It starts with a spark. An idea that comes from nowhere, appearing suddenly and without warning, triggered by a sight, a sound, a feeling, an overheard conversation, or even nothing at all. The author grabs that spark and plants it in the fertile soil of their brain. There they help it to grow as they pamper, shape, and mold it into a well-developed story. Some stories mature rapidly, becoming fully grown almost immediately. Others take more time to develop as the author considers and reconsiders how the story should flow. The finished story can be what the author intended from the beginning, or be completely different from the spark that started it all. Such is the wonder and amazement of the story growing process. There are no limits to the author’s imagination. A story can carry an idea straight through, or have pieces of the idea changed and re-changed until the author decides it is perfect. A word of warning: the author may feel the story will never achieve perfection. This is normal as the author believes there is always room for improvement. But the author will eventually reach a point where they are willing to share the story with readers. And then the harvest begins! Open this book to discover the fruits of this story harvest. There is a variety of tales, freshly picked for your entertainment. We at Scribes Valley think you will agree that the featured authors grew their stories just right! Authors included in this book: Alfredo Salvatore Arcilesi, William E. Burleson, Chad V. Broughman, Sonia Mehta, R. L. Mullins, Jr, Virginia M. Amis, Steve Putnam, Ronna L. Edelstein, Leslie Muzingo, Scott Pedersen, Thomas Maurstad, Virginia Ewing, John Baldwin, Joseph J. Salerno