Are we simply no more than a product of our upbringing? Do we truly know who we are? I don't think so. I think that our identity awaits our discovery, then begs our declaration, while inviting our embodiment. True, our past influences our path, but it does not dictate its direction. Each and every decision we make changes our direction down this path. But, it isn't just our decision that matters. It is also our ability to recognize, analyze, and understand the tools that we have to make th...

Gavin is a bear, a masseur, and a manedresser who's spent years giving excellent care to any and all. He's especially beloved among his "vertically gifted" clients, including Emmanuel, a client turned friend over time, who needs even more particular attention. After all, the tall Pegasus's hide, mane, tail, and wings demand special care to keep up the unique appearance that makes him such a fine model for artists, photographers, and advertisers.So when Emmanuel reveals that his age...

Have you ever felt uncomfortable in your own skin?Maybe theres a reasonJeremiah Pym is a private detective not the flashy gun-toting gumshoe of old, but a quiet, respectable shamus of modern day who earns a modest living on domestic intrigues and background checks. After being hired for what should be a routine surveillance job, Jeremiah witnesses a kidnapping, barely escaping with his life. The next day, however, not a trace remains of any kidnapping or anything else that h...

TOP SECRET PERSEUS (EYES ONLY) PERSONNEL: OConnell, Night. Profile: Programming genius, project head revolutionary VR technology. Location: Vacation resort, downtime reward for exceptional work. Status: Recovering from brief hospital stay. PERSONNEL: Kovach, A. B., 1st Lt. Profile: Recon fgtr pilot, Starhawk III, exemplary record, auth. in-flight plasma shuriken testing. Location: Star Cruiser Heartwielder, Gorgonea Tertia region. Status: Training for Snake Lady squad, Medusa project. MISS...

There are many modern day sports involving horses: running, jumping, dressage, the Paso Fino of Puerto Rico, the sled pulling of New England, jousting tournaments in the castles of Wales, endurance runs across the Rocky Mountains, and many others, including the fascinating sport of horse archery in which a rider, at full gallop with bow and arrow, engages a series of targets. Magdalene and her Icelandic pony Baldur are champions of the sport. A true warrior, she has trained from early age ...

They had begun that segment of their journey in the early morning's light just before the rise of the first sun and with Billy riding Silack at an easy trot had continued their trek across the plains, stopping only for a brief rest at mid-day. The rocx alternated their pace between a walk and a trot until finally on the second day, in the late afternoon, they reached a clearly marked footpath winding its way around a series of rock-edged, table top mounds and through shallow rugged canyons...

There was an abundance of life on the planets when the flickering of the star first signaled the beginning of its death. Many looked upward in despondence and desperately prayed for deliverance from the unfeeling cruelty of the darkening star as shadows begin to dance across its face. They called their sun Tannex and while it slowly wound its way across the many horizons it seemed to twist in a crippled path as though it were a great wounded beast struggling against their skies. The fear g...

He paused for a moment to look up at the shadowed suns and then went on saying, "But I think now, this cold will keep their scouts from being too active. Their bodies need the warmth. They are very demanding and unrelenting creatures. I once lost twenty slaves to them, my entire cargo ... It was my first run to the south. Perhaps with the increased cold they will not be so hungry and their demands less severe." He yanked on the lead leashes saying, "Come now, we must be on our way. We have...

Ruben Silverstein is a heroin addict. Ruben is a dying man who discovers a faith he has never known and strength he never possessed. Love is lost but gained for the runner who saves his life, only to lose her own integrity. Not realizing he has become a prophet Ruben carries a message of impending disaster. He tries, but fails for no one will hear and in the end many die, their deaths the result of valueless society, manipulative corporations, and self-serving political systems. The Cold W...

Enchanted Adventures: A Year of Magical Writing Prompts for Young WritersHey there, young writers! Are you ready for an incredible adventure? Get ready to dive into a world of magic, where you're the author of your own fantastic stories.Inside "Enchanted Adventures," you'll find 52 super cool writing prompts – that's one for each week of the year. These prompts will whisk you away to enchanted forests, mysterious caves, and even talking animal worlds. Imagine meeting mythic...

The Henderson Writers Group challenges its members each year to submit works for blind judgement. Those with top scores are presented here.Enjoy this multitude of works written by K. Ray Katz, Jean Widner, Jo A. Wilkins, Fred Rayworth, Michelle Smith, Frank Westcott, Ned Barnett, Donna DeVargas, Thomas J. Benner, Keech Ballard, Valerie J. Runyan, Joseph DeBenedetti, David Long, J. M. Dohanich, Wolf O'Rourc, Anderson Black, Audrey Balzart, Cora Fey Nielson, Raden Marafioti, Olivia W...

In a quiet corner of Canada, in the picturesque town of Kingston Creek, unfolds a story of death, deception, and shocking revelations. Dr. Steven Beckett, a respected emergency room physician, is found lifeless in a cottage at Crystal Lake. The arrest of Jordan Norton, the doctor's former partner, seems to close the case. But Detective Barry Chandler, Dr. Beckett's current partner, is not convinced of Norton's guilt.Despite pressures and difficulties, Chand...