Crows Like Shiny Things

When a child mysteriously disappears from a small town and even his mother seems indifferent, it’s time for the new sheriff to step in. Meet Chris Baker, the new sheriff of the quiet Adirondack town of Clifton Heights. As one inexplicable case after another forces him to confront the townsfolk in The Skylark Diner, it’s the furtive Gavin Patchett that hands Chris a collection of not-so-fictional short stories that tumbles him into a world of monsters, ageless demons, and vengeful citizens. As Chris reads through the stories the veil starts to lift, and he soon questions what is real and what’s not, and whether he really wants to know. Nothing will ever be the same again. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

The things we want are so very rarely the things we need. Clifton Heights, a modest Adirondack town, offers many unique attractions. Arcane Delights sells both paperbacks and hard-to-find limited editions. The Skylark Diner serves the best home-cooked meals around, with friendly service and a smile. Every August, Mr. Jingo’s County Fair visits, to the delight of children and adults. In essence, Clifton Heights is the quintessential small American town. Everyone knows everyone else, and everyone is treated like family. It is quiet, simple, and peaceful. But shadows linger here. Flitting in dark corners, from the corner of the eye. If you walk down Main Street after dark, the slight scrape of shoes on asphalt whispers you're not alone, but when you look over your shoulder, no one is there. The moon shines high and bright in the night sky, but instead of throwing light, it only seems to make the shadows lengthen. Children disappear. Teens run away. Hunters get lost in the woods with frightening regularity. Husbands go mad, and wives vanish in the dead of night. And still, when the sun rises in the morning, you are greeted by townspeople with warm waves and friendly smiles, and the shivers pass as everything seems fresh and new... Until night falls once more. Handy's Pawn and Thrift sits several blocks down from Arcane Delights. Like any thrift store, its wares range from the mundane to the bizarre. By daylight, it seems just another slice of small town Americana. But in its window hangs a sign which reads: We Have Things You Need. And when a lonely traveling salesman comes looking for something he desperately wants, after normal visiting hours, after night has fallen, he will face a harsh truth among the shelves of Handy’s Pawn and Thrift: the things we want are rarely the things we need. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

Autumn Shade only wants one thing: to get away and live her own life. Tired of being forced by her father to take on the business, and follow in his steps, she leaves. She wanted to show her father that she was capable of making her own decisions and not screwing up. But just when she successfully leaves, she's caught up in another whirlwind which threatens to deem everything she'd known a lie.Justin Black and his friends see Autumn and they find that she was perfect for what they were planning, given that it was her father they wanted to take revenge on.Autumn learns a shocking truth about a scandal involving a murder and her father, and persistently denies it. But apparently they have proof.All Autumn wants to do is the right thing. If her father is innocent she gets to say 'I told you so' and if he's really a cheating murderer then she does what's right and gets out of this mess once and for all.But as usual, things get complicated. Actually, feelings get complicated, because the longer she stayed, the closer the broken boy held her.© 2020 by Everleigh Winters

"Darby.” My name comes out as a low snarl and I struggle to think. “I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage, Alpha.”"That's how I like you.” This almost purrs. He shifts his weight to the thigh between mine, brushing against my clit and I tremble as agonizing pleasure spirals through me. His nostrils flare with his next breath and the purr is a low sensual growl. “The better to see to every pleasurable need you have.”Big bad devilishly sexy wolf. Oh shit.

When a popular guy from another school named Eustone transferred to Shinrea SHS he encountered the toughest girl ever existed. The moment Sasha punched him in the face made him thought of something good. And from that punch on, he'd irritate her more. What he didn't know was behind that tough girl is someone who is trapped in a horrid past.

My mother marries into the Patterson family with me after her divorce. She marries Thomas Patterson, the dean of a veterinary hospital. Meanwhile, I marry Walter Patterson, a firefighter captain and Thomas' son. On this day, there's a huge storm. I'm almost due for labor, but I still head to the hospital to pick my mother up after an operation. We head to the subway, but it ends up being flooded. I endure the labor contractions and call Walter with trembling hands, wanting to ask for help. He finally answers after hanging up on me 18 times. "What the hell do you want? How stupid can you be, calling me in such a huge storm? "I'm saving lives here! Tracy's foot was cut by glass while being saved, and I've just bandaged her wound. Now, I have to take her dog to Dad's hospital so he can save it. The dog is hanging by a thread; if you need help, get some other firefighter to do it! Don't pester me!" Later, the rescue team arrives. My mother and I are pushed to the back of the crowd, and people won't stop shoving us around. The floodwater rises, and I have no choice but to carry her on my back while trudging along the corridor. This continues for three hours. When we're finally rescued, my mother is already unconscious, and I end up losing my child, who's almost to term. My mother and I look at each other tearfully in the ward we share. I say, "Mom, I'm getting a divorce." She says, "It's not a big deal, sweetheart. I'll do it with you. I've done it once before—I know how this goes."

Hayan Shin had a crush on his classmate, Hajin Kim for a long time and he's contented at just admiring him from afar but fortunate things happened, and they got closer together. Will Hayan finally be able to confess his feelings? And oh, he's been receiving love letters from a secret admirer too.

Ruth Abellana is egocentric, self-centered and ambitious. She never values anyone except for herself and her sister, Tina. Loves money and materialistic. On the night of May 25th, Ruth involved in an unfortunate event. In the halfway of a calm and tranquil night, an accident occurs in the bridge. Due to it, she was lying in a coma for a couple of months. After 6 months long, Ruth was finally awake, but something odd happened, she sees the soul of an unknown man, asking for help. He can't remember anything except the tragedy of his death, which was the accident on the bridge on the night of May 25.

Ella never imagined her life would turn out like this. Running away from the man she had fallen in love deeply, carrying a secret inside of her. Cutting ties with everyone she knew just to protect not only herself, but Xavier. No matter how hard she tried to escape, forces beyond her control made that impossible. Not knowing who to trust anymore, Ella finds her thrown into a world of betrayal, lies and danger.

20 year old Crimson studying tourism at Bridge university lives her life with utmost simplicity, rotating from school to home like a rollercoaster. Her life soon takes a drastic change when she meets Charles her long lost best friend and the closest thing she had to a family besides her dad. Things intensify when Charles could not reveal his reason for disappearing for a whole five years. Crimson battles with her growing anger while Charles fights to gain her love and hide his dark past from Crimson. What will happen when Charles reveals his secret feelings for her and becomes her university substitute lecturer while battling to hide his secret work from her? What will Crimson do when she finally realize that the man who was like a brother to her have been in love with her? Will Crimson be able to get over the past and see him more than a brother or will she give in to the temptation and desires he brings.