Showing results by author "A. M. Todd" in All Categories

"Brevity is the soul of wit." (Shakespeare) Within this book you will find 31 stories written with this quote in mind. For 2016 I decided to challenge myself to create a flash fiction story every day for the whole year. So far I've been on track. You will find these stories brief and, hopefully, some of them witty as well. This is a complete collection of the stories I wrote in January. Going forward I will publish each month's stories and then collect them all in an omnibus edition.

Elzibeth just wanted to be left alone to play her grandfather's flute, but others in her village seem to think she needs a lesson in bringing her down from her soaring dreams and stand firmly on the ground like everyone else. Three brothers take it upon themselves to teach Elzibeth how dangerous dreams and fancies can be. Three brothers challenge her to seek out the dragon's cave, even though the last man who went there never returned.

The Devil's Gate, the looming barrier that keeps the demons and nightmares at bay every night of the year except for Halloween, comes crashing down. An army of steam-powered automatons, led by the Devil himself, finally gets the better of Jack of the Lantern, the man who tricked the Devil and gave us the jack o' lantern for protection on the darkest night of the year. With their steam-powered soldiers, the demons no longer fear Jack of the Lantern as they pour out in to the world to get into whatever mischief they desire.

After wandering the deserts of the Lands of Endless Summer for five years, Jaludin the thief wants to do exactly that. Having left as a boy, he returns as a young man, intent to leave his adventures in the desert and settle down with the girl whose eyes have haunted his dreams since he left. His homecoming is not the joyous occasion Jaludin imagined. He finds the town under some strange curse. As he rushes to solve this mystery, Jaludin wonders if some enemy from his wandering followed him home, or is this some new threat altogether.

Detective Max Larkin of the Rockton PD is flying high; he has just solved his third huge case in a year, has been asked to join the FBI, and everyone wants a piece of him. Not to mention that he's with the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. But then someone with a very personal grudge against him begins murdering people he knows and loves in gruesome ways, and it takes all his strength, skill, and intelligence to face the challenge, and bring in the most twisted and disturbed individual he has ever encountered.

The top two detectives in Rockton, Illinois, Max Larkin and Jesse Fairlane, are pursuing a man who brutally raped a woman and murdered her boyfriend. In Miss Me?, the third book in the Max Larkin Detective Series, they get teamed up with FBI Agent Timothy Michaels. He informs them that the man has been raping women for more than a decade, and they're no closer to catching him today than they were back then.

The first murder rocks the city. The entire Bjornson family - except the father, Stephen - has been brutally murdered, and the killer has left a message behind, written in the victim's blood: Don't Waste People's Time. It's a grizzly start for two young detectives who've just become partners. But Max Larkin and Jesse Fairlane put their personal distaste for each other aside and start concentrating on how to find the killer from striking again

Max Larkin and Jesse Fairlane are the top two detectives in Rockton Illinois. In Lies to Die for, the second book in the Max Larkin Detective series, they are in pursuit of a killer that is branding letters into the victim's bodies. Is it someone the victims know or is it just a random person taking out frustrations on the small community of Rockton? Max is fresh coming off of his one month suspension for hiding things from his captain while Jesse has been holding down the fort during his absence.

Known as the "Mahatma" or "Great Soul," Gandhi is one of history's best-known spiritual leaders. Through a campaign of nonviolence developed through devotion to Hindu ideals, Gandhi brought world attention to the fight for India's independence from Great Britain. This is an informative introduction to his life, written for all readers. The book is published by Chelsea House Publishers, a leading educational publisher.

Here are the knowledge and tools that can help pastors and church leaders trade self-defeating responses to conflict for an empowering, constructive approach; gain a working command of key conflict survival principles; and cultivate the skills needed to effectively navigate the conflicts every ministry leader faces.

Justin Martin is a doctor run ragged on the front lines of a new pandemic when the Darmstadt virus starts dropping bodies. Borders close, curfews are put in place, and armed forces are activated in an effort to diminish the spread of the deadly virus running rampant across the world. A vaccine is desperately needed, but when it arrives, it comes with disturbing side-effects.

In the intricate tapestry of faith, personal transformation, and divine inspiration, the soul's journey is a profound narrative that transcends the mundane. When the universe's ethereal essence, exemplified through tales of unwavering faith, collides with the author's inner turmoil and aspirations, a profound shift ensues. This story captures the profound metamorphosis of one such soul, grappling with internal battles and seeking redemption through divine connection.

What does it mean to live a life full of faith? Todd Anderson’s stories of his personal journey show what it means to trust what you can’t see and take small steps forward, rather than waiting for one giant leap. His stories reveal the truth that the journey is difficult at times, but his faith and experience show that God never leaves his children alone, and like the prodigal son, they will eventually find their way back home again.