Some rend the veil of sleep with heart-stopping madness. Others defy sanity to leave a helpless corner of your mind twitching for release. Sometimes, hours after waking, a nightmare drifts across your memory, tainting your day with wisps of discomfort. NIGHTMARES UNHINGED reveals horror in all its mutable forms—abject to absurd—through twenty tales of terror.Contributors include Mario Acevedo, Edward Bryant, Dustin Carpenter, Sean Eads, Keith Ferrell, Warren Hammond, Jason Heller, Gary Jonas, Stephen Graham Jones, J.V. Kyle, Aaron Michael Ritchey, Jeanne C. Stein, Steve Rasnic Tem, and Dean Wyant. Foreword by New York Times bestseller Steve Alten. Edited by Joshua Viola. Illustrations by Aaron Lovett.A portion of the book's proceeds will be donated to Rocky Mountain Cancer Assistance in honor of Melanie Tem.Contents:Foreword “Terrors In The Night” by Steve AltenIntroduction “Reclaim Your Fears” by Joshua Viola“The Brollachan” by Steve Rasnic Tem“Fangs” by J.V. Kyle“Be Seated” by Keith Ferrell“The Man Who Killed Texas” by Stephen Graham Jones “Scarecrows” by Joshua Viola “Zou Gou” by Mario Acevedo “Needles” by Joshua Viola and Dean Wyant “The Projectionist” by Jason Heller “The Wolf’s Paw” by Jeanne C. Stein “Danniker’s Coffin” by Keith Ferrell “Deep Woods” by Aaron Michael Ritchey “Diamond Widow” by Dustin Carpenter “The Camera” by Joshua Viola “Lost Balls” by Sean Eads “Bathroom Break” by J.V. Kyle “Marginal Ha’nts” by Edward Bryant “Delicioso” by Warren Hammond “The Librarian” by Joshua Viola “Gurgle. Gurgle.” by Mario Acevedo “Taking The Dare” by Gary Jonas Afterword “Melanie Tem: Hubble’s Child” by Edward Bryant

    They go for supermodels and actresses, skinny-girls who never eat and spend all day working out. I'm not that girl. So when he locked his fiery brown eyes on me for the first time, I couldn't quite believe it was really happening to me. It was the second night I spent with him that I'll never forget. The Long Drive Home (bonus short story) Big Girls Do It Wetter Chase went to New York...without me. It was only one night, one delicious, sinful night, but it awakened something within me, and now, with him gone, I have no one to satiate my sudden, ferocious hunger. Then I woke up one day and looked at someone near and dear to me in a whole new light. And my world was rocked once again. Big Girls Do It Wilder I'm going. Going to New York City to be with gorgeous, mysterious, rockstar Chase Delany seemed like a crazy dream, a fantasy come true. The bright lights and music, and his tight, sexy leather pants called to me...and I answered. Chase might want more and I just might give it to him, if I could only forget what I started with Jeff back in Detroit.I thought I had my love life all figured out, I thought I knew what I wanted, and then things went and changed on me all over again... Big Girls Do It On Top I fled New York with my heart breaking and a million questions. Foremost in my mind was whether Jeff would even see me after the colossal mess that New York turned out to be. I discovered the answer, but that only spawned even more questions, many of the yes or no variety...

    A novelist with more than 25 books written, he has also written more than 50 short stories, and many of these are collected in the books The Nightmare Chronicles, Wild Things, and this collection, Night Asylum. He is currently writing several short stories and novelettes toward a new collection of short fiction to come in 2013.Look for other books by Douglas Clegg:The Children’s HourGoat DancePurityDark of the EyeThe WordsWild ThingsNightmare HouseBad KarmaRed AngelNight CageMischiefThe InfiniteThe AbandonedThe NecromancerIsisThe Hour Before DarkYou Come When I Call YouNaomiThe Nightmare ChroniclesThe Machinery of NightBreederThe Attraction

    But monsters come in many forms. Teenage boys, drug addiction, underage sex - single mother Sarah battles to keep these demons from her daughters.As the long nights of worry start to feed Sarah's paranoia, she must take desperate measures to save her family.Although sometimes, the only way to kill a monster......is to become one."The epitome of chilling vampire noir. Cements Jenkins' pre-eminence in the realm of terror."NATHAN JONES - Author of THE NOWHERE

    Volume 1 features all new and original stories from authors Joe R. Lansdale, John Skipp, Cody Goodfellow, Jeff Strand, J. F. Gonzalez, Stephen Mark Rainey, Nate Southard, Shane McKenzie and (in deluxe hardcover retail editions only) William Meikle. Each story is preceded by a full page/full bleed color illustration by artist Zach McCain. Table of Contents “Santa Explains” by Joe R. Lansdale “The Endless Black of Friday” by Nate Southard “Red Rage” by Stephen Mark Rainey “Pointy Canes” by Jeff Strand “Naughty” by Shane McKenzie “Krampusnacht in Cell Block J” by Cody Goodfellow “The Shittiest Guy in the World (A Christmas Fable)” by John Skipp “Belsnickel” by J. F. Gonzalez “The Color That Stole Christmas” by William Meikle (Deluxe Hardcover Editions Only)

    When light destroys shadows, darkness does not gain in density elsewhere. When shadows steal over earth and across the sky, darkness is not diluted. Featuring an Introduction by Aliette De Bodard, Conservation of Shadows features a selection of short stories from Yoon Ha Lee.Content"Ghostweight" (2011)"The Shadow Postulates" (2007)"The Bones of Giants" (2009)"Between Two Dragons" (2010)"Swanwatch" (2009)"Effigy Nights" (2013)"Flower, Mercy, Needle, Chain" (2010)"Iseul's Lexicon" (2013)"Counting the Shapes" (2001)"Blue Ink" (2008)"The Battle of Candle Arc" (2012) "A Vector Alphabet of Interstellar Travel" (2011)"The Unstrung Zither" (2009) "The Black Abacus" (2002)"The Book of Locked Doors" (2012)"Conservation of Shadows" (2012)

    Henry. Inspired by his experiences as a fugitive and in prison, these stories address themes of poverty, persecution, and hope.The Four Million refers to the population of New York City, where O. Henry was living at the time of its composition. Containing twenty-five works of short fiction, the collection includes several of the author's best-known stories. "The Gift of the Magi" is a heartwarming story of a young married couple who struggle to afford gifts for one another in the days leading up to Christmas. Delia, placing her husband's happiness before her own, sells her own hair in order to afford a platinum pocket watch chain. When she returns home, however, she finds that Jim has made a similar sacrifice. In "The Skylight Room," a typist named Miss Leeson tries to find work while renting the smallest room at Mrs. Parker's boarding house. In a moment of quiet desperation, she names a star "Billy Jackson" while staring out of the room's tiny skylight, a view she soon struggles to afford. "The Cop and the Anthem" follows a homeless man named Soapy. As winter approaches, he commits a series of petty crimes in order to be taken to the shelter of jail. When his attempts fail, however, he discovers that justice has a cruel way of revealing itself. The Four Million, one of O. Henry's finest works, is an exemplary collection of short fiction that showcases the author's empathetic and hopeful outlook on poverty and American life. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of O. Henry's The Four Million is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

    P. Lovecraft, The Sea Dreams It Is the Sky examines life in a South American dictatorship. Centered on the journal of a poet-in-exile and his failed attempts at translating a maddening text, it is told by a young woman trying to come to grips with a country that nearly devoured itself.In My Heart Struck Sorrow, a librarian discovers a recording from the Deep South—which may be the musical stylings of the Devil himself.Breathtaking and haunting, A Lush and Seething Hell is a terrifying and exhilarating journey into the darkness, an odyssey into the deepest reaches of ourselves that compels us to confront secrets best left hidden.

    With themes reminiscent of Shirley Jackson, Thomas Ligotti, and Bruno Schulz, but with a strikingly unique vision, Padgett's work explores the mystery of human suffering, the agony of personal existence, and the ghastly means by which someone might achieve salvation from both. A bullied child seeks vengeance within a bed's hollow box spring. A lucid dreamer is haunted by an impossible house. A dummy reveals its own anatomy in 20 simple steps. A stuttering librarian holds the key to a mill town's unspeakable secrets. A commuter's worldview is shattered by two words printed on a cardboard sign. An aspiring ventriloquist spends a little too much time looking at himself in a mirror. And a presence speaks through them all. Contents: Introduction by Matt Cardin The Mindfulness of Horror Practice Murmurs of a Voice Foreknown The Indoor Swamp Origami Dreams 20 Simple Steps to Ventriloquism Infusorium Organ Void The Secret of VentriloquismEscape to Thin Mountain

    Here are fifteen all-new stories of such “close encounters,” written by many of today’s most extraordinary authors.Set during the events of all four Alien™ films, sending the Marines to alien worlds, to derelict space settlements, and into the nests of the universe’s most dangerous monsters, these adventures are guaranteed to send the blood racing—One way or another.CHANCE ENCOUNTER by Paul KupperbergREAPER by Dan AbnettBROKEN by Rachel CaineRECLAMATION by Yvonne NavarroBLOWBACK by Christopher GoldenEXTERMINATORS by Matt ForbeckNO GOOD DEED by Ray GartonZERO TO HERO by Weston OchseDARK MOTHER by David FarlandEPISODE 22 by Larry CorreiaDEEP BACKGROUND by Keith R.A. DeCandidoEMPTY NEST by Brian KeeneDARKNESS FALLS by Heather GrahamHUGS TO DIE FOR by Mike Resnick and Marina J. LostetterDEEP BLACK by Jonathan MaberryDISTRESSED by James A. MooreDANGEROUS PREY by Scott SiglerSPITE by Tim Lebbon

    Read them by a bonfire on a chilly autumn night, or under a blanket by candle light. Whatever you do, don't look behind you. Hayride The Schultz family's outing to an apple orchard goes terribly awry on the hayride from Hell. Hat Man Graduate student Bernice is plagued by night terrors. As the horrible visions begin to invade her waking hours, she must fight for her sanity...and her safety. A Good Samaritan Newlyweds Jake and Rita Wechsler take a journey down winding country roads in the Hudson River Valley, where danger lurks at every turn. Into the Abyss A group of young girls decide to play with a Ouija board and discover that it might be more than just a board game. Walking After Midnight When childhood friends Teddy and Joseph decide to revisit one of their old childhood haunts, the old town cemetery, they stumble upon true evil and must rely on each other to survive. Trick & Treat Halloween enthusiast Shelley decorates and buys candy for the big night, hoping for lots of Trick-or-Treaters, but she quickly learns the meaning of the phrase "Be careful what you wish for."

     Two years limited edition eBook. Get it while you can. Step into our twisted minds for six horrifying tales. Seeing Red, by J.L.Clayton All her life, Challis has been bullied by the people around her, and now the thin string holding her sanity intact has snapped...The only thing she sees is crimson. They say revenge is best served cold, but Challis will take hers: hot, sticky and red! Come along for one horrific ride as author J.L.Clayton takes a forsaken girl and turns her into a heartless killer. Seeing Red has never looked so frightening. Twisted Insanity, by R.L. Weeks Author R. L. Weeks brings you Twisted Insanity. It cannot be reasoned with. It cannot be bargained with. Jacob has been locked up for ten years, waiting for his chance to take his revenge on Gale, his ex-wife. After persuading the mental health team that he has recovered, he goes on a killing stint. Gale is about to find out the extent of his twisted insanity. Truth or Dare, by K.L. Humphreys Taken to a psychotic man's playground, Becca only hopes her husband can get help to save her, before she ends up like the others.The Missing Persons Unit team know that unless they stop a madman and find missing Becca, they will be finding body parts in the forest. Author KL Humphreys will have you looking over your shoulder wondering what is really going on in the minds of those you call family. Hell House, by Becca Moree A walk through the Hell House leaves Erin questioning if visiting the Carnival of Darkness was a good idea after all. The sounds pouring from the mouths of the actors in each room were just a little too good.A little too...real. Step into a world of unthinkable torture as author Becca Moree takes one innocent college student on a Halloween outing she will never forget. Poison Pen, by R.B.Wood Upset the author at your own peril. A young down-on-his-luck author makes a demonic deal to remove a few obstacles from his writing career and stardom. White Wedding: Reckoning, by Steven Evans Jen's best friend, Jess, is an emotional train wreck. Too weak and afraid of her abusive father and now forced to marry a man she doesn't love, Jess' life is spiraling out of control. Jen desperately wants to help her friend but... What's a doll to do? Steve Evans brings a wickedly sweet twist to a tale of friendship in "White Wedding: Reckoning".

     In "Sticky Note," Gary finds a note with two simple words on it in the gutter: Kill her. Was it part of someone's to-do list? Bentley Little tells us where this yellow square piece of paper takes Gary in a way that only he can. A bad confrontation with a maid at a fancy resort leads a couple on a chilling journey they never dreamed would happen. "The Maid" may make you think twice about asking the front desk for extra towels or complaining about anything ever again. You'll never think of small-town rodeos the same way after reading "The Last Rodeo on the Circuit," and neither will Rob and Teena after they decide to take in the local bizarre entertainment in an unscheduled stop along their road trip to Vegas. Would you anonymously write your negative thoughts about your friends in a slam book? What if the words you wrote changed things? "Slam Dance" shows you what the consequences of that might be. Sometimes, a "Palm Reader" knows more than they're willing to reveal to their customers, chilling things that their clients don't really want to know. Would you tell them anyway? Snowmen aren't scary, right? Hal and April Katz are out on a wintery drive when they see a snowman on the side of the road. Then another that looks almost the same a few miles later. And then, hundreds of snowmen around the next bend. You might think snowmen aren't scary, but "Snow" will prove you dead wrong. Bentley Little can take the innocuous, twist it around, and write a story that will change your way of thinking. Walking Alone: Short Stories is a shining example of his talent to scare you, creep you out, and make you shudder. Table of Contents: Milk Ranch Point Snow Children's Hospital Palm Reader Slam Dance Last Rodeo on the Circuit The Car Wash The Feeb The Mall Hunting The Piano Player has no Fingers The Man Who Watched Cartoons Apt Punishment Black Friday MoNA Retrospective, Los Angeles Jorgensen's Fence The Silence of Trees Sticky Note The Smell of Overripe Loquats The Maid Schoolgirls Under Midwest Skies Pictures of Huxley My College Admission Essay Pool, Air Conditioning, Free HBO The Train A Random Thought from God's Day

    Nox Pareidolia includes tales by Laird Barron, S.P. Miskowski, Brian Evenson, Gwendolyn Kiste, Micheal Wehunt, Kristi DeMeester, Christopher Ropes, Zin E. Rocklyn, Paul Jessup, Doungjai Gam, Don Webb and Duane Pesice, K.H. Vaughan, Alvaro Zinos-Amaro, and more yet to be announced!

    "Robert Aickman was a master of what he called 'strange stories,' and though his fiction has been categorized as horror, it's actually its own beast.As we move further away from the horror boom of the last century and its focus on the mainstream appeal of small town horrors, we are encountering successive generations of writers open to exploring new avenues of the subtly bizarre, an area Aickman frequently mastered.This book is a sampler of how Robert Aickman's work has beoome a significant source of inspiration for contemporary writers."