stories in and

Eleventh Cycle

Eleventh Cycle by Kian N. Ardalan

SPFBO9

GRIMDARK MAGAZINE: "Eleventh Cycle checks all the boxes of a grimdark masterpiece. It is a stunning achievement, establishing Kian N. Ardalan as one of the most exciting new voices in speculative fiction." 
It has been a thousand years since the last Seed abandoned their duty. The mists are closing in. Finally, the Morning Bell tolls. A new Seed is born, but is it too late? The rot eats away at mortals. The Witnesses pray so that they may not turn into one of the forgotten. And the constricting mists infect the lands with fear. But there is more to this tale than just the Elders and their Seeds. Four mortals will have a part to play in Minethria’s fate. A farmer girl with only love in her eyes. A warrior born to the life of a refugee. A highborn stuck between the realm of gods and men. And a woman running into front lines and away from home. Will the cycle finally be completed? Or will the mist swallow all? A seed is born and the evil is slain, so doth another cycle commence. Yet the last Seed born hath turned traitor, and the mists which had been pushed back, returneth.


Carved Amidst the Shadows

Carved Amidst the Shadows by M.T. Fontaine

SPFBO9

When the gods shaped the continent into five kingdoms to be ruled by their progeny, they did not account for the greed of men. When they created the Order from their god-blessed followers to mediate between realms, they neglected to plan against the hoarding of power. War between the royalists and the godly was inevitable. Five centuries later, the borders between kingdoms are impenetrable. No branded-born Marked can cross them without burning to ash, except the Order’s Stewards. But a damaging new war has been prophesied, one that haunts the Order, one that will come to pass if Carved traitors roam free and brandless-born Flawed are left alive. It starts with one girl that survives the impossible. Kaianne, the Carved. It takes shape through one prince with ambition. Andreiyes, the Marked. It hinges on one grieving man who is ready to give up hope. Rau, the Steward. Three people bound by fate – whether they like it or not. The first book in an epic new saga about family, vengeance, and determination with a varied cast of characters. *Please note: This book contains explicit content and dark elements that might be triggering to some. It includes mature scenes of a sexual nature, violence, death including that of an infant, drug references, addiction, childhood trauma, and mentions of suicide.


Litany of the Destroyer

Litany of the Destroyer by Chaz Lebel

SPFBO9

Sir Galien Banforth is damned. He watched a demon drag his lord to Hell, and he knows he’s next. When war once again pulls him into a theater of pillage and butchery, Galien abandons the battlefield, and his knighthood, to find a way to repent. Fate is about to give it to him. The dark cult of Apollyon the Destroyer grows by the day, its adherents spreading a catastrophic sickness. Galien is about to find himself in a new war, against the apocalypse itself, and the demons that carry it on noxious wings.


Feast

Feast by Stuart Simms

SPFBO9

A feast will come, of carrion all… Kenrig Ebermann has devoted her life to the pursuit of the unquiet dead, but when a chance encounter draws her into a bargain with the otherworldly Unseelie she faces a threat unlike any other. The dread spectres torment the living and the dead alike, and their presence heralds misfortune across the disparate Marches. Aided by her apprentice Dandall she must find a way to free innocent souls from the Unseelie’s strange feast, but Dandall is reeling from grief and his presence might just doom them both. Unknown to him, Dandall is the subject of prophecy and Kenrig is forced to question the tenuous trust between them. The veil between life and death draws thin. The shadow of the Otherworld falls across a divided land.


A Crack in the World

A Crack in the World by James Mordechai

SPFBO9

England, 1994. Villages in Sussex are vanishing into thin air at an alarming rate. Gino Marcotti – the Gran Maestro Occultist, son of the official occultist of the Fascist Italian Regime – is tasked to investigate by the Royal Paranormal Institute in Greenwich. His investigation takes an unexpected turn when he realises that the Black Metal scene, with its recent homicides and arson attacks on Norwegian churches, is connected to these disappearances. But he soon discovers that there are bigger and more malevolent forces at play – and the only way to defeat them is to connect with his dead father. A Crack in the World is a fast-paced Occult Detective novel that plays with paranormal, cosmic horror and dark academia themes. A thrilling race across multidimensional portals for the fans of The X-Files, Twin Peaks and H. P. Lovecraft.


Chronicles from the World of Guilt

Chronicles from the World of Guilt by Chris Durston

What is Guilt? Is it an enormous flying whale? Maybe an alien, come from deep space to punish us? Some call it an angel or a god, others a demon. What nobody can deny is that it is the end. These tales chronicle the story of the Earth in the centuries after the apocalypse: struggles for survival against twisted, horrific foes; small moments of kindness and warmth in the dark; life going on, even as the whole world changes. These are the Chronicles from the World of Guilt.


Charming

Charming by Krystal Wade

They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and that's great . . . as long as you don't die. Sixteen-year-old Haley Tremaine had it all: top-notch school, fantastic family, and a bright future, but all of that changed when an accident tore her family apart. Now, an alcoholic father, a bitter younger sister, and a cold headstone bearing her mother’s name are all she has left. Chris Charming has it all: a powerful CEO for a father, a prestigious school, and a fortune at his fingertips, but none of that matters when he lands a reputation as a troublemaker. Struggling to follow in his father’s footsteps, he reaches out to the one person he believes truly sees him, the one person he wants: Haley. Little do they know someone's determined to bring the two together, even if it means murder.


The Tome of Haren

The Tome of Haren by Damien Francis

The Tome of Haren, a powerful book, made from magic, with vast stores of knowledge, that could shift the balance of a war brewing at the edge of Narean’s borders…and one young man will become the Keeper for all to survive… The nation of Narean is vulnerable. There hasn’t been a Keeper to protect and defend its people for over 150 years. As rumours of war grow, Narean needs a Keeper more than ever. Orphaned since birth, Aeidor has no expectations for life except surviving day to day, so when a legend from old stories claims that he is to be the next Keeper, the powerful champions entrusted with defending Narean, Aeidor must journey farther than he ever imagined in search of an artefact long thought lost, the Tome of Haren. Now Aeidor must contend with elite mercenaries, called Blooders, hired to retrieve the Tome for their mysterious dark master. As the challenges mount and time draws nearer to the war to come, Aeidor questions whether he can live up to the legacy of the Keepers and save the nation of Narean…


The City Below the Cloud

The City Below the Cloud by T S Galindo

Few things endure like fear and fungus. In a city forever shrouded in darkness, Kalan braves the heights of the lichen covered buildings to scrub the invading fungi from the walls. What will be discovered when the secrets of The City Below the Cloud come for them? A dystopian cyberpunk novella that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew. Approx. 26,000 words.


Grave Cold

Grave Cold by Shannon Knight

SPSFC 2024

Nyle doesn’t want to be there. But something is very wrong in the District of Portland, and the cold call of death forces his arrival. If he can’t lay the dead fast enough, his long life, begun in Anglo-Saxon England, will end. Portland’s electronic walls do more than keep the mutants out. The government is using them to block Nyle and his kind, the ravens, who roam the world, freeing the dead from their bodies where they remain trapped till a raven’s arrival. Cait, a Portlander working as a beautician, has her own troubles, dodging the GM (genetic modification) police and struggling with rent. But the dead are invading her dreams. Nyle tells Cait that she’s not genetically modified. She’s a necromancer. In the District of Portland, the dead are being trapped indefinitely and used as energy sources. Nyle and Cait must stop the technology from spreading before the abuse of the dead becomes a worldwide menace and they themselves end up on a laboratory table or trapped in a machine. Grave Cold is a biopunk novel about the value of life and the power of taking a stand in a grim near-future world of exploitation and authoritarianism.


The Bee King

The Bee King by Mathilda Zeller

When the crops fail, the monsters come. When the monsters come, they buy the daughters. Alice would do anything to keep her sister and cousin out of the hands of the monsters. She would even accept a marriage proposal from the Bee King, the mysterious honey magnate allegedly driving the prosperity of the empire. But when she arrives at the Apiary, the secluded estate of her betrothed, nothing is as it seems. The empire's wealthy and famous are converging upon the estate and she soon learns that the Bee King is not marrying her for love or lust, but third reason--a dark, strange, and deadly reason.


Tears of Grief Hollow

Tears of Grief Hollow by Shawn Burgess

When a young autistic girl goes missing from a small Appalachian community, the residents of Harper Pass descend into chaos. Brooks Raker and his friends stumble across the police investigation, and as they dig deeper into the mysterious events, the boys realize the fate of their missing classmate pales in comparison with the evil lurking in the shadows of the quiet little town. With four boys who believe something sinister is at work, and an ambitious reporter breathing down his neck, Detective Holt of the Harper Pass Police Department must confront his doubts and follow the evidence. A chain of disappearances and suspicious deaths, leads Holt to the doorstep of the mysterious and reclusive Professor Wadlow who may know exactly what has come to collect in Harper Pass. Can the detective and the boys work together to unravel the dark secrets of Harper Pass before those secrets devour them all?


Dark Inferno

Dark Inferno by Arleta Rae

Fire consumes. It is its nature to do so. Thea Knight has lost the battle to the Brais and is forced to live in their castle with the mission of honing her rare fire abilities. She must blend in with them, lest she be destroyed. To keep her witch best friend and the vampire who created her safe, she must tear the Brais from the inside out before they risk their own lives to save her. To do this, Thea needs to find and defeat the elusive King of the Brais. In the land of the Brais, being a double agent is a death sentence. And to defeat them, Thea must unravel the secrets behind the rogue group and their true intentions with her. But learning the truth could shatter everything.


The Negotiated Death of Sara Glen

The Negotiated Death of Sara Glen by Brady Koch

The results of an at-home DNA testing kit reveal the key to eradicating an emerging threat. Getting that key may cost Sara her life.


Hold My Place

Hold My Place by Cassondra Windwalker

When librarian Sigrun falls head-over-heels for the sophisticated and very married Edgar Leyward, she never expects to find herself in his bed—or his heart. Nevertheless, when his enigmatic wife Octavia dies from a sudden illness, Sigrun finds herself caught up in a whirlwind romance worthy of the most lurid novels on her bookshelves. Sigrun soon discovers Octavia wasn't Edgar's first lost love, or even his second. Three women Edgar has loved met early deaths. As she delves into her beloved's past through a trove of discovered letters, the edges of Sigrun identity begin to disappear, fading into the women of the past. Sigrun tells herself it's impossible for any dark magic to be at play—that the dead can't possibly inhabit the bodies of the living—but something shadowy stalks the halls of the Leyward house and the lines between the love of the present and the obsessions of the past become increasingly blurred—and bloody.


Death's Pale Flag

Death's Pale Flag by Gary Simonds

Brain surgeon and unlikely war hero, Ryan Brenan, has it all. A booming practice, a beautiful home in an idyllic setting, and a happy loving family. Then, the apparitions begin. Subtle at first, but soon there’s no doubt about it, he’s seeing ghosts, spirits, the undead. Of course, he could just be going nuts, cracking under the pressure of his constant exposure to death, mayhem, and tragedy. But, he believes he has proof that the ghosts are very real, and that they are specifically haunting him. We join Ryan as he tends to the sick and injured in his hospitals’ trauma bays, intensive care units, and operating rooms, all the while seeking to understand why he has become a target of the dead. Will he break down? Will he lose all that is precious to him? Will he be drawn to the other side of the great divide? This riveting psychological thriller uniquely blends a detailed peek behind the curtains of modern day neurosurgery with a fantastical journey into the paranormal. Written by a highly experienced neurosurgeon who takes the reader on an immersive journey into the behind the scenes world of the operating room where few people have ever been.


Tales of Darkness Drive

Tales of Darkness Drive by Molly Garcia

Eleven dark, twisted, and ghostly tales. What happens when you kidnap the wrong man? What is the fog that rolls into a small coastal village? And do you care who else gets hurt when you look for justice? Some people love so much that it surpasses even death; others seek revenge or justice; and some are bad eggs who deserve their comeuppance.


Prisoner of the Deep

Prisoner of the Deep by Alyson Tait

Shy and introverted, Dash grew up reserved and with few friends. Once meeting Bria and Talyn on his home planets academy, they became his best friends. With more courage and knowledge than he could hope for, the pair consistently managed to pull Dash into adventures he would have otherwise avoided.Now they have embarked on their bravest quest yet. The trio have borrowed a ship and set their sites on Earth, the home of the Great Old Ones. Imprisoned for all eternity and currently at rest, the fearsome creatures and the small planet are quarantined from the rest of the galaxy.Humans are to stay put, ignorant and yet safe. Everything else stays away, hoping the beasts stay slumbering.Dash now stumbles along, trying to feel included as they move to the bottom of the deep blue ocean.The three find themselves unprepared for what happens next, unaware that their information on Earth isn’t entirely accurate.


What Remains When The Stars Burn Out: a horror collection by P.L. McMillan

What Remains When The Stars Burn Out: a horror collection by P.L. McMillan by Various

From the lips of a dying woman to the ears of an overworked nurse, a word begins to haunt her and the city in which she lives. An office worker is convinced she has contracted something highly contagious, but no one believes her. Earth is on the brink of collapse, when scientists discover a new plane of reality. Could this be the salvation people are seeking? A company’s revolutionary method of travel promises instant teleportation across countless light years but at a price. What Remains When The Stars Burn Out is a vivid collection of twelve stories ranging from the morbid to the macabre, the sinister to the supernatural, the unearthly to the uncanny, which are sure to send a shiver down your spine.


Gone Was the Glow

Gone Was the Glow by Sienna Eggler

Evangeline Miles never envisioned themselves calling on a private investigator, least of all for their loving partner. But it's been a year since she up and left them, without a word. But not just any PI will do; while at odd ends of the supernatural (Evan, a witch with vampiric tendencies, Eddie a werewolf), Evan requires the expertise of one well versed with creatures of the night. Enter Svenja, the charming wolf shifter that Evan can't seem to resist—in more ways than one.


Runeheart

Runeheart by Gino C. R. Marchetti, II

Rune is a two-centuries-old werewolf who has spent his life seeking to give meaning to his curse while atoning for the damage it has caused. This quest for purpose has left him scarred in body and soul, however, and the truth and clean conscience he has sought have proved elusive. Despite his efforts to resist the seductive allure of his otherworldly nature’s siren song, the monster within proves difficult to control. During a blizzard, a family of war refugees chances upon his secluded home while seeking shelter. Though Rune hesitates to welcome them, fearful they will discover his secrets and come to harm, he relents when they invoke a sacred rite of hospitality. Despite his efforts to keep his distance, Rune comes to care for the family, unaware his bond with these strangers will change the fate of everyone. As the family prepares to depart, Rune learns of unforeseen dangers that lie ahead for them, dangers from which he alone has the power to guard them. Bound by his oath of hospitality and his growing concern for the family, Rune vows to guide them to safety. However, the greatest danger proves to be that posed by the darkness he bears within his own heart. This darkness, however, is not so easily conquered.


Red Rains Down

Red Rains Down by Ryan Harville

Take a terrifying trip along lonely highways and discover the horror hiding below the Bible Belt. Let these thirteen tales lead you to long hidden churches, run-down gas stations, and the lost parts of the forest. Unearth an ancient ritual where the fate of an entire town rests on the outcome. Meet a long-haul trucker with very peculiar cargo and clientele. Walk with two young men as they preach door-to-door and find evil hidden in the heart of the suburbs. Stalk the woods with a new mother as she hunts for her missing son. Visit an amusement park where the fun never ends, no matter how much you want it to. Stories of madness and vengeance, of monstrous creatures and human monsters, are all waiting for you just down the road.


We Deserve to Exist

We Deserve to Exist by Allison Baggett-Rowe, Joris Filipp, Bernardo Villela, Tyler Wittkofsky, Rashmi Agrawal, Daphne Fama, Tessa Hastjarjanto, Marisca Pichette, Emmie Chris

The world is not kind. It never was. Fear, jealousy, and anger fuel the actions of those who wish to assert their power and eliminate those they deem unworthy. There will come a time of reclamation—whether by force or by empathy—when those tides shift, a balance reborn. It must start somewhere. The reclamation of self, of culture, of heritage, and of our world—starts within. No longer will those around us decide if we deserve to exist.


The Night of Red Dusk: A Novel

The Night of Red Dusk: A Novel by Robert Caufield

Forget everything you thought you knew about vampires. These go far beyond your traditional creatures of the night. Following a failed mission of diplomacy in the New World, a mysterious woman vampire hunter must join forces with a rogue warrior of her greatest enemies to uncover the buried truth of the mutagenic virus, which lies in the ruins of her own New England hometown, as an ancient entity that stalked her childhood now threatens to extinguish the soul of human and vampire kind alike. Their journey leads to horrific revelations, but can the unlikely pair return in time to stop the 'Night of Red Dusk'? The Night of Red Dusk combines a forensic approach to its titular monsters with a clash of European folklore meeting political espionage, in the vein of Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan's The Strain Trilogy, along with haunting small town horror inspired by the legendary works of Stephen King (IT, 'Salem's Lot).


PANE

PANE by Bailey Elizabeth

Sam lives by her “try anything once” motto to a fault. On an otherwise normal night out, she takes an experimental drug from a stranger at the bar that lets her see into alternate timelines. When she witnesses her own murder in a parallel world, she realizes that the mysterious series of hit-and-runs plaguing her college town are anything but accidents. Sam and her friends decide to stop the killer once and for all, but time travel has unforeseen costs, and one of them will have to pay.


Come One, Come All

Come One, Come All by E. Gilliland

The Pied Piper Circus lures in the lost, the lonely, people who wish to be stronger or faster or prettier…but once you join, you can never leave. Louisa knows the dangers of the traveling carnival, but she cannot afford to stay away. Not if she wants to get rid of the white owl that’s been haunting her, invading her dreams. Not if she wants to know about the dark, sinister mark in her eyes that convinces people to follow her every whim, no matter how terrible. Not when she fears what she might do with that power. Ringmaster Amos Cain has the answers Louisa seeks, but like everything else in the Pied Piper Circus, they won’t come without a price. And there’s something hungry living in the heart of the carnival that will never be satiated, no matter how many lost souls She consumes.


The Accursed Huntsman

The Accursed Huntsman by Douglass Hoover

Haunted by the hunting accident that took both his leg and the life of his best friend, wilderness guide Jack Steward exists on the wooded fringes of society. When an infamously foolhardy millionaire offers Jack the means to reconcile his past wrongs in exchange for participating in a remote archaeological dig along the coast of Nova Scotia, Jack straps on his worn prosthetic and ventures forth into a world of mystery, deceit, and horror. Little does Jack know that the mismatched gang of killers, junkies, has-beens, and frauds he is about to join will uncover an artifact that will shake the very foundation of history, and maybe even grant him the ability to defeat the demons of his past. However, the expedition also unearths a horrific truth; the artifact wasn't the only thing hiding deep under the Nova Scotian cliffs.


Violent Wonder: Cosmic Horror in Space (Universal Wilderness Book 1

Violent Wonder: Cosmic Horror in Space (Universal Wilderness Book 1 by Fredrick Niles

Space has never been more hostile. 300 years ago, a bolt of cosmic lightning struck Earth, scattering humanity across the stars. Since then, most habitable planets have come under the rule of an authoritarian regime known as the People's Union Coalition. Seeking to escape the PUC's stranglehold, the crew of the Leopold endeavors to steal a Light Core, one of the only means of transportation from star system to star system. But when they come across an old derelict vessel drifting through the outer boundaries of known space, their escape quickly turns into a blood-soaked nightmare. For fans of Aliens, Doom, and Dead Space From the author of Ash Above, Snow Below and The Omen Tree comes a raucous journey through the hostile unknowns of unexplored space and the mysteries of the human soul.


The Scarecrow Hunters: Glint & Shade Book One

The Scarecrow Hunters: Glint & Shade Book One by Eric Shane Love

A new dark fantasy series from Eric Shane Love. An epic quest, strange creatures, and an ancient wood full of sinister mysteries. Join Eliot on his mission to find and destroy the scarecrow. In the valley of Gal-Braith, a tradition has existed for as long as anyone can remember. It is the tradition of the kohlas: a journey all boys begin on their seventh birthday. A quest to find and destroy the scarecrow. Born from an agreement between the people of the valley generations back and the low energy of the Dark Wood, no one remembers how the kohlas began and few question if it should continue. Aided only by a strange group of woodsmen, Eliot begins his kohlas like all the others. But a seed planted deep inside him by his estranged mother makes his journey different from the rest. For readers of the Dark Tower Series, dark fantasy, and gothic horror fiction, this is a satisfying fever dream of twisted characters set in a macabre forest in the land of Glint & Shade.


Tome of the Vampire

Tome of the Vampire by Jason Goss

For over one thousand years after the world was nearly destroyed by the calamity known as Sinfall, the church has helped people recover. The recovery and safety the church gave came at a steep cost. Technology has been lost to the ages and banned by the church. The land is plagued by a terrible curse that threatens to wipe out all life, and the church has no idea how to stop it. Until a chance encounter with a mentally unstable vampire offers an unlikely solution…. Tome of the Vampire is a dark fantasy story set in a post apocalyptic fantasy world filled with magic, dragons, and mystery surrounding the secrets the church has banned people from knowing, and what caused the calamity.


Bad End

Bad End by A M Blaushild

Archangel Michael's death at the hands of Iofiel may have prevented him from forcing the apocalypse, but it's hardly brought peace. The new Archangel Michael is relentless in his quest for revenge, believing Iofiel is still out there- and shirking his duties to prove it. Afraid of his connection to the traitor, Maalik has fled to Hell, also looking for Iofiel- but what he finds instead is an oddly amicable Morningstar with shocking plans that Maalik may be unable to stop. Archie and Salem, abducted and now working as assistants for the devil, struggle to define their place in what is about to unfold. And on Earth, Santiago and Damien have found refuge in a small American town, comfortably leading a coven of witches. But when magic begins to crop up among ordinary humans, their disguises can only last so long. And what ever happened to Iofiel, The Saintkiller, the Second Traitor? The apocalypse may have been averted, but something is clearly going wrong.


Good Angel

Good Angel by A M Blaushild

Iofiel is an ideal candidate to become a guardian angel, and help steer humans away from sin: she's helpful, cheery, and utterly loyal. And, as the 'angel of beauty', it's not like she has anything better to do.Heaven and Hell long ago ran out of space: there are too many humans these days, so both have come to a shaky truce – one university sheltered in the forests of Canada, hidden from humanity, where their young can study. All seems well for Iofiel's first days at university – her Archangel roommate is a bit uptight, and dealing with demons feels weird– but when a picked on demon confesses he's too nervous to pursue his true passion of soul stealing... Iofiel promises she'll major in it with him. So much for being a proper angel. Her helpful impulse has repercussions that shake the school, and may just change the world forever. Or just end it. Because that's a possibility too.


Shadow Child

Shadow Child by Joseph A. Citro

To outsiders, the deep, impenetrable forest that blankets Vermont's Green Mountains gives the state its peaceful and verdant mystique, but those same dark woods hide a secret from pre-history that reaches menacingly into the present. Joseph A. Citro's widely read publications about the more haunting history, legends, and lore of New England have earned him a reputation as an expert on themes of the supernatural. In this book (first published in 1987), however, he deftly melds real-life ancient ruins, a keen eye for the social fabric of small-town Vermont, and a soaring imagination to fashion a gripping tale of a family's life-or-death struggle to save their farm from an enemy far more devastating than banks, taxes, or land developers. Eric Nolan is a man already too familiar with death. His brother's long-ago disappearance, the loss of his parents, and his wife's recent demise in an auto accident have left him near the edge physically and emotionally. In desperation he returns to his boyhood haunt, the family farm in rural Antrim, Vermont, now occupied by his cousin, Pamela, her husband, Clint, and Luke, their four-year-old son. But any solace Eric might find there is short-lived. Something terrible is going on in the woods on Pinnacle Mountain and it seems to be centered around a mysterious stone structure that, a local historian believes may be the relic of an ancient race. The mystery deepens as people begin to vanish one by one, first a village policeman, then a local hermit, a researcher, and finally Clint himself. As baffling and violent incidents continue it becomes harder to deny that a powerful and malevolent force is at work in the Green Mountains, a force that has targeted young Luke. Though it defies Eric's every rational instinct, he must ultimately confront a reality he can neither accept nor deny. As he and the others struggle to quell the rising tide of evil, the siege escalates to a brutal battle for life itself. Citro twists every shock possible out of this finely crafted gothic thriller that tests the limits of legend and belief.


21 Grams

21 Grams by M Regan

In the bowels of an unassuming, ever-moving funerary parlor, a mortician known as the Operator hides a fearsome machine called the Godwin, rumored to have the ability to resurrect the dead. It runs, like a soul does, on logos: on words. And in exchange for those words—for a client’s life story—the corpse of their choosing might yet walk again. Careful, though. Words bear weight, so one must choose them wisely. Author M. Regan delivers a harrowing and beautiful glimpse into a world filled with desire, darkness, love, and loss.


Tales from the Gas Station: Volume One

Tales from the Gas Station: Volume One by Jack Towsend

Drunk customers. Shoplifting raccoons. Otherworldly visitors. As night shift clerk at the twenty-four-hour gas station at the edge of town, Jack has pretty much seen it all. That is, until his best friend reveals the body of a local politician hidden in the trunk of a car, setting off a chain of events with apocalyptic potential. Soon, Jack finds himself entangled in a supernatural conspiracy involving monster hunters, sociopaths, doomsday cultists, and… garden gnomes? Armed with nothing but his wits, sarcasm, and alarming amounts of coffee, can Jack stay alive long enough to see another morning shift? Or will he, too, fall victim to the dark, ancient force infecting the dreams of everyone around him? One thing’s for sure. He’s not getting paid enough for this.


The Sting of Victory

The Sting of Victory by S D Simper

Horror abounds, monsters rise, and hearts break in the first installment of FALLEN GODS. “When faced with monstrosity, become the greater monster. The sting of victory will fade with time.” Haunted by a history of horror and abuse, Flowridia, a witch with a tender heart, finds a second chance in the home of her kingdom’s royal family. With employment comes friendship, and perhaps she has finally found a place to belong—until she catches the eye of Lady Ayla Darkleaf, a woman with enticing grace and a predatory smile. The corrupt world of politics consumes her, and Flowridia falls into a toxic love affair surely doomed for heartbreak. Yet when Ayla’s legacy as a monster unfolds, Flowridia sees only the tender soul hiding beneath. An ancient deity returns, hell-bent on restoring the world to its natural order, and Flowridia’s kingdom is tasked to stop him. Caught in the ensuing clash of gods, her loyalties will be tempted at every turn—by family, by fate, and by the woman whose claws grip her heart. Publisher's Note: The Sting of Victory is a fantasy horror novel intended for adult audiences and contains content warnings, including depictions of DV. Please see the author's website for a full list of content warnings.


The Ragman

The Ragman by Terry Horns

Five friends are given mysterious valentine’s presents. An anonymous gifter(s) has given each of them an unique, large-size hand-crafted rag doll—elegantly made stuffed cloth effigies, rich in designs and details; each rag doll perfectly capturing its receiver’s likeness. As strange—nearly magical—occurrences take place, curiosities, wonders and desires build to wild consequences for them all…. The dolls are real…and alive! A horrifying vision over 30 years in the making....based on Nicholas Grabowsky’s 1989 mass market paperback and re-imagined by acclaimed thriller/slasher author Terry Horns comes a terrifying tale entirely fresh and unique, presenting the sort of new contemporary iconic villain horror fans have long been thirsty for, and a deep dark abyss to plunge into...


Murmured In Dreams (The Harvester Series Book 3)

Murmured In Dreams (The Harvester Series Book 3) by Stephen Bacon

“With Murmured in Dreams Stephen Bacon takes us everywhere. Science fiction, the supernatural, the mythic and the horrific collide with both a future Britain and that of the not-so-distant past, with the quiet breezes of a Greek island and with war-ravaged Rwanda and Chad.” Priya Sharma “Stephen Bacon has a keen instinct for the horror of the ordinary, his prose is considered, his voice distinct. But what also distinguishes his fiction is the ability to startle readers; to instigate the re-reading of sentences to make certain that something that disturbing was actually intended. Bacon prods with pins.” Adam Nevill author of ‘The Ritual’ and ‘Some Will Not Sleep’ “Stephen Bacon is a born writer who cares deeply about story and the way it is delivered. This intoxicating collection – an object lesson in tension, subtlety and power – is littered with broken, beautiful characters operating within the uncertain margins of society and sanity. It is a book fully deserving of a wide audience.” Conrad Williams author of ‘One’ and ‘I Will Surround You’


At The Gate

At The Gate by Trey Stone

Joseph can't live with knowing that he's responsible for his daughter's death. He checks into The Gate, indenting it to be his final destination, but after a guest disappears, everything unravels. Days go missing, people act stranger by the moment, and nothing is what it should be. Worst of all, he's reminded of this most painful mistake at every turn. Joseph disappears down a rabbit hole of mysterious events all while battling his own inner demons. Now he's trapped inside a haunted hotel attempting to find a guest that may not even exist.


Zhuulton of Zhuul and the Feast of the Centipede (Aeon of Chaos)

Zhuulton of Zhuul and the Feast of the Centipede (Aeon of Chaos) by B. J. Swann

Zhuulton of Zhuul has been given a quest. Unfortunately for her, it looks more like a creative suicide plan than a realistic goal. Before three days are up, she must travel to the heart of an inhospitable empire, infiltrate an impregnable palace, slaughter fifteen kings as they sit down to lunch, and defeat the great demon centipede before he ascends to the fourth dimension. If she doesn’t, her best friend in the whole world will be eaten alive - with a side of mustard. Luckily Zhuulton has the help of four shape-shifting demons, each with their own special power. One of them can sing. One of them can eat. One of them can smash things. And the fourth is filled with the dread essence of death itself. Join Zhuulton and her magnificent companions for a madcap adventure crammed with sex, violence, and outright strangeness. Enter the Aeon of Chaos, where fantasy, horror, and humour collide!


Garden: A Dystopian Horror Novel

Garden: A Dystopian Horror Novel by Garden: A Dystopian Horror Novel

In this dystopian horror tale, it’s not what’s for dinner but who? Kitchen duty got you down? Are you fed up with deciding what to cook, buying the food, prepping it only to have to clean up after eating every single meal? It never ends! What if you could have “perfect nutrition” in one, simple pill? YUM is the wave of the future. One pill a day is all you need to end your food prep drudgery. No more hunger. No muss and fuss. Just complete satisfaction. Yes, that would make the world a different place, and that’s exactly what Nutri-Corp’s Madam wants to do. But would it be better? Will YUM save the world? Or destroy it? And, if YUM is so great, what does the Nutri-Corp elite eat at Madam’s dinner parties? What exactly is the quarry of The Hunt?


SENTINEL: A Thrilling Supernatural Horror Novel (The Bensalem Files Book 1)

SENTINEL: A Thrilling Supernatural Horror Novel (The Bensalem Files Book 1) by Drew Starling

A monster. A missing boy. And nowhere to run. Something is lurking in the woods just beyond Aaron and Ellen Dreyer's new country home, and an evil that has been hiding in plain sight is about to emerge. A neighbor is brutally murdered, their 4-year old son goes missing in broad daylight, and the local town of Bensalem devolves into a cesspool of finger-pointing and chaos. With nowhere left to turn, Aaron and Ellen are forced to venture into the woods to find their son... and the truth. But in the process, they uncover a force larger and more sinister than they ever could have imagined.


Twenty Twenty: A horror celebration of the Roaring Twenties (BHP Writers' Group Special Edition Book 4)

Twenty Twenty: A horror celebration of the Roaring Twenties (BHP Writers' Group Special Edition Book 4) by Various

Celebrating 100 years since the Roaring Twenties, come with us on a look back at the jazz era. Historical stories with dark and terrible twists - the speakeasy girl with two mouths, Mafia gangs with secrets more sinister than history suggests, bloodthirsty flappers, dark tales from the Depression, and many more. SUPPORTING AUSTRALIAN BUSHFIRE WILDLIFE ORGANISATIONS ALL PROFITS from TWENTY TWENTY will be donated to the following organisations who are providing emergency veterinary care, etc to wildlife in the affected bushfire zones; ~NSW (New South Wales) WIRES ~Zoos Victoria Love Always, Vera by A.R. Dean Just One Bottle by Amber M. Simpson Blood Talkies by Andrea Allison Body Parts by Andrew Kurtz The Cost of Diamonds by Catherine Kenwell Death Was Her Voice by Chris Bannor The Sacrifice by D.J. Elton Leahy Castle by D.J. Tyrer Nosferatu by D.M. Burdett Little Brass Tin by David Bowmore When the Leonids Come by David M. Hoenig


The Ghostlands, Part 1: Erie Energy

The Ghostlands, Part 1: Erie Energy by CN James, Amy Joy

Landscapes shift. Ghosts whisper. People disappear. A dark secret looms… There’s a hollowness inside of Anastasia, a deep longing to be normal. But that’s not what she is. She can do what no one else can: she can understand the ghosts. There are millions of them. So many, in fact, that every city is now surrounded by an energy barrier designed to protect them from the ghosts. And her boyfriend, the only person who understood her, has disappeared. Desperate to find him, she must make a deal with her duplicitous brother and travel outside the protection of the city, into the haunted wastelands known as the ghostlands. What she will discover there will change her life and her world forever.


The Melody of Trees

The Melody of Trees by Helen Whistberry

Experience the unforgettable magic of these original stories and illustrations from the imagination of writer and artist Helen Whistberry. You’ll discover an elder god keeping a loving eye on their forest, a girl made of glass and other characters fighting for their lives against both impossible odds and monsters (human and otherwise), some wise guys having a supernaturally bad day, and the exploits of a loner gun-for-hire and his loyal dragon. From fantasy and folklore to horror and sci-fi, these tales are tied together not only by their forest settings but by a sense of humanity (even in those characters who aren’t quite human), empathy for all creatures, and the weird beauty to be found in moments both light and dark. And be warned! There are dark and sometimes violent themes ahead and not all stories have a happy ending, but for those brave enough to venture into these wild woods, 10 unforgettable experiences await. (Visit author's website for complete list of content warnings.)


Furtherance

Furtherance by Joseph West

"A young couple moves into a new home, looking for a fresh start away from the city. A night intended for celebration with friends turns out to be a bloodbath, with dark secrets revealed. Follow the story of Emma and Carl, as silent, masked killers terrorize them. With no clear motive, the killers play a psychotic game of cat and mouse. With each passing minute, the stakes rise higher, in an increasingly violent battle of survival."


Everybody's Missing (Somebody) (Stake Sauce Arc 2)

Everybody's Missing (Somebody) (Stake Sauce Arc 2) by RoAnna Sylver

Kraken Collective

Arc 2, In Which: Our friends, some old and some new, must awaken a powerful, centuries-old magical force - before an old enemy gets there first... Life for Jude is finally getting back to normal - or as normal as it gets when your new boyfriend has fangs, your old maybe-boyfriend isn't dead after all (and has even bigger fangs), and everyone's scrambling to adjust their lives accordingly. There's enough to worry about without evil, ancient vampires closing in, preparing dark rituals, and threatening to undo everything Jude, Pixie, and their loved ones have built together. But as they've all seen, normal doesn't tend to last for long. And it's hard to shake the feeling that something's missing. But then, it seems like everybody's missing somebody.


Purgatory: A Tall Tales Story

Purgatory: A Tall Tales Story by Tim McLaughlin

A retired police officer takes a bus and finds himself trapped in a recollection of things he wanted to leave behind.


Stake Sauce (Arc 1: The Secret Ingredient Is Love. No, Really)

Stake Sauce (Arc 1: The Secret Ingredient Is Love. No, Really) by RoAnna Sylver

Kraken Collective

Jude used to leap out of helicopters to rescue/protect people from terrifying infernos. Now, by day, he protects the local mall from rowdy teenagers who ride their skateboards inside. By night, he protects the the parking lot, and the rest of Portland, from undead, bloodsucking creatures of the darkness. Or would if he could find them. Pixie refuses to bite anyone. Assault/murder/draining fluids isn’t punk, even if being a vampire really kind of is. He’s very hungry by now, and the much bigger, meaner, deadlier vamps kick him around on the nightly. Jude would love to find and fight some actual undead bullies. And Pixie could use some help staying… ‘alive.’ Time to make a deal. Of course, life still sucks when you’re a vampire who refuses to suck blood. Fortunately, there’s a really interesting new barbecue restaurant in the mall, with an intriguing new recipe. (They say the secret ingredient is… love. No, really.)


Winter Chills

Winter Chills by D.B. Carter, Derek R. King, S.J. Lomas, Natalie Reeves-Billing

In the spirit of seasonal ghost stories, this wintry collection will send a tingle down your spine, but may also warm your heart. Six short stories range from waiting for a mysterious midnight train, attending a party with an unexpected guest, a life-changing reunion for a miserable family, receiving a holiday greeting unlike any other, a visit from an unusual group of carolers, and a journey through a blizzard with a twist. Grab a blanket, your favorite hot drink, and settle in for some Winter Chills. Stories included: By D.B. Carter: Departures and Arrivals The Christmas Card By Derek R. King: Defying Convention By S.J. Lomas: The Holiday Party The Carolers By Natalie Reeves-Billing: Go With the Wind


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