Great Circle

The year was 1934; I was twenty-two years old. I never thought of myself as anything special. I was barely making it through the Great Depression. There were many days I lived off of scraps. I was the king of odd jobs, just enough to get by. I had done it all, from being a field hand to a miner. It all changed one night when I stumbled across a traveling circus, Cirque du Lune. I had never seen such a sight. Instead of the usual menagerie, this circus was overrun with wolves. There was one performer who caught my eye; it was as if an angel had descended from heaven on a silk ribbon.

Ishida, a young man, unexpectedly meets a girl named Rhina by sheer fate. But before long, a war erupts and they are captured by soldiers led by the malicious Lieutenant Monte. The lieutenant gives them a dreadfully simple choice: leave their homes in search of a legendary "lost city at sea," its immortal king, and bring back a mind-boggling amount of gold, or have their mountain reduced to ashes. Ishida’s father had set out in search of the place, too, but never returned. The journey will take them across oceans, sun-scorched deserts, and over perilous mountains; but most importantly of all: the two will discover their true selves will discover their true selves when they confront what will determine their fate. The questions remain: will they be able to find the lost city at sea and bring its treasures back to the avaricious lieutenant before time runs out? Or, perhaps the place they are searching for is simply non-existent?

They are coming.Hollyn Parker is running for her freedom. For her life. Born and raised in a community that subjects her to the worst kinds of horrors, she must escape, or she will die.Thrust into a world that is so unlike her own, she finds herself in another prison. At least this one has a set of sexy triplets willing to help her. But the haven they offer isn’t without its own perils.When her old life catches up to her, she must make a choice. Save the men who have sheltered her. Or trust them when they say they can handle her past.Circle of the Stars is created by Sadie Jacks, an eGlobal Creative Publishing Signed Author.

Brandon Smith has flown for eight years. I've been with him since the time he was an assistant pilot, all the way until he successfully rose to the ranks as the head pilot. In the year Brandon's busiest with his career, I resign from my job and begin cooking according to his aviation schedule. Just once, I bring up the question, "Can you please show me the sight of being thousands of feet in the air in the near future? Just once, please!" Brandon continues eating from his plate. "The plane is a workplace, not an amusement park for you." I reply, "Okay." Since then, I never bring up that matter in front of him. That is, until I find myself suffering from insomnia one night. That's when I accidentally come across an encrypted photo album tucked away in Brandon's phone. There are over 40 photos in the album, all from his perspective as a pilot. There are seas of clouds, sunsets, double rainbows after a downpour, as well as the Milky Way in the night sky when the plane is over thousands of feet in the sky. Every photo has been sent to the same person with a bear's emoji as their name. The latest photo is a photo of the beautiful evening colors from three days ago. Half of the sun can be seen in the clouds. The caption that comes with the photo says, "Today's sky is still beautiful as ever. When you come over next time, you can take the observation seat on the right. It gives you the best angle of the sky." The bear emoji person responds with a hugging emoji and a short sentence. "Wait for me to go on my break." I put Brandon's phone back where it belongs without changing the password and deleting the album. Once the morning sun is up, I brew myself some coffee as usual before finishing it quietly. Then, I turn on my computer and book myself a flight ticket to Dalco. It's been eight years. Finally, I don't have to chase after Brandon's flight routes and wait for his mealtimes. I no longer have to stay in an empty house while guessing which flight destination he's headed to right now. Since Brandon's sky refuses to tolerate my presence, I shall move my roots elsewhere and watch the sunset on my own.

MAGICAL (Everything about us... is magical.) Melanie Spears thought she was an ordinary high school girl until she learned she wasn’t. Dragged into a hidden realm where magic rules and royal blood matters, she’s faced with choices no teenager should ever make. Torn between homework and hidden powers, a mysterious stranger guides her toward a destiny she never asked for. As she steps into her royal role, Melanie discovers perks she never imagined, and dangers that could destroy everything she loves. With supernatural forces stirring in both her world and the human realm, she’ll have to be braver than she’s ever been. School assignments clash with forbidden secrets. Friendships are tested. Emotions run wild and so does her magic. When she hears the word “danger,” it’s not a warning. It’s a prophecy. Can she balance teenage life and a destiny she didn’t ask for? Excerpt from the story: "Melanie, can you please stay back?" "What do you mean?" "Can you not go to school today? Stay at home, please." She pleaded with glassy eyes. I pulled her into an embrace. "Can you tell me why you don't want me to leave?" "Danger." she whispered. "I wouldn't have wished for the latter. I should have just maintained the first prayer. All because what I saw...was going to be the end of me, what I saw was terrifying. It was death!"

**Her Rock Sequel** Agape: noun. 1. The highest form of love. Selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional love; persists no matter the circumstance. One year later Ella and Declan are seniors. One year later Julian is locked up and Hayes is nowhere in sight. One year later Ella and Declan believe they can breathe again without having to glance over their shoulders every other second. This year Ella Emerson has rekindled her love for soccer after facing her past that tragically tore her apart. She has Declan Anderson by her side, the boy who mended her shattered pieces, and the same boy she's given her whole heart to. At last, life is safe again, their love is growing by the second, and now all they have to worry about is loads of homework. Or so they thought. As days pass, peculiar things begin to happen. But when these peculiar things become a pattern can they really keep brushing them off as coincidences? It doesn't take long until the past they thought they conquered sneaks up on them and begins to fiddle with their relationship. Lies arise, fights kindle, tension flares. Will they be able to take each individual punch thrown at them? Or will they crumble when things surpass the limits of difficult? * He then looks into my eyes, his face displaying all kinds of emotions. "Thank you," He whispers. "You're my Ellie, you know that right?" His thumb brushes along my face, setting fire ablaze wherever he touches. "Always my Ellie." My Ellie. Words don't seem to come out, my mouth agape. Always.