Books published by Smoking Pen Press LLC

In this Read on the Run title, we present eighteen romances. Not love stories, although some of them do include aspects of that. But whereas love stories are often sad, each of the selections in A Wink and a Smile has either a "happily-ever-after" ending, or at least a strong suggestion that this is where the characters are heading. That doesn't mean these tales all sound the same; to the contrary, we've found quite a diverse collection of romances. Yes, there are some traditional romances, and there's a healthy handful of budding romances, but you will also find a story set in the future, and a couple of fantasy tales. You will find stories of pastries, and candies, of young lovers and old. You will meet several matchmakers and you'll see couples reconcile, and there are even a few stories that will make you laugh. As always, each story in the Read on the Run series of anthologies is short, to suit your busy lifestyle.

A Step Outside of Normal is the first in the Read on the Run series. It is an anthology of seven short stories, by five different authors, presenting situations which are almost, but not quite, normal. Not really supernatural, not really fantasy, not really general fiction. But what they all share is that each is a little bit "off". And short, to suit your busy lifestyle.Hell of a Day, by Laurie Axinn Gienapp, is about a young man who has to deal with divorced parents who don't like each other… but with an unusual setting.Sunnybrook Acres, by Catherine Valenti, is a story of a retirement home, with an unusual cadre of residents.Pirates, by Kathleen Terrell, looks at the world out of the eyes of a young child. Always, by Theresa Thompson, is a tender story about loss, except that maybe it's not so tender. Xyxyx, by R. S. Leergard, examines the beginning of the world, but perhaps not our world.The Double, by Laurie Axinn Gienapp, presents a young woman who appears to have a doppelganger. Rage, by Catherine Valenti is a violent tale of murder, anger and betrayal.