stories in and

The Ocean Hugs Hard

The Ocean Hugs Hard by Eric Avedissian

Surfside City, New Jersey. 1966. Cub reporter Harman Bass is cutting his teeth in the fast world of local journalism and getting out-scooped by the competition. Facetious, cocky, and always quoting Nietzsche, Harman isn't making any friends both in and out of the newsroom. All that changes when the daughter of a prominent family is found dead on the beach, handing Harman the juiciest news story of the year. But she isn't any old beauty pageant queen; she's his high school girlfriend. Harman's dogged reporting into the young woman's death reveals pushback from the authorities and pulls the newshound into the resort's darkest corners. After one of his sources is murdered, the routine story becomes dangerous and personal. Something watches Harman from the shadows, something ancient and hungry, worshipped by powerful men who kill to keep their secrets. Harman's job and life are soon threatened, and the once brash reporter must battle his boss, rival journalists, and his own sanity before filing what could be his last story. THE OCEAN HUGS HARD is a mystery with the salty whiff of the ocean, a tinge of nostalgia, and a dollop of eldritch horror.


Newcomers

Newcomers by Bryan Alaspa

For sixteen year old Rose, her family moving from Chicago to a small town in Colorado is the worst thing that can happen. She's not like other sixteen year olds and the the city life was the life she wanted. She's the type to read books instead of going out, and she can't imagine life in Bloomfield Valley, surrounded by mountains no matter how much her parents tell her they are moving to find a better life. Right from the start, there's something weird about Bloomfield. Rose feels it right away. Her weird neighbor across the street seems to be watching her all the time, even at night with binoculars into her bedroom window. Although the people seem friendly, there's something lurking behind the smiles that Rose knows is dark and twisted. No one believes here, not her parents and not Jake, the friendly pizza delivery boy she just might have a crush on. But Rose is not like other sixteen year olds. She is determined the find out the terrifying, horrible, secret of Bloomfield. She has to get into the weird locked room in the library, and finally check out the strange church that only allows those invited to attend. Something is very wrong with Bloomfield. A town with a secret that stretches back decades, to the final days of World War Two. Rose is determined to find out what it is, but will she and her family be able to survive the horror of what they learn.


Reckoning: A Novella

Reckoning: A Novella by Jalen Tellis

In The lasted story from author Jalen Tellis, he tells a jaw-dropping thriller about a 17-year-old boy, William Townley–who must go back to the frightening place called Bluff Creek to search for and defeat a mythical creature. The worst thing about Bluff Creek occurred during William’s family vacation. During the time they spend on the vacation, a tragedy happens where William becomes numbed by the pain, causing him to build up fear, guilt, and anger. Before Senior year starts again, William must face his demons and return to Bluff Creek to search for the creature that caused his trauma. To help him search for this certain creature, he must reunite with a familiar face, determined for them to put an end to this nightmare.


Space Station X

Space Station X by A.Z. Rozkillis

Will the space station bring them together or destroy them? Engineer Jax ran away to the farthest space station from Earth in the galaxy. It’s nothing more than a pitstop, frequented only by those looking to get away, and there she wanted to live in peace. It’s a mess, but it’s her Station. But peace was not in the cards once Saunders came on board, a chipper security officer with an infuriating habit of sneaking up on Jax and being friendly. Jax has no interest in attractive security officers reminding her of her stupidest mistakes. Now residents are being killed. There are sounds coming from the walls, ghostly footsteps and murderous, ravenous threats that can’t possibly be there. Can they? Deep space is unforgiving. The Station is dying. The residents are going bonkers. Jax discovers there are some problems that can’t be fixed by swinging an absurdly large murder-wrench.


The Three Worlds: The Valley of Kings

The Three Worlds: The Valley of Kings by Eve Lorenzo

A fleshed out fantasy world, with the focus on three mains moving through the same worlds in very different ways, They are thrust into often harsh situations and forced to learn more about themselves and grow - interspersed with much needed breaks for them to take care of themselves and each other when they're taking themselves too seriously. Yet unseen enemies are the cause for a lot of strife and death around them, and with the tools at their disposal in this magical world, they have to fight to bring the enemies out into the open. A queer fantasy with a more mature tone and deep interest in character psychology.


Defeating the Moose

Defeating the Moose by Laura Bilodeau

It’s a story we’re all familiar with
Girl meets boy
Boy meets the streets. When drugs sink their poisons hooks into the love of her life, Arabella takes matters into her own hands. Armed with only her wits and feminine rage, she takes on an underworld of crime and drug lords. She hopes for a happy ending to her love story, but she will learn a hard lesson. When push comes to shove, how far can the bow bend before it breaks? There are no happy endings in the streets.


The Haunting of Sheila Lee

The Haunting of Sheila Lee by Uilleam Whitedale

Sometimes the human psyche seeks to protect itself in ways that shield one from trauma in the short term through denial, sublimation, projection. Regardless, the emotions shunned must be addressed in due time in some manner. Yet, once in an age, trauma is so severe and the bearer so unwilling to face it that it is wholly displaced, made homeless, and, epitomizing pain in excess, intends to punish its source. Sheila Ann Lee, a narcissistic and neurotic seeker of affluence, creates her own manifestation of trauma and leaves it forlorn. As it tortures her mind, and, eventually, interferes with the true love she finds, it remains unclear to her and all those seeking to protect her whether she is being haunted or she is the source of her own misery, and theirs.


OSSUARY

OSSUARY by T.D. Cloud

Recipient of the 2023 Best Novella Award from the Queer Indie Awards. Work as a Curse Breaker is anything but glamorous. It’s difficult, gruesome at times, and it takes Curse Breaker Thierry Pryor to places better left untouched. The Paris Catacombs were once a symbol of French identity, the true sign of death making all equal in the end, but after centuries of layered spell work, ancient hexes, and more than one hastily patched protective charm, the resulting magical amalgam has begun to break down, tainting the surrounding land. It’s up to Thierry and his team to figure out the source of the miasma and quell it before it begins having an effect on those living above the city of the dead. But unlike the jobs before, there’s something at work in the catacombs much more sinister than some moldering family curse. Sometimes the dead sleep more soundly than the living, but then again, maybe some of the dead don’t sleep willingly at all...


Infaust

Infaust by T.D. Cloud

A witch with a dead familiar is an outlier and an ill-omen to every village they pass through. Rehan Nadir is one such witch. The only jobs available to him are terrible ones, and vagrancy is his only recourse
 At least, it was until he heard tell of the town of Hamelin’s plight. Stories of a malicious entity, a chaos god, have tormented the village for hundreds of years, and like clockwork tragedy has struck once more: while the adults gathered elsewhere, the children were spirited away. No trace of them has been seen since. The town is desperate to bring them back. Very desperate. Finding and returning the lost children would be just the thing to give Rehan a new chance at the life he lost after the death of his familiar, and if all it takes is killing a god of chaos, then he’s more than ready to take the plunge and open that door. Unfortunately, he just didn’t anticipate opening a few more in the midst of dealing the finishing blow.


Lover, Thy Name Is Pestilence

Lover, Thy Name Is Pestilence by A.L. Davidson

Dakota and Ed Hollander have lived quiet, isolated lives deep in the Smoky Mountains for nearly a decade without much trouble — despite the pious locals who scrutinize their way of life. Everything changes overnight when a brutal civil war decimates the United States, leaving behind a wasteland of decay and ruin in its wake... Now, in a world recovering from famine and war, Dakota and Ed fight to prepare themselves for the harsh winter that will soon arrive on their doorstep. But Dakota’s sense of safety is rattled when lost travelers come knocking, and everything Ed told them about the world post-disaster is scrutinized as the secrets hidden in the cellar desperately claw their way to the surface. The carnage of Ed’s devotion is strewn across the snow in blood red streaks, and Dakota finds themself making drastic choices that threaten to strip away their humanity like flesh off a carcass. At the end of the world, love is written with the blade of an axe, and the most haunting plague of all may just be man’s own hubris.


Domestication

Domestication by Shannon Knight

In an eat or be eaten world, domestication is a death sentence. When Janie chose the isolated sheep farm, she knew her husband would hunt her down. What she didn’t expect was Rob and Howard. Rob rules the farm with the same domination tactics she uses to train dogs, while Howard believes only human supremacists think humans should be treated any differently than other animals. Janie inadvertently jumps out of the frying pan and into the fire. She wishes to leave her old self behind. She wants to transform. Will she devolve into meat, metamorphose into a monster, or transcend beyond her domesticated limitations?


Incorrect Eyes

Incorrect Eyes by Andromeda Ruins

Be Not Afraid Those three words have haunted me my entire life, and now I'm close. I know I am. I'm close to finding out the truth behind the words, the truth behind the Seraphim. The closer I get to uncovering the truth, to proving that the Seraphim are real, the further my mind slips. I can't sleep - can't dream - without seeing them. Life has become difficult all of a sudden and I know it's tied to them. I just have to keep going, keep learning, keep discovering. Everything will be better once I complete my research... Incorrect Eyes is a psychological religious horror involving paranoia, angels with too many eyes, and the least mentally stable protagonist I’ve ever written. Please read with caution.


He Hears Death

He Hears Death by A.L. Davidson

He Hears Death tells the morbid tale of an embalmer who can no longer hear the world as it is, but as Death does. Cursed with the ability to hear the voices of the deceased who linger in his quiet hometown, The Fool finds himself struggling to hold onto his sanity. Reeling from the murder of his Lover four years prior, he spends his days fixing up the dead and the nights sewing up his own damaged soul amidst the anxiety and loneliness in his life. His only safe haven is his apartment - the place where his Lover's spirit still lingers - but the trek home each night is a dangerous one indeed... A violent, malicious entity stalks the halls of the high-rise, and every time The Fool steps through his doorway he risks it being his last. Wrestling with his future, his desire for reunion, and his spiraling anxiety, The Fool's story is one of grief, loneliness, and lost love. His near-obsessive romance with the literal ghost of his past grows ever stronger as his inability to move on throttles his will to live until all hell breaks loose. When an unforeseen crisis hits the neighboring city, The Fool finds himself trapped within the confines of The Tower, forcing him to face not only the hell-bent monstrosity in the hall and Death's presence in the shadows, but the finality of life as he knew it.


The Naughty Corner

The Naughty Corner by Mark Towse

Are you ready to get put into the Naughty Corner? Three uniquely fresh novellas in one collection, including Towse's wildest old-people horror yet, 'The Generation Games.' Also includes, ‘The Naughty Corner’ and ‘My Name is Brian.’ The Generation Games. The population crisis is out of control. Earth’s resources are close to depletion. A mandate has been put into effect condemning people to death when they hit the age of seventy. Only A lucky few will have the opportunity to compete for a passport to the latter years. It’s about to get savage. My Name Is Brian. Brian's an odd one, always with his head in the books or packet of chips. He doesn't mix well with the other kids but doesn't seem to care. Or is he just a ticking time bomb ready to explode? Coming of age horror on steroids. The Naughty Corner A new start in a gorgeous location. The house of their dreams. But behind the gates of this well-do-do community, our family is about to uncover rules and secrets that will turn their lives upside down. And trust me, you don't want to be in the naughty corner. "Towse is a master of narrative juggling. He makes his readers squirm and laugh in equal measure. His work should be treasured." - E.C. Hanson, author of WICKED BLOOD


All Who Wander Are Lost: Destination Horror Stories

All Who Wander Are Lost: Destination Horror Stories by Gemma Amor

ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST. First Landing State Park. Antarctica. Mongolia. France. Norway. Ireland. Somerset. Egypt. A giant glacier in an unnamed land. What do all these places have in common? They’re the perfect place to set a horror story, is what. In this brand new collection of destination based tales of terror, Bram Stoker and British Fantasy Award nominated author Gemma Amor (The Folly, Full Immersion, Six Rooms, Dear Laura) takes us on a series of adventures through the weird and the wonderful, the strange and the unexplainable, across the remotest, wildest parts of this world, and through lands yet to be discovered. Expect dark and deranged encounters, beautiful vistas, old gods, ghosts, peculiar creatures, vampires, and that most terrifying of all monsters: mankind. Told strictly through the eyes of intrepid travellers (we are only ever visitors in this realm), you too can become an explorer without ever leaving the comfort of your own home. So come, join us on a voyage across lands both familiar and strange, and witness sights beyond your wildest imaginings in a book written for the the wanderers, the adventurers, the endlessly curious, the constantly dislocated, the restless and the sleepless, the speakers of many tongues or of none, the seers of many sights, the dreamers who follow their feet, pick stones from between their toes, taste salt on their tongue, feel dust blow hot and hard against their skin
. But remember, not all journeys have a happy ending. In fact, in this book, quite the opposite: for All Who Wander are often Lost



When the Devil

When the Devil by Emma E. Murray

In When the Devil, Libby finds salvation in a new sapphic partner, homebrewed poison, and facing a God she no longer believes in.


Wynter's Gambit

Wynter's Gambit by E.J. V'Kanty

Wynter's Gambit - Explore what happens when two killers find love. Can passion for each other overcome their hunger for the blood of innocents?


Raven’s Creek

Raven’s Creek by David-Jack Fletcher

An abandoned motel. A woman flees an unknown danger, taking refuge in a motel. She is never seen again. A mad scientist. A geneticist stretches the boundaries of nature. His experiments, once human, are now something else. Something new. Something hungry. The couple. Michael and his husband Geoff have lost something precious. Their search takes them to a motel. What they find there will reveal a cruelty neither knew existed. And creatures beyond imagination. Welcome to Raven's Creek.


Katydids & Fisher Cats

Katydids & Fisher Cats by Tanner Howsden

Between the loneliness of a new place and the unusual sounds of the night, Susan is having a hard time feeling comfortable in her new home. At least the neighbors seem nice so far, especially the cute little girl who dragged her into the nearby trees to tell her a secret. Whether she knows it or not, that secret will change her life forever.


The Harvest

The Harvest by Diego Rauda

After a nightmare about a disembodied, skinless head calling him from under the bed, Daniel woke with a jolt but managed to fall asleep again with little effort. He was used to these hellish visions—while asleep. Now the visions have started to cross over to his waking life, and it's game over. As he tries to bury the feeling that he's being stalked by an unseen force, one of his closest friends takes their own life in front of Daniel, but only after blaming him and “the dragon he carries.” While he races to elucidate a mystery that recedes before him, the people closest to Daniel continue to die in perverse circumstances. Against his better judgment, Daniel follows the thread that connects these deaths to discover the truth.


Lacuna's Point

Lacuna's Point by Tim Meyer

"Utterly immersive and unapologetically visceral..." - Booklist In LACUNA'S POINT, Tim Meyer weaves a macabre tapestry of dread and suspense, enveloping readers in an otherworldly atmosphere that will haunt their thoughts long after the final page is turned. Embrace the sinister allure of Meyer's prose as you traverse the treacherous terrain of this nightmare-inducing world. This is not a tale for the faint of heart - prepare yourself for an immersive and haunting experience that will leave you gasping for breath, your heart pounding in terror. Are you ready to unlock the chilling secrets of Lacuna's Point? Let fear guide your hand as you turn the pages.


In Excess of Dark

In Excess of Dark by Red Lagoe

"A somber and deeply upsetting escalation of weirdness, Red Lagoe's 'In Excess of Dark' is a serrated examination of love, loss, and death." - Eric LaRocca, author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes What if every terrible thing imagined came true? Every fleeting, nightmarish thought a reality? For grief-stricken Karina, her newfound ability to turn her worst daydreams into palpable truths has sent her into a downward spiral of depression and guilt. Coupled with the appearance of an enigmatic shadow figure and visions of her dead family, she grapples to maintain her sanity while desperately attempting to harness her abilities and reunite with her loved ones.


Hollow

Hollow by Mike Salt

“Propulsive, claustrophobic and genuinely creepy, Hollow reads like pure nightmare fuel. I legitimately think I’ve got a fear of all things subterranean now.” -Robert P. Ottone, author of The Vile Thing We Created and the Bram Stoker Award-winning novel The Triangle In the depths of a vast, foreboding cave, where silence whispers of unspeakable horrors, three friends embark on a treacherous journey to unravel the mysteries that lie within. HOLLOW is a gripping horror novel that will send shivers down your spine and keep you enthralled until the final, heart-pounding revelation. Driven by a desperate search for their missing friends, the trio ventures deep into the labyrinthine tunnels, unaware of the malevolent forces that await them. With each step, they unknowingly play into the hands of the spirits that dwell within the shadows, eager to manifest their darkest fears and subject them to unrelenting torment. As the friends become entangled in the never-ending maze, theñ. boundary between reality and nightmare blurs. Their quest for answers quickly transforms into a harrowing battle for survival, as they confront their own personal demons while fighting to escape the clutches of the m alicious spirits. HOLLOW is an atmospheric tale that delves into the realms of human resilience, the complexity of friendship and family, and the insidious power of fear. As the friends battle their own demons and navigate the treacherous depths of the cave, the pulse-pounding suspense will leave you breathless, and the lingering questions will haunt you long after you turn the final page.


Kosa

Kosa by John Durgin

“Shocking, sinister, equally elegant and brutal. Durgin teases out your sympathy, and then chokes you with it. Kosa is a grim fairytale of innocence in a dark world - and the monsters who prey upon it.” - Felix Blackwell, author of Stolen Tongues In a secluded mansion hidden away from the outside world, young Kosa lives under the strict and overpowering rule of her enigmatic mother. For Kosa, the rules set by Mother are the guiding principles of her life, shaping her beliefs and actions. She has been sheltered from the truth about the world beyond the confines of their home, conditioned to fear the darkness and malevolence that supposedly lurks outside. However, as Kosa grows older, she begins to question the reality she has been presented with. Doubts eat away at her, fueled by a deep-rooted curiosity and a burgeoning sense of independence. But Kosa possesses a mysterious and powerful ability that Mother desperately needs to sustain her own existence. Mother, a figure shrouded in shadows and secrets, will stop at nothing to ensure that Kosa’s power remains potent and under her control. The sinister grasp that Mother has on Kosa becomes increasingly suffocating as she tightens her grip, isolating Kosa further from the truth that exists beyond their home. In this dark and captivating tale, Kosa’s journey unravels the intricacies of control, the strength of one’s convictions, and the true nature of the world beyond the shadows. The choices she makes will not only determine her fate but also influence the fate of those around her.


Heavy Oceans

Heavy Oceans by Tyler Jones

"Gripping, visceral, and supremely unpredictable." - Nat Cassidy, author of Mary: An Awakening of Terror and Nestlings From Tyler Jones, author of MIDAS and BURN THE PLANS, one of Esquire’s Best Horror Books of 2022, comes a story of deep sea terror and cosmic horror. Struggling with the pressures of being a new father and the weight of regrets, Jamie Fletcher travels to Hawaii in hopes of connecting with his estranged brother, Eric. After a shocking act of violence, the brothers end up on a fishing boat--along with the captain and his son--in the middle of the ocean, where they encounter an uncanny and terrifying phenomenon that will signal a shift in the evolution of the world.


72 Hours

72 Hours by E.M. McConnell

72 Hours. Three Days. Rivers Hospital, the place that was once infamous as an asylum opens its doors to Dr Rebecca Carter, a psychologist and writer. She was given three days to gather her final research into the experimental and cruel methods used in the asylum in the 19th century. Patients whisper of people trapped in the walls, and a Shadow Man who haunts the hospital. Rebecca follows the story of a Dr Floyd, an eminent and popular doctor in the asylum, and Jenny, a patient. But the shadows are watching. She has only 72 hours left.


Jesus and John

Jesus and John by Adam McOmber

Jesus and John is a Weird re-imagining of the New Testament as a novel of allegorical horror. John, a fisherman from a rural village on the shores of Galilee, is tasked with protecting the risen body of his lover who was crucified for disrupting Roman order in the city of Jerusalem. The body, having miraculously emerged from its cave-like tomb, refuses to speak and walks in a dream-like silence, disrupting the clear-cut message of the Apostle Peter and eventually leading John on a dangerous pilgrimage to a mysterious mansion in Rome known as the Gray Palace. There, the few inhabitants promise a celebration that may lead to a sacrifice John is unwilling to make. Incorporating Christian Gnosticism, Pagan dreams, and a contemporary will toward queer disruption, Adam McOmber's new novel tells a powerful story of devotion.


Revenge Arc

Revenge Arc by Cat Voleur

When controversial comic creator Riley Langdon is faced with an unimaginable crime committed in her name, she retreats from the spotlight she spent years seeking. But as media, fandom, and obsession churn, Riley’s story takes on a life of its own.


Horrific Tales for a Horrific Year

Horrific Tales for a Horrific Year by Jack T Canis

Horrific Tales for a Horrific Year: A short story collection – ten dark tales by Jack T Canis. A collection of gruesome & deeply disturbing short stories about obsession, lust, sociopathy, murder & the darkness that lies in our souls.


#Rehashed

#Rehashed by Jack T Canis

#Rehashed: A short story collection, contains twenty short stories from the deviant mind of Jack T. Canis. They range from the humorous to the bizarre, dark to enlightening. Fourteen rehashed stories have been previously published in journals, magazines and anthologies from the USA, UK & France and collected together into a single volume. There are also six new tales for your delectation: The Doldrums of Bidmouth Bay; Oliver's Island; The Waiting Room; Bolivia; Chutzpah & Fly Spray.


Sister Grim - Issue 2

Sister Grim - Issue 2 by L.A. Cunningham

Lily Connors doesn't know who she is anymore. Bennett keeps calling her Death, and even if she refuses to believe it, as a ghost, he makes a pretty convincing argument. Especially, since he's not the only ghost who followed her home.


The Long Game

The Long Game by D.W. Howard

Lieutenant Michael Domenicalli and his team have been called to the scene of a riot and a double homicide the Queen’s Women’s Medical Clinic. What appears to be a simple case becomes murky as details begin to connect the double homicide to the Clockwork Murders the team thought they solved years before.


Meshkwadoon: Book 2

Meshkwadoon: Book 2 by Alex Tilley

The offering. Nightmares and scars remain the only fragments of a Summer veiled by death. As Autumn dawns, Natasha and Yuuta are left to fend for their sanity in a world that pulls them back to their demanded destiny. Shattered fragments are forced together in this tale as the search for a missing little girl brings the world of the living to the crossing of the spirit. In this twisted continuation of the story of Meshkwadoon, there is no escape from the monsters whose exaltations are through the offerings of the flesh


The Yellow Oak

The Yellow Oak by Victor Vahl

Trapped in never-ending terror. Isolated from the outside world, with mysterious beings feasting on their sanity. How can they survive long enough to find their escape? Find out in this thrilling psychological tale. Rye Davidson, a third-generation woodworker, relocated his family to a small town near the dense forests of Oregon in the 1980s to make a better life and escape his troubled history. Starting a new job at an old factory, he meets Spencer Mills, a veteran worker who's isolated himself from the rest of the town. When Rye is sent out on his first job with Spencer, they're transported to an unknown forest far unlike their normal reality. Soon, they realize there's no path out, and the path they stumbled through has disappeared. Their job is now a journey of survival. A journey quickly spiraling into psychological suspense, mystery, and horror. The odds to stay alive are slim. The odds to escape are even slimmer. Discover the enigmas and tap into the fears buried within...The Yellow Oak. The Yellow Oak is Victor Vahl's sophomore novel, a psychological thriller inspired by the mind-bending essence of Lovecraftian horror, the bone-chilling atmosphere of Robert Egger's films, and heart-pounding scenarios. If you like The Lighthouse, House of Leaves, Lovecraftian horror, and The Shining, then you'll love Victor Vahl's psychological thriller. Order your copy today!


Meshkwadoon

Meshkwadoon by Alex Tilley

Meshkwadoon is a psychological, atmospheric experience, more focused on the individual perception of events rather than on the events themselves. As a perspective driven tale, it delves into the minds of a woman, a man, and a boy, as they are dragged through an experience of fear, obsession, trauma, and terror. Where the foundational spirit of the land seeks to fulfill its obligation to an exchange of life for the life of all. Discover the unspoken impact a melting pot society has on the folk lore and language of a land whose roots go deeper than 150 years. A world whose spirits carry on despite the hunger of the living. Genre: Fiction/ Thriller/ Folk Horror/ Magic Realism Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexander_tilley/


Scribbles and Scrawls: A Short Story Collection

Scribbles and Scrawls: A Short Story Collection by Bethany Votaw

Bethany Votaw gives you sixteen short stories featuring the darkness and the monsters surrounding us. Experience the uncomfortable realities lurking beneath the surface. Meet a devil at a coffee shop, discover what the Night Man is really after, and stumble upon strange creatures and events lurking just beneath the surface. If you like supernatural horror, psychological thrills, and mind-bending twists, then you’ll love this debut short story collection by Bethany Votaw. Unlock Scribbles and Scrawls and begin the journey into madness.


Stag

Stag by Lane Oliver

Franklin is like any family man. Struggling to get by, he works as a mechanic in a small town to support his wife, Sharlene, and son, Jason. But as we get to know him more closely, and find out more about his past, we discover that there is more to him than meets the eye, and first impressions can be misleading. As his marriage with his wife takes a turn, and his behaviour becomes stranger and stranger, shocking events begin to happen across town, calling in to question just how Franklin will be able to cope, and what lengths he's willing to go to turn his luck around. Stag is a gripping novella that tackles trust and loss, making the reader question their own judgements at times, and overall proves to be a thrilling tale that will stay with you long after the book has been closed.


Disseverment

Disseverment by Z.C. Krol

When Tyler receives a mysterious letter in the mail from a man claiming to be his stepfather, he is suddenly plunged back into the nightmares of his past, and has to make an important decision that will change him forever. Disseverment is a psychological horror story not for the squeamish. Z.C. Krol lives in Ohio with his wife and dogs, and is working on another project. When he's not writing, he's probably watching a bad horror movie or reading something creepy. You can email him at zckrol.writing@gmail.com and he'll absolutely respond to you. You can also find him on this new website called Facebook. Bonus points if you send him horror memes.


When The Rain Begins To Burn

When The Rain Begins To Burn by A.L. Davidson

The bones are piling up, Judah... While traveling across the country on a much needed vacation, Noland and Judah Calhoun stop to appreciate the scenic views of the Appalachian wilderness. To shield themselves from the less-than-friendly locals as they rest from their long journey, Judah parks their RV in the middle of a clearing well off the beaten path. A concerning storm rolls in overhead, shifting the sky to a sickly green that drowns out the night sky with a thunderous roar... Waking the next morning to discover the wheels of their RV have sunk deep into the saturated ground, Judah steps outside to assess the situation. Within seconds, his flesh is set alight as the unnatural rain begins to eat away at his hand. The storm rapidly consumes the skin and sinew of living creatures, turning the once peaceful clearing into a boneyard. Stranded and unable to leave the supernatural tempest, Judah and Noland must weather the storm together, facing not only the horrors of nature, but their own personal demons they refused to acknowledge for far too long. All the while, the bones start to pile up... ("When The Rain Begins To Burn" is a 2023 BBNYA nominee, Indie Ink Awards nominee for Best Setting and Best Cover, and Queer Indie Ink Award nominee for Best Horror, Best Novella, Best Debut, Best Cover, and Best Romantic Relationship. You can read more on A.L. Davidson's Patreon with regularly updated bonus short stories set before and after the novella).


Devil’s Hill II

Devil’s Hill II by E. Reyes

Welcome back to Devil’s Hill, AZ, where reality distorts, and nightmares walk in E. Reyes’ latest collection of terrifying tales. A sĂ©ance to contact a deceased horror author unleashes chaos. A girl works with ghosts to stop kidnappings and murders on Halloween night. A group of teens are attacked by wolf-like creatures in the desert. The jack-o’-lantern-headed “Pumpkin Man” goes on a rampage collecting souls. These unnerving tales and others each draw you one step closer to becoming a permanent resident of Devil's Hill!


Cynosura 99

Cynosura 99 by Sam Weiss

Atra Hart has spent the last seven years locked away in Vanishing Plains Psychiatric Hospital. In that time, her shadow has transformed into its own entity and is growing stronger by the day, threatening to devour her mind. She calls that shadow Dread, and only her missing father knows what it is. When a fire breaks out at the asylum, Atra makes her way to freedom just in time to see an electric-purple rift sunder the sky. Like Dread, the rift is only visible to her. Atra’s already loose grip on reality unravels when she learns the rift is a gateway to the world of the dead. And the Queen, an ancient evil lurking on its fringes, wants Dread for her own. Even worse, Atra can’t tell if any of this is really happening. She might have escaped one asylum, but the closer she gets to unearthing answers about Dread, why her father knows it’s there, and its role in the Queen’s plans, the more she risks getting trapped inside her own mind forever. Maybe some truths are meant to stay buried.


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.


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.


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.


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.


The Unraveling of Luna Forester

The Unraveling of Luna Forester by Marisa Noelle

MATTHEW HAS ALWAYS PROTECTED LUNA’S SECRET. NOW HE MUST PROTECT HER LIFE. When his best friend Luna is found catatonic after a devastating house fire, Matthew begins to fall apart. “Take care of them, Matthew.” “Always.” “Protect my secret.” “Of course.” That’s the promise he made to her only three nights ago. A solemn vow to protect their large found family of humans and supernatural creatures alike. Fated to love her for the rest of his life, and unwilling to break his solemn vow, Matthew knows the only person who can help Luna is her grandmother. Through the woods they must go, just like a fairytale. But the forest is filled with deadly peril: poisonous black moss, chimeras, and worst of all, members of their family who don't want them to continue. As they are picked off one by one, Matthew races to get Luna to safety, all the time doubting everything he thought was true. Can Matthew untangle the twisted threads of Luna’s secret before he himself unravels? A dark fantasy horror with Little Red Ridinghood undertones, perfect for fans of Last House on Needle Street (Catriona Ward), Split (J.B. Salsbury), Legion (Brandon Sanderson), Pretty Girl 13 (Liz Coley), The Quiet at the End of the World (Lauren James), Primal Fear (William Diehl), & Tell me your Dreams (Sydney Sheldon).


The Feast of the Innocents

The Feast of the Innocents by Colin Harker

In the spirit of Mary Shelley and Thomas Ligotti, a new novel that unites the charismatic, scheming villains and chilling atmosphere of classic Gothic horror with visceral, supernatural terrors and historical intrigue... Winter 1665. Cyrus flees England to escape the human monster who murdered his father, but the horrors of Laughlin Priory are as inescapable. Pursued by a mysterious killer from France — haunted by a one-eyed chimney sweeper with sinister motives and an insatiable curiosity — in the Priory, Cyrus learns some secrets are worse than death.


Through Frozen Veins

Through Frozen Veins by William Sterling

Five year old Heath Barnes just wanted to go home, but the worst blizzard in Georgia’s history seems to have other plans. Forced to seek shelter in a suspicious old farmhouse, the Barnes family feels blessed to have found a safe place to ride out their frozen nightmare. But the other guests in this haven may not be who they seem, and the pale, bloody girl floating through the snow seems to be a harbinger of bad news. As the blizzard picks up outside, so too does the storm inside...


Wish List

Wish List by Amanda Pampuro

If Amazon could talk, what would it say about you? Wish List follows woman's life told through things she bought online, as told by the shopping algorithm that sold them to her. ARgurl16 first logs onto Hermes as a teenager and the platform continues to watch over her throughout her life as she transitions from broke college student to single woman looking for love, and eventually into motherhood. Hermes is data-hungry and obsessive, as it struggles to understand its own identity alongside the wants of its millions of users so that it can suggest buying the very best earplugs and coffee mugs. This concise novella is The Death of Ivan Ilyich for the reader with a guilty pleasure for Buzzfeed listicles. Readers haunted by Guy Debord’s Society of the Spectacle or NiccolĂČ Machiavelli will enjoy this slice of life.


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