Showing results by author "Michael Vance" in All Categories

Maine doesn't like her father. It doesn't help that he's a troll. As in a literal, lives-under-a-bridge troll. When her father is killed, Maine returns home to settle his estate and learns that he wasn't any ordinary troll, but the town hero. Seems trolls can be superheroes, too. When Maine inherited her father's Mantle, she got more than a demonically possessed magical cape that reveals one's weakness. She also inherited several busloads of mythical adversaries. Thanks, Dad!

Maine's troubles are only just beginning. The Mantle is still catnip to assassins. News of her victory is out and another liquidator of the living is after her. That would be enough trouble, if her ex wasn't also in town, proclaiming his undying love for her. Where was this adoration when they were dating? To make things worse, her pint-sized best friend has visitors. Noff's pack is being terrorized by a ruthless hunter with supernatural strength, speed, and senses. Running with the wolves is tough . . . especially when you're the size of a chihuahua.

Maine is in prison for a crime she didn't commit. For once, the prisoner's cry of "innocence" is true. She didn't do anything wrong. Being there of her own free will doesn't change the fact that she's locked up in a mythical prison, surrounded by the worst of the worst. Disguised as an oni demon, Maine hopes to find the key to Chaos's realm. That key could be Earth's last chance of survival, and it's being held by the creature who killed her father.

There are nine known realms, a world for each race, including dwarves, gnomes, and elves. In the middle rests Middang3ard. Each world knows the others. Each, except Earth. Humans long ago turned their backs on magic, throwing their stock into science and technology, their governments shielding the people from the reality of what was going on elsewhere. So be it. Humans were never very good at getting along with other races anyway. Then the Dark One appeared, threatening to overrun the nine worlds, starting with Middang3ard and ending with the humans' planet.   

Every time Rueben Peet dies, he "returns" to his body with the memories of what's to come. He gets to "repeat" his mistakes again and again and hope he can do something different to prevent the future. It's Groundhog Day meets the worst super-spy, ever. When New York City comes under threat of nuclear destruction, Rueben is the only one who can save the city. But even an infinite number of re-dos is not enough, for lurking in the background is a nefarious force threatening, not only NYC, but also the world.

Maine cast a good luck spell to save the love of her life from prison, but at what cost? Magic is controlled by chaos, and with every instance of magically enhanced good luck comes some corresponding bad luck. Sage is free, but so is the Demon who created the Mantle. The Demon has escaped from his celestial prison. He is gathering his minions and is gunning for the Mantle. But the Mantle isn't the only weapon the Demon wants. There are other, more powerful items around . . . and none more so than Father Time's Clock.

Defeating the world-ending demon was only the beginning. Now Maine must wrestle with the very fabric of reality. Maine defeated the Corrupter, saved the world, and is dating the man of her dreams. Things should be smooth sailing from now on. She deserves a boring, normal-ish life, doesn't she? Fate has other ideas in mind. The defeat of the Corrupter left a power void that needs to be filled. A strange mist surrounds Rainwater. Most dismiss it as a weird weather phenomenon, but creatures who enter the mists don't leave the same.

Sage's dream is to be a top chef. So when he gets to be a finalist on one of Hollywood's biggest cooking shows, he's over the moon. Until, that is, the top chef is poisoned. Maine and Noff have to trade magic for the fake glitz and glamor of Hollywood to try and clear Sage's name. To make matters worse, Maine is experiencing a string of bad luck that is literally flooding her life with grief. Time is running out. If Maine doesn't find evidence to clear Sage's name, it's a maximum-security prison for him.

Robert "Suzuki" Fletcher's on a mission to save to one of his fellow Mundanes who was captured by the Dark One's forces. His teammate is being held in the heart of enemy territory...and his HUD gives him a horrible chance of surviving. It's time to level up. Soliciting the help of other more experienced MERCs, the team needs to gain the skills necessary to rescue Beth. Are they up to the task?

When Maine took up her troll father's mantle, she thought he was dead. She was right. Sort of . . . Finding out that an aspect of him went to another world comes as a surprise. Maine has to get over her shock because he's been fighting a secret war for decades and he needs her help. Now she must traverse the fabric of reality and join her father's fight to stop the forces of Chaos before they destroy not only her world, but all known worlds.

When Maine took on her father's mantle, her intention was to protect a single village. No one said anything about every living being on the planet. The Demon has built a mythical stronghold in Rainwater and is gunning for the Nexus—the center of all magic on Earth. He'll have to go through Maine and her celestial army first, but he wouldn't have it any other way. Facing insurmountable odds, Maine has gathered every last mythical creature willing to stop the Demons. She knows that it's not enough. Not even close.

Someone is trying to kill Death. As in the Grim Reaper, San La Muerte, King Yama, Maveth, Death. Yeah, that guy. But if Death dies, who takes his place? That is the eternal question. Maine is hoping to avoid finding out the answer. She and Noff have taken on the harbinger of souls as their client, vowing to protect him as he competes in The Conjuring—the high stakes card game played by supernatural beings. Death is the reigning champion, and he has everything to lose.

Groundhog Day meets the worst super-spy, ever. Every time Rueben Peet dies, he "returns" to his body with the memories of what's to come. It seems that he gets to "repeat" his mistakes again and again. Good thing, too.... Rueben is the worst super-spy ever. When New York City comes under threat of nuclear destruction, Rueben is the only one who can save the city. But even an infinite number of redos is not enough, for lurking in the background is a nefarious force threatening not only NYC, but also the world.

Against insurmountable odds, the Mundanes have launched a daring rescue for Beth. Luckily, they're not alone.... The Horsemen are with them. But luck might not get them that far, though. Beth is being held deep within the heart of the Dark One's territory. What if Demons weren't just Demons, but something much worse? Now they've found themselves deep in the Dark One's headquarters, without backup or a chance to retreat. It's all or nothing.

The Mundanes finally have a chance to stop the Dark One. Too bad they have to die to do it. After Jose's untimely death, the Mundanes must step up as the new leaders of the MERC world. However, Jose's shoes are hella big to fill. To try to lighten the mood, the Mundanes head to the Island to find one of the most precious substances in all of Middang3ard: Ambrosia. It was, after all, Jose's favorite drink. But the Dark One is already on the Island, hatching deadly warriors faster than orcs eat pigs.

Rueben saved New York City and almost got the girl. Given where he started, Rueben should have peaked right here and now. Or at the very least got a vacation. Except there's another warper in town, and he has it out for Rueben and his friends. The World Summit will see the largest gathering of world leaders in one spot. The perfect opportunity for this new warper to cause world instability. One deadly drone per leader...the perfect plan to wipe out all global leadership in one fell swoop. What's more, this diabolical mastermind has figured out a way to stop Rueben's "repeating" powers.

Entrepreneurs are information hounds, well-organized people who analyze new trends, not only for new ideas but for new twists on new ideas. They are "doers" who not only develop or invent, but have the courage to commit to an idea, implement it and follow through. In Entrepreneurial Thinking by Mike Vance, you'll learn the specific action steps you need to become more like an entrepreneur in thought and deed...

A weekly podcast dealing with all things IndyCar

Dying again is not enough. Now Rueben must go to another universe with his greatest enemy. Earth-Z is ground zero for the world destroying virus. Too bad Rueben lives on Earth-A.

Rueben's life couldn't get any worse. The villain he's facing off against seems to know Rueben better than he knows himself. Buzz, Rueben's genius sidekick, has a plan. But it means that Rueben can't use his abilities to get the job done. He has to get it right the first-time round. No dying this time. As the battle rages on, Rueben and his friends are beginning to realize more is at stake than first thought. It's not just this Earth that's in trouble. All the Earths in all of existence are about to crumble. If Rueben can't stop this maniac in time, all human life will be wiped out.