Ryan H. Reid

Tilda Quickthatch gave up adventuring years ago and retired to small-town Briarhaven as the local tavern wench. But now the past she's worked so hard to keep hidden has come calling for her. Its messengers? A group of misfit teens who insist she train them to pick up her mantle... or else. But what starts as simple "roll" play soon turns deadly when their antics attract the attention of a fearsome necromancer who never gave up searching for Tilda. He swoops in with a sinister offer: exchange the powerful artifact she stole nearly a decade ago for her former partner's life. Now it seems this halfling rogue-turned-barkeep has no choice but to dust off her daggers, gather her pity of a party, and set out on her highest stake quest yet. What could possibly go wrong? What could possibly go right?! When Life Gives You Legends is a hilariously heart-pounding fantasy where being a hero means breaking a few stereotypes—and possibly a tavern chair or two. If you enjoy witty banter, magical mayhem, and rooting for the underdog, then you’ll love Luna Ryder’s outrageous adventure.

Awakened by bloodcurdling screams, Santa Claus springs into action to stop a lethal sickness from infecting his reindeer, only to learn that he's already too late. Christmas is all but ruined. But when a disgraced alcoholic Christmas elf offers to retrofit the sleigh with some highly advanced technology, Santa's hope of saving Christmas is renewed. With a solid plan in place, they hitch the sole surviving reindeer to Santa's sleigh and prepare to launch into the blustery night — until Father Time interrupts Santa's plans with an ultimatum that could kill Christmas forever. Will Santa cave to Father Time's outrageous demands, or can he withstand the lord of time and space long enough to rewrite history itself? Most importantly, can Santa save Christmas? What the Frost? is the first book in the hilarious Santa Saves Christmas series, an urban fantasy/time travel mashup. Readers of Matt Dinniman's Dungeon Crawler Carl series and Shayne Silvers's Nate Temple series will love these books.

Soundbooth Theater takes over Author Nation in Las Vegas! This live recording of our first-ever variety show includes original sketches, music, and more. Watch out for genre police, potion salesmen, Chat-Sandra, and the general chaos of the world of independent writing. All proceeds benefit the ASPCA. Featuring the following sketches: An excerpt from Dungeon Crawler Carl — By Matt Dinniman; Starring Jeff Hays, Annie Ellicott, Ryan H. Reid, and Justin Thomas James; Music performed by Aaron J. Morton; Sound effects performed by Tony Brewer "Infinite Hustle" — By Jeyla Briar; Starring Justin Thomas James, Rebecca Brokaw-Sands, and Annie Ellicott; Music performed by Aaron J. Morton; Sound effects performed by Tony Brewer "Tuesday Night Writes" — By Melissa Storm; Starring Jeff Hays, Annie Ellicott, Rebecca Brokaw-Sands, and Ryan H. Reid; Music performed by Aaron J. Morton; Sound effects performed by Tony Brewer An excerpt from Space Buns — By Emily Labes and Annie Ellicott; Starring Jeff Hays and Annie Ellicott; Music performed by Jeff Hays, Aaron J. Morton, Jacob Raccuia, Sam Ward, and Justin Thomas James; Sound effects performed by Tony Brewer "Helmont’s Greatest Hits and How Not to Be One," Bonus Content from Time-Marked Warlock — By Shami Stovall; Starring Jeff Hays, Ryan H. Reid, Annie Ellicott, and Justin Thomas James; Sound effects performed by Tony Brewer "This Really Sucks" — By Matt Dinniman; Starring Jeff Hays, Justin Thomas James, and Annie Ellicott; Music performed by Aaron J. Morton; Sound effects performed by Tony Brewer "Genre Police" — By Harmon Cooper; Starring Ryan H. Reid, Rebecca Brokaw-Sands, Annie Ellicott, and Jeff Hays; Music performed by Aaron J. Morton and Justin Thomas James; Sound effects performed by Tony Brewer

Like many teenagers, there's a lot about Daniel Meadows' life that's out of his control. For example, having to start in a new school district for his freshman year of high school thanks to his dad's new job. Inside the realm of his control, however, is the decision to try a brand-new sport purely to impress a girl. But the day of tennis tryouts proves far more fateful than Dan ever could have imagined, when a failed attempt by Truck-kun and the powers that be to kill him and transport his consciousness to a fantasy realm leaves him on Earth with miraculous abilities instead. Stuck on his boring home planet with magical powers to harness and learn, Dan finds himself in a unique situation. Will he use his powers for greatness? Will he abuse them? Or will he simply use them to become the greatest tennis player ever just to chase the girl of his dreams? Who knows? After all, it’s freshman year and he’s got a long way to go. This slice-of-life tennis LitRPG serves up progression, sports, and fun in one hilarious series.

They took his dragon. How far will Aeron go to get him back? When Aeron gets kicked out of the Wyvern Knight Corps for his addiction to painkilling magic mushrooms, he is forced to leave Wafer, his bonded battle wyvern, behind. But Aeron's former commander, Larcas Brove, is holding a grudge, and he works to stop Aeron and Wafer from reuniting at every turn. With no money, a dead-end job, and a hopeless future, Aeron decides to rescue Wafer from Brove's clutches - even if it means risking his life.

Like many teenagers, there's a lot about Daniel Meadows' life that's out of his control. For example, having to start in a new school district for his freshman year of high school thanks to his dad's new job. Inside the realm of his control, however, is the decision to try a brand-new sport purely to impress a girl. But the day of tennis tryouts proves far more fateful than Dan ever could have imagined, when a failed attempt by Truck-kun and the powers that be to kill him and transport his consciousness to a fantasy realm leaves him on Earth with miraculous abilities instead. Stuck on his boring home planet with magical powers to harness and learn, Dan finds himself in a unique situation. Will he use his powers for greatness? Will he abuse them? Or will he simply use them to become the greatest tennis player ever just to chase the girl of his dreams? Who knows? After all, it’s freshman year and he’s got a long way to go. This slice-of-life tennis LitRPG serves up progression, sports, and fun in one hilarious series.

One wrong step… …and you could be a T-Rex’s dinner! When Liam realizes his inventor dad has created a time machine—a REAL time machine—he just can’t help his curiosity. But because of one little mistake, Liam and his dad soon find themselves jumping back into the cretaceous. With the time machine’s special battery gone missing, now they’re stranded in the past with no way home. Through a series of exciting encounters with unique (and sometimes scary) dinosaurs, Liam and Dad search for the time machine’s missing power supply so they can get back to modern day. Will Liam find the courage to reclaim the battery without making the cretaceous’s top carnivore angry? Or will he and Dad have to run their legs silly in order to escape the jaws of a terrible T-Rex?

They opened a gateway to another world… …and a unicorn came through! When Violet realizes her inventor dad has created a portal to a fantasy world, she just can’t help her curiosity. But because of one little mistake, Violet and her dad soon find themselves chasing a friendly but frightened unicorn named Calista through the streets of their town. Aided by a girl with incredible powers named Kallie, they search for Calista to try to get her back home safely. But Calista and Kallie aren’t the only beings who’ve come through the portal. Something dark and sinister is coming after Calista—and it’s hungry. Can Violet fix her mistake and help get Calista and Kallie back to their world? Or will the fearsome creature catch the unicorn first?

A killer cyborg on the loose. A daughter’s life on the line. And one man’s secret will decide all of their fates… Designed for urban combat... ...but is it ready for the real world? Or is it already too late? The S1-R3N prototype is the ideal cybernetic soldier. But when it malfunctions during its public debut, it kills its handlers and the buyers in attendance for its unveiling. Now Dr. Grant Andrews, the scientist responsible for creating the S1-R3N, is the only one who can stop it. But the S1-R3N is determined to get to Grant first, by any means necessary—including going after Grant’s teenage daughter, Alexis. Will Grant be able to protect his daughter from the cyborg’s murderous intentions? Or will the S1-R3N send him to meet his maker? You'll love S1-R3N because it's a thrilling sci-fi short story with a touch of horror, told primarily through a series of text message conversations. If you like Terminator, Robocop, and other cyborg stories, you'll love S1-R3N. © 2018 Ben Wolf ℗ 2022 Soundbooth Theater

Carl tries to save the cat. The world ends. The game begins. As it turns out, the apocalypse will be televised.

Calina and Rurik’s first quest turns unexpectedly dangerous when an undead henchman of Tilda’s arch nemesis finally tracks her down. Although they escape by the skin of their teeth, Tilda realizes that Briarhaven is no longer safe as long as she’s in it. But just as she is about to go on the lam, she receives a surprising piece of news that inspires her to run toward danger, rather than away from it.

This Archemi Online interlude chronicles Hector and Karalti's escape from Fort Palewing. What happened in the days after they fled the Eyrie at the end of Dragon Seed? And what happened before their arrival in the Ilian port of Bryos at the start of Trial by Fire? Why didn't Cutthroat eat them both? Find out this and more — including a short history of the Total Wars — in Fugitive Status.

Magic has awakened within Kent... but this newfound power will cost him everything. When his forbidden magic powers are exposed, Kent Etheridge is forced to flee his home country, leaving behind his title of nobility, his wealth, his murdered father, and his traitorous brother. With no other options, Kent takes refuge in the neighboring rival country of Inoth and soon finds himself face to face with its beautiful queen--who wants him executed as a spy. Can Kent convince the queen to trust him despite his previous life? Or will she follow through on her threat to eliminate him as an enemy of the state?

A triceratops teetering on the edge… …can they save it in time? In the wake of their first time-traveling adventure, Liam and his dad realize they’ve left something unfinished—something important. Now the life of an innocent (but HUGE) triceratops hangs in the balance. But what can Liam and Dad do? Well, for starters, they have a time machine… When a quick trip back in time with Dad’s new mech suit goes wrong, Liam has to find a way to solve the triceratops problem using another method. Can Liam stay focused long enough to figure out a solution? Or will the triceratops fall headfirst into a sticky disaster?

Stuck in a fantasy world… …can they find their way home? In the wake of their unicorn-wrangling adventure, Violet and her dad are accidentally transported to the fantasy land of Aletia, where Calista and Kallie come from. But they’re not just visiting—they’re trapped and can’t get home, unless they make a bargain with a dark lord. That bargain leads to a dangerous dungeon raid to find a lost artifact. It’s risky, but it might be the only way to get them back home. Can Violet and Dad make good choices to survive the dungeon? Or will the dangers inside its deep shadows prove too powerful to overcome?

Before Tilda and her charges can set off on their grand adventure, Tulip Thunderhoof, a classmate of Calina and Rurik’s, intervenes. As bratty as she is privileged, Tulip threatens to thwart their plans if they don’t bring her along. Though Tilda realizes there could be some material benefits to letting Tulip join their party – that is, if they can survive that long.

A death cult of assassins raised him and trained him to be the perfect killer. Now they want him dead. Mehta, once the best assassin in the Xyonate cult, is running for his life. Upon realizing they can no longer control Mehta, the Xyonate clerics try to have him killed, but Mehta escapes, wounded, and finds refuge with a local priest. But the cultists catch up, slay the priest and his wife, and Mehta barely escapes with the priest's eight-year-old daughter, Ferne, in tow. Realizing he can't run forever, Mehta decides to make a final stand against the remaining cultists. Can Mehta and Ferne survive? Or will their fate drown in the ever-growing pool of blood all around them?

A nest under attack… …can they save the dino eggs before it’s too late? Disaster has flung Liam and Dad even farther back in time to the Jurassic period. Now they’re stuck there—literally—with their time machine half-drowned in a prehistoric swamp. Worse yet, their loud and obnoxious entrance has drawn the attention of the area’s predators. Caught in the middle, a mama stegosaurus just wants to protect her eggs, but the other dinosaurs are closing in… and they’re hungry. Can Liam and Dad team up with the stegosaurus to help protect the nest from ravenous raptors and pterodactyls? And can they find a way to get their time machine free of the muck so they can finally get home?

An ancient terror is on the loose… …will it keep Violet from getting home? Betrayed into releasing a monstrous threat onto the island of Caclos, Violet and Dad are still stuck in Aletia, now with no way home. Only one chance to get back to Earth remains, and it means striking yet another bargain—this time with Ravzar, the God of Beasts himself. But when Ravzar asks them to complete not one but TWO enormous tasks, getting back home seems nearly impossible. Still, they have no other choice but to try. Can Violet and Dad deliver on Ravzar’s outrageous requests? Or will the ancient evil they’ve let loose interfere with their efforts to finally make their way back home?

Little Jose Salazar is a monster. Now he’s missing, and his father, the new head of the Gulf Cartel, thinks a certain evil spirit of Christmas is behind it. To get his son back, Hector needs an army, a plan, and the help of a very reluctant Agent Maxwell Harkins. Kringle Down III: Krampus!, is a nightmarish romp of cartel violence, mad assassins, ancient spirits, killer cyborgs, naughty children, and of course, Santa Clause. It’s strictly for adults with a high tolerance for violence, foul language, and mayhem. © 2022 Shane Hensley ℗ 2022 Soundbooth Theater

Frank learns how saferooms work. Carl and Donut hit the gym.

Now a party of five, Tilda, Calina, Rurik, Tulip, and the mysterious celestial, Amariel, face their most dangerous foes yet. As the deadline to reach Maltherius’s lair and rescue Gaaron approaches, Tilda worries that her band of intrepid adventures doesn’t have what it takes to complete their quest. After all, they’ll need a lot more than bravery if they’re going to face the deadliest necromancer in Verandel. But before Tilda’s concerns can be validated or assuaged, a shadowy figure from her past reemerges...

A classic dungeon raid that keeps going awry... Is it worth it to Garrick to keep going? A secret treasure resides beneath a cult temple, and only Garrick Shatterstone and his mercenary crew can retrieve it. Along with an alchemist and a thief, Garrick recruits a climber and a mage to help But once Garrick and his team descend into the depths below the temple, they encounter an ancient dungeon riddled with traps, a river of lava, and hideous fell beasts. Can they overcome these overwhelming dangers and recover the lost treasure? Or will they succumb to the dungeon's perils and become permanent residents of the underworld?

Carl and his new friends interrupt an intimate get together.

A strange mark on her neck… …a mysterious connection to fire... …an ancient secret soon to be revealed. Aeron failed to stop the cult of the Crimson Flame from kidnapping his sister. But as a former wyvern knight, he’s determined to find and rescue her — and to lay waste to the cult in the process. When the trail grows cold, Aeron and Kent Etheridge, his mage companion, join forces with a half-troll mercenary and an assassin. Together, they embark on a job for a dark lord that will put them squarely in the Crimson Flame’s line of fire. And that’s exactly where Aeron wants to be. The more cultists he can find, the closer he gets to locating his stolen sister. The Crimson Flame is the first novel in the epic Blood Mercenaries sword-and-sorcery series. It is sure to thrill you with magic, action, and adventure. Dive into this unique fantasy world full of twists and mayhem, written by award-winning author Ben Wolf.

Jacob thinks he's on a hot date... ...but it quickly becomes his worst nightmare come true. It's been nearly a week since Jacob last ate, despite his seemingly favorable situation. Locked in a creamery with no way out, he is surrounded by mountains of delicious cheese. It should be a dream come true, but Jacob is a VEGAN. Worse yet, a sadistic killer spouting cheese-based puns is pulling the (mozzarella) strings behind the scenes, all in the name of breaking Jacob of his veganism. Will Jacob overcome his hunger and find a way out of his dairy-themed prison? Or will he succumb to the tasty temptations around him and violate his core beliefs to survive? “The Cheese Stands Alone” by Ben "Baby Swiss" Wolf, bites like sharp cheddar; but thanks to the dulcet tones of narrator, Ryan "Roquefort" Reid, it sounds smooth as a creamy aged brie. Go on... have a taste now. We dair-y you.

A Story From the Ripple System Have you ever wondered how Tyrann managed to found an entire religion within the first few days of EBO? Do you want to know exactly what is driving a man with thousands of fans and what kind of players that man has by his side? Well then, this exclusive story is for you! Follow Tyrann as he attempts to complete a quest that will make him a power to be reckoned with. And perhaps, get a peek behind the mask that he shows his many followers…

The dragon egg has hatched… ...and a dark lord needs his sacrifice back... …so he can become a god. By some miracle, Aeron managed to rescue his sister from Lord Valdis's clutches. Together, they escape to the western mountains and hide out. But their solace doesn't last long... ...because Lord Valdis's reach extends farther than they know. Aeron's sister is soon recaptured by Crimson Flame cultists in the service of Lord Valdis. Now Aeron's only hope is to gather enough strength--in the form of legendary, god-forged weapons--to kill Lord Valdis and save his sister once and for all. But time is running out. If Aeron doesn't save her by the next new moon, his sister will be sacrificed as part of Lord Valdis's ritual. Will Aeron manage to get ahold of the legendary weapons in time? And even if he does, will it be enough to snatch his sister from the claws of death yet again? Path of Shadows is the second novel in the epic Blood Mercenaries sword-and-sorcery series sure to thrill you with magic, action, and adventure. Dive into this unique fantasy world full of twists and mayhem, written by award-winning author Ben Wolf.

Wave upon wave of malevolent robots have rampaged across New York City for a day. Only by superhuman feats have the heroes beaten them back and rescued the injured. Defying this terror, Bastet, co-founder of the Guild of Masked Crimefighters, attends a charity gala for the victims. Little does she know, Crosscircuit is about to unleash the deadliest of his metal minions. Will the exhausted superheroes find a way to stop the robots before they finish off the traumatized city? Find out in the exciting finale of Mega-Mech-Apocalypse! © 2022 Aethon Books ℗ 2023 Soundbooth Theater

A Short Story From the World Of Bone Dungeon The Path of Flames recounts how the young fire mage, Emily, first became a summoner and claimed her dragon. This was no simple task, nor something achieved by training or luck. To gain her summoned companion, Emily had to delve deep into the dungeon of the Lord of Flames. There, amongst rivers of lava and towers of flame, Emily had to convince a god that she was worthy of his attention.

Carl and Donut briefly consider a business proposal. A bathroom break goes awry.

A dragon corrupted by frost, an entire continent at risk, and only the Blood Mercenaries can prevent an apocalypse. The battle with Lord Valdis has awakened a new evil, one that threatens the entire continent of Aletia with icy destruction. And it has wings. With no one left to turn to, the land of Aletia looks to the Blood Mercenaries to defeat this mammoth, rampaging monster once and for all. In order to do it, they'll need help from an ancient source of power, something sealed away for ages. But sometimes power is locked away for good reason...

Enter the coliseum of the Warriors Guild in this exclusive short story set in R.P. Jones’ Beast Realms universe. Art the Lizardman and his beast, Nails the shadow bug, are joined by the thieving halfling Nux and her spider beast as they attempt to acquire a scroll containing the location of a fabled Legendary Beast. It’s going to take a lot of muscle to pull it off, including the ones in their heads…

An exploit is used to its full potential. Carl and Donut encounter an old friend.

After finding a God Core Crystal, and yearning to break free from a life of disappointment, a small band of acolytes begin gathering followers for the god Melakor – the entity trapped in the God Core. With Melakor's guidance, the acolytes prepare for a ritual that will unleash the god within.

Trimmings After her husband dies in his mistresses arms and her home is burglarized, Susan finds that the only thing left to her is a pair of her husband's old nail clippers. She Bites What do you do when your lover corners you on a cruise ship? You kill him, of course. So why wasn't Miles dead yet? And why was Megan having second thoughts? Killing should come naturally to a vampire like her. © 2016 Sara King ℗ 2023 Soundbooth Theater

Master and slave. Captor and captive. Auld and Auldhund. The relationship between the magical Aulds and their beast-like Auldhunds is a dismal shell of what was once a deep kinship. Defying what is certain death, Auldhund Wulmaer makes his escape and seeks refuge in the forests beyond his caged existence. But will he manage to stay ahead of the malicious Aulds on his trail? © 2016 Sara King ℗ 2023 Soundbooth Theater

Bic-Man Henry needs a writing instrument. Desperately. He finds one. But this is no ordinary Bic pen. Cheap Real Estate In this housing market, sometimes a deal is too good to be true. In this thrilling tale of fear and temptation, one must always remember the cardinal rule of real estate: buyer beware... © Sara King ℗ 2023 Soundbooth Theater

Asana has always been fascinated by the mystical creature, the Sphinx, ever since her childhood days when her grandmother would tell her stories of their power. Now she must put her life on the line in order to protect them from their biggest threat: Humanity.

Lynet delves into the highlands on a desperate mission to find her former mentor and friend, the last Wisher. But when they reluctantly team up to defeat a mortal enemy, she finds that the power she seeks may come from the unlikeliest of sources.