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Spells: Ten Tales of Magic
Ten fantasy stories by ten authors:
1. SYSTEM, MAGIC, SPIRIT by T.D. Edge
Will Ambrose betray his magic system just to save an idiot prince?
2. OBSESSION by Pamela Turner
Some questions are best left unasked.
3. LADY BARD by Cherie Reich
A love song may be the only cure for a cursed prince.
4. THE FINAL SPARK by CJ Burright
She couldn't afford to fail again.
5. ST JAKE OF THE FUNHOUSE by Douglas Kolacki
For Edward, the 'saint' part was the scariest.
6. BARNABAS by Jeff Hargett
Sixty years, Barnabas has searched for his magic. Will he finally find it in Matilda’s Magic Shop?
7. BY YOUR OWN FREE WILL by Rayne Hall
What price would you pay to get your heart's desire?
8. A MAGICAL MELODY by Ciara Ballintyne
In a world where magic is in the music, Avram must settle the score before it's too late.
9. BRAINS, SEX OR MONEY? by Tara Maya
What would you choose?
10. THE WHITE RAVEN'S FEATHER by David D. Levine
Ibude is a warm-weather wizard held hostage in a frozen land, but his troubles can still get worse.
Some of these stories have been previously published in books, magazines and ezines.
1. SYSTEM, MAGIC, SPIRIT by T.D. Edge
Will Ambrose betray his magic system just to save an idiot prince?
2. OBSESSION by Pamela Turner
Some questions are best left unasked.
3. LADY BARD by Cherie Reich
A love song may be the only cure for a cursed prince.
4. THE FINAL SPARK by CJ Burright
She couldn't afford to fail again.
5. ST JAKE OF THE FUNHOUSE by Douglas Kolacki
For Edward, the 'saint' part was the scariest.
6. BARNABAS by Jeff Hargett
Sixty years, Barnabas has searched for his magic. Will he finally find it in Matilda’s Magic Shop?
7. BY YOUR OWN FREE WILL by Rayne Hall
What price would you pay to get your heart's desire?
8. A MAGICAL MELODY by Ciara Ballintyne
In a world where magic is in the music, Avram must settle the score before it's too late.
9. BRAINS, SEX OR MONEY? by Tara Maya
What would you choose?
10. THE WHITE RAVEN'S FEATHER by David D. Levine
Ibude is a warm-weather wizard held hostage in a frozen land, but his troubles can still get worse.
Some of these stories have been previously published in books, magazines and ezines.
168 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2012
1 person is currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Rayne Hall
115 books1,437 followersRayne Hall writes fantasy and horror fiction, some of it quirky, most of it dark. She is the author of over sixty books in different genres and under different pen names, published by twelve publishers in six countries, translated into several languages. Her short stories have been published in magazines, e-zines and anthologies.
After living in Germany, China, Mongolia and Nepal, she has settled in a small Victorian seaside town in southern England. Rayne holds a college degree in publishing management and a masters degree in creative writing. Over three decades, she has worked in the publishing industry as a trainee, investigative journalist, feature writer, magazine editor, production editor, page designer, concept editor for non-fiction book series, anthology editor, editorial consultant and more. Outside publishing, she worked as a museum guide, apple
picker, tarot reader, adult education teacher, trade fair hostess, translator and belly dancer.
Currently, Rayne Hall writes fantasy and horror fiction and tries to regain the rights to her out-of-print books so she can republish them as e-books.
Her books on the writing craft (Writing Fight Scenes, Writing Scary Scenes, The Word-Loss Diet, Writing Dark Stories, Writing About Villains, Writing Short Stories to Promote Your Novel, Writing About Magic, Twitter for Writers) are bestsellers.
Rayne Hall is the editor of the Ten Tales anthologies:
"Bites: Ten Tales of Vampires"
"Scared: Ten Tales of Horror"
"Haunted: Ten Tales of Ghosts"
"Cutlass: Ten Tales of Pirates"
"Beltane: Ten Tales of Witchcraft"
"Spells: Ten Tales of Magic"
"Undead: Ten Tales of Zombies"
"Seers: Ten Tales of Clairvoyance"
"Dragon: Ten Tales of Fiery Beasts"
"Cogwheels: Ten Tales of Steampunk"
with more titles coming soon.
The stories in her Six Scary Tales series and the Thirty Scary Tales collection are subtle horror: suspenseful, creepy atmospheric, unsettling. Although they contain little violence and gore, they may not be suitable for young readers. Many of these stories have been previously published in other books or magazines.
British English: All Rayne Hall's books use British words, spellings, grammar and punctuation. If you're allergic to British English, avoid them. ;-)
Mailing list:
http://eepurl.com/boqJzD
Website: http://sites.google.com/site/raynehal...
YouTube "Ten Random Facts about Rayne Hall" (2 minute video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXR4T...
Contact Rayne Hall on Twitter
@RayneHall follows back writers and readers. http://twitter.com/RayneHall
After living in Germany, China, Mongolia and Nepal, she has settled in a small Victorian seaside town in southern England. Rayne holds a college degree in publishing management and a masters degree in creative writing. Over three decades, she has worked in the publishing industry as a trainee, investigative journalist, feature writer, magazine editor, production editor, page designer, concept editor for non-fiction book series, anthology editor, editorial consultant and more. Outside publishing, she worked as a museum guide, apple
picker, tarot reader, adult education teacher, trade fair hostess, translator and belly dancer.
Currently, Rayne Hall writes fantasy and horror fiction and tries to regain the rights to her out-of-print books so she can republish them as e-books.
Her books on the writing craft (Writing Fight Scenes, Writing Scary Scenes, The Word-Loss Diet, Writing Dark Stories, Writing About Villains, Writing Short Stories to Promote Your Novel, Writing About Magic, Twitter for Writers) are bestsellers.
Rayne Hall is the editor of the Ten Tales anthologies:
"Bites: Ten Tales of Vampires"
"Scared: Ten Tales of Horror"
"Haunted: Ten Tales of Ghosts"
"Cutlass: Ten Tales of Pirates"
"Beltane: Ten Tales of Witchcraft"
"Spells: Ten Tales of Magic"
"Undead: Ten Tales of Zombies"
"Seers: Ten Tales of Clairvoyance"
"Dragon: Ten Tales of Fiery Beasts"
"Cogwheels: Ten Tales of Steampunk"
with more titles coming soon.
The stories in her Six Scary Tales series and the Thirty Scary Tales collection are subtle horror: suspenseful, creepy atmospheric, unsettling. Although they contain little violence and gore, they may not be suitable for young readers. Many of these stories have been previously published in other books or magazines.
British English: All Rayne Hall's books use British words, spellings, grammar and punctuation. If you're allergic to British English, avoid them. ;-)
Mailing list:
http://eepurl.com/boqJzD
Website: http://sites.google.com/site/raynehal...
YouTube "Ten Random Facts about Rayne Hall" (2 minute video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXR4T...
Contact Rayne Hall on Twitter
@RayneHall follows back writers and readers. http://twitter.com/RayneHall
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 3, 2021
One gets what the cover promises. That's not a compliment.
I rarely give up on books, but this was so weak and amateurish that I had to.
I rarely give up on books, but this was so weak and amateurish that I had to.
February 7, 2015
I received this item in exchange for an honest review.
I've read quite a few of Hall's collections by now. This wasn't my favorite, but it definitely has it's share of funny and interesting stories. I found System, Magic, Spirit to be quite witty and humorous and the story itself different and interesting. I think this was one of my favorites in the collection. Continuing on, Obsession was amusing and entertaining but yes - my OCD would like to point out that October 13th does not a Scorpio make, but a Libra. Lady Bard I found to be sappy, but the romantic in me enjoyed it. The Final Spark seemed a little long to me, though good nevertheless. St. Jake of the Funhouse was not one of my favorites, but it was kind of an interesting idea. I didn't think it was great but it wasn't terrible, either. Barnabas I really enjoyed, and found it to be pretty funny. Those who enjoy comic fantasy I think would enjoy Barnabas especially. Rayne's work does tend to be a little bit predictable at times, and By Your Own Free Will was no exception. However, I really enjoy Hall's sense of humor and this story did not disappoint. A Magical Melody wasn't my favorite in this work, but I can appreciate the idea as being somewhat unique and interesting. Upon reflection, I'm reminded of some of the music fighters in various RPGs when I think of this story. Brains, Sex or Money is very short (2 pages in my Kindle), straight to the point and a great example of cynical comedy. Lastly is the White Raven's Feather, which I just didn't seem to be able to get interested in.
Overall, I enjoyed this collection although a few of the stories felt a bit lacking. For the 99 cent price tag, it's a decent purchase.
I've read quite a few of Hall's collections by now. This wasn't my favorite, but it definitely has it's share of funny and interesting stories. I found System, Magic, Spirit to be quite witty and humorous and the story itself different and interesting. I think this was one of my favorites in the collection. Continuing on, Obsession was amusing and entertaining but yes - my OCD would like to point out that October 13th does not a Scorpio make, but a Libra. Lady Bard I found to be sappy, but the romantic in me enjoyed it. The Final Spark seemed a little long to me, though good nevertheless. St. Jake of the Funhouse was not one of my favorites, but it was kind of an interesting idea. I didn't think it was great but it wasn't terrible, either. Barnabas I really enjoyed, and found it to be pretty funny. Those who enjoy comic fantasy I think would enjoy Barnabas especially. Rayne's work does tend to be a little bit predictable at times, and By Your Own Free Will was no exception. However, I really enjoy Hall's sense of humor and this story did not disappoint. A Magical Melody wasn't my favorite in this work, but I can appreciate the idea as being somewhat unique and interesting. Upon reflection, I'm reminded of some of the music fighters in various RPGs when I think of this story. Brains, Sex or Money is very short (2 pages in my Kindle), straight to the point and a great example of cynical comedy. Lastly is the White Raven's Feather, which I just didn't seem to be able to get interested in.
Overall, I enjoyed this collection although a few of the stories felt a bit lacking. For the 99 cent price tag, it's a decent purchase.
October 23, 2013
In normal circumstances I am not a fan of short stories because I don’t feel like most allow the reader the opportunity to get involved with or attached to the storyline. That has not been the case with the Ten Tales Anthologies edited by Rayne Hall. I’ve fallen in love with these books and Spells: Ten Tales of Magic was not an exception.
Barnabas by Jeff Hargett is a well-written, down to earth tale about a man that has been making his way through life in constant search of his magic. Hargett tells a great story with a clear-cut message. Obsession by Pamela Turner and By Your Own Free Will by Rayne Hall were my two absolute favorite stories. I could easily empathize with and feel the desperation of the two main characters. I can understand their actions and motives which kind of scares me but overall… I get it! Brains, Sex or Money? By Tara Maya was super short but totally made me giggle!
Please check out our full review by visiting us at Griffin's Honey http://www.griffinshoney.com/spells-t...
Barnabas by Jeff Hargett is a well-written, down to earth tale about a man that has been making his way through life in constant search of his magic. Hargett tells a great story with a clear-cut message. Obsession by Pamela Turner and By Your Own Free Will by Rayne Hall were my two absolute favorite stories. I could easily empathize with and feel the desperation of the two main characters. I can understand their actions and motives which kind of scares me but overall… I get it! Brains, Sex or Money? By Tara Maya was super short but totally made me giggle!
Please check out our full review by visiting us at Griffin's Honey http://www.griffinshoney.com/spells-t...
October 25, 2013
Spells: Ten Tales of Magic includes assorted tales of magic. From sorcery and obvious in your face magic, to subtle magic you may not even realize is there. Each story uses magic in a different way, all with very different outcomes.
One of my favorites was Obsession. This is a dark story of obsession and desperation, and what can happen when you mess with forces unknown to you. Corinne has recently last her boyfriend Mark in a car accident. Her jealousy is ignited when she meets his ex-girlfriend from high school at his funeral. Now she must know who he loves more. Corinne is about to find out that 'Some questions are best left unasked'.
This novel was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Please visit me at http://www.theproductschool.org to view my full review.
One of my favorites was Obsession. This is a dark story of obsession and desperation, and what can happen when you mess with forces unknown to you. Corinne has recently last her boyfriend Mark in a car accident. Her jealousy is ignited when she meets his ex-girlfriend from high school at his funeral. Now she must know who he loves more. Corinne is about to find out that 'Some questions are best left unasked'.
This novel was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Please visit me at http://www.theproductschool.org to view my full review.
June 25, 2013
A collection of ten tales of magic, ranging from traditional fantasy to modern fairy tales.
I enjoyed every single story in this collection (and coming from me, not a big short story reader, that's pretty amazing). In particular, my favorites were "System, Magic, Spirit" by T.D. Edge, a tale of sorcery and of finding inner strength; "The Final Spark" by CJ Burright, a gripping story of a woman fighting an evil sorceress to free her beloved; and "A Magical Melody" by Ciara Ballintyne, set in a world where magic spells are woven of music. But they were all good.
A fun collection to have on hand when you have a few moments and want to dip into a new and fascinating fantasy world.
I enjoyed every single story in this collection (and coming from me, not a big short story reader, that's pretty amazing). In particular, my favorites were "System, Magic, Spirit" by T.D. Edge, a tale of sorcery and of finding inner strength; "The Final Spark" by CJ Burright, a gripping story of a woman fighting an evil sorceress to free her beloved; and "A Magical Melody" by Ciara Ballintyne, set in a world where magic spells are woven of music. But they were all good.
A fun collection to have on hand when you have a few moments and want to dip into a new and fascinating fantasy world.
March 11, 2015
Do not let the cover mislead you this not a childrens book. This was my first collection by this publisher, it appears as though all the covers are on the cartoonish side. I enjoyed the shorts but as most do, some left me wanting. I try not to pick one over the others but Obession and By Your Own Free Will, were my favorites.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews