mark_aeschlimann writer

A Perfect Fantasy by Mark Aeschlimann

The second their eyes locked in passing, Will felt something he hadn’t felt in so long, he’d almost forgotten what it was. He wasn’t sure he’d ever feel it again—especially not after her. But the truth of it buzzed through him from head to toe…Attraction. Will is a code monkey by day, and he likes his job well enough—it pays the bills. But with forty creeping closer and the fallout of his divorce still in his rearview, writing is his only escape. His fantasy worlds are the one place where he can lose himself completely, a refuge from the depression and anxiety he’s wrestled with for years. This isn’t the life he thought he’d be living, and most days, it feels like a pale shadow of the one he wanted. Davey—his friend and colleague—has a way of pulling Will out of his head, coaxing him out for drinks or just to unwind after work. But Will would rather stay safe in his shell. Being social still feels like too much, too loud, too risky. Jess has stopped believing in love altogether. Heartbreak and betrayal have been her only constants, so she’s done setting herself up to be let down again. She’s happy enough in the pages of her favourite books—fantastical worlds where the stakes feel real but the heartbreak is only fiction. Her family doesn’t understand, but she’s tired of explaining that she doesn’t need a man to feel whole. A Perfect Fantasy is a no-spice, contemporary slow-burn romance that explores the weight of old wounds and the quiet courage it takes to step outside of comfort zones. When an unexpected encounter sparks a chance at something real, Will and Jess have to decide if risking their hearts is worth the fall.

A Dawn Left Behind by Mark Aeschlimann

"The outline of white smoky light spun around him and a blinding white flash embraced him… Matthew opened his eyes as white sparks fell and faded away into nothing around him…He now knew for sure what it was… Matthew had walked into a doorway to another world." Matthew Parlour, 18 and living his most carefree life, loves nothing more than listening to his grandfather’s stories and cruising through each day. He sees nothing but good times ahead. When tragedy strikes, Matthew is lost. His world has fallen apart and he is left with more questions than answers. With his obsession for answers guiding him, Matthew is propelled into a world where everything he knew is meaningless and being human draws unwanted attention. Where magic and power go hand in hand. Where he serves an even more important purpose than he could possibly imagine.