Lavery comes a collection of darkly mischievous stories based on classic fairy tales. Adapted from his beloved "Children's Stories Made Horrific" series, The Merry Spinster takes up the trademark wit that endeared Lavery to readers of both The Toast and his best-selling debut Texts from Jane Eyre. The feature become among the most popular on the site, with each entry bringing in tens of thousands of views, as the stories proved a perfect vehicle for Lavery’s eye for deconstruction and destabilization. Sinister and inviting, familiar and alien all at the same time, The Merry Spinster updates traditional children's stories and fairy tales with elements of psychological horror, emotional clarity, and a keen sense of feminist mischief.Readers of The Toast will instantly recognize Lavery's boisterous good humor and uber-nerd swagger: those new to Lavery's oeuvre will delight in his unique spin on fiction, where something a bit mischievous and unsettling is always at work just beneath the surface.Unfalteringly faithful to its beloved source material, The Merry Spinster also illuminates the unsuspected, and frequently, alarming emotional complexities at play in the stories we tell ourselves, and each other, as we tuck ourselves in for the night.Bedtime will never be the same.The daughter cells --The thankless child --Fear not: an incident log --The six boy-coffins --The rabbit --The merry spinster --The wedding party --Some of us had been threatening our friend Mr.Toad --Cast your bread upon the waters --The frog's princess --Good fences make good neighbors

    It is a book for adults. Or for adults to frighten children into behaving... whichever you prefer. In 2009, a trove of lost fairy tales collected by Franz Xaver von Schönwerth - a 19th-century collector of Bavarian folk tales and contemporary of the Brothers Grimm- was unearthed in a municipal archive in Germany. Unlike the Grimms, who polished the stories they collected, adapting to contemporary tastes, von Schönwerth recorded the stories as they were told, plucking them directly from the living, breathing tree of oral storytelling, retaining their darker themes and sometimes shocking violence. Von Schönwerth published a single volume of these tales in his lifetime, but the vast majority languished and were forgotten over the years, effectively frozen in time until their recent rediscovery. Now, award-winning illustrator Willow Dawson, in collaboration with translator Shelley Tanaka, has brought these long-lost tales unforgettably to life, illuminating with striking woodcut-style illustrations a spectacular collection that will change the way you look at fairy tales forever. Paired with Dawson's arresting artwork, the stories in White as Milk, Red as Blood race with palpable energy through fantasy landscapes darker, bawdier and racier than anything we find in Disney or the Grimms. Following the tradition of illustrated fairy-tale collections, White as Milk, Red as Blood is the very first fully illustrated, full-colour edition of Franz Xaver von Schönwerth's work. It is a timeless tome of enchantment and foreboding: tales - as haunting as they are profound - of powerful princesses, helpless men, lecherous villains, virtuous girls, witches, giants, at least one female serial killer, mer-people, shape-shifters and talking beasts - a kaleidoscope of wonders both familiar and entirely new; rich and strange. Dawson and Tanaka's dark and lively take on von Schönwerth's collected tales will appeal to fans of Mike Mignola's classic fantasy comic-book series Hellboy.

    Lost worlds where T-Rex and Velociraptors still roam and man is now on the menu. Laboratories at the forefront of cloning technology experiment with dinosaurs they do not understand or are able to contain. The deepest parts of the ocean where Megalodon, the largest and most ferocious predator to have ever existed is stalking new prey. Plus many more thrillers filled with extinct prehistoric monsters written by some of the best creature feature authors this side of the Jurassic period.

     After struggling with the death of her lifemate of over a century, Tara spends what the leaders of her clan considers an unreasonable amount of time in finding another. The clan needs offspring, they insist. While soaring over a meadow, Tara sees a dragon intruder attack a shepherd. Outraged, she intervenes and saves the young man from certain death. Breaking a two hundred year old pact between man and dragon forbidding any contact between the two, a powerful yet dangerous bond slowly grows between the dragon and her boy. This is a fun short story, at 5300 words. Stories two and three are already written. They continue the series and will be available shortly! I hope you enjoy them all.

    These re-told stories include--* Snow White * Rapunzel * Little Red Hood * The Cinder Wench * Beauty and the Beast * Pinocchio * The Goose Girl * The Pied Piper of Hamelin * and twelve moreWell-known tales get gruesome revisions--in many cases bringing them closer to the dark, sinister ways they were told eons ago. Several tales in this book are based on chilling versions collected by the brothers Grimm in the nineteenth century. For example, this new collection presents a Cinderella who, like the heroine in the brothers Grimm story, is known as the Cinder Wench. In this version, readers will discover a young lady tormented by a stepmother who is far more wicked and frightening than the villain we find in most of today's watered-down renditions. All who relish the macabre atmosphere that dominates the Cinder Wench's tale will want to acquaint themselves with all stories in this scary collection. They'll find-- 20 sinister legends that linger on the mysterious and macabre Brooding illustrations on every page that heighten the gothic mood Tales that anticipate new television shows, as well as new movies scheduled for release in the coming year Twisted Fairy Tales is an anthology of black magic legends that only the bravest young readers will dare to delve into before bedtime. But once they open this unusual volume, they won't put it down until they've reached the very last page.

    All things unknown and unknowable are coming to light... Strange creatures wander the dark canopies of Germany's Black Forest. A young boy harbors something both dark and divine within him. A man learns to control his dreams, only to find an ancient evil imprisoned within them. Something lurks in the shadows of a woman's house, and it wants her baby. All of these things and more in this riveting new collection of 18 terrifying cosmic and paranormal tales. Get it now and discover the terrors that lurk within.

    WILKINS PHILIP K. DICK HENRY SLESAR HERMINIE TEMPLETON H. C. BAILEY JOHANN LUDWIG TIECK JOHN BUCHAN ROBERT F. YOUNG ISAAC ASIMOV Faeries-legends about them abound throughout the world. They are evil creatures conjured up to frighten children. Or they are glittering spirits, blessed with wisdom and magic beyond the understanding of mere mortals. They are the unseen, dwelling in subterranean depths, luscious green meadows, or realms caressed by the night's cool shadows.Here, in eighteen captivating journeys into the enchanting Faery lands, you'll find all sorts of enchanted creatures: from the Faerie Queen and King to the mischievous Brownies, from those who prey on the gullibility of humans to those who have been tricked out of their treasures by ordinary men and women. You'll witness mortals being held for a few brief hours in the timeless kingdom-only to find themselves returned to a world no longer their own. But beware, lest the spell of Faerie touch you, too, and force you to wander forever through Isaac Asimov's magical fantasy world.Editor Notes:Isaac Asimov (1920-92) was the award-winning author and editor of hundreds of books on everything from writing to science. His many groundbreaking novels, include the bestselling Foundation series and his novels Nightfall and The Positronic Man.Martin H. Greenberg has edited more than 1,100 books in history, fiction, science, and many other fields. He is the CEO of Tekno Books and lives in Green Bay,Wisconsin.Charles G. Waugh is a professor of Psychology and Communications at the University of Maine and the compiler of more than 100 anthologies. He lives in Winthrop, Maine.

    . . and they lived happily ever after.” Remember the fairy tales you put away after you found that no princess is as beautiful as common sense and happy endings are just the beginning?Well, the old tales are back, and they’ve grown up! Black Pearls brings you the stories of your childhood, told in a way you’ve never heard before. Instead of lulling you to sleep, they’ll wake you up—to the haunting sadness that waits just inside the windows of a gingerbread cottage, the passion that fuels a witch’s flight, and the heartache that comes, again and again, at the stroke of midnight.Make no mistake: these stories are as dark as human nature itself. But they shine, too, lit with the fire of our dreams and our hunger for magic.

    Toss them together in one anthology. Add a dash of romance, a pinch of humor and a dollop of mystery. Stir in a few ghosts, a handful of sorcerers and garnish with magic for the perfect witch's brew. A Tale of Two Witches ~ Christiana Miller and Barbra AnninoTwo young witches join forces to take on a soul-stealer when he threatens the small town of Amethyst, IL.Black Magic Wiccan ~ Toni LoTempioOn one of her last assignments before leaving PSI, Wiccan witch Morgan Hawkes calls upon her Voodoo heritage to battle a vengeful spirit.The Kiss ~ Edie RamerIn this modern-day version of Sleeping Beauty, a woman whose ancestor was accused of being a witch in Salem is the only hope of a dying man with unusual powers.The Trouble With Spells ~ Camilla ChaferA witch couple must solve a family mystery using both their magic and their wits.Rianna's Revenge ~ Dale MayerA young hydromancer must win a challenge to save her place as rightful heir to her elemental house. When she discovers her ex--the man she still loves--is one of the judges, she wonders just how many enemies she's really fighting.A Ghostly Match ~ Misty EvansWhen a Voodoo matchmaker looking for her soul mate pleads to her dead grandmother for help, she opens the door to a ghostly client with an impossible demand.A Samhain Surprise ~ Debora GearyEnchanter's Realm is an online game for witches. And the creators have a surprise ready this Hallow's Eve.The Witch is Back ~ Rose PresseyStormy Sanders discovers a beautiful crystal, but with it comes a witchy fairy godmother. When Stormy attempts her first magic spell on Halloween night, mysterious Gavin Wickcliffe shows up at her door. That's when she realizes there's a lot more to magic than she expected.Cats and Dogs ~ J.L. BryanEnchanted cookies from a witchy neighbor help connect Sadie with her own pets--and that handsome neighbor she's been eyeing.The Hazards of Desire ~ Wren EmersonIn a town full of witches, a young witch learns that love can be dangerous.Orion's Moon ~ Teri ReidWhen blood-born witch Cassidy Maguire opens her home to a stray dog she names Orion, little does she realize that she will not only be the hunter, but the hunted.

    Travel through time, space, and realities to encounter monsters, mechanical foxes, and the Fates themselves. You'll fly with dragons, save implausible beasts, and perhaps find your true home. Choose your path wisely, for dangers lurk in the lands beyond. In the third anthology from the Fellowship of Fantasy, eleven authors promise you journeys into fairy lands hidden within the modern world, futuristic universities, and lands of ancient myth. So what are you waiting for? Cross through our Doorways for the adventure of a lifetime!

    In "Mercury Rain" a soldier fighting a new enemy learns the importance of holding on to his memories. "Blackwater," the title story of the collection, is an homage to Stephen King's short story, "Graveyard Shift," and it tells the tale of Paul Hawkins, a mine worker who disturbs something terrifying in the Blackwater Hills of Durham, Pennsylvania, in the summer of 1976.

    Thinking they are alone in that knowledge, they seek to learn what it means for the world. Unfortunately, they soon learn that being a vessel of the old gods isn’t a safe thing to be. Can Ukrah find her destiny and remain free from those that would enslave her and use her powers for personal gain?The Vessel of the Gods Boxed Set contains books four, five, and six in the Rise of the Black Dragon series which follows the story of a young girl blessed—and cursed—with a magic she doesn’t understand and a dragon who will save—or destroy—the world.Stories Included: Reborn, Vessel of the Gods, Deception

    When it comes to Indian folk tales, the country of diverse religions, languages and cultures has a complete range of tales and short stories. This collection brings together stories of sacrifice, courage, might, deceit and righteousness that give a panoramic view of the rich cultural heritage of India. Read, absorb and enjoy this wonderful collection of all-time tales.

    

    The lurking wolf in Little Red Riding Hood, the gingerbread house that lures Hansel and Gretel, the beauty asleep in her castle—these fables represent some of our deepest, most primeval fears and satisfy our longing for good to win out over evil (preferably in the most gruesome way possible). In this captivating new collection, critically acclaimed author Jean Thompson takes the classic fairy tale and brings it into the modern age with stories that capture the magic and horror in everyday life. The downtrodden prevail, appearances deceive, and humility and virtue triumph in The Witch, as lost children try to find their way home, adults cursed by past unspeakable acts are fated to experience their own horror in the present, and true love—or is it enchantment?—conquers all. The Witch and Other Tales Re-Told is a haunting and deeply entertaining collection, showcasing the inimitable Thompson at the height of her storytelling prowess.