Ricky Vernio
storyteller, author, artist
BOOKS
(litracha and stuff)
The Persuaders: Episode 1
ON THE INESCAPABLE DARK SIDE OF ALTERNATIVE MEDIA
On the surface, Horatius and Agrippina seem like ordinary young people with ordinary lives who want nothing to do with each other. But they have two things in common: both are Persuaders, and both work for the Council.
Persuaders—an ancient group drawn from every culture, race, and creed—possess what they call their “core abilities”: extraordinary longevity and the power to convince anyone of anything with just a whisper. Hypnosis? It’s nothing like hypnosis.
Their elite governing body, the Council, exists to ensure that Persuaders do not take control of, much less initiate, history-changing events. The Council’s motives are unclear—self-preservation, ethics, or something else entirely. Whenever suspicious activities arise anywhere on the planet, agents like Horatius and Agrippina are dispatched to track down the rogue Persuader and “mollify” them—stripping them of both their ability to persuade and their apparent immortality, leaving them to age like any ordinary person.
The Persuaders: Episode 2
ON THE SURPRISING COST OF FREE SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY
A special task force, known as the Contubernium, consists of two Persuaders and three civilians: Prince, a brilliant detective from New England; Livia, a California girl with a knack for grand-scale visual deception; and Badger, a South African enforcer whose body, altered by an accident in a secret space program, is now composed of elements unknown to science, enabling him to survive underwater for hours and walk through fire unscathed.
Days before an unofficial science conference in Paris, the mysterious death of a young woman archaeologist is dismissed by the police as suicide. Suspecting foul play, the Council dispatches the Contubernium to investigate. Their mission: track down a rogue Persuader who may have orchestrated the murder.
Upon arrival, the team uncovers a web of intrigue that stretches far beyond the scientific community, involving businessmen, gamblers, movie stars, producers, and at least two powerful secret societies. The stakes are high, and the truth could alter the course of history.
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The printed version is coming soon!
The Persuaders: Episode 3
ON THE MISCHIEVOUS LARKS OF A LADY PAINTER
In the 16th century, Horatius, a merchant ship captain, is dispatched by the Council to recruit Agrippina, a woman whose Persuader qualities are just beginning to manifest. Though she appears to be 25, she is, in reality, around 40. Horatius reveals the reason for her youthful appearance and teaches her to harness her powers of persuasion.
Together, they embark on missions across Europe and the New World, tracking down dissenters who defy the Council’s policy of non-interference. As they carry out their tasks, they uncover the hidden influence of rogue Persuaders on historical events, offering readers a new perspective on the past.
During his travels, Horatius encounters an extraordinary woman—an artist well-known in certain circles. Though she is a civilian, her impact on his life will be profound and enduring.
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The printed version is coming soon!
MOLLY EXACTS VENGEANCE
Shh! Secrets are about to be revealed. British spies … Thomas Jefferson’s secret agents … Patriots … Royalists …Philadelphia … London … Paris …
This is the story of a brave woman …
Who was betrayed by her lover …
and swore to take revenge …
and from that point on neither rain nor snow nor pirates nor highway robbers …
nor indeed the American Revolution …
could force her to deviate from her course.
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THE LOOT
a screenplay
When Augustus Rafter, the wealthy and enigmatic patriarch, dies under mysterious circumstances, his numerous estranged children—each from a different marriage—are summoned, along with their spouses, to a remote hunting lodge to claim their share of the inheritance. But: as a cryptic lawyer presents a baffling will with unexpected twists, old rivalries ignite, and inconvenient secrets come to light. Tensions escalate into a nightmarish ordeal filled with betrayal, sudden disappearances, and gunfire. Upon arrival, the local sheriff finds himself tangled in a web of deceit, with no clear suspects and a body count that’s starting to rise. In a place where everyone has a motive and no one can be trusted, the question becomes: who will survive, and who will leave with the loot?
BARKING AT THE STARS
a sentimental novella for dog lovers
The entire story, including the sci-fi aspect, is narrated from a dog’s point of view.
Fiona is a mix of silly, petulant, grumpy, and slightly arrogant—yet she also has a keen insight and a logical mind.
Despite her low opinion of her owners’ intellect, her love and affection for them remain unwavering.
