Carrina and Flame were arguing in the library. Flame wanted to set up the portal near the fireplace so it would appear as though the visitors had just stepped out of the flame. He thought it would make for great humour since his name was Flame. Carrina, however, was trying to be more practical. “Darling, what would happen if they travelled here and accidentally stepped right into the fireplace? Do we really want the inaugural visit of the King and Queen of Acadia to end with them going up into flames?” The prince knew she was right. “But think of the excitement!” Unfortunately, that was the only thing he could think of as a response. Carrina stared at him a moment then moved the tall wooden pedestal away from the fireplace and into a safer corner of the room. There was nothing on the pedestal yet, but in a matter of hours a worn leather diary with a bronzed star would be laying open on top of it. Of course, no one would actually be reading the book; they would be paying attention to the travellers who would be stepping out from it. Carrina was about to create a permanent magical portal to the Kingdom of Acadia. She knew it was only a matter of time before she learned how to return and visit their dear friends Venus and Grimelda. That time had come two months ago when the princess remembered the connection between The Venus Diary and Underbrook. It was one of two physical items that had existed in both kingdoms, the other being a large boat docked in a marina on the source lake. Carrina thought it would probably be more convenient to use the diary instead of the boat if they needed to travel quickly. After their first visit back to Acadia, Carrina and Grimelda agreed to establish a permanent portal between the kingdoms. That way they could visit each other any time they wanted and it would allow Carrina’s parents, the King and Queen of Underbrook, to establish a new royal relationship. Flame sat down on a comfortable sofa near the fireplace as Carrina pushed the podium around the room. She spent nearly ten minutes shifting the wooden stand back and forth until finally Flame grew impatient. “Carrina! The podium is fine. They will be here soon and we still have more preparation to do. Just put it in the corner and be done with it!” Carrina sighed in frustration then stopped moving the podium and left the library. She needed to get dressed in her royal gown and get back to the throne room before Venus and Grimelda arrived. It was the first time her parents were going to meet the new King and Queen of Acadia. They had been eager to meet them after Carrina and Flame told of their great adventure all because of a child’s diary. An alliance with another kingdom could be of great value to Underbrook, so King Reginald was eager to meet King Venus. Carrina and Flame rushed down from their room, both of them wrapped in fine royal gowns made from heavy cotton and gold threading. They joined the king and queen in the throne room and then the four of them walked silently into the royal library. The room was a fitting place for the portal since they would be using a book to make the magic happen. Carrina stepped forward to the podium and placed her hand on the smooth wood surface. She spoke softly, not in an actual language, but more in a thought and a hum. She was calling on her power to create a connection to the diary. A vibration formed in the air around the podium as the portal linked with the diary. In the centre of the vibration a tiny light formed, bright and white, slowly expanding into the room. The princess stepped back and joined her family as they watched the light expand into the vibration. Almost like a doorway the light opened up and King Venus and Queen Grimelda of Acadia stepped through. *** The Dragons of Tarnack, is included in the Special Edition Collection of all three stories in: The Magical Adventures of Princess Carrina.

In this fantastical adventure through three magical kingdoms, Princess Carrina and her trusty companions must discover the origins of her magic, save a young prince from an evil witch, and battle a trio of dragons who return to reclaim their home. The Magical Adventures of Princess Carrina includes all three original books from the series: Box of Hair a Fairy Tale, The Venus Diary, and The Dragons of Tarnack. From author Heath Buckmaster comes a journey of self-discovery and a thrilling adventure for readers of all ages.

A Pair of Shorts, by Heath L. Buckmaster Volume One: The Peregryn & Midnight. The Peregryn: Marvelous and wonderful things often happen when the night is cold and the moon is shrouded in a deep and winding fog. A light mist of rain can even set the mood for magical and spiritual events. On my night, the night when these marvelous, wonderful, and according to the barometer, magical things would happen, my luck brought me here to this deserted and lonely place in the middle of the park. The Peregryn takes us on a cold and mystical journey, when the unnamed main character receives a strange letter in the mail. The letter reveals the presence of a watcher, a stalker perhaps, who wants a meeting in two days, and offers mysterious services. Midnight: Reality can sometimes be more terrifying than a dream, especially when a scream wakes you from slumber and against your better judgement you leave the house to investigate.

BOOK 1: In the tallest tower of Castle Underbrook, Princess Carrina sat quietly on her window ledge watching the fading colours of the sunset. Actually, she spent most days locked away in her room, too scared to leave the castle. A strange magical power was growing inside her but she had no idea what it was or how to use it. To the far north, in an ancient cottage buried deep within the woods, an evil ugly witch and her sister were brewing up a dastardly plot. They were going to kidnap the royal princess and steal her beauty for themselves! Will the princess be able to escape from the clutches of the evil witch and uncover the mystery of magic? Box of Hair: A Fairy Tale is the first of three delightful magical adventures with Princess Carrina and her friends. The story continues in The Venus Diary and concludes in The Dragons of Tarnack.

In the dark recess of a cold cave, a glittering assortment of stones sparkled in the nearly imperceptible light. The adventurer stared into the shining diamonds, wondering if he dared take them out of the cave and into the light of Thorn Valley. A desperate short by author Heath L. Buckmaster takes us to a valley full of sadness and despair, where adventurers seek fame and fortune but find only folly and fate.

BOOK 2: While on vacation at the source lake, Prince Flame discovers a child's diary in Grimelda's book collection. The origin of the diary is a mystery, but even more troublesome are the drawings of scary men and an evil witch that adorn the worn pages. Princess Carrina and her friends set out to find the owner of the diary, but their journey takes them into the depths of the source lake, and into a kingdom that is ruled in darkness. Can they save the child from captivity? And who is the true author of the diary? Join Princess Carrina and her friends as they set out on their second magical journey, in The Venus Diary, the exciting sequel to Box of Hair: A Fairy Tale. And don't miss the exciting series conclusion in The Dragons of Tarnack. For more information visit www.HeathBuckmaster.com. *** The Venus Diary, is included in the Special Edition Collection of all three stories in: The Magical Adventures of Princess Carrina.

Memories soared through her mind as Sophia Chalmers rocked back and forth in the creaking chair on her porch. Memories of picnics, weddings, and the war."These stories need to be told," she thought to herself. And she knew just the right person to hear them.From author Heath L. Buckmaster comes this trip through time, as an aging southern widow recounts her passionate life filled with heartache and Sweet Kisses.

In the tallest tower of Castle Underbrook, Princess Carrina sat quietly on her window ledge watching the fading colours of the sunset. Actually, she spent most days locked away in her room, too scared to leave the castle. A strange magical power was growing inside her but she had no idea what it was or how to use it. To the far north, in an ancient cottage buried deep within the woods, an evil ugly witch and her sister were brewing up a dastardly plot. They were going to kidnap the royal princess and steal her beauty for themselves! Will the princess be able to escape from the clutches of the evil witch and uncover the mystery of magic? Box of Hair, a fairy tale is the first of three delightful magical adventures with Princess Carrina and her friends. The story continues in The Venus Diary (spring 2008) and concludes in The Dragons of Tarnack (fall 2008). Information about the books, including a sneak preview of The Venus Diary, is available at www.boxofhair-fairytale.com.

This is the first ever comprehensive English-language survey of Zoroastrianism, one of the oldest living religions Evenly divided into five thematic sections beginning with an introduction to Zoroaster/Zarathustra and concluding with the intersections of Zoroastrianism and other religions Reflects the global nature of Zoroastrian studies with contributions from 34 international authorities from 10 countries Presents Zoroastrianism as a cluster of dynamic historical and contextualized phenomena, reflecting the current trend to move away from textual essentialism in the study of religion