Courting Stage

It’s end of October 1985 and the crumbling river town of Dubois, Iowa is shocked by the gruesome murder of one of the pillars of the community. Detective David Carlson has no motive, no evidence, and only one lead: the macabre local legend of “Boris Orlof,” a late night horror movie host who burned to death during a stage performance at the drive-in on Halloween night twenty years ago and the teenage loner obsessed with keeping his memory alive. The body count is rising and the darkness that hangs over the town grows by the hour. Time is running out as Carlson desperately chases shadows into a nightmare world of living horrors. On Halloween the drive-in re-opens at midnight for a show no one will ever forget. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

The Lupercalia Full Moon festival is in full swing. A fertility event where the males go wild to hunt and mate. Alpha Jasper, my mate, leads Storm Forest to the sacred cave to start it all, but I'm left behind. Despite our three years of mating, I haven't shifted into my wolf, nor have I produced the coveted heir. The pack is furious and my in-laws despise me. The Moon Goddess has not favored me; I have failed not only my mate but also my pack. Jasper adores me, but the feeling of being a burden to him gnaws at me. Then one day I set him free. With another Luna at his side, Jasper can have the successor he needs and the pack craves. In Human Town, I find what I long for: acceptance, respect, love. I am successful and now filthy rich. I have also stolen the heart of the most elusive bachelor in the state; we are the perfect human couple. But my happiness didn't last. I lose my memory in a boating accident and later discover that I am pregnant. My boyfriend claims to be the father and I have no choice but to believe him. Years went by, but the Alpha didn't give up and kept looking for me. Until he finds me, on the side of the King of the Royal Kingdom. And then Jasper faces a dilemma: courting the King's woman is fatal. And when the mate bond between us reactivated, I suddenly find myself between two mates. I have to choose. Only when the Moon Goddess reveals her plan and Lupercalia must bow to me....

Maya Reynolds and Ulric Wolfhart meet under the most undesirable circumstances. Standing on a stage at a slave auction, Maya is beaten black and blue, trembling at the sight of the spectators. And then, in a fit of rage, Ulric buys Maya for himself. Just as it seems Ulric has found a solution to his father’s demands—his mate, Maya—and just as it seems Maya has found the safety she so desperately craves, they both forget one thing: the Moon Goddess has a plan. And her plan includes Maya’s cruel abuser, who is also her other mate, Cole Sinclair. And he is coming for her. Just how far can one go for their mate? Where is the line drawn? And will Maya be safe, and will the future of the Bloodmoon Pack be secured?

During a charity gala, my boyfriend bids on a pair of matching watches but gives one of them to his true love. The media excitedly capture the scene and ask, "You bought a million-dollar watch without even batting an eye, Mr. Loewe. You've been single all these years—is it time for you to make an official announcement on your relationship status?" Everyone off stage applauds him, and I join them. I give him my blessings for his so-called announcement. To make it up to me, he attends my birthday celebration. Yet he pushes me into the cake to make his true love happy. Unbeknownst to him, there's a steel rack in the cake to keep it steady. I end up bloodied and on the brink of death.

When I was in the terminal stage of renal disease, my wife gave the kidney that was most compatible with me to my brother. I rejected the doctor’s suggestion to continue waiting for a new kidney and got discharged early. My heart had frozen over. There was no point in holding on anymore. I gave the wealth that I had accumulated over the years to my brother, and my parents finally smiled at me. My wife tirelessly wanted to take good care of my brother. I did not get angry. Instead, I even asked her to be more attentive to his needs. Even when my daughter wanted my brother to be her father, I agreed with a smile. Everything had turned out exactly as they had hoped. Why were they feeling regret?

Ethan is a huge music fan. Because the lyrics express their emotions or experiences. Music was his comfort, his refuge, and his dearest companion. As a result, his desire to be an artist began. He desired to perform on stage as well as on the street. Just to let the world know about his musical talent and passion. Lily left his home because of his stepfather. She has only one dream, and that is to finish her studies. But how can she complete her studies if she doesn't have enough money? She finds it tough to consume three meals a day. Fortunately, she met a friend named Claire and recruited her as a production assistant in a huge corporation. But there's a catch. She must be married to the CEO's son in order to be admitted into their company.

I was auctioned like property. To pay my father’s debt, they put me on a stage in a red satin dress and diamond collar. I braced for the worst—until he stepped forward. Luciano Moretti. My ex. My first love. Now a ruthless mafia boss with blood on his hands… and my name still burned into his memory. He bid one million dollars to own me. “You’re mine again, cara. This time, there’s no escape.” He says it’s revenge. He says I broke him. But when he touches me… it still feels like home. In a world of power, secrets, and obsession, I’m not just fighting for my freedom— I’m trying not to fall in love with the devil all over again.

It was the thirtieth anniversary of my alma mater, and I had been invited back to give a speech. But as I stepped on stage, my husband's illegitimate son rushed toward me, brandishing a knife. His accusations rang through the hall: I was a homewrecker, the woman who had driven his mother to her death. He went even further, kidnapping my daughter and threatening her safety unless I publicly read a letter of confession. I was beaten to within an inch of my life, my body battered and bruised. I demanded my husband come forward and confront the truth. Instead, he turned on me. "I was forced to be with you in the first place!" my husband spat, venom dripping from every word. "You're the real mistress!"

My fiancee, Isabelle Bailey, engages in a passionate kiss with her stage partner, Shawn Sanders, in a theater play. While the audience is wholly touched by the romance depicted by the main characters of the play, I know for a fact that the actual script doesn't feature the kissing scene at all. Guilt flickers across Isabelle's face at my confrontation. But she argues, "We were just acting! Are you saying that I can't act out romance scenes anymore?" I no longer demand answers from Isabelle like a hysterical fool. Instead, I give the roses that are cultivated from a new breed to the background actors. After leaving the afterparty, I call my mentor, Patrick White. "Professor, I'm willing to travel to the northwest to plant roses there."

In Emberfall Woods, 20-year-old Alya Dawn steps into her role as the Dawn Pack’s alpha, her crescent star tattoo pulsing with untested power. As whispers of the marrow god’s return stir fear, Kael Varn, a brooding exiled alpha, arrives, igniting a mate bond that complicates her leadership. The cult leader Veyra unleashes blood rituals, forcing Alya to unite her pack through mind-linked battles and steamy moments with Kael. A shocking betrayal and a lunar temple clash reveal Alya’s strength, but Veyra’s escape sets the stage for a larger war. With bold women leading the charge, primal wolf transitions, and a vibrant pack dynamic, Alya’s journey hooks you into a world of loyalty, love, and sacrifice.