Literary Lunes Magazine Volume 2

July/August 2012

Literary Lunes Magazine copyright 2012 Beth Ann Masarik & Literary Lunes Publications. All rights reserve ! inclu ing the right to repro uce this book! or portions thereo"! in any "or# $ithout $ritten per#ission e%cept "or the use o" brie" &uotations e#bo ie in critical articles an revie$s. 'or in"or#ation about reprinting! istributing! or other$ise sharing the contents o" this book! please contact Beth Ann Masarik at info@literarylunes.com 'irst e ition! (uly)August 2012 *riginally publishe in paperback an e+book by Literary Lunes Publications ,#ash$or s - ition .nterior e ite by Beth Ann Masarik /over esign by Beth Ann Masarik Literary Lunes Magazine $$$.literarylunes.co# Literary Lunes Publications $$$.literarylunespublications.co#

Table of Contents Letter From the Editor By Beth Ann Masarik Connect with us Join our Mailin list !ew and "m#ro$ed %#ecial call for %ubmissions !ow Bookin & 'on(t For et& Market%hare) Book Trailers* To +a$e ,r !ot To +a$eBy An ela .uriko %mith Tribute to ,therworld /ublications By Beth Ann Masarik* Cambria +ebert and Erin 'an0er 1acky 1riters /oetry /aloo0a /oems by Terra 2elly 3 Jamie 'an0er Maybe By Abbi ! uyen 4Tamed Ti ers5 Matthew 1ilson An An el 6ets +er /owers A Cassandra Serafin story (#1) By Erin 'an0er Len and %mithy By Carl /almer Terra7Firma 8e$iews By Terry 2elly There You Have It: My Opinion

By Cam ria He ert Cherny(s Corner By Bob Cherny Lunar 8e$iews By Beth Ann Masarik

The %taff

Letter from the Editor 'ear 8eader* Thank you for downloadin and or #urchasin another edition of Literary Lunes Ma a0ine. " cannot be in to tell you how much your continued su##ort means to me. Because of your su##ort* the ma a0ine continues to row and blossom. The #ublishin house website 3 blo is almost com#lete. .ou can now follow it at www.literarylunes#ublications.com. 1ith my weddin less than three months away* my schedule is oin to be $ery ti ht for the ne9t few months. "t will be e9tremely im#ortant that e$eryone meet the u#comin deadlines. This issue is :am7#acked with short stories and book re$iews. The ne9t se$eral issues will be filled with some ama0in new material* includin a new marketin column* and inter$iews from J2% Communications and se$eral small #ress #ublishers. There are only two more issues left for the year. " know* hard to belie$e* ri ht- The ne9t issue is scheduled to come out in the be innin of %e#tember. " also want to remind e$eryone that we also ha$e #a#erback editions a$ailable now on the Literary Lunes /ublications website. 1ell* that(s all for now folks. En:oy this issue of Literary Lunes Ma a0ine& Lo$e* Beth "nn Masari#

Connect with us online&

J,"! ,;8 MA"L"!6 L"%T& 1ant the latest* u#7to7date information re ardin Literary Lunes- Join our mailin list by fillin out the form below and sendin it to info@literarylunes.com !ame) <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< E7mail address) <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

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NEW AND IMPROVED! " would like to in$ite you all to $isit the new and im#ro$ed Literary Lunes /ublications blo and website* www.literarylunes#ublications.com. " recently chan ed ser$ers* and because of the mo$e* " lost all of the initial followin . Therefore* if you were one of the ori inal followers* the Literary Lunes /ublications blo and website is now u# and runnin a ain and " would reatly a##reciate a re7follow. " am also oin to take this o##ortunity to let you all know that the Literary Lunes Ma a0ine website is F"!ALL. com#lete. "t is u#7to7date* and there are some new submission uidelines* so #lease familiari0e yourself with them if you #lan to submit to us. DEADLINE REMINDER The ne9t deadline for ma a0ine submissions is Au ust =>. /lease see below for a s#ecial submission re?uest. SPECIAL CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS Literary Lunes Ma a0ine is now acce#tin submissions for a#ocaly#tic themed short stories and #oems. The deadlines for the submissions are) Au ust => for the %e#tember@,ctober issue* and ,ctober => for the !o$ember@'ecember issue. /lease $isit the Literary Lunes /ublications website Awww.literarylunes#ublications.comB for com#lete and official submission uidelines. NOW BOOKING THE FOLLOWING Literary Lunes /ublications is now bookin the followin for their blo and future ma a0ine issues) A.es* we are now bookin for the =C>D lineu#B Blo tours "nter$iews 6uest #osts Afor the blo B !ew columns 6uest articles Afor the ma a0ineB

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DONT FORGET!!!!! /lease don(t for et that the 1ritin s From the +eart charity antholo y has been released& All #roceeds will o to the Cohen Children(s Medical Center of !.(s #ediatric cardiolo y unit. They ha$e a new #ro ram that will hel# transition children into the adult world of cardiolo y* and the #roceeds will be oin towards education and research in this #ro ram. .ou can #urchase the antholo y in #a#erback throu h creates#ace for only E>D.CC* or in an electronic $ersion for only EF.GG throu h Ama0on 2indle* Barnes 3 !oble !ook* and %mashwords.com for all other formats. /raises for 1ritin s From the +eart)
One of my favorite poems would definitely have to be "My Shadow" by Alan D !arris And here is a little taste" "#t follows me on sunny days but disappears in bri$ht hallways" #%ve never been one for poetry but this poem is simply beautiful and ama&in$ As for the short stories' # found a few that # really li(ed but one that # want to share with my lovely birds #t%s )alled' *he +rin)ess and *he *hree ,$ly -it)hes by ,&ma Chaudhry *he names for wit)hes (for whi)h you%ll have to read the boo( to find out) are hilarious And they really are sisters in every way with all the bi)(erin$ and lau$hin$ (or )a)(lin$ in their )ase) # (now it%s a short story but # would li(e to (now what would happen .ow there are many storied and poems in this )olle)tion that are sad' painful' and yet many have that silver linin$ of hope on the hori&on *hey%re /ust so full of raw emotion that you really wouldn%t find when tal(in$ to the author fa)e to fa)e # am definitely re)ommendin$ this in)redible )olle)tion to everyone #t%s probably $oin$ to sound )heesy but it%s a very hopeful boo( Don%t ta(e my word on it' read it yourself HMartha *his antholo$y will have somethin$ for everyone *he short stories ran$e widely in topi) and are heartwarmin$ and full of emotion' playful and funny One of my favorites was the very first story' "!idin$ in +lain Si$ht'" thou$h there were a few others # really en/oyed as well *hou$h #%m not normally a hu$e fan of poetry' # really en/oyed the poems in this antholo$y A )ouple of my favorites were "#nvisible S)ars" and "Su))ubus in Chains " *his boo( is for a $ood )ause' so even if short stories and poetry is not somethin$ you usually read' $ive it a try *he pro)eeds from this )olle)tion will $o to the Adult Con$enital !eart +ro$ram at Cohen Children%s Medi)al Center of .0 for edu)ation and resear)h in this area H%heri from Makin Connections

Market%hare) Book Trailers* To +a$e ,r !ot To +a$eBy An ela .uriko %mith " hear a lot of discussion lately about whether or not book trailers are effecti$e marketin tools. This is a foolish ?uestion. That(s like askin if a sho$el is an effecti$e tool. ,f course it is* unless it(s #oorly made. "n my o#inion* the ?uestion should really be (how they are effecti$e(* not Iif(. Any #ossible thin you can do to share your messa e is $aluable. Askin if a book trailer can hel# you market your book is like askin if you should #ut a For %ale si n in front of a house for sale. Can a trailer rab attention- Can it be easily sent by a $ariety of methods that can #otentially o $iral- Then it can hel# market your book. Book trailers can attract attention faster and more effecti$ely than other methods. They can be shared in blo #osts* .ouTube* /interest* 6oo leJ* Twitter and on your #rofessional author #rofiles* to name a few. /eo#le may not ha$e time to read a uest #ost or re$iew but a minute lon trailer is an easy and entertainin hook. "($e often said that if a #icture is worth a thousand words* then a ood book trailer is worth ten thousand. Many trailers are rendered com#letely ineffecti$e* howe$er* because creators lose the #oint. The #ur#ose of a book trailer is to create interest and tell where to find your book. Many of the trailers " see out now will either be too bland or lack the $ital Iwhere to find( info. Let(s be honestK the a$era e internet user has a short attention s#an and a lot com#etin for it. .our trailer needs to rab attention* e9cite and then tell where to find more. "f you miss any of these thin s* then it is not oin be an effecti$e tool. A trailer is a ateway to your literary world. The same as for a mo$ie trailer* you need to think and desi n it dynamically. +ere are some trailers "($e seen lately. My intention isn(t to #ass :ud ment on anyone(s trailer* but rather to allow you to see a selection in all #rice ran es and see for yourself what works and what doesn(t. %ome of these cost nothin * and two cost nearly E=*CCC. 1hate$er your bud et* you can ha$e an effecti$e trailer as lon as you remember its #ur#ose) rab attention and redirect. Book trailers should rab attention* lea$e the $iewer with a ?uestion and most im#ortantly* tell where to find the book. 1atch the followin and let me know what you think. 1hat works- 1hat doesn(t>. =. D. F. M. N. Malaika by Lan +eerlin The +i hlander Trilo y by Maya Banks The %#y 1ho Left Me by 6ina 8obinson "t(s a Book by Lane %mith "nside 8ealms by A.F. %tewart My own trailers for End of Mae and !o Money Marketin .

About the author) An ela feels #assionate about #romotion. Too often she has witnessed an e9cellent creation be for otten due sim#ly to a lack of marketin . Creati$e

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#eo#le tend to dislike the more mundane tasks of ad$ertisin or suffer from a lack of dis#osable funds. An ela seeks to remedy this with the #ublication of her book* .o Money Mar(etin$. E$ery idea she tried out herself on her first no$ella 1nd of Mae. There is the #roof that authors can market their work and they donOt need bi bud ets to do it. Both books are a$ailable in #a#erback and all e7formats. An ela can always be found thru her blo * dandilyonfluff.com.

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A sad day in #ublishin 7tribute to ,therworld /ublications By Beth Ann Masarik 1ritin is somethin that " ha$e AL1A.% done. 6ranted* " wasn(t always $ery ood at it* but* it was somethin that " lo$ed to do when " was little. "n fact* it is somethin that " still lo$e to do. 1hen " was fifteen years old* " wrote my first book* althou h* it wasn(t $ery ood. +owe$er* it was that one book that made me reali0e that " was meant to be a writer and that " wanted to be #ublished. 1hen " was in colle e* " embarked on the :ourney to become an author. That was when " became serious about writin * and in =CCP* " entered my $ery first !ano1rimo contest. ,f course* " didn(t win that year* but that book became what you uys know as The 1orld Amon ;s) /rince of 'arkness. This was the first book that was e$er #ublished thanks to the wonderful* Lynn Cal$ert of ,therworld /ublications. "n the %ummer of =C>C* " submitted The 1orld Amon ;s) /rince of 'arkness to Lynn* and she had asked me for a full manuscri#t& ,f course " was e9cited& " had recei$ed so many re:ection letters from literary a ents and was honestly startin to doubt my talents as an author. 1hen " recei$ed Lynn(s acce#tance letter* " was on Cloud !ine. 'urin the time that "($e otten to know Lynn and the staff of ,therworld /ublications* we($e had many u#s and downs. That(s to be e9#ected with any business* ri ht- 1e($e all had our ood days and our bad days* but the ood times that "($e had with Lynn outwei h the bad. 1e were all one bi ha##y family. That was until a few weeks a o when " recei$ed the heart7wrenchin email from Lynn tellin her authors the bad news) she will be closin ,therworld /ublications on 'ecember D>* =C>=. My heart sank* the walls be an to close in* and my dreams of bein a #ublished author soon shattered. ,therworld /ublications was closin - "mmediately* " be an to #anic. " asked myself* 4what was " oin to do now- 1hat about my current titles that Lynn had #ublished- 1hat(s oin to ha##en to my ,therworld family- And more im#ortantly* what was oin to ha##en to Lynn and the ,1/ staff-5 !aturally* " became de#ressed and saddened. "t didn(t hel# thin s that " was be innin to feel the stress of weddin #lannin * and now this was thrown on to# of it all. " felt like " had been thrown under a bus.

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B;T* " also knew that Lynn had to ha$e been feelin worse than all of us. MuchQmuch worse. "n fact* when " emailed her back* she told me that she had :ust been cryin o$er her decision. " don(t blame her at all. "t was a $ery difficult decision to make. ,therworld /ublications may not ha$e been $ery well known and a $ery small #ress* but Lynn Cal$ert and the others in$ol$ed with this reat franchise ha$e all touched my heart in some way or another. Lynn was the one who :um#7started my career as an author* and for that* " am $ery thankful and rateful. Lynn* you and the staff of ,therworld /ublications will be missed* and none of us will e$er for et how you($e touched our li$es. "(d like to lea$e you all with some words from your talented authorsQ

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Other*or+, -u +i.ations By Cam ria He ert /hen I 0irst set out to e.ome pu +ishe, I got a +ot o0 re1e.tions2 The mai+ o3 e.ame a sour.e o0 +etters *ith the *or, 4O insi,e2 My emai+ in o3 *as sta+#e, an, the re0resh utton use, so repeate,+y that sometimes I thin# I hear, it *eeping5 But I never gave up2 I am a *riter2 " *riter has to pay their ,ues6 e.ome an 7artist8 that #no*s re1e.tion an, pain5 yeah6 I #no*52 B"H H" H" H"2 But sti++ those thoughts got me through a .oup+e years o0 trying to get pu +ishe,6 trying to get an agent an, 1ust trying to get someone to rea, anything that I *rote5 "0ter a out t*o years I got tire,2 Tire, o0 hearing no an, 0rustrate, that I *as hearing no e0ore anyone *ou+, give my manus.ript a .han.e2 I starte, 0o.using more on sma++er pu +ishing houses an, I 0oun, Other*or+, -u +i.ations2 I sent o00 a 9uery an, the manus.ript to them an, then I sai, a prayer2 :i3 +ong months *ent y an, I 1ust 0igure, that they *ere not intereste,2 :in.e that time I su mitte, to another pu +ishing house an, *as re1e.te,2 But then I got an emai+2 Lynn over at Other*or+, -u +i.ations *as intereste, in pu +ishing my oo#2 I .rie,2 Li#e a a y2 LOL2 "n, that is *hen my transition 0rom *riter to author egan2 Being a *riter is a so+itary thing ut eing an author is something that ta#es a team o0 peop+e2 I *as +u.#y enough to have 9uite a it o0 support 0or my 0irst nove+6 Masquerade, pu +ishe, in ;e.em er o0 2)112 My pu +isher *as Other*or+, -u +i.ations2 I have to say that I no* #no* that I ha, 9uite a uni9ue ,ea+ *ith Lynn an, O/-2 They aren<t +i#e a +ot o0 the pu +ishing houses =sma++ presses> out there2 Lynn tru+y *ante, to 1ust he+p authors get their oo#s out there2 /e never spent time ,e ating over the .over6 the .ontent6 a .ertain thing e.ause Lynn *as a+*ays ehin, me an, the message I *ante, to sen, *ith my oo#2

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:he gra.e0u++y a++o*e, me to have my o*n .over ,esigns an, she even hire, on an e,itor that I +ove, to *or# *ith =this *as e.ause the e,itor is ta+ente, not e.ause o0 me>2 Lynn *as generous *ith roya+ties an, *as a+*ays *i++ing to ans*er my 9uestions *hen I ha, them2 I +earne, a +ot a out pu +ishing ,uring my 0irst pu +ishing e3perien.es *ith O/-2 I am so grate0u+ that Lynn gave me an, my series a .han.e2 /ithout that .han.e I might sti++ e getting re1e.tions +etters2 :ometimes a++ a person nee,s is a .han.e2 :ometimes they 1ust nee, someone to say 7I e+ieve in you82 I thin# that is *hat O/- stan,s 0or2 I have to say *hen I 0oun, out that O/- *as .+osing its ,oors I *as sa,2 " very happy .hapter in my +i0e is a out to .+ose5 ut I *i++ move on *ith a++ the #no*+e,ge that Lynn an, the sta00 at O/taught me2 ?ven though the ,oors to O/- are .+osing ,oesn<t mean that everything a out the sma++ pu +ishing house *i++ en,2 I thin# that pie.es o0 O/- *i++ +ive on in a++ the authors they *or#e, *ith6 a++ the oo#s they on.e put out an, a++ the peop+e they inspire,2 Than# you to Lynn an, the sta00 at O/- 0or giving me a path to rea+ize my ,ream an, 0or giving me a .han.e2 You .ertain+y gave me something that no one e+se *ou+,2 I *ish Lynn an, sta00 the very est in *here her ne3t 1ourney ta#es them an, 1ust #no* that *hi+e O/- might e .+ose,5 the peop+e you inspire, *i++ +ive on2 Cam ria He ert "uthor o0 the Heven an, He++ :eries OWP Published novels: Masquerade =Heven an, He++ @1> Charade =Heven an, He++ @2> OWP published novellas: Before =Heven an, He++> Between =Heven an, He++ @12$> Whiteout =a paranorma+ roman.e>

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Thank you By Erin 'an0er " :ust want to thank Lynn for i$in me a chance. E$en thou h our #ublishin history was $ery brief* " am fore$er rateful to her for sayin OyesO to me and e$erythin that ha##ened after. E$en after findin out ,1/ is closin its doors* Lynn directed me to another #ublisher where my book would fit in. 1ithout her takin a chance on me* " would not be where " am now. %o Thank .ou* Lynn* for e$erythin youO$e done for me. H Erin )B

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1acky 1riters 1rite a short story that is >C*CCC words or less about a character* or set of characters celebratin their inde#endence from somethin or someone.

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-oetry -a+ooza Be .ou by Terra 2elly Be .ou My daddy called me #rincess he #romised me a #rince " read all the stories like Cinderella fuckin Cinderella " belie$ed all those lies " belie$ed all those #romises All those stu#id fairy tales listen to me irls donOt belie$e in the dream there are no ma ic men no one will swee# you off your feet a kiss will not o$ercome death if you belie$e in that then all you will ha$e is broken dreams if you ha$e to belie$e then belie$e in yourself #ick u# your own #ieces fi ht to make your dreams come true donOt wait for someone to hand it to you Because no one will sa$e you !o one but you be your own #rincess be your own #rince charmin be you

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RChan edR By Jamie 'an0er A side of me " ne$er knew e9isted Came ali$e late one ni ht All was ?uiet in this realm ;ntil you knocked u#on my door And thou h " did not answer For " did not know who was there .ou took your cue anyways ;nlockin the door* you entered There was somethin about you %omethin " could not e9#lain Mysterious and ca#ti$atin ,n a rather intri uin le$el .ou looked $a uely familiar "ma e the same as " remembered But somethin inside had chan ed " saw a #iece of me within you That e$en thou h you looked the same " knew that you had chan ed

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Maybe By Abbi ! uyen The secretary was able to track down three of the women on May(s list. %he had sent them in$itations to meet at May(s house at se$en #m in Tan 'uc* an industrial #ark outside the city. Each woman reacted differently to the #erfumed cardSsome with nostal ia* others with a sur#risin rancor they didn(t reali0e they had. But all of them were curious* and would not miss it. %ince the rou# #arted after their uni$ersity raduation* they had not bothered to kee# in touch. 1hat for- May knew their attem#t would be futile a ainst each other(s calculatin measure of friendshi#. +ow beneficial were they to each other%oon the news#a#er would #ublish an article on May(s life. An in$esti ation was necessary for all #ossible candidates of the national assembly de#uty #osition. +onor* inte rity* leadershi#. +as May been an e9em#lary woman all her life- The #arty members needed to know. !ot a trace of im#erfection for the #ast ten* ele$en years. %he knew it was not enou hS Tuyen married her economics( #rofessor. %he found out :ust because he tau ht the sub:ect didn(t mean he endorsed it. Tuyen was sli htly indi nant but did not contradict him. +a$in a de ree was enou h* if there were children in the future* they would not think their mother was i norant. Tuyen hun the di#loma abo$e the tele$ision set. Between commercials* she would lance u#* admirin the cursi$e. +ow many years has one by already- Ten- Twenty- "t couldn(t ha$e been that lon because there were still no baby cries in the house. Tuyen let out a dee# si h. "t was two in the afternoon* fi$e hours till the rende0$ous. %he #ushed at the buttons on the remote ner$ously* fli##in channel after channel. "t didn(t take too lon before she saw May(s face. %he was i$in a s#eech about the im#ortance of education for Lietnamese youth. "n the audience* Tuyen s#otted the #resident and the #rime minister. ,n both sides of the sta e hun the national fla * and one for the Communist #arty. Tuyen disliked the color red. "t was e$erywhere* a hot color* of fire. 1hy couldn(t they ha$e #icked blue or white- May(s outfit looked e9#ensi$eSa #ur#le silk blouse and ti ht fitted knee len th skirt. Tuyen had seen it on the manne?uin at the new sho##in mall in 'istrict ,ne* a beautiful outfitSele ant* #rofessional. E$erythin that May was. Tuyen remembered the day +un #ro#osed to May. %he didn(t e$en know they were in a relationshi#. +un was a class abo$e them and had already raduated. +e still came to the school at lunch time to meet with the irls. Tuyen thou ht that it was her he was interested in. +e asked her many ?uestions* looked at her eyes and listened attenti$ely to the details of her life. %he didn(t uess that he only wanted to make a ood im#ression because she was May(s best friend. The other irls were not sur#rised. May had many admirers* but they had all seen them turned down sweetly* ?uietly with such #olite and tact that the men barely noticed they had :ust been denied. I+ow did he #ro#ose-( Tuyen in?uired.

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I+e tied some rass to ether and #ut it on my fin er.( May smiled bashfully. I,h* come on. Are you serious-( I+e has an artist(s soul. 'on(t be nasty.( May(s browns athered into a stern e9#ression. Tuyen confessed that she wanted to be ha##y for May e9ce#t she had e9#ected to be the one +un would ask. IAs lon as "(m your friend* nobody will look at me*( she cried. May shushed her and athered Tuyen(s head onto her lab* I"f you want to marry* that(s easy.( Tuyen went on a strin of dates with the #rofessor. May arran ed it skillfully. I.ou(re his fa$orite student. " only a$e him a small #ush.( Tuyen was en a ed within si9 months and married e$en sooner than May. Tuyen dialed her husband on the #hone. !ey honey' what is the )ode for our safe2 Oh nothin$' it3s an emer$en)y e4pense -hat2 .o' # need somethin$ to wear #t3s an important meetin$ with May' the one that introdu)ed us Tuyen twisted the knob e9citedly. They ha$e been sa$in u# for a while for the baby. But when her father7in7law refused his insen medicine and #assed on a few months later* they(d had to withdraw se$en million don . %he thou ht the whole ceremony a bi waste. Both the dead and the maho any coffin ot burned u# into fine #owder. Tuyen had wanted to sob then but the furnace was blastin with heat* she couldn(t kee# her eyes o#en e$en for her worried tears to see# throu h. But today was not a day for rief* today was a day of new e9#ectations. 6ettin married was the most e9citement she(d had* but after so many years* e$en the most romantic relationshi#s wane. Tuyen didn(t know what she needed* but she knew May would. UUU May #ut the incense into the ceramic bowl on her husband(s shrine. The smoke smelled of a mi9ture of cinnamon and wood. "t burned her #u#ils but she ke#t her eyes o#en. 0ou )ouldn3t love me now even if you were alive. May looked at her watch* the metal band cold and thin* the face en ra$ed in diamonds. %he tried to wi le her toes but the shoe ca# held them ti htly in #lace. +er feet felt like marble* stiff and callous. %he had started wearin hi h heels after he died. Thirteen years. 1ithout thinkin * she had one to the funeral barefoot* hands cradlin the new life rowin inside her. 0ou3re a father5 # wish # )ould have told you +er eyes were stunned as if the reali0ation had hit her then dis#ersed like a dream* then hit her a ain o$er and o$er until her face was numb. The family of the trucker who crashed into her husband(s mo#ed sent a million don in com#ensation. "t was enou h for two months rent. May couldn(t blame them* #o$erty struck e$eryone the same way. %he a$e birth alone. +er mother was there* but in the hallway* afraid of blood. The ceilin was blue* with thick lum# of #aint han in from the flat surface like rain dro#s. %he stru led to scream* instead ritted her teeth and cried shar#* salty tears. %he cried as if she were not i$in birth* but of another #ain alto ether. 1hen she sto##ed #ushin * the doctor administered anesthesia and lided a shar# metal blade into her belly. The baby tore its way out of her. "t choked on air and screamed a #iercin wail. The nurse shuddered and de#osited the baby into May(s arms. %he #ut its head close to her neck. The baby(s cry drowned out her own and she was calm.

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Toni ht May would reunite with her irl friends from colle e. %he felt as if a new buds had blossomed inside her. As chairwoman of a billion dollars cor#oration* not much could e9cite her. %he had reformed the education system in Lietnam* accom#anied the #resident on business tri#s. The board had chosen her as businesswoman of the year fi$e consecuti$e times. As she ot older* her accom#lishments did not dwindle as it often did with many others* but only became reater in si0e and $alue. .es* she was successful* more so than she could e$er ima ine as the youn irl of fifteen years a o. %he remembered #uttin the flame o$er her notebook* filled with #oems and $a ue dreams. +er best friend Tuyen had stolen it out of her ba and read it out loud in class. There were a few entle chuckles but nobody lau hed. They were ood #oems* some of her classmates had said. .et she had felt humiliatedSwatchin her #ri$ate thou hts debased by the others( $ul ar* careless comments. !ow* she sometimes wished to ha$e such sim#le thin s to cherish. But #oetry ne$er entered her mind. As her shar# metal Chanel heels crushed the dry* summer lea$es* she didn(t sto# to contem#late itSas ifS#oetry* its beauty and secrets* ha$e all been burned u# with the #a es of that notebook. The housekee#er bustled around to #re#are dinnerSsnails boiled in lemon rass and salted duck e sSthe irls( fa$orite. They used to sit for hours on the sidewalk restaurant* #okin at the snail(s tail with a tooth#ick. 1hen one of them mana ed to #ull out the entire snail without breakin bits off* they would i$e it to each other. May waited im#atiently. The irls would be here in about an hour. Thuy was the first to arri$e. May almost didn(t reco ni0e her if not for the curious* insecure way she still checked herself* then looked about* constantly wearied of #otential watchers. +er dark hair rested on her shoulder in lar e wa$es* not a streak of ray. %he wore a sheer* lon slee$e tunic tu ed inside a fitted skirt. +er fi ure was strikin S%he had lost considerable wei ht since raduation. Before reetin her friend at the entrance* May checked her reflectionSher own hair was u# in an ele ant bun* her dau hter had tau ht her how to do. "t a##eared com#le9 but sim#le enou h to mana e without a hel#in hand. I+olyS* May& Look at this #lace. May& 1here the hell are you-( May si hed* feelin the an9iety swe#t from her. Thuy was still Thuy after all* and May needed that. I.ou look stunnin .( May o#ened her arms for an embrace but Thuy continued to look u# and down the house* her eyes shinin with e9citement. I.ou ot one of those chandeliers& 1here did you et it May- France- " was there last %#rin Q( Finally* she turned and faced May* I" miss you*( she said solemnly. They walked down the corridor to ether. I.ou ha$en(t a ed a day*( they ke#t sayin to each other* then blushed and rubbed their nose when the com#liment was returned. After #raises were s#ent* they be an on the furnitureS#ointin out the white frame around a #icture of a house in the snow. !ow )onsiderate of you to noti)e. Then both were silent* o$erwhelmed by the years which hun between them like stala mite* too #recious to break off. They had #lenty of reasons to se#arateSthey ne$er a reed on lo$e or #olitics* one of them had a child and the other didn(t. .et as they walked* close enou h to smell the other(s #erfume but not ask about it* they silently #rayed that maybe* maybe it wasn(t too late.

22

They reached the dinin room and raised their $oices to match the commotion of the ser$ers oin back and forth from the kitchen. Tentati$ely* May asked* I+ow is the kid- Must be all rown u# by now-( I" wouldn(t know*( They stared at a white wall across the room. May waited* lettin her stomach stirred then settled. I" a$e him u#*( Thuy said* her face #ale* her forehead sli htly wrinkled. %he darted toward the feast on the table. IMm* yum*( she #icked u# a #iece of roasted #ork with her fin ers* sandwiched it between two slices of sweet bread and took a bite. May took Thuy by the arms* ICome on* we can eat when the others et here. Let me i$e you a tour of the house.( May remembered when Thuy a$e birth* she and Tuyen were checkin the announcement board to see which master #ro ram they had otten into. I/oor Thuy*( they a reed* she had otten better rades than both of them on her entrance e9am* but that was irrele$ant now. ;#on recei$in a #hone call from Thuy(s father* they rushed to the hos#ital on Tuyen(s mo#ed. +er family had been more wealthy than May* who rode to school each day on a bicycle she inherited from her randfather. They held onto each other as they walked down the bri htly lit hall. !either wanted to acknowled e they did not want to be there* to look into their friend(s rheumy eyes* and coddle the unfamiliar #resence in the room. -hat do you say to a baby2 .et as they reached the door* they felt enli$ened by a new smell. -hat is it2 Mil( streamin$ from a mother3s breasts2 or the soft' fleshy s(in of a newborn2 But they did not come in ri ht away* their heels held steadfast outside the door frame. They were startled by a #icture* as if ri##ed out of a catalo ueSa man leanin o$er their friend(s bed* he held her hand in his* and rested his li#s on her soft blue $eins. Tuyen s#oke first* I+un -( May watched her fiancV(s e9#ressionSan9ious* obli$ious of his surroundin * yet focused and tense. E9#ectant. May swallowed and walked in. The stairs s#iraled u# to the blue ceilin * #ainted with nude an els. Two years a o when the house was built* :ournalists and #hoto ra#hers had come from all o$er the country to study the architecture. %e$en bedrooms in total. -ho were they for2 My parents My dau$hter' the nanny' the driver #s your dau$hter home2 Can we interview her2 .o' she studies abroad The truth was her dau hter was married. +earin May had included her room in the new house* decorated with old dolls and dusty yearbooks* she had fei ned #olite ratitude. "t did not bother May. The house was made of stone* like a cathedral* it would be here for many more decades* lon after her dau hter(s marria e deteriorated. +uman relationshi#s could not outli$e the waste of time* May knew that* es#ecially romantic ones* too ethereal for this world. ,nly maternal lo$e was unconditional* and only what was unconditional* was stren thened rather than destroyed by the endlessness of time. May let the re#orters look throu h e$ery room* e$en o#en drawers if they needed to. Clean* em#ty drawers* not e$en dust bunnies. They lanced at them ?uickly* :otted lines down their notebook then walked away* bored and disa##ointed. Thuy was astonished at each s#acious bedroom* fully furnished* color coded* and themed. .et reali0in their e9treme tidiness* she turned to May and s#oke softly* I'o you li$e here alone-(

23

I"(m not the one who needs hel# Thuy*( May sna##ed accusin ly. I" knew you would be furious at me. That(s why " couldn(t tell you. ButS" thou ht you would be relie$ed too.( Thuy rabbed a stuffed rabbit from the bed and hu ed it close to her chest. I'o you remember 2hanh-( Thuy continued. I,f course. %he is the only one beside you and Tuyen who isn(t out of town.( I2hanh(s dead* May. " thou ht you knew.( Thuy threw the stuffed rabbit back on the bed. I+er husband left her. %he went cra0y su##osedly. %he was always a bit nut* wasn(t she-( IA bit*( May re#lied* IThat(s cause she lo$es too much and too di$ersely. %he was smitten with all of us* at one #oint or anotherSI They had been flat mates before May were married. 2hanh had be ed her not to o throu h with the weddin . They could continue to li$e to ether like they ha$e since freshman year of colle e. !e is not worth a strand of your hair. 2hanh we#t but May did not feel sorry for her* it was time for them to become women* not irls anymore. "n a way* May thou ht that her release would teach 2hanh inde#endence. 2hanh was free now* #erha#s not in the way May had thou ht* but what was the difference- IAlways drawin attention to herself*( May thou ht bitterly. She wouldn3t ta(e any less' always present' always profound' then e4itin$ in that manner6theatri)ally 6not lin$erin$ li(e the rest of us .ot lin$erin$ at all I" should ha$e stayed with her.( May(s $oice ?ui$ered* smilin mournfully. I%he was a rown woman. %he was ca#able of a lot more than you thou ht.( Thuy lifted the curtain and looked down to the street. I%he ado#ted my child*( Thuy breathed on the lass window* and traced her fin er o$er the fo . I1hatS1hy would she do that-( May chuckled* the sound full of irony. I" know. "t(s hard to belie$e. E$eryone thinks we hate each other.( Thuy lau hed* I" think she #ut u# with me for your sake. " sus#ect she ado#ted the child for your sake too.( After Thuy and the baby fell aslee#* +un and May walked back to the uni$ersity to collect May(s bicycle. A lar e cloud hun like dark rey smoke o$er roofto#s* almost touchin * almost crushin them with its wei ht. +un lit a ci arette* barely #ut it o$er his li#s* then dro##ed it to the #a$ement* his foot crushin the brown tobacco lea$es* I%orry* " know you don(t like it.( May shook her head* smilin wistfully* IThat(s the least of my worries.( I" only care about you*( he rabbed her hand. +is fin ers were fri id. I.ou(re a father now.( %he said sternly. The sun only started to fall from the sky* yet she could already see the moonStrans#arent* almost in$isible* yet im#ossible to i nore. I!o. !ot yetS!ot until it(s our child*( he tried to #ronounce each syllable distinctly* de#endin entirely on the cris# words to e$ince his loyalty. +e was a hard man. The ty#e who did not falter. May was startled by his rowin weakness* his des#eration. %he #ut one hand o$er her em#ty stomach* what3s the point2 %he felt more an ry at Thuy* for robbin her of the chance of bein the first mother* the first to carry and #er#etuate their lo$e.

2!

I" still want to marry you*( his $oice was hi h7#itched* almost to the #oint of be in . IThat(s ood.( May swallowed. %he did not want to s#eak anymore. Lookin down at the ra$el* +un (s shadow was stretchin u#ward* towerin o$er her. IE$erythin is as before*( she hurried ahead of him* Ibut " want the child. " should be the one to raise him.( UUU The do s ot u# from their na# and ran to the front ate. They could hear the a##roachin $ehicle. I" think Tuyen(s here*( Thuy closed the curtain and started for the door. May followed. They both could not contain themsel$es and hastened outside the house. For a second* the headli hts of the cab blinded her eyes so May could only see the outline of a small* #lum# fi ure. The #astures from both sides were illuminated* as well as the rows of factories leadin u# to the iron ate. Tuyen ste##ed from the cab* slun a handba o$er her shoulder and said* ICan " et a ta9i from here late at ni ht-( May nodded* I.es* if not my dri$er will take you.( I" thou ht you weren(t oin to show* Tuyen&( Thuy said abru#tly* dis#ellin the a##roachin silence. IAre you hun ry-( May asked* sto##in herself from starin STuyen(s shoulders slacked* her hair roomed yet wiry* her eyes droo#ed la0ily. The only features still youthful were her handsSlon and slender fin ers* inert hands. IMaybe later*( %he said distractedly* IThis is cra0y. "s all of it yours-( Tuyen estured toward the industrial #ark. At ni ht* they looked like abandoned buildin s. IAbout a thousand acres from where we(re standin ( May said with #ride* this was somethin she knew well. I'o you mind if we walk around- " feel a little sick from the dri$e*( Tuyen said shyly* still a$oidin eye contact. Thuy lau hed. %he could always do that* then walked u# and linked her arm with Tuyen(s. ICome on*( she wa$ed for May. The three shadows* arms in arms* like lau hin children* strolled away from the house into the darkness. For a few seconds* before their eyes were ad:usted* the a#s between them ceased. They s#oke in their irlish $oice* not lettin o of each other. For now* they could not see the lines dis#ersin on their forehead* oin nowhere* or the hollow echoes of the years scratchin at them. They were free to be irls. The banyan tree was older than anythin inside the industrial #ark. Around here the soils were rich* unattended rass rew #ast a human head. ,n %unday* the workers went around the side walls of the factories cuttin down bri ht reen weeds that s#run u# as fast as they were remo$ed. The tree rew from its roots* which hun from the branches* e9#andin like hundred of arms ho$erin only a few inches from the earth. ,ne cannot cut down a banyan tree* it would not be only one trunk that the lumber:ack would ha$e to a9e* but many more. A sturdy structure* the tree ras#ed on ti htly where it stood Sit rew its own family* with different stocks yet fore$er connected* ne$er alone.

2$

Tuyen leaned a ainst the tree trunk* wa$in away the smoke that fell from Thuy(s ci arette. E$ery time she inhaled the bitter nicotine* both Tuyen and May held their breathSthey watched her* fascinated* entranced in the motion of her slender fin ers flickin off the ash* then a ain raisin the ci arette to her li#sSin and out* its oran e burn the only li ht in the darkness. Thuy(s li#stick had almost com#letely faded now* re$ealin her bare* dark li#s. I'id you $isit her- +el# her- %he would ha$e needed it( May smoothed the curls on her tem#les. 1ithout the blamin li ht of day shinin on their faces* she felt safe to ask ?uestions. I" didn(t want to confuse who the baby(s mother wasSfrom that moment on.( Thuy cleared her throat* her $oice was hea$y* a wei ht dro##ed down on the ni ht(s stillness. I%he needed you.( May re#eated* I%he had no one.( I%he didn(t want to see us*( Tuyen s#oke ?uickly* I%he said we were a bad influence. %he was waitin for you to claim the child. " don(t think she #lanned to kee# it. !ot at first.( I1hy didn(t you tell me- 1hyS( May broke off. Could she ha$e done any different- #t was too mu)h at the time' too mu)h After +un (s funeral* she had not s#oken to anyone* not e$en her family. All of them had tried so hard to con$ince her to et rid of the baby barely rowin inside her. *hey haven3t seen you' yet they already deserted you But #erha#s they were ri htSthe child was not a child* more like an e9#andin shadow. !o matter how much May tried to lo$e her* she could not com#ensate for the absence of the father. A partial )hild' a fatherless phantom' she fled as soon as she was out of my womb .ever was mine I1e thou ht it was better for youSwe assumed you wouldn(t want to hear the mention of that child e$er a ain. After allS( Tuyen looked at Thuy e9#ectantly* but Thuy #retended not to acknowled e her friend(s a0e and continued turnin the ci arettes u#side down then reinsertin them into the #ack. IThin s ha##ened so fast. ,ne minute we were all to ether* the ne9tS( Tuyen continued. IAlone*( May re#lied. UUU The three of them could ha$e been ha##y. They were ea er to be inSthe life they thou ht unli$ed* #ost#oned while they were at school. May too had dreamed of that worldSa room filled with men in stuffy collars and checkered ties* business deals si ned o$er cham#a ne and ca$iar* not many women yet* but soon. +ad she ot what she wanted Sthe eye of the #ublic that la0ed her with #ower and admirationSnot as a woman who has made it* but a woman wearin the shell of a man. As she stood beside the irls* their a0e fluttered #ast her stiff #osture* the s?uare shoulder #ads hidin her small frame underneath. %he could tell they were im#ressed at first* but only for a moment* before memories flooded back into them and they saw her. %he too* startled at her lo$e for them* re ret that it couldn(t ha$e been rendered differently* so it seemed not lo$e* but blame* contem#t* fear too.

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The nei hborhood was tidySneat alley ways #a$ed in red bricks and little children art murals on ceramics inset on the wall. Thuy took lead. The #ath was small* only enou h for one #erson to fit throu h in a sin le line. Tuyen and May followed behind. "n the corner of an a#artment stairwell* a $a rant with #e##ered beard sat* sin in a ?uiet hymn. I'oes anyone li$e here sir- This used to be 2hanh(s house.( Thuy in?uired. The old man scratched his chin as if awoken from a trance and looked at them. May felt shy of his moist eyes* a cloudy white* stared at them unblinkin . I1e used to o to colle e to ether*( she offered. IAh*( he breathed* barin his tobacco teeth* I" know 2hanh. .ou think "(m blind and stu#id but " can still hear. This whole block knows. %ome of the family mo$ed away afterSafraid of bad s#irit. 1hat do you want-( +e #aused then s#oke a ain suddenly* soundin alert* I1ho else(s there- " know there are three of you. %#eak u#.( I%orry*( Tuyen murmured* I"(m Tuyen. 1e(re lookin for her son. 'oes he li$e here-( I;#stairs*( he cou hed* his whole frame shook. 1a$in his fin er u#ward then dro##in his arm onto his la#* he started hummin a ainSseemed to ha$e for otten them. IThank you*( May #ushed a bill into his tremblin hand. %he turned to look at the irls* half afraid they would disa##ear* half ho#in they would. ;nsteadily she climbed the metal staircase then knocked twice on the front door #ealin with reen #aint. A host o#ened the door. May introduced herself to kee# from as#in . +e smiled at her SuncertainShis curly head tilted sli htly to the ri ht as if confused. +is bri ht eyes were of both kindness and mischief. 7ust li(e his father. The women ste##ed at once into what was both a bedroom and kitchen. There was a sin le stool at the window sill* stack of books and #a#ers strewn on the floor* a half full lass of water. The #lace hadn(t chan ed much* different #aint for the walls maybe* tidier. The bunk bed May and 2hanh used to share was one* re#laced by a folded couch. I"(m #re#arin for the uni$ersity entrance e9am*( Liem e9#lained. IAh*( May breathed out* I1hich one-( IBusiness %chool*( he chuckled dryly* Iif " can et in*( The irls nodded in a##ro$in silence. Thuy had taken a seat on the stool* crackin the window sli htly then li htin her ci arette. The boy was a##rehensi$e* shrinkin from her* #uttin a distance between them in the crowded room. I.our motherSyou both li$ed here*( May s#oke* not intendin for it to sound like a ?uestion. I%ure*( the boy turned away* hidin his face* I" ha$e seen you before Mrs. May* on the news* that(s ri ht. +ow did you know my mother-( May looked at Tuyen* who was fin erin a #a#er swan on the floor. Thuy was still at the window* on her second ci arette. "t seemed nothin could e$er mo$e her from that s#ot. I1e were best friends.( The words finally esca#ed her. %he let them #ull at her* then dro# carelessly into the clean* white room. %he inhaled* tried to detect a scentSany hint that a cra0y woman mi ht ha$e li$ed here. "nstead she could only #icture 2hanh sittin on the sofa* Athe sheet mi ht ha$e been a different color A#ink nylon-B* swayin

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the boy to slee#. 2hanhSwith frail arms bearin the burden of another* waitin ho#elessly for them who didn(t show u#. Then s#iralin into what they called madness around here. But May knew better* she had been there before. Months after the funeral* she could not slee# without hu in the shorts +un had worn the ni ht before the accident close to her chest* bracin herself on the too lar e bed* runnin to the door whene$er the bell run * e9#ectin to see him there. +o#e. /ure ho#e that only escalated as the waitin ot lon er. I"(m sorry Liem*( Tuyen cried suddenly* face buried in her #alms. I,h don(t. "t was so lon a o*( the boy said with #atience. I"t was nobody(s fault. !obody.( +e re#eated* accentuatin the syllables the way +un had once done. IThat may be true*( Thuy said inaudibly so her $oice sounded like a soft echo* I"t may as wellSlike readin a #iece of news on the #a#er true* like not bein here true.( %he o#ened her mouth as if to s#eak a ain* but the silence was one from the room. Liem had walked to the kitchen sink* to##led o$er a #ile of dishes* and refilled his cu# with water. May thou ht #erha#s he had not heard Thuy* or did but re arded it as the mumble :umble of a stran er* but worst not a com#lete stran er* the ty#e one could discuss the weather with* but a distant connectionSim#osin enou h to make him uncomfortable. I" need to et back to my studies.( +e said with a sudden indifference. ,ut of the corner of May(s eyes* she saw Tuyen blinked* startled at the boy(s abru#t aloofness. %he wi#ed her tears on her slee$e and stood. The three women ste##ed from the room. 'ismissed like school children. May felt the door slam behind them. ,$er the brid e May stood* listenin to the hummin of an ice cream cart. "t was barely mornin * the o#en hori0on still a dee# blue with soft #articles of li ht. Leanin o$er the rail* May watched #ouches of dust e9#lode into millions of s#arklin rains. They didn(t ha$e a fa$orite s#ot* not really. As a youn cou#le* she and +un * like hundred of other lo$ers* had #arked the bicycle dan erously close to traffic to et a lim#se of the sil$ery water. ,n their first date* she had tried to say somethin cle$er* ask deliberate ?uestions to create an atmos#here of fallin in lo$e. At the city* bubblin with electricity* she #ointed I1hich is your fa$orite li ht-( %he did not want him to for et this moment. +e stretched his arm u#ward then around her waist but didn(t s#eak. I+m-( she asked a ain* im#atient. I"(m thinkin *( he said* his eyes were focused* studyin the indi$idual li ht. This was why she lo$ed him. %he no lon er remembered what his answer was. That whole day was sheddin away from her bit by bit. %lices of memory re#laced by their #ainful silence a year later. +e did not ask her to for i$e him. %he already had by a reein to come to the brid e. +e was tryin to for i$e himself first* she could tell. /erha#s it was the way he cu##ed his hand o$er his cheeks and #ulled downward* lookin defeated* that con$inced her he truly didn(t mean it* he made a mistake. But still she did not feel sorry for him. %he thou ht she mi ht make it worse for him by hel#in Thuy raise the babySar uin o$er which brand of milk #owder was better. The child of course would row u# to lo$e her more than his own mother. Thuy could not fei n maternal interests e$en if she tried. .es* May would force him to look at them* to li$e with the error that could ha$e been #re$ented had he any common sense* or self7control.

2'

The sun reflected off May(s watch and scattered round s#ots of li ht on the irls( faces* like tears. A strand of ray hair fell from Thuy(s tem#le to the listenin water below. May tried to catch it. I1as it here-( Tuyen asked only to say somethin . I8i ht where you(re standin . That(s where they found the baby basket.( Thuy re#lied. May nodded absently. The body* so hea$y* once already fallin * had no fear of $erti o. There was a time that May too felt #ulled by such de#th. But she could not bear the thou ht of her dau hter inside her* already submer ed in water* des#erately fi htin for life. "f anythin * they deser$ed se#arate deaths. %a$ed by the mere thou ht of another(s life. !ot 2hanh. There was nobody in the basket of course. Liem would ha$e been si9 or se$en by then. 1hen the car mechanics stumbled u#on the basket* his ner$ous oil stained fin ers #erused the layers of blanket* relie$ed to find nothin but a few #hoto ra#hs* curled at the corners. Lau hin faces* he noted* then was horror7stricken by the floatin sha#e below. I/eo#le used to think we were twins.( Thuy s#oke* her words small and tired. I" don(t think we look alikeSBut in the end " sort of ho#e we did.( 1as Thuy ho#in somehow the boy would see a mother in her* May thou ht. A##arently there were more than one host in the room. I%he was always sendin me baby #ictures. " thou ht she was mockin meS" was tryin myself but nothin worked. " didn(t know to be lad or sad for her.( Tuyen added. I!o matter what " did* " was betrayin somebodyS( %he went on. I1ho could " be ha##y for anyway-( May looked around. They were all here* the closest to a memorial they could mana e for their friend. !o flowers* not e$en a #re#ared s#eech* only incom#lete memories* mouthful yet not enou h to fill the silence. 1hat about May* what could she #ossibly say to ease what they did* turned away fromFor a fleetin moment* she considered awardin Liem this year scholarshi#. Savin$ the )hild of a sui)ide vi)tim* the news headline mi ht say* Deputy May doesn3t for$et a friend The boy would not acce#t it* May knew. ILet(s not wonder too far*( she finally muttered. %enseless thou h the words seemed* she felt her heart retreated back into the hollow s#ace in her chest. The rhythm cautious and steady. The three roads from the brid e all led to the same #lace* where May and 2hanh s#ent hours awake as colle e irls* where Liem li$ed now. From all different directions they were brou ht back once more. Tomorrow the construction team would be here. May had si ned the contract to com#ensate families with houses built in or alon side the ri$er. "n their #laces would rise the first fi$e star hotel in the country. %he ima ined the resort e9#andin * indoor swimmin #ools* arden bars* and li$e concerts. 1hen the sun set* electric lanterns bu00ed to the call of white7eared !i ht herons. "t was a #erfect location for international e$ents* to show forei n ambassadors what this country was made of. May strate i0ed the

2(

buildin #lan so that on one side $isitors were en$elo#ed by e9otic tro#ical #lants and soothin nature* o$er the brid e they would see the robust city* constantly rowin . May #ictured the three of them athered at a round table on the day of the hotel o#enin * holdin their smile :ust lon enou h for the #hoto ra#her. There was somethin they needed to saySbut #erha#s for another time. And maybe* as May listened to the mournful chir#in of the heron* she would ask I"s that you* 2hanh-(

3)

4Tamed Ti ers5 Matthew 1ilson Tom didn(t want to o to the circus. !o sir* no how. The ame was on and he(d :ust ot the crease in his couch to his likin to sit and rela9 in. But toni ht Jenny wanted to o drinkin with her friends. "t had been written on the calendar #inned to the frid e all of ten hours* which made it le al law in this house. 4'on(t lea$e me with the baby* honey. " won(t know what to do with him. .ou know how clumsy " am* "(ll #robably dro# him in the Lions ca e or somethin .5 4+e(s not a baby anymore* Tom. " know you burnt most of his child hood away in the bar but your son is se$en now and " think it(s about time you two s#ent time to ether. bonded.5 4.ou mean you think your #artyin is more im#ortant than my ame. " ot fifty notes ridin on this.5 4" work for what this family needs day in and out* if you don(t i$e me this one ni ht to let my hair down "(m onna break and when you o to slee# "(ll sta#le your damn foreskin shut.5 4James* et your coat* son. 'addies takin you out for the e$enin .5 4That(s what " thou ht.5 Tom could hear the children cheerin before he killed the car en ine. +e rubbed his eyes and looked at the si n. /arkin lot '. 1ith what he had in the lo$e bo9 alone he was ama0ed he retained the idea of what day it was 7 definitely one that ended in a y. 4.ou remember where we(re #arked ri ht* son-5 James fi9ed his blue baseball ca# and o#ened the car door. 4.ou want some hel#-5 4'on(t worry* daddy can climb out a car 7 ah* et it off. "t(s stran lin me&5 4"t(s a seat belt* dad.5 4" know. Just don(t tell your mom.5 4+a$e you been drinkin -5 4'rink is the ma ic medicine makin mommies disa##ointment turn to rainbows.5 4Mom told you "(m se$en* ri ht dad- " know "(m in a broken home.5 4All ri ht...5 4James.5 4" know that. %to# bein a smart ass and hel# daddy out the car.5 Forty bucks. Forty bucks. Tom checked his #ocket. 4.ou otta be kiddin . " can kill my wife for that.5 The man behind the bullet #roof lass reekin of su ar less #o#corn was not smilin . 4%ir we are not $ictimi0in you* e$eryone #ays the same to enter.5 4Then why don(t you ha$e the entrance si n made of old- Look at my son* look at how miserable you(re makin him. +e wanted to see these Ele#hants for7 you(re not my son. 1ho the hell are you-5 4'ad "(m o$er here. .our scarin that little irl. "t(s all ri ht if you wanna o somewhere else. /lease* your embarrassin me.5 4That(s what your mom said on our weddin day* oh no. "(m not ha$in her tell me she

31

won. %he told me to take you to the launderette and we(re oin to the 7 what the hell is this #lace-5 4This is a 0oo sir. "f you want to come in its75 4.eah* all ri ht* +itler. Forty dollars you told us. +ere* take it. .ou want my shirt too-5 4.ou know* sir. 'rink is not #ermitted on these #remises. 4.ou want to suck it from my blood stream* #al- "(m all out of cans.5 The si n said 4Ele#hant rides half #rice*5 and Tom mourned because he was all out of chan e. "n his day he could walk out of his house in the mornin with nothin * steal a wi fi system and et forty dollars for it in the e$enin . They(d ha$e to take a tour. But no sou$enirs. 46i$e me your hat. "(ll stencil a chim# on it and you can tell mom you bou ht it at the ift sho#.5 4'ad. " don(t think all this drinkin (s ood for you5 4!onsense* in this state of mind "(m still attracted to your mother...5 4James.5 48i ht. "f it wasn(t for my mom bein a drunk she(d ne$er ha$e married my dad. Alcohol(s the sole reason "(m in life to be in with* and en:oyin it.5 James i led as a iant /anda #icked the ticks off her baby behind bamboo #ainted bar(s and Tom wished he(d a camera to et #roof he could ensure his son had a ood time. +e tried to trade a Ja#anese tourist for his camera but e$en in the east they didn(t swa# thin s for em#ty candy wra##ers. 41hat do you think that mommy /anda(s thinkin -5 James whis#ered* hel#ed his father find his balance and sa smilin a ainst a railin marked do not cross. James rubbed his eyes till he saw only two /andas and shru ed* 4Animals ain(t that smart* son. They(re not as intelli ent as you or me 7 what(s Beetho$en doin in there-5 4'ad that(s not Beetho$en. That(s a baby /anda.5 4"t is. Look* he(s sin in and e$erythin .5 4All ri ht. " think we need to et you out of the sun.5 The man on the s#eaker sto##ed talkin about the life e9#ectancy of an a$era e Bear when James detected the screamin . For a horrible moment he thou ht dad was naked a ain but the children were runnin towards him rather than from. 4/lease remain calm.5 Bellowed the bull horn bolted to the iron #ole. 4The staff are trained for such a #rotocol as this* #lease do not #anic. Make your way calmly to the nearest e9it and do not run. /re#are to ha$e your hand stam#ed if you want to come back in75 James uarded his eyes a ainst the sun and stood on the bench* wobbled but didn(t fall as dad snored beside him. %omethin was comin . "t roared only once before it took the woman down* co$erin the distance between them in one easy s#rin . "t(s rass blade like stri#e ri##led as its flesh tasted blood and howled as it(s mate la##ed the blood like cream on her trainers. 4Ladies and entlemen. /lease remain calm* there has been an esca#e but you(ll only hurt yoursel$es by #anickin .5 4Ti ers.5 James muttered like a new alien word he was tryin out for the first time. "t seemed to make no sense to him. +ad no meanin in his natural* normal day unless he was watchin an animal show The cats were so bi outside the bars* stretchin their lon s#ines so they cracked* their

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fan s clicked. 4Come on* dad. 1e otta et out of here.5 4.ou can(t make me o to school. .ou(re not the boss of me* little irl.5 E$eryone seemed to be chantin run like a losin football teams fans tryin to ins#ire them* break them from their downward swer$e. The Ti ers followed the scent of fear as staff with tran?uili0er darts were stam#eded u#on as they fou ht the tide of #eo#le. 4'ad* some uys tryin to tow our truck.5 James lied and instantly his father was on his feet. 4'amn !a0i. 1e didn(t win the battle of /luto so they could take o$er. 1here we oin -5 4The car.5 48i ht. +a$e you had enou h of the 0oo then-5 48un* dad.5 James sho$ed him in the center of his back where the ner$es were raw from his ?uarterback days. To James it seemed a reat canyon was widenin behind them as the #eo#le screamed* runnin full tilt toward the entrance where the man behind the bullet #roof lass offered no refunds. 4But you had a ood time* ri ht-5 4%ure* dad.5 4+ey* labia face. 8un faster* you(re in my way&5 A man shouted. 4+ey #al. " ot my cholesterol le$el at two twenty two. " ne$er ran this fast in my life.5 The lady at the entrance re#eatedly shouted thank you for comin to e$eryone who mana ed to s?uee0e throu h the barricade of bodies. James rumma ed in his father(s #ockets retrie$in the keys as he :u led his father from one arm to the other. +ow hard could dri$in beJames screamed as somethin hot and hea$y slammed a ainst his back* dentin the car door as his knee connected with it at a shar# an le. +e could feel the reek of rotten meat on the back of his neck makin the hairs it found there wilt like waterless cactus s#ines. 4'ad* hel# me.5 Tom lim#ed round the other side of the car and slid in throu h the o#en window. 4'ad* don(t lea$e me.5 +e wouldn(t dri$e away. 1ould heThe Ti er howled as the door slammed o#en and struck its shoulder. "t reared back as if ste##in on a hot sto$e. 46et away from my boy* you alri ht* Jones-5 4James* dad.5 48i ht 7 oh* shit.5 The Ti er lea#ed into the car like a shark u#on a whale* its massi$e stri#ed hi#s became stuck* rindin metal as it thrashed* kickin its claws at James. 8oarin into his face as Tim #eed his #ants. Tom could feel its body heat #enetrate his bein * boil the moisture from his eyes as he reached into the lo$e bo9 with shakin hands. +e o#ened the bottle inside and threw it into the creatures face. "t had remo$ed enou h of his enamel o$er the years so ho#ed it would irritate it(s eyes at least. James blinked when the thin screamed* fell back and then he saw the two tran?uili0er darts stickin out it(s rum# like red 8hino horns. 4"t(s all ri ht* folks. 1e ot the other one too. .ou entlemen all ri ht-5 4" think how well we are de#ends on our com#ensation claim.5

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4'ad* you came back for me.5 4,f course* you(re my son* James.5 4That(s it. " uess mom ot what she wanted* we s#ent a little time to ether.5 4.eah. But we(re ne$er doin it a ain* ri ht-5 4,h 6od yes* you(re a mess.5 4Tom smiled and started the car* wa$in the staff away with threats of increasin his demands of com#ensation when they told him he was too drunk to dri$e. 4That(s ri ht. Come on* we(ll sto# off for a bur er on the way. "f " buy you two you won(t mention this to mom* ri ht-5 James fastened his belt. +is heart only :ust startin to slow. 4Any of what-5 Tim started the en ine and #ulled away into the ?uickenin traffic. 4That(s my boy.5 An An el 6ets +er /owers A Cassandra Serafin story (#1) By Erin 'an0er Fourth of July. "nde#endence 'ay. Also my birthday. And this wasn(t :ust any birthdayK this was my %weet %i9teen. " awoke to the sun blastin throu h my lace curtains* blindin as it surrounded me. " scrambled to sit u# and et out of bed* intent on throwin a blanket o$er the window. After oin to bed at >AM* it was way too early to be u#. " reached u# to throw the blankets off my head and reali0ed the li ht mo$ed with me. Cautiously* my heart #oundin in my throat* " lifted my hand a ain. Blindin * olden sunli ht radiated from my skin. The li ht wasn(t from the sunSit was from me& 4M,M&5 " screamed* in full #anic mode now. " :um#ed out of bed and flew across the room* ettin to the door as it o#ened. My mom stuck her head into my room* a rin almost as blindin as my skin s#littin her face. 48afe* come here& "t(s ha##enin &5 she yelled to my dad. 41hat(s ha##enin -5 " shrieked as dad(s footste#s thundered u# towards my room. +e a##eared ne9t to my mom a moment later* an identical rin on his face. 4,h what a :oyous day&5 he e9claimed* his hands hi h abo$e his head. For :ust a moment* " thou ht " heard a multitude of $oices chorus* 4+allelu:ah5. 41hat(s ha##enin to me-5 " demanded. My ei ht7year7old brother* Callan* s?uirmed his way around our #arents( le s and into my room. +is olden hair stuck u# in e$ery direction and his #a:amas were wrinkled from slee#. 4,h cool& Cassie lows&5 he cheered* lookin u# at me with somethin akin to hero worshi# in his li ht rey eyes. My an er raised a cou#le notches and the low emittin from my body bri htened e$en more. Fresh #anic swelled u# within me as my arms be an shakin with the intensity. 41hat(s oin on-5 my thirteen7year7old sister* Amelia* asked from behind our #arents as she rubbed a hand throu h her short blonde hair. 4,h my od* turn the li ht down&5 she e9claimed. 4Amelia* it(s not ri ht to take the Lord(s name in $ain*5 Mom scolded her and turned back to me. 4Cassandra* there(s nothin to be afraid ofK this is com#letely normal. .ou need to calm down* honey* so your dad and " can e9#lain what(s ha##enin .5 Com#letely normal- Calm down-& +ow did she e9#ect me to calm down-& " was lowin like some science #ro:ect one horribly wron & The shakin and intensity of the

3!

low rew harder to control. My entire body shook with fear and confusion. My dad suddenly shouldered #assed my mom to stand in front of me. +is li ht blue eyes reflected my olden low. +e looked ri ht into my eyes and rabbed both of my shoulders. Almost immediately* the low left my body* tra$elin u# his arms and into his body. +is eyes lit u# like the fireworks we would see at the beach that ni ht and then it was one. Like he(d fli##ed a switch* the li ht disa##eared. My scrambled brain barely had time to re ister what ha##ened before " fainted. UHUHU !ow* "($e seen some fantastic thin s in my life* but ne$er ha$e " seen my dad absorb a low like that and not self7destruct. " came to slowly* my slu ish brain stuck on the ima e of fireworks in my dad(s eyes. " blinked and moaned* rubbin my head tryin to et rid of the memory. My olden blonde hair twisted around my fin ers. 4Careful nowK you($e had ?uite a shock*5 a new $oice said to my ri ht. Belatedly* " reali0ed " was back on my bed. The $oice had come from near the floor and ke#t talkin when " didn(t res#ond. 4" always told them it was unwise for them to wait to tell you kids. But no* they insisted you had to come into your #owers before you(d understand. /ish #osh* " said. They waited and look what ha##ened& "f 8afael hadnOt e9tin uished your an el low* it would ha$e e9tin uished you.5 Curiosity ot the best of me and " rolled o$er to the side of the bed to see who was talkin . The family do * an En lish s#rin er s#aniel named %#arky* cocked his head as he looked u# at me. 4,h ood* you(re awake. "(ll alert your #arents that you didn(t #erish.5 +is mouth mo$ed with the words. Fresh #anic built u# within me and the low came back to my skin* thou h not as bri ht as before. %#arky si hed. 46irl* you need to at least try to stay calm*5 he told me. " stared at him with wide eyes. 4.ou7you s#eak- " mean* you can talk to me-5 " stumbled o$er my words. 4.ou know En lish-5 4Actually* " know >MW lan ua es* but since you only s#eak En lish* then that is the one " am limited to. !ow* if you(ll e9cuse me* "(m oin to tell your #arents you(re awake.5 +e trotted out of the room still mutterin about how " should ha$e been told sooner. My low faded as my mind whirled with ?uestions about e$erythin that had ha##ened. %#arky s#oke En lish like a human. My skin lowed bri hter than the sun in moments of #anic. My dad could absorb that low without conse?uence. And a##arently my #arents thou ht all of this was normal. !o matter how " looked at it* none of it would e$er fit my definition of Inormal(. My mom entered my room before " could freak out a ain. %he carried a lar e* white leather bound tome with her. %crawled across the front in old letter were the words* 4%erafin Family Journal.5 My mom beamed as she sat down ne9t to me* reachin u# to brush a #iece of hair from my eyes. %he handed the book to me after " sat u#.

3$

4Today marks the be innin of another cha#ter in our family :ournal*5 she declared. 4" want you to write all of your thou hts and feelin s in here* chroniclin your :ourney on this fantastic ad$enture.5 " stared at her blankly as %#arky entered the room and trotted o$er to the bed. +e :um#ed u# and sat by my feet. " wanted to reach out and #et him like "(d done e$ery other time "(d been scared in my life* but " didn(t know what the rules were for that now that he could talk. %o instead* " clas#ed my hands to ether on to# of the family :ournal. A sli ht electric hum tra$eled u# my arms* almost like the book was ali$e. My eyes widened e$en more as " looked u# at my mom and #ushed the book back to her. 4.ou(ll et used to it* Cassandra. 1hat you feel is the residual ener y of all the %erafin an els who ha$e come before you*5 she e9#lained. 4An els-5 " asked cautiously. My mom beamed at meSnot literally. 4.es* honey* an els. .ou(re an an el. .our dad and " are* too. 1e(re all descended from the reatest an el on hi h* Michael. This book will enli hten you to our family history as well as hel# you na$i ate these new waters. " do want to a#olo i0e for not tellin you sooner about your herita e. Xadkiel a$e me ?uite a ton ue lashin when he came to tell me you(d awakened.5 4As well as you deser$ed*5 %#arky rumbled hau htily. " looked at him* the forei n name my mom :ust s#oke rin in in my ears. 4.our name is Xadkiel-5" asked him. +e strai htened his back and held his head hi h* lookin as re al as a s#rin er s#aniel could. 4.es* " am*5 he confirmed. 4But Xadkiel was a messen er an el and one of Michael(s ri ht7hand men. They fou ht many #erilous battles a ainst the Fallen to ether. 1hy are you a do now-5 The idea baffled me. +is head dro##ed a little and shoulders slum#ed. 4.es* well* " don(t like to talk about what ha##ened. Just know that " am your an elic mentor as well as your uardian.5 +e cleared his throat and his head :erked like he(d been swatted. 4E9cuse meK "(m your cor#oreal uardian.5 41hat-5 " looked from him to my mom. 41hat are you talkin about-5 Then it hit me. 41ait a minute* are you talkin about my uardian an el- 'o " ha$e a real uardian an el4.es* you do*5 my mom told me. " rinned at her and my skin be an to low a ain* a ha##y* tame sunli ht old. 4And you will meet her soon enou h*5 my mom added. My low dimmed. 4But first* " need to e9#lain a few rules and then Xadkiel will take you to the An el Academy* where you will learn to harness your new #owers.5 4There(s an an el school- That(s so cool& Are there boys there* too* or are only irls allowed to be an els-5 My mom frowned at me. 4Boys are the least of your concern considerin you low bri hter than the sun when feelin any stron emotion. .ou need to take this seriously* Cassandra.5 " bit back my smile. "(d been com#letely serious about the boys. Then " reali0ed there must be if my dad and Xadkiel were also an els. " swallowed a s?ueal and com#osed my face into what " ho#ed was an interested* contrite e9#ression.

3%

4But to answer your ?uestion* yes* there will be boys. +ow else would baby an els be born-5 My mom rolled her eyes and " co$ered my mouth to muffle a snicker. 4Anyway* the rules. As you mi ht ha$e uessed* your an el low i nites whene$er you feel stron emotionsSof any kind. %o if you(re embarrassed* e9cited or #anicked* it will be in and it rows in intensity the stron er the emotion becomes. At the Academy* you will learn how to control it. 1hile you are at home* Xadkiel will hel# you. 4Also* and this is $ery im#ortant* as we are %erafins and descendent of the most #owerful an els* we are also the most sou ht after. As you become accustomed to your #owers* you will find one that is stron er than all others. E$ery %erafin has this and e$ery #ower is different. .ou must ne$er use this #ower in the #resence of demons or other an els. " cannot stress this enou h. .ou must kee# that #ower secret. "t will identify you and could be your downfall.5 4But why- 'id you say demons-5 4.es. ,ne in #articular is Abaddon* the 'ark An el of 'eath and 'estruction* the first lieutenant to Lucifer himself. +e has made it his #ersonal mission to destroy all %erafin an els. This is why it(s so im#ortant for you to hide who you really are when you are at the Academy* when you face demons and when you are amon humans.5 " swallowed hard and nodded. %o not only were there an els Aand " was oneB* there were demons and one #articular demon had made it his oal to kill me entire family line. " couldn(t hel# wonderin how many before me he had taken out and shuddered at the thou ht. 4%ome common an elic #owers include automatically knowin different lan ua es. This is not somethin that has to be tau htK you will now be able to talk to anyone of any nationality. .ou will be able to use your an el low a ainst demons by directin it out your hands or e$en your eyes. And you are also immune to all diseases.5 4That(s so cool*5 " breathed. 4"s the lan ua e thin why " can hear %#arkySer* " mean Xadkiel now-5 4.es. +e has always s#oken En lishK you(re :ust able to understand and communicate with him now. That will come in handy if demons e$er attack.5 " lanced at %#arky Ait was so hard to think of him as an an elB and smiled. +e whined and rolled his eyes. My mom cleared her throat* brin in my attention back to her. 4Xadkiel will brin you to the Academy today to re ister you for classes. ,nce you are re istered* you are re?uired to attend e$ery day for u# to four hours. Xadkiel will hel# you tele#ort there until you et the han of itK it can be ?uite tricky at first. As " said* these classes will hel# you learn about what it means to be an an el and to control your new #owers. There will be hands7on trainin as well as classroom time. " e9#ect you to do as well at the Academy as you do in re ular hi h school.5 %ome of my enthusiasm dimmed* but " nodded. 4.es* Mom*5 " mumbled. "(d thou ht summer was su##osed to be time away from school workK it was why " ne$er took summer school classes. " si hed and looked u# at her a ain. 4"f you do see a demon or are attacked* yell out for one of us. Xadkiel* your dad and " will be there instantly to hel# you. " don(t want you fi htin them on your own until you ha$e your win s.5 My interest #erked u#. 4My win s-5 4.es. ,nce you finish trainin at the Academy* you will recei$e your win s.5

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4'o you ha$e win s- 'oes Xadkiel-5 4.es* we all ha$e win s. .ou :ust can(t see them because we kee# them in$isible while we are on Earth.5 4,h.5 " frowned and looked down at the book back in my la#. " o#ened the front fla# and be an fli##in throu h it. As " thumbed throu h it* the $oices "(d heard earlier intensified until it was like they were all whis#erin in my ears. %tartled* " slammed the book shut. My heart raced. 1as " really e$er oin to et used to this- My mom reached out and touched my shoulder as my low came back. 4.ou will et throu h this. .ou will learn how to control it and become a su#erb an el on hi h. " ha$e no doubts about you*5 she declared. My low disa##eared and my heart calmed down. " really ho#ed she was ri ht. %he looked at %#arky. 4Xadkiel* " think it(s time you brou ht Cassandra to the Academy. ,nce she sees where she will be learnin about herself* ho#efully that will hel# kee# her calm*5 my mom told him. %#arky nodded. 4"t will be my #leasure*5 he a reed. 4" ha$e waited si9teen years for this day.5 " looked at him. 41aitK are you sayin you ha$en(t been back to the Academy since becomin my uardian-5 4That is correct. " told you " don(t want to talk about it.5 +e stood u# ne9t to me. 4!ow* if you will #lease hold onto my collar. .ou will e9#erience motion too fast to com#rehend. "t mi ht be better if you close your eyes the first cou#le times.5 !er$ously* " reached out and rabbed his collar. Then " took a dee# breath and closed my eyes as " let it out. %uddenly* my body felt like it was bein #ulled throu h a tiny straw* bein stretched and twisted* my molecules s#lit a#art. " as#ed and s?uee0ed my eyes closed* #ositi$e " didn(t want to see what was ha##enin . Then* as ?uickly as it be an* it sto##ed. My body settled into its usual sha#e and " could breathe a ain. +esitantly* " o#ened my eyesSand was blinded by whiteness. " blinked as " tried to com#rehend where " was. 4"s this +ea$en-5 " whis#ered to %#arky* my eyes lued to all the whiteness around me. As the white low dimmed and my eyes rew used to it* " reali0ed the whiteness was actually walls with windows and o#en doorways. ,ther #eo#leSan elsS walked by us* most of them dressed in white or li ht blue robes. %ome wore rayish robes* the color of dirty snow. All of them carried olden or white books in their hands. " blinked and looked at %#arkySand blinked a ain when " found a man standin ne9t to me instead of my family(s do . +e stood about fi$e inches taller than me and had lines at the corners of his eyes. +is olden hair had ray at the tem#les and rey stubble co$ered his chin. 1hite win s fluttered behind his li ht blue robe* a old sash around his waist. This was Xadkiel* not the family do . +is blue eyes twinkled as he raised a sin le eyebrow at me. 4!o* this is Ma na %inum* the #lace in between +ea$en and Earth. "t is where all An el Academies are held*5 he informed me. 4There(s more than one-5 4.es* but we do not ha$e time for that. " ha$e e9actly one hour to show you around* et you re istered for classes* and et your robes and books before we ha$e to be home to o to the #arade. Thank oodness they mo$ed the start time to noon this year.5 +e started to walk away but " could only stare after him. "t was so weird to think that the man before me was a cute* lo$able En lish s#rin er s#aniel at home. 1hat had he

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done to become a do - +ow horribly had he wron ed 6od and Michael- And if he(d wron ed them so terribly* would they really allow him to be my uardian- ,r was uardin my family #unishment for whate$er he(d done+e sna##ed his fin ers and " blinked. My cheeks flushed when " found him standin almost fifteen feet away from me* one hand on his hi#* ta##in his foot while he waited for me. " hurried forward and tried not to awk at e$erythin as he be an showin me around. 4First we must brin you to the 8e istrar* where you will be e9amined and i$en a class schedule*5 he announced. +e led me throu h the leamin halls to a olden archway behind which a beautiful* blonde woman sat in a ilded throne holdin a lar e white tome. %he smiled when " followed Xadkiel throu h the archway. "nstantly* all sound from the hallway ceased to e9ist. " looked back at the hall and saw the other an els still milled around* hurryin off to where$er they were oin * but " couldn(t hear anythin . 4.es. Tuite ma ical* " know*5 the female an el said blandly. %he turned a brilliant smile towards Xadkiel. 4%o ood to see you* XadkielK it has been too lon .5 Xadkiel shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other* his hands in the #ockets of his robe. 4.es* CelesteK it(s always nice to see you a ain*5 he re#lied uneasily. +e cleared his throat. 4"(m here today with Cassandra %erafin. %he needs to be e$aluated and i$en a schedule.5 The blonde(s eyes fell on me as an e$en wider smile s#lit her face. " wondered if she would cla# her hands and cheer* too. "nstead* Celeste o#ened her book and fli##ed throu h the #a es until she found what she was lookin for. From out of thin air* she #roduced a old fountain #en and be an writin in her book. 4And when did her #owers emer e-5 Celeste asked us. 4At the moment of her birth on her si9teenth year* at G)CFAM*5 Xadkiel res#onded* soundin all official now. +e stood with his back strai ht* his feet shoulders7 width a#art and his hands clas#ed behind his back. 4+ow did her #owers manifest-5 4;ncontrollable an el low.5 My cheeks flushed at his answer. "t wasn(t my fault " didn(t know how to control itK that(s why " was here* to learn. 4Any other #owers-5 4!o.5 4" ha$e here her #arents are the Archan el 8a#hael and his mate* 'anielle.5 4.es* that is correct.5 4+a$e either of the other siblin s shown si ns of an elic callin yet-5 4!o.5 Celeste si hed. 4Lery well. ;sually it(s :ust the first an elic child anyway* but only time will tell.5 %he lifted her head and looked ri ht at me. 4.ou(re in ood health* stron and able. .ou ha$e Xadkiel as a mentor and uardian as well asQ well* well* wellK didn(t see that one comin .5 " frowned at her* ner$ous butterflies makin minced meat of my stomach. 4%ee what comin -5 Celeste smiled beautifully. 41hy your other uardian an el* dear*5 she said. 4Cassie-5 a once familiar $oice suddenly s#oke u#. Cau ht between terror and unbelie$able e9citement* " slowly turned around. Tears flooded my eyes as they fell on

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my best friend* Meredith 2a$anau h* who died more than a year a o in a car accident with her older sister. Both had been killed instantly. And now here she stood* before me as ood as new. 4Merry&5 " shrieked and launched myself into her arms. Tears cascaded down my cheeks as " hu ed her ti ht a ainst me. %he was really here. ,nce the waterworks subsided* " ste##ed back and really looked at her. %he looked the same as before* e9ce#t now her red hair leamed like a ruby in the sun* her emerald eyes s#arkled* she wore a li ht blue robe similar to Xadkiel(s and lar e* white win s fluttered at her back. " blinked at the win s and reached out to touch them* wonderin if they were as soft as they looked. Just before my fin ers touched them* Merry mo$ed them out of reach. 4%orry* Cass* but no touchin the win sK "(m su##osed to stay as intan ible as #ossible*5 she e9#lained with an a#olo etic smile. Before " could think about it* Xadkiel cleared his throat. 1e both turned our attention to him. 4!ow that the ha##y reunion is o$er* we need to et back to the task at hand*5 he told us sternly. 41e(re on a $ery limited time table here* ladies.5 4,h that(s ri htK the #arade. "(m sorryK " shouldn(t ha$e interru#ted*5 Merry a#olo i0ed and mo$ed to the side of the room. 4"(ll wait here.5 %he bowed her head* her hands clas#ed in front of her. " o#ened my mouth to ob:ect* but Celeste cut me off. 4Lery well. +er e$aluation is done. All the standard classes*5 Celeste announced and held out a white s?uare of #a#er. " took it and scanned the four classes and room numbers. Control in A7>* +istory in A7>D* An el 6low >C> in A7>G* and "ntro to An elic Abilities in A7==K seemed sim#le enou h. " lifted my head to say somethin to Merry when a li ht tinklin of bells suddenly sounded to my left. My a0e shifted to Xadkiel* who tilted his head as thou h listenin to somethin . +is brow furrowed and he nodded. 4Lery well*5 he si hed and looked at the rest of us. 4" a#olo i0e for the intrusion* but Archan el Michael has asked to see me.5 +e turned to Merry. 4Meredith* " want you to i$e Cassandra the tour* show her to her classes* and i$e her the eneral warnin s. .ou ha$e about thirty7fi$e minutes before her #arents lea$e for the #arade.5 Merry beamed at him as she nodded. 4.es* sir* "(d be ha##y to hel# out*5 she a reed. " rinned at her* ecstatic to et time alone to catch u#. " had so many ?uestions. Xadkiel cast a wary eye at both of us* seemed to say a small #rayer and then disa##eared before our eyes. My mouth fell o#en. "s that what had ha##ened when he brou ht me here4'on(t worryK you et used to it the more you see it*5 Merry s#oke u#. " closed my mouth and smiled at her. 4"t(s :ust so cool*5 " declared. 4A little s#ooky* but definitely cool.5 4.ou(ll learn how to do it* too* in the "ntro class.5 %he rolled her eyes. 4"t took me fore$er to master tele#ortation.5 4.ou already know how to do that-5 4,f course " do. "($e been here since " died. "(m in my second le$el of uardian an el trainin .5 %he wound her arm around mine and headed for the olden archway. 4!ow come alon . " ha$e to show you how to et around here and the clock is tickin .5 1e walked throu h the olden archway and across the hall throu h a normal lookin doorway. The moment we ste##ed throu h the archway* the normal hallway sounds blasted my ears and " was rateful to walk into the second room. The noise wasn(t

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one* but it wasn(t as loud either. A small woman with curly white hair looked u# from a book in her hands when Merry and " entered the room. %?uare s#ectacles co$ered her $iolet eyes and li ht blue win s fluttered from the back of her li ht blue robe. 4Ah* CassandraK "($e been wonderin when you would come see me*5 the woman said to me. " sto##ed and ri##ed Merry(s arm a little ti hter* i$in the woman a sus#icious frown. 4+ow do you know who " am-5 " asked her. The woman a$e me her kindest smile* immediately #uttin me at ease. 4" know e$eryone here* dear. My name is A atha and "(m the An elic %eamstress.5 4"t(s nice to meet you*5 " told her. 4A ie is awesomeK you(ll come to lo$e her as much as " do*5 Merry declared* throwin an arm around the seamstress(s shoulders. A atha serenely smiled u# at her. 4As lon as you remember ne$er to call me A ie a ain*5 A atha added. " lau hed as Merry blushed and mumbled an a#olo y* remo$in her arm from the older an el(s shoulders. 4Anyway* let(s et you measured and into a robe. "(ll ha$e an e9tra one sent home with Xadkiel later today*5 A atha continued and #ulled out a white measurin ta#e. Ten minutes later* " was outfitted in my $ery own #ristine white robe. The bell slee$es hun down #assed my hands and the bottom hem :ust kissed the white marble floor. A old ro#e was tied around my waist* the only indication that " was somewhat ele$ated in status due to my family. A atha e9#lained that all the Archan el families wore a old sash of some kind* e$en when an an el was :ust learnin . 'es#ite that fact that all im#ortant families wore this identifyin #iece of cloth* it made me ner$ous after my mom(s adamant warnin s about hidin who " was. " si hed and decided " would worry about it when and if the time came. 4!ow the real fun be ins. 1e ha$e twenty minutes to show you around*5 Merry stated when we left A atha. %he sto##ed in the middle of the hallway and #ointed in either direction. 4This hallway houses classrooms A7>> to A7=C. To the end at the left is the hallway for classrooms A7> to A7>C and to the ri ht at the end is the hallway for classrooms A7=> to A7DC. The school is set u# like an +*5 she e9#lained. " looked down towards one of the halls and then the other. 4+ow will " know where " am when " first et here-5 " asked her. 4;sually* you tele#ort :ust outside A7> as there(s a tele#ad there. But if you(re e$er lost* :ust look at the to# of the doorways for the classroom number*5 she re#lied. " looked at the nearest classroom and si hed when " saw a olden room number at the to#. A7>=. Thank oodness. 4But you do ha$e to be careful. !ew tele#orters ha$e been known to end u# down in the ' win Sthe 'ark win .5 Merry shuddered. 4That(s why you(re su##osed to tra$el with someone until you(re comfortable doin it alone. %ince classes are almost e$ery day* it will #robably only take you a week to et the han of it.5 4,kay* but what(s so bad about the ' win -5 %he shuddered a ain and her reen eyes flicked around at the an els #assin all around us. +er eyes narrowed on a cou#le with smoky white robes but she shook her head as soon as they(d #assed. " wondered what that was about. E$en thou h no one

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seemed to be #ayin us any mind* she rabbed my arm and #ulled me off to the side* out of the flow of students. 4The ' win is for the 'ark An els here for rehabilitation. They ty#ically stay down below until they rehab enou h to li hten their robes. 'e#endin on how ood they are determines how fast they show u# here. Thou h sometimes one or two #retends to be lost :ust to sneak a #eek at what they(re missin .5 %he looked around and her eyes fell on another an el in a dirty snow colored robe. 4That(s what the rey robes are* rehabbed 'ark An els. They(re nothin to worry about thou hK by the time their robes are rey* they(re safe enou h for us to interact with.5 4%o they(re kind of like demons-5 " whis#ered my ?uestion but she still shushed me* wa$in at me to kee# my $oice down. 4!o* they(re nothin like demonsK demons can(t e$en et into Ma na %inum. !o* 'ark An els ha$e to want to be rehabbed before they(re allowed entrance.5 %he leaned closer and dro##ed her $oice e$en more. 4There(s rumor that 8aum(s son is downstairs* atonin for whate$er he did to et kicked out of +ell.5 41ho(s 8aum-5 " felt ridiculous because of how little " knew. 4Abaddon(s ri ht hand 'ark An el.5 My eyebrows shot u#. 4%eriously- 1hy would someone like that lea$e +ell-5 %he shru ed. 4!o one knows. !obody can talk to them until they(re u# here and by then it(s :ust considered rude to ask.5 " frowned. That sounded a little stu#id. +ow was anyone su##osed to know anythin if ?uestions couldn(t be asked- 1hat if " ran into 8aum(s son- +ow would " e$en know it was him- 1ould he really rebuff me if " asked what ot him kicked out of +ell- 'id " really want to know anyway- " shuddered. 4,kay* so other than the ' win kids* you know about the Archan el families. All other an els wear li ht blue or white robes. "f they wear blue and ha$e win s* like me* they are uardian an els in trainin K a halo or old sash shows they($e raduated. Archan els wear white robes with a old sash and halo. Lastly* there are 8ea#ers. They were $ery white robes that seem to low on their own. 'on(t look directly at them. That whole Ili ht at the end of the tunnel(- .eah* that(s them.5 %he shook her head. 4They tend to think they(re better than e$eryone because they brin the dead(s souls u# to /eter. " don(t think they(re really that s#ecial. !ot anymore s#ecial that uardians anyway. ;m* " think that(s all " think you need to know ri ht now. %o* any ?uestions-5 4;m.5 " had so many ?uestions " didn(t know where to start. Merry seemed to reali0e this and #atted my shoulder. 4.ou(ll et the han of it. The only thin you really need to know ri ht now is that any an el in white or blue is like you* the rey ones mi ht be someone to watch out for and anyone darker is someone you should stay away from.5 " nodded. " could remember that. " looked around us and then back at her. 4'o we ha$e enou h time to see my actual classrooms-5 %he tilted her head and s?uinted her eyes as thou h seein somethin " couldn(t. 41e ha$e about three minutes. "(m oin to ha$e to say no. 1e should really et you home. But "(ll be with you and Xadkiel will* too* when you come back for trainin later.5 4Later- .ou mean " ha$e to start today- But it(s my birthday. " don(t want to study on my birthday.5

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4'o you want to li ht u# like a Christmas tree whene$er Colin %chneider is within fifteen feet of you-5 %he raised an eyebrow* makin me s?uirm. 4+ow do you know about Colin-5 "(d only been crushin on him since the end of last year* lon after Merry(s death. 1e sort of knew each other throu h a cou#le mutual friends* but " was #retty sure he didn(t really know who " was or that " liked him. 4Just because you can(t see me doesn(t mean "(m not there. .ou(re the reason " ha$e my win s* Cass. " know e$erythin .5 4"t sounds so ominous when you say it that way.5 " took a dee# breath. 4,kay* if you say "(ll be fine* then "(ll be fine. Let(s o back so " don(t miss the #arade.5 %he reached out to take my hand and " sto##ed her. 41ait. Am " oin to be able to see you,n Earth* " meanK now that " can see you here-5 %he sadly shook her head. 4!o. ;nfortunately it doesn(t work that way. " ha$e to remain in s#irit form on EarthK "(m only cor#oreal here.5 4,h.5 " frowned at my toes. 4,kay* well* we(d better o. 'on(t want to kee# my #arents waitin . They mi ht smite me or somethin .5 Merry lau hed and rolled her eyes. 4,nly 6od can smite #eo#leK well* 6od and the Throne an els. E$eryone else :ust uses an el low.5 4.ou can use it as a wea#on-5 4,f course. +ow else do you think we fi ht off the demons-5 %he cla##ed me on the back. 4.ou ha$e a lot to learn.5 " nodded. 4!o kiddin .5 Merry rabbed my hand and " s?uee0ed my eyes shut as ti ht as #ossible. " felt my body twist and stretch* a hu e #ressure on my chest like before. 1hen it finally sto##ed* " o#ened my eyes and found myself in my bedroom once a ain. My mom #o##ed her head in* a smile on her face. 4,h ood* you(re backK we were afraid you(d for et*5 she said to me. 48eady to feel normal for a cou#le hours-5 4.eah* sure*5 " a reed* but " couldn(t hel# wonderin when " would e$er feel normal a ain. **I hope you e e!"oye# $ee%&!' C())&e (!# 'e%%&!' ( '*&$p)e &!%o he+ !e, ,o+*#- I. you ,(!% %o /!o, ,h(% h(ppe!) !e0%1 2he2/ ou% $y 3*o' 4,,,-e+&!#(!5e+-2o$63*o'7 o! Au'u)% 81 .o+ %he !e0% )%o+y1 A! A!'e* Ge%) ( Le))o! &! Co!%+o*-** Len and %mithy By Carl /almer My +os#ice $olunteer coordinator #airs me with Leonard Miller* homebound in the home of 8oy %chmidt. Len* as Leonard likes to be called* is se$enty7one* acti$ely dyin from leukemia* and in the last two months* driftin dee#er daily into dementia. Len(s #atient information sheet lists that he has family in the area* a dau hter and son* both married with rown children of their own. They enter his con$ersations often* but they ne$er enter or e$en tele#hone Len at 8oy(s home.

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Mildred* Len(s wife known as Millie* #assed away si9 years earlier in her slee# and is still $ery much ali$e somewhere :ust at the ed e of Len(s focus. %mithy* as Len calls 8oy* lifelon friend* likewise in his early se$enties* is a widower with two rown children in town as well* who also ne$er call or come around. Lately he shows si ns of for etfulness* too* but confides they(re his senior memory moments* well earned* and sometimes best for otten anyway. 4Len won a football scholarshi# out of hi h school. +e was our ?uarterback and " was his center. "nstead of takin the full ride* he enlisted in the Army*5 %mithy muses as we three sit eatin cereal back when Len was able to feed himself. 4After ser$in his tour in Lietnam* he came home to marry Millie* head cheerleader and hi h school honey* before startin back to work beside me in our 'ads( boat sho#.5 4" certainly didn(t need colle e to do what "(d always lo$ed to do as a kid* more of a hobby than a :ob*5 Len #oints out. 4My son wanted to do the same when he finished hi h school* but Millie and me insisted he et a colle e di#loma. +is education is in desi n and %mithy(s son ot his de ree in business. %oon after raduation our boys be an to build that ori inal small sho# into what our boat com#any is today* %chmidt Miller 1atercraft* named as one of the best MCC small businesses on the west coast*5 Len boasts* then chuckles* 4,f course* %mithy and " are retired fi ureheads now* with our #ictures on the showroom wall.5 4,ur families were always close* did most e$erythin to ether*5 %mithy maintains. 41e ha$e so much in common* Len and me. 1e e$en buried our wi$es the same year.5 4That(s also when e$erythin chan ed.5 Len re$eals and looks at %mithy who nods for him to continue. 4After the wi$es were one we(d s#end more and more time to ether* sometimes not e$en botherin to o home to a lonely* em#ty house. "(d :ust crash in %mithy(s uest room or he(d slee# in mine. "t :ust made sense.5 4"t made sense* too*5 %mithy a rees* 4that we should si n o$er both houses to the kids and mo$e into an a#artment to ether. 1e in$ited them o$er to share our ood news. 1ithout lettin us finish* all four children and all four s#ouses start wailin at once. Are you tellin us that you(re ay-...at your a e... " am so ashamed.... +ow could you-... +ow lon has this been oin on-... 1ho else knows-... 1hat will the children say-... 'o you reali0e what this will do to our business-...+a$e you i$en any thou ht about us-... They allowed us no time to answer and themsel$es no time to listen.5 4"ndi$idually each tried o$er the ne9t few months to talk us out of our decision* each time endin in another ar ument*5 Len discloses. 4They sto##ed communicatin with us entirely when " sold my #lace and mo$ed in here with %mithy. That was four years a o today. +a##y Anni$ersary* %mithy* " lo$e you.5 4" lo$e you too* Len5* %mithy whis#ers at the ra$eside* one year today since Len #assed away.

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41e call that #erson who has lost his father* an or#hanK and a widower that man who has lost his wife. But that man who has lost a friend* what shall we call him-5 H Jose#h 8ou9

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Terra7Firma 8e$iews By Terry 2elly Title) The 6reen 'arkness Author) Anya %eton The 6reen 'arkness by Anya %eton is one of my fa$orite no$els. " ori inally found my first co#y of it in a laundry mat* " randomly #icked it u# for somethin to do while " was waitin and then " fell in lo$e. " sadly stole that book from the laundry mat so " could finish readin it. "n a twist of fate " ha$e otten and lost that book on three different occasions& The book is set in two different time #eriods with a Tudor settin and a more modern settin Awell kind of more modernB of >GNP. "t is a beautiful and tra ic tale of reincarnation* lo$e* :ealousy* en$y and selfishness. +a$e you e$er felt 'e:a Lu or looked at someone and felt you knew them- That theory is the basis for this book. Celia meets 8ichard on a lu9urious cruise and itOs lo$e at first si ht for the both of them. They ha$e a whirlwind romance and ?uickly et married. Celia mo$es into 8ichards country estates in En land and thatOs where thin s be in to chan e for them. "t culminates in a weekend #arty where all the #layers in an ancient drama et to ether a ain causin Celia to return to the #ast to fi ht the e$il that afflicts her lo$e@life in the course of a cou#le of life times. To me the really interestin #art is that the author is known for her historical writin and this book follows that enre as well. ,b$iously we donOt know if the reincarnation is real but the base story from the Tudor Era actually is. There is e$idence about a #riest written in a familyOs chronicle book as well a woman who was walled ali$e in another manor house from the same time era. Most likely these two e$ents ha$e nothin to do with each other but " lo$e how she blended the two of them to ether to make an ama0in and beautiful story. %o if you are lookin for somethin new to read and you lo$e historical or #aranormal romance then " would most definitely su est this no$el& The lan ua e is lo$ely and you enuinely feel as if you et to know Celia and 8ichard throu hout the no$el and feel bad for them as thin s :ust ne$er seem to o the way they would ha$e liked. +o#efully you en:oy this book as much as " did&

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There You Have It: My Opinion By Cam ria He ert

Tit+e: " Beauti0u+ ;ar# =Beauti0u+ ;ar# @1> "uthor: Ao.e+yn ;avies -u +isher: Harper Teen6 2)11 Bormat: -rint an, ? oo# Cenre: Young a,u+t paranorma+6 0antasy Synopsis (courtesy of GoodReads) On the night o0 :#yeDs seventeenth irth,ay6 she meets t*o enigmati. strangers2 Comp+ete oppositesE +i#e 0ire an, i.eE "sher is ,ar# an, *i+,6 *hi+e ;evin is 0air an, a+oo02 Their su,,en appearan.e sen,s :#yeDs +i0e into a tai+spin2 :he has no i,ea *hat they *ant6 or *hy they seem to 0o++o* her every move on+y that their presen.e .oin.i,es *ith a 0+urry o0 strange events2 :oon she egins to ,ou t not 1ust the i,entity o0 the t*o oys6 ut a+so the truth a out her o*n past2

In the ,ea, o0 a iting+y .o+, Co+ora,o *inter6 :#ye 0in,s herse+0 .oming to terms *ith the impossi +e se.ret that threatens to shatter her *or+,2 Torn et*een "sher6 *ho she .anDt he+p 0a++ing 0or6 an, ;evin6 *ho she .anDt stay a*ay 0rom6 the .onse9uen.es o0 :#yeDs .hoi.e *i++ rea.h 0urther than the three o0 them .ou+, ever imagine2 My Review (courtesy of me ): I +ove, this oo#2 I +ove, it2 It<s the #in, o0 oo# I sometimes thin# to myse+0 7I *ant something rea++y goo, to rea,6 the #in, o0 oo# I rea++y .an get into82 Thos oo#s are har, to 0in, sometimes 0or me6 an, this one I .ame a.ross a+most a..i,enta++y2 I *ent into 2n, an, Char+es =my 0avorite use, oo#store> sear.hing 0or a oo# that *asn<t this one2 They ,i,n<t have the one I *ante, ut then I say this on the she+0 an, I pi.#e, it up an, rea, the a.# .over:

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We were quiet for a few minutes. I leaned my head on his chest and listened to the sound of his breathing. You dont have a heartbeat, I said. Does that bother you !e as"ed. #o. I thought for a moment. $s long as you can feel things and care about things. Its wrong to thin" that you need a heart to love, he whis%ered. I *as so+, right then2 Aust my #in, o0 rea,2 I rought the oo# home an, e0ore I opene, I to+, it please be good, please be good. LOL2 It ,i,n<t ,isappoint me at a++2 I #ne* a out 1) pages in that this oo# *as going to e goo,2 Ho* ,i, I #no*F The author has a *ay o0 pu++ing you into the oo# *ith her *or,s2 :he paints a pi.ture6 opens a ,oor to the main .hara.ter6 :#ye an, you 1ust 0a++ right in an, you ,on<t *ant to stop rea,ing2 I rea, this oo# in a ,ay2 In a matter o0 hours rea++y2 I rea, through to .hapter 2) the night I rought it home6 put in on my e,si,e ta +e an, then starte, rea,ing it again at rea#0ast2 I haven<t ha, a oo# I 1ust *ant to rea, e.ause I +ove, in a +ong time2 :ure6 I have ha, oo#s *here I H"; to rea, them6 I ha, to #no* *hat *as happening2 :ure6 I *ante, to #no* *hat *as happening here ut rea++y6 I 1ust +i#e the .hara.ters an, I en1oye, eing aroun, them2 =Is that o,,F May e its e.ause I<m a *riter myse+0 an, the .hara.ters 1ust seem rea+ to me> :#ye is a regu+ar teenage gir+6 o#ay6 e3.ept 0or the 0a.t that her parents ,ie, *hen she *as %2 :he goes to high s.hoo+ has a great group o0 0rien,s an, +oves to s#i2 :he +oves her aunt Ao an, ,oesn<t have any regu+ar teenage ,rama2 There are no mean gir+s at s.hoo+ to torture her an, her 0rien,s are a.tua++y ni.e2 I +i#e, that2 I +i#e :#ye2 O0 .ourse6 things ,on<t stay norma+ 0or +ong =it is a paranorma+ oo# a0ter a++G> an, she han,+es it pretty *e++6 meaning she ta#es things +i#e a norma+ teen *ou+,2 "t times she *ants to .ry6 at times she *ants to s.ream6 ut that<s norma+2 :#ye<s est 0rien, Cassie *as a rea+ 1oy to rea, too2 This gir+ ,i,n<t seem to have any hi,,en agen,as6 +ove, oys6 parties an, musi.2 I +i#e, her more an, more as the oo# *ent on2 "sher an, ;evin5 the ne* oys in to*n ="ren<t their a+*ays ne* oys in to*nF Lo+>2 I +i#e the ying an, yang they presente,2 It *as 0un to try an, ,e.i,e *hat ea.h one *as up to an, it *as interesting to *at.h them ,isagree2 It seeme, o,, that t*o peop+e *ho *ere seeming+y 0rom the same p+a.e *ou+, hate ea.h other so mu.h6 ut then it a++ .+i.#e, into p+a.e2 I rea++y +ove, "sher5 .ourse I

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*ou+,2 He<s the a, oy5 the ,ar# hair an, eyes6 the prote.tive nature6 the 0+irtatious smi+e52 Yup +ove me some o0 ,at2 He has his se.rets +i#e everyone e+se I suppose an, I am not going to spi++ them onto this page2 I0 you *ant to #no* "sher =an, you ,o> rea, the oo#2 ;evin *as another great .hara.ter2 His tran9ui+ity6 his +ue eyes an, +on, hair5I en1oye, rea,ing a out him as *e++6 he *as a+so more intense I thin# that "sher6 *hi.h i0 you rea, the oo# spea#s vo+umes e.ause te.hni.a++y6 ;evin is the tran9ui+ one2 Let me a,,ress *hat you are a++ pro a +y thin#ing y no*: a +ove triang+e2 You see the t*o guys an, the gir+ mentione, a ove52 I *on<t say there isn<t one ut it isn<t the same as others *here the gir+ is +i#e 7Oh I am so hot an, a++ these guys *ant me6 *ho sha++ I .hooseF8 This triang+e I ,i,n<t min, at a++5 may e e.ause to me =an, may e to you H you *i++ have to 0orm your o*n opinion> there *asn<t rea++y a triang+e2 I thin# I #no* *here the s.a+es are tippe, to2 I #no* *ho I +ove an, to me6 it isn<t rea++y a out a .ompetition any*ay2 "n, to :#ye the guy thing *as .on0using an, more o0 an in.onvenien.e to her +i0e2 The p+ot o0 this oo# I rea++y en1oye, to2 Let<s 0a.e it H it *asn<t origina+ ut I ,i,n<t .are2 It ,i,n<t nee, to e e.ause it *as to+, in a 0resh *ay *ith a 0resh eye an, origina+ .hara.ters2 -+us6 I *i++ say that some o0 the paranorma+ stu006 *hi+e 0ami+iar *as origina+ as *e++2 Let<s 1ust say this oo# *as a ne* t*ist on an o+, .+assi.2 "n, .+assi.<s *or#2 The oo# en,s on a .+i00hanger that +e0t me *anting more an, I am ,isappointe, that the se.on, one *on<t e out unti+ :eptem er e.ause I *ou+, +ove to ,ive into it right no*2 I might even go on a hunt to 0in, an "IC52 *on,er i0 netga++ey has it52 any*ay6 i0 you ,on<t +i#e .+i00hanger en,ings e prepare, .ause this has one2 I +i#e, it2 It ,i, its 1o to ma#e me *ant moreG I *i++ e 1))J sure to rea, the ne3t in this series2 I thorough+y en1oye, this oo#2 I0 you are a 0an o0 paranorma+6 roman.e an, 0antasy you pro a +y *i++ +i#e this2 It<s ,e0inite+y *orth a shot2 :o there you have it2 My opinion2

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There You Have ItG My OpinionG By Cam ria He ert Tit+e: ?n,ure =4ee, @!> "uthor: Carrie Aones Cenre: Y" paranorma+6 0antasy Bormat: ? oo# an, -rint -u +isher: B+ooms ury May 2)12 :ynopsis =.ourtesy o0 Coo,Iea,s> Kara is at the .enter o0 an impen,ing apo.a+ypse2 True6 she<s su..ess0u++y res.ue, 4i.# 0rom La+ha++a6 ut it simp+y isn<t enough2 ?vi+ pi3ies are ravaging Be,0or,6 an, they nee, mu.h more than one great *arriorE they nee, an army2 Kara isn<t sure *hat her ro+e is anymore2 :he<s not 1ust 0ighting 0or her 0rien,sE she<s a+so a pi3ie 9ueen2 "n, to a+ign her team o0 pi3ies *ith the humans she +oves *i++ e one o0 her greatest att+es yet2 ?spe.ia++y sin.e she .an<t even re.on.i+e her gro*ing 0ee+ings 0or her pi3ie #ing 2 2 2 Mne3pe.te, turns6 surprising reve+ations6 an, one utter+y satis0ying romanti. 0ina+e ma#e ?n,ure a thri++ing en, to this series o0 estse++ers2 My revie* =.ourtesy o0 me> This series is one o0 my a++ time 0avorite series2 Bor a +ong time I sa* the 0irst oo# in the series 74ee,8 on the she+0 at B4 an, I never pi.#e, it up2 O#ay6 I ,i, pi.# it up = e.ause the .overs in this series are a*esome> ut I a+*ays put it a.# ,o*n e.ause it *as a out pi3ies2 /hen I thought o0 pi3ies I thought o0 g+itter an, tin#er e++ an, tutu<s222 I ,i, not *ant to rea, a out tutu<s an, g+itter2 But then6 a 0rien, o0 mine ,e.i,e, to give it a try2 :he .a++e, me an, sai, 7you have to rea, this oo#28 I sai,6 7oh rea++yF8 :he sai,6 7There<s a *ere*o+082 I *ent an, got the oo# 0rom her house2 I rea, it in +i#e a ,ay an, I Love, it2 "n, .an I 1ust say that *hen I thin# o0 pi3ies no* I , 4OT thin# a out tutu<s an, tin#er e++2 4ope2 I get .reepe, out e.ause those pi3ies are .reepyG =But .reepy in a goo, *ay not .reepy in a a, *ay5ma#e senseF I thin# so2> I have anti.ipate, ea.h ne* oo# in this series *ho+e hearti+y2 I *ou+, go an, uy the oo# as soon as it .ame out an, I *ou+, hug2 Yes6 I *ou+,2 Li#e you<ve never hugge, a oo# e0ore2 :o imagine my intense ,e+ight *hen I *a+#e, into a B4 on my irth,ay an, ?n,ure *as sitting 0ront an, .enter2 O0 .ourse6 I ought it2 I rea, it in a ,ay too 1ust +i#e the rest o0 them2 =Yes6 Ms2 Aones6 I .an hear you thin#ing6 ut that oo# too# months o0 s*eat an, tears22 an, you rea, it in a ,ayGF I<m sorry ut I ,i,2> I +ove Kara6 she has a voi.e a++ her o*n2 :he is strong ut vu+nera +e6 pretty ut sometimes a*#*ar,6 an, she tru+y .ares 0or everyone in her +i0e2 :he has .hara.teristi.s that are so en,earing an, ma#e her seem so rea+2 :u.h as: 12 she *ears 1eans *ith pea.e signs on them2

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22 she re.ites the names an, meanings o0 0ears2 =LOL? this> 32 she *rites +etters 0or "mnesty2 I +i#e that she ma#es her o*n ,e.isions even those ,e.isions are the har, ones an, everyone is te++ing her to ,o something e+se2 To me6 she is a .hara.ter that 0o++o*s her heart2 Kara has an interesting group o0 0rien,s6 most o0 them supernatura++y in.+ine,2 I *on<t te++ you *ho is *hat e.ause that *ou+, ruin it a++ 0or you2 But it<s a rea+ interesting mashNup o0 .hara.ters an, .reatures yet they a++ 0it together so *e++2 I thin# that is one o0 the most genius things a out his series6 the *ay it a++ 0its2 4i.# is another .hara.ter that I +ove2 Typi.a+ *ere*o+05 strong6 stu orn6 unre+enting6 un0orgiving6 +oya+2 I *i++ say that the very things that ma#e him spe.ia+ are a+so the very things that I 0in, to e his 0au+ts2 I *as tota++y in +ove *ith him *hen I 0irst met him in 4ee,2 I sti++ rea++y +i#e him no* that the series has .on.+u,e, ut I ,on<t seem to have that shiny 7,oe H eye,8 impression o0 him2 4o*6 he<s 1ust a oy =or man> that has een to he++ an, a.# an, has to +ive *ith his ,e.isions an, the ,e.isions o0 everyone aroun, him2 I thin# he has rea+ inner strugg+e2 ;on<t *orry 4i.#6 I sti++ +ove you2 Then there is "st+ey5 Os*oonsO2 He is some hotness too5 at 0irst in the eginning o0 the series I *as so suspi.ious o0 him an, I *ante, 4i.# to eat him2 But then he sho*e, us his persona+ity6 his strength an, un,erstan,ing2 "st+ey is a .hara.ter that gets un,er s#in6 a .hara.ter that ma#es you +i#e him2 I *i++ say that ?n,ure *as not my 0avorite oo# in the series2 I ,i, rea, it in a ,ay an, I *as intereste, in the story an, so happy to e a.# *ith the .hara.ters ut in a++ honesty this oo# ,i,n<t gra me the *ay the others ,i,2 In some *ays I 0e+t it *as a +itt+e ,ra*n out5 may e a +itt+e +ess 1am pa.#e, *ith t*ists an, turnsF But ,o not e mista#en this is a goo, oo# an, a++ the .hara.ters p+ay a ro++2 I +i#e, the en,ing o0 the oo#2 It *raps up *e++6 an, I am not ,isappointe, *ith ho* it .on.+u,e,2 The *riting is as goo, as ever an, it *as an easy oo# to rea,2 Carrie Aones has a uni9ue *riting sty+e6 one that I a,mire an, +ove to rea,2 "s I sai,6 ?n,ure is the 0ina+ oo# in this series an, it *as itters*eet6 I am sa, to see the series en, yet a++ goo, things must en,2 Hope0u++y6 Carrie Aones *i++ *rite something e+se 1ust as 0antasti. an, I *i++ .ertain+y e rea,ing it *hen she ,oes2 :o there you have it2 My opinion2

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There You Have ItG My OpinionG By Cam ria He ert Mini H Ievie* Tit+e: Bairyta+e "uthor: Cyn Ba+og Cenre: 0antasy Bormat: -rint an, ? oo# -u +ishe, in Aune 2))( y ;e+a.orte Boo#s 0or Young Iea,ers :ynopsis =.ourtesy o0 Coo,Iea,s> A captivating and witty dark fantasy that will have girls lusting after it. Morgan :par#s has a+*ays #no*n that she an, her oy0rien,6 Cam6 are ma,e 0or ea.h other2 But *hen Cam<s .ousin -ip .omes to stay *ith the 0ami+y6 Cam seems ,epresse,2 Bina++y Cam .on0esses to Morgan *hat<s going on: Cam is a 0airy2 The night he *as orn6 0airies .ame ,o*n an, s*it.he, him *ith a hea+thy human oy2 4o o,y e3pe.te, Cam to +ive6 an, no o,y e3pe.te, his io+ogi.a+ rother6 heir to the 0airy throne6 to ,ie2 But oth things happene,6 an, no* the 0airies *ant Cam a.# to ta#e his right0u+ p+a.e as Bairy Ping2 ?ven as Cam physi.a++y .hanges6 e.oming more misera +e ea.h ,ay6 he an, Morgan p+e,ge to 0oo+ the 0airies an, stay together 0orever2 But y the time Cam has to ,e.i,e on.e an, 0or a++ *hat to ,o6 Morgan<s no +onger sure *hat<s est 0or everyone6 or *hether her an, Cam<s +ove .an *eather an un.ertain 0uture2 My revie* =.ourtesy o0 me> I ran a.ross this oo# at a se.on, han, oo# store an, I +i#e, the .over6 I thought the *ings *ere eauti0u+ an, ha, that paper thin trans+u.ent +oo#2 :o I rea, the synopsis an, I thought it soun,e, +i#e a goo, story so I ought it an, a .oup+e *ee#s ago I 0oun, it in my oo# ,ra*er an, pu++e, it out2

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I #ne* this *as a oo# a out 0airies an, I haven<t rea, many oo#s a out 0airies2 I thought the story *as pretty origina+2 I mean6 yes6 I ha, hear, the theory e0ore a out human a ies eing s*it.he, *ith 0airy ones ut eyon, that it *as pretty uni9ue2 I +i#e, the .hara.ters H a++ o0 them2 They *ere a++ *e++ ,eve+ope, an, ea.h ha, something a out them that I 0oun, en,earing2 I thought that the main .hara.ter *as a goo, mi3 o0 strong an, vu+nera +e2 :he seeme, to *ithstan, an emotiona+ storm that she ha,n<t #no*n *as .oming very *e++2 In many *ays this story *as itters*eet2 /hi+e6 I en1oye, the en,ing an, thought it *as very 0itting I a+so sti++ *asn<t sure i0 it *ou+, en, the *ay it ,i,2 In many *ays it *as sa, ut not to the point o0 ruining the oo# =I rea++y ,is+i#e sa, en,ings6 LOL>2 I *on<t say ho* it en,e, or give a*ay ,etai+s in .ase you ,e.i,e to pi.# up this oo#2 I ,e0inite+y thin# it<s *orth the rea,2 It<s a 0air+y short oo#6 so it<s a 9ui.# rea,2 The p+ot is 0air+y un.omp+i.ate, ut it<s sti++ entertaining2 The *riting sty+e *as easy to rea, an, it *as easy to visua+ize the setting2 Cyn Ba+og is a ta+ente, *riter an, I ,e0inite+y hope to rea, rea, more 0rom her in the 0uture2 :o there you have it2 My opinion2

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Cherny(s Corner By Bob Cherny 8e$iew of 4'estination Mars5 by 8od /yle An electronic co#y of this book was sent to me by the author in res#onse to a re$iew re?uest on the 4Books and 1riters5 forum on Linked"n. This book is what a tour of the 2ennedy %#ace Center should feel like. "t is a must read for anyone hi h school and abo$e interested in science or s#ace e9#loration. Fi$e stars. This ?uote sets the tone for the book. .ow # (now better 0es' they were very smart *hese people were fo)used and fearless8 brilliant people who $ave up a life of invention' entrepreneurship' and )ertainly far better pay to do somethin$ that no one else did # really )annot say that they were selfless #n fa)t' they were selfish in a parti)ular way *hey wanted to be the people doin$ this .ot someone else *!1M +ushin$ the envelope Calmly fei$nin$ )onfiden)e as they told 9lenn that the retro:ro)(ets would hold on to the heat shield *errified' they nonetheless felt that their $uess was the best $uess *he best $uess from anywhere on 1arth And the best $uess was probably ri$ht and was the way to su))ess *hey wanted to be the ones who were ri$ht ;ein$ ri$ht was worth the low $overnment pay ;ut the truth is that they did not (now *hey )ould not (now *hey were human' and humans (now only so mu)h So what do # (now now2 # (now that spa)e e4ploration is as e4)itin$ and as hard as anythin$ humans have ever done # thin( # sensed that in 1<=> when # learned of this story and others that were playin$ out on bla)(:and:white television s)reens a)ross the )ountry' in)ludin$ my family3s *? -hat # (now now and what # have )ome to (now for a lon$ time is that spa)e e4ploration is a deeply human endeavor ;ut the people who envision doin$ s)ien)e on another world' the people who invent these ma)hines and instruments' the people in the ba)( rooms with the white shirts and bla)( ties are not @ro)(et s)ientists A *hey are simply people mu)h li(e you *hey are optimisti)' )an:do' hopeful' bri$ht' and sometimes Buite lu)(y ;ut they are definitely human This is hard science told in the $oices of the scientists who made it ha##en assembled in a coherent narrati$e by a literate and articulate historian. " wish that all the science fiction " ha$e read recently was this literate* this e9citin and this thou ht #ro$okin . " canOt walk away from this book without mentionin the one ?uibble " ha$e with both this book and another book " recommend readin that co$ers much of the same territory* 4/ackin for Mars.5 !either book s#ends enou h time in the cultural conditions of the society in which these e$ents took #lace. !A%A and J/L were whi#sawed by #olitics.

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1hile some of the initiati$es like 4better* faster chea#er5 were alluded to* they were not discussed with the kind of de#th that they should ha$e been. " belie$e that some of the mission failures and the Challen er disaster were directly caused by Con ressO shortsi hted restrictions and #olitical #ressure a##lied a ainst !A%A and the entire American scientific community.

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Lunar 8e$iews By Beth Ann Masarik UU/lease note the name chan e from Luney to Lunar. Title) MC %hades of 6rey Author) E.L. James /ublisher) Linta e Books 8atin ) " honestly cannot i$e a ratin at this time. %yno#sis Acourtesy of 6oodreadsB) 1hen literature student Anastasia %teele is drafted to inter$iew the successful youn entre#reneur Christian 6rey for her cam#us ma a0ine* she finds him attracti$e* eni matic and intimidatin . Con$inced their meetin went badly* she tries to #ut 6rey out of her mind 7 until he ha##ens to turn u# at the out7of7town hardware store where she works #art7time. The unworldly* innocent Ana is shocked to reali0e she wants this man* and when he warns her to kee# her distance it only makes her more des#erate to et close to him. ;nable to resist Ana(s ?uiet beauty* wit* and inde#endent s#irit* 6rey admits he wants her 7 but on his own terms. %hocked yet thrilled by 6reyOs sin ular erotic tastes* Ana hesitates. For all the tra##in s of success Y his multinational businesses* his $ast wealth* his lo$in ado#ti$e family Y 6rey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. 1hen the cou#le embarks on a #assionate* #hysical and darin affair* Ana learns more about her own dark desires* as well as the Christian 6rey hidden away from #ublic scrutiny. Can their relationshi# transcend #hysical #assion- 1ill Ana find it in herself to submit to the self7indul ent Master- And if she does* will she still lo$e what she findsErotic* amusin * and dee#ly mo$in * the Fifty %hades Trilo y is a tale that will obsess you* #ossess you* and stay with you fore$er.

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8e$iew "(ll be #erfectly honest* " had no idea what to e9#ect when " sat down to read the first installment of the MC %hades trilo y. " half e9#ected there to be $am#ires and werewol$es* and was actually a little bit disa##ointed that there weren(t. " had heard that MC %hades ori inally started out as a Twili ht fanfiction. 1hat " was !,T e9#ectin was all the se9* smut and B'%M. !ow* don(t et me wron * " had heard that there was se9 and B'%M in it. B;T what " did not know was :ust how much there actually was. "t seemed to me like it was in almost e$ery sin le cha#ter Aif not e$ery other #a eB. "n my #ersonal o#inion* that(s too much se9 and not enou h #lot. " like a book that has all the elements that make a reat story) action* romance* and well7 de$elo#ed characters. The author has to make me want to care about their characters in order for me to truly like their work. And " hate to say it* but it wasn(t until the $ery end did " start to e$en remotely care about Christian 6rey. Anastasia %teele* the leadin female* annoyed the heck out of me. %he annoyed me e$en more than Bella %wan from Twili ht. That whole 4inner oddess5 and 4subconscious5 thin really ot on my ner$es. My bi est issue with Ana* is that she had no real self7 res#ect for herself. "f she had* she wouldn(t ha$e done half the thin s that Christian wanted her to do. " would !ELE8 let a uy touch me in the ways that Christian touched Ana. " mean* she let him hit her with a freakin flo er& There is somethin seriously wron with that irl& "(ll admit* this book made me cry a cou#le of times* es#ecially toward the end* which was une9#ected. +owe$er* " had an issue with E.L. James( writin style. %he used the same descri#tions o$er* and o$er* and " often felt that some of the scenes were redundant. " had a brief con$ersation with a friend about the book a few weeks a o* and " labeled it as a 4trashy no$el.5 And honestly* " am sure that "(m not the only one who feels this way about MC %hades. 1ill " read the rest of the Trilo y- /robably not* but you ne$er know. "f you(re lookin for somethin mindless to read and that doesn(t re?uire a lot of thinkin * and if you don(t mind all of the awful rammatical errors* then you :ust mi ht en:oy MC %hades of 6rey.

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Lunar 8e$iews By Beth Ann Masarik Title) The 6host in the Crystal A%chool of the A es Z>B Author) Matt /osner /ublisher) Creates#ace %yno#sis Acourtesy of 6oodreadsB) .our !E1 fa$orite ma ic school is !ew .ork City(s %chool of the A es. " am a mi9ed7 race teen from Tueens* !ew .ork* and when " answer an ad$ertisement in a ma a0ine* the %outh 1ind shows u# at my door to introduce me to a world of ad$enture* #ower* and tra edy that feels both stran e and ri ht) hosts* elementals* time tra$el* ma ic duels* clashes of culture* teen romance* sacrifice* and ultimate loss. The e$il s#irit of a bitter and schemin heretic from ancient Ale9andria attacks me and forces me to risk e$erythin in order to sa$e his soul. 2ids and adults won(t sto# readin S The 6host in the Crystal. " am %imon Ma us* and " a##ro$e this messa e. My ratin ) F UUUU(s ,$erall re$iew) ,$erall* " thou ht that The 6host in the Crystal* was a $ery uni?ue story. "f you are lookin for a book about $am#ires and werewol$es* you mi ht not en:oy this book. There are none in it* but if you are lookin for a book that(s about ancient ma ic* sorcery* and cra0y hosts that #ossess #eo#le* then this is the book for you& Meet %imon* 6oldberry* 8obbie* Leah and Mermelstein as they embark on an ad$enture of a lifetime when the first arri$e at The %chool of the A es. The #ace of the book is $ery ood* althou h there were certain #arts that " felt were a little bit rushed* but o$erall* " really en:oyed the story. "t was nice to read somethin different aside from a $am#ire or werewolf book for a chan e. " did notice ?uite a few rammatical and s#ellin errors throu hout* but those can be easily fi9ed with some more editin . All in all* this definitely has the #otential to be the ne9t +arry /otter. UUU" was i$en an A8C from the author in e9chan e for an honest re$iew.

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Lunar 8e$iews By Beth Ann Masarik Title) Familiar 'esires AA >!i ht%tand !o$ellaB Author) ,li$ia %tarke /ublisher) 'ecadent /ublishin %yno#sis Acourtesy of 6oodreadsB) Ashley Adams si ned u# with the >!i ht%tand ser$ice in ho#es of stirrin u# some cou ar #assion in her lackluster life. 1hen she meets tall* dark* and oh7so7se9y Justin* the s#arks fly. But somethin dee#er lies in their ma ical connection* somethin she isn(t #re#ared for. 1ill a casual one7ni ht stand chan e her life fore$erMy ratin ) M stars My re$iew) 1hen " first #urchased this no$ella* " didn(t know what to e9#ect. The co$er is hot and s#icy* so " knew at the $ery least* it was oin to be a romance. " also knew that " had really wanted to read somethin by ,li$ia %tarke* and "(m lad " did. Familiar 'esires is a short and ?uick read that sucks you ri ht in. .ou will become addicted to not only the storyline* but to ,li$ia(s writin as well. %he writes with a wonderful flow* and #aints a $i$id #icture. This short* sweet and erotic romance will lea$e you wantin more. There are enou h twists and turns to kee# you turnin the #a es* and if you ha$e an hour or two to kill* " hi hly recommend #ickin u# this bad7 boy.

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The %taff Beth Ann Masarik* is the founder and chief editor of Literary Lunes. %he created this ma a0ine* because #eo#le are always comin to her for literary ad$ice* and she wanted to be there for all as#irin writers. %he is the author of her debut no$el* The 1orld Amon ;s* a youn adult* urban fantasy no$el. +er book will be released on Au ust >G* =C>>. "n addition to runnin Literary Lunes* Beth also runs her blo s* 1riter(s Ad$ocate* and +allowed 1riters. For more information about Beth* you can $isit her full website at www.bethannmasarik.com Ashley Laura is dedicated to i$in writers a $oice outside of their work. For Literary Lunes* she assists with the acce#tin of article submissions and the formattin of the ma a0ine. ,utside of Literary Lunes* she is also the Munici#al Liaison for Mem#his !ational !o$el 1ritin Month A!A!,18"M,B. .ou can follow her on Tumblr at s#arrowlu$r=.tumblr.com Cambria +ebert* is a new edition to our staff* and our current book re$iewer. "n addition* she is also a debut author who writes youn adult fantasy no$els. +er first no$el* Mas?uerade* comes out on 'ecember >N* =C>>. 1e are $ery e9cited to ha$e her on board& .ou can follow her at www.cambriahebert.com Erin 'an0er writes re ularly for Literary Lunes* and is an "ndie author. Like Beth and Cambria* she also writes for youn adults. Erin not only contributes her own short stories* but sometimes she e$en contributes articles on how to write literature as well. .ou can follow her at www.erindan0er.com .ou can like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter Aif the Twitter link doesn(t work* follow us @literarylunesB

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