CHAPTER ONE: Before Sunset He decided to run the mask through two more rinse cycles than he ran with the rest of the costume. Washing the head-piece was usually the most important part of laundry day. He spent so much time breathing in his own breath through the thing that he really didn't need a three-day-old body-funk included. He knew this from experienc...
114 chapters plus epilogue. Everyone in the story is specifically stated as being eighteen years old or older. ***** Prologue The Great Father wound his way through the destruction sickened by the death around him. A once thriving village lay in a heap of smoldering ruins. The bodies of brave men who had fought to protect their families were scattered lik...
Mike's Navy: a novel in five parts Part 2: Mike Meets Marlene copyright 2014 Welcome to the world of Michael Claymore. For those who are fans of Mike's from his mystery novels what we have here is a series about his life prior to the mysteries. We will discover what makes him tick, so to speak. I envision this prequel series in the following way: b...
CHAPTER 1: ENDLESS SUMMER The sun beat down on Caden as he made his way through the narrow, winding alleys, its harsh light baking the paved streets enough that he could feel it through the soles of his boots. He wrapped his cloak more tightly about his shoulders, its drooping hood casting a dark shadow over his face. There were few who would brave the stre...
Act 1 - Gathering Darkness Chapter 1 - Birthday Presents Sydney's head hurt and turning over to block out the daylight streaming in through the motel window did nothing for the rest of his body either. He groaned loudly and Peter Bond called from the bed beside him, "Not the best this morning big fella!" "Please Bondy, don't shout," he whispered back, his...
Author's note: this story has been re-edited to bring it up to my current standards as part of an effort to make Ebooks. It features improved editing, grammar, punctuation, and also includes rewrites and expanded scenes where necessary. Please see my bio for more information. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the...
Foreword Thanks to those of you who were kind enough to read and comment on my first submission of Realms of Eden Book 1 – Sydney comes of Age (it's in the Sci-Fi section). This is a rewrite of that book but from the story teller's perspective rather than first person. My characters told me that they didn't think they got enough time in my first book havin...
Chapter 1 The long hard winter had taken its toll on the city and its inhabitants. The streets were a slushy, wet mess thanks to a sudden spike in the temperature. Rivulets of melted sludge from the snow piles heaped against the curbs dribbled into filth plugged storm drains. Eager for the reprieve from winter's icy siege, dwellers of the magnificent city a...
Chapter 1 Erica shuffled nervously in her seat. The cordiality of the greeting had dissipated into an awkward, uncomfortable silence hanging heavily in the air between them. Her eyes fixed on the man's neatly groomed nails, on his soft, chambray button down shirt, on the tiled patterns beneath her feet, on the brilliant sunny afternoon outside of the coffee...