Showing results by publisher "Podium Audio" in Short Stories

Basil Masters has it all—a booming aviation software company, great friends, and a sweet, supportive girlfriend, Summer. He's ready to propose, convinced life is chef's kiss perfect. Summer, however, is not convinced. For two years, she's smiled through Basil's friends (especially his female best friend), tearing her down, brushed off their condescending jokes, and tried—really tried—to make him see the problem.

In the wilds of a jungle planet, the Legion fights in brutal combat as Republic marines fly their SLICS from one tragedy to the next. H292, a repurposed warbot, shows the heart of a hero as he wades into the battle not to destroy—but to save.

Mushu is a small dog, apparently helpless. She is anything but. She is resourceful, clever, and has the memory of a thousand previous lives to help her know what to do. There is a fractured family in dire need of help in Middle Falls, Oregon and Mushu is on her way to help.

Romee's winter break was planned out months ahead. A week at a cabin in the woods sounded romantic, and maybe it was just what her boyfriend of two years needed to pop the question. Instead, he proposed they break up, a week before they were destined to wake up Christmas morning, happier than ever. Heartbroken but undaunted, Romee embarks on a solitary journey to the remote cabin, yearning for peace and closure in the tranquil snowscape. Six nights of isolation, wine, and TV shows seemed like the perfect remedy for a breakup.

Santa had it right with his naughty and nice lists. Me? I was firmly Team Nice. Need help throwing together a holiday wedding in four days, big brother? No problem. Need me to share my bed with your super-hot best friend? If I must. Want to be sure I won't accidentally fall in love with said super hot best friend—Brooks Claus? Can't promise that. He may have moved away from our small town years ago, but there's something about being near him again that brings back memories of that innocent crush I never quite got over.

Such a long life of killing has left plenty of dangerous enemies in its wake. An ancient witch coven, a jealous assassin, and even a demon lord all have old scores to settle. With one last contract to fulfill, Yrlissa hopes to be free from her past and her guild forever so she can disappear with her husband and young daughter. But the past doesn't forget so easily, and neither will a betrayed guild of magical assassins. Yrlissa's only concern is to keep her new family safe, but with enemies closing in on all sides, will they become a distraction she cannot afford?

When World War III erupts on American soil, the chaos ripples across the globe. This anthology explores the untold stories unfolding as civilization's lights go out—from the home front to distant battlefields where the fate of nations hangs in the balance. Across America, ordinary people face extraordinary terror. A government driver on his final day before retirement finds himself protecting the Transportation Secretary in a Christmas Eve ambush. Executive Protection agents in Detroit discover that when the power grid fails, predators emerge from the shadows.

On the frozen, alien expanse of Sabaku‑3, Gunnery Sergeant Lara Adair is on the brink of retirement as she fights her final contract with the Berserkers. Leading her platoon of towering Mauler mechs in a brutal campaign for control of a remote mining world, she clashes with relentless rebels across unforgiving terrain.

In the opulent ballrooms of Regency-era London, Mercy Ainsworth plays her part flawlessly. By day, she's the poised daughter of an esteemed earl, an embodiment of grace and decorum. But when the moon ascends and the city's shadows lengthen, she transforms into a clandestine artist of Drury Lane, her paintings ablaze with untamed passion.

Captain Warden and Lance Corporal Goodwin are the space marines with the hard job. They have to infiltrate a Deathless base, identify and capture a senior officer and extract him from under the nose of his soldiers, preferably without dying in the process. They’re relying on Ten to watch their backs, but when he is accosted by the denizens of the jungle he’s yomping through, he has to make a tough choice between speed and humanity.

It began with a wishing lantern and a shimmer faerie. Wall Street Journal-bestselling author Jeff Wheeler has compiled a rich collection of short stories filled with revenge, battles, hope, and gut-punching endings. Enter Tales from Kingfountain, Muirwood, and Beyond and immerse yourself in worlds with tragic kingdoms and mad kings, magic communication with bees in haunted ruins, a boy who serves the mystical Ravenmaster of Pent Tower, and the secrets of Metamorphistry.

The untimely death of Chairman Mao has set in motion enormous changes in the world. The new empress of China is a contact of Rick’s, and this leads to his involvement in events in China, the Vietnams, and Hong Kong. At the same time, he starts his quest for being the second amateur to complete a Grand Slam in golf. He learns that a broken heart hurts. As the old Chinese curse says, “May you live in interesting times.”

Five knights tell stories of ancient lands, madness, and terrifying monsters...but no one can top Knight Elric's tale of the Land of Hershel, a monstrous swamp filled with horrifying creatures and an ever-present threat. If you stop moving, you drown. "In the Land of Hershel" is a short story set in the thrilling world of SunRider.

To face an Elitesman in combat is to invite death, and now he must sneak into the Order's stronghold. His companions are a district captain and an old Elitesman, who himself has been on the run from the Order longer than Braden has been alive.

As the Order celebrates its union with the crown, a founding member of the secret society plots its demise. Wanting to use the potential of the Soul Stones - legendary relics of unspeakable power - Victor gathers his supporters to rise against the Prophet and all those who wish for the stones' existence to be kept unknown. Caught between his duty and his heart, Lucian must either stand with Victor and betray his fellow brethren, or take his true love, Sarie, and leave it all behind.