever meager food was offered, and never, ever play games. Erica eventually won a scholarship to college and escaped her orphan life. But one day, a letter arrives with a cryptic message—Do you want to play? And no matter how much of a wall she’s built around herself, Erica has to make a decision before her eccentric old landlady drives her crazy.

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.

Facebook         https://www.facebook.com/katie.stephens.169405

Twitter            @standardishue

Website           http://www.standardishue.com

Not One Less by M.J. Travis (Scrib: shazam)

Carlos and Louise are in love. Carlos will do anything for his “little hunny pot.” But after becoming infected by the deadly virus that has taken over their rural town, Carlos must do the unthinkable to stay alive. Will Louise stay with Carlos? Or will his strange new appetite drive her away?

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.

When the Wind Hits the Merlons by S.K. Watts

Evil and Baron Corvo de Corvis are synonymous in the small Italian town of Roccascalegna. After declaring ridiculous edicts to torment the people of his town, his depravity increases further by killing the town’s parish priest and re-instituting the most heinous of medieval feudal customs. When all hope is gone, the town is freed from living torture by the most unlikely of sources, and the Legend of the Bloody Baron is born.

S.K. Watts is a resident of Phoenix, Arizona. Happily married, and father of four daughters, Mr. Watts is a retired financial adviser and management specialist. He is actively writing a series of novels called The Watchers, and occasionally writes short stories to satiate the voices in his head. “When The Wind Hits The Merlons,” a thrilling tale based on a true story, will be his first publication, scheduled to be part of the Seven Deadly Sins YA Anthology on Amazon. Known for his comedic panache, this promising author prides himself on the ability to make a reader laugh out loud on one page, and gasp in surprise on another, a literary roller coaster of emotions.

What Lives in Shadow by Daniel I. Weaver (Scrib: Isaac Daniels)

Small towns have their secrets. Jake was destined for greatness and Dave was always there, living in his shadow. When Jake’s life starts falling apart, Dave has to emerge from Jake’s shadow and confront the monster behind his best friend’s deterioration before it’s too late.

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.

Can you name all seven deadly sins? Then you probably know the three left in our series are Wrath, Greed and Lust. Once Gluttony is released, another contest will appear on Scribophile and the process will start all over again.

If you’re a lover of books, and especially short stories, consider posting a review on Amazon or Goodreads. You don’t have to review the entire book—we welcome thoughts on any of our stories! Interested? Leave a message here, or email me at standardishue@gmail.com.

Enjoy reading about a few more of our authors!

A Dog in the Manger by Chris Kennedy (Scrib: shetlandcats)

Set in Florence at the height of the Renaissance, a father and son seek for truth in a new age of art and discovery, but powerful factions are at work in a city where display matters more than honesty and the rich guard their treasures with an iron hand.

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.

Fatter by Tonia Markou

When her friend Beverly suddenly starts putting on more and more weight every day, Maxine tries to find the mysterious boy who cursed her. Will she be able to stop the curse before Beverly eats herself to death?

Tonia Markou is a Greek-German writer and recent 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: Envy. She’s the proud owner of a vast Converse Chucks collection, and dreams of someday also owning a beach house and a dog.

Twitter            @toniawrites

Website           http://toniapolis.jimdo.com

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

The Sleep-Over by Geraldine McCarthy

Set in Ireland, Arianna enjoys her Italian mother’s cooking a little bit too much. However, an invitation to a sleep-over at her friend’s house casts Arianna’s troubles in a new light.

Geraldine McCarthy lives by the sea in West Cork in the Republic of Ireland. She has a certain amount of expertise in the area of gluttony but was, nevertheless, surprised and delighted to be included in the anthology.  In a past existence she taught, lectured, translated, and researched.  Her humorous flash fiction “Lesson Plans” was published in The Fable Online earlier this year. She is especially interested in short stories and flash fiction.

Hymn of the Spider by Yvette O’Kay (Scrib: Katie Moore)

Living since the beginning of time can be both a gift and a curse. As the creature traverses through the centuries, she has long since learned that appeasing her delicate palate is the only way to ease boredom. Once lured into the web she’s woven, there is no escape.

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

Lady of the East by Shannon Leigh Rivera

Bastet has everything she could ever want—a beautiful temple and a city full to the brim with adoring devotees who worship her without fail. Yet the other gods have taken notice, especially the jealous Seth. What will Bastet do when she is forced to give up the one thing she loves the most in order to prove she is still worth the title goddess?

Shannon Rivera is the author of several published YA short stories, including The Selkie–published in Seven Deadly Sins: Envy. In addition, Shannon is also the author of the upcoming novel Of Rebels and Ruin—an Elven Steampunk/Fantasy series— the first book due out in 2017. Using her military experience, she has put a fresh spin on urban fantasy fiction, which includes the mashing of traditional fantasy, Asian mythology, Steampunk, romance, and science-fiction elements with the spy world. An experienced writer, Shannon has penned articles for gaming websites, military commands and her own fantasy fiction blog. Besides writing, she loves to teach, offering novel writing workshops to middle and high school students as well as homeschooling her four children. Shannon is a recent graduate of Southern New Hampshire University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree summa cum laude in Creative Writing and English.

Website           shannonleighrivera.com

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

Twitter             @fairsong

Instagram        https://www.instagram.com/fantasyfix/