​    “Gives it over.” The man took a menacing step forward.   “Gives it over!”
    “Ya pays first,” Yon’Der told the newest customer of old Tom’Ti. “Then ya gets it.”
He watched the “customer” carefully. Where did old Tom’Ti find these people? Stupid question. Tom’Ti didn’t find them, they found him. This particular specimen was a scruffy looking Clouder. His hair was almost completely white so he had be at least in his 20’s. Of course, thought Yon’Der, calling that filthy mess on the top of his head completely white, was stretching things. He was a typical customer, desperate, disheveled, and semi-dangerous.
     Semi-dangerous because he was at least eleven years older than Yon’Der, and even in his emaciated state a good sixty pounds heavier.
   “No pays, no haze,” said Yon’Der casually tossing the small, tightly wrapped package up in the air and snapping it back before the customer could grab it.
   “Ya little bastard. I’ll snaps ya neck for that.”
    Before the Clouder could blink, Yon’Der pocketed the precious package and pulled out his flick knife.          
     The Clouder stop short. “I needs it,” he said.
   Yon’Der couldn’t help but feel sorry for the poor goomer. What were these idiots thinking to be opening their minds up to haze? Everyone knew it sucked you dry and left you with barely enough sense to wipe your own ass.
   Still, he didn’t feel sorry enough to let his guard down. He had used his knife before and would use it again if he couldn’t run.
   The looser was digging into his pockets as he muttered to himself. “I gots it. I gots it.”
   “Two Qs,” Yon’Der reminded him.
   The Clouder looked at him with real hate. Finally he held out a handful of coins to Yon’Der. “Here ya little bloodsucker. Now gives me the haze.”
    Yon’Der had been there and done that. The Clouder would grab him when he came close enough to take the coins, slap him around and take the haze, without paying for it.
   Yon’Der sighed. “Here’s how it’s gonna go down. Ya puts the monies, in a neat stack, down on the ground there. Then ya walks over to the pilings over there and wait while I count the monies. If it don’t add to two Qs, I takes my package and leaves. So make sure the amounts right.”
   “I’m supposed to trust ya?” The goomer was outraged. His hand closed around his precious coins, the veins in his skinny green arms were outlined in dirt.
   “Ya not trusting me, ya trusting old Tom’Ti. And don’t be yelling nothing about haze. I don’t know nothing about haze. Alls I know is I’m supposed to deliver this here package to ya.” Yon’Der waved it around so that the Clouder could get a good look at it. “After ya pays me two Qs. Now we doing business or not? I got other deliveries.”
   He could see exactly when the Clouder caved. His long Clouder neck, the adam’s apple looking grotesquely large in the skinny stalk, bowed, his his black eyes went extra shinny with so far, unshed tears.
   “Don’t ya cheats me,” he said to Yon’Der. No doubt he meant it to sound like a threat but it came out as a plea.
   Yon’der did not allow himself to relax. “Over there,” he gestured with a nod of his head.
   The Clouder, took out a few more coins, added them to the original stack and carefully placed them on the ground near, but not too near, Yon’Der. Then he shuffled off to stand where he had been told to.
   Yon’Der, one eye on the Clouder, quickly picked up the money and counted it. With the additional coins the Clouder had added at the last minute, it came to exactly 2 Qs.
   He shoved the money into one of his copious pockets, and laid the package down in the exact same spot the money had been. Then, without a backward glance, he took off at a run. There were other deliveries to make and old Tom’Ti would knock him around, if not something worse, if any of his customers started looking around for another supplier.

                              A Fine and Private Place
     She had forgotten the church was there. Well, no she hadn’t forgotten where the church was, she had forgotten the restaurant was near the church. She didn’t know the city as well as she once had. Anyway she was late, Karen would be waiting, she didn’t have time to stop at the church. In a moment she would be past the garden door, turn the corner, pass the church doors and… she stopped, her hand reached automatically for the door. It would be locked of course — only it wasn’t.
    She hesitated. She hadn’t been here in years. Why go in now? She pulled the gate open and climbed the three steps. It was twilight, but even so she could see how lush the garden was, the grass thick beneath her shoes while the flowering bushes scented the air. The spreading branches of a tree stood gentle guard over a statue of St. Francis. She took a deep breath and leaned against the edge of a night-quiet fountain. The church behind her was dark but there was enough light to see how carefully and lovingly the garden was cared for. She looked all around, avoiding only that one spot. Well she was here. Now what?
    “Hello,” she said into the empty air. “How you doing?”
   “Not too badly,” his voice replied. She jumped, bumped her hip against the fountain and staggered. A firm hand took hold of her arm, steadying her.
   “Oh my God!”
   “Well, no,” he said. “Just me.”
    Her mouth dropped open, blood rushed from her head, she swayed.
    “Hey, don’t faint on me.”
    “You’re dead.”
    “I know.” 
    “You were cremated.”
    He spread his arms out so she could admire the solidness of them. “Crazy, huh?”
    “You were buried!”
    “Believe me, I know.”
    “I was so worried about you.”
    “After I was dead?”
   “I was crazy with worry about you. About where you were? Were you frightened? Were you lonely? And then sick because of everything beautiful you were missing.”
   “I didn’t know you believed in the afterlife,” he sounded amused.
   “I had the Buddhist Chaplin say a pray over you. I dragged him out of the hospital elevator and made him pray for you.”
   “Ahh.”
   “And here you are.”
   “Yes, well…” He glanced at his right wrist but of course there was no watch. He always lost his watches. Every one she ever given him he managed to lose within days.
   “I’m due to be reincarnated any minute now.”
   “What?”
   He shrugged. “That’s what they tell me.”
   “I don’t understand.”
   “I’m a little confused myself,” he said. “There I was, peacefully dead and suddenly I get the news, “‘Reincarnation in 30 minutes. Last chance to smell the flowers on this plane.’”
   “Oh Tony!” She threw herself into his arms, hugging him as tight as tight as possible.        
  She could feel his arms come around her, strong, loving and then… “Good-bye, Mom.”
                                                         THE END

   The Road, as I affectionately call it, is a fantasy adventure with hints of romance. It takes place on a faraway planet with with a non-human heroine. There are werewolves and dragons, and three major races, also a Queen who has some growing up to do, and people with powers that seem magical.
    The Road to Cordia is now free on Amazon, B&N, iBooks and Kobo.
But I just want to make one thing clear. The next book in the series, Shapeshifter Prophecy is not a freebie.
   Why am I making such a point of telling people that the next book in the series is not a freebie? Because lately a number of people have complained that if the first book in a series is free than all the books in the series should be free.They seem to feel they have been tricked or cheated. They also seem to think authors don't need to go grocery shopping or pay rent or...well you get the idea.
   I don't want you to feel cheated. I want you to enjoy the books, enter into the adventures and meet all the people I have invented for your pleasure.
   So go download a free adventure and remember, authors love reviews.
                    ________________________________                               
    To get to the Amazon page for a free copy of The Road to Cordia just click the picture or follow this url: Amazon free
http://www.amazon.com/Road-Cordia-Cancordian-Adventure-Book-ebook/dp/B009JYOL5I
   For B&N free:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-road-to-cordia-jess-allison/1113688105?ean=2940046347586
   For iBooks free: 
 https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-road-to-cordia/id574849113
   And for Kobo free: 
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-road-to-cordia

Big Lake is the first in theBig Lake mystery series. I believe there are at least four or five more at this point. 
   If you like small town mysteries with interesting characters and a real mystery, this series is for you. 
   For the next week, my friend Nick Russell, ex-newspaper editor, ex-soldier, ex-lawman, is offering this book free on Amazon. 
   Give it a try. You'll be hooked.
RT NYT Bestselling Author Nick Russell's Big Lake is free 10/6 - 10/10! Grab a copy now! 
www.amazon.com/dp/B00522RM48
PS If you like it as much as I think you will, write a review on Amazon. 

   Starting tomorrow, which is about 40 minutes from now, my newest book and the 2nd book in the Cancordian Adventure series will be on sale for 99 cents. 
   The sale will last a week because that is how long the ad I bought will run. 
   It really is quite a steal because ordinarily the novel sells for $3.99.
   Why would I sell my book for so little? Good question. Although I am quite a good writer,  I am hopeless at marketing my work. Therefore I threw myself on the mercy of the book ads, followed their advice and the result is this sale. 
   Shapeshifter Prophecy is a fantasy adventure book filled with non-humans and shapeshifters. There is a beautiful mutant, a queen who doesn't know how to rule, and a hero and a heroine, not to mention an odd love affair. Can different species love?
   I hope you enjoy it. If you do, or even if you don't, please consider leaving a review.
http://www.amazon.com/Shapeshifter-Prophecy-Cancordian-Adventure-Book-ebook/dp/B00N2WPEVI

 Er... I mean it's now available on Amazon. 
   No more pre-order, it's alive! There I go again. I admit it, I'm excited. 
   Let me be a little clearer. My newest novel, Shapeshifter Prophecy, the second novel in the Cancordian Adventure series is now available for immediate download on Amazon. 
   The two main characters, Ja'Nil and Ee'Rick, can't seem to avoid trouble and they can't seem to stay away from each other. 
   There are werewolves, a beautiful mutant, a dangerous queen, sibling rivalry, and families pulling together when danger threatens. There is also the possibility of romance.
  If you click on the book cover it will take you right to Amazon where you can read a sample. 
   By the way, like all writers I like reviews: good, bad or indifferent, I appreciate them. I like to know what my readers think about the work.
                     Enjoy life, read a book.

   Finally! At least that's how I feel. If I had a genie who granted wishes I would ask to be able to write faster.
    Shapeshifter Prophecy is the further adventures of Ja'Nil and Ee'Rick. The following is a quick blurb: 
For Ja'Nil of the Fisherfolk, life is almost perfect. Her village is safe, the new Queen is her friend, and Ee'Rick, the handsome blond warrior wants her as his woman.
   Into this almost paradise slithers Ma'Sk, sowing fear and so much hatred that not only is Ja'Nil's village in danger, but the entire country.
   Both Ee'Rick and Ja'Nil have a plan to defeat Ma'Sk, the trouble is their plans are in direct opposition to each other. If one wins the other could die. Just how tight is their new-found bond?
   This ebook is available for pre-order on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Shapeshifter-Prophecy-Cancordian-Adventure-Book-ebook/dp/B00N2WPEVI/
  One of the things I like about book series is that the characters become so real and their lives so engrossing. I'm looking forward to hearing what you think about the book...and the series.