Gerald And The Amulet of Zonrach

In the realm of Wyverndawn, a wizard’s height is the mark of his power, and shrinking an entire inch is disastrous for twelve-year-old Gerald.

Looking for promotion of an inch or two, Gerald attempts to create a village landmark using his superior wizarding skills. But the spell he bought – from a guy who knows a guy – is a tad more powerful than he anticipates. The resulting earthquake breaks off a chunk of Wyverndawn from the rest of the realm allowing Vabalaz, a highly dangerous wizard, to escape from prison.

A red-faced Gerald is banished from his village and, to complete his shame, is demoted another inch; two more and he’s likely to become a Royal Equine Poop Disposal Coordinator. Gerald’s questionable acquisition of a certain golden amulet could be the answer to his problems. But when Vabalaz discovers it may also be the key to creating his elite wizard realm, Gerald is elevated to evil wizard’s enemy number one.

Gerald’s hopes of returning home hinge on repairing the damage to Wyverndawn and thwarting Vabalaz’s plans. Failure could mean Gerald’s next spell might well be his last.

After serving eighteen years in the British Royal Navy, Carl was medically discharged with a broken back and started his first novel. He had almost completed it when he had to put it aside to earn a living wage. He taught himself Visual Basic and became a computer programmer. Although it paid enough to live on he felt unfulfilled and became unhappy with the rat race. He and his wife decided to move to the Dominican Republic for a slower pace of life.
He started to write GERALD, his second novel. The first draft was completed within six months and went through revision after revision until he had it shining like a new penny. James Wymore saw the novel and championed it through a few more revisions and it will be published by Immortal Works as his debut novel.
Since finishing GERALD, Carl has completed the first novel he started and is half way through his third. They are all very different and say a lot about his interests in life. Fantastical worlds, animals and medieval England.

Bing Until Tragedy Cover

Ben D’Alessio: Binge Until Tragedy

Laden with the grief of losing his childhood best friend to suicide and the weight of the “Real World” approaching fast, Joel Lupo buys a one-way ticket to Paris after graduating from college. With his faithful friends, Riley and Kev, at his side, a carry-on full of whiskey nips, and the promise of drugs, women, and the chance to finally speak French (the damn beautiful tongue), Joel heads to Europe to seek adventure, excitement, and new vices.

But through the haze of hallucinogens and prostitutes, new friends and new lovers (Joel quite liked to use the word ‘lover,’ when in Europe), bloody red wine and absinthe, something gnaws at Joel in the pit. It follows him from Paris, across the pulsating cities of the continent. It takes hold of him and eats away at his thoughts, his mood, his friendships.

Across the warm waters of the Mediterranean, an awakening foments on the coasts of North Africa: Revolution.

Binge Until Tragedy is Ben D’Alessio’s debut novel. He lives in New Orleans with a very mischievous cat named Kennedy.

The Raindrop Institute Cover

JoAnn Franklin: The Raindrop Institute

THE FATE OF HUMANITY RESTS WITH ONE WOMAN . . . AND HER FOUR RENTERS
Dart Sommers is 58, divorced, and an assistant professor of psychology at a North Carolina coastal university. She’s three months shy of promotion and tenure, down to her last chance to make a career in academe, when her new boss questions her research.
Dart isn’t a doomsayer. She has evidence to prove that civilization collapse is imminent, and that she can stop it. Dean J. Asher Wright doesn’t believe her. He insists she find something more practical to study that will make a difference, and if she doesn’t, she’s out of a job.
Should Dart stay and fight for the job she’s earned or leave?
Before she can act to implement The Raindrop Institute, a think tank that will, she hopes, prevent civilization collapse, her father, a crusty old farmer in Illinois, has an accident and she must go to him. As Will Sommers struggles to defy death, Dart struggles to understand that everything she believed about her relationship with her father might be wrong. Dart confronts her fears, heals old regrets, and finds the courage she needs to risk her tenure bid, her job, and her reputation.
Back home in North Carolina, Dart trains four older single women to use insight as a weapon to bring about societal change. These reluctant superheroes aren’t cut out for the job, but they’re willing to give it their all.
If you like engaging, well written dialogue framing change and social upheaval at the core-family level on to the greater society, pick up a copy of The Raindrop Institute today.
Experience these odd superheroes and their thought-filled adventures.

The author bio:
JoAnn Franklin lives near the ocean in North Carolina with her handsome husband, a sandcast of a Labrador puppy and fond memories of a black cat named Baxter. She has a Ph.D. in educational administration, and finished her educational career teaching graduate courses to principals and superintendents who wanted to earn a doctorate and to educators who wanted to become principals. She left academe to write stories that can make a difference.