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Adventures in Bodily Autonomy: Exploring Reproductive Rights in Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Horror by Nisi Shawl, Elizabeth Bear, Annalee Newitz, Ellen Klages, Cecilia Tan, Jaymee Goh, Raven Belasco, Kathleen Alcalá, Tara Campbell, Cynthia Gralla, K Ibura, Helena MarĂa Viramontes, Sonya Taaffe, Anya De Niro The fourteen tales in Adventures in Bodily Autonomy flow across alternate universes and through space and time to consider the issues of reproductive justice through a fresh perspectives. There is an adventure here for everyone. An astronaut on her way to Mars discovers she’s pregnant — can she keep her baby? Bee-like entities try to force a human to be their queen. In1930s Philly, a vampire offers a novel form of birth control. From a ghost, lessons learned too late. Women who cannot find a comfortable fit in their mythic realities. Future worlds where reproductive choices are different, but individual choice and external battles for that choice are just as real. Adventures in Bodily Autonomy will be released on October 16th, 2023, a date important in the history of women’s healthcare rights. On October 16, 1916, in Brooklyn, New York, Margaret Sanger opened the country’s first birth control clinic. Just nine days later police shut down the clinic, and Sanger served 30 days in prison. For over 50 years, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America) has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels — including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and postpartum care, and paid family leave—for every body. Authors include Kathleen Alcalá ~ Elizabeth Bear ~ Raven Belasco ~ Tara Campbell ~ Anya De Niro ~ Jaymee Goh ~ Cynthia Gralla ~ K Ibura ~ Ellen Klages Annalee Newitz ~ Nisi Shawl ~ Sonya Taaffe ~ Cecilia Tan ~ Helena MarĂa Viramontes One hundred percent of the royalties of Adventures in Bodily Autonomy are being donated to Reproductive Freedom for All to help them continue their vital fight for women’s bodily autonomy and basic human rights. “So satisfying to read a volume of new speculative fiction stories centered on women’s experience, women’s lives, women’s choices! You’ll find a pleasurable variety here: hard sf, fantasy, ghosts, vampires, horror, sweet lyricism and steel-edged noir — stories from well-known names, and stories from writers you've never encountered before. I guarantee that at least one story in this volume will make you punch the air in triumph, and another will work its way into your dreams, and not let go.” —Elizabeth Lynn, World Fantasy Award Winner “This anthology will be a breath of fresh air ins the ongoing fight for the right of women to control and make decisions about their own bodies.” —Chinelo Onwualu, author of “What The Dead Man Said” “Adventures in Bodily Autonomy is a fresh and bold collection. In our current political climate, these stories and imaginings are desperately needed.” —Myriam Gurba, author of Mean |
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Blood Triad is a must-read for fans of vampire fiction and historical fantasy, especially those who value meticulously researched narratives that deliver immersive world-building, nuanced character dynamics and diverse perspectives, and thought-provoking explorations of love and resilience. — Booklife by Publisher's Weekly Blood Triad sweeps readers across eras and locations, from the ancient Norsemen and Picts of the 900s, to the turbulent colonial history of Haiti, to Prohibition-era Philadelphia, infusing each of these periods with her unique vampiric lore. Belasco’s action scenes are brisk, and her carefully-researched characters are memorable. Her vampires are so much more than the violence of their history—within their bloody hearts, they retain their humanity. — Tara Campbell, author of City of Dancing Gargoyles and TreeVolution BLOOD TRIAD is a collection of three novellas from the Blood & Ancient Scrolls series by Raven Belasco, giving a more intimate view into the lives of some of the am’r (the vampires’ name for themselves) that readers have met along the way. Standalone novellas, each story can be enjoyed without having previously read any of the series. TEETH ARE BONES is set after the events of Blood Ad Infinitum. Librarian Anushka “Noosh” Rossetti finds herself on a yacht with Zoraida, a mysterious am’r she admires but barely knows. To pass the time, Zoraida confides the story of her life first as a human and then an am’r, through the bloody events of the Haitian Revolution through the U.S. Occupation of Haiti, profound love and devastating loss made only more intense by the passion of a vampire’s heart. In BLOOD BROTHERS, Noosh finally gets Wulfhram and Dubhghall to confide in her the tale of their centuries-long-partnership. Meeting in opposing sides of a battle in the A.D. 900s, the two men take an unlikely path to both the am’r life and to a lasting love, fighting together as mercenaries across Europe and the Middle East in the last century of the first millennium before nearly losing each other in their calamitous transformation into am’r. ABYSSINIA is a story from the life of Astryiah, a powerful and important am’r. Set in 1930’s Philadelphia, Palmina is working at the Nabisco factory…and helping women who are “in a fix.” Palmina is feeling run down by all the pressures in her life…until a striking, mysterious woman shows up to change her life in astonishing, sensual, and dangerous ways. Palmina is confronted by the seductive power of the am’r world. Will she choose to join the am’r for strength, autonomy, and eternal life…or will she choose to stay in the human world, helping those in need? |
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Blood Eternal by Raven Belasco The highly anticipated third installment of the Blood & Ancient Scrolls series, from the author of the Amazon Best Seller Blood Ex Libris Bringing the bloodshed and urgency of the Blood & Ancient Scrolls series to a deeply satisfying next level, this third book in the series features the astonishing revelation of the origin story of the am’r (the vampires’ name for themselves). In Blood Eternal, Noosh believes she is headed on a well-deserved vacation (a nighttime tourist view of London) when abruptly she and Sandu and Bagamil are facing new crises and ancient enemies. Noosh reunites with some intriguing characters from Blood Ex Libris and discovers more about her new underground world. But when the most powerful and ancient am’r Bagamil is summarily bidden by a mysterious am’r to a stately home in the north of England, Noosh and her allies must confront a formidable enemy who has hidden himself in plain sight for millennia, and who intends to take the title of “aojysht” for himself—and who has the power to compel Noosh’s obedience. Will the am’r blood already in her veins make her able to resist and save her beloveds? |
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Blood Demands by Raven Belasco The exhilarating sequel to Amazon Bestseller Blood Ex Libris, book two of the Blood & Ancient Scrolls series. Now in audiobook! Picking up from Blood Ex Libris’s ending in an explosive-ravaged cave in the desert, Blood Demands takes Anushka “Noosh” Rossetti and Sandu (the supposedly-reformed Vlad Dracula) back to Romania, where Noosh assumes she will settle down to her archivist job for the am’r (vampires). But after the nightmares start, Noosh’s life is disrupted yet again when she realizes that Bagamil, eldest of the am’r, is communicating to them that something has gone very wrong. Despite the dangers to one who is only half-vampire, Noosh insists on accompanying Sandu to travel to Argentina, asking the am’r of South America for clues to finding Bagamil. Everything points to Tierra del Fuego, where in a cave system filled with booby traps and two opposing sets of enemies, Noosh must discover how to help a poisoned Bagamil to freedom, and when captured, must somehow outlive her enemies in a melee of revenge-thirsty vampires from South America’s colonial past. Despite intriguing allies and a bond with two of the most powerful am’r, Noosh must find her own way to survive in the brutal netherworld of the am'r. |
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Blood Ex Libris by Raven Belasco How did I get here: covered in blood and holding a sword I can’t use? Raven Belasco’s vibrant debut and Amazon Best Seller, Blood Ex Libris, has captivated readers and earned praise from renowned authors. This tale of passion and survival follows Anushka “Noosh” Rossetti, a trained archivist stuck in her small-town library job—until a mysterious man claiming to be Vlad Dracula enters her life. As he proves himself to her, she’s thrust into an exhilarating underworld, where survival means navigating violent power struggles and facing Vlad’s deadly rival. With Blood Ex Libris, Belasco has crafted a rich, immersive universe that will thrill Anne Rice, Elizabeth Kostova, and Deborah Harkness fans. Her meticulous weaving of historical detail and supernatural intrigue breathes life into this pulse-pounding story of blood and fire. The adventure continues in Blood Demands and Blood Eternal, with a companion collection, Blood Triad, that delves deeper into the lives of beloved characters. Don’t miss the beginning of this mesmerizing series that will leave you craving more. |
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Chasing Moonflowers by Pauline Chow A gothic historical fantasy perfect for fans of These Violent Delights, House of Hollow, and Enola Holmes, Chasing Moonflowers is a coming-of-power tale that asks: What truly makes a monster? In 1925 colonial Hong Kong, young herbalist Ling Shaw witnesses a murder committed by a bloodthirsty creature. When her uncle is wrongfully arrested for the crime, Ling is the only one who can clear the family name and find the real killer. Teaming up with her private academy best friend and a Red Society thug from the Kowloon Walled City, she uncovers dark family secrets, occult rituals, a vampiric curse, and a sinister plot to bring down the Canton Labor Strikes. Ling must overcome ancient and eldritch forces to save her family—and all of Kowloon. Email paulinechowstories@gmail.com for a reviewer's copy or ARC. |
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What Did Not Die by Ruth Anna Evans Jordan Sharp has been writing for the local newspaper for two years. But when a sinister ghost-child emerges from a suspicious house fire and brings to life her darkest memories, she finds herself in the middle of the story. After a life of isolating herself from others, Jordan needs to reach out for help. And there’s a handsome, sympathetic firefighter just waiting for her to ask. But as people around her start falling victim to the deadly haunting, is it worth putting him at risk? And can Jordan resolve her troubled past before it's too late?

This debut novella from Ruth Anna Evans is a creepy-as-hell ghost story with relatable characters and an ending you won’t see coming and won’t soon forget. |
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January 1998. Record levels of freezing rain blanket eastern Ontario in a smothering sheet of ice. After days without power, cities and townships declare a state of emergency. Most folks find refuge in shelters, but some resist the call to leave—like 42-year-old Jeremy Skitter, whose countryside home is his only defence against an unfavourable world. But as his obsessive thoughts escalate, Skit finds himself less prepared than he thought, and up against something far more paralyzing than Mother Nature. A wintery version of Psycho meets The Fog, Resisters explores who we become when what haunts us won't loosen its grip. |
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Island of the Dying Goddess by Ronit J On the island of eternal grief Even the gods have died a thousand deaths My name is Anawar, and I am an immortal explorer. A few days ago, I was stranded on Sawarrgh, an island where everything looks twisted and the air smells of mourning. The atmosphere has forced suppressed memories to resurface. I have to consciously keep them at bay, or I won’t be able to survive this island’s horrors. There’s Ghaph, the mad warmongering god who mutilates his enemies and patches on their dismembered limbs. Then there’s Ndraja, the goddess who can enslave entire kingdoms with just her thoughts. But the worst is the nameless Goddess who created Sawarrgh a millennia ago, caging it in a barrier that reverses time, forcing the island to relive the same year over and over. Sawarrgh is a nightmare come alive. Here, existence itself is a curse. The living are barely alive. The stranded, condemned. I need to escape this island, and in doing so free Sawarrgh from its perpetual punishment. And the only way to do that is to kill the Goddess. Elden Ring meets A Fistful of Dollars in this stand-alone horror grimdark fantasy |
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Cataclysm: Triskellion Saga Book Three by Rodney W. McWilliams Angela, Daxxe, Sierra, Tara, and Eli prepare to face off with the ultimate evil under Velis’ guidance, battling Erim and his ranks. He isn’t getting his hands dirty, drafting a new avatar with unfair advantages. To win, all he has to do is eliminate Angela, and his avatar has the ability to do it. The sisters are honing their skills, figuring out how best to fight, when Erim takes an underhanded blow at their family, trying to tear the heroes apart from the inside by using their own emotions against them. Angela is trying to step up as she weakens, troubled to her core. The trail is leading them back to where it all started, but now a shadow agency has picked up on the fallout. They are pursuing Angela, unsure of her intentions or threat potential, becoming aware of the secret war for humanity threatening their very existence. CATACLYSM is the sequel to DEMONS and the conclusion of the Triskellion Saga trilogy. It’s a freefall without a chute, making you hope the next page reveals something to catch you in the end. Are you ready to face the challenge? |
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Demons: Triskellion Saga Book Two by Rodney W. McWilliams The killing of the homeless has stopped, but not the killer. Joe Anderson, Angela’s old partner, is following a trail of death across the United States, unsure of what he will find along the way, but not convinced Angela is dead. Angela, on her path to becoming an avatar, pursues Trokar with Daxxe, trying to catch him before he can set his new plan into motion. She battles with her own self-doubt with the help of some new allies, and the resistance of new adversaries. Destiny leads them to the birthplace of evil within the realm and the final showdown―but not all of them will survive. The fate of the world hangs in the balance as they fight the forces of evil. DEMONS is the sequel to SCOURGE and the second book of the trilogy. The ride isn’t over yet! |
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Tales of Piecora - The Emerald Cave by Jason Behnke Serpendis Endium, Master Merchant of Kannoniah and sole survivor of a disastrous trip across the unmappable Wildlands visiting the Banwar east of Sienja, only wished to return home to his warm bed, but not until he found something – anything – valuable to at least justify this whole hell-rotten adventure besides his own soiled robes. But here in the chaotic Wildlands, his only chance of survival depended on his newly acquired Sienjan Guide, Piecora Tiorold, whom he despised despite her expertise in navigating the Wildlands better than anyone else in the world. Things were going smoothly until the old, wealthy curmudgeon wandered into a forbidden cave and discovered the cursed emeralds, waylaying their journey into a hair-raising, reality-hopping, high-stakes adventure that neither of them asked for. But through grim determination, self-discovery, and the bonds of friendship old and new, they and others they meet along the way learn that the only way home is through a bargain with the Aeonwyrm of Kiahalla to save the Undying Lands of the Eldar from a powerful sorceress who has found the secret of intentional navigation between the planes of reality, threatening the very existence of humankind. |
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Scourge: Triskellion Saga Book One by Rodney W. McWilliams Some fear the dark. Others embrace it. Rookie detective Angela Benson and her partner, Joe Anderson, have discovered a group of killers targeting the homeless of New York City. Desperate to prove her worth, Angela knows identifying the perpetrators of these heinous crimes is her best shot at being called one of the city's finest. As the murders move beyond the homeless, Angela and Joe begin to unravel an ancient mystery, revealing there's more to these killers than meets the eye. Watch as destiny emerges from the shadows to collide with the unseen, unspeakable forces, all as the safety of mankind hangs in the balance. SCOURGE is a literary roller coaster that will keep pages turning and lights burning for fans of urban fantasy. If your ready, leave the mundane behind and enter a world of magic, danger, and adventure unlike anything you've ever experienced. It all starts on page one. The only question is...are you brave enough? |
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A Crack in the World: the Reckoning by James Mordechai USSR, 1941. In the frozen desolation of Siberia, a shaman unleashes an ancient entity from its slumber deep within an abandoned salt mine. England, 1996. The echoes of that distant ritual reach across time as Meren-Ptah, a foe the RPI Gran Maestro occultist Gino Marcotti once vanquished, returns. With the line between the living and the dead blurred, Gino and Carter Williams must unravel the mystery connecting the past to the present. What dark force has been awakened, and how can the mistakes of history be undone? When the past and the paranormal collide, only the dead hold the key to saving the living. |
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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." |
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In a little town in Indiana, in a place called the Zombie Café a possible solution to survive the apocalypse is brewing. Meanwhile, scattered across the country, a roller rink deejay, a handful of college students, and an English teacher walk into the zombie apocalypse.... If you're hungry for the drama of the zombie apocalypse served with a side of humor put this book on your menu. |
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King of the Dead: A zombie romance by Ryana Hunter Almost a decade after the fall of man, the undead rule the world, and somehow Renee is still alive. Only a teenager when the apocalypse started, she watched everyone around her die. What she doesn’t realize to the king of the dead is she’s a ghost from the past. So, when his horde takes the city and he sees her, Zane doesn’t hesitate to seek her out. Without knowing it, she is the reason he became the monster he is. Given a second chance, he makes her his own. He’s devastated when she doesn’t remember him, but he can’t let her go, not this time. Zane will stop at nothing to make her his queen. She had given up when Zane found her, but she’s furious he forced her to become his prisoner. When Renee learns the key that might save humanity and destroy the zombies, it breathes a new purpose into her existence. However, to understand the secrets of the king of the dead, she has to get close to him. They discover they are bound by more than circumstance, that life and death may not be what they believe, and they can be reborn through love. Together they can create the Kingdom of the Dead. |
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Val is a broken woman haunted by the evil of her past. She can't escape the ominous shadow that clings to her or the monsters, both paranormal and human, that threaten to consume her. Stuck between her loyalties to them and her own inner demons, Val must make choices that seem impossible. No longer just empty - Val is hollow, a shell of her former self. Ten years ago, she left Forest Haven and the love and acceptance she finally found there. Pain and memories are her only companions. Despite Madoc’s attempts to heal her wounded soul, he can’t reach her. Shattered by the loss of Val, he’s given up and given in to what he hates the most. Dev struggles to get from night to night. Now a full-time enforcer, he dreams of death. Val’s death and then his own. Bela and the twins haven't given up on finding their Sun. As their powers grow, they realize the only way to reach her is through Dev. They secretly ally themselves with him, biding their time until they can claim the freedom they left behind years ago. Can they reclaim what they have lost and still have a future? |
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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. |
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A chef, a choir boy and a newly minted office grunt are ripped away from their everyday lives and landed on a deserted island. They do not know each other or where they are. Nor why they hear a large computer voice that informs them “The world that you know is not available right now. Rebooting world now.” All they know is that nothing is as it seems and everything keeps changing. Available free on the Nightlight Podcast |
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Quiet and bookish, Rosalyn always loved living in her head, especially under the glow of the silent moonlight. One snowy moonlit night, she finds someone princely and ethereal standing at the edge of the forest, the Harlequin. Dazzled by his words and ways, Rosalyn follows the Harlequin. But to what end? |
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Ava and Tyrone always shared everything. As twins, they were always two parts of a whole. But one day, Ava discovers that she is part of a much bigger whole. And Tyrone wants nothing more than for Ava to take part … or take her apart instead. Now Ava faces a decision: either be by Tyrone’s side or become another one of his victims. Doesn't matter to Tyrone, as long as he has her abilities - one way or another. |
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Vera has unusual dreams - anything she dreams comes alive. Dream Traveling, her family calls it. Doing it all her life, Dream Traveling doesn't affect Vera as much as it used to. She has her rules and her methods - as long as she follows them, all is fine. Until she sees something she discovered she couldn't handle. Now, her dreams are plagued by The Hunter, a deadly character that wants nothing more than to haunt her mind and leave behind a bloody spree. Vera must find a way to get The Hunter out of her head before he makes sure she never wakes up again. So much for "sweet dreams". |
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Cracks In The Wall by Abagail Brown Survivors know no other life. Abuse often starts before awareness of self, and others. Abuse is normalized. Questions lead to life threatening consequences. A few escape. Read their histories. Recognize those you know who may need a nudge to acknowledge the abuse they suffer from in their daily lives. Prevent continuing the vicious cycle of so many who merely exist throughout their lives. |
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The Child of Hameln by Max Turner Elk Pass is a town cloaked in darkness and plagued by an unknown evil, where twenty years earlier all but one of the town’s children were stolen. That remaining child, now the deputy sheriff, is left to unravel corruption and cover up when his mentor, the town sheriff, dies unexpectedly. The mystery unfolds as a snow storm blows in, threatening to isolate the town, leaving Deputy Bobby Taylor to deal with a plague of rats and the monsters, both human and fae, that follow. This supernatural mystery and light horror is a dark fable set in 1980’s small town USA, and is a retelling of the German folktale The Pied Piper of Hameln. |
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The Third Internecion (Tale of Infidels Book #3) by Erik A. Otto The fate of Matteo’s lands rests precariously on the blasphemous words of a growing cadre of infidels. They must find a way to rally forces to the aid of the Old Keep before it’s too late. But who will believe them? |
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The Day's Wake (Tale of Infidels Book #2) by Erik A. Otto Hideous beasts? Conspiracies? A fracturing world? The infidels are spinning their deranged tales across the realm. It's a heathen contagion; a grievous elixir. Do not drink from it. Besides, there is no place for these blasphemous lies when events are in play that are disturbing enough. Like the Day of Ascendancy, which is happening...RIGHT NOW |
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The Echoes of The Elk's Estate by William Mierzejewski One year has passed since the events in Iron River, Michigan and it’s time for another summer vacation! Liam, Boo and the rest of the family have recovered from previous traumatic events in their own way. To distance themselves from former occurrences, Will and Annie (Liam and Boo’s parents) decide to take a road trip to the sleeping community of Doylestown, Pennsylvania. This is the hometown of Claire, Will’s sister. A beautiful and quiet colonial borough located not far from the City of Philadelphia. What could possibly go wrong? Will plans to give his family a tour of his hometown. Enjoy the sights and aid his sister with a project that was very dear to his childhood, the restoration of the Elk’s Family Estate. Is there an inherent evil trying to lure everyone into a trap? Luckily, this is where Liam, Boo and their family and friends shine best. Working together, solving a mystery and battling monsters who harbor the forces of darkness. Will Liam and Boo be able to solve this mystery? Follow the signs and our crew of young people as they try to survive the ghastly pursuits! Happy reading. |
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The Local Legend of Iron River by William Mierzejewski Liam, a 10-year-old boy, and Boo, an 8-year-old girl, are two kids from Chicago, Illinois sleeping comfortably in their family’s vacation home in Iron River, Michigan. Their vacation home, far from the big city lights and crowded, bustling streets, borders the Ottawa National Forest and rests peacefully a few yards away from the vibrant waters of Sunset Valley Lake. Tonight, the cool air from the lake mixes with the heat of the day and creates a dense fog while the Sturgeon Moon rises in the twilight. Suddenly, Liam is startled by a chilling howl outside his bedroom window. That’s when Liam sees the beast for the first time. Its terrifying yellow eyes pierce back at him through the darkness. Liam tries to warn his family of what’s out there, but no one believes him. His father assures him that it’s his imagination and the forest is home to black bears and grey wolves. But is the forest and this small summer town harboring a primal evil? How long has this evil plagued this area? Who else is aware of what lurks in the surrounding woods? And how can this beast be stopped before anyone else goes missing? Only Liam, Boo, and their crew of friends can solve this mystery. Follow Liam and Boo in the first installment of the Liam and Boo series, which features our main characters in a thrilling and mysterious adventure. |
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Life After Dusk by Douglas Jern Liv has awakened after decades of cold sleep, only to learn that the world she knew has ended. The ruins are covered in a toxic gas known as ether, which causes horrific mutations when inhaled. Liv sets out on a journey through the benighted wasteland, dodging bloodthirsty mutants and killer robots along the way, in a desperate gamble to save the future from the endless, lifeless twilight. Interspersed with Liv’s journey are glimpses into the world before the fall, from the creation of Y, an immortal being whose blood holds the key to eternal life, to the cataclysmic war between humanity and Y’s progenies. A combat android forced to fight, die, and fight again, seeks a way to break the cycle and reach the promised heaven beyond. A college dropout goes on a road trip that takes a turn for the nightmarish when he sets foot in an old house that hides a terrible secret. A young girl, created for a purpose she cannot understand and banished from her home, discovers the power hidden within her, and the meaning of her existence. The fate of the ruined world rests on Liv’s shoulders. Her journey will not be an easy one, but where there is life, there is hope, and Liv always finds a way. |
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Ten years into their marriage, Lenore’s relationship with her husband, Henry, has soured, and no child has arrived to fill the distance between them. Lenore’s frustration grows when Henry’s ambitions, both work and societal, take them out of London and into the countryside, to the imposing Nethershaw manor, where he is planning to host a hunt. Lenore keeps a terrible secret from the last time her husband hunted, and though they never speak of it, it haunts their marriage to this day. A carriage accident near their home soon brings the mysterious Carmilla into Lenore’s life. Carmilla, who is weak and pale during the day but vibrant at night; Carmilla who will not eat meals with the family; Carmilla who stirs up a hunger deep within Lenore. Torn between regaining her husband’s affection and the desire Carmilla’s presence awakens in her, Lenore begins to unravel her past. Her search leads her to uncover a darkness in her household that’s set on destroying her. Hungerstone is a mesmerizing reclamation of the lesbian vampire trope, set against the backdrop of the voracious appetite of the Industrial Revolution. |
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Dumped, broke and stranded at her mother’s house, Amy has few options for escape. Hanging out with her ex comes with getting to know his new girlfriend, someone who looks suspiciously like Amy’s younger, straighter doppelgänger. Strapped for cash and desperate to be out of her mother’s home, she ends up babysitting the UFO-obsessed kids of the hot working mom down the street. Over a dull, torrid summer in the Pennsylvania suburbs, strange lights linger on the horizon, and subterranean connections reach out their tendrils in the dark, signalling another, otherworldly possibility… |
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The Birth of Ida by Rachel Grosvenor 'You believe in ghost stories? You afraid of ghosts when there's snakes and men tryin' to kill you?' Ousted from her homestead, Ida Vale quickly learns that the only way to survive as a lone traveller is to disguise herself as a man. Unsuspecting farmer Colt is the perfect target, who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, looking roughly the right size. On the run as 'Colton John' the bounty hunter, Ida ventures into the unforgiving wilderness of The Nameless Stretch. Drawn towards a witch's house by the whisperings of the Derelict Woods, she discovers that the land is here, the murdered return to haunt their assailants. And to her shock, Ida is being haunted by someone she loves. She's not a murderer, like her brother. So who is it watching her every move? Meanwhile, Colt sets into motion a series of events that he hopes will end in one of two Ida Vale at his door, dead or alive. But in The Nameless Stretch, you can't escape your demons — and Ida soon learns she has far more to fear from the living than the dead. |
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The Cartoon Life and Loves of a Stupid Man by Marc Joan As an independent comic book store owner and the heir to a pharmaceutical fortune, Philippe Favrier lives a life that straddles the real world and the realm of fiction. Struggling with mental illness, Philippe relies on his wife, Marilyne — a successful surgeon with her own haunting secrets — and a groundbreaking drug his father developed. Bound by their shared pain, they navigate their haunted lives, forever shadowed by the heart-rending loss of their baby, Antoine. Their fragile world begins to crumble when Philippe catches a disturbing glimpse of an unfamiliar profile in the mirror. And his uneasiness is further fuelled by an anonymous comic strip that arrives at his store, featuring a character bearing an eerie resemblance to him. Is Marilyne hiding an affair? Is she connected to the comic strip that’s tormenting him? As he probes deeper, Philippe is drawn into a web of deception, where the lines between reality and imagination blur — until his investigations into Marilyne and the malicious comic artist at last reveal the tragic truth. |
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Kingdom of Mysore, 1799. A guilt-racked British Army deserter tries to win safety for those he loves – but his reckless bargaining only leaves him trapped between destinies, condemned to facilitate centuries of suicide and murder. Death after death, and each death diminishes him, until — a quarter of a millennium later — a Keralan astrophysicist has the chance to annul the soldier’s Faustian bargain. But Chandy John is weakened by his own burden of grief — will this twenty-first century scientist only become another helpless nexus between undeserved death and undeserved life? Hangdog Souls is set in the Dravidian heartlands of South India — and in a blurred edgeland where alternative realities elide. Through linked narratives of guilt, shame and the search for absolution, this book takes readers from the arid Tamil plains to the highest peaks of the Nilgiris, and from occult horrors in Tipu Sultan’s kingdom to creeping madness in the world of particle physics. Spanning three hundred years, the stories in Hangdog Souls weave together the fates and fortunes of multiple characters – individuals that echo through the generations, asking always the same question: What weight can balance the death of an innocent? |
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Bring Out Your Dead by Heather Murphy Secrets from the past cannot be ignored forever. After her mother’s untimely death, Lucy Fray discovers the existence of family she never knew she had. But Adeline and Edmund Fray have been living with a tragedy of their own - three murders that have gone unsolved for 40 years. When Lucy and her six-year-old son are invited to visit Fray House, they discover that secrets often long to be revealed… and ghosts can haunt us whether or not we believe in them. |
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How will she survive… Kidnapped, tortured, amnesiac and on the brink of death. This will not be pretty! |
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The Mystery of the Pale King by Sam Flynn "Tonight, my friends, the performance is real. To you, my most faithful, I dedicate this, the final production of 'The Mystery of the Pale King.'" As an orphan growing up in a distant border province, Faron took pride in the epic tales of the Hero of Hathur, a great and powerful warrior who ruled in the name of the sun-worshipping Church of the Sol Creator. That pride is shattered by accusations from the Hero's family that he squandered their entire inheritance on the production of a profane play with him at the center: "The Mystery of the Pale King." The Church proclaims him under interdict and dispatches Bishop Antonius, his devoted page Faron, and a cadre of soldiers downriver to repossess Hathur on its behalf. The cruelty they witness on their perilous mission forces them to confront the horrors at the heart of Hathur's past and question not just their devotion to the Church but their very beliefs in gods and heroes. Amid a storm of betrayal, murder, and sacrilege, Faron must survive fanatical cultists, their obscene rituals, and the evil hiding in the light in order to save Bishop Antonius from the Hero's final performance. Inspired by the historical legend of Gilles de Rais, The Mystery of the Pale King probes the roots of modern American dysfunction in a grim flintlock fantasy setting that reflects the best and worst of humanity. “While the dark, riveting The Mystery of the Pale King is set in a distant time and place, its sharp examinations of religious cults and hero worship are all too relevant to today’s world. Flynn’s clear prose leads the reader through a short yet complex tale of dark fantasy and horrors both earthbound and cosmic. It’s a gripping, highly recommended read." - Nicole Willson, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Tidepool |
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Liminal Space by Vicki-Ann Bush Two worlds, a desperate fate, and the secret that binds them. A weekend getaway turns dark when friends Jesse and Micah witness a woman drenched in blood screaming in the middle of a casino. Security quickly whisks the woman away and the two friends are left shaken. Trying to get past what they saw, they attempt to move forward with their plans. But when mysterious events continue to occur, like a town appearing and disappearing from the view in their hotel room, the girls begin to wonder if their weekend getaway is a weekend nightmare. Their curiosity drives them to seek out and investigate the vanishing town. Initiating a journey that leads to a truth much bigger than they could ever have imagined and changing their lives forever. |
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The Darkest Light by Vicki-Ann Bush War is coming. As the star quarterback for his high school football team and local celebrity in the quaint town of Boulder City, Luke Jacob enjoys a charmed life. Everything's going according to plan, that is until the night he spots a mysterious and alluring girl in the crowd. Despite his father's cryptic warning to keep away from her, he's instantly drawn to Mary. The team plans a gathering to celebrate their homecoming win, and Luke decides to invite her. The evening turns dark when the demon Abezethibou appears and threatens them. When Mary steps in to save her peers, Luke sees her for what she truly is, forever changing their future and creating a bond between them. The revelation shatters what Luke believes about himself and forces him to face his destiny. Will Mary stand by Luke in the face of the coming storm, or will she be swayed by the allure of darkness? |
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After a series of disappointments and mishaps at college, Josh Blevins returns to his small hometown, loyal dog in tow, and begrudgingly settles in. Though he feels like a failure and his life is at a crossroads, he’s made new friends and even found a girl. But the pleasant façade of Midnight Falls he remembered from childhood hides a sinister evil. One that goes beyond the hate festering within the borders and etched in the streets to something much deeper and chilling. Anyone and everyone could be a monster lurking behind the mask of hospitality. Knowing who to trust is impossible, especially when he’s constantly butting heads with the sheriff, who has a grudge against him, an axe to grind, and no intentions of burying it unless it’s in Josh’s back. |
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An Empty Embrace by Cyril Mezden Submit. Repent. Obey. Celest was raised to follow. Trained from an early age to be a cleric, the elf has lived his life fully devoted to the goddess of the sun and the doctrine of his citadel. Newly paired with his teammates, Sable, a quick-witted halfling witch, and Viktor, a bull-headed half-orc warrior, the three are swallowed into a dark city, long forgotten by the world from which they came. There, they find a family wracked by fear. A man of unquenchable thirst haunts the rain-soaked nights, preying off the living. But, when his interest is piqued upon first meeting the considerate Celest, all else seems unimportant. Armed with unnatural beauty, a silver tongue, and a wicked smile, the vampire begins his intimate pursuit to cage the cleric’s heart. AN EMPTY EMBRACE is a chilling tale of queer love and twisted intentions. |
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Marthas Notebook: A Zombie Apocalypse Trilogy by C. Fulster Before the incident, Martha’s biggest worry was her parents’ divorce. Now she’s hiding from a zombie horde hell-bent on annihilating humankind nicknamed “Chippers.” However, this attack wasn’t spurred by a viral outbreak. Rather, these zombies seem to be puppets of an AI technology gone rogue, and with every day that passes, it’s learning more about how to accomplish its sinister goal. But why is an AI creating, controlling, and upgrading zombies—and more importantly, how do you stop an ultra-intelligent, world-ending technology that can shift course at a moment’s notice? Only one thing is there’s no going back. Martha’s Notebook is the electrifying first installment of a new sci-fi horror trilogy that will keep you on the edge of your seat with every twist. Jam-packed with survival, suspense, and existential dread, it’s sure to satisfy any post-apocalyptic fiction enthusiast. |
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Welcome to Cemetery by C. J. Daley Stephen King has Castle Rock. Josh Malerman has Goblin. E. Reyes has Devil’s Hill. Now C. J. Daley welcomes you to Cemetery. A strange town with a strange name, Cemetery, NY is filled with crime and secrets. When a car accident one fateful night leads to a search for two missing bodies, detectives Abby Williams – an almost-thirty year old with something to prove – and Ed Reyes – a jaded, senior officer with a career as long as his partner is old – set out to solve the latest mystery. Before long, a string of missing persons becomes a collection of bloodless bodies that has even the police pathologist stumped. As the bloodshed continues, it becomes clear that the gruesome killings plaguing the town of Cemetery may not be the handiwork of some shadowy figure but of something even more sinister. As detectives Williams and Reyes start to question the world around them, can they learn to put their differences aside? Or will the investigation of a lifetime be the end of their lives? In this fast-paced small town horror, nothing is as it seems. “Beneath a web of lies and secrets, exists a small town plagued by masked figures and a growing body count. Daley shoves the reader headfirst into a nightmarish investigation where the deeper you dig, the more you realize some stories should stay buried. Welcome to Cemetery.” —Nick Roberts, best-selling author of MEAN SPIRITED and THE EXORCIST’S HOUSE |
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And the World Crumbled by Aldrea Alien No escape. No defence. One chance. Who'll make it out alive? Everyone knows that Demarn’s spellster tower is the safest place to be for those with magic. The site is shielded by mountains to west, by allies to the north, and their kingdom's army in the south whilst the whole kingdom stretches between them and the magic-reviling people patrolling the sea to the east. And yet, the enemy has breached the gates. They’ve issued no demands. Only death. Fleeing the tower and the ultimate demise is the one choice left. There is but one way out and the enemy holds more power than anyone could possibly anticipate. For those trapped within, their whole world is about to crumble. |
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Our Broken World: The Fourth Nightmare by Stuart Tudor Nothing is what it seems. John and Godwin seem to be alone, the only two souls in the crumbling universe. The Celestial Visitors, heroes designed to serve and protect, have disappeared. The Gods have gone silent. That is until Godwin finds a strange room with the apparent means to make contact. Desperate for answers or salvation from the reality shattering Breaking. The two friends brave a fracturing world to contact the Gods, to maybe restore the world, or save themselves from destruction. Our Broken World is the fourth entry in the Eight Nightmares, a collection of horror stories about the dreamlike, the surreal, and encounters with the fantastical. |
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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. |
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Chronicles of the Median by Nicholas House A Median isn't something anyone chooses to be, it's just something you are. A living bridge between the worlds of the living and the dead. Now, long forgotten forces threaten the fine balance kept by the Medians and Richard is forced to face perils that would change his life forever. Setting into motion events that leave the world in the hands of the wrathful dead, Richard must work to set things right and find the truth of what it means to be a Median. |
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Alex McKenna and the Academy of Souls by Vicki-Ann Bush No dark entities shall pass through this shield, as I will it ... so shall it be. Alex McKenna's plans for a couple of supernatural-free days are interrupted by an ominous visit from the ghost of seven-year-old Haven. The little girl needs his help and he's willing to risk his life to save her after-life. Despite his great-grandmother's warning, he choose to cross the bridge between the living and the dead to assist her. The trip lands Alex and his girlfriend at a high school known as the Academy of Souls. The ghostly campus for dead teens is a safe place for those who are unable to complete their after-life journey. There they meet Ophelia, Haven's older sister, who has been searching for her for more than a century. To reunite the sisters, Alex must cross the teacherous terrain of the in-between realm known as the Underworld, and rescue Haven from the clutches of the Soul Gatherer. A demonic spirit that feeds off of the souls of children. Could this be Alex's last case or will he keep his promise to Haven and save her soul before it's too late? |