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    The Founders
    The Founders
    The Founders
    Ebook131 pages1 hour

    The Founders

    By Short Fiction Writers Guild (SFWG)

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    About this ebook

    Four stories. Four voices. Four different points of view.

    From the founders of the Short Fiction Writers Guild (SFWG), an organization dedicated to the celebration of all genres of short fiction, comes their first anthology, THE FOUNDERS.

    Paranormal Romance from C.C. Kelly: VAMPIRES NEED PEDICURES TOO
    Holly lives in Iowa. She likes books and works at the Library. She is a simple girl with simple tastes and wants. But, her best friend Deb is convinced Holly needs to get out for a change and get a real date. Tonight she has convinced Holly to attend an evening of speed dating at the hottest underground restaurant in town. After a day of shopping, they are both dressed to kill, which is a good thing, because Holly's first 'date' is a vampire. A simple vampire with simple wants and tastes.

    Fantasy Fiction from Jason Varrone: WARRIOR'S ASCENSION (THE LEGACY SERIES: PREQUEL)
    Renowned warrior Crennan Dawnblack is mortally wounded during a fierce battle with a hated enemy. Only in the fated delivery of a chronicler will he find solace in relaying his story. Thus begins his tale of honor, vengeance, and love. Through the recorded account, Crennan's legacy as a hero may pass through the ages. This fantasy fiction novella tells the courageous story of the life of a warrior, and sets off events that place the Kingdom of Rothesia in peril. King's Reaping, the first novel in The Legacy Series, directly follows the events of Warrior's Ascension.

    Science Fiction from Alain Gomez: WORTH THE RISK - BOOK ONE of the CALEN NATARI SAGA
    The assassin profession is proving to be more difficult than Calen anticipated. Not exactly overwhelmed with job requests, Calen is forced to land on a nearby planet to repair her badly damaged ship. A stranger she runs into at the local cantina may be the solution to her problems. He lost his honor but is rich enough to pay Calen to help him regain it. All she has to do is risk her life...

    Science Fiction from Casper Bogart: GIFT FROM A MAGI
    In 2150, if you need a replacement lung, kidney, liver or ticker, you'll need to go through Kong Magi, a mobster controlling the lucrative parts trade in NY-Samsung City. Normally an unsentimental businessman, Kong's life changes when a client makes a very unusual request.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherShort Fiction Writers Guild (SFWG)
    Release dateFeb 24, 2013
    ISBN9781301827671
    The Founders
    Author

    Short Fiction Writers Guild (SFWG)

    The Short Fiction Writers Guild (SFWG) celebrates and promotes all genres of short fiction in an effort to share the entertainment of the form with new readers, provides a robust marketing platform to expand market viability and profit potential for the works of its members, and offers a range of services to help members improve as writers, while embracing the virtues of honesty, professionalism, and integrity.

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      Book preview

      The Founders - Short Fiction Writers Guild (SFWG)

      The Founders

      The Short Fiction Writers Guild Anthology Volume One

      Copyright © 2012 SFWG

      All stories copyrighted by their respective authors and are reproduced here with permission.

      Cover art and design by C.C. Kelly.

      This Anthology is presented by the founders of the Short Fiction Writers Guild (SFWG), an organization dedicated to celebrating and promoting short fiction in all of its forms. Support short fiction authors and get insights on great stories by visiting us at www.shortfictionwritersguild.wordpress.com.

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      Vampires Need Pedicures Too by C.C. Kelly

      Warrior's Ascension (The Legacy Series: Prequel) by Jason Varrone

      Worth The Risk: The Calen Natari Saga by Alain Gomez

      Gift From A Magi by Casper Bogart

      Author's Note

      Connect With C.C. Kelly

      Connect With Jason Varrone

      Connect With Alain Gomez

      Connect With Casper Bogart

      To Short Fiction Writers Of The Past, Present, And Future

      VAMPIRES NEED PEDICURES TOO

      A Paranormal Romance by C.C. Kelly

      Holly still wasn’t sure how she had let Deb talk her into this, best friend or not. Speed dating wasn’t even close to her thing. Nestling into her worn, but comfy couch in a flannel night shirt and thick crocheted socks, her tabby Mittens curled up on her lap as she rode through Longbourn to the Bennet home and the romance of Elizabeth and Darcy or the antebellum adventures of Scarlet and Rhett — those were her things.

      Deb had practically kidnapped her at lunch, dragging her away from re-shelving the reference periodicals to take her shopping at one of the most expensive boutiques in town. Holly couldn’t really afford the dress — or the shoes, but she had slipped out a credit card just the same and now, nearly eight hours later, stood before the blacked-out glass doors of the hottest underground restaurant in town wearing a black leather evening dress and what she considered to be dangerous, non-OSHA approved high heels.

      She was only vaguely aware that Milton Falls, Iowa had places like this. The taxi pulled away to reveal an empty street and an empty sidewalk shrouded in an amber mist, the effect of the sodium vapor street lamps and the unseasonable humidity of the warm summer evening. Holly couldn’t help but make connections to literary scenes of other people and other places. She was taken with an acute sense of the surreal.

      She was brought back from her thoughts by Deb’s hand on her back. You’re awesome! Who’d have thought you were hiding all this under those awful khakis and sweaters?

      Holly blushed.

      She had nearly called the whole thing off on several occasions, once when she laid the dress out across her antique lace duvet and again when she opened the lacquered wooden shoe box. The lid pivoted back on its hinges revealing the burgundy velvet lining and the black heels themselves. They stared up at her — daring her.

      She surprised herself when she actually said Yikes! out loud; they had appeared less imposing at the store.

      She almost phoned Deb again from her apartment lobby, feeling awkwardly out of place as she stared out the front door glass to the waiting taxi, but that wasn’t just due to the mocking high heels. The tight, full-length evening dress, a dress that demanded very careful and delicate steps, at least if she wished to remain standing, had the most influence on her doubts. It had taken her nearly twenty minutes to put on, which wasn’t bad in her opinion considering the two rows of buttons that ran from a Victorian collar to just below her bottom, not to mention the fifteen minutes she spent pacing, giving covert sideways glares at the dress, then the shoes, then her phone — plotting to call Deb and be done with the whole unpleasant business.

      But now, as she stared at her reflection in the door, long blonde hair framing her heart-shaped face, she felt good. She did look amazing, she felt — empowered. Deb had that effect on her.

      Deb, the young head librarian, had piled her dark curls up on top of her head, long dangling diamonds caressing her slender neck. Holly thought she looked like a movie star. She wore high-heeled, lacey, white old-fashioned boots and a long, white, skin-tight dress with a slit up the side that ended just above good taste; a high, lacey collar that accentuated her dark complexion finished the ensemble.

      One of us has to kill tonight, Deb whispered in her ear as the maître de opened the door and escorted them inside.

      The two women followed and entered the dark candle-lit interior of La Bistro Nost. Holly again found her nerves pushing back, but Deb wrapped her in her arms and gave Holly a quick hug and a reassuring look — those pale gray blue eyes were so comforting.

      Deb took one arm and pulled Holly close like a teenage girlfriend as they clicked across the cigar-toned marble floor of the outer bar, past the curtains held by the maître de and then into the dimly lit dining room proper. Two rows of mission-styled dark wooden tables ran the length of the amber and graphite décor. Along the inside of the tables, at the walls, ran leather benches that terminated at the far end of the room. Twelve tables were now occupied by twenty-two amazingly fashionable people — they were late.

      You spend fifteen to twenty minutes with each guy and then you switch. Maybe get some phone numbers, maybe give yours and maybe, just maybe get a real date for once. And have fun Holly, relax. I have a good feeling about tonight.

      Holly stood still as Deb pulled away, her smile fading as she headed for a table with a sandy blond metro-sexual type sitting on the bench. He pulled his glasses off as she gracefully slipped into the chair across from him. Holly watched Deb rest her elbows on the table and then raise her hands in a matter-of-fact fashion to cradle her face, as if to say, I’m bored. Entertain me.

      Holly slowly followed, her heels clicking over the quiet conversations heading for the only remaining open seat across from — she barely held the laugh inside.

      Oh no, not that! This is awful, please God no. Fifteen minutes, no laughing, she insisted to herself. Make that twenty-one amazingly fashionable people.

      He sat against the wall. Holly could tell he was on the short side, or it could have been his awful posture. He had some dark hair poking out from under a ball cap with some faded beer logo on it. His complexion was on the lighter side, but looked washed out and sickly against the light mauve and green plaid sport coat, bright yellow tie and burgundy shirt.

      The poor guy must be color blind. I can forgive that, but the hat? Seriously?

      Holly stopped before the table and felt his eyes crawl up her body, until they finally met her own. Her nerves said ‘run away.’ He wasn’t undressing her — it felt more like he was tasting a bomb pop and the sensation of being a frozen confection didn’t sit well with Holly, but it was those eyes that gave her pause. He was creepy, that much was true, but there was something else as well. She willed herself to sit down next to Deb and play along — fifteen minutes.

      He didn’t stand up in courteous greeting. He just stared at her and then leaned over. What color are my eyes?

      Holly, in a deliberate act to play ball for Deb’s sake, leaned in closer. Green?

      He smiled a radiant thrilling smile that made Holly tingle — deep pools of a mountain lake green eyes, green eyes that spoke to her, green eyes she would obey.

      He leaned back and seemed to relax. So, hi. My name is Tim.

      Wheeton, I mean Holly, Holly Wheeton, she stammered, looking down at the table. She felt like she was back in junior high.

      Hi, Holly.

      Hi.

      I think we should talk about me. What do you say?

      That sounded wonderful, she thought as she looked up from the table, meeting his eyes again — what had she been thinking, only fifteen minutes? Of course she wanted to hear about him. Deb was right; this was going to be fun after all.

      Hey, peach jacket, am I right or am I right, huh?

      She grinned; he did cut quite a figure as they used to say in the old movies she so enjoyed.

      I dress pretty hot most of the time, I’m just saying, but I’m really a casual guy, really. But, hey, want to know a secret?

      Holly leaned in conspiratorially.

      Tim glanced right and left and then leaned in closer. "I’m rich.

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