Suck Suck Suck by Brandt Scheidemantel

"Riveting, disturbing." "Deeply weird...very ticklish...the strangest thing I have ever read." "An odd collection...Scheidemantel can weave a story!" In this genre-bending debut short story collection, psychological horror gets a magical twist. A man makes a routine stop at the bank—and surfaces days later sucked dry of his identity. Faced with eviction, a babysitter trades her sin to a troll—but there’s a lustful catch. A breast cancer survivor awakens in the Devil’s sock drawer and runs like Hell. Two closeted young men find love—but a deranged murderer finds them, too. Suck Suck Suck is a surreal ride fueled by dark comedy, satire, and desperate longing.

Scrooged by the Mountain Man (Log Cabin Christmas) by Lilah Hart

She brought Christmas to his mountain cabin. He was determined to stay a Grinch forever. I show up at my Christmas cabin rental with a decorated tree, twelve boxes of vintage cards, and dreams of my big break at Wildwood Valley's festival. There's just one problem. The cabin isn't a rental. It's home to the grumpiest, most gorgeous mountain man I've ever seen, and he wants me gone. Chase Matthews doesn't do Christmas. Doesn't do joy. Doesn't do anything that remotely resembles holiday cheer. He lives alone in these mountains for a reason, and that reason is to avoid people like me—the kind who hum carols and believe in happy endings. But when the sheriff convinces him to let me stay, everything changes. Three days, he says. That's all I get. Three days in his cabin. Three days of stolen glances and simmering tension. Three days of discovering that beneath all that gruff exterior is a man who's been hurt, who's lost everything, who's convinced he doesn't deserve a second chance at happiness. I should keep my distance. Should focus on my business, my meetings with store buyers, my carefully planned future. Instead, I fall for him. Hard. Fast. Completely. But loving Chase means understanding his scars. It means accepting that Christmas—my favorite time of year—is the season that broke him. And when I push too hard, when I try to bring light into his darkness too soon, I might lose him forever. Unless he's brave enough to believe that some things are worth fighting for. That some people are worth the risk. That maybe, just maybe, this Christmas can be different. Because I'm not giving up on him. Not on us. Not on the possibility that a girl who loves everything about the holidays and a man who can't stand them might just be exactly what each other needs. Scrooged by the Mountain Man is an OTT age-gap holiday romance featuring an alpha hero and V-card heroine. It's a forced proximity holiday romance with lots of steam that's designed to be read in only 1 hour. It's part of the Log Cabin Christmas Multi-Author Series.

Forgotten Mountain Man by Sofia Aves

I've spent years hiding from a world that's best forgotten me. I'm a man who prefers the company of the wind to my own kind. Strangers are never welcome. When a woman who should never have crossed into my territory decides to set up house right on my doorstep, I'm forced to endure the calamity she brings with her. My existence is upended by a redhead tornado hellbent on destroying the peace I've garnered in the remotest corner of Montana. By the time I've accepted her changes in my life it's too late...I've fallen for the girl who dared poke the proverbial bear. But she's brought a secret to my mountains that means leaving my hidden corner of the world or risk losing everything I've found with the girl who healed me.

Her Feral Biker by Sofia Aves

I’ve never been one to stake my claim on a woman—until I meet the one who knocks me on my a** with a pretty smile and a mouthful of sass behind everyone’s back. Especially when this sweet thing isn’t afraid of me. Annalise Hampton is all the things a wholesome, small town girl is supposed to be: she’s pretty, she smiles a lot, she loves families, and she even has her own local business, a kid’s clothing shop. She’s nothing I should ever want, or ever touch. She was never made for me. Maybe that’s why I can’t keep my hands to myself around her. Maybe all the wholesome goodness is why I want to stain her with my brand of sin and make her mine. And the way she feels in my arms? Too f*cking good to deny. And everything is peachy, right up until I realize there’s someone else sniffing around her shop in the darkest hours. And she lets them in. I know that ink, and I know those marks. No way in hell am I letting someone else take what’s I’ve claimed. But then, that’s why I have brothers who will back me when I rain hell because someone dared touch the girl who belongs to me and mine. The Savage Kings MC isn’t just a club—it’s a brotherhood forged in blood, loyalty, and an unbreakable code. These men live by their own rules, protecting their territory and loved ones at all costs. Fierce. Possessive. Unyielding. In this scorching collection of standalone but interconnected romances, each Savage King faces his ultimate test—a love that threatens to unravel everything he thought he knew. From enemies-to-lovers showdowns to forbidden desires, and from runaway heroines to second-chance romances, these bikers don’t just take—they protect, defend, and fight for what’s theirs.

Puck Me Sideways by Sofia Aves

Working alongside the hottest hockey team is her dream-right up until the most droolworthy defender on the ice does the one thing that ruins all her fantasies. He notices her. Hallie Newman has spent the last four months at the home of the Jericho Chimeras pretending not to exist. After all, the curvy marketing graduate knows exactly what it feels like to have her heart broken by a pro hockey player, and stomped all over by a puck bunny WAG wannabe. But when she finds herself in Solace Hunter's sights he leaves her no room to escape. He's been watching her for longer than anyone knows. Because Hallie is his obsession. And just like his job as goalie for the Chimeras, Solace takes the protection of what he considers his seriously...and he's already claimed Hallie whether she knows it or not. PUCK ME SIDEWAYS is a standalone dark romance read in Sofia Aves' JERICHO CHIMERAS ICE HOCKEY SPORTS ROMANCE world.

Mountain Man’s Winter Wonder (Wildwood Valley Christmas Book 5) by Lilah Hart

She’s spent her life living for everyone else. He makes her wonder if she could finally choose herself. I’d spent my whole life living for everyone else. Since the age of twelve, I’d worked in my parents’ restaurant—trading proms for late-night shifts, friendships for endless obligations, and love for a future I never chose. At twenty-three, I was still stuck in their dream, not mine, pouring my heart into crafting snow globes that captured the kind of family and freedom I’d never have. Then came the Wildwood Valley Christmas Festival. One careless moment—a pack of kids knocking over my display—sent my carefully built world crashing in pieces across the frozen ground. And that’s when he appeared. Buck. A mountain man with steady hands, eyes warm as melted chocolate, and a quiet strength that made me feel seen for the very first time. He didn’t just help gather broken glass—he saw beauty in what was shattered. He saw me. Mountain Man's Winter Wonder is an OTT age-gap holiday romance featuring an alpha hero and V-card heroine. It's a forced proximity ex-military, lumberjack romance with lots of steam that's designed to be read in only 1 hour. If you like short, steamy instalove novellas, you’ll love the entire Wildwood Valley Christmas series!

Ghost: A Small Town Age Gap OTT Instalove Biker MC Steamy Short Romance (Steelwood MC Book 1) by Julia Stone

He stole her to save her. Now he can’t let her go. I found her by accident—just a glimpse during a job finished a few months back. One little discovery turned into an obsession. I told myself to forget her, but that was a lie I never stood a chance of keeping. When I learned her father planned to trade her to another club’s bastard, I couldn’t let it happen. So I took her. Now she’s here, hidden away in my world of smoke, leather, and scars. She looks at me like I’m her captor, and maybe I am. But I’m also her only chance. Every day she’s near, I lose another piece of the restraint I swore I’d keep. I can’t let her go—but I can’t let myself have her either. Because if I touch her, there’s no coming back from it. My whole life has been planned for me—every breath, every choice, every future moment dictated by my father. I never questioned it until Ghost tore me from that life and dropped me into his. He’s chaos made flesh—scarred, and dangerous—but somehow, he feels more honest than anyone I’ve ever known. He says he took me to protect me. Maybe that’s true. But the way he looks at me burns hotter than any lie. The longer I stay, the more I see the man beneath the rough edges—the protector, not the villain. Somewhere between fear and fascination, I start to fall. Ghost may have stolen my freedom... but he’s the first person who’s ever made me feel free. Each story in the Steelwood MC series is part of a shared storyline that is best enjoyed read in order. Each couple ends with a HFN ending that will result in their HEA by the end of the series!

Memories of Enaros Vol 1 by Astrid E. Abell

Memories of Enaros Volume 1 is a collection of short stories centering around the time Inarora Beservera, the protagonist of Inarora's Excursion, was a young child. Three of the short stories are from Kaedan's point of view and one is from Byron's point of view. Precious Protection Kaedan and his parents finally take the opportunity to lock out his soon-to-be ex-fiancée, Iris. However, they are not prepared to what lengths she will go to in order to remain in Kaedan and Inarora's lives. Babysitting with Fibro Kaedan and Xarlen leave Byron and Seri alone with the baby for the day for a court hearing. Unfortunately, both men discover babysitting isn't very easy when both of you are in a fibromyalgia flare. Kaedan's Injury The Second Rhanalanian War needs code breakers like Kaedan and his team. Unfortunately, that puts them directly on the front lines, forced to witness the atrocities of war. Even worse, they are targets themselves when Kaedan and his comrade, Xavier, break a code from the Patriot Defense Forces. Kaedan has to evacuate the Rhanalanian Defense Force headquarters, but what is the cost? Mela Súle It's Kaedan Beservera's first Mela Súle in a wheelchair and without his mother. With his father and grandfather both sick, this year's celebration will only be spent with his child, Inarora. As Kaeden worries he will disappoint his daughter, the two stumble upon a foreign family enjoying Mela Súle for the first time. It will be a memorable winter holiday season for all.

Percival Gynt and the Inevitability of Fire and Other Cases by Drew Melbourne

One day, the fate of the entire universe will rest in the hands of one man. A hero. An accountant. But Percival Gynt is neither of those things. Not yet. Collected here for the first time are the early adventures of Percival Gynt, a young man caught between his own dark past and an incandescent future. A future of starships and sorcery. Of monsters and mysteries. Of... um... card games and... conference calls? In this volume, you'll learn how Percival caught his first killer, toppled a despot, and saved Christmas. And YOU will guide Percival through his darkest day, as he seeks any path to escape... ...the inevitability of fire. Percival Gynt and the Inevitability of Fire and Other Cases presents eleven stories of maximalist space-fantasy, existential angst, comedy, adventure, and mystery in the 201st century, in this standalone prequel to the novel Percival Gynt and the Conspiracy of Days.

EXEQUIAL by Hannah Rebekah Graves

Don’t be late for your own funeral. An embittered soul ascends from the underworld to seek revenge on those who wronged her. (“The Dead Rise in Greece”) In an online forum, a tight-knit group takes their serial-killer infatuation to the next level. (“A (Potential) Ghost Story”) A corpse laments the loss of each falling petal. (“On Bodies and Bouquets”) Thirty encounters with ghosts, cursed books, incriminating VHS tapes, entities from the skies, and questions that are best left unasked.

The Secret of Plants in the ENVIRONMENT by Rishikesh Upadhyay

Plants are sessile organisms that are unable to move but face the challenge of ever-changing or adverse environments. The study of the development of environmental changes in tolerant plants is fundamental for the maintenance and streamlining of high crop yields and plant adaptation in natural environments. The identification of genes that lead to changes or stress tolerance is urgently needed for the growth and development of plants in their natural environment. The Secret of Plants in the ENVIRONMENT addresses environmental concerns such as the different types of stress situations and plant adaptation to changing environments, including the positive and negative effects of stress on the growth of crops, the beginning stages of plant life cycles, and plant output. This book seeks to discuss the impact of environmental changes or stress on plant life, environmental stress physiology, and adaptation mechanisms. It highlights the impact of environmental stresses on plants and crops under changing environments and gives a comprehensive overview of how plants respond to such environments. In addition, it serves as a helpful guide to the students of BSc, MSc and to all professionals engaged in teaching and research on environmental-related subjects. It dwells on some important aspects of environmental change or stress as the main issue affecting the survival of plants at the early stages of their life cycle. Hence, the author hopes that both early-career scientists and research scholars interested in pursuing environmental science to an advanced stage would also benefit from the important information discussed in this book.

Stress in Plants: The Hidden Half by Rishikesh Upadhyay

This book, in a comprehensive manner, provides an overview of the challenges of increasing crop or agricultural productivity to meet the demands of a growing population, linking descriptions of physiological, ecological, biochemical and molecular activity in plants with their tolerance and adaptation to natural environments. In the case of plants, a stress is an adverse condition or substance that affects or blocks a plant’s metabolism, growth, or development. The threat to productivity in crops and agriculture due to these stresses cannot be overstated, nor overlooked, especially in light of climate change. The information covered in this book will be helpful in building strategies to counter the impact of stress on plants. The book also provides an overview of the essential disciplines required for sustainable crop and agricultural production for policymakers, scientists, academics, and students of plant science, agricultural science, environmental science, biochemistry, biotechnology, and related areas.

The Life of Plants in a Changing Environment by Rishikesh Upadhyay

Plants experience stress due to environmental changes, either in biotic or abiotic form, during their life cycle. Non-heritable modifications in morphological, physiological or biochemical characteristics tend to reduce or decrease growth and productivity, and sometimes lead to death. This book presents an exhaustive overview of the specific effects and modifications that could occur in this regard, and will serve to consolidate the ideas to promote standardization of plant adaptation to these changes in the environment. This book returns to the facts of both biotic and abiotic stress, detailing an essential aspect of plant life in the context of stress response. The text is a comprehensive, current reference that effectively addresses issues and concerns related to plant stress in natural environments. Although many reference books about abiotic stress and other environmental stresses have been published, they all exist in relative isolation from one another, covering only one specific topic. This book is, rather, a comprehensive review of all aspects of the responses of plants to changes in the environment.

Plant Heavy Metal Stress by Rishikesh Upadhyay

Increase in environmental pollution as well as contamination of water by heavy metals, associated with plants and other food products due to increase in human anthropogenic activities, has resulted in damages to natural resources. Plants, be aquatic or submerged ones, are the best indicators of such unseen killers, and as such develop tolerance to such metabolically toxic pollutants, including heavy metals. Aquatic ecosystem is susceptible to such pollution, precisely because of different effluents draining off finally to some water bodies that subject the flora of that system to encountering toxic substances. Screening followed by the proper monitoring of the impacts of these heavy metals is very important. Therefore, approaches to develop plants with reduced heavy metal uptake are important. "Plant Heavy Metal Stress" aims at giving an overview of the most important basic aspects of physiological and biochemical basis for such contamination, toxicity and tolerance in widely grown aquatic model plants. The book is expected to serve as a reference to researchers and students of plant sciences and environmental stress.

A Machine for Hugs by Galen Gower

A Machine for Hugs is a collection of tales embracing the everyday strangeness of being alive. These stories explore forgotten avenues and dark corners too weird to ignore. A lone gravedigger’s life hangs in the balance between insanity and damnation... A pair of erstwhile goldminers unlock a horrible secret on their trip home to Kansas... A lonely boy creates a machine for hugs and learns some of life’s hard truths... ...and more. All this and more waits for you in this fifteen-story odyssey from Galen Gower, a writer whose imagination is only surpassed by his willingness to explore absurdity and fantastical new themes with a keen eye regarding the human condition.

Artifice & Access by Ella T. Holmes, Ashley N.Y. Sheesley, M. Stevenson, Lynne Sargent, Kara Siert, Adie Hart, Harper Kinsley, Natalie Kelda, Rascal Hartley, Casper E. Falls, Zira MacFarlane, Tam Ayers, Elior Haley, Rory G.

It’s long been acknowledged that disability representation is lacking in the fantasy genre landscape, so in this cozy anthology, fourteen writers from around the globe come together to bring you wonderful fantasy stories centering disabled and chronically ill characters. Teeming with magic, otherworldly creatures, discoveries, and journeys, every story is as thrilling and fascinating as it is passionate and meaningful. Worlds are discovered, lives are changed, and swords are drawn. Disabled and chronically ill characters go questing, fighting dragons, healing, and enacting strange magics. Familiar fairy tales are reimagined, and new fairytales are forged, with each story shattering stereotypes and challenging traditional narratives. Come see yourself reflected—or discover something new. Stories included: One Cream, Five Sugars by Harper Kinsley A Witch's Tale by Rascal Hartley Use Your Words by Zira MacFarlane The Changeling of Brushby by Natalie Kelda To Make Her Eat by M. Stevenson Hope, Be It Never So Faint by Ashley N. Y. Sheesley A Night For Mischief by Elior Haley Lessons in Botany by Casper E. Falls Stroke of Midnight, Shoes of Glass by Adie Hart In Another World, I Twist The Knife by Rory G The Knife That Makes The Cut by Lynne Sargent Angharad ferch Truniaw by Tam Ayers The Girl & The Gum-riddle by Ella T Holmes City of the Sun by Kara Siert

The Tales of Blended Magic: A Short Story Collection by E.R. Munley and Ruth Sanger

They learned the price of broken magic. They worked to mend the severed magic. Then, they fought to balance magic. But that wasn’t the entire story... From the authors of The Statera Cycle comes a collection of twelve short stories. Revisit with your favorite characters and learn what happened outside of their quest to rebuild the ancient staff of power.

Letters to Satan by G Eilsel

The One Handed Holidays: Crossed Swords Edition Series - Christmas Novella Just when things in Hell are starting to get boring, The Lucifer receives another of these blasted letters... the candy-striped, smiley-faced, hopeful letters of humans. Only these letters aren't intended for him, and he's tired of reading about the silly Christmas wishes of mankind. The best solution is the most obvious one: go to the North Pole, and demand Santa do something about it. Only things don't... quite... work out the way he's imagining. Lucifer's riled up and ready to put Santa in his place, but the tall, dark, and somber man who greets him at the workshop door isn't a man that can be bossed around, and he's quick to put Lucifer in his place. Only Lucifer isn't so easily dissuaded, and soon, he's causing chaos right underneath Santa's nose. It quickly becomes a game of cat and mouse, until they're no longer Lucifer and Santa, but Damien and Niklaus, and what's happening between them is a lot more complicated than either of them could ever have expected. Author's Note: This is an 18+ erotic novella based loosely on holiday themes. Read accordingly.

Digital Extremities by Adam Bassett

A collection of eight stories, Digital Extremities shines a spotlight on ordinary people in a callous yet hopeful future. Set across small towns and remote islands, where neon flickers against old buildings and oaks, this collection paints a unique view of a traditionally cyberpunk setting. In 2089, a woman miscarries and seeks a way to find peace amidst overwhelming grief. Years later, a young man must find a way to pay rent outside of his job at the glassblowing studio. A pair of students, excited to go to college, install new hardware that promises to improve their cognitive functions. A private investigator searches for a missing child who has a reputation for embarking on risky adventures. Each tale is shaped by love, loss, and perseverance, weaving a vision of life outside of the megacities.

Caught by I.V. Shady

She didn’t expect a quiet night with a steamy chapter to turn into something more. Curled up with her favorite spicy read, she lets the story sweep her away—heat building, heartbeat racing, and self-love taking center stage. It’s her moment, and she intends to savor every second. But just as fantasy begins to blur with feeling, unexpected footsteps shift the mood. Her partner arrives—and he's brought company. What follows is anything but ordinary... and she’s about to find out that some plot twists can’t be written. Only lived.

Bound by I.V. Shady

Surrender was never the plan… but it’s definitely part of the game. You’ve let me tie the knots, but we both know who taught me how. Tonight, you're mine—every smirk, every breath, every twitch I see. Follow my voice, stay still... pretend I'm the one in charge. And when you're ready to flip the script? Well, I already know I’ve earned it.

Spinning Out of Control by KL Hill

Lucas Adler has dedicated years to climbing the ranks and becoming the club's top Enforcer of the Rebel Kings Brotherhood Motorcycle Club and the right hand to the Sergeant at Arms. But, despite the status, power, and respect the club affords him, there’s one important thing missing. The one thing that would make all the blood, sweat, and tears spilled worth it. The one thing he let slip right through his fingers. And now, after all these years, he’s going to do everything in his power to get her back and never let her go. Callie Hansen is powerful in her own right as she uses her body not only for pleasure but for information. Working beside the Dominatrix, Tasha, inside the sexiest club, Masquerave, a place where secrets and desires intertwine, has given her the freedom she’s always wanted. Now, even behind the safety of her mask, Callie is forced to confront her past and the one person she never thought she'd see again. Because if she lets him see one crack in her carefully constructed facade, he’ll shatter it and her heart along with it. She’ll need to use every trick up her sleeve to ensure that it doesn’t happen…again.

Stay Magical! by Claris Lam

Stay Magical!'s collection of short stories reflects on what it means to be a magical girl, the tough sides of being a magical girl, and what happens when you're no longer defeating bad guys in costume every week. Inspired by magical girl shows and media including Sailor Moon, Ojamajo Doremi, and Life After Magic, Stay Magical! is the remedy to any magical girl fan wanting more books in the genre!

Tales From Cemetery by C. J. Daley

Author C. J. Daley welcomes you to Cemetery. Whether this is your first trip, or your return to town, get ready for ten blood-fueled nightmares. Read the stories Hudson Valley residents tell around campfires about Cemetery’s dark underbelly. While the police chase serial killers, the streets run rampant with occult, paranormal, and supernatural beings. And while on the surface these stories tell the lore of the town, don’t be surprised if you make some connections between them... Be prepared to experience an unhinged killer clown, a blood thirty monster in the woods, sinister killer phone calls, vampires with hidden pasts, star-crossed ghost lovers, seances gone awry, a flesh hungry zombie, confinement in a basement, two best friends tackling a haunted mansion, and a shapeshifting woodland spirit. Buy now and be the first to read the next official part in Det. Williams’ story in the bonus novelette, Off with their Sleds. Praise for BestGhost: “This is such a delightfully spooky treat that's perfect for the fall!” – Helen Power, author of PHANTOM and THE GHOSTS OF THORWALD PLACE “A quick and spooky read from someone who knows exactly what they're doing.” – Mark Towse, author of THE SOUND OF SUFFERING and NANA “I read this at night and damn near had my heart jump from my body.” – Ashley Brennan, FANFIADDICT.com

Speculative Shorts: Stories that fell out of my brain by Cait Gordon

From the award-winning author of Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space... A nonbinary Alice accidentally enters their own clubbing wonderland because of a smiley app and Bong Guy. An autistic writing instructor who hates ABA but loves ABBA becomes an unexpected hero. A "silent" mermaid-siren noted for keeping the sea safe from poachers is guided to a Lander who might not be like the others. A disabled space pilot couriers precious cargo for the Network while trying to evade the eugenics-based brigade who wants to keep people like her "safe at home." A descendant of Frankenstein's monster is having her sweet sixteen party, but her mother's gift stops the teen in her rollators tracks. Explore these stories and more in this collection of fifteen tales of queer life, disability, romance, power, defiance, and resilience. Advanced praise: "Cait Gordon writes with infectious joy and energy, and with a sense of humour that is never far from the surface even in the darkest moments." Kate Heartfield, Prix Aurora Award-winning author of The Embroidered Book "Speculative Shorts is a fun, delicious taste of the range of Cait's spice-rack of writing skills, and she blends together those elements incredibly.” Derek Newman-Stille, Prix Aurora Award winner of the digital humanities hub, Speculating Canada

Bite Sized Fiction by Robbie Sheerin

This collection features five sci-fi stories, from cops hunting humanoid robots in Blade Runners 2039, to the shocking truth behind the Titanic in Ships Colliding in the Night. In Defrosting H.G. Wells, the legendary author is thrust 200 years into the future, awakening on a human-colonized planet—and questioning what became of Earth and its inhabitants. The other five tales explore the intricacies of the human mind and heart: aging parents, childhood trauma, and mental health. A daughter is haunted by her controlling mother in Just Ignore Me. In The Incredible Broken Mind, a retired naval officer recalls the Black Plague with incredible detail, but not everything is what it appears. Concerns and Sandcastles captures a child's quiet worry about his parents’ love, while What Dangers Lay Beyond That Barrier of Mahogany Wood delves into the isolated world of a man battling agoraphobia. Award-winning writer Robbie Sheerin weaves humor, pathos, and surprise into every story—each one a twist-filled journey through imagination and emotion.

Tales From Another Dimension by Robbie Sheerin

Tales from another dimension is a strange and fantastical collection of ten short stories. Robbie Sheerin is inspired by classic Sci-fi, invoking nightmarish twists and turns with each story. Travel to another dimension and meet strange characters, sometimes human, and at times not so human. They will make you question the solidity of the earth and mankind. Explore prejudice, fear, imagination, kindness, empathy, and human frailty.

Gallery of Nightmares: Lost by Doug Hoppes

He dies. He lives. Then he dies again—six times, in fact, and each time is a living nightmare that he can’t remember. Jonathan inherits the Gallery of Nightmares and thinks that he has finally found a home… at least until the paintings in the Shadow Nook break him. His family and past may be the only thing that saves him from the mysterious shadow people. *Six young adult illustrated dark fantasy short stories of horror that are NOT ultra-violent, gory, or sexually explicit—just nightmare fuel for the imagination.

Blood Ties: A Collection of Three Covenant of Blood Shorts by J.S. Living

Liz is trapped in a mind prison. Dmitri wants to marry the girl of his dreams. Angelo wants to keep his research from being destroyed. Blood Ties is a companion collection to The Covenant of Blood, and answers questions like how Liz came to exist in Elizabeth Bathory Tepes's subconscious; how Dmitri became the PI; and why Angelo agreed to a marriage he didn't want. If you loved The Covenant of Blood, this short story collection will be a perfect addition to your library.

Last Sunrise by Tar Atore

When the constant war between the two nations reaches the doorsteps of the Crescent Moon Pavilion, Sinialli’s life is turned completely around and she is left with nothing but memories of better times. She prays for release and to join her family, to become one with them, but the gods have other plans. With the scents of magic surrounding her and guiding her, Sinialli knows what she has to do. She knows this would be the last sunset she would ever see, if she ever even makes it to sunrise. And she knows, as the best courtesan in all of Trace, what it would take to make sure she and her family would be remembered forever.

Zombie Blues by Dorothy Emry

Apocalypse got you down? Lines at the supermarket and rush hour traffic might be non-existent, but avoiding those pesky, flesh-eating undead can sure be a hassle. Find out what others are doing to cope with the zombie blues in nine short stories with a slightly quirky look at life in the apocalypse. A disgraced psychologist observes and records holiday shoppers' increasingly disturbing behavior in "Stress of the Season.” A horror film actress finds her true calling after the walking dead become a reality in "Diary of a Professional Screamer." An undead socialite refuses to give up being chic, though it may be harder to get reservations at the more fashionable restaurants in "And Her Little Dog, Too." A Chicago bluesman carries an axe of another kind in "Jasper Wills and the Zombie Blues."

Where Do The Dead End Up? by Priyanka Nawathe

Six stories to chill your spine and three poems to keep you enthralled to the words written for the dead. Tales from beyond the veil of darkness will draw you into their world as journeys never end with death, but simply begin a new chapter. WICKED HEARTS Dive into a magical journey with Sandi Terise who has made killing the Wicked Witch of the Waste her sole purpose in life. KILLJOY Spend a day in the life of Mercy Dramond, a psychiatrist who savors every moment of her work life. HEAL BOY, HEAL! A premed intern faces the biggest challenge towards becoming a Healer. I SCREAM FOR ALIVESTREAM Ghosts of children return to celebrate their anniversary with the chef who baked them pies. MONSTROUS METAMORPHOSIS Mystiq comes face to face with a monster who wants to use her powers to break the barrier between humanity and monstrosity in order to bring someone back from the brink of death. COMING TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET Reaper visits the mausoleum awaiting a special gift to satisfy the twins who rule all Hell. These stories are a preview into six different book series.

Space, Collisions by L. N. Holmes

"Three perfectly paced and elegantly written stories that leave the reader breathless and pensive at once." —Meredith Allison, author of Blood & Whiskey "L. N. Holmes has a talented pen and a great imagination. . . ." —Renwick Berchild, Nothing In Particular Book Review SPACE, COLLISIONS is a micro-chapbook containing three brief stories. In "When Continents Collide," a man waits on the shores of the Outer Banks for the collision of the North American and African continents. "Trace" focuses on the intimate secrets shared between one pining woman and her self-destructing lover. In "Spacefall," two scientists take a break from work to drive to the countryside and bask in their friendship. Each installment in this short collection offers motifs of physical distance and intimate connection. Overall, the stories emphasize the common longing to overcome the space that divides. SPACE, COLLISIONS is part of the 2018 Summer Micro-Chapbook Series at Ghost City Press.

Concurrent Earths by Gail Brown

Explore worlds, not quite as you know them. Alternative Earths, or human-like beings on other planets. Other times, history has changed. A forgotten past. An unreached future. A dream of places that may, or may not, be. Various short stories that stir the soul, and grasp at long forgotten details, which beg to be heard again. Concurrent Earths contains 40 short stories of Earth, or almost Earth, that may, or may not, exist. These stories reach to us across the stars. They share a thought, a dream, or a hope. Stories that touch the heart and soul. Whether a single individual, a community, or a society, each story delves into specific situations, and how they might benefit society. Or, how they might go wrong. Very wrong.

Queeird: A Collection of Unusual Trans Masculine Erotica (2023) by Max Turner

Androids and aliens, werewolves and vampires, furries and… tentacles? Queeird is a collection of unusual, and at times monstrous, erotic short stories featuring trans masculine characters. From the ridiculous to the romantic, expect kinks, quirks and tropes. All the stories feature trans masculine main characters, with a variety of cis, trans female, trans male and non-binary lovers.

If Only You Had Stayed by C. P. Ashton

Sarcastic. Scarred. Stuck. Charlie Foster is a disaster. Just ask her therapist. After high school, Charlie loaded what little she owned into her car, ripped off the proverbial rear view mirror, and drove out west with her angsty punk music blaring as loud as the speakers could handle. The falling out with her best friend, Skylar, right before graduation still haunts her ten years later. Now Charlie’s back in town for their high school reunion searching for answers, closure, and one last shot at Skylar’s heart. But Skylar may have moved on long ago—for better or worse. If Only You Had Stayed explores shattered first loves, fumbled second chances, and the inescapable external forces that shape a life.

Let Them Float by Katy Wimhurst

In these short stories, Katy Wimhurst creates off-kilter worlds that illuminate our own. Apocalyptic rabbits invade a town. People overwhelmed by their lives float above an urban park. A woman turns transparent after a virus. The playful lens of magical realism is used to explore physical and mental illness and our fragile environment. Thought-provoking fiction with a good dose of whimsy.

Snapshots of the Apocalypse by Katy Wimhurst

In these dark, witty short stories, Katy Wimhurst creates off-kilter worlds which illuminate our own. Here, knitting might cancel Armageddon. A winged being yearns to be an archaeologist. Readers are sucked into a post-apocalyptic London where the different rains are named after former politicians. An enchanted garden grows in a rented flat. Magical realism meets dystopia, with a refreshing twist.

An Orchid in My Belly Button by Katy Wimhurst

Offbeat short stories that explore our fragile world These stories savour the surreal, flirt with magical realism, dabble with dystopia. A boy sees the ghosts of dead crabs. A girl with a fox tail is bullied. A disenchanted woman sprouts orchids from her belly button. Fashion models pursue the trend of having plants as hair. Electronic goods amassing all over London herald an apocalypse. Darkness and wonder, the strange and the ordinary, interweave to offer an environmental and social portrait of our times. Guaranteed to evoke a response, whether a giggle, a gasp, or a nervous gulp, these stories will stay with you, enriching your perception of the world. Surreal, absurdist, magical realist; Katy Wimhurst writes speculative fiction that meditates on our reality. Although bleak themes are examined – dystopian futures, the climate crisis, bullying – a quirky imagination and wry humour lift the tales above the ‘realm of grim’.

The Hidden by D. Ann Hall

How will she survive… Kidnapped, tortured, amnesiac and on the brink of death. This will not be pretty!

Elysian Iris by Thanos Papathanassiou

¨T h e c h a l l e n g e a n d t h e b e t¨ Contents: 6 large-scale historical dramata of olden times; 3 petite stories, 1 petite theatrical play; 20 laconical miniatures, 8 poetical creations; 1 paraphilosophical portrait upon certain concepts; 1 quite extensive gnomicologion. Language-character: Language strikingly sophisticated [miles away from standard English]: of the so many peculiar and diversifying elements, the core- and leader-component being constituting the blatant presency of the participle [in various verb-tenses, statical (punctual, etc.), progressive (durative, continuative, iterative, etc.), primary, secondary (accessory, complementary, satellitary, subsidiary, etc.)]; apart from the current language, another 9 being encountered along the way [author's own artificial language, Latin, French, German, Spanish, Ancient Greek, old Modern Greek, Modern Greek, Italian]. Readers's rating: 5-stars and 10/10 [read. rat. of former indiv. books]. Film-making potentiality: most of the works well suited to filming. Elysian Iris by Thanos Papathanassiou is a masterpiece that will captivate readers who crave a rich, immersive experience that weaves together the threads of history, romance, and philosophy, transporting them to a world of timeless beauty and profound introspection.

My Journey as an Author by M. C. Ryder

I've always been a writer. My dream was to one day become a published author. That dream came true in October 2022. The dream was only the beginning as I had my work cut out for me. A published book does not sell overnight. There are many highs and many lows. I entered a world that I had no experience in. Choose the freedom of becoming an indie author, without a network. I had to build one from the ground up. A daunting task. The world is not what it used to be. Everything now is digitalized. It can be hard to recognize what is legit and what is a scam. It's a cutthroat business. Crafting stories was actually, believe it or not, the easy part. Follow my journey as I share the things that I learned during the course of a year as an indie author.

Journey Home by May Barros

Amara e Luiza are two witches in a queerplatonic relationship. When Luiza decides to embark on a journey throught the galaxy in search for the lost fortress of Laura, the Dragon Queen, she ends up finding more than she bargained for, while Amara follows her footsteps hoping it’s not too late.

Broken Promise by Jade Marshall

Wesley Blake is my brother's best friend. He has been a part of my life longer than I can remember. He’s seen it scrapped knees, birthday parties, and the worst moment in my life. But I’m just a little sister to him. To me, he is so much more. He is all I have ever wanted. I have never even considered anyone else. But now that I am older, it’s time for me to make a decision. Do I continue to wait for a man that doesn’t want me? Or is it time for me to grow up? Maybe it’s time for me to leave Severn and everyone I know in the rearview mirror.

Christmas Carols (Tales from the Maximeverse) by Maxime Jaz

Five gay Christmas short stories of love found, when all hope has been given up. When the shards of broken hearts bleed the soul dry. When pleasure laces with pain. When there's darkness dancing with the Christmas lights. When men who have given up on love might just get it as a gift. A standalone short stories collection.

Thin Slices: A Collection of Horror Flash Fiction by Melody E. McIntyre

Welcome to Thin Slices, the debut collection from Melody E. McIntyre, writer of short, dark fiction. With over 90 stories, all less than 1000 words apiece, this little book is bursting with scares. Melody drew her inspiration from history, mythology, science fiction, monsters, ghosts, and secret places only accessible by night. These stories may be tiny, but the terrors they invoke are anything but.

Tales of the Navigators: Strange Space Short Stories Volume 1 by Katie Silverwings

The Strange is calling you… The world of Strange Space™ is full of stories of all sizes. This first collected volume of Katie Silverwings’ Strange Space™ Short Stories includes ten tales from the lives of the enigmatic Florivans and their human Astral Navigator Counterparts: Sleeping Beauties A Conspiracy of Fluff Aliens at a Tiki Bar An Interlude of Colors A Mystery, Unsolved The Ones who Wear White Hats The View From a Distance Fox in the Cave Rooftops and Space Whales The Tragedy of Harold the Violet These tales of adventure, friendship, and family are all set in the world of Silverwings’ award-winning Strange Space™ Adventures series, where people are accepted for who they are and anything is possible.

Asteria by David Collins

With the Earth on the brink of complete annihilation, Carla joins a group of engineers and builder-robots in a race to complete the lunar colony of Asteria. Unwittingly, she unveils a dark secret that threatens not only to cause yet more civil unrest and test the morals of society back on Earth, but also threatens the continuation of the human species itself. Set in the year 2069 where the world is ravaged by wars, famine and disease, and ruled by a psychopathic tyrant; can a small group of engineers and scientists pull the Earth back from the brink to ensure the continuation of the human race?

The Moon's Crimson Valleys by R.I. Károly

Clara used to say the weirdest things. But when she compares her engagement ring to the moon carved with beautiful crimson valleys, Bill starts to suspect that there is something more to her words. After he discovers that she has a rare condition and urges her to undergo surgery, their lives seem to return to their normal flow. But despite his care and selfless aid in her recovery, he is left baffled by the woman Clara is turning into. Disconnected yet reckless, he fears what she would do if left to her own devices. An accident that results in not only the injury of Clara’s hand, but the ruin of her wedding dress finally opens his eyes. He must never leave her alone.

The God Sun by Alan K. Dell

The ISF Althaemenes was the first of its kind. A spacecraft capable of travelling the vast distances to other stars. But on its maiden voyage to Proxima Centauri, all contact was lost and its crew never returned. Four years later, the United Earth Confederacy received the ship’s distress signal. Captain Helene Cross and the crew of the ISF Apemosyne are sent to determine what happened, and if possible, rescue the wayward explorers. However, there is no response from the crew and the mystery deepens when scans show that the supposedly stranded vessel is in full working order, leaving Helene and her team no other choice but to board and investigate. Soon, a maddening presence begins to stalk their minds, influencing their actions, threatening their very survival. The crew of the Apemosyne must discover the source of the madness and put an end to it if they are to have any hope of escape.