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BestGhost: A Novelette

BestGhost: A Novelette by C. J. Daley

The world's best ghost hunters, the town's most haunted mansion, what could go wrong? A debut sample from the forthcoming Tales From Cemetery, this novelette is a FREE SAMPLE from the author's site! The Old Mayor’s Mansion sits just a few miles outside the town of Cemetery. When best friends Sean and Devon want to increase views on their ghost investigation channel, they know the mansion is the perfect spot to film. Armed with a slew of new equipment, the buddies set out to capture the paranormal hotspot that will make them famous—just maybe not in the way they were hoping.


Peaches and Honey

Peaches and Honey by R. Raeta

A shapeshifting god, an immortality granting peach, and a woman gifted with forever. England, 1184: Anna is used to hunger and hardship. Ever since she was seventeen, when the pale shadows of her vitiligo were spotted, she has spent more than a decade struggling to survive alone and in exile. Then a single act of kindness towards a beautiful stranger and the taste of a divine peach changes Anna's life forever. Suddenly, her body is as untouched by Time as it by harm. As she watches the world change around her, knowing every human connection is only temporary, there is only one person she trusts to always return no matter the years or distance... The shapeshifting god who gifted her with immortality.


Wolf, Willow, Witch

Wolf, Willow, Witch by FreydĂ­s Moon

A vicious romance imbued with magic, thievery, and necromancy… When Tehlor Nilsen stumbles upon an abandoned corpse hidden in her friend’s empty house, she can’t ignore the energy lingering around the broken albeit familiar body. Entranced by the promise of ritualistic power, she seizes her chance to secure a vorðr. Miraculously, Hel, the goddess of death, grants Tehlor an audience. But Lincoln Stone has no interest in becoming a magical sentry and raising him from the dead comes with violent consequences. When a mysterious neo-church arrives in Gideon, Tehlor catches wind of a rare relic. Despite Lincoln's troubling enthusiasm for demonology, she strikes a deal with her unruly vorðr, hoping to mend their strained relationship… Work together. Steal the Breath of Judas. Control the dead. As the magically bound pair infiltrate Haven and their heist becomes a hunt, Tehlor isn't sure if she's the predator or prey…


Heart, Haunt, Havoc

Heart, Haunt, Havoc by FreydĂ­s Moon

Laced with romance, gothic imagery, Catholic mysticism, diaspora, and horror… When lonely transgender exorcist, Colin Hart, finds himself challenged by an unruly haunted house in Gideon, Colorado, he’s kept awake by ghosts, demons, ghouls, and the handsome nonbinary owner of the house, Bishop Martínez. Unlike the simple hauntings Colin is accustomed to, Bishop’s house is a living beacon, attracting a plethora of inhuman creatures, including a vengeful wolf-headed spirit who might be the key to quieting their sleepless nights. But as a heartbreaking mystery unravels, Colin comes face-to-face with the past Bishop tried to bury, opens a closet full of bloody skeletons, and trips into an accidental romance. As paranormally skilled as Colin might be, this particular haunting may be too messy for him to handle…


Isla's Reach

Isla's Reach by Francisca Liliana

One catastrophe is all it takes. The world of Iona has forgotten the time when dragons ruled the skies and their Viden riders controlled the wind. The Evandis War, started by the long dead Cinaed the Decayed was won, but at the extermination of every dragon and their Viden riders. Evelyn, the last Viden, has been in hiding for her entire life, but no more. Once she bonds with Oretem, the last dragon, her purpose quickly turns from being the shield for those she loves, to the blade that fights to survive. A Reticent assassin haunts her steps, one who has his own demons to battle. They both seek a single person--Meric, a bounty hunter Venandi, who the assassin endeavors to destroy and the Viden hopes to save. These three lives intertwine in ways that leave them questioning everything they've ever known. The roots of Isla's Reach burrow deep to carry the world, and it won't be long until they've broken entirely.


The Necessity of Rain

The Necessity of Rain by Sarah Chorn

It begins with a butterfly in chains. Since the dawn of time, life has been comfortable and predictable. The gods have wrested pockets of Creation from Chaos, formed civilizations, and built entire realities. Now, the nature of Creation is changing and the Divine are losing their divinity. Rosemary, daughter of the God of Creation, can no longer deny this when a strange delegation from Dawnland braves the paths through Chaos and survives. Come to negotiate trade and protection agreements with the Divine of Meadowsweet, it is the butterfly woman who so captivates Rosemary. The weight of her sorrow, the heaviness of her secrets. For the soul is a battleground. Clouds are massing along the horizon, and Rosemary... She must survive the storm.


The Soul of Chaos (Litanies of the Lost Star)

The Soul of Chaos (Litanies of the Lost Star) by Gregory Wunderlin

Exiled from his home and his noble heritage in disgrace, Rurik toils in the mines of an ancient, underground ruin as foreman to a group of breakers: prisoners, cutthroats, and dregs of society forced into indentured servitude. His responsibility to his crew weighs heavily on his conscience-for even the most minor job can prove fatal, and earning his life back can only be paid for with the lives of his friends. With his absence, his twin sister, Arkalis, is left to deal with Rurik's failures. With a hostile occupation of her family's lands and new responsibilities as her ailing father's heir she finds herself trapped in an impossible situation, one she'd rather drink her way through. Accosted on all sides, neither could foresee their actions as the spark to an apocalyptic war, one responsible for the emergence of dark gods long since thought defeated. Chaos, it seems, is their last hope.


Unpainted

Unpainted by Dan Fitzgerald

"I'm ready." In the hermetic society of the Painted Faces, pale, unblemished skin is rewarded with station, wealth, and power. Tera would almost rather go unpainted than enter into an arranged marriage with a total stranger, but that would mean giving up the only life she's ever known. Not to mention her share of her family's Pureline fortune. She’s always thought love was a fairy tale and sex a joyless chore, but the alternative might be worse. Enter Aven, a soft buttercup of a man, the kindest and most considerate person she’s ever met. A tropical honeymoon awaits, and with the help of her intimacy consultant, Tera is determined to make the best of this awkward ritual. Amid the island breezes, she and her new spouse form a bond neither of them knew they were capable of. But trouble stirs beneath the polite veneer of the Painted Faces’ society, threatening to tear them—and their entire world—apart. Unpainted is a queer arranged marriage fantasy romance, a standalone in the Weirdwater Confluence universe. It features a dual POV, magical currency shenanigans, mind magic, and inordinate amounts of steamy, fluffy goodness with a soft femdom dynamic.


Sistah Samurai

Sistah Samurai by Tatiana Obey

Afro Samurai meets The Sword of Kaigen in this anime-inspired novella This is no revenge story. I ain’t got time for that. I’ve got errands to run and things to do and barely enough time to make it home before sundown. I don’t care why folks are going around stealing ink. I don’t care why the monks are acting kinda strange. I don’t care that everybody is expecting me to save them. I might be a Sistah Samurai but those days playing hero were back when my knees didn’t ache, and I wasn’t the only one left. So leave me alone. All I want to do is get home, drink some green tea lemonade, and enjoy my peace. I’m not asking for much, so why are all these demons daring to get in my way? I am not the one. Not today. Sistah Samurai is an Action Fantasy novella that is an homage to the anime, Afro Samurai. Both works feature a feudal Japan-inspired setting that is rife with anachronisms. In the words of Samuel L. Jackson, “Is that a motherf—ing RPG?”


The Sunset Sovereign: A Dragon's Memoir

The Sunset Sovereign: A Dragon's Memoir by Laura Huie

SPFBO10

When a dragon finds an assassin sneaking into his lair, he tells her of his life's work and his soon to be final chapter. For the past thousand years, the dragon Vakandi has watched the people of Vakfored grow from a wandering band of refugees to a glorious city of art and magic. Under his protection, the city has survived monsters, floods, and wars all without building an army, dam, or even a wall. But time changes everything and now the citizens of his beloved city want him dead. Vakandi spends his last day telling his assassin why he loves them, and why it's his time to die.


No Safe Haven

No Safe Haven by James Lloyd Dulin

Anger will not be quenched by blood alone. The Missing, a rebel army that is little more than a rumor, may be Kaylo’s only path to exact his vengeance against the empire that claimed his home and killed his family. If it means a chance to balance the blood he owes, he will steal spirits and become the Missing’s tool, as long as they aim him in the right direction. Eighteen years later, a war is raging between factions for control of Ennea. With Tayen, Kaylo, and Nix caught in the middle of a power struggle—Kaylo will have to find a way to fulfill the promise he made to Tayen, Nix must face the consequences of her betrayal, and Tayen will have to choose between vengeance and her spirit. When blood is owed, virtues will be challenged.


Your Blood and Bones

Your Blood and Bones by J. Patricia Anderson

SFINCS

Kill the monsters when they’re found. No matter who they used to be. The girl with secret feathers in her skin and strange bones jutting out beneath her clothes is resigned to her fate. Her deformities mark her a monster and the stories say monsters must die. When her family finds out and turns on her, a village boy saves her and leads her on a frantic escape. The girl believes her death has merely been delayed—until he mentions a cure. With the world against them and the monstrous change progressing, they must cross water, forest, and field to chase the rumor that fuels their desperate hope. But is hope enough to keep them going?


Of Knights and Books and Falling In Love

Of Knights and Books and Falling In Love by Rita A. Rubin

Jayce has little memory of life before entering servitude to the Dark Lord, and no hope of ever escaping. Until he meets Alexius, the knight with a heart of gold. He offers Jayce, his enemy, a chance to break free of the Dark Lord's clutches, and Jayce is not about to let such an opportunity pass. When the war comes to an end, Jayce finds himself finally free, with Alexius's help, and surrounded by a new world of opportunity. And the prospect of a new love. The more time Jayce spends with Alexius, the more he finds himself falling for this knight in shining armour.


The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle

The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle by Steve Hugh Westenra

SPFBO10

Tyler Kyle doesn’t believe in monsters. A washed-up thirty-year-old actor and reluctant cryptid investigator, Tyler is used to playing the Scully to his best friend Josh’s Mulder on their stupidly popular YouTube channel. But when Tyler receives previously unseen footage of the B movie bombshell mother who abandoned him eighteen years ago—footage linked to an isolated island in the Canadian wilderness—the mystery is one conspiracy he’s determined to investigate. The fact that following the scent gives Tyler an excuse to run away from the “straight” Josh, whom he drunkenly made out with, is just the cherry on the shit sundae. But Echo Island isn’t what it seems. Its eerily scenic veneer hides a twisted secret buried in its roots as a gay conversion camp, and as Tyler retraces his mother’s footsteps, he discovers a supernatural connection between the residents and the island—one they seem to think Tyler and his mother share. Even worse, the footage of Tyler’s mom came from someone on the island–a stalker whose obsessive fascination with both Tyler and Josh is about to make Tyler wish he hadn’t gone this one alone. Puppeteered by his stalker, searching for his mother, and debating whether it’s possible to queerbait yourself, Tyler comes to realize that it doesn’t matter so much whether you believe in monsters, if they believe in you. THE ERSTWHILE TYLER KYLE is an adult horror comedy for fans of GHOST FILES, BUZZFEED UNSOLVED, and TWIN PEAKS.


The Forgotten Lyric

The Forgotten Lyric by Carolina Cruz

How can an assassin retire and live with everything they’ve done? Some men turn to drink, while others choose to live in denial. Kennet Peders, on the other hand, is just trying to be a better person. Saving a young girl from death by poison seems to be the perfect place to start, yet even as he takes a job that does nothing but good, Kennet can’t fully escape his past… With the supernatural ability to influence other people’s emotions, Asa never felt quite comfortable in the society they were raised in. Luckily, being a bard means they can easily leave that society to find a home somewhere new—and the country of Bladland is very new to them. Here Asa finds themself presented with an opportunity: use their influence to help save a young girl and befriend a mysterious (and handsome) sword-for-hire in the process. It’s an adventure they’d be a fool to pass up on. The Forgotten Lyric is the second book in the Creed of Gethin trilogy.


Fledgling

Fledgling by C.F. Welburn

When Balagir awakens at the fire with no recollection of his past, he discovers he is an ashen—a mysterious group of black-eyed vagabonds, addicted to the smoke they must pay the ghostly piper in exchange for power. With the help of the kalaqai (a sentient spark) and a band of nefarious companions, Balagir will have to traverse the northern wilds, cross seas and survive foreign wars if he is to discover the truth behind the Ashen Levels.


Unbury the Bones

Unbury the Bones by Coyote J.M. Edwards

Luck is NOT on their side. When a series of bizarre coincidences leaves a man bleeding out in an alleyway, the Ember Guard call on their secret weapon: a takeout-fueled nonbinary vampire and their werewolf partner who's more puppy than beast. Grim knows Embervein like they know their own skeleton — a little too well. They may have a knack for sorting out the arcane, but their freak ability to see every body's bony insides has left Grim hiding from the one thing they really crave. If they can’t learn to accept their unique talents — and the friendship of a good wolf — how will they be able solve this mystery before someone else gets hurt... or worse? The Ember Bones novellas feature an honest depiction of platonic intimacy, thrilling mysteries that won’t make you puke, and happy endings galore.


Ironsfork

Ironsfork by R. Lee Fryar

Nine years ago, the fire-breathing dwarf Dwyn Ardoche accidentally killed the man he loved the most, ran away from the man he trusted the most, and disappointed the god he feared the most. All he wants now is a place to hide from the hell he's made of his life. When he breaks the magical protections surrounding the derelict mountain of Ironsfork, he knows he's committing another crime. He doesn't have much choice. He's a Dragon, and when a Dragon catches fire, he can't be that choosy about location. He's been fouling magic for years and he's never been caught. This time someone is waiting for him. When the smoke clears, Dwyn is a prisoner and vigilante necromancer Nyssa Irons is sharpening her knife. It's personal. Nine years ago, this Dragon killed the man she loved and got away with a slap on the hand. Since then she has dreamed of revenge. Nyssa offers Dwyn a death by mercy or death by magic. Dwyn isn't afraid to die. Five-hundred years in the service of the God of the Dead could end at his trial as long as they end by his hand. But when Dwyn botches his own suicide, putting his faith on trial and his magic at the mercy of his enemies, he's got to live if he hopes to escape Ironsfork and get back in the good graces of an angry god. Now he's got a necromancer to murder, a mountain's worth of magic to fool, and his soul is on the line. If that wasn't bad enough, the mountain itself is trying to kill him, and he doesn't have the faintest idea why. The South forgot the Dragons and their magic centuries ago. Didn't it?


Flipping

Flipping by R. Lee Fryar

Charley Dalton died a homeless man. He’s not about to be a homeless ghost. When Charley’s haunted house passes into the hands of psychic house flipper, Austin Sparks, Charley promises himself and the ghosts he lives with that he’ll haunt overtime to get rid of the threat. Once people start pulling up carpets and tearing down walls, a haunted house is doomed. Charley devises a plan to scare Austin off for good. But Austin Sparks doesn’t scare easily. Worse, he’s sexy as hell, and soon Charley has a bigger problem than failed plans. He’s got the hots for the enemy. But forbidden romance isn’t part of a ghost’s happily-ever-afterlife.


The Devils' Crucible

The Devils' Crucible by Jacqueline Fellows

"Broken, shattered, empty husks driven by a whirlwind. The clans shall be riven from their heart and cast into the furnace. And this before the snows return." Three hundred years ago, the human race would have died out if not for a few who created and swore to abide by the Resolution, which bound the remnants together with a common purpose and gave them the tools to survive in a harsh land. Little by little, the clans grew and prospered despite innumerable disasters wrought by the relentless battering of talieth and vargoda. But now a new cataclysm approaches, one that will strain the very bonds the Resolution was meant to safeguard - and even salvation brings untold devastation.


Open Wound

Open Wound by Shane Blackheart

Continued from Everything Is Wonderful Now ... After the angel that threatened his life, Sean faced his frightening alter, Vexis, who haunted his dreams. With the help of Byleth, Zagan, and Darokin, he thinks his troubles are finally behind him. Little does he know that PTSD is a beast lying dormant in waiting to emerge. It ends up influencing everything, including the way he perceives reality. Vexis was the reason Sean remained in a trauma loop for so long, but something changes within them as they decide to finally work with him; they want to help him heal from trauma after years of prolonging it. Being a sadist who is unable to feel love, it results in a twisted and sexual masochistic relationship that Sean becomes addicted to. As Vexis takes Sean through various liminal space voids and dark memories — theirs included — they reveal that they are something much more frightening and ancient than an angel or a demon. Can Vexis really be trusted? Or are they opening Sean's wounds to let something sinister slip inside...


Scars of Fire

Scars of Fire by Raina Nightingale

BEFORE SHE CAN FACE THE NIGHTMARE AND SURVIVE, CAMILLA MUST FACE HER OWN FLAWS. Camilla’s goals are simple. Get her brother safe. Rescue her Mom. Destroy the Wizard-King. Even though everyone thinks the last two are impossible, she and Radiance know they can do it. She has already used the power of the Heartfire to do the impossible: free a dragon from undead slavery to the Nightmare. But doing so has changed her, in ways visible and invisible, and some of those changes terrify her. What does it mean to be herself when she is part of the Heartfire? So when Nelexi, a dragon god whose power comes from the Heartfire, appears in her life, all Camilla wants is to get away from her. But her desperate flight from the things she can’t face yet places her brother in danger and brings about an unexpected tragedy, forcing her to confront the ways in which she has violated her own values – or succumb to the Nightmare. Her own guilt could destroy her.


Dragon Latitudes

Dragon Latitudes by Amy Campbell

s a dragon-hunter, he never imagined he’d be the one hunted – until a recruit tossed him overboard to prove that he was no different from the dragons they were after. And just like that, Elazar’s life changed forever. Not for the better, by the way. Now, Elazar grapples with his new dragon identity while his former crewmates, led by his aunt, the airship captain, are hot on his tail. They’re ready to avenge him by taking down the beast they believe is responsible. You know, Elazar. Lucky for him, his best friend and the jerk who threw him overboard are ready to help navigate this mess. Together, they’re on a quest to discover the truth about Elazar’s past and the dragon world’s secrets. But it’s not that simple. They’re facing betrayal, treachery, and the Jade Empress’s wrath. And there’s a prophecy hanging over their heads. No pressure, right? It’s just a fate that could change history forever and kill everyone Elazar cares about. So if you’re up for an adventure that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat, join Elazar as he embraces his inner dragon and fights to protect those he loves. Because with the stakes this high, death isn’t just a possibility; it’s a looming threat.


A Necromancer Called Gam Gam

A Necromancer Called Gam Gam by Adam Holcombe

SFINCS

A grandmotherly necromancer seeking resolution for her past with the help of her loyal entourage: an undead cat and a spectral knight. A girl on the run from the Eternal Empire for the mysterious power she possesses. When a chance encounter pulls them together, Gam Gam will do what it takes to protect Mina from the rogue sergeant hounding her–including raising the dead. As long as they're dressed for the occasion.


Between the Birches: Awakening

Between the Birches: Awakening by K.P. Roberson

Between the Birches: Awakening is the first in a new adult, dark romance, folk horror series where magic is real, monsters exist, and nightmares come true. Beneath the hills of Western North Carolina lies an ancient evil, trapped for a millennium. There are many who seek to release it, and only two who can stop them... Newlyweds Beth and Tom Newman are headed to the Appalachian Mountains for a relaxing weekend with their best friend, Grady Cooper. When the trio arrives, they are unexpectedly met by some old friends. Beth’s excitement soon turns to dread when they end up running for their lives. Her twenty-fifth birthday turned out to be more memorable than she had hoped…in the worst of ways.


The Fires of Treason

The Fires of Treason by Michele Quirke

Princess Elizabeth has always idolized and supported her older brother, but when Greg is accused of treason and banished, her loyalty to him is tested in ways she never could've imagined. As she leaves her luxurious lifestyle behind to join him in exile, she must learn to cope with the everyday struggles of the working class, all while keeping her true identity a secret. Facing new hardships and the looming threat of execution, Elizabeth will need to toughen up if she has any chance of surviving outside the palace walls. Prince Gregory spent his entire life trying to prove himself worthy of the crown until his banishment releases him of all the pressures and obligations that have chained him down. Although he has no intention of raising an army to defend his birthright, he soon learns that not everyone is content to let him walk away from the throne. With his sister's safety and well-being to consider, Gregory must make a decision that will change both their lives forever.


Fair Haven

Fair Haven by Wendy Palmer

Stronghold Fair Haven by the Sea is a beacon in a sometimes harsh world, open to all and deliberately, stubbornly kind. It also holds the honour and responsibility of hosting an atelier, a workshop for the rare and highly-prized magical engineers known as Mancers. Hazel lives a comfortable, contented life in Stronghold Haven as a member of the team of elite bodyguards protecting the resident Mancer. But when another Mancer comes knocking on Haven's door to plead for refuge from the stronghold zhey've just escaped from, zhey bring a growing threat of invasion in zheir wake. Ash is disruptive to Hazel's peaceful routine in more ways than just that: to his own astonishment, he's hopelessly attracted to the prickly, secretive Mancer. This might be the start of something precious...or the end of everything he holds dear.


Dreama's Destiny

Dreama's Destiny by Jennifer Hines & Mindy Bigham

This is the first book in the Strangers of Darkness series. Dreama had ran from her past since she was fifteen, but it wasn't until after her twenty-third birthday she realized that her escape had been an allowed illusion. When things from her past circle around into her present she is forced with the realization that there was never anywhere she could have gone that would have kept her hidden from the man who had purchased her from her family eight years earlier. Everyone has their calling. For Dreama it was being a Scale, a witch who kept the balance between light and dark, good and evil. So discovering that Zane, the man who had swept her off her feet after a dared kiss that lit a fire deep within her, being a vampire, was not entirely a shock to her system, but the sudden return of her ex, Jake, was. Zane was a wealthy businessman and a vampire hybrid. He was content taking blood from unsuspecting strangers and the occasional one night stands. Until one night during a business meeting at a local club he was surprised by the lips of an enchanting woman who captivated his senses with her sweet vanilla taste. After that one kiss he knew he had to have her, to possess her. ***ADVISORY*** Dreama's Destiny (Strangers of Darkness ~ Book One) is a paranormal romance novel with explicit sexual content and adult language. 18+ Recommended.


Love in the Liner Notes

Love in the Liner Notes by Katta Kis

Two ex-boy band heartthrobs. A witchy sex educator. The love triangle no one expected. Cazzi has been in love with her childhood best friend Patrick since, well, forever. He’s the only one who gets her paganism, her passion for sex education, and knows what happened on the worst night of her life. But when she kissed him, it ruined their friendship. Now Patrick is back in her life—until his old bandmate throws a wrench in their relationship. Rohan is an ex-boy band heartthrob on his last bid for a comeback career. But this is jeopardized when Cazzi inspires him to leave his tempestuous girlfriend, causing a rift between Cazzi and Patrick in the process. Between the emotional fallout and work drama, Cazzi is duct-taping her mental health together with ritual, marijuana, and the brownies Rohan bakes for her. As Cazzi and Rohan grow unexpectedly close can their relationship survive when the machinations of his ex threaten to expose her biggest secret?


Natural Outlaws and Fractured Sovereignty

Natural Outlaws and Fractured Sovereignty by S.M. Pearce

A precarious royal court. Two thieves with everything to lose. Caught robbing the Governor’s mansion, Blythe is given a choice: steal the crown jewel of Ostrait’s greatest enemy, or her papa and friends all die. Forced undercover as a candidate in the Fletch King’s marital competition, she must survive the cut-throat court under the watchful eye of the Governor’s pet assassin. But how much of herself will this mission cost her? Kalen got her into this mess. And now they must keep their head down in the servants’ quarters, enduring their new superior’s brutality and confronted with the terrors of their past. It’s no longer as simple as crafting bombs and letting the fire do the work—there’s nowhere left to run, and his real talent seems to lie in screwing everything up. Can a martyr learn what it means to live? Can a coward learn what it means to fight? They’re only a pair of outcasts. Failures. Will the cruelties of court tear their friendship apart? Or can they salvage a future together in a world that doesn't want them? **This queerplatonic dark fantasy novel contains themes/subject matter intended for a mature audience.


Electron Spin

Electron Spin by Qualia Reed

Can a rock band save the universe? After surviving everything the galaxy could throw at her over half a million years, the android Esmerelda did the only thing that made sense to her. She stole a state of the art, experimental starship with her best friend, and started a rock band. Together, they began to travel around the galaxy creating art and music while trying to move on from their respective pasts. When a strange couple beg for asylum after a gig, Esmerelda feels the galaxy pulling her back into a life of violence once again. She'd sworn to herself that she'd never go back to her life as an assassin, but when events threaten her new chosen family, Esmerelda must do what it takes to keep the people she loves safe.


Query

Query by Zilla Novikov

City planner by day, tired climate activist by day off, aspiring writer Zilla Novikov’s query letters quickly devolve into a darkly funny exploration of her own psyche. As the rejections pile up, her novel blurbs and biographies grow increasingly unhinged, while Zilla discovers that the road to bestseller-dom is paved with neoliberal hellscapes.


Inheritances of Hunger

Inheritances of Hunger by Stella Lei

Over the course of five stories of unsettling, surreal intensity, Lei (who was a teen writer when this collection appeared) paints a harrowing portrait of girlhood and mother-daughter bonds.


Sleight

Sleight by Kirsten Kaschock

Sisters Lark and Clef have spent their lives honing their bodies for sleight, an interdisciplinary art form that combines elements of dance, architecture, acrobatics, and spoken word. After being estranged for several years, the sisters are reunited by a deceptive and ambitious sleight troupe director named West who needs the sisters' opposing approaches to the form—Lark is tormented and fragile, but a prodigy; Clef is driven to excel, but lacks the spark of artistic genius. When a disturbing mass murder makes national headlines, West seizes on the event as inspiration for his new performance, one that threatens to destroy the very artists performing it. In language that is at once unsettling and hypnotic, Sleight explores ideas of performance, gender, and family to ask, what is the role of art in the face of unthinkable tragedy?


Enkidu Is Dead and Not Dead / Enkidu está muerto y no lo está: An Origin Myth of Grief / Un mito de origen de la pesadumbre

Enkidu Is Dead and Not Dead / Enkidu está muerto y no lo está: An Origin Myth of Grief / Un mito de origen de la pesadumbre by Tucker Lieberman

In this bilingual collection of poems, inspired by the Epic of Gilgamesh, the king grieves the disappearance of his wild friend Enkidu. Each poem appears in English and Spanish, translated by the author. When you are not talking to me, I conjure you. When I lose my way between campfires, you are with me. When my body wastes away, you are in me. When I want to be somewhere else, you stalk me. A finalist in the 2020 Grayson Books Poetry Contest. En esta colección bilingüe de poemas, inspirada en la Epopeya de Gilgamesh, el rey llora la partida de Enkidu, su amigo bravío. Cada poema aparece en inglés y español, traducido por el autor. Cuando no hablas conmigo, te conjuro. Cuando pierdo el camino entre las hogueras, estás conmigo. Cuando mi cuerpo se desgasta, estás dentro de mí. Cuando quiero estar en otro lado, me acechas. Finalista del concurso de poesía de Grayson Books en 2020.


Homecoming Chaos

Homecoming Chaos by D. W. Brooks

Four years ago, Jamie left everything behind. Now she’s back to face her past, her family, and a killer. Jamie Scott had a seemingly perfect life: a loving fiancé, a promising career as a doctor, and a supportive family. But she canceled her wedding and turned down a cushy job offer, instead, running away to join a humanitarian mission abroad. But life brought her back to her hometown, and now she’s ready to face the consequences of her actions. What she doesn’t expect is to walk into a murder scene in the parking lot of her family’s business. She also doesn’t expect to encounter Detective Nick Marshall, the sexy and smart cop who is assigned to the case. He’s determined to find the truth, even with Jamie distracting him and interfering in the case. He’s also drawn to her like a moth to a flame, despite the constant chaos that seems to surround her.


Shadow of Hyperion

Shadow of Hyperion by JCM Berne

Rohan once served the Empire. At great cost, he earned his freedom, and has since sought nothing more than to finish his shift in peace and figure out where his love life is going. Then he receives a message from Earth, calling in a favor. A plea for the kind of help only The Griffin can provide. Reluctantly, he recalls his mentor. The man who taught him how to live with his cursed Power. A man who had been the galaxy’s greatest hope, before the il’Drach sent him to his death. What would Hyperion do?


Wreck's Wake

Wreck's Wake by Jof Croxford

Half a world away, beside the newly discovered continent of Southland, dwell the Sentinels, an archipelago of overgrown tropical islands brimming with gold. Amongst their rocky slopes fly the sails of traders, pirates and sealords all, none more feared than those stained threatening black. When Southland convict Wesley King and his family are finally pardoned after three hard years of toil, they delve into the islands’ embrace searching for a fabled treasure long lost. But the quest quickly transforms into a desperate struggle for survival when the Kings become ensnared in the region’s delicate web of piracy and treachery, where blood is repaid with blood, and a mysterious ship has resurfaced four years after it was wrecked.


Backmask

Backmask by O F Cieri

BACKMASK is written in the style of 60s horror pulp. Inspired by pop music history, BACKMASK is the fake history of a conspiracy theory surrounding the Satanic agenda to control children's minds. Nicholas Hush, 1960s record producer, has a vision for the future of pop music. After a series of prophetic dreams he wants to combine occult imagery with upcoming trends to create a new, groundbreaking look. His secretary, Valerie Chill, is tasked with finding consultants and funding while he crafts the perfect album. Quickly their project becomes entangled in other, larger machinations, and two teenage pop acts become responsible for international intrigue, brainwashing, and an occult massacre. Taking inspiration from the lives of Joe Meek, Phil Spector, and Timothy Leary, BACKMASK is a speculative look at how hidden messages got into pop music.


Lockdown Laureate

Lockdown Laureate by O F Cieri

A 22 tale collection, with 22 illustrations by Soren Häxan. Dark, introspective, grimy, urban, strange. “Like a puddle of blood in a back alley of New York City that whispers to you of what could have been via a static-slathered Bluetooth connection…”


Lord of Thundertown

Lord of Thundertown by O F Cieri

In the movies, Thundertown was depicted like a real town, with boundaries, Folk-run businesses, and a government. In real life, Thundertown was a block here or there, three businesses on the same side of the street, an unconnected sewer main, or a single abandoned building. When an epidemic of missing person cases is on the rise, the police refuse to act. Instead, Alex Delatorre goes to Thundertown for answers and finds clues leading to a new Lord trying to unite the population. No one has seen the Lord, and the closer Alex gets to him, the farther Alex gets from his path home.


ManuScrita: Poems on Life, Love, & the Nature of Reality

ManuScrita: Poems on Life, Love, & the Nature of Reality by Michael Teichberg

Embark on a transformative journey of introspection and wonder with "ManuScrita," a captivating award-winning poetry collection two decades in the making. Inspired by undergraduate studies in philosophy, comparative religion, Judaic studies, astronomy, and metaphysics, as well as encounters with eclectic music, movies, and conversations with strangers and friends, this collection offers a lifelong odyssey for reflection. Featuring poems composed during the Poet-in-Decadence Writer's Residence for O, Miami Poetry Month in 2016, alongside experimental formats, short free-form essays, and stream-of-consciousness exercises, "ManuScrita" offers an immersive experience that invites readers to delve into the depths of their own consciousness. Prepare to be transported, challenged, and moved by this debut publication, which celebrates life, love, and the nature of reality through a mystic's lens.


Last Train Home

Last Train Home by Sienna Eggler

Meike’s cozy train ride left them stranded in Glasend, a world where magic and man-eating plants are the norm. With their knowledge of botany and healing herbs, Meike aspires to become a reputable herbalist and mage. They make many friends along the way, including a quick-witted swordswoman, an axe wielding corgi, and other quirky characters. Later seasons explore magic and proper questing, and introduce monster taming. Updates weekly, on Thursdays!


Early Adopter

Early Adopter by Sienna Eggler

"But what if she doesn't want to be found?" Aided by their cybernetic eyes, private investigator Ryn Casler makes a living busting cheating spouses. While they’ll occasionally dabble in fraud and other typical cases, they don’t deal with the missing. Until the persistent Shae Winters, a police detective, approaches them about the disappearance of a young Black woman. Friction flies between detective and PI, as Shae insists on tagging along during the investigation. But as their search deepens and spills into the world of fantastical body mods, it becomes clear there’s more to this case than meets the eye.


Never Too Much

Never Too Much by Sienna Eggler

Romance was never a priority in Cyrille's life; her work on the local nature reserve came first. And compounded by her upbringing in a small town, finding a girlfriend seemed out of reach. "If it happens, it happens." But now that she's in her late 30's, Cyrille realizes it's better now than never. And a lot has changed over the last twenty years, leading to a steadily progressive attitude in town. A not yet out Cyrille braves a speed dating event, where she meets three potential partners: a childhood friend, a fellow park ranger, and a self-proclaimed "Goblin of the Forest." A hopeful Cyrille has one person in mind, but life is full of surprises. Never Too Much is a sapphic romance about an asexual lesbian navigating the dating scene, happy ending included.


The Wanderer

The Wanderer by Hutch

Who is the Wanderer? An enigmatic stranger on the run, forced to travel the land and its many self-governed towns, cities, and metropolises. Who or what is the Wanderer so desperate to evade, and why does he continue to find himself at the centre of other people's problems, compelled to help? From a terrible beast stalking the streets of a bizarre town, violent, sentient sandstorms and civil unrest looming on the horizon, in desperate need of aid, the Wanderer is reluctantly dragged into the midst of these events. Meanwhile, a major political shift dominates as the newly formed United Federation of Allied Settlements aims to usher in a brighter future. Before long, the Wanderer finds himself pulled back into a world he desperately tried to put behind him.


Queen of the Dawn

Queen of the Dawn by S.M. Gaither

"The light cannot always overcome the dark. But it can rise to meet it.” Against all odds, Casia Greythorne has survived battles with gods and monsters alike, and the most powerful crown in the Kethran Empire is now securely in her grasp. Yet a seemingly impossible task still looms: finding a way to rid her world of its darkest god so she actually has a future to rule over. The path to sealing that god away has been revealed, but to follow it will mean venturing into a deadly and strange new realm, facing old fears and enemies, and deciphering ancient magic that raises more questions than answers. Meanwhile, chaos continues to spread throughout the empires. Armies rise and fall. The bonds between allies begin to fray—and hope along with it. And with every bloody battle, the final cost of saving their world becomes clearer. Dawn is coming, but will Casia and her friends survive to see the new day?


At the Manor House

At the Manor House by E A Stoy

As a secret agent in a war between supernatural societies, Brand has made himself into an expert in social engineering and information gathering -- or, as some might put it, sexpionage. His world is upturned when a new handler back at the office takes an interest in him and pulls out all the stops to save him from a trivial lapse in intelligence. Intrigued, he resolves to learn more about what turns out to be a shy and withdrawn man in the Extraction department, whose blisteringly competent work persona is at odds with his awkwardness and inability to control his own elemental powers. Feeling that he owes this handler a favor, and with growing interest in this strange and quiet man, Brand takes him under his wing and swiftly develops a reason to come home at the end of a mission. Meanwhile, he's being sent back into the fray to seduce a dangerously skilled mage bred by an opposing society. It certainly appears that he'd prefer a clean break from his own organization, but will that be enough to flip him as an asset to Headquarters? A queer romance based on mutual respect and admiration.


Awakened Horror

Awakened Horror by Quill Holland

Actions have consequences. Could you live with yours? Although the Republic has rebuilt itself, Raith continues to struggle with the aftermath of the actions that thwarted the Empire — were his choices to defeat them justified? As he focuses on building a better life for his family, Raith can’t shake the nagging feeling of doubt that plagues his mind — is the Empire truly gone? Nothing is safe when a terrifying ancient evil resurfaces, and Raith is thrust into battle against himself and the horrific force that now threatens to destroy everything he holds dear. With the fate of millions on the line, Raith must confront his deepest fears — before it’s too late. If humanity is to have a future, all must set aside their differences. Only Raith can unite humankind against the monstrosity that threatens to consume them all, but can he do it in time? Or will the awakened horror annihilate everything?


Exile

Exile by AJ Calvin

Andrew grew up in the royal palace of Novania, the eldest son of the queen. He went on to achieve fame and glory as a renowned soldier, and was eventually named commander of the king’s army. The kingdom believed he would be named heir to the throne, but he has long known he is ineligible. The king is not his father. The truth of Andrew’s lineage is only partially known to the king; the identity of his father is a mystery that even Andrew is unaware of. He knows only that his father was a dragon-mage, and the dragons have fled to another world. Andrew is a skin-changer, but the laws of Novania forbid his very existence. If the king were to learn the truth of what he is, he would face execution. The laws are equally hostile to humans born with the Mark of the Magi and the ability to wield magic. Andrew’s younger half-brother, Alexander, bears the Mark. The pair keep one another’s secrets into adulthood…Until the king dies unexpectedly and Colin ascends the throne. When Alexander’s Mark is revealed for all to see, Andrew is faced with a choice: To watch his brother be killed, or reveal his true nature in an effort to save him from the headsman’s axe.


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