Most people think the Cold War ended when the Soviet Union collapsed. Though the USSR may have been beaten, their war infrastructure and resentment didn’t simply go away. What if there were still secret weapons systems in place and angry old men eager to set them off? In From within the Firebird’s Nest, former KGB official Sergei Kirill Mikhailov revives a secret biological weapon: the Crimson Firebird. His aim is to strike a devastating blow to the United States while pinning the blame on an impressionable young Arab man, thus initiating a global crisis. Meanwhile, one of Sergei’s former colleagues is scrambling to stop the weapon from being deployed and recruits an unlikely team that includes his son (now a banker in Oklahoma), a former Stasi agent, and an American writer named Evan. Together they must shed light on foes hiding in the dark and save the world from unthinkable destruction. Crypto codes, numbers stations, and sleeper agents all factor into this ultra-high-stakes story of international intrigue. The Cold War gets a little warmer with each page, and all the animosity from the past builds and finally bursts in a shocking conclusion.

Seeking the Firebird's Nest by Edward Schwartz carries the reader on a journey where Past and Present stream by the window of the author's mind. Human frailty is given voice with hope to reach happiness and teach for the Future. Esoteric anecdotes reveal his philosophy of life developed in his personal adventures, trials and accomplishments, all in a fairy tale format. Many years have passed since I was a little boy. Several times in my life the firebird has shown me her face. Did she look like the firebird from the old man's house or does everybody see his or her own firebird? I do not know. But what I do definitely know is the fact that the taste of tears caused by the firebird's appearance is the same for all of us.

Festschrift volume dedicated to Kamjula Venkata Reddy, b. 1939, former Professor of English, Sri Krishnadevaraya University; contributed articles; some previously published.

A struggling writer. A team of U.S. soldiers. A fight for their lives. A battle for his soul. Writer Evan Davis desperately needs to find his muse to finish his book. As the impossible deadline approaches with a virtually nonexistent wordcount, his agent presents him with a unique reprieve: Gain a delay by becoming a press embed with U.S. troops going to Central Asia. Davis sees it as an unlikely place to rediscover his muse but lacks any alternative. After being presented with an odd luck talisman of three paperclips by a friend, he travels with his assigned unit to Afghanistan. There he is out of his comfort zone and pushed into a world where friendships are vital, and lives are on the line. His problems pale in comparison to what these brave men must face daily. As Davis begins to write about their daily hardships, he rediscovers his love of the written word. He also finds a use for each of his talismans, as they save his life and those of the men he comes to regard as his team; soldiers who promised each other they would all make it home in one piece. Follow Evan’s journey as he finds his muse in the most unlikely place under the most extraordinary circumstances.

This book features three complete stories and one poem from Strange Matters, a collection of short fantasy stories by Bret Allen. About the Firebird: Ekaterina wants to be taken seriously by the men of her village, so she sets out to hunt the greatest prey of all, the legendary Firebird. On the way she encounters three strangers who give her the gifts she needs- for a price. This short novella, inspired by Slavic folklore, is a symbolic fable about the importance of choosing wisely and keeping sight of the things that truly matter. About British Gods: Two strange figures watch the violence of the London riots unfold and do what they can to help, as only forgotten gods can. A humble nod to my favourite author, Neil Gaiman. This short story is based on British folklore in the modern-day style of American Gods. About Thornback: A poem about the humble hedgehog, seen through my eyes. About Saturday’s Child: Henri discovers that his afterlife is going to be even more dangerous than his first life, when he meets a predatory and beautiful stranger. This very short story is set in the world of ‘Sleepwalkers’, a setting of my own creation. In this case, I give a glimpse of the plight of a newly deceased spirit. Feel free to read these stories before checking out the full collection- Strange Matters- 20 stories and poems of fantasy, myth and magic! These stories contain some mature themes.

An anthology of short stories selected to provide you with a brief escape from where you find yourself right now. Each will allow you to leave this reality and take a quick trip into a different one. Have no fear. It’s a nice place. Even better, they know you there. Words Ever Unspoken Years have passed since Carson and Melissa broke up. Even though time has passed, both still dwell on the last time the two were together. Was that night a way of marking the end of their relationship, or was it a desperate attempt on both their parts to prevent their breakup from being permanent? Neither of them said a word during that last time together. Will either of them be able to find the words to express what is going on inside their minds and hearts today? It's a Surreal Thing He was deep into that summer between being a kid and being a teenager. She was the kind of woman that was the building block of a young man’s fantasies. As he sat there alone, she walked up behind him unnoticed and for a brief moment became the center of his universe when she made a simple request… a swig of his Coke. Just Down from Rimpy’s Bait Shop Peter’s grandfather brought him to live on his farm during his most turbulent years. As the man he loves succumbs to the deterioration of age, Peter is increasingly frustrated as he is forced to deal with the aging man’s belligerent and sometimes dangerous behavior. Fertilizing a section of the lawn should be a simple chore, especially when there are explicit directions. But then again, maybe not. A Scents of the Virus A sleepless night filled with the boredom of the COVID19 lockdown, a distracting ad on the Internet, and a credit card leads to the purchase of a Hollywood star’s latest vanity project: A candle with a unique scent. The first time Munro smells it, he begins to recover a memory. It is a memory he suppressed for years of a woman and relationship his heart and body cherished. Now, whenever the aroma surrounds him, he is immersed in a world where she and the relationship still exist.