La Petite Mardi Gras: Part One
Pleasure Dies At the Stroke of Midnight

-1-

The antebellum south was steeped in tradition, some of those traditions vanished after the Civil War, some endured through the turbulent years that followed and are still carried on to this day. Among those traditions that started in antebellum Benton was the annual Carnival Ball that's hosted each Carnival by the aristocratic families of Benton. Chief among those are the Potter Family who were among the earliest settlers of the town.

Chapter Two – The Wolf and The Bear

Penelope Bishop and her nemesis Jennifer Jones find themselves on the same side trying to capture sex-trafficker and Russian mafioso Alexi Reznik. Jennifer brings her faithful friend and sex goddess Katya Kuznetsova to Balwyn to use her wily ways to help with the case.

They sat around eating and drinking champagne and discussing wedding plans. Sam asked Angus to be best man. He had not known him that long, but he knew it would mean so much to him.

As she ate her chocolate gateaux, Michelle smiled to herself. Everything was going well. There were no more monsters hiding ready to ruin things.

Just as she cleaned up the dinner things, the phone rang.

Emily has compromised the safety of their safe house at Canal Cottage.

A Woman’s Work
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

I had always wanted to be an artist. I guess I felt that I was creative, but what I really liked was the idea of flicking a little paint onto canvas and selling it for $10,000. It struck me that it could be so easy if I had talent.

During the summer of 2013, before the twins' second year of secondary school, their parents had bought them each a new school uniform- and as before, Paul had bought Luke's uniform online, while Lucy had to endure a shopping trip with her mother and grandmother.

The movie was amazing, the animation amazing, the story touching. In short 'From Up on Poppy Hill' made me nostalgic for a time I've never experienced. It was tinged with sadness, heartache, and the pains of growing up. A window into a world in transition. And like Mr. Hayao Miyazaki's movies it was sure to become a classic as the years rolled on by. Lily even found herself getting swept up in the story line, and that's pretty amazing since she has never been the biggest anime fan.

I learned the truth at seventeen
That love was meant for beauty queens
And high school girls with clear skinned smiles
Who married young and then retired

 
“As I’ve said, they are falsies. Alice said to leave them in place for a while,” I said. “Alice? Who the f@#k is Alice?” dad asked.

The two Texan girls are successfully transferred to a 'safe-house' the UK to keep them out of reach from the trafficker's long reach.

I was 28. I was between jobs. I was homeless. The breaks with my parents were final. My girlfriend had just dumped me. My best friend from high school had only barely failed to kill me. I needed a break!

What just happened? Ursula is among many who struggle to understand the events of earlier that day. At a safe fishing port the combined crews gather to try and make sense of the pirate attack. In the following days the sail is repaired and Ursula finds some of her needed herbs. Then everything changes again...

The Voyage of the Visund

A tale of Anmar by Penny Lane

55 - Debriefings

The death of my Father was although not unexpected was a bolt from the blue. I hadn’t even spoken to him for nearly a decade so it cannot be said that we were close. Ever since we had gone our separate ways, I only ever thought of him when I passed through my old home town of Corby.

Dinner was amazing. Fresh fried rice, grilled shrimp, grilled scallops, and even a grilled lobster tail. Both Lily and I love our seafood. And so we both ordered the house special, The Geisha Seafood Special. A huge meal that included fried rice, soup, salad, grilled shrimp, grilled scallops and a grilled lobster tail. I ordered double fried rice, because I just love the fried rice from here. And double soup. Lily ordered a double salad because according to her, she was watching her weight. I really think it's just because she is part rabbit.