I first heard about Books Butterfly a couple months ago on Readers in the Know (an excellent site for authors; it has a handy chart showing dozens of different book promotion sites and what they offer).  I was looking for new places to promote my books, and I hadn’t heard of Books Butterfly before.  I searched online and found very little about it apart from their own website and one conversation on Kboards.  But the little I heard was good, so I decided to give it a try.

Books Butterfly offers several different packages for authors.  They are unique in that they guarantee a certain number of downloads, depending on which package you buy.  I decided to try the “pure gold” package, shown at right.  It cost $50, and naturally I was worried that it wouldn’t end up being worth it.  After all, that’s a lot of money to pay just to get a thousand people to download a free copy of my book!  Books Butterfly promises that if you don’t end up getting that many downloads, they will refund a percentage of your money based on the percentage of the promised downloads you didn’t get.  So from that perspective, I was confident I would get what I was paying for.  But what I was really wondering was whether all those free downloads and the increased exposure would lead to enough actual sales to make it worth the expense.

Anyway, I decided to go for it.  I filled out the form on their site and received an email response less than an hour later.  I’ve been quite pleased with Books Butterfly’s customer service and correspondence, so I’m going to include some of the text from our emails back and forth for you to see.  The guy who I corresponded with was Abhishek Singh.

Hi Annie

thanks for writing in.

A) Your book meets our acceptance criteria. We’ll be glad to run it. It looks lovely and the reviews are among the strongest I’ve seen in Fantasy.

B) We’ve sent you an invoice. It’s Pure Gold Slot. $50 for 1000+ Free Book Downloads. Downloads will be on Date of Promotion and Next Day.

We estimate free book downloads range to be: 800 to 1,500.

C) Please see terms below.

D) Slot will not be run until invoice is paid. 

E) For Free Books, please let us know if the book is permanent free or was permanent free in the past.

F) There is a prorated refund. Refund is required in less than 5% of free book promotion slots. Please see terms below. 

G) Refund does not apply if you are running promotions with other sites. We can only guarantee our own performance – we cannot and do not guarantee results for you if you are running with multiple sites.

We still guarantee 1000+ downloads. However, we cannot and do not guarantee performance of other sites.

******* Terms & Clarifications

Please read the following to get a clear understanding of what happens when we run your book.

*Terms & Details

1) We’ll run your book 2 days in a row.

Dates would be: May 22nd, 23rd.
You’ll get additional sales on 3 days.

Dates of Promotion: 22nd, 23rd.
Date after Promotion: 24th.

IN this case Sales will be 40-50% on Day 1, 40-50% on Day 2, 10% on Day 3.

3) There is a prorated refund for all fixed price slots.

Example: If you buy a Platinum 100 Slot ($100 for 100+ Sales) and get only 75 sales, we’ll refund $25.

Example: If you buy a Pure Platinum Slot ($100 for 2,000+ Downloads) and get only 1,500 free book downloads, we’ll refund $25.

4) Refund does not apply if you misrepresent your book’s sales history. In addition, there is no refund if you don’t disclose a free book is a permanent free book before slot is run. In addition, there is no refund if you don’t disclose that a paid book has been free, or at a cheaper price, in the last 12 months before date of promotion.

5) Refund does not apply if you are running with multiple promotion sites. We can only guarantee our own performance, not that of other sites.

6) We do not track sales or downloads. Free book downloads can’t be tracked. For sales we don’t use Amazon Associate tag so there is no way to track sales. You’ll have to check your KDP Stats. You can also ask us for expected range of downloads and purchase a book promotion slot based on that.

7) Please also read the Terms of Service included in the Invoice and on the Website. Using our service for book promotions constitutes acceptance of terms.

8) For purposes of the Prorated Refund, average sales during the last stretch when you were running no promotions is counted as the baseline. You can choose a 7 day stretch or a month stretch. However, it cannot be a stretch during which you ran a big promotion like Bookbub or ENT. It must be a normal stretch with no promotions. It is your responsibility to let us know if your book gets big sales spikes of 50-100 sales periodically because your mother’s cousin tweeted it or your dog instagramm’ed it.

9) Thanks for getting so far. 98% of authors are great. Unfortunately, there are a small 2% who try to game the system, and try to get refunds illegally. Hence the terms listed above. If you’re in the good 98% of authors, we’ll do whatever it takes to make you have a great promotion with results backed up with a prorated refund.

As you can see, some of what they said was redundant (that was the case on their website as well), but it all made sense.  I received the invoice separately and paid it, then replied and said that I understood and agreed to their terms.  After a couple more emails back and forth clarifying some of the details, I thought of something else and sent Abhishek this note:

I thought of two more details that might be useful to know for this promotion.  My book, Prince of Malorn, is listed as Book III in the series, but the books can be read in any order, and each one can stand on its own.  If there’s a way you can mention that in the promotion, it might encourage more people to buy it.  Also, another book in the series (Annals of Alasia: The Collected Interviews) is permafree.  It has been for a few months now, so I know it’s not eligible for one of your regular promotions.  But another author mentioned on Kboards that you once listed their permafree novel along with a different one in the same series that they had paid to promote, and it led to increased sales of the other one.  I’m not sure if you would want to consider doing something like that in this case, and I understand if not, but I thought I’d mention it just in case.  The link to the permafree one (for Amazon’s stores in any country) is  http://smarturl.it/AlasiaInterviews.

I was quite pleased when Abhishek wrote back and said:

1) It’s still eligible for our regular promotions. Peramfrees are fine. There’s no time restriction. However, let me just run it for you for free. It’s a novella so it might get just 200-500 downloads.

2) Yes, I’ll mention it can be read on its own.

Wow, they would run it for free along with the other one!  If that isn’t great service, what is?!

Well, I had my promotion this past weekend.  Prince of Malorn was free from Friday to Sunday, with The Collected Interviews of course being permafree.  Here are my results, including the number of downloads I got on other books.  (All are in the same series except The Collar and the Cavvarach.)

# of Downloads:	Prince of Malorn (free)	P of M (paid)	The Collected Interviews (free)	TCI (paid)	In the Enemy’s Service (paid)	Prince of Alasia (paid)	The Collar & the Cavvarach (paid)	Borrows through KU/KOLL from all books
Friday 5/22	377	0	160	1	5	1	1	0
Saturday 5/23	275	0	148	1	1	0	1	2
Sunday 5/24	137	0	47	1	4	2	2	0
5/25-5/28	4	1	39	0	0	1	2	4
total:	793	1	394	3	10	4	6	3

Sadly, my usual numbers (when I’m not doing any kind of special promotion) are usually just one or two sales or borrows a day from all my books put together.  🙁  So this shows you there was definitely a difference!  

I was surprised and puzzled about a couple of things.  The first was that I actually got some paid sales on my permafree book!  How did that work?  But I realized that it’s actually only free in Amazon’s US, Canada, and Netherlands stores (and possibly the UK – I couldn’t get pricing info there to show up for me).  So, people must have bought it from other countries, which had never happened before with that book.  The second surprising thing was that somehow there were some free downloads of Prince of Malorn even after the 24th, and I know I set it to go back up to the normal price ($3.99) on the 25th.  Probably it had something to do with the fact that I live in Taiwan, and I’m not sure what timezone my KDP report uses, or whether it depends on the timezone customers are in.

Anyway, as you can see, I did not get a thousand downloads of PofM, but I did get over a thousand on the two free books put together.  Since the Books Butterfly folks were running TCI for me for free, it would have seemed ungrateful not to include that in the total number and instead ask for some of my money back.

Deciding not to claim any money back, I emailed Abhishek to share my results and thank him.  Here’s his reply:

Annie, really glad we could get you those downloads.

I was a bit aggressive with your book because the reviews were brilliant. Normally I would only have done Pure Silver ($25 for 500+ downloads). So really glad to see total downloads were 1,142. Thank you for being gracious and including the downloads of the free novella.

And also happy to hear you got sales of the other books in the series and some borrows.

My only regret is that I did not make much profit from this, but I did get lots of downloads, and hopefully they will eventually result in reviews and more paid sales of my other books, especially the ones in that series.  So far I have been seeing residual effects in terms of slightly-higher-than-usual sales and borrows numbers, so that’s been nice.  And I did make about $30 on the three days of the promotion, with about another $20 since then, so I’m coming out even.

Will I use Books Butterfly again?  Honestly, I don’t think so.  It was a pretty good experience, but by comparison, the last time I promoted a free book (In the Enemy’s Service) with Ereader News Today, it only cost me $20 and I got 1,849 free downloads and 18 paid ones in the first two days of my promotion.  But I’m not sorry I tried Books Butterfly this time.  It was worth finding out how it would go, and honestly, fantasy never sells as well as certain other genres.  If you’ve written a romance or a mystery, it may do far better with them than my books did.

Have you tried Books Butterfly?  Feel free to tell us about it in the comments.  I would love to hear how your experience compares!

Verona is a bottom feeder. She is the one mer in her clan who is considered the ugliest and least intelligent. Growing up with the constant bullying and abuse wasn’t the worst of what her kind had in store for her. At seventeen years old, she must now endure “The Reckoning.” The scales will measure her worth to her clan. Will she endure thirty days as a land-walker to gather information and knowledge to appease her clan and return a valued member? Will she wait three years, until she is twenty, and find a mer of her kind to accept her and marry her? Or will she suffer exile for the rest of her life?

 EXCERPT
TO KEEP FROM SCREAMING, I bite hard on my lip. The copper mixture of blood and saltwater mingles on my tongue. Mer claws rake against my back. The barnacles on the post to which I’m tied stab me in the chest. Pain sets my body on fire. Everything burns. I squeeze my eyes shut tight and keep my silence. “Ugly.” “Repugnant.” “Unsightly.” “Ignorant.” “Bottom Feeder.” Each word cuts as deep in my flesh as the physical wounds my clan inflicts. It can’t last long. I can endure this. As soon as the sharks catch scent of my blood they will come, and the Mer will scatter. The world spins around me like a whirlpool. My breaths come quick and shallow, my heart pounds faster in my ears. Each second is an eternity, until I realize fresh wounds are not adding to the burning in my skin. The elder’s sharp tongue whispers in my ear. “Now you will be measured.” My wrists fall free of the post as he cuts the ties. Exile. My Reckoning has begun.

About the Author:

Pauline Creeden is an award-winning author, horse trainer, and overall book ninja. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long. Her debut novel, Sanctuary, won 1st Place Christian YA Title 2013 Dante Rosetti Award and 2014 Gold Award for First Place YA Horror Novel.

  Stalker Links: Website: http://paulinecreeden.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/PaulineCreeden Twitter: http://twitter.com/P_Creeden Instagram: https://instagram.com/paulinecreeden/

Author’s name:

H. L. Burke

Title of book and/or series:

Lands of Ash: Elemental Realms Book One

Brief summary of the story:

After decades of Elemental Invasions, the once flourishing Kingdom of Forra has been reduced to ruins. A band of survivors pulls together in one last attempt to defend their homes and families as the Elementals make a push to wipe them out completely.

Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:

At the beginning of the book, the majority of the continent is a scorched wasteland with the humans clinging at the edges in scattered settlements. These include the forested Mountain’s Feet and a swath of land near the sea called the Green Band. Few cities remain, most humans dwelling in small hidden encampments. The Fire Realm is a parallel version of the human land, but with fiery molten seas and hot acrid atmosphere, perfect for the Fire Elementals who live there but inhospitable to humans. Of course, the rains and seas of the human lands are just as deadly to the Elementals.

If we were to visit Forra as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?

Stay near the sea. Much less chance of getting toasted there. The mountains and forests that remain are beautiful, old growth pines, pristine air, but every year more land is devoured by the fires.

What dangers should we avoid in Forra?

If you see a swirling blue whirlpool of light forming on the ground, that’s a portal. Elementals come through portals. Elementals burn things. Run!

What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Forra?

When fighting Elementals, water is your friend. Large settlements will often have water bucket brigades or even wooden tubes set up to pipe water onto open portals. There is also a special metal called “icestone,” a blue ore, cold to the touch, found in glacial melts. This is poison to Elementals and even a scratch from an icestone blade will cause an Elemental to break apart. However, icestone is rarely found in large deposits so normal steel blades, stone-tipped arrowheads, and other mundane weapons are frequently used.

What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Forra?

Horses are rare. They were never common in the northern reaches of the kingdom where packrams and goat carts are the more common means of transport, and so most were lost when the valley burned. Packrams are large, horned sheep, about the size of donkeys. The males are used as beasts of burden and the females for milk.

What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Forra that we don’t see on Earth?

Elementals come in multiple sizes. They are born as tiny “Sparks” out of the heat of their world. As they expand they become “Flares” and finally “Inferno Lords.” They also have the ability to reanimate human corpses into the mindless but still deadly “Charred.” Charred resemble blackened corpses with a flaming core giving them strength. They can fade, becoming smoke, to travel and avoid weapons, but lack the intelligence needed to be truly formidable foes.

What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Forra?  If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.

Humans have two varieties of magical healers. The abilities are hereditary, and while both can heal the sick or injured, they are polar opposites in their approach. A syphonic healer draws lifeforce from one individual to bolster another. The absorption of energy becomes addictive to syphonics, and they often steal energy from others when they don’t really need to. A syphonic’s powers are also an effective weapon, as they can weaken or even kill a person (or Elemental) by drawing away their lifeforce.

An empathic, however, heals with shared energy. She/he draws on her own lifeforce and the powers of memory and emotion. Empathics feel the emotions of those they are in contact with and can read their patient’s memories during the healing bond. Also, if you harm an empathic, identical harm will immediately befall you, but the sword cuts both ways. If an empathic healer strikes another, he/she will feel identical pain, and if an empathic kills, they will perish.

Is there a particular religion practiced in Forra?  Please describe what it involves.

With most of the society scattered and living hand to mouth, organized religion is almost non-existent. Few temples remain, but some people still keep faith in an unnamed Creator. The most widespread remaining practice is that of the Late Litany. People awaken after midnight to say prayers, meditate, or make an offering. The traditional offering is three bowls, one with water, one with a live coal, and the other with some form of plant life, often a flower. Water offerings are often given over graves, to cleanse the souls of dead in preparation for the afterlife.

In recent years, a cult has arisen that worships the invading Elementals.

What is the political or government structure in Forra?  Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?

When the Royal City fell in the early days of the invasions, the last King of Forra left no heir. A militia rose up from the various settlements in order to drive back the Elementals and protect the remaining human settlements. Militias are controlled by influential village leaders, usually the oldest man, and certain “hero captains” have sprang up, most notably Draven at Fork Vale Fortress and brothers, Karvir and Ketyl, out of the isolated Haven.

Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?

I grew up in rural Oregon, and wildfires were a yearly occurrence. I remember specifically one night when we were ordered to evacuate our home and the sense of dread knowing that a wall of fire was creeping towards my house, but I could do nothing about it. (Thankfully our home always stayed out of harms way. We kept it pretty clear and irrigated.) There’s something so primal, destructive, and yet alluring about fire. Also, seeing the burned out skeletons of trees and blackened earth was emotionally gutting.

I’m also a military wife, and a major theme in the book is seeing fathers and husbands go off to war. To me there is nothing scarier than that, and so in some ways in this book I was playing with my worst fears. 

Author Autobiography:

I’m a life long fangirl who always had plenty of free time on my hands to spend with books and exploring the woods. I married my high school crush who had grown up to be a handsome US Marine, and we have two daughters together. My long term goal is to be a cat, but if that doesn’t work out, I’m content with “writer/mom” on my resume. I am the author of multiple fantasy novels, including the four part series “The Dragon and the Scholar Saga”, the series is a full length fairy tale centered on the friendship between young scholar, Shannon, and a dragon with a mysterious past.

Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)? 

My books are available in paperback and ebook through Amazon.com. You can view my author page at this link.

Where can readers connect with you online? 

My website is www.hlburkeauthor.com

you can find me on Facebook.

and Twitter. 

You can preorder Lands of Ashnow on Amazon.

Where authors unite to raise funds for Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.), a nonprofit that organizes undercover operations to free many of the 2 million children being trafficked as sex slaves around the world.

Participating authors are donating their books in exchange for donations

• Donate $20 to receive a free book from a participating author (book prizes selected at random).
• Donors of $40 or more will receive two free books, a series, or a bundle (selected at random as well). 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFJCC6wYkP0]

DONATE NOW

Donate directly to O.U.R. through the Authors United Against Child Slavery Campaign

Participating Authors/Books 

Author’s name: Ron Townsen

Title of book and/or series: Watcher in the Fall (Connections, Conversions, Evolution and under development, Trans-Link)

Brief summary of the story:

Three Major Plot lines

1)    An ancient civilization (known as the Old Ones) on the edge of visible universe, learn how to create a multi-dimensional connection across the universe with unique life forms known as Watchers.  On earth, George is a watcher and becomes involved with an advanced secret science team that only the President of the United States is aware of.  Later the team finds a young watcher in Switzerland who eventually joins the team.

2)    There is a cold war between the U.S, Russia and China dealing with advanced String Theory development driving spies and attacks with the U.S. leading the way.

3)    A new universe is born just on the edge of our universe.  The new universe expansion destroys the galaxy of the Old Ones and others in the area.  The Old Ones developed ships just in time capable of Trans-Swap (swapping areas of 11 dimensional space to transport faster than light) able to reach adjacent galaxies and take some of their civilizations in time to survive.  The move is now on to transport civilizations deeper into the current galaxy to preserve life.

Book 1 – Connections

When an ancient race living on the edge of the universe energizes a unique pattern, an advanced super secret U.S. Defense team suddenly becomes the focal point of one of the greatest events in human history.   Action erupts from the collision of two universes driving the ancient race to flee, scattering races deeper into our universe with the destruction of galaxies; while an intrigue based game of chess pits the U.S. with the Russians and Chinese in a deadly underground war to protect the greatest secret in human history.  While the U.S. BELLOWS team is tapping into communications across the universe gathering the answers to long held questions; new technology is being  derived from highly advanced M-Theory as the team attempts to protect the United States from deadly attacks ranging from Al Qaeda to the Russian Mafia and the Chinese Triad.  This First book in a series covers our multiverse in a thrilling SciFi Spy adventure.

Book 2 – Conversions

A complex game of spies and military conflicts evolves both on earth and across the universe.  The roller coaster ride explodes across the world where the highly classified deep black DARPA BELLOWS team with its M+ theory derived tools deal with terrorists, Russian infiltrators and war.  A variety of races escaping their destroyed galaxies begin dealing with civilizations across galaxies in an attempt to organize and start a massive migration to escape from the advancing force of the newly born universe collision pushing into our older universe.   With the unique watcher communications network connecting rare “Watcher” life forms across our cosmos, advanced aliens discover the extraordinary abilities of a young planets population in the Milky Way galaxy including unexpected abilities that only the most powerful the most powerful math provides hints of.    The ancients moving across space battling with a killing machine intelligence attempting to annihilate life where ever it exists.

Book 3 – Evolutions

Action continues to flow from the edges of the universe to Earth as linkages between Earth’s Watchers to Watchers in Andromeda galaxy, brings risks and rewards, love and hatred, life and death and the birth of a star.  The roller coaster ride on Earth drives a cat and mouse game between the Humanity First organization as they exploit nuclear threats of destruction and the highly classified DARPA BELLOWS team with its M+ theory derived tools attempting to protect lives.  As the migration at the edge of the universe is organized in the distant galaxies to begin its drive deeper into the older universe, the new universe continues its destructive but unstoppable movement forward while a frantic search for missing ancients brings forth new questions and exposes new powers of a special Watcher.

Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:

There are multiple worlds created and destroyed.  In the third book, there is focus on a world known as Xlamu located in the Andromeda galaxy.  It contains a race called Xmual which is split into two societies, the Rete and the Manxe.   The main society living on the singular mainland is the Rete, run by a corrupt but advanced government.  The Manxe is an island society where boys raid the coastal areas of the Rete to prove their right to be men.

If we were to visit Xlamu as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?

Mainly their beaches with homes built on cliffs.

What dangers should we avoid?  
Being on the beach when the Manxe raid (if you are female, you will be captured, if you a man, you will be killed).

What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Xlamu?  
They use explosives and kinetic based weapons.  Of special note is a hand pistol loaded with poison darts.  But through the captured information from the Watcher girl, Jxry (girl friend of the young earth boy watcher, Nicky) they develop laser handguns and larger weapons.

What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Xlamu?  
The Rete have flying transports of all sizes and ground transports.  The Manxe mainly use a submarine transport.

What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Xlamu that we don’t see on Earth?  
While similar, the Xmual are humanoid in design, but have a blue tint to their skin.

What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Xlamu?  If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.  
None, all my stories are based on String Theory version known as M+ Theory, an extension of current M Theory being studied.

Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Xlamu?  If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.  
The Xlamu are slightly backwards compared to earth.  They have never been to space and have not developed laser technology.

Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in Xlamu as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?  
When a young girl approaches the marrying age “Utel”, they spend a year where her parents and older men are to only approach if she agrees.

What is the political or government structure in Xlamu?  Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?  
The Rete are run by a group of ministers in charge of different parts of the government (security, science…).   The Maxmul are led by a single ruthless leader.

Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit Xlamu?  
The Rete people are on the verge of revolution and in book 3 the revolution starts.

What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your books? 

1)    In the second book, the Old Ones arrive at earth.  Just prior to arrival, the decision is made to expose the information to key governments and religious leaders around the earth.  The religious leaders call a meeting in Israel at key religious monuments to receive a briefing by the U.S. scientific team.

2)    Death for Watchers means a mental transition to a new universe.

3)    Nuclear blackmail occurs by a terrorist group formed around a violent Muslim sect with help by disinfected Russian leaders.

4)    World War III happens but not in the way you might think.

Author Autobiography:

Ron Townsen

This ongoing series of stories draws from the breadth of the intriguing ideas presented in a growing body of military and scientific ideas and concepts.  From a story about first contact to colliding universes, destruction of galaxies, to back street spies, gun battles, ships dying in combat to transports jumping across the universe through dimensional shifts; stories take the reader on a ride resulting in reactions of some people to ask if it could actually be happening in their lives now. 

Having worked on studies from the depths of the oceans to scientific platforms in space, from major weapon systems to sophisticated communications concepts, from advanced supercomputers to highly developed signal processing algorithms implemented in micro computer code, my life has covered a unique spectrum of science and engineering.  Along with my life knowledge, calling upon my years of field experience blended with the study of advanced physics I have been able pulled together an ongoing tale covering the spectrum of the wonders and dangers of the universe along with the human experience; a tale which will take the rest of my life to tell.

From my years of traveling the world from Japan to Europe, from Singapore to working ships in the center of the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, from a life in San Diego, CA to years of living and working in the Washington D.C. area.  The story line is designed to take the user around the world and across a universe of planets and galaxies as the stories of aliens and humans alike evolve in unique ways. From artists to warriors, from an alien farmer to senior engineers; from deadly spies to a boy who definitely is not what he appears to be from the outside; races of aliens that destroy worlds to others that build worlds along with structures that encapsulates stars.

I write these stories as an offer providing my readers a chance to imagine, to ask the questions of “What If” to think about who we are in this wondrous universe; question what they think they know as a fact; and to examine the subject of “Are we alone?”.  

I hope you enjoy.

Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?  Please include links.

Ebooks

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=Watcher%20in%20the%20Fall%20%3A%20Connections

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=Watcher+in+the+Fall+%3A+Conversions

http://www.amazon.com/Watcher-Fall-Evolutions-Ron-Townsen-ebook/dp/B00OX3F7IA/ref=sr_1_1_twi_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425697734&sr=1-1

Softcover

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=978-1503254688&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3A978-1503254688

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=978-1503255364+&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3A978-1503255364+

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=978-1502998811+&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3A978-1502998811+

Where can readers connect with you online? 

http://WWW.WatcherintheFall.com

 

Along the Way Home

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Debbie Lee
Debby Lee was raised in the cozy little town of Toledo, Washington. She has been writing since she was a small child and has written several novels, but never forgets home.
The Northwest Christian Writers Association and Romance Writers of America are two organizations Debby enjoys being a part of. Publications, thus far, include a series of short stories titled The Butterfly Fairytales Collection, and a novella with Barbour Publishing.
As a self-professed nature lover, and an avid listener to 1960s folk music, Debby can’t help but feel like a hippie child who wasn’t born soon enough to attend Woodstock. She wishes she could run barefoot all year long, but often does anyway in grass and on beaches in her hamlet that is the cold and rainy southwest Washington.
During the football season, Debby cheers on the Seattle Seahawks along with legions of other devoted fans. She’s also filled with wanderlust and dreams of visiting Denmark, Italy, and Morocco some day.

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Lisa Watson
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Her latest story is a Sweet Romance. A Summer of Stars, is one of the novellas in the Summer Hearts Compilation. This exciting new collection featuring five additional authors, and their sweet, beach-themed romances, will be released May 2015.
Lisa works at a technology consulting firm, is the co-publicist for RT BookReview Magazine’s annual RT Booklovers Conventions, and host for Reader’s Entertainment Radio show.
Married for nineteen years, with two teenagers, and a Maltipoo, Brinkley, Lisa lives outside Raleigh, NC and is avidly working on a sweet romance, and her next series.  

Sarah Daley

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At the age of six, she became a reading machine. Devouring everything she could possibly get her hands on. In high school she almost failed English three times because of her detest for writing book reports. Today, Sarah writes whatever stories haunt her dreams, and struggles to focus on one idea at a time. When she isn’t enjoying time with her family, or writing, you will find her nose stuck in a book, or out walking and enjoying the sunshine.
Drowning Sandy is her debut novella!
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Links to find out what is coming next:

Carol Malone
Award-winning author Carol Malone has successfully combined her three passions – romance, sports, and writing in her two highly-rated books, Fight Card Romance: Ladies Night, and Ladies Night Christmas sequel. She was the first woman to write a romance for the all-male dominated genre. Carol invites her readers to scramble into a front row seat for a thrill-ride of suspense, sports, and romance. If not hammering out new tales, Carol’s loves reading, sports, and hanging with her author husband on the coast of California.
Website             

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Compiled by R M Alexander
RM Alexander is an author of clean romances that are sometimes contemporary, sometimes paranormal or suspense, but are always ruled by the heart of true romance.
With characters who look for love in the wrong places and are victims or the worse kinds of betrayal while fighting for what they want and believe in, RM’s novels promise a good read with unexpected twists and turns.
When she’s not writing, RM is spending time with her husband and two small children in Michigan. She loves to travel, especially to Walt Disney World, and can often be found on Twitter or Facebook chatting with other authors and readers.

In a funny way yes, during the two terms of former President Bill I began to observe in him a continued striving to build a legacy of greatness. It seemed to me the more he strove the murkier things got for him. This is where the germ of my protagonist was born, a man who had fallen from the zenith of power and was forced to rebuild himself. To ask the questions what would it takes to rebuild one’s life and what could replace a life’s ambition and ultimately become more than he was before.

What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?

The book deals with the topic of child slavery, child sexual abuse and illegal drug use/abuse.

Author Autobiography

A veteran law enforcement officer, former Marine, and ordained Christian pastor, Ray’s first novel, “Notorious” (previously released as “N.H.I.: No Humans Involved”), was published in 2011. Since then Ray has been selected as one of Idaho’s Top 50 Authors for the year of 2011, and then as a Top 10 Idaho Author in 2012; most recently Ray was awarded the 2014 ACFW, Idaho Chapter Writer of the Year.

When not writing, Ray can be found still working as an active duty officer, speaking to student groups, or teaching Bible studies in his local community.

Ray’s published works include three novels and one short story:
– “I” – A Short Story
– Notorious – A Nate Richards Novel – Book One. Previously released as N.H.I. (No Humans Involved)
– Dead List – A Nate Richards Novel – Book Two. Previously released as D.R.T. (Dead Right There)
– Insidious – A Nate Richards Novel – Book Three.

Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book? 

All my book are available online: http://www.nccpublishing.com/  

Notorious –http://goo.gl/ZshfR

Dead List –  http://goo.gl/jPVfY

Insidious –http://goo.gl/u3D9z

“I” –http://goo.gl/zj7ZM

KRACKEN – http://goo.gl/xaeyo3 

Hastings Book Stores

Where can readers connect with you online? 

I can be reached at my blog at http://truefiction.rayellis.org/ or at my email address at [email protected], Tweeter: @RayEllisBks, FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/ray.ellis.94

I’m excited that The Collar and the Cavvarach is now available for purchase!  Want to see if you’ll like it?  Read on to sample the first chapter.  (Want to know what the collar is for and what a cavvarach actually is first?  Click here to open up a brief explanation in a new window.)

Chapter One: Before You Get a Collar

Everything was quiet in the next room, had been quiet for at least half an hour. Bensin pressed his ear against the wall again, and this time he heard the sound he had been waiting for: faint, rhythmic snores. Perfect. Mr. Creghorn always slept the soundest when he was snoring, and that meant that Mrs. Creghorn would probably have her earplugs in.

Bensin rose from the mattress he had been kneeling on, stretching his stiff limbs. Fishing in his pocket, he pulled out the two paperclips he had straightened and then re-bent near the ends. He felt his way across the dark room to the door, ran his hands over the handle till he found the keyhole, and inserted the first paperclip. Though he could hardly see anything anyway, he closed his eyes to concentrate as he inserted the second one, raking it in and out to work his makeshift lock pick the way Ricky had taught him. The metallic clickety-clicketyseemed horribly loud in the quiet house, but there was nothing to be done except hope his owners were truly sleeping soundly.

Finally he felt the last pin rise out of the way. With the first paperclip, he turned the lock, and with a quick twist of the handle, the door swung open.

I did it! Grinning in triumph, Bensin tiptoed through the doorway, down the carpeted hall, past the bedroom where Mr. Creghorn was snoring away, past the baby’s room, and into the living room. As softly as he could, he slid back the deadbolt on the front door and found the keyhole. The clickety-clickety seemed even louder now, and he held his breath, wondering if anyone would hear.

But the only other sound was the ticking of the clock on the wall above the couch. Turning the handle to make sure the front door was really unlocked, Bensin dared to breathe again.

Pocketing his paperclips, he tiptoed back into the bedroom and pulled the door shut once more. Then he hurried over to the other mattress and shook his little sister gently by the shoulder. “Ellie, wake up!”

In the darkness, Ellie rolled over. “Hmm?”

“Wake up,” he repeated softly. “We’re leaving!”

She sat up, catching the urgency in his voice. “What do you mean?”

“We’re escaping. Here, put your shoes and sweater on.” He was already wearing his own sneakers, uncomfortably tight at the toes since the Creghorns didn’t believe in buying shoes for slaves very often. He bent to pick up the light jacket he had left at the foot of his mattress. Though it still got warm in the middle of the day, nights were cool at this time of the year in Jarreon.

“The Creghorns are asleep,” he told his sister as he thrust his arms through the sleeves, “and I’ve got the door open. You’re going to be free tonight!”

“But it didn’t work last time,” she protested, fumbling in the dark to put on the clothes he handed her. “And they were really mad.”

“I know, but I have a better plan this time. And with it being New Year, I figure most of the City Watch will have the night off, so we won’t be spotted as easily.”

“But what if they catch us again?”

“Then you just look small and cute like you’re so good at, and you’ll have nothing to worry about. You’re too little to lash.” He hoped.

“Can I bring Bunny?” She reached for the stuffed rabbit Mom had made before Ellie was even born.

“Of course. Here, I’ll carry him in my pocket for you. Now come on, and be quiet.”

Her little fingers tightened around his as he led the way out of their bedroom, pausing to close the door silently behind them. They tiptoed down the hallway and through the living room, and he eased the front door open. Outside, he led her down the steps and along the walkway.

The front gate creaked loudly, and Bensin winced. Ducking, he pulled Ellie down with him into the shadows behind the low fence and then froze again. But there was no sound from the house, and no lights went on behind the Creghorns’ bedroom window. Last night they had stayed up past midnight to welcome in the New Year, so he knew they had been extra tired tonight. Good.

Bensin rose to his feet and he and Ellie slipped out onto the sidewalk, a cool breeze ruffling their hair. From the tight clutch of her fingers around his, he could tell that his sister was scared, but she knew better than to make a sound.

The street was still and empty, but that didn’t mean anything. You never knew when a City Watch officer might pass by on patrol. The moon was hidden behind a thick layer of cloud, but the street lamps gave plenty of light. Strings of colorful New Year’s lights twined their way along fences and around the trunks and lower branches of trees, making it harder to find dark places to hide in.

Trying to avoid the light as much as possible, Bensin steered Ellie along the edge of the sidewalk, hugging the shadows of the neighbors’ hedges, darting across the well-lit areas. At the end of the block, he turned left. Partway down the street, he crossed to the opposite side, quickly pulling Ellie across the open space. There were fewer shadows to hide in here, but he knew a couple of the families on the other side kept dogs. The last thing he needed was for them to start barking and alert the neighborhood to the presence of two runaway slaves. When he was sure they were well past, he led his sister back across the street, thankful for some unadorned trees that gave some protection from the street lights.

“Where are we going?” Ellie whispered, breaking the silence.

“To the park, first,” Bensin whispered back. “We can talk there. Now shh.”

They hurried on in silence, Bensin darting wary glances at the houses on either side. In addition to the glowing New Year’s decorations, many had porch lights on for safety, with an occasional nightlight gleaming through bedroom curtains. But as far as he could tell, no one was awake; no one heard them pass. Probably they were all dead to the world in their beds, sleeping off their New Year’s dinners, dreaming about the gifts they had received from friends and family and their hopes for the coming year.

I know what the year 154 will hold. Freedom for Ellie. Bensin could endure anything himself if only his little sister could be free and safe. That was the best, the only New Year’s gift he wanted.

Turning a final corner, they saw the neighborhood park at the end of the block. Ahead, street lamps and houses gave way to dark open space. “Almost there,” he whispered encouragingly.

They crossed the street one more time to avoid another dog. Beyond the last of the houses, concrete became grass beneath their shoes. There wasn’t much cover here, with trees standing only around the edge. Bensin pulled Ellie after him at a run, aiming for the playground in the center. He was thankful there were no lights, but anyone looking out a window in one of those last few houses would see them darting across the grass.

The playground loomed before them, beckoning like the safe haven he hoped it would be. He led Ellie past the swings, drifting back and forth a little in the night breeze, to the tallest slide. The platform at the top was covered; they could rest there for a few minutes and not be seen.

“I don’t want to play right now,” his sister objected, panting, at the base of the ladder. “I’m too scared.”

“We’re not going to play. I’m going to explain our plan up there where no one will see or hear us.”

He followed her to the top, pulling his feet out of the too-tight shoes as they sat across from each other on the narrow platform. The twisty slide spun away to his right and the ladder dropped down to the left, but here at the top stood a sheltered island of safety. The City Watch, if they passed by on patrol, wouldn’t see them in the shadows under the domed plastic roof.

Lightning flickered from far off across the city, and Ellie scooted closer to him. “Is it gonna rain?”

“Probably not.” Rainstorms were rare in Jarreon. Only slightly less rare were the dry storms that sent dark clouds roiling across the usually clear sky, bringing thunder and lightning and unfulfilled threats.

And change. Mom had told him that stormy skies were a sign that change was coming. The weather had been just like this the day Ellie was born.

“Your life is about to change,” he told his sister as thunder grumbled in the distance. He grinned, knowing she would hear it in his voice even if she couldn’t see it. “We’re going to make you free! You’re going to live with a mom and dad who love you, and maybe some brothers and sisters too; and you’ll get to go to school — real school, not slave school — where you’ll not only learn how to read and write, but all sorts of other fun things. You’ll never have to wear a collar or be lashed, and no one will ever force you to wake up early to feed the baby or change his diapers, or yell at you if he cries. And someday when you grow up, you’ll be free to get a proper job — whatever kind you like — and earn money, and buy whatever you want, and maybe get married and have your own children if you feel like it. They’ll never be sold away from you, and you can do whatever you want with your own life!”

“That’s what you said last time.” Ellie refused to be impressed. “But it didn’t work.”

“I told you, I have a better plan this time. Last time we tried to go too far. The orphanage is miles away; I should have known we wouldn’t make it before it got light and the Watch caught us. But this time we’re only going to a City Watch station. I’ve been talking to Ricky, and I know how it works now. When free kids have problems, they can talk to a Watch Officer, and he or she will help them. If the Watch officers think you’re free and you don’t have any parents, they’ll find foster parents for you.” At least, Ricky had been pretty sure that was the way it worked. “We don’t have to go all the way to an orphanage for that.”

“But I thought the Watch station is the other way.”

“There are lots of stations in Jarreon. The one they took us to last time is the other way, but we’re not going there. I don’t want to risk anyone recognizing you. Besides, when they find out you’re gone, that’s the station the Creghorns will probably call, ’cause they’ve talked to the officers there before. So we’re going to a different one. I looked it up when we were in the library the other day, and I know how to get there now.”

“But I don’t like the Watch. They lashed you last time.”

“Yeah, but it didn’t hurt. You know that. When you’re as strong as I am, hardly anything hurts.” Bensin pushed up the sleeves of his light jacket, flexing his muscles for her to see. “Grr! You know how tough I am!”

She giggled. “Okay, but what are you gonna tell them when we get there? They’ll know we’re running away.”

“No, they won’t. Since you don’t have a collar yet, they’ll have no reason to think you’re a slave. You’re going to tell them that you have no parents and nowhere to live, and then they’ll take care of you until they find a nice family for you to live with.”

“But what about you?”

Here came the part she wouldn’t like. “They won’t see me. I’ll take you as close to the station as I can, but you’ll have to go knock on the door without me.”

Ellie drew in her breath, and her next words came out in a wail. “But I can’t do it by myself! I don’t wanna go without you!”

Reaching out, he took both her hands in his. “You have to be brave, Ellie. This is the only way it will work.”

“But I want you to be free with me!”

“I know, and I will be.” Maybe. “But not yet. The moment they see my collar, they’ll know I’m a runaway slave, just like before. This is probably our last chance, because I heard Mrs. Creghorn saying the other day that you’re old enough you should be wearing a collar too now.”

Ellie pulled a hand free from his and reached over to finger the cold circle of steel around his neck. “I always wonder what it’s like to wear one. Is it that bad?”

“Yeah, it is. Before you get a collar, people don’t always know if you’re a slave or not. But when you have one, it’s obvious. Everyone looks at you different, talks to you different, like you’re an animal and not a person. When free people ask your name or who your owner is, usually they don’t even wait for you to answer before they grab your collar tag to read it for themselves. Sometimes if they really want to be mean, they even call you ‘collar’. And I can’t pick the lock on my collar; I’ve tried I don’t know how many times. So if you’re going to escape, it has to be before you get one.”

She nodded, but she still looked sad. “Don’t worry, though,” he assured her. “Once you’re free and safe, I’ll work on all my days off and save all my money — every last sliver — until I have enough to buy my own freedom. Then I’ll come and find you, and we’ll both be free and happy together.”

Ellie sniffed, and he could tell she was trying not to cry. He squeezed her hand. “When you were only one day old, I promised Mom that I would take care of you and that I would make sure you were free someday.” He had also promised to teach her to be strong and brave, but he hadn’t made much progress yet in that area.

She wiped her cheeks with her sleeve. “I’ll get a job first thing and start saving up all my money too. And then I’ll buy your freedom right away and we can live together again.”

Free kids don’t get jobs. At least not when they’re five. But Bensin rose to his knees and reached over to hug her. “What a great idea! I knew you’d think of something smart like that. Now come on, it’s time to go.”

She scooted over to the slide and pushed off. Though Bensin knew he was too big, he squeezed onto it and spiraled his way down behind her.

He had often brought her to the park to play on their days off. Something inside him clenched up at the thought that he would never come here with his sister again, never hear her laughing and calling out to him as she zoomed down the slides or while he pushed her on the swings. But he couldn’t let himself dwell on that. If she ever came to this park again, it would be as a free girl with a new family. I’m keeping my promise, Mom.

Taking her hand in his again, he ran with her toward the shelter of the trees at the edge of the playing field as lightning flickered once more. “And remember,” he told her in a low voice, “you can’t ever tell anyone you were a slave. Don’t ever talk about it with a single person — not the Watch Officers, not your new family, not your friends, not the teacher in your school. If they find out, they’ll make you a slave again.”

The two of them hurried down another residential street, still keeping to the shadows as much as possible. Bensin tried not to let himself think about all that might go wrong. And even if everything goes right, Mr. Creghorn will bring out the Motivator and lash me within an inch of my life tomorrow. Of course Bensin would pretend he didn’t know where his sister had gone, but of course his owner wouldn’t believe a word of it. It didn’t matter, though. Let him do his worst. I’ll die before I tell. No matter what they did to him, it would be worth it.

In the distance, he could hear the sound of traffic. “The next street is a busier one,” he warned Ellie in a whisper. “There will be cars, so we’ll have to be extra careful to stay out of sight.” Watch Officers were more likely to patrol there, too. He would have to keep a sharp lookout.

They crept along the new street, Bensin bent nearly double, staying in the shadows of the low brick wall that ran along the front of people’s yards. Every time he heard a car coming, he dragged his sister toward the nearest bush or parked car, crouching behind it with her until the vehicle had passed. If only there were another way we could go. But the only other routes he knew would take them far out of their way.

Three blocks down, they came to the little shopping center where Mrs. Creghorn sometimes sent him to buy groceries. Most of the buildings were dark, but the parking lot was well lit, and he could see lights on in the all-night pharmacy. The Happy New Year sign in their window was flashing red and gold.

“We’ll go around the edge,” he whispered, thankful for the thick hedge that bordered the parking lot.

They were less than halfway around when he heard footsteps approaching, loud in the stillness. Ellie gasped, and he turned and slid his hand over her mouth before she could make a sound that would give them away. “Get down,” he breathed, and pushed her gently to the ground at the base of the hedge. He dropped beside her, shielding her body with his, and the two of them lay there where the shadows were darkest, holding their breath.

 The footsteps drew closer. Bensin didn’t dare turn his head, but out of the corner of his eye he could see a pair of black boots below the dark blue pants of a Watch officer’s uniform. The man was walking past the buildings with measured steps, a flashlight in hand. From time to time he swung the beam of the light back and forth across the parking lot.

If he shines it this way, he’ll see us for sure. Bensin squeezed his arm more tightly around his sister’s shoulders, willing her to stay silent. He could feel her little body trembling.

The officer drew closer, and Bensin could see the sidearm in its holster at his belt. I bet I’m a better fighter than he is. But the thought gave him no comfort. If they both had cavvarachs, he could probably beat the officer in a duel, but that wouldn’t help him now. He was unarmed; and anyway, a cavvarach, perfect for close-quarters combat, was no match for a gun. Besides, you couldn’t fight a Watch officer. Not unless you were looking for a death sentence.

Of course, the death penalty was the consequence for a slave who attacked any free person. Mr. Creghorn loved to remind Bensin of that, but Bensin was sure that law wasn’t always enforced. Who wanted to waste a valuable slave when you could just sell him to someone else?

“Is it the Watch?” Ellie whispered.

“Shh!” He should have kept a hand over her mouth. Had the officer heard? The man turned toward them, but he was still some distance away, and it was impossible to guess anything from his expression. The flashlight scrutinized the parking lot, asphalt and painted lines and occasional scattered trash appearing in its sweeping beam. Bensin waited for it to flash across his face, but the officer pointed it the other way, examining the space between two buildings.

And then he was gone. The blue uniform disappeared around a corner, and the sound of footsteps faded.

Bensin released his grip on Ellie and rose to his hands and knees. “Get up, but keep quiet. Yes, it was a Watch officer, and he’s just around the corner. We’re going to stay in the shadows and crawl in case he comes back.”

He led the way along the hedge, keeping its comforting darkness at their right, the open parking lot stretching away to the left, the buildings beyond. They reached the corner and turned, still crawling. We’re halfway around.

“My knees hurt,” whispered Ellie from behind him. “Rocks and things are poking them.” The officer was nowhere in sight, so Bensin stopped to let her rest. “What if he comes back and sees us?” 

“If he sees you, just tell him what I told you to say: that you don’t have any home or parents. As long as he doesn’t see me, you’ll be fine.”

“But what if he sees us both?”

“That’s why we’re staying in the shadows. Now come on.”

Bensin breathed a sigh of relief when they completed their circuit of the shopping center without spotting the officer again. He must have gone off to patrol somewhere else. “We can stand up again, as long as we stay away from the light,” he told Ellie. “We’ve got two more blocks to go on this road.”

They were nearly to their next turn when they passed a gate behind which a large dog stood, wide awake and watching the street. Bensin didn’t see it in time, and it burst into furious barking.

They both jumped, and Ellie shrieked in alarm, immediately clapping a hand over her own mouth. “Sorry!” she whispered through her fingers.

“Run!” Bensin grabbed her arm and dragged her past the gate, the dog still shattering the night with its barking. A van was parked by the curb a few houses ahead. He dashed toward it, sister in tow. “Scoot under,” he ordered, just as a porch light flicked on.

Flinging himself to the ground, he wriggled forward on his belly, his dangling collar tag scraping over the asphalt and the back of his jacket snagging against the van’s undercarriage. Ellie followed, and the two of them lay there on the cold ground, listening. From inside the house, a woman’s voice called to the dog.

Ellie reached for Bensin’s hand as a door opened. “What’s the matter?” they heard the woman say. “There’s no one here. You barking at stray cats again?”

The dog gave one last wuff and went silent. They could hear its owner walking around her front yard, probably checking for intruders, and then the front door opened and shut once more.

Bensin waited until his heart had slowed back to its normal pace. “You’re doing great,” he whispered. “You’re so brave! Mom would have been proud of you. Ready to keep going?”

“I guess so,” she whispered back, her voice tremulous.

They crawled out from under the van and continued down the street, darting into the shadows whenever a car drove by. At last they reached their turnoff.

“I’m tired,” Ellie complained. “Are we almost there?”

“Not really. It’s still a long way.”

“Can’t we stop and rest some more? I’m hungry, too.”

“I’m sure they’ll give you something to eat at the station. But I guess we can stop for a bit if I can find somewhere safe. In the meantime, I’ll give you a piggyback ride.” He crouched low and hoisted her onto his back.

A moment later, Bensin almost jumped out of his skin when a ragged man who had obviously had too much to drink came stumbling around a corner and bumped right into him. He leaped aside, nearly dropping his sister, and wondered at the same moment what kind of kick would work best with his hands occupied and the extra weight on his back.

But no. The man wasn’t wearing a collar, and Bensin couldn’t afford to risk his life by attacking a free man, even a bum. Not when he was already risking so much tonight anyway.

But the bum didn’t seem to care. He mumbled what might have been a greeting and staggered on his way, clutching a bottle.

Still, Bensin didn’t want to chance the man remembering them and telling someone in authority. He crossed the street at a run, darted down another, and turned at the first corner. Ahead, he saw lights and heard music. Probably the bar the man had come from, full of revelers toasting the New Year.

“Are we lost?” squeaked Ellie in his ear, arms clasped tightly around his neck.

“No, we just took a detour.” Bensin spied a dark opening between two buildings. “Look, there’s an alley. I’m going to set you down and check if it’s safe, and if it is, we can sit in there and rest a little while.” He squatted down and gently unpried her arms.

Spying an empty beer can on the ground nearby, he tossed it into the darkness. It bounced off something with a metallic clatter, but there was no other response. Satisfied, Bensin beckoned his sister forward. “Okay, let’s go in.”

The metal object turned out to be a trashcan, which Bensin bumped into and nearly knocked over in the dark. Wincing at the loud clang, he sat down behind it and pulled Ellie down beside him. It smelled none too pleasant, and he didn’t want to think about how filthy the ground probably was. But at least no one would see them. “We can rest for a few minutes. Not too long, though.”

“Can I hold Bunny?”

“Of course.” He pulled the toy out of his pocket and handed it over. Freeing his feet once more, he rested them carefully on top of his shoes so he wouldn’t dirty his socks with whatever was underfoot. He massaged his sore toes. I’m going to have blisters after this for sure.

Ellie settled the crocheted rabbit on her lap and stroked it as though it were a real animal. “Don’t worry, Bunny,” he heard her whisper. “We’ll be okay. At least me and you will still be together.”

She leaned against Bensin’s shoulder. In a few minutes he felt her relax, and her breathing grew regular.

Lightning flickered overhead, illuminating bulging layers of cloud. It must be a good sign. Ellie’s life is going to change tonight, Bensin reminded himself. It won’t be much longer now.

Several times he heard people walk past the mouth of their alley, some talking loudly and drunkenly. Nobody ventured in, though, and Bensin was confident he had chosen a safe hiding place. Still, they couldn’t wait around too long. He had to drop Ellie off at the Watch station and get home before morning.

Finally he pulled his shoes back on and shook his sister awake. “Come on, Ellie. We can’t sit here all night.”

“I’m sleepy,” she protested as he pulled her to her feet. “I don’t wanna go any farther. I wanna go to bed.”

“The Watch officers will give you a nice, warm, comfortable bed to sleep in as soon as we get to the station. And something to eat,” he promised, hoping he was right. “Now let me put Bunny back in my pocket, and let’s go.”

“No. I wanna hold Bunny.”

He didn’t bother arguing. “All right, but if we have to run and you drop him, we might not be able to go back.”

“I won’t drop him.”

At the mouth of the alley, he paused to glance both ways before venturing out. Almost immediately, a flashlight beam from across the street sliced through the darkness. Bensin jumped back, nearly tripping over his sister. “Get back! Get back!” He pushed her behind the trashcan once more.

“What is it? Is it another Watch officer?” she whimpered, wide awake now.

“I think so.” Crouching, Bensin peered out from behind the trashcan. He was horrified to see a uniformed officer crossing the street toward them, his flashlight beam playing back and forth across the alley entrance. “He must have heard us. We have to get further back. Maybe there’s another way out of here.” He grabbed her hand and dragged her after him, still crouching low. Another trashcan loomed, and he dodged just in time. Darting behind it, he was dismayed to find that they had reached a dead end. Could they climb the wall?

“Who’s back there?” called a stern voice from the alley entrance. A beam of light illuminated the dirty ground just to their right and the brick wall behind them.

We can’t get over the wall without him seeing us. On his own, Bensin might be able to shimmy over and flee down the next street without getting caught or shot. But with Ellie, his chances were much smaller. Besides, there were probably more officers nearby, especially considering that this was a neighborhood with a bar. He could call for backup, and before we know it we’ll be in the middle of a manhunt. Bensin had seen such things on TV when the Creghorns watched the news.

There’s only one way out of this. “Ellie,” Bensin whispered through a sudden terrified tightness in his throat, “it’s time for you to do what we talked about. The man won’t hurt you. Go tell him your parents are dead and you have nowhere to live.”

“You mean — go out there all alone?” she gasped.

“I know you’re there,” called the officer. “Come out, whoever you are.”

Bensin clenched his fists in anguish. How could he send his little sister to face a Watch officer by herself? The man had a gun, for the emperor’s sake! If he couldn’t escape with her, his instincts screamed that he had to protect her in any way he could — with his own life, if necessary. Certainly not hide in the shadows and send her out to face an armed man alone.

But Bensin couldn’t forget his mother’s words that day he had visited her in the hospital. “Slavery is worse for girls, Bensin. Their owners think they can do anything they want with them. Promise me you’ll look after Ellie as much as you can. Teach her to be strong and brave.”

And Bensin, tears in his eyes at the frightening sight of Mom so pale and weak on her hospital bed, had looked down at the red, wrinkly bundle that was his little sister and promised. “I will, Mom. I’ll take care of care of her no matter what.” As an afterthought, he had added, “And someday she’ll be free. I’ll make sure of it, I promise. I promise!”

And this was his last chance to keep that promise. The Creghorns would take Ellie to get her collar any day now, and she would never escape after that.

“Come out with your hands in the air!” the officer called. He sounded closer. 

“Go, Ellie,” Bensin whispered, trying to make his voice encouraging. “It’s time for you and Bunny to get a new home. Step out where the man can see you and say what I told you to. And don’t let him know I’m here.”

She gave a frightened little whimper but obeyed. Rising to her feet, she took a shaky step forward, Bunny clutched to her chest like a life preserver.

Bensin had never felt like such a loser.

Want to read on?  Download the whole book for just $2.99 from Amazon (in Kindle format) or Smashwords (for Nook and other digital formats).  To learn more about the setting and what life is like there, click here.