No one wants a bored dragon… Leave a dragon bored, quests happen. Kaxem knows the inevitability of this. Especially with a best friend like Rebop. But when Rebop brings Kaxem news of a bespelled princess in need of waking, Kaxem, at first, passes on the adventure. He’d rather rearrange his books. Really. He would. But disappointing his best friend proves impossible. Bored dragons are also nagging dragons. Kaxem agrees to the quest. One last quest. And if they happen to save the world, and discover a really good library in the process…he won’t complain. Author’s Note: This story is also published in the collection HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND JESTERS BELLS. keywords: High fantasy; paranormal fantasy; humorous fantasy; magic fantasy; short story collections; dragons; quests; myths and legends; action adventure; epic fantasy; epic fantasy short stories

When laughter collides with fear… Where humor meets terror, new heroes emerge. Whether laughing, or questing, or simply trying to survive, fate calls to the worthy. They answer only if they dare. Because daring to find light inside darkness, braving the mysteries beneath the surface of reality, brings reluctant champions to the fight. A fight for good. A fight for the luckless. A fight to protect the world. And when the jesters ring their bells, the dangers begin. Spooky humor and creepy thrills fill this entertaining new collection of six original contemporary fantasy stories from bestselling author Kat Simons. Including an all new Destiny Cats novella, and a brand new Friday’s Curious Shop story. keywords: Dark fantasy, Urban fantasy, paranormal urban fantasy, contemporary fantasy, humor fantasy, short story collections, demons and devils, witches and wizards, dragons and mythical creatures, series urban fantasy, urban fantasy magic, magic and mayhem, monsters and demons, heroes and warriors, myths and legends, spooky season stories

Fighting an alien invasion requires a good appetite… I’m an out of work dog walker who never expected to confront the end of the world in my lifetime. Especially not when that end of the world comes in the form of an alien invasion. Who expects that to happen for real, right? But there you have it. Aliens. Invading Earth. And only a rough band of us humans to defend the entire planet. With the only weapons we have. If we can stomach using it. Author’s Note: This story is also published in the collection HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND JESTERS BELLS. keywords: Contemporary fantasy, paranormal, alien invasion, humorous alien invasion, science fiction, short story, short story collections, action adventure, science fiction short stories, dolphins and bugs, aliens vs humans, humorous paranormal aliens

Welcome to the Azur Regent February brings calm and quiet to the Azur Regent. But for a sleep deprived Percy James, she could do with a little more excitement. Or a night’s sleep. A full night’s sleep would really help. With her baby niece sick and her sister losing her mind over the baby’s first cold, Percy starts to feel like a walking zombie. She even starts imagining things with one of the few guests staying at the hotel. Percy prides herself on her cheerful work ethic. Seeing suspicious things where none exist proves she needs more than makeup to cover the circles under her eyes. Fortunately, working at a hotel comes with perks. A night of uninterrupted, undisturbed sleep will put Percy back to rights. Except nothing at the Azur Regent is ever that simple. Even a night’s sleep. keywords: Amateur Sleuths, Mystery, Contemporary Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Soft-Boiled Mystery, Crime Fiction, Amateur Sleuths Mysteries, New York Hotel Mystery, Mystery Thriller and Suspense, female protagonist, Urban Mystery, mystery and suspense, crime and embezzlement fiction

Priceless artifact, impossible heist… How can a thief resist? As Myra tries to find her footing in this new world of dragon shifters, one problem clearly stands out above the rest. The dragon king and his dangerous jobs. Avoiding Christopher because of his father proves impossible, though. And when the king offers her yet another job, a heist almost as interesting as it is impossible, she gives in. To both the job, and working with Christopher. Pulling off an impossible theft requires focus, precision, and planning. Precision and planning, Myra has down. Focus… With Christopher around, that focus wavers. Ignoring a seven-foot tall, intimidatingly sexy dragon shifter would challenge even the most determined. Myra’s determined. Just not determined enough to stay away from Christopher. But first they have to pull of his father’s impossible mission and recover a priceless relic. Without getting caught. And without letting her feelings get in the way. keywords: Paranormal Romance; Shapeshifter Romance; Shifter Romance; Dragon Shifter Romance; Urban fantasy; urban fantasy romance; heist fantasy; paranormal urban fantasy; contemporary fantasy; paranormal fantasy; dark fantasy; horror fantasy; mystery fantasy; paranormal mystery; crime fiction; magic fantasy; witches and wizards; urban fantasy magic; dragons and myths; alternate history urban fantasy romance

Beware the noise behind the walls…And the dropped Cheetos Albert just wants some peace and quiet. Work and silence and no disturbances. Instead, a noise…a ringing noise in his apartment drives him to distraction. The noise even invades his dreams. When he realizes the ringing is coming from inside the walls, Albert really starts to worry. Anything could be behind that wall. Anything could be making that sound. Discovering the truth, however, proves more terrifying, and strange, than anything Albert could have expected. Author’s Note: This story is also published in the collection HAUNTS AND HOWLS AND JESTERS BELLS. keywords: Contemporary fantasy, paranormal, portal fantasy, short story, short story collections, action adventure, portal fantasy short stories, dark fantasy, horror, demon paranormal fantasy, alien invasion, humorous alien invasion,

Saving a dragon can complicate a thief’s life… One job for the dragon king. Myra had been obliged to do just one job to make up for the teeny, tiny mistake of breaking into the king’s hoard. Rescue his son. Restitution satisfied. Myra, clear and clean from one of the bigger mistakes of her life. And since the son in question turned out to be a sexy dragon shifter named Christopher—not Chris—a shifter she wouldn’t mind getting to know better. The job… Not a total wash. But still, just one job. The dragon king has other ideas. Myra doesn’t normally work for other people. She steals what she wants, when she wants, because she wants to. Her favorite marks…rich people who don’t even know their stuff is missing. But when a dragon king wants to hire you, and pay you a small fortune, to retrieve an old relic, what’s a thief to do? Having Christopher along for the ride, doesn’t hurt. Spending more time with him is almost worth the irritation of working for his father again. Complicates things too, though. Myra likes interesting. Complicated worries her. And her feelings for Christopher are getting complicated. keywords: Paranormal Romance; Shapeshifter Romance; Shifter Romance; Dragon Shifter Romance; Urban fantasy; urban fantasy romance; heist fantasy; paranormal urban fantasy; contemporary fantasy; paranormal fantasy; dark fantasy; horror fantasy; mystery fantasy; paranormal mystery; crime fiction; magic fantasy; witches and wizards; urban fantasy magic; dragons and myths; alternate history urban fantasy romance