Modern lives seem littered with expiration dates. Packaging tells us when our food will go bad; when we can expect appliances to cease functioning; when contracts for the internet finish! But as annoying as these small expiration dates are, they fade to nothing compared to the larger events: when a species goes extinct; when a body of water evaporates, or dies because the PH balance alters; when giant icebergs break apart and glaciers melt forever, threatening the ecosystem of this planet....

I built my life on my belief in justice. Until the day the system proved me wrong.Now I’m back on Hatterwick Island with nothing left—no career, no credibility, and no illusions about the law I once trusted. The only thing heavier than the guilt I carry is knowing I once turned my back on a man who didn’t deserve it.Rios Carrera.Thirteen years ago, my cousin disappeared, and he was the last one to see her alive. I believed the whisp...

I drowned when I was sixteen.My brother's best friend brought me back, but nothing was the same. I can't remember what happened. My parents dragged me away from my island home in the name of keeping me safe, and thrust me into hell instead.I came back to Hatterwick to rebuild my life and—hopefully—my memory.Now a new inheritance threatens to expose those long-buried secrets, and someone will stop at nothing to ensure I never remember what really happened that fatefu...

“Let's get one thing straight—I'm a fixer. You need someone murdered? Then hire an assassin. You need something stolen? Call a thief. But if there's something no one else can do, or a job that no one else wants, then you talk to me."Nathaniel specializes in the strange, the weird, and the dangerous. But no matter how far he runs, he can't leave behind his bloody past, nor the ghosts that chase him.His latest job was supposed to be simple—recover the sword Black Swa...

Ford Donoghue broke my heart a decade ago. And no matter how hard I tried, I was never really over it.I perfected the art of ignoring him whenever he came home to Hatterwick Island—cold shoulders, polite smiles, and walls a mile high.It worked.Until the day his thirteen-year-old daughter walked into my bar, scared and looking for a father she’s never met.One phone call later, Ford’s back in Hatterwick.And so are all the feelings I sw...

The last person I expect—or want—to take shelter with as a hurricane bears down on Hatterwick Island is Daniel LaRue—the man who broke my heart barely three months ago.I’m not looking for distractions. The clinic’s been targeted by thieves. The island’s locked down tight against the storm.And Daniel—hot Coast Guardsman, bad decision, walking heartbreak—is the last thing I need complicating my life again.Coming back to the Outer Banks after med schoo...

Can a Marine turned baker and a jaded contractor find their way to a second chance?Braxton Whitmore needs a change. After leaving the Marines, he’s free to build a new life. But is he gonna be a baker? Really? When his buddy inherits a decrepit bar and proposes they partner up to turn it into a bakery, Brax figures why not? Until his ex comes walking in.Mia Whitmore has built a new life for herself, far from the heartbreak and secrets that tore her...

They traded the battlefield for a bakery. But these veterans are about to learn that love might be their hardest mission yet.In the heart of small-town Tennessee, three former military brothers-in-arms are building a new life—one cinnamon roll at a time. The bakery was supposed to be a fresh start. But love, danger, and the women who challenge everything they thought they knew have other plans.From estranged marriages and surprise proposals to healing old w...

What's a little marriage between friends?Mia has been Braxton's best friend for years. Even when they no longer lived in the same foster family, even after he'd aged out of the system, he'd continued look out for the one person who got under his skin and made him care.For the last six years, Mia's been keeping her head down, putting one foot in front of the other, unable to trust anyone with her secrets—including the foster brother who's been the one bright...

Welcome to the first year’s worth of stories from the new online magazine ZNB Presents published by the small press Zombies Need Brains. In these pages, you will find original science fiction and fantasy stories of awe and wonder, darkness and light, ranging through all of the subgenres, including urban fantasy, alternate history, space opera, fairy tales, and more. They come from the most talented authors in the field today—new voices as well as trusted and familiar names. Join us as we e...

Can a retired naval commander and the love he left behind overcome a 34-year-old secret to find their way to a second chance?Captain Mitchell Greyson is a man who believes in duty. A bigger purpose and a thirst to prove himself took him away from his tiny Tennessee hometown--and the girl he loved--more than thirty years ago. After a distinguished career in the Navy, Grey's headed home, searching for new purpose and a glimpse at the road not traveled.At the ...

River Tales presents thirty-two short stories from new writers around the globe. Several fishing tales, along with a few coming of age stories, even one from a fish's point of view, are sure to entertain.River monsters, murder, and redemption can all be found in these watery tales. From poignant to humorous, there is something for everyone to enjoy.