Shadowed

Adventure, romance, and danger collide when a young Alaskan fisherman nets the body of a Russian open water swimming competitor. Another swimmer, who'd been the dead woman's roommate years ago, is pulled into the search for answers as it grows more and more clear that something sinister is at play.

Shadowed Stars: Book 1 by Steven Arlen Koutz In the twenty-first century, Earth experienced a rapid shift in political and technological developments. Reported sightings of UFO and alleged human abductions reached an alarming rate that governments decided to remove national boundaries and unite as one planet under one leader. The new government, the United Nations of Earth, made space exploration and the defense of the planet from alien invasion its top priority. Journeyer was one of the first ships sent into space to find new discoveries benefitting defense projects. It also hoped for a possible encounter with sentient life-forms for diplomatic reasons. Prior to its recall and permanent grounding, Journeyer was captured and destroyed by the Ubides, an alien race of the highest intellect and ally of the Derths, a carnivorous alien race dead set in conquering the universe. Its captain, Drew Cage, was forcibly taken for a reason. Meanwhile, the other crew members-including Lieutenant Eva Cusping-who were sent to an unnamed planet after the planet's sensors jammed the Journeyer's communication system, got caught between warring kingdoms that tore them apart from each other. Captain Drew Cage and Eva Cusping would learn something about themselves that would make them question their existence and beliefs, leading one to anger and despair while giving the other enlightenment. Both would undergo a transformation that would turn one into a vengeful malevolent scum, and the other into a hero who would lead the alliance of good against the forces of evil in an intergalactic war that threatens the survival of the human race and other life-forms. About the Author Steven Koutz is an avid fan of science fiction shows and movies. He is also an ardent collector of comic books, trading cards, and action figures. Writing stories has always been one of his interests and this book is brought forth by his desire to write his own sci-fi series.

The Dragon Temple denies the role of dragonmaster to women, but Zarq is convinced that the doctrine allowing it has been deliberately lost to the obscurity of history. She begins a desperate search through the Temple's archives, while enduring the rigorous athletic training required of her apprenticeship. Her fellow apprentices are fiercely competitive, and her overlord, Waikar Re Kratt, has taken an unnerving interest in her. Yet all this pales in comparison to her craving for hallucinogenic dragon venom and her desire to understand the dragons themselves—both of which make her a vessel to receive the ancestral memories of the great beasts. Now, eager for the knowledge only Zarq can uncover, the Temple has her imprisoned and subjected to starvation and torture—all to make her reveal the dragons' deepest secrets....

In the year 2089, Earth had experienced a rapid shift in political and technological developments. Reported sightings of UFOs and alleged human abductions had reached such an alarming rate that governments decided to remove national boundaries and unite as one planet under one leader. The new government, the United Nations of Earth, made space exploration and defense of the planet its top priority. Journeyer was one of the first ships sent into space to find new discoveries and above all the search for sentient/intelligent life and to open peaceful negotiations. Prior to its recall and decommission, Journeyer was captured by the Ubides, an alien race of the highest intellect and an ally of the Derths, a carnivorous alien race with ever expanding territory. The Journeyer's captain, Drew Cage, was forcibly taken for a reason. Meanwhile other crew members, like Eva Cusping and Enrico Dalchez, sent to a planet to restore lost communication satellites will be caught between warring kingdoms. Captain Drew Cage and Eva Cusping will learn something about themselves that will make them question their existence and their beliefs, leading one to anger and rage while giving the other enlightenment. Both will undergo a transformation that will set them on course to good and evil in an intergalactic war where the survival of the human race and other life-forms is no guarantee. They will encounter allies and enemies as they realize some questions you may not always want answered: (1) Are we alone in the universe? (2) Is there a god? (3) What does the future hold? Do you really want to know?

A sexy vampire and a badass witch must unite to save each other in this USA Today–bestselling paranormal romantic suspense novel. Danger signs rise off Jase Kayrs like steam—the scars, the secrets, the strength. He's got a mission, and he's not interested in much outside of it. Except Brenna Dunne. Brenna was an ass-kicking, name-taking witch—before the poison that's killing her sapped her powers too. She knows there's more to Jase than a handsome face and an ugly history. But there's no time to find out what. Taking him as her mate might save her life. But once she unleashes the force of his desire, there will be no turning back... Ready or not, here they come.... Praise for the Dark Protectors Series “Hot and fast from beginning to end.”—New York Times–bestselling author Kate Douglas on Fated “Paranormal romance at its best!”—Cynthia Eden “If you want hot, sexy, dangerous romance…this series is for you.”—Paranormal Haven “Sizzling sex scenes and a memorable cast.”—Publishers Weekly on Claimed

What exactly is a shadow? Is it light tracing an object or the shape a body throws when it comes between a light source and a surface? Is it a metaphor for the intimate, darker side of a person's nature-as Carl Jung postulated-and the unconscious side of one's self, where daemons and secrets are kept hidden or repressed? Is it an allegorical place between darkness and light, death and living? Or is it a state of illusion, like Plato's cave? Is it a verb that means to follow or accompany, or even to spy on? Shadows, a new collaborative series by Alexandra Grant and Keanu Reeves, explores the real and symbolic nature of the shadow as image and figure of speech. Grant's photographs capture Reeves's shadow at times as a silhouette and at others as traces of light as he and the camera move together. In transforming the images into color and reversing light for dark, Grant has made the shadows themselves the source of light. Reeves's texts, written in tandem with the creation of the images, give voice to the multiple manifestations of the shadow: as a projected figure, a place of concealed emotion and an invocation to shadow play.