After all Death is a Symbol that there was Life. ~ Mario BenedettiGrief is a powerful force, which left unchecked and ignored, can fester, manifesting into unhealthy outputs. A once rational mind can bend its perception of the world, therefore allowing for what was once taboo to now become acceptable. The pursuit of finding peace from unending torment can be all consuming until what was lost can be explained. The end will always justify the means, right? When a tragedy sets off a d...

Sometimes keeping things in the family is harder than you think.After their mother's death, brothers Malcolm and Richard had to take on the responsibility of managing the daily care of their special needs brother. Balancing his care with their demanding careers presented a challenge. After a few missteps, they thought they had finally found a solution that worked.Detective Crawford faced a challenge of his own. A series of letters start arriving at the station, presenting a...

A virtually unknown indie author attempting to impress a large publishing house gets swept up into a massive murder investigation when his work seemingly leaps from the page making him the prime suspect.Michael McAllister was a small-time independent writer. With little to no true success, he strives to create the next breakout hit on his way to becoming a well-known fiction crime writer. He just needed someone to take notice of his latest unique story ide...

Collection of poems I had written when I was a teenager that I had never really intended to see the light of day. I thought that it was about time to shake out the cobwebs and crack open the old composition books in the closet to see what was lurking in there.

A little bit of this, a little bit of that…Want to join in the hunt for some missing co-workers? How about vegging in front of the television for a binge session, only to find out the TV may have other plans for your day. If those stories aren't your cup of tea, then perhaps a spot of romance with a side of calamity? You could go a full 180 from there and try a paranormal trip down a long deserted highway, tag along with a bunch of kids as they explore a creepy old house, or worse ...

The exclusive dinner party event of the season…where the guests are dying to leave.Eccentric and elderly socialite, Elizabeth Headstrom, hosts an annual lavishly themed party at her family's sprawling estate. Always fascinated with anything supernatural, Ms. Headstrom determined this year's theme would center around a particular superstition. This year, she was to host a dinner party of just thirteen guests. She wanted to test the adage that if one broke the circle of thirteen at t...

Samantha's life is good, mostly. She loves her father deeply, but even daddy's little girl finds the life of a military brat trying. Despite being the "new girl" too often, she soldiers on. Her mom could not. She lives for his life, but now wants one of her own. Helpless but to stand witness, Samantha's life is once again packed up and shipped off, this time without her dad.She now resides in the remote town of Columbus Cove. Saving her from the debilitating isolation was the cove'...

Food is life…usually.Holidays are such a joyful time, aren't they? Well, they can be until family gets involved. Nothing ups the ante for inducing stress and panic attacks like dealing with family and loved ones around the holidays.Each holiday presents its own set of challenges. The stress that comes along with each holiday typically manifests and focuses on a single person. The mounting stress and pressure can result in some rather unsavory outcomes. The twinkling lights ...

Sheriff Martin Shuller had returned home from an exhausting case in the neighboring town of Columbus Cove. He thought he could just return to his quiet town and shake the dust off from the cove and regroup. He couldn't have been more wrong. Just as he gets settled back into his old routine, he is shaken again by a case, this time it is too close to home. Prodigal Son delivers a blow to Shuller that he had never seen coming. Just as he was getting a grip of his life as a whole, it is torn a...

It surprised no one when Sarah and Jack married right out of high school; not because Sarah was pregnant at 19, but because they had been inseparable since sophomore year. Sarah gave birth to twins, Mark and Julie, and a year later, Jacob. They had the 'mom and apple pie' life. Their picturesque dream life turned into a nightmare when on a warm summer's day at the local park, the penny dropped. What would forever be referred to as The Incident changed their family forever.Four year...

Given only a few words as a writing prompt, the authors of this anthology were issued a challenge – create a captivating, dark natured short story. The results are contained within the pages of this anthology.The Gathering is a series of darker themed short stories written in such genres as Paranormal, Crime, Suspense, Thriller, Mild Horror, and alike. Independent Authors, along with featured student authors from Timber Creek High School in Orlando, Fl, were merely presented with t...

Since the 1890s, New Jersey has attracted hundreds of thousands of Caribbean and Latin American migrants. The state’s rich economic history, high-income suburbs, and strong public sector have all contributed to attracting, retaining, and setting the stage for Latin American and Caribbean immigrants and secondary-step migrants from New York City. Since the 1980s, however, Latinos have developed a more complex presence in the state’s political landscape and institutions. The emergence of Lat...