Zero Mercy: The Evolution of Pierce Wellington III Read online

  series and discover who wins control of Memphis and who goes to Ecuador.

  Friends In Foreign Places: An Expat Anthology

  A traveler in a new land is struck by many abrupt changes: the

  landscape, the people, the language, and new foods---a world of change.

  Home, behind, is still at the edge of awareness. It's there, waiting. But when

  the traveler must settle down and make a home in a whole new country, life

  changes, as fundamentally as if catastrophe has struck. New friends become

  new family, and life continues. It is this story that is seldom told.

  On April 16, 2016, catastrophe of magnitude struck Ecuador. Magnitude 7.8

  to be exact. It struck small towns all along the northwestern coast, claimed

  661 lives and left over 20,000 homeless. Seventy percent of the buildings in

  Canoa alone were destroyed, not only homes but the businesses that provide

  the population’s livelihood too.

  Extending their family to encompass this disaster, authors from around the

  world have come together here to raise awareness and to raise money for

  the people of Ecuador, because this is what good authors do. They

  communicate. They communicate in words, in emotions, and above all, by

  telling stories.

  In Friends in Foreign Places: An Expat Anthology, thirty-five writers, most

  living as expatriates all over the world, share forty-five stories about expat

  friendships and being friends with expats in their own countries. Nonfiction

  combined with poetry, mystery, romance, suspense and even sci-fi share

  what the expat lifestyle can hold for you too. You will laugh, cry and gasp with

  surprise as we welcome you into our friendship experiences. Read how we

  found friends in the most unlikely ways: buried in earthquake rubble, a

  heroine aboard a speeding motorbike, a high heeled clad architect with

  plumbing skills and many more.

  A book of contemporary poetry, written for women. Wisdom is born of

  time, experience, and relationships.

  The Aberration

  It’s there, do you see it?

  No?

  And there’s another.

  No, it’s not just the way the sunlight reflects

  It’s really there

  It’s not an aberration

  It’s not the success of the vitamin enriched shampoo

  It’s not a highlight

  I didn’t pay for it,

  It just appeared,

  Or maybe I did pay for it.

  What do you think?

  Is it a badge of courage?

  Or a symbol of dwindling vitality?

  Shall I wear it proudly?

  Or cover it with chemicals

  Or possibly a hat?

  Yes, a hat.

  I shall point to it when I need it,

  Yes, I’m experienced,

  Yes, I’m wise

  And I shall wear a hat when I don’t,

  So that I

  I am the aberration

  That gray haired young girl

  Doing cartwheels on the hillside

  Next to the river,

  With the stunning hat.

  If you’ve ever wished you could sit down with a mother or

  grandmother – yours or someone else’s - and get their advice or input, here’s

  your chance to do that.

  We are seven women – mothers and/or grandmothers - ranging in

  age from early 20s to early 80s. Between us we have pretty much done and

  seen it all, burning some bits and gathering pearls along the way. Aging,

  Having a Voice, Wisdom, Courage, Love, Loss and Risk are the topics you

  will find within the pages of this book. From poetry to short story and prose,

  we share our experiences of some of the profound moments of life. Grab a

  cup of tea, a glass of wine, or mug of coffee. Get comfortable. You just may

  find the advice you’ve been seeking and even some you didn’t know you

  needed.

  About the Author:

  Originally from the southern part of the United States

  — primarily Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and

  Arkansas — technical-writer-turned-novelist Scarlett Braden

  now lives in Ecuador with her 14-year-old Bichon, Katie

  Scarlett O'Hara. Scarlett has one super-handsome and

  intelligent son and a beautiful daughter-in-law who share

  two adorable fur grandpuppies with her. Someday, maybe

  Scarlett will have human grandbabies, too.

  When she isn't writing, Scarlett enjoys dancing,

  Facebook games, crocheting, traveling, crafting, reading, and

  spending time with friends. She is an admitted Facebook and

  Pinterest addict and currently is looking for a 12-step

  program. Scarlett blogs as Frankly Scarlett, where she talks

  about her writing, her new Ecuadorian home, and all her fun

  activities in that beautiful country. Link to Scarlett at

  ScarlettBraden.com, on Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter and

  Youtube.

  I hope you enjoyed reading Pierce’s story. Pierce is a

  support character in the Providence in Ecuador suspense series.

  If you haven’t read the series, it’s available on Amazon.

  Providence in Ecuador series in order:

  Harvesting the Hummingbird

  Peril in the Bayou

  Terror on the Bluff

  Incognito in Cuenca- Available Winter of 2017-2018