There Goes the Neighborhood

There Goes the Neighborhood

Gary J. Davies

Gary J. Davies

The twenty original fantasy and science fiction Twilight Zone-like short stories of this diverse collection mostly take place on contemporary Earth or some slightly futuristic or altered Earth, where a technology, ghost, dragon, demon, curse, or space-alien intrudes. Some of the stories relate to subsequent e-book novels soon to be released.The twenty original Twilight Zone-like short stories of this diverse fantasy and science fiction collection take place mostly on contemporary Earth, or on some slightly futuristic or altered Earth, where a technology, ghost, dragon, demon, curse, or space-alien intrudes. Vampires and zombies are avoided. Sometimes calamity is averted, sometimes it is not. The perspective is an adult one; a PG rating may be appropriate for some stories, as sex or violence is sometimes alluded to though not graphically depicted. A list of contents with links to each story is provided to aid reader navigation through the collection, and a link back to the contents list is provided after each story. (Note: some e-book formats do not support this feature.) The last story is a continuation of the first story, otherwise the stories are not related to each other and do not appear in any particular order, though some of them are related to subsequent e-book novels. In the list of contents a brief phrase describing each short story has been included to aid story selection. The brief introduction which precedes the stories provides the author's perspective on short story advantages compared to novels. Finally, following the short stories a brief description of the author and pending near-term e-book novels is included.
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White Dragon's Chosen

White Dragon's Chosen

Gary J. Davies

Gary J. Davies

When teenager George Lock went to live with quirky Great Uncle Harry after both his parents died, he discovered that Harry's house was a fantastic treasure-trove of elf magic, and that a really cute girl lived next-door. Unfortunately there were also Evil dragons and a witch with a taste for humans, and according to the elves it was up to a White Dragon and his Chosen to stop them.Teenaged George Lock didn't know what to expect when he went to live with Great Uncle Harry after both of his parents were killed in an apparent auto accident. The good news was, Harry's suburban Chicago yard was incredible forest and jungle, his huge quirky house was a treasure trove of magic elf books and other artifacts, and a really cute girl lived next-door. The bad news was that the forested backyard hid a portal to another universe that was inhabited by both elves and their more powerful enemies. Through it came immense Evil tainted Horde dragons that threatened all life on Earth, and an even more Evil witch with a taste for humans. According to ancient elf legends it was up to a White Dragon and his Chosen to stop the all-powerful Dark One and his Horde from consuming all life in the multiverse, and according to Harry the Chosen One might be young George.
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Government Men

Government Men

Gary J. Davies

Gary J. Davies

.In this epic length whimsical sequel to Secrets of Goth Mountain, an inept DOD scientist leads efforts to save Earth from an impending apocalypse set in motion by man-eating space aliens. The slightly askew Earthly setting includes mythical, supernatural, and alien players, as well as an unlikely reincarnation of the author and the book Government Men itself. Edited March 2015 re-release.Bad news Earthlings! This whimsical double-length fun-filled science-fiction/fantasy sequel to the novel Secrets of Goth Mountain chronicles a desperate seemingly hopeless effort by the last few remaining Department of Defense Civil Servant scientists and engineers to save Earth from alien caused apocalypse. In this slightly askew contemporary Earth setting the good news is that after the end of the Cold War, peace, health, and prosperity have swept the world, and militaries have been totally disbanded. The bad news is that evil space aliens known as the Ra have now diverted an asteroid to strike Earth on Christmas Eve in less than two weeks. Though pursued by ruthless cyborg Ra, inept DOD physicist Dr. Narbando T. Bates recruits a team of Government men and women and other talented humans and non-humans (including psychic-powered Johnny Goth, forest shaman Dooley Simple, and Pru the unicorn) for an unlikely effort to save Earth that features serious doses of love, humor, science, suspense and action. The initial March 2014 version was edited for this March 2015 'clean up' re-release.
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Global Warming Fun 3: A Tick In Time

Global Warming Fun 3: A Tick In Time

Gary J. Davies

Gary J. Davies

George Kelso expected to die from cancer and exposure on a cold fall night in Central Park in New York City. Instead, he woke in the morning experiencing the telepathic thoughts of intelligent ants! This short story is the third item of an emerging sci-fi/fantasy series of short stories and novellas that chronicle an increasingly unstable world due to climate change.Twenty-seven year old George Kelso went to sleep on a cold fall night in Central Park in the city of New York with a suicide note pinned to his jacket. He never expected to wake up; he expected to die from cancer and exposure. Instead, he woke up refreshed and telepathically exchanging thoughts with intelligent genetically engineered ants called jants! At first George felt disappointed that he hadn't died peacefully in his sleep, but he soon felt better than he had felt in months! But what were his new friends the jants really up to and what did giant ticks have to do with it? This short story is the third publication of an ongoing sci-fi/fantasy series of short stories and novellas that chronicle an increasingly unstable world in which nasty natural, technological and mythical forces are unleashed in response to climate change and other human induced problems.
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Global Warming Fun 5: It’s a Dry Heat

Global Warming Fun 5: It’s a Dry Heat

Gary J. Davies

Gary J. Davies

In fifty years California suffers from ongoing climate change. Though it’s not the perfect time to vacation there, Ed’s aging wife Mary insists on visiting the big trees and the Pacific coastline. Given Ed’s telepathic abilities and his alliances with rock creatures and with intelligent ants that may be set on taking over the Earth, what could possibly go wrong? Full length novel!Fifty years from now California is hotter, drier, politically unstable, and largely under the control of a biker gang. Though it may not be the perfect time to vacation in the chaotic Golden State, aging Mary Rumsfeld tells her non-aging husband Ed that it is her dying wish that they go on their long planned vacation to see the sequoia and redwood trees as well as the Pacific coastline. After all, given Ed’s political connections as a Chief of the Giants’ Rest Mountain Mohawk Tribe and his telepathic abilities, as well as his alliances with the Stone-Coat rock creatures of Mohawk legend and with the hive-brained telepathic ants called jants, what could possibly go wrong? Perhaps armed bikers, radical political enemies, and jant zombies bent on murder? This full-length novel is the fifth volume in a planned ten-release series of mostly short stories and novellas that should ideally be read in order but can also be enjoyed individually.
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The Shrinking Nuts Case

The Shrinking Nuts Case

Gary J. Davies

Gary J. Davies

In this full length spoofy novel Jake Simon, a crude old-school private-eye that usually does divorce or lost dog work, describes a weird case. He doesn't believe in trolls, elves, magic or marriage, but that begins to change when he wakes up two-foot-six and not six-foot-two. He has a smart sexy partner and a super-rich client, but the client is missing and Jake is the number-one suspect.Jake Simon is a crude old-school noir-leaning soft-boiled New Jersey private investigator who wakes up to find that his brilliant receptionist/lover Elaine has apparently become giant sized. But it quickly becomes clear that instead it is Jake that has a small problem: he has been shrunken from six-foot-two inches to two-foot-six inches. The only lead is that on the previous night he became ill while meeting with his new billionaire client. Unfortunately, the client is missing, and Jake was the last person to visit him. Elaine helps Jake discover that two impossibly big, ugly, rotten smelling foreign chemists are involved somehow, but how and why? They wear white fedoras, so they couldn't really be so bad, right? Are reports of trolls, giants, elves, dwarves, dragons, and malicious magic related to the case somehow? How can Elaine's black mob cat can talk, the sneaky little bastard? Jake has a lot of things to work out in Jersey and Arizona in order to finally close out this case, though he'd rather be gambling at the race track or getting really chummy with Jack Daniels in his favorite bar. Fortunately besides booze Jake has anti-elf garlic and his P-I wisdom to fall back on: "Once you eliminate the possible, whatever truth remains is lame; that’s how these things work."A safe, fun, escapist adventure for mature readers. Crude language, alluded-to sex, and some violence, but no explicit erotica or gore. Some danger of mild enlightenment and smiley faces.
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Global Warming Fun 1: Saved by Right-Handed Grass

Global Warming Fun 1: Saved by Right-Handed Grass

Gary J. Davies

Gary J. Davies

Fun? Maybe not so much! In this sci-fi/fantasy short story, hapless home-owner Ed Rumsfeld is attacked by mutant man-eating insects. Thus begins a FREE series that will chronicle an increasingly unstable world in which nasty natural, technological and mythical forces are unleashed in response to climate change and other human induced problems.Fun? Maybe not so much! In this initial short story of a planned FREE fantasy/sci-fi series, hapless Virginia home-owner Ed Rumsfeld is attacked in his own front-yard by mutant man-eating insects. Thus begins a series of short stories and/or novellas that following completion will also then be merged into an epic novel that chronicles an increasingly unstable world in which nasty natural, technological and mythical forces are unleashed by climate change and other human induced problems. So what's 'fun' about global warming/climate change? If you’re a glass-is-half-full kind of person maybe global warming and other human-induced disasters aren’t really ALL bad, maybe they’re also opportunities: chances for mankind to further make a mess of things surely, but also opportunities for adventure, surprise, and (Maybe, maybe not!) triumph! Will humans survive? At this point even the author doesn't know; follow this gradually emerging series to find out!
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Global Warming Fun 4: They Taste Like Chicken

Global Warming Fun 4: They Taste Like Chicken

Gary J. Davies

Gary J. Davies

Thousands of invading man-eating giant flies present but one of the issues faced by immortal telepath Ed Rumsfeld, acting Chief of the Giants' Rest Mountain Mohawks of New York. He must also decide if young Mark Dawn Owl will accomplish his spirit quest across dangerous climate change ice-sheets alone or with his companion Stone-Coat Ice Giant. Part 4 of an emerging sci-fi/fantasy series.Due to climate change ice sheets now cover the New York Adirondack valleys, and the legendary Atenenyarhu (Stone-Coats)/Ice Giants of Mohawk legend are active all year. Fortunately the Giants' Rest Mountain Tribe has established a mutualistic symbiotic relationship with them and with the intelligent ants known as jants. Now giant man-eating tsiks (flies) are beginning to attack, just when it is time for young teen Mark Dawn Owl to go on his two week solo wilderness spirit quest. The shadowy leader of the US Government is also coming to visit Giants' Rest to speak with the Stone-Coats and jants. It is going to be a tough month for telepathic Tribe Chief Ed Rumsfeld, and an even tougher one for Mark. Part 4 of the Global Warming Fun sci-fi/fantasy series.
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Blue Dawn Jay of Aves

Blue Dawn Jay of Aves

Gary J. Davies

Gary J. Davies

Bird and sci-fi fans! On planet Aves young Blue Dawn Jay knows nothing of the humans that are colonizing his world, a world inhabited by giant birds. Blue quests to find his missing mentor Song Flame the cardinal. Meanwhile human biologist Kate Deborg has been tasked to investigate problems on Aves. Neither is aware that the survival of both birds and humans on Aves will soon depend on them.This is a full length, 'traditional' science fiction novel, about a far-off planet that is being colonized by humans who must deal with sentient but savage native bird inhabitants that value song and freedom of flight above all else. Aves humming birds are larger than Earth eagles, while Aves eagles are T-rex sized but much more powerful. Blackbirds are clever and scheming. Humans are physically puny but to grow food for Earth they recklessly transform Aves without understanding it.Song master Blue Dawn Jay has forsaken normal blue jay duties to search far to the south of his North Forest home for his friend and mentor, old Song Flame the cardinal. Song Flame tells blue that the legendary Old Ones have returned and are destroying the Far South Forest and threatening the Great Balance. Blue embarks on a dangerous quest to report to the Great Council of Songbirds. Meanwhile Federation Space Directorate scientist Dr. Katherine Deborg arrives on Aves to find that Aves and her assignment on Aves are not at all what she expected. To her surprise, the giant birds, insects, and trees on Aves are obviously of Earth origins, and she is barred from working with Corporation scientists. A large patch of the planet Aves has already been colonized by the Star Corporation, with unintended consequences. Strange and deadly bird, human, and primal Aves forces threaten calamity for both birds and humans. This is not a children's book, but it is relatively child-safe. Bird-on-bird violence occurs, as does romance and some four-letter words, but sex is not in the plot, nor is violence graphically depicted. (The next novel to be published, The Shrinking Nuts Case, is a bit spicier, as the title perhaps implies.) A 'scientific framework' is provided which could prove vexing to some young readers, but Blue Dawn Jay of Aves is essentially a science fiction story, rather than a fantasy story.
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Global Warming Fun 6: Ice Giants Make Manhattan

Global Warming Fun 6: Ice Giants Make Manhattan

Gary J. Davies

Gary J. Davies

Kidnapped! In 77 years the daughter and great-great granddaughter of ageless Mohawk Chief Ed Rumsfeld have been kidnapped in Brooklyn by an unknown assailant that also tore to pieces a two-ton ice giant. While thousands of ice giants begin to remake New York City, a zombie police detective and a Stone-Coat replicate of Ed’s long dead first wife set off with Ed to find and rescue the girls.Kidnapped! In 77 years during ongoing climate change the daughter and great-great granddaughter of ageless Mohawk Chief Ed Rumsfeld have been kidnapped in Brooklyn by a mysterious unknown assailant super-powered enough to tear to pieces a two-ton Stone-Coat ice giant. Who, what, why? A zombie police detective kept ‘alive’ by sentient telepathic ants and a Stone-Coat replicate of Ed’s long dead first wife set off with Ed to find and rescue the girls. Meanwhile thousands of Stone-Coat ice giants that have begun a centuries-long effort to remake New York City to prepare for the expected two-hundred foot rise in sea level take some time-off to help address the unexpected threat.
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Global Warming Fun 2: Ice Giants Wake!

Global Warming Fun 2: Ice Giants Wake!

Gary J. Davies

Gary J. Davies

When climate change brings year-long snow to the Adirondack Mountains, the long dormant Stone-Coats/Ice Giants of ancient Mohawk legends threaten to awaken. The reclusive Mohawk tribe that guards against their emergence enlists the aid of Ed Rumsfeld, a middle-school history teacher with recently gained telepathic abilities. This novella is part of an emerging fantasy/sci-fi series.According to ancient Mohawk legends, in severe winters the long dormant Stone-Coats/Ice Giants awaken and feed. As predicted by some climate modeling, a few areas on Earth are cooling instead of becoming warmer. When climate change brings year-long snow to the Adirondack Mountains of New York, the reclusive Iroquois Mohawk tribe that guards against monster emergence enlists the aid of Ed Rumsfeld, a seventh grade history teacher with recently gained telepathic abilities (see the first story of this series). Can the Stone-Coats be stopped? And what do genetically altered intelligent ants and a Mohican NSA agent have to do with it? Steeped in scientific rationale and Mohawk culture, this novella/short novel is the second story of an ongoing fantasy/sci-fi series that chronicles an increasingly unstable world in which nasty natural, technological and mythical forces are unleashed in response to climate change and other human induced problems.
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Secrets of Goth Mountain

Secrets of Goth Mountain

Gary J. Davies

Gary J. Davies

This full-length action packed fantasy/science fiction novel reveals secrets long kept hidden by the Goth family and a reclusive Native American tribe. Psychic powered Johnny Goth returns to Goth Mountain in the Pacific North-West to oppose a ruthless land grabbing tycoon that seeks to log the sacred forest and a demon that threatens to consume Goth Mountain secrets. Prequel to Government Men.The Goth family and a reclusive Native American tribe have for centuries guarded Goth Mountain and its secrets. Now there is serious trouble. Johnny Goth's uncle and fourteen years earlier his father both mysteriously disappeared on the volcano known as Goth Mountain and are presumed dead. Tycoon Bill Fenster, his brutish nephew, and his paid-for county sheriff are scheming to log the immense old-growth trees of Goth Mountain. The werewolf/demon named Dark wants to gain for himself the secrets of the Mountain and consume the mythical creatures that are linked to it. Unexpected evil internal to the Tribe is threatening its chief and shaman. It is time for Johnny Goth to return to Goth Mountain. This complete full-length novel began as the short story Cube featured in the short story collection There Goes the Neighborhood; Earthly Fantasy/Science Fiction Short Stories. This March 2014 revision 'cleans up' spelling and several other errors discovered in the first release. This novel is the prequel to the soon to be released epic novel Government Men.
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Ice Giants Wake!

Ice Giants Wake!

Gary J. Davies

Gary J. Davies

When climate change brings year-long snow to the Adirondack Mountains, the long dormant Stone-Coats/Ice Giants of ancient Mohawk legends threaten to awaken. The reclusive Mohawk tribe that guards against their emergence enlists the aid of Ed Rumsfeld, a middle-school history teacher with recently gained telepathic abilities. This novella is part of an emerging fantasy/sci-fi series.
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Genie

Genie

Gary J. Davies

Gary J. Davies

The five house cats that Harold inherited from his sister are driving him crazy. The good news is that he also inherited a magic lamp with a genie from her, so he can make a wish to ensure that his life becomes a happy one! The bad news is that the genie’s wishes don’t always work out as expected. Enjoy this short story!
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Apprentice Wizards of Hope

Apprentice Wizards of Hope

Gary J. Davies

Gary J. Davies

An Evil Demon murdered Ben King’s parents in the town of Hope when Ben was a small boy. Helped by a mischievous sprite and a kind old elf, Ben survived. Now eight years later his werewolf and vampire foster parents have returned Ben to Hope for him to become an Apprentice Wizard. Though he has forgotten how to use his powers, Ben and his friends will soon face apocalyptic Demons and Evil.
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