The Cosmic Empire No. 1

By J.M. Thomas

The debut of The Cosmic Empire brings forth all manner of devilish questions, and answers, in short stories by J.M. Thomas. Is Satan after every soul in the world? Can a lost soul be reclaimed? What happens when someone finds their own soul irredeemable? These shorts promise the reader the unique thoughts and strong voice of their writer, perhaps provoke some thought, and have a laugh at the expense of the Dark Prince.

"Soul for Sale" tells the tale of Shelly and her desire to surrender all to reclaim lost love. "Gates of Hell" follow's Clark on his quest to save the most-precious thing in the Underworld. Not everyone is anxious to escape when those aforementioned Gates open in "Salvation Refused." And, to round out issue one, a special slice of torment for the ultimate Tormentor in "Her Majesty."

Subsequent issues of “The Cosmic Empire” will be available online at most e-reader outlets. Feedback is welcomed with sincere appreciation at the author's Web site.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.M. Thomas
• Release date: Sep 10, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311192370

J.M. Thomas

Author J.M. Thomas lives and works north of Chicago, Illinois. The one-time screenwriter won multiple awards for his co-written "The Man in the Rearview Mirror," which sold in the fall of 2011. He earned a degree in Journalism from Truman State ( Mo.) University late last century.Thomas can be reached via his Web site at thecosmicempire.com.

Book preview

The Cosmic Empire

No. 1

By

J.M. Thomas

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Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2014 The Cosmic Empire Publishing

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Table of Contents

Soul for Sale

The Gates of Hell

Salvation Refused

Her Majesty

Soul for Sale

Shelly Downing never thought much about what kind of apartment building Satan would live in until she strode down the corridor to Apartment 2F. It confused her. Satan should be in the dingiest, dirtiest, disgustingest building since Cabrini Green, or he should live in the swankiest place in the city.

That building? That building was just so ordinary.

The smell of boiling bratwursts hit her nose when she reached the door. Satan eats brats? It kept her hamster going. This isn't anything like I thought it would be.

It took days of slumming around, or as slumming around as she felt comfortable, packing only a can of pepper spray in the purse bought from Target with the broken strap secured with pink tiger stripe duct tape. An elderly man, replete with his trophy wife on his elbow and his hand on the wheel of a Ferrari, said Satan could be found on Chestnut Street.

Hello, Shelly, Satan said from behind the door chained shut.

You know my name?

"I'm the Devil. I