Stephen Elder's first collection of short stories was entitled Ye Gods because it had several stories involving deities. Ye Gods 2 has only one such tale. Instead, this second collection offers penetrating analyses of ancient and modern history ("Stone Age Tax Time" and "Lewis Books a Trip), plus pioneering essays on zoology ("The Ant Olympics" and "Interview with I'll Have Another"). The author offers further enlightenment by explaining how appliances are sometimes possessed by unfriendly spirits. As a bonus, an excellent dragon recipe for knight stew is included. The "Life" section...

""Ye Gods "" 1. exclamation of surprise 2. collection of short stories ranging from dark whimsy to scathing satire. Warning: this collection contains occasional wry humor, biting political commentary, social criticism, and dire prognostication. Side effects include but are not limited to: laughter, head shaking, and 3 AM epiphanies. Occasional tears have been reported. Characters are taken from various pantheons (Zeus, Shiva), classical literature/mythology (Icarus), history (Custer), and real life (Bigfoot, space aliens). This collection is intended to relieve the symptoms of boredom and...

Senior citizen Jordan Smith loses his wife to cancer. Devastated and angry, he hunts down the HMO executive who denied their medical claims, but then progresses from revenge to political assassination. Michael Demidov and Simone Fitzhugh, the county detectives assigned to the initial murder, are hard pressed to keep up with the enterprising Mr. Smith. Smiths latest job causes a massive and hilarious political furor in Washington. Predictably, the FBI hijacks the case from the county detectives, but mutual blackmail provides an unexpected resolution.

At the end of Frank, Saint Francis was released from his centuries-long emissary duty to marry Elaine Azerian, a small-town veterinarian. In The Shining Mans Wife, the saint is recalled to "active duty," and is sent west on a mission to a national park where a startling chain of events unfolds. A local TV station films Frank and Elaines dramatic rescue of a bison herd, and "Ride through Fire" goes nationwide. Elaine appears on Larry King and Oprah, and Ms. Winfrey inspires her to start up a foundation to help the underfunded national parks.

Frank and Elaine soon attract the attention of a...

County detective Simone Fitzhugh discovers a series of seemingly unrelated deaths that look like heart attacks but are really murders. Her husband, retired detective Michael Demidov, realizes the murders are related and suggests that Simone go to the FBI. Past history with the Feds (The Unlikely Assassin) makes Simone wary, but the FBI surprisingly enlists their help. Demidov's innovative interrogation techniques help unravel a tangled web of illegal drugs, a gunrunning militia, and a sinister terrorist plot to bring down the US government, all hatched by a shadowy figure called The Spider....

Newspaper columnist, author, blogger, cabinetmaker, home inspector, and Certified Old Guy Stephen Elder holds forth on a wide range of topics: education in America, worries about English, rants on Congress, why young women talk funny, myth correction, and

The Shining Man and his wife return on another mission. When Filiae Mundi, a wealthy but secretive organization, nominates Elaine to its governing Council, Frank and Elaine go to Washington, a nexus of power and multilayered danger. Elaine proposes an initiative to put more women into elective office in an effort to fix the dysfunctional Congress. If successful, her plan may save the world, but it could mean exposing Frank as well as the organization itself to unwanted public attention. Frank manages to maintain his ongoing ministry to the animal world, but an unexpected turn of events taxes...

When a stranger named Frank shows up at a small housing development, everything seems to take a turn for the better. The new head carpenter soon gains the respect and admiration of everyone he meets. But a routine background check on Frank turns out blank, and this soon attracts government attention. An investigation uncovers some details about Frank, but the incredible reality of his life remains a mystery. Frank's real past has left him completely unprepared for his present involvement, and departure seems to be the only way out. But it's not that easy - the people whose lives Frank has...

College student Sandra Neuermann is abducted and brutally assaulted. She escapes her captors, but cannot escape the depression that follows. An alert counselor figures out what she needs: revenge He refers her to Nemesis, a secret organization that targets rapists and sex traffickers. The field operatives of Nemesis are called "Furies" and they are formidable...and successful Neuermann dismantles a cruel trafficking mob in New York City while Nemesis manages to keep below the government's radar. When Neuermann begins a relationship with a handsome and gentle elementary school teacher, the...

The narrator of The Edenite Case is Ellit2, a detective in the Galactic Union's Division 51. Cephs are loners by temperament. When Ellit2 is assigned a partner, a human no less, the Ceph is very unhappy. The two detectives gradually reach a working accord that becomes deep respect and affection. In the course of investigating atrocities committed by one group of humans (militant Edenites) against another (non-militant Edenites), Ellit2 and Rae Maxxon travel to several worlds. They are called upon to be both diplomats and warriors. They also have to navigate emerging intrigues within the...