Sorrowful Poetry

Richard Franklin has left his Midwestern roots behind to live on the coast of Maine with his family. But in the autumn of the year 2000, he must return to his Illinois birthplace on a sorrowful journey. His wife Michelle has been killed in New England by a hit-and-run driver who is never found, so back home he comes with her cremated remains, to fulfill a final wish and on her birthday scatter her ashes in the park along the river in Blackwater Valley—simply Blackwater Val to locals—the small town where they both grew up and fell in love. With him he brings his six-year-old daughter Katie who still grieves for her lost mother: Katie, who can sometimes guess who’s going to be on the phone before it rings. Who can stop all the clocks in the house, and break up clouds in the sky with her mind, and heal sicknesses, and who sometimes sees things that aren’t there...people who are no longer alive. All gifts she inherited from her mother. Only something isn’t quite right in the Val. Sinkholes are opening up, revealing the plague pits the sleepy hamlet was built over in the 1830s, when malaria and cholera outbreaks ran riot. Mysterious bird and fish die-offs begin to occur, and Katie can see ghosts of the dead gathering all around. But what she can’t see is the charred, centuries-old malevolence which has been waiting for her, and wants her for its very own. Or the pale Sallow Man who haunts the town’s nighttime streets...or the river witch—another Blackwater Val, of sorts—each of whom will be drawn one by one into the nightmarish bloodletting about to take place. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

The novel is mainly about the forgotten British poet/writer named C. J Richards who lived in Burma/Myanmar in colonial times and he believed himself as a Burmophile. He served as I.C.S (Indian Civil Servant) and when he retired from I.C.S service, he was a D.C (District Commissioner) and he left for England a year before Burma gained its independence in 1948. He came to Burma in 1920 to work in civil service after passing the hardest I.C.S examination. He wrote several books on Burma and contributed many monthly articles to Guardian Magazine published in Burma from 1953 to 1974 or 1975. Though he wrote several books which had much literary merit to both communities, Britain and Burma (Myanmar), people failed to recognize him. The story has two parts: one part is set in the contemporary Yangon (then called Rangoon) in 2016 context and a young literary enthusiast named “Lin” found out unexpectedly the forgotten writer’s poetry book and there is surely a good deal of time gap that led him into a quest to know more about the author’s life. The setting is quite different comparing to colonial Burma and independence Myanmar (Burma), early twentieth century and 2016 which is a transitional period in Myanmar. The writer’s life is fictionalized in the novel and most of the facts are taken from his personal stories and other reference books. It is a kind of historical novel with a twist and it has comparatively constructed the two different periods in Myanmar history to convince readers, locally and abroad more about history, authorship, humanity, colonialism, and transitional development in Myanmar today.

[Think About A Passionate Sex Scene]: Cayden had snuck up behind Isla, his fated mate, and hauled her off the Couch and into the warming-depth of his muscle-packed body. Without warning, he circled her around, straddled her on his sturdy waist, and plunged a threatening length into her. Heavy thrust, pleasured squeals, venereal kisses, hip sways, electrifying pulses, hair pulls, dampened cuddles, vigorous growls, heated grinds… Name it! Cayden continued digging his way into Isla’s soul until her legs pleaded their surrender… [Think About A Pleasant Evening]: Cayden returns from an meeting and goes straight to meet Isla. But instead of carrying a pomander-Bouquet of pink lilies and tulips, he’s holding in his hands. Divorce papers. And he presents it to Isla, telling her to sign them and leave! And as if that’s not enough, he even cheats on her with his ex, Ivanka Haine. Isla is left heartbroken and confused about what she has done wrong. But even with the weight of her hurt, she still confronts Cayden and his reason is: “YOU’RE NOTHING BUT A BEGGERED OMEGA WHO JUST WANTS MY MONEY AND PROPERTIES. LEAVE!” Sorrowful, Isla leaves Cayden’s life for good! [Then Think Of A Banquet Thrown By The Alpha King]: Cayden, being an Alpha, gets invited to the Alpha King’s Banquet. The Alpha king, being the sovereign ruler of the entire Werewolf race, hosted a Banquet in celebration of his daughter. But Cayden arrives at the Banquet just to realize the most shocking thing. Isla is also at the same Banquet. And she’s that daughter of the King! ** When Cayden realizes his mistake, will he be able to make Love prevail— even when a Princess has sworn to get her revenge? Or will it be ‘His Regret’? Find out…

Anthony Hunt a young dashing bachelor from New Mexico,lives under a dual personality, Anthony Hunts as a Casino and hotel conglomerate and Blade Knuckles as a Mafia lord. He was coached by ruthless Lucas Guzman and together the two syndicates cast terror within and outside the borders of New Mexico. Anthony collides with Nevena Bachvarov, a Bulgarian tourist, who runs into his arm one night asking him to save her . Breanna Stewart, an ex of Anthony, ventures back into his life as a government agent employed to investigate the mysterious Blade Knuckles. What was meant to be an investigation, turned into a personal war for Breanna Stewart Anthony in one of his numerous hits, kills an innocent man John Willow, son of Liza Minnelli, she had saved Anthony when an encounter with Vincenzo, a counter Mafia, almost claimed his life in the past . Nevena's presence struck a delicate chord in Anthony's cold heart, warming it in the process. Anthony realized that he was in love after he gave up his escape from the police just to get Nevena treated from a gunshot injury, Breanna Stewart finally got a chance to prosecute Anthony but Liza Minnelli gave another testimony and it led to Anthony's unanimous discharge. Sorrowful Liza Minnelli cursed Anthony that nemesis would catch up to him soon. Lucas Guzman wouldn't get over it when Anthony declares his desire to quit crime. Just when everything begins to fall into place, disaster strikes. Nevena got blown up by unknown hitmen , Anthony embraced the life of crime again, Vincenzo, Lucas Guzman and many more were on his suspect list . Bloodshed became the new trend as Anthony sought revenge over Nevena's death, the police denied any involvement since it's a war among the Mafia's.

Summer morning, Wynter ran away from home to avoid his father's wrath towards her. Despite being mistreated by her grandmother and relatives, she chose to go to her grandmother's province since it was her last resort. She planned to stay there until the end of summer before her school starts. Through her stay in her grandmother's mansion, she experienced an unusual happening. A ghost named Theros appears in her room and starts to pester her. She was scared at first until she finds comfort in the ghost that made them become friends. Sa maikling panahon na pagsasama nila, nahulog si Theros kay Wynter at sa kabila ng pagkakaiba nila, naglakas loob na umamin si Theros. Kahit na may pagtingin din si Wynter kay Theros, Wyner decided to keep her feelings until her 18th birthday. Gusto niyang sa araw na 'yon sabihin kay Theros ang sagot sa pagtatapat nito. However, the supposed special day turns into a sorrowful one. Sa araw na dapat pagkikita nila ay walang sumipot na Theros. Wynter waited from dawn until dusk but he didn't come. She waited until her last day staying at her grandmother's home, but still, no one came. After a year, in an Art Museum, she saw Theros again, right in front of her eyes. Theros, on the other hand, didn't recognize her. He introduced himself as Aziz. Upang hindi pagtabuyan ni Theros, hindi na lamang niya ipinilit ang katotohanang may pinagsamahan sila noon. Sa paraang 'yon ay naging malapit muli sila. But what if Aziz was not the real Theros, but the twin brother, Ajax? Will she start again with Ajax, or continue the deal between her and Aziz?

The Heart Beneath the Thorn — A Modern Beauty and the Beast Retelling 💔 In a glittering city of fortunes and façades, The Heart Beneath the Thorn reimagines Beauty and the Beast through the broken glass of betrayal, redemption, and forbidden love. Emilia Grace, a fierce yet quietly bruised soul, is just trying to survive. Between juggling hospital shifts, family debts, and the ghosts of her past, she’s never had the luxury of dreaming. But fate has a cruel sense of humor when she’s assigned to care for Max Carter—the cold-hearted billionaire who once made her school years a waking nightmare. Max was the golden boy with the cruel smirk—the privileged heir with everything, except peace. Years later, a tragic accident leaves him scarred, not just physically but emotionally. Isolated and emotionally exiled, Max is now a man haunted by his past choices and a legacy wrapped in barbed wire. When Emilia walks back into his life, she's no longer the girl he mocked—she's the woman who might just be his undoing. Forced into each other’s orbit, what begins as a war of words slowly melts into lingering stares, late-night confessions, and an unraveling of everything they thought they knew. Max, the beast of her memories, begins to reveal the tender man beneath the mask—a man who collects poetry he never shares, who builds gardens no one sees, and who might have always loved the girl he couldn’t protect. But trust doesn’t bloom easily in thorn-covered soil. And when old enemies, buried secrets, and a scandalous inheritance come to light, Emilia must decide: can she love the man who once broke her, now that he’s the only one trying to piece her back together? A tale of enemies-to-lovers, second chances.