Showing results by author "Rob Shelsky" in All Categories

For Jerrod, British ex-marine, a camping trip by the sea is interrupted one night by a strange event--the kidnapping of a woman. Now Jerrod must find out who she is, why this has happened. He must also figure some way to rescue her without getting them both killed in the process. When Jerrod discovers there is treasure hidden on barren and wind-swept Lundy Island, things get much more complicated! An adventure short story.

A love story that transcends time itself, a romance that battles with destiny. Peter Vincent, a young stockbroker, journeys into the past to Elizabethan England. He searches for the beautiful and tempestuous Aurea. Finding her, he falls hopelessly in love, but is this to be an ill-fated romance? History says that Aurea is soon to disappear, probably to be murdered. Can she survive? Aurea and Peter have only days to answer that question. They must struggle amidst court intrigue and dark conspiracies, both caught up in a web of danger, deceit, and terrible lies. They must discover why Aurea ...

Fleeing war-torn London, lonely Norah seeks peace upon the moors. Instead, she encounters mysteries. Lost in a dangerous fog, she spies a strange light. Is it a will o' the wisp, fairy, or something darker? The surprising answer means a chance for love. But what is the enigma surrounding her lover? Why are her parents acting so strange? What is the terrible price of such a passion? A suspenseful paranormal romance.

Murder aboard a star ship! Murder most foul! A true whodunit! Kiran, the luxury liner's in-house detective, must discover the culprit. But who is it? Is it the owner of the competing star ship line, the strange personal assistant, the woman's steward, or even the captain of the Cassiopeia, himself? Kiran and her little robot sidekick, Watson, must find the murderer, before the murderer finds them! An SF cozy murder mystery short story.

Ernie Saylor, Editor of Aberrant Dreams Magazine, states of Blue Flickers that: "...I just read "Blue Flickers" and thoroughly enjoyed it! It reminded me of a story I read long ago that I could not think of for the longest and then I realized the reason. It wasn’t a single story but two it brought to mind. The first was published in 1939 in Weird Tales and it is entitled “The Drifting Snow” uunder Derleth’s pseudonym Stephen Grendon. The second is "Silent Snow, Secret Snow" by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Conrad Aiken which was brilliantly adapted by Serling for his Night Gallery ...

Verity, a tale of desperate love, dark intrigue, ship wreckers, smugglers and the enigmatic Lord Draken Hazelmere. Verity Beresford, darling of Regency London, is forced by Lord Draken Hazelmere to travel to the Devonshire coast to nurse an invalid uncle. Along the way, she begins to fall in love with Draken. However, strange, evil events occur upon her arrival. Smugglers seem to be about. Someone tries to murder her uncle. Then a horrible ship wrecking occurs. Is Draken, now her new husband, the culprit? If so, he will hang for his crimes. Can Verity save him? A slightly sensual Regency ...

For Clara, the nightmares were horrific and always the same, night after night--an old woman was floating, drowning in a room filled with icy-cold, green water. Was it just a recurring bad dream, or a true premonition? Just who was the old woman who haunted her so, and why did she seem to be trying to say something to Clara? What did the visions of the old woman's terrible death portend, if anything? Clara wanted answers, desperately needed them, but she feared time to find them was fast running out on her. And in this one thing, she was all too dreadfully right.

Love the hilarious E.F. Benson "Lucia" series of old? Are you one of the many "Luciaphiles?" Did you hate that the books had to come to an end? Then you'll love "Lucia's Crusade," a novella by R.R. Shelsky, which picks up right where the last book of E.F. Benson ends. Lucia, of quaint 1930's Tilling-On-Sea, along with her loyal sidekick, Georgie, has just topped Elizabeth Mapp for control of the social life of Tilling. Mapp is beaten and "Queen Lucia" reigns unruffled and supreme. But such triumphs are fleeting. The battle for Tilling goes on. Lucia may now own Mapp's home, Mallard's House,...

A Ghost Story of a different sort--where even ghosts want--no, demand company in their awesome exile and evil loneliness. A River Darkly, a ghost short story. Excerpt: Rain, like a deluge of wet regrets, poured without pause from the murky skies. The huddled woman, a dreary figure, head hidden by a large black scarf, leaned over the stone railing of the little bridge. She sobbed into her cupped hands. There was an insubstantial quality to the weeping woman, a monochromatic vagueness around the edges, as if somehow, she partially merged with her bleak surroundings. She was a gray thing ...

A sleepless Annabelle spies a strange light in a nearby abandoned farmhouse. Who is there? There should be no one. Finally, despite her better judgment, she gives into her curiosity and in the dark of the night ventures to the house. What she finds isn't what she feared--squatters or thieves, but rather a doorway through time, and possibly, even the man of her dreams, maybe... A sweet romance.

In a growing panic, Ambrose ran pell-mell down the length of the observation deck. He practically dove down the steep stairs at the end. Pausing at the bottom only long enough to take one, much-needed breath, he then dashed down the hallway to his stateroom. Fumbling with the key in his haste, he finally managed to unlock and fling wide the door. The satchel lay open on the floor and there were his documents strewn about the stateroom. Someone, and Ambrose strongly suspected the midshipman, had rifled through the papers, perhaps taking pictures with one of those new-fangled, tiny cameras. ...

Demons? Spirit Elementals? All stuff of Native American legends and fantasies, right? But not near Sedona, Arizona, when two teenagers discover a hidden cave and a strange mummy. One of them decides to use ancient practices to try and revive the hideous thing. However, the results are far more than these guys ever anticipated when something very strange and dangerous occurs! A dark fantasy short story.

Earth is divided into two races, those who are "normal" humans, and those who are immortal, the so-called "Golden Ones." Now, at long last, the hated immortals are finally leaving Earth. Humanity rejoices. But there is a problem. The Golden Ones want to take all of the children with them! Can Akuna save his only son, Pangalia? Should he even try? For Akuna's child, that choice will be forever. A science fiction short story.

A new world and a great bonus for finding it--if it's proven safe for human habitat. But on a planet filled with countless butterflies and few other species, something seems very wrong! For the three explorers, the answer to all the strangely dancing butterflies is far more than they ever bargained for! Not only are the creatures beautiful to behold, but their origins are an enigma--a fatal one? A science fiction short story.

“The Flower Children Are Blue Men Everywhere.” It was 1968, the United States was in turmoil, and those lyrics encompassed the times in more ways than one. For one young man, coming of age in 1968 was to realize more truths about himself than about the times in which he lived. One teacher in particular showed him the way, a teacher he hated. This brief memoir is about enduring lessons learned.

Want to write science fiction, fantasy, or horror? Want to be published for money? Don't want to wait forever? Then Author Rob Shelsky’s Guide To Writing & Publishing Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror is a must read! Based on seven years’ worth of carefully researched articles, this book lays out in a practical, step-by-step process, just how to come up with ideas for stories, settings, appropriate atmospheres, pace, believable heroes, and tension. This guide also includes an easy, five-step program for getting books published. In short, it is a practical guide to getting your work ...

Shadow People--Do they exist? Are they dangerous? Could they be a threat to humanity, and if so, what kind of a threat? Rob Shelsky's, Shadow People--The Threat of Darkness attempts to answer these and other questions. Want to know if Shadow People are real? Want to know what they are? Curious about why they are here? What their motives might be? Then read Rob Shelsky's book to find the answers in this clearly written, and easily understood, informative book that is all about Shadow People.

Legends of the Lost Gods, a desperate global race is on to recover powerful ancient relics. The clock ticks down in this international science fiction thriller as agents and assets fight to survive while still struggling to secure prehistoric artifacts of legendary power. For the winners, the mysterious prize could be incredible knowledge benefiting humanity for the ages. For the losers, there is only death and total destruction, for it seems there are also "off planet" players involved in this epic hunt.