The third in the Chris Calhoun series of mysteries set in middle Georgia has Mark and Chris trying to figure out what happened to young Ryan Burton on a strange night. Digging into Ryan's strange service call to a welding job in the middle of nowhere when he was not allowed to see the route - could they retrace his steps? What would they find?Teresa D. Patterson, author of Project Queen, delivers a gritty, gripping tale of urban life with no sugarcoating.How far would you go to clean up your 'hood?Tired of constantly reading headlines about the violence being committed in his community, Xavier Brunswick decides to form Brothers Takin’ Over (BTO) with three of his childhood friends. BTO’s original intention is to help clean up the ‘hood, but large egos and clashing personalities causes them to lose focus of their main goal. In addition to dealing with BTO, Xavier ‘s problems at home continue to fester. He’s angry at his father who is “passing” for white and vows to never become like him. Just when he thinks things can get no worse, his dope-fiend brother, Woodrow, returns from the streets and throws the family into chaos. Having to deal with back-stabbing friends, an alcoholic father, and a crack-head brother is almost more than Xavier can bear. How much can he endure before he finally snaps?

This a story for older kids about social bullying and the impact it can have for the victim...and the bully.This is a short story about social bullying. Although the main character is a first grader, the story itself targets older children. I wrote this story as part of a bully-proofing curriculum for my sixth-grade students. It would, however, be appropriate for high school students, too. The story is true. Included with the story are thought provoking written response questions that can be used as-is in your classroom or altered to fit your specific need. Again, this is a serious and perhaps slightly disturbing story about social bullying. It illustrates that not all bullying is intentional, and that social ostracism can sometimes be more damaging than a physical assault.Generally, I write suspense/thrillers, so this story is very different from my usual genre. If you would like to use this story in your classroom, you could easily display it using your classroom computer. If you would rather, I would be happy to send you the word file so that you could more easily print it and the written response questions for your students. If you would like to have a word file, please visit my website at www.sdexter.com and use my contact form for your request.

Norman Babbit is the smartest kid in Petaluma. He is also the youngest kid in junior high and his teachers, his little sister and the school bully are driving him crazy. If only his science project qualifies for the Nationals in Washington DC...The smartest kid in Petaluma never thought seventh grade would be like this! When Norman Babbit skipped a grade and entered junior high a year early he thought his life would be great. But the school bully forces Norman to do his homework, his younger sister is a brat, his English teacher hates him, his older brother is trying to fill in for their deceased father, and his mother thinks all Norman's problems are dietary. If it weren't for his best friend Chris and his pet owl Luigi, Norman would go crazy. With the deadline for his science project approaching as fast as a showdown with the bully, Norman simply has too many problems and no solutions.

Overpopulation has ruined the Earth. Housing stacks dot the landscape, surrounded by piles of discarded rubble. Yet the newly discovered, habitable planets in the cosmos provide hope, and the lottery offices provide a chance for those in the housing stacks to ascend into the stars. Only, the game is rigged, and all the treasure found in the stars will be wasted so long as the lottery entertains.Becky Chen works with a broken heart. She wears a surveyor’s uniform, sent by the lottery offices to scout for habitable planets capable of providing a new home for Earth’s masses. It’s a job she does not love, for she knows that the settlers who follow in her trail will trample whatever splendor she discovers in those stars.Winston Clayton prays for a chance to ascend into the heavens. He calls the stale and stinking air of a housing stack home, and he anxiously waits each month to hear if the lottery chooses his apartment tower as the next winning stack to be transported to a new world of fresh air and uncluttered fields.Mary Lopez rides a shuddering settler’s rig down through the atmosphere of Wildberry. She knows she is a prosperous person, and that the planets are reserved for independent and strong characters such as herself. The lottery has supplied her with shelter and with tools, and Mary is confident that the weapon she smuggles into the contest will give her the advantage needed to survive and thrive.The pulsating creatures native to an alien world will become swept up in the schemes of the affluent and the fights of the desperate. Their wings can supply any desired scene to those settlers arriving upon Wildberry, if only the men and women who chase to that new, alien world can recognize the grace already occupying their new home.

Jesse Ownsman has survived boot camp and made it to his first assignment. No sooner does he arrive though and the planet's observatory discovers an intruder attempting to sneak up on them. With no hope of reinforcements before this stranger descends upon them, the very survival of Jesse and his compatriots rests solely on their shoulders.Jesse Ownsman has survived boot camp and made it to his first assignment, the bleak planet of Aridia on the outskirts on inhabited space. No sooner does he arrive though and the planet's observatory discovers an intruder attempting to sneak up on them. With no hope of reinforcements before this stranger descends upon them, the very survival of Jesse and his compatriots rests solely on their shoulders.

Meoldy Grayson as lived a semi-normal life until the day she's cheated on. So she leaves her life only to discover Ryne Owens, the leader of something bigger than them both. As Melody learns the extent of her powers, she faces twists and turns she never thought she could manage. Can she learn who she really is and save the other porters?Short Stories of Madness. In Terror, moms were no longer carrying babies in their expensive strollers, they were hauling monsters. And the rest of the citizens were probably too sick and deteriorated to figure out the tragedy ahead. A state of emergency would have been ideal under such circumstances, but government officials were intoxicated by the mayhem and unable to find consensus for the next move―so, they did nothing. It was one of the most sophisticated operations of techno terrorism to date. Fundamentalism was dead; the trend was a new science of people decimation without weapons. Nebbia was the brainchild of a young British banker and part time physicist, who recruited a quorum of well-fed scientists to set up shop in the capital of the south and carry the annihilation. Why did they end up here in the first place? Disease control is a big business, and a big responsibility. It requires a tremendous amount of money, skills, and state of the art facilities. An adequate hub maybe? Sure, PDK was just the perfect stead, and here in the capital of the south, was where it all began. In Signorina, Greta is a kidnapper, she's ruthless, she has no identity, and she's terribly good at writing computer code. Her plan is smart and undetectable. Just follow her on Twitter and you will disappear within 72 hours. The only caveat: the code needs to be embedded to be effective. She finds the man who can help her, but when the whole thing starts to smell bad, she has to go back to the drawing board and confront the same man who is now unwilling to be part of the imbroglio. In Faceless, a panhandler, an alcoholic mother, a lawyer behind the wheel of a bucket truck, a state trooper who despises women, a presidential candidate fond on social media, a coroner with a new set of scalpels, and a star maker with the latest technology are all together in a mosaic, or better an orgy of life stories taped and narrated by the author himself. In Manstat, a man is bored with the conventions of life, and was committed to create the ultimate companion, Manstat. He hired the best man in the business. He paid him a small fortune. He gave him carte blanche and praised the creation of such a marvel. Nothing will ever come close. Manstat was finally in his hands, but he was warned: use it wisely, or it shall work against you. What was he going to do with such a dangerous gadget?

Volume 3 of the Rich Coleman Novel series. A timely novel about one greedy of mortgage lender who made himself millions but destroyed the lives of thousands of Americans and helped send the American economy in a tailspin.An ex-military contractor tries to leave the world behind, but it’s not as simple as he thinks...especially once the blood lust strikes.Horrific experiments took the two things that mattered most to William Strickland -- his family and his humanity. Now a twisted mutation of human and animal DNA, he is up against the most powerful corporation in the world... and all he has are his wits, his will, and the wolf.Grab this riveting thriller today and free the beast inside!

Horrific experiments took the two things that mattered most to William Strickland -- his family and his humanity. Now a twisted mutation of human and animal DNA, he is up against the most powerful corporation in the world... and all he has are his wits, his will and the wolf!An ex-military contractor tries to leave the world behind, but it’s not as simple as he thinks...especially once the blood lust strikes.Horrific experiments took the two things that mattered most to William Strickland -- his family and his humanity. Now a twisted mutation of human and animal DNA, he is up against the most powerful corporation in the world... and all he has are his wits, his will, and the wolf.Grab this riveting thriller today and free the beast inside!

A 13th Century girl wants to be seen by the Father who wished she died in her Mother's place.*This is the new 2nd edition of the original "Andy The Spider" This book is written for Lower Middle Grade, Ages 7-10* Andy the spider is not good at weaving strong webs, so he often depends on his sister, Emily, who spins great webs for food. When Emily is kidnapped by Harry, a mean owl who is feared by everyone in the forest, Andy must summon all his bravery to rescue his sister. However, it turns out Emily is not the only creature in danger from Harry. In a continually-twisting plot, Andy enlists the help of new friends, including squirrels, owls, caterpillars and even humans, all of whom must join forces to bring Harry’s bullying to an end.

In ages past, a boy was born to meet a destiny and task that no other could. With the rise of the sorcerers and evil Kings, the land became wretched with evil and avarice. He then embarks on a precarious journey that will take him into adulthood, and beyond what any normal man can become. Merlin the Legacy follows Merlin's unknown beginnings that have been always shrouded in mystery...Merlin felt the slight kick of a boot in his side.“Come on you lazy bugger! Time to get off your backside and 'play' knight.”Merlin tried to cover his eyes from the dawn sun, and then Darius noticed something,“My God boy, why are you sweating so? What were you doing last night?”Merlin sat up wiping the sweat off his forehead. It was no surprise to him, he always greeted morning with sweat dripping off him, but he knew better than to tell Darius of his dreams.“I've always been like this, it's nothing.”“Well, in any case, while you've been lazing around, I've already been out to find you a stick you can use as a sword. It's about the right size for you. Here you are.”Darius tossed the stick at Merlin, forcing him to catch it clumsily.“Right then! First lesson, grip the sword like this.”Darius showed Merlin the classical grip and then what he called “the crazy b******” grip. A one handed grip that allowed the wielding of two weapons, as the heavy sword would be strapped to one hand with some leather cord, while the other was free to grab, strike or take up another implement of pain.“But for now, because you're such a green beginner and all, we'll just concentrate on the basic grip and strikes. I just wanted you to know how truly dangerous I can be.”Merlin raised his eyebrows as Darius got into his guard stance,“Follow me, there's a good lad!”Merlin mimicked Darius' each move. The stances, the strikes and the parries. He didn't really understand them, but after an hour, he could do them on command.“Right then,” Darius rubbed his forearm across his brow, “now I am going to attack you. Hard.”Merlin felt his stomach turn.“Parry one!” Darius shouted as he ran toward Merlin with his broadsword in a downward striking movement, with a devilish laugh.To his own surprise, Merlin instantly brought the stick up into the right position.Darius began to strike across Merlin's body,“Parry two!”Merlin again, blocked it. With Darius stopping just before his blade made contact.“No bad, not bad at all. We may make a knight of you yet.”Darius saw that what Merlin was lacking in strength, he made up for in speed and agility.“Now, attack me.” Ordered Darius.Merlin didn't want to. The look of that blade Darius was now wielding with gusto and a devil-may-care-look in his eyes, told Merlin it was the last thing he wanted to do.“Aren't you hungry Darius, don't you think we should eat.”Darius put his guard down and leaned on the sword for a moment,“Come on boy, don't be a coward, what would that girly of yours think if she saw you now? Think she'd be impressed?”Merlin felt a spark inside him grow, a spark that ignited an ember that would go on to become a furnace in future years. Taking a swing a Darius, Darius hopped backward to avoid it easily...

Frozen in Crime is the fifth novel in the Pitkirtly mystery series.As Christmas approaches, deep snow cloaks the little town of Pitkirtly, an armed robbery takes place and Jemima’s husband Dave disappears. But that's just the start of it!Frozen in Crime is the fifth novel in the Pitkirtly mystery series.As Christmas approaches, deep snow cloaks the little town of Pitkirtly, an armed robbery takes place and Jemima’s husband Dave disappears.Amaryllis, searching for adventure, wants to go on an epic quest but Christopher, needless to say, isn’t at all happy about the prospect. They both find themselves trekking through the snow anyway. Meanwhile at the police station Charlie Smith and his men, trapped at work by the weather, celebrate Christmas in style with microwaved sprouts and virtual crackers.Things can only get worse as, under cover of snow and ice, two desperate men make their evil plans.

Andy's brother is her guardian, but they are not friends. Under his law-abiding image, he's up to something. Though she knows better than to pry into his business, it doesn't stop her from trying to cause him trouble.Set in the Greek city-state of Priene in 650 B.C., this fascinating murder mystery opens with Bias, the protagonist, being stalked by a murderer at the sacred grounds of the Panionion, the religious and political center of the Ionic League.As Bias crouches at the back of a cave, he recalls the events of the previous weeks which led him to his predicament.A minor priest, Bias assists at the opening of the Panionic Games by securing the blessing of Priene’s reigning deity, Poseidon. But while the games are being blessed, Priene’s best athlete is poisoned and dies in Bias’s arms. The citizens perceive Bias to be infected by the "miasma of death" and he is challenged with the responsibility of finding the killer. Told with wit and authentic period color, this is an unusual mystery that readers will remember for its convincing plot and unique historic atmosphere.

Set in the Greek city-state of Priene in 650 B.C., this fascinating murder mystery opens with Bias, the protagonist, being stalked by a murderer at the sacred grounds of the Panionion, the religious and political center of the Ionic League. As Bias crouches at the back of a cave, he recalls the events of the previous weeks which led him to his predicament.Set in the Greek city-state of Priene in 650 B.C., this fascinating murder mystery opens with Bias, the protagonist, being stalked by a murderer at the sacred grounds of the Panionion, the religious and political center of the Ionic League.As Bias crouches at the back of a cave, he recalls the events of the previous weeks which led him to his predicament.A minor priest, Bias assists at the opening of the Panionic Games by securing the blessing of Priene’s reigning deity, Poseidon. But while the games are being blessed, Priene’s best athlete is poisoned and dies in Bias’s arms. The citizens perceive Bias to be infected by the "miasma of death" and he is challenged with the responsibility of finding the killer. Told with wit and authentic period color, this is an unusual mystery that readers will remember for its convincing plot and unique historic atmosphere.

She's heartbroken. He's the man who loves her.Preternaturalist Alexandra (Alex) Dalton and her glowing cat are hunting for the person who kidnapped and murdered Alex’s three-year-old daughter when her uncle’s deathbed request sends her across the country to solve two Night Hag murders. The worst part? She must join forces with her estranged husband, the handsome treasure hunter, Richard Dalton.She's heartbroken. He's the man who loves her. In this tale of romance, suspense, and fantastical mystery, preternaturalist Alexandra (Alex) Dalton and her paranormal sensitive cat are hunting for the person who kidnapped and murdered Alex’s three-year-old daughter when her uncle’s deathbed request sends her across the country to solve two mysterious Night Hag murders. The worst part? She must once again risk her heart as she joins forces with her estranged husband, the handsome treasure hunter, Richard Dalton.

A screen-play set in the neolithic period following a boy and his guardian's magical education and enlightenment.The story of metals and how they helped people move from the Stone Age into the Bronze. A screen-play telling the story of Uther Pendragon and his flight after his realm is invaded my monsters using magical technology. His guardian and he runs to the city of Babylon where they learn the secrets of metal making. An adventure story full of magic and intrgue...