Novelette (7.5K-17.5K)

Robin Wild, apprentice sorcerer, has grown up among humans, but he only half belongs to their world. Rob was found as a baby two decades ago during the first snows of Winter. The kind-hearted, sensible residents of the town where he had been left saved him and then raised him as one of their own. That he is at least part Wildling, the mysterious creatures from the Wild Wood, has always been obvious; his winter magic sometimes running ahead of his human control. Now, though, the Wild Woods are calling him, and Robin must answer their summons.

Life is looking good for the Robin, Mariam and their daughter Rowan, still know affectionately by all as Cabbage. However, a storm is coming. Robin can feel an unsettled strangeness to the power of what should have been just an ordinary snowstorm. It is making Cabbage restless as well. Such nerves could be put down to the natural tumult reacting with their Winter Wildling blood. Yet, Mariam's power of divination comes from quite another source and she too is sensing that something is wrong. What awaits in the coming maelstrom? Is it trouble that Mariam is discerning? Robin must face the challenges brought by the ice and snow and use all that he is to fight a terrible destiny that comes from the same power that made him?

New friends should be breathing, right?

While launching into student life, Shani has to deal with the challenges of moving into a crumbling old house, getting to know her housemates, and the heady desires of new love. all the while, struggling with an unnerving backdrop of shadows and presences only she can sense.

After one crap A-level, Shani got her place at uni through the clearing process, so everything was very last-minute. Thus, she's ended up at the university's 'last chance saloon', a huge, but rundown old townhouse that maintenance seems to have forgotten. Still, beggars can't be choosers. At least she can afford the rent, and for that she's willing to put up with her new neighbours, the ones she can see, and the ones she can't.

But are the shadows that haunt the corners of this crumbling residence going to be as tolerant of Shani and her oblivious housemates?

Enjoy novelette, The Lodger, over a cup of coffee, or are you brave enough to read it by candlelight?!

Mina has only been an Ensign Navigator on the interstellar cruiser, Queen Elizabeth VI, for two weeks, so everything is exciting and new. She counts herself lucky to have been assigned to the same ship as her little brother, Alistair, and she doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize their posting. It’s an easy mission, a charter flight to Aurelia Prime to celebrate the primeversary of the discovery of Carbon Prime, the reason everyone can travel between the stars.

Yet something is not right and Mina senses the wrongness. That feeling is confirmed when one of the descendants of the pioneers who discovered the miracle fuel is found dead in her cabin, frozen to death by a coolant leak. At least, that is what their leaders are saying. Mina doesn’t believe it. It must be something to do with the strange, impenetrable vessel encased completely in Carbon Prime that has suddenly appeared in their path and is now shadowing them to Aurelia Prime?

No longer trusting the superiors who only seem interested in their glorious history, Mina and Alistair look to lower ranks to investigate what is really going on. Something is bad in the history of Aurelia Prime; something is missing from the official records. Can Mina find out what it is in time to save all on board the QE VI?