Julie C. Gilbert

The Arkonai High Council wants answers, and they want Daniel to get them.

He knows she’s innocent, but if he doesn’t cooperate, they will send another huntsman. And Marina might not live through the encounter.

Daniel strives to fulfill his duties as an Arkonai huntsman and spend time with his family. He’s good at his job, but the Council politics disgust him.

The Dark Man needs something from Daniel, and he will kill or threaten anybody to get it.

Fighting an immortal seems impossible, but if Daniel and Marina fail, their infant daughter will only be the first of many to die.

The Dark Man promises to heal Victoria with the bracers if Daniel gives them to him. Since he doesn’t trust the huntsman to be reasonable, he makes another simple bargain: Raelyn’s life for the bracers.

Raelyn’s ready to die for Victoria, but can Daniel accept such a gift to save his daughter?

For Reia, a Ranger sworn to protect royals, the task of keeping the prince safe turns complicated when the fool runs away from his private guards. After an explosive meeting, the prince and the Ranger decide to travel together. Forces of nature and wild animals are expected dangers, but several predators come with political agendas.

When Terosh’s attraction for his Ranger guardian becomes apparent, Reia becomes a pawn in a wider game.

Even access to the fabled god-machines might fail to save them from having to answer a single question: what is one life measured against the fate of a planet?

Thus far, Mavis’s nephew, Terosh, has turned out to be an adequate king, but Reshner cannot afford to be divided. The Galactic Alliance of Populated Planets has been hoping to annex the Edge Planet for years.

Mavis bears no particular ill-will toward the young queen or Terosh. However, if she cannot install a powerful ruler quickly and secure strong allies, her homeworld will be enslaved.

The only way to remove the current rulers is to kill them.

Kezem believes the princess can lead him to untold treasures, but because he cannot harm her, he brings her friends along to force her obedience. As an added bonus, he might even get to kill the little lost prince who lived.

***

This is Book 3 in the Anotech Chronicles series. The complete series is Reshner’s Royal Ranger, Reshner’s Royal Threat, and Reshner’s Royal Guard. They are being made into audiobooks, but only the first is released right now.

Gambling’s always more fun when the stakes matter. Nothing could be higher than life or death.

To save her sister, Megan must stop the contest by any means necessary, even if that means infiltrating it the hard way: as a prisoner.

Despite the setback dealt by FBI Special Agent Megan Luchek, the Club moves forward with a new contest centered around heroes. Partly looking for payback and partly look to cash in, they forcibly invite Megan—and her sister—to participate. 

The agent quickly discovers that the contestants aren’t the only ones in danger. Each one has a family member to fight for.

Will the heroes have to be villains to save those they love?

They want her alive, but nobody’s specifying how alive.

Megan has powerful friends, but her biggest supporters have their own deadly issues to deal with. Can she survive being the primary target for the criminal contest?

When Dr. Jessica Paladon worked for her friend, Dr. Dean Devya, she helped create Nadia, one of the world’s few Minders. Tough circumstances drove her away from that life, and to protect the secrets, she willingly took a drug that induced amnesia.

But now she needs those memories.  Two children—her children—Nadia and Varick are competing in a winners-take-all, losers-might-die competition for the biggest secret government contract out there. They’re fighting for the right to exist.

If Jessie can’t remember, how will she help them survive?

The scientists responsible for the genetic modifications kidnap her in order to teach Jillian how to use her Gift. But she isn’t alone. They also have her babysitter, Danielle Matheson, snatched to keep her in line.

They also have a task for her.

If Jillian can’t master her Gift quickly, Danielle might only be the first victim of many.

Jillian turns to her friend, Danielle Matheson, and together they hatch a crazy plan to get Jillian to Nadia’s side so she can awaken her from the coma.

Meanwhile, Danielle tries to keep a friend out of trouble with human traffickers.

If Jillian can’t solve the mystery of Nadia’s coma quickly, she may lose both her sister and her friend.

A year ago, Danielle Matheson would have waited until the inevitable end and helped her friend mourn the loss. But now, she faces a difficult choice. She must decide whether to watch Susan Kilpatrick die or ask Jillian and her genetically Gifted siblings to help. But even if they manage to cure the cancer, nothing is certain … and the attempt would put them all at risk of discovery. After all, how can you hide a miracle?

As Jillian, Malia, and Michio race to solve the cancer problem, new threats arise which jeopardize everything they’re working to accomplish. And now Susan’s life is not the only one in danger. The siblings themselves have been targeted.

Will their Gifts be enough to save them, or will their choices cost them everything?

If one counts each of his siblings plus Danielle Matheson, the list of people Varick wants to protect stretches from coast to coast. The more he gets to know Danielle, the more she comes to mean to him.

Meanwhile, somebody has captured Nadia and wants to sell her to the highest bidder. Varick’s lifelong quest has been to free her from their father, Dr. Dean Devya. But nobody knows where to find Nadia, except Dr. Carnasis, and she’s a captive as well.

Danielle and Jillian have also disappeared. Varick might be able to pull off one rescue, but can he save them all?

”She’s not afraid to set all wrongs to right.” (Jimmy Denson, best friend)

”You spend enough time in conversation with Jillian and she’ll have you talking with a Southern accent, drinking some berry flavored tea, and fighting the urge to dig up worms to go fishing.” (Danielle Matheson, former babysitter/current friend)

Now meet Jillian Blairington in some of the adventures and misadventures that pre-date the events of Ashlynn’s Dreams.

Contents:

”Helping Mr. Blairington” ”It Wasn’t the Old Daddy’s Day” ”I Caught the Clothes-Stealing Wretch” ”JJ and Jimmy Take on Crazy Nick” ”Chester M. Norrington and the Devil Boy” ”Beachside Invitation” ”Frightening the Flight Ladies” ”Dumpster Diving” ”Exploring Mr. Kremel’s Creepy Old Place”

Violence in Vegas: A simple case of sabotage turns terrifying when Megan stumbles across a human trafficking ring deep in the tunnels under Sin City.

Rescue in Reno: The bad guys make it personal by kidnapping the husband of Megan’s friend. She turns to unlikely sources for help pulling off a rescue in the Biggest Little City.

Danger in Dallas: Megan winds up trapped in a madman’s mansion just outside Big D.

Join Megan’s journey to survive several kinds of crazy with the help of an eccentric billionaire’s genius computer program, Eagle Eyes.

But Megan Luchek’s in town to help Angela Melkin-Pierce with a small case of sabotage. Somebody’s been slashing guests’ tires and ransacking rooms at The Grand Game Hotel. With the guest list including the Reno Birdwatcher’s Society and the Paradise Quilting Club, the suspect list is very thin. The only intriguing option is Gatton Technologies, headed by eccentric billionaire, Jeffrey Gatton. When he decides to host a masquerade party at the hotel, Megan goes undercover.

The air of elegance quickly turns to terror when masked men kidnap Gatton and Angela.

Megan is going to need all of her wits—and a borrowed handgun or two—if she wants to survive the violence in Vegas.

FBI Special Agent Megan Luchek is still officially on vacation in Las Vegas, but the previous night’s violence has made her aware of the crimes against humanity going on in the tunnels. Before she can investigate too hard, the bad guys get proactive. They kidnap Anthony Pierce, the husband of Megan’s good friend, and warn her to back off.

Predictably, she doesn’t react well to the threat. Megan has several problems, including the fact that she’s being watched in Vegas while she really needs to be up in Reno if she wants to help Anthony.

After encountering the wrong kind of crazy in Vegas and Reno, Megan Luchek goes to Dallas to relax and check out a hotel for her friends. Par for her luck, she gets kidnapped in broad daylight and taken to a madman’s mansion. Worse, she gets locked in a storm shelter.

But the bad guy’s not really after her. He simply needs her as bait to draw out the assassin—Cassandra Mirren.

Megan and the assassin are going to have to rely upon the Eagle Eyes program one more time if they want to live through the danger in Dallas.

Meanwhile, Satan and his top lieutenants have a new secret weapon to test, so they set a trap for the pair.

Now, the Guardian Angel candidates need protection. If Spirit’s Bane successfully destroys the angels of light, the last line of defense between humans and demons will disappear.

Meanwhile, the Council of Light confines Allister to the Heavens. They fear what Satan will do if he captures the Kindred Spirit Pair.

Allister knows they are stronger together, but even if he defies the Council by going to Earth, there’s no guarantee he’ll reach Mina before Satan’s minions.

If Allister and Mina cannot defeat Spirit’s Bane swiftly, precious souls will be lost in the coming conflict.

As a relatively new FBI agent Ann Davidson struggles with personalizing the cases. Hours after delivering the news that a boy’s murder investigation has officially gone cold, Ann and her partner, Patrick Duncan, catch a new case: a custody kidnapping. They have precious little time to find the victim, two-year-old Josiah Quinn. If even a day goes by without locating the boy, the odds of finding him drop to nearly nothing.

They couldn’t save the other boy, but Ann’s determined not to fail again.

Who took the Collins family and why?

One thing’s certain: time is running out. If Ann and Patrick don’t work fast, Rachel Collins and her kids will die.

In her heart, Ann knows they will catch Kevin, but she doesn’t know when or how or what sacrifices will be made along the way.

She’s prepared to risk her life for others but will her resolve hold when the threat turns to her baby boy?

Luck and God’s grace help Ann save her sister the first time, but she knows the bad guys will try again. With Patrick on a university tour and perhaps the most important case of her career weighing upon her mind, Ann must find the strength, wisdom, and heart to find out who wants her sister dead, what Joy discovered, and how to stop the conspirators.

Ann instinctively knows that if she fails the Davidson case will only be the first of many tragedies.

When FBI Special Agents Ann and Patrick Duncan are assigned to the case, they soon realize the kidnapper likes getting personal. To make matters worse, the perpetrator has help from surprising sources: victims’ families.

The more the agents learn about The Keres Legacy, the clearer it becomes that their family and friends are both fair game. Losing clearly means somebody dies, but even winning might come at a cost.

Marina is not trying to destroy River’s Edge. She’s trying to save it, but is she willing to give up everything to rescue strangers?

Victoria might be the Chosen One, whatever that means. Her father might be able to help them, but only if they can find him. Coldhaven’s villagers might be able to offer them food and shelter. Some fool might be running around unlocking Darkland portals to raise an undead army.

The further Victoria and her companions get on their journey, the more dangers and betrayals they face. They must awaken Vic’s true powers or forfeit the world.

Blaming the Saroth for the rise in dark creatures, an Arkonai cult vows to wage a holy war.

Victoria Saveron and her friends embark on a desperate journey to warn the Saroth of the cult’s plan. Along the way, they come across an entire village of refugees. They want to protect the refugees, but thousands more will die if they fail to stop the holy war.

Meanwhile, the rift between the two magical races grows and individuals on both sides cause chaos.

Vic and her friends work hard to relocate refugees and keep the peace, but they’re only addressing symptoms. The main problem lies in the Darklands, the realm controlled by the Outcast.

To save her homeland, Vic must reclaim the Darklands, but is she prepared to sacrifice her friends and her father to do it?

Thin Black Road

There’s a thin black road
I have traveled many times.
It leads to peace
In so many ways.
It’s kind of hard to describe
For the road’s oft unclear.
It unfolds to me
Like a lovely gift
One word at a time.
Then, music fills in the gaps,
Making worries fade away,
As unexplainable peace pours in.
There’s a thin black road
It leads me to peace.
When good or ill tidings come
To threaten my equilibrium,
I will travel that road
And return to peaceful calm.

Just like You

You’re my hope. You’re my hero.
You know all I am and what I can be.
Take this hard heart and make it like yours.
Holy Father, I need your heart.

You’re my heart. You’re my hero.
Let my life reflect your love.
Give me eyes to see past walls.
Give me ears to hear heart cries.
Give me hands that heal in your name.
O Holy Father, I want to be just like you.

You’re my Father. You’re my hero.
May my spirit walk with you.
Train my mind to see the lost ones.
Tune my ears to hear your voice.
May my soul shine with your light.
Dear Holy Father, I want to be just like you.

You’re my light. You’re my hero.
You know all I am and what I will be.
Take this one soul and make it like yours.
Dear Dad, I want to be just like you.

“My Champion”:

You are Lord in Heaven
Lord on this Earth.
Master and Maker,
King and Creator,
Father of all things,
And lover of my soul.
I have an enemy.
He knows how to hurt me.
He knows what I want to hear.
He knows how to twist my wants,
Make me think they’re needs.
Help me drown out his voice.
Lord, be my victory,
Be my champion.
Show me Your glory.
Make me part of your story.
I want to know You better.
Open my ears, flood my mind.
Teach my heart to hear
You and only You.

Made to Praise

As I walked around on this gorgeous day,
I reflected on my life and then prayed,
“Father God, thank you for being You.
Thank you too for the many blessings …
I would try to count them,
But they are countless.
Thank you for being holy …
All good things in life reflect You …
”At that moment I realized …
You and I, we were made
To praise His name.
You and I, we were made
To love and be loved.
You and I, we were made
To live, learn, grow, and pray.
You and I, we were made
To lift our hands, bow our hearts,
And open our eyes to the truth.
We were made to praise the Lord!
We were made to praise Him!

Draygor controls the dragons, but he really wants to rule the hearts of men.

He’ll do anything to get his way, including assassinating heirs and putting powerful curses on royal lines.

But to do that, he needs the Wildwood Witch.

What will their uneasy alliance mean for the world?

One by one they fall.

Desperate to protect their only princess, the Shadow Kingdom resorts to subterfuge, but will it be enough to save her?

Draygor needs the Shadow Kingdom’s princess to complete his plan, yet two young ladies vie for the dangerous position.

The fate of the Seven Kingdoms rests upon the simple question: which young woman is the Shadow Princess?

She can show the princesses of the Seven Kingdoms how to forge the fabled pendant, but it cannot be safely made in the natural world.

Unaware of the plans set in motion, Special Agent Megan Luchek goes about her business as usual, only now, she finally has an excuse to dress up on the job. She’s been asked to go undercover to check out some banks. One of the branches just happens to be managed by Martin Cantrell’s ex-wife.

What’s an agent to do when a perfectly peaceful morning turns into a hostage-taking standoff?

Meanwhile, Special Agent Megan Luchek gets a late night summons to the hospital to speak with a gunshot victim. She knows to expect almost anything, yet he still surprises her.

“Agent, if I die, save the girl.”

The girl turns out to be Katelyn Cantrell. Megan’s not the only one protecting her, and the other person has no problem killing to obtain their goals.

Can Megan prevent an assassination and catch a killer?

FBI Special Agent Megan Luchek travels to Philadelphia with her partner, Daniel Cooper, for a law enforcement conference on battling terrorism. She never makes it. Instead, she ends up investigating an actual threat with an unlikely ally.

Cassandra Mirren prefers working alone, but she’s been ordered to bring Agent Luchek along for the ride. Their last encounter was adversarial, but this time they have a common foe.

Can the agent and the assassin save countless lives this Christmas?  

Cassandra Mirren witnesses her boss’s murder and gets drawn into a deadly game. Now, she has a choice—either work with Agent Luchek or betray her.  

Both women are about to find out that treachery makes it tense.

Inside, you will find …
•The many lessons I’ve learned commissioning 25+ audiobooks
•3 major reality checks
•An overview of the 3 main payment paths
•An overview of my process
•5 detailed steps to creating awesome audiobooks

Bonuses:
•Some dos and don’ts that will make narrator relations easier
•An introduction to audiobook promotions
•The basics of audiobook email writing
•A section about seeing both sides of the business

Inside, you’ll find …
•5 steps to surviving teaching
•Tips and tricks for staying sane and saving time
•Commentary on common teaching myths
•Questions to ask yourself before quitting
•How I improved my parent communication

Bonus: Get 7+ fun and easy-to-run chemistry and biology projects

Inside, you’ll find …
• 13 easy-to-read chapters broken down by topic
• Detailed instructions for dealing with the math
• Tips and tricks for better understanding
• Common mistakes to avoid

Bonus: Suggestions for communicating effectively with your teachers.

Inside, you will find

• Ten principles of dream blurbs
• Five common mistakes
• Ten plus case studies
• Five steps to better blurbs
• Six exercises to strengthen your blurbs

Bonus:
You’ll find information on getting additional case studies and free or discounted blurb overhauls.

Inside, you’ll find …
•An overview of how you can maximize your school success
•Several ways to understand your teachers better
•Several ways to improve communication with your teachers
•A summary of the vital life skills you can learn in school
•Tips on seeking help, gathering information, and writing excellent emails

Bonus: Wise words from students, former students, parents, and teachers.

Students. Security guards. Teachers. First responders. They are all fair game.

Who will live, and who will die?

How will those who live go on when their world is shattered by unthinkable tragedy?

***

This is a standalone story about a tough topic. There’s also an audiobook version performed by Curt Bonnem. If you’re looking for something more light-hearted, try the Shadow Council series.

The Head Mistress can’t tell her much, but she fears one of the students might be in danger. Rooms are being searched seemingly at random, and the list of potential targets stretches to nearly everybody. Still, compared to Miranda’s other cases, this one has all the markings of an open/shut one for her and her dog.

Looks can be deceiving.

Somebody has a keen interest in this small, posh school, and it’s up to Miranda and Tate to expose the bad guys before that interest turns fatal.

***

This is a standalone clean mystery. It may eventually be part of a series though. If you’re looking for something longer, try the Shadow Council series.

The man seeks something very special that only certain young people possess, and he’s willing to threaten anyone to get it. But his daughter has other plans.

Like it or not, Keio and Clara land in the middle of a brewing war. They’re going to have to pick a side soon, and if they choose wrong, their lives aren’t the only ones forfeit.

***

This is a standalone short fantasy story. Tip: Grab the cheap ebook and add in the audiobook for a nice discount.
If you’re looking for something more epic, try the Anotech Chronicles. Book 1 in that series is Reshner’s Royal Ranger.

Interview questions:
Q: What makes The Golden City Captives special?
A: It’s a classic story of good vs. evil wrapped in a world full of magic and mystery.

Q: Is there a sequel?
A: Not yet. One day, I hope to expand the world as I’m quite certain there are tons of untold tales here. Keio and Clara have a long road ahead of them. This is just the beginning.

Q: What theme(s) make it special?
A: Family. Friendship. Responsibility. Destiny. (All the cool stuff.)

Their home is forfeit. Their marriage is dissolved.

Once a famous actress, Jenna is afforded immunity from the most aggressive forms of therapy because they want something from her, but David is not so lucky.

He’s a hostage. Cooperation will keep him alive, but at what cost?

***

This is a standalone Christian dystopia short story. If you’re looking for something longer, try Spirit’s Bane and its sequel Kindred Spirits.

At first, Nathan apologizes and showers Alana with gifts in an effort to win her back. He tries to get her to see they belong together, but when his efforts fail, he concludes the real problem in their relationship must be her best friend.

As Alana’s rejection further sinks in, Nathan realizes there’s only one solution to their problem: kill Jacob Talford.

***

This is a standalone clean suspense story. I may write more Defining Moments stories. If you’re looking for something longer, try the Shadow Council series.

FBI Special Agent Samuel Kerman has been tasked to catch a wildly erratic serial killer dropping bodies in Pennsylvania state parks. The victims differ, and the manner of murder changes every time.

Amid the mountains of physical evidence, only a mysterious gray dust and declarations of guilt or innocence link the crimes. It’s not much to work with, and the case drags on for months.

Then, things go from bad to worse when the killer makes it personal. Family, friends, strangers … everybody’s in danger of being scratched off.