EDWARD STASHEFF
Random scribblings from my son.
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THE APPRENTICE WIZARD
The story of how Matt Mantrell, Lord High Wizard of Merovence, met his apprentice Ortho, and why Ortho is called "the Frank."
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Part I: Wizard Required (20 pages, 5,084 words)
Matt, the Lord Wizard, really, really needs an apprentice wizard to share his workload. A timid scribe named Ortho applies for the job, and seems perfect for the position... perhaps too perfect...
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Part II: Hanging Around (14 pages, 3,475 words)
The Lord Wizard has only two days to prove his apprentice innocent of sorcery... or Ortho goes to the gallows.
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Part III: Background Check (16 pages, 3,931 words)
Matt, Duke Montmartre, and Stegoman fly to the Abbey of St. Moncaire to verify Ortho's story. Just who is "the Frank," the mysterious rebel who helped priests escape Malingo's sorcerers?
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Part IV: Seen of the Crime (18 pages, 4,556 words)
Matt and Montmartre investigate the scene of the priestly murder, and find flaws in the case against Ortho.
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Part V: Letter Alone (19 pages, 4,727 words)
A crucial clue eludes Matt & Montmartre, but points them toward a village outcast and her daughter.
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Part VI: The Burning Woman (19 pages, 4,906 words)
Matt & Montmartre finally find proof Ortho is the Frank, as well as who betrayed Fr. DuVois.
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Part VII: Think About the Children (21 pages, 5,598 words)
Matt & Montmartre discover the murdered Fr. DuVois had a vile secret life.
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Part VIII: Let Me Be Frank (28 pages, 7,641 words)
Ortho stands accused of treason, sorcery, and murder. Can Matt prove his innocence?
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Part IX: The Wedge and The Hammer, part one (10 pages, 2,591 words so far)
Ortho's side of the story, warts and all.
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Beneath the Holy City (19 pages, 6,127 words)
In Jerusalem in 1912, a rabbi attempts to solve a string of grisly murders – and succeeds! But the murderer is not at all who he expected. From the 2018 anthology Death in the Age of Steam.
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The Phantom Hothouse (37 pages, 10,960 words)
When a pair of desperate virgins try raising the ghosts of an abandoned brothel, they get far more than they bargained for.
NOTE: Although there's nothing explicit, there ARE a lot of sexual references and language in this story, so it may not be appropriate for young or sensitive readers.
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PREDATORY PRACTICES
Set in Marcus Johnston's Tech Infantry universe, six months after the events of Prayer for the Technocrats, a hyper-capitalistic floating alien cat fights to keep his species independent of human rule, get the girl, and make some cash on the side in this sci-fi comedy/adventure/romance.
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Chapter 1: Barroom Deal (13 pages, 3,393 words)
A hyper-capitalistic floating alien cat and a drunken monkey walk into a bar...
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Chapter 2: For Love and Money (14 pages, 3,447 words)
Two hyper-capitalistic floating alien cats haggle over products, sales, profits, contracts... and, just maybe, love.
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Chapter 3: Hard Sell (14 pages, 3,522 words)
Little hyper-capitalistic floating alien cats haggle with big three-eyed telepathic alien lizard things. (I sometimes wonder what my son has been smoking...)
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Chapter 4: Plutocrat (13 pages, 3,352 words)
A pissing contest with the alpha male of his corporate clan leaves Heth soaked, cowed, and with a deadline to prove his innocence or be terminated for good.
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Chapter 5: Cash and Carry (16 pages, 4,150 words)
Heth deals with a shady customer, is forced to smuggle the wrong type of cargo, takes the risk... and gets caught.
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Chapter 6: No Refund, No Return (17 pages, 4,318 words)
Heth talks his way through customs, delivers the cargo, and cuts a deal with a shady but powerful human officer.
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Chapter 7: Hidden Assets (12 pages, 3,231 words)
Heth finds the evidence to prove his innocence (and it's worth a LOT of money!).
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Chapter 8: Rising Stock (15 pages, 3,775 words)
Heth finally clears his name and gets a promotion, along with an important diplomatic message to deliever to the K'Nes Llan government.
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Chapter 9: Future Projections (20 pages, 4,971 words)
Heth presents a Federation peace treaty to the leader of the K'Nes Llan (who rejects it), and worries about the political direction his species is headed.
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Chapter 10: Business Affair (17 pages, 4,219 words)
A couple cats contemplate countries in conflict, and commence capitalist courtship.
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Chapter 11: Cutthroat Competitor (15 pages, 3,892 words)
Heth confronts the man (?) who ruined his career - and promptly hustles the bastard out of something priceless.
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Chapter 12: Repeat Customer (17 pages, 4,339 words)
The Earth Federation hires Heth for a mysterious, dangerous job - but for one hell of a paycheck.
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Chapter 13: Means of Production (21 pages, 5,588 words)
Heth procures a starship and armor for his upcoming mystery assignment, while Narrah begins training the K'Nes mercenaries—including Heth, whether he likes it or not.
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Chapter 14: Material Compensation (23 pages, 5,700 words)
Heth finally learns what the Federation Chairman's hired him to do... and it's much more dangerous than he would ever have guessed.
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Chapter 15: Business Partners (24 pages, 6,703 words)
Heth prepares for his mission by training, gathering equipment, training, forging alliances, and more training.
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Chapter 16: Travel Expenses (25 pages, 6,452 words)
As Heth heads deeper and deeper into Imperial territory, he struggles to avoid drawing attention while keeping his crewcats under control, only to get a nasty surprise when he finally arrives at his destination.
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Chapter 17: Social Engineering (28 pages, 7,708 words)
The feline K'Nes scour the planet Cronos trying to sniff out an undercover Cialt monk who can sneak them into the besieged Cialt Abbey.
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Chapter 18: Foreign Exchange (18 pages, 4,744 words)
The K'Nes sneak into the Cialt Abbey - but the monks are NOT expecting company and don't react well to the alien mercenaries.
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Chapter 19: Predatory Practices (15 pages, 3,955 words)
Heth and his mercenaries meet the Abbot of the Cialt Abbey, and join the monks on the walls to defend the abbey agaisnt the Imperial attack.
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Chapter 20: Strategic Withdrawal (17 pages, 4,064 words)
Even if Heth survives the battle, can he still get off the planet and escape a star system deep in hostile territory?
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Chapter 21: Bear Market (23 pages, 6,114 words)
Heth escapes the Empire only to discover his allies have betrayed him, and—worse—his life has fallen apart while he was away in Cronos.
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Chapter 22: Trade Secrets (20 pages, 5,440 words)
Heth talks to O'Reilly, learns the secret of Impossibarium, realizes what Varrless is plotting to do, and races back to the K'Nes homeworld.
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Chapter 23: A Deal's a Deal (20 pages, 5,545 words)
Heth desperately scrambles to rescue Miu from assassination - but a powerful and psychotic alien stands in his way.
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Chapter 24: Executive Decision (21 pages, 5,246 words)
Heth & Miu's honeymoon is interrupted by the discovery of a plot to overthrow their government.
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Chapter 25: Joint Venture (30 pages, 7,652 words)
Heth races to organize a couter-coup to save his species from a hostile takeover.
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Little Eddie's Quest for Sage (16 pages, 2,989 words)
My son Edward wrote this amusing story (originally for his blog) based on a real-life day trip he and I made to the oasis outside Portales, New Mexico. He took a few liberties with reality. Okay, a lot of liberties. So many that if he took any more, he'd have an entire Constitution.
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Prayer for the Technocrats
by Marcus Johnston
Free Download!
.epub (for Apple & Nook)
.mobi (for Kindle)
.pdf (for PC & Mac)
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Beneath the Holy City (19 pages, 6,127 words)
