To be entertained. Then you find yourself in a school where a group of friends have brought something terrible to life. You meet a family whose extraordinary luck comes at a horrific price. You write a letter to yourself and get a reply that leads to death and madness. As you journey through these shrouded lands, you look back and can't make out where you started. Because once you're traveling through the darkness, the only way out is through. Read the collection of novellas and short stories that is being called "genius", "amazing", and "scary AF". But be prepared. You won't be the same when you come out the other side.

    Kennedy has put together some of the horror worlds best selling horror anthologies. Now, for the first time, he has collected together some of his own short stories in the one place. Features a brand new, eight thousand work, tribute story to Richard Laymon's Dark Mountain.

     It was supposed to be a joke, but someone didn't get the humor. And Sarah must find out if it was a suicide, or murder...

    Three books in one!With the atmosphere of urban decline and inner-city violence, these three murder mysteries are set in the metropolitan area of Salford, Manchester - one of the most deprived areas in England.Ex-rugby player turned social worker Gus Keane is a man who, faced with the disinterest of the Police, becomes a private investigator in order to find out who murdered his boss. Not surprisingly, law enforcement don't want someone meddling in the case, but increasingly they turn to Keane's local knowledge to bring the culprit to justice.Three related detective mysteries in one bumper volume on KindleAs reviewers have remarked, these books form a trilogy but each can be read on its own, without having read the others. This is partly because Gus Keane is an immediately likeable detective: he has his faults, and is always getting into trouble; but he has a way of getting the truth out of people and, hardened to the rough world of Salford, his local knowledge is key.THE THREE BOOKS IN THE TRILOGYTACKLING DEATH: A pacey pulp Private Eye thriller set in a northern English townEx-rugby football player turned social worker Gus Keane is getting ready for retirement when his boss gets murdered. Finding himself under suspicion, Keane turns private detective to find out the truth. But when he closes in on the killer will Keane come out on top or fall victim to the murderer’s desperate moves?DEAD CERTAINTY: Social worker turned Private Eye Gus Keane returns in this gripping murder mysteryIf something happens in Salford, Manchester, it is generally bad news and when two dead bodies turn up within a few hours of one another, it is no exception. With the local force stretched to the limits and firing blanks ex-rugby player Gus Keane is asked to step in to help find the culprits. What follows is an ever thickening plot as Keane gradually begins to unravel a mystery from Salford's shady past.FALLING FOUL: Private investigator Gus Keane is back with a difficult new case to solveWith his ex-wife appearing back on the scene and relations with his girlfriend Marti troubled, the murder of one of Gus Keane's colleagues comes at a really bad time. Yet when his friend Jimmy is accused of the murder, he really must step up to the plate. With his knowledge of the local area, and a healthy suspicion that nothing anyone says is true, private investigator Keane must find the killer before Jimmy is convicted.These books are also available as individual titles on Kindle and are FREE on Kindle Unlimited.

     Eve is an 18,000 word novella originally published as an ongoing story on Reddit's Writing Prompts forum by user /u/psycho_alpaca.

    A three-inch tall samurai faces a giant iron ogre with only a sewing needle and a coin. A scientist seeks an antidote to his formula gone wrong, with the help of his partner’s beautiful daughter. All of these stories and more are included in Steampunk Fairy Tales. Written by authors from three different continents, every enchanting tale combines the futuristic Victorian concept of steam and fashion with memorable stories, from the recognizable “Jack and the Beanstalk”, to other popular and unfamiliar works from Germany, France, Italy and Japan. With steam driven gadgets such as mechanical goggles, hoverboards, and an orchestra of automatons. Steampunk Fairy Tales is a charming and unique collection of works for current lovers of the genre, and those just diving in.

    Released as one of a limited number of digital shorts released to celebrate the publication of Jeffrey Archer’s magnificent seventh short-story collection, Tell Tale. Taken from And Thereby Hangs a Tale, Jeffrey Archer's magnificent sixth collection of short stories, The Luck of the Irish is a captivating, witty and entertaining short read. Liam Casey is an enterprising young estate agent from Cork and while on holiday in Majorca he meets a fellow Irishman, Patrick O’Donovan, who offers him the opportunity to join him permanently on the island as a partner in his real estate business. Liam hastily accepts, but it is only when Patrick meets his untimely demise does the business take-off. Liam has one last project to complete; a deal that will make him rich beyond his wildest dreams, so long as everything goes to plan . . .

     THE SWEETNESS OF HER LOVE—KIMBERLY RAE JORDAN James Dawson may have looked like the hero of one of the romances Erin Kirkland loves to read, but she quickly discovers that he is not the hero for her. After all, how can she have a happily-ever-after with a man who doesn’t believe in love or marriage? Who would have thought that a visit to his grandmother’s favorite bakery to order a cake for her ninetieth birthday would end up causing James to re-evaluate his whole life? Certainly not James Dawson. But following their rather disastrous first meeting, James is determined to show Erin that he is a better man than she’s first judged him to be. Erin doesn’t want to friend-zone James, but she’s not sure she can trust that the changes he’s making will be permanent. Can someone really go from totally dismissing love and marriage to embracing it so quickly? SUGAR AND SPICE—CECELIA DOWDY Sheila Parks is stunned when Mason Smith, the identical twin brother of her ex-boyfriend Reese, moves to Blue Spring and opens a bakery. Reese’s cruel breakup still bothers her and seeing somebody who looks just like him is a painful reminder of her predicament. Unemployed, Sheila needs financial help and it appears that Mason can assist her with her problem. Can she learn to trust a man who looks just like her ex? Mason is stunned when Sheila storms into his bakery, mistakenly thinking that he’s Reese. Mason is used to comforting his womanizing brother’s ex-girlfriends. A stutterer, Mason has always had a hard time socializing with others. However, he finds himself smitten with beautiful Sheila. Can he control his stutter so that he can ask Sheila to be his date to his grandmother’s Christmas birthday party? Both Sheila and Mason deal with past pains as they work together during the Christmas season. MOOSTLETOE —JAN ELDER Rev. Samantha Evans lands in Moose Creek, Maine, where parishioners chew up new ministers for breakfast. Happily, she also reunites with forest ranger Eric Palmer, her best friend from her teenage years. With Samantha’s career on the line, Eric must save her job and rescue his own shattered heart in the process. But how does Matilda the moose factor into the mix? THE HECTOR CLAUSE—CLARE REVELL The last thing Brie Dalgleish expected her boss to do was ask her to play an elf in the toy store grotto. She's even less enthusiastic when she discovers Santa is the same bloke who drove his car through a puddle the previous evening, completely soaking her. Hector Clause is playing Santa in the family owned toy store under sufferance as a favor to his grandfather. He'd rather be in a nice safe office, using his law degree, than playing Santa in a shop full of squealing kids. Even if the chief elf is on the cute side. With the store's centenary fast approaching, the anniversary party is abruptly cancelled. Hector resolves to celebrate anyway, but isn't prepared for the curveball he finds headed his way. GINGER & BRAD’S HOUSE—MARION UECKERMANN When Brad O’Sullivan is unfaithful to Ginger Murphy, she escapes to Australia for five long years. During this time, Brad’s shotgun marriage fails. Besides his little boy, Jamie, one other thing in his life has turned out sweet and successful—his pastry business. Ginger returns to Ireland, when her mother’s diagnosed with heart failure. She loves being a wedding flautist but fears bumping into the wedding cake chef she tries to avoid.

    Hitler has just conquered Poland, but life in London continues much as it did in peacetime, albeit a little more restricted since the introduction of petrol rationing. No bombs have been dropped on the city as yet, but the population go about their daily business under the constant threat of German air raids, and a blackout remains in force at night. For Scotland Yard and the criminal fraternity, however, it is business as usual. When a pawnbroker’s assistant is wounded by a gunman wearing a gasmask, it appears to be a straightforward case of a bungled armed robbery, but as Hawker proceeds with his investigation, the more facts he uncovers the more confusing the affair becomes. A red-headed soldier, a missing gun, a dead cat, an empty violin case and a damaged violin are only a few of the threads that have to be unravelled before he can wrap up the case – with a little help from Sherlock Holmes.

    It could not have come at a better time. I distracted myself with work and even welcomed the chance to work somewhere else to help out. I enjoyed staying busy… Hallie I never expected to meet Colton when I went back for a short but necessary trip to Chester. He wasn’t here before, just memories that I wanted to forget. He was gorgeous and rough around the edges. A Mountain Man. Colton was going to be the death of me. Every moment that I spent with him, I grew more addicted. Once I gave in to him, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to walk away. Would he be worth the risk? Could I walk away from this stunning mountain man? Colton I didn’t think I’d meet Hallie, the woman that changed my world the second I saw her. It was complicated as hell, but I wanted her. I wanted a future with her. Were a few weeks enough time to decide on your future? Was it worth taking the chance? Could I trust my feelings? ***Mountain Man's Virgin is 15,000-word full-length standalone Mountain Man Romance. No cliffhanger, plenty of steam and a guaranteed HEA! Steamy Bonus Romance Stories Included Just For You.***

     Laurel Ashwood needs a miracle. All her six-week old daughter wants for Christmas is a daddy...just for the holidays while Nana visits from Montana. Laurel and her former boss, construction tycoon Nick St. John, used to share a chemistry. But will Nick want to cooperate? Six months ago, she’d left him without a word. Nick can’t believe Laurel is back. Now he can finish what they’d begun months before. But he won’t accept a “couple of days.” If Laurel wants him to play along with a fake engagement, he’s got his own naughty and nice list. A kiss under the mistletoe is just the beginning.

    

    For those who haven't met Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater (otherwise known as Riyria) this sampler will provide a brief introduction to them and the world of Elan. This sampler contains short stories previously published as well as a new excerpt from the upcoming book.The Thieves: A band of thieves sets upon two lonely riders in the middle of the night. They had a larger party. They had the element of surprise. There was no reason to be concerned, but they didn’t realize who they were dealing with. Origin: This was a scene written, and cut, for Nyphron Rising (the first novel in the Rise of Empire omnibus). Eventually, it became the opening of Theft of Swords when Orbit purchased and republished the series as three, two-book volumes.The Viscount: Eleven years before they were framed for the murder of a king, before even assuming the title of Riyria, Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater were practically strangers. Unlikely associates, this cynical thief decides to teach his idealist swordsman partner that no good deed goes unpunished. Will Royce wind up proving his point or be schooled himself? Origin: This was published in the fall of 2011 under the title The Viscount and the Witch. It was written to provide a gift to my fans after my books were removed from the market to make room for Orbit’s versions. It’s also the seed that later became The Riyria Chronicles, and this short now appears as the second chapter of The Rose and the Thorn.The Jester: Stop me if you’ve heard this one. A thief, a candlemaker, an ex-mercenary, and a pig farmer walk into a trap…and what happens is no joke. When Riyria is hired to retrieve a jester’s treasure, Royce and Hadrian must match wits with a dwarf who proves to be anything but a fool. Difficult choices will need to be made, and in the end those who laugh last do so because they are the only ones to survive. Origin: First released in the Unfettered anthology (edited by Shawn Speakman and published by Grim Oak Press), I did something a bit unusual with this short story. Faced with a word count restriction, I wrote what is essentially the climax for what could have been a full-length novel. I throw the reader into the middle of the action and make only brief allusions to what had come before. It’s an interesting experiment and seems to have worked out well based on the high praise it has received.The Death of Dulgath: When the last member of the oldest noble family in Avryn is targeted for assassination, Riyria is hired to foil the plot. Three years have passed since the war-weary mercenary Hadrian and the cynical ex-assassin Royce joined forces to start their thieves-for-hire enterprise. Things have gone well enough until this odd assignment to prevent a murder. Now they must venture into a forgotten corner of southern Avryn—a place whose history predates the First Empire. As usual, challenges abound as they try to anticipate the moves of an unknown assassin before it’s too late. But that’s not their only problem. The Countess of Dulgath has a dark secret she’s determined to keep hidden. Then there’s the little matter of Riyria’s new employer…the Nyphron Church. This sample is an excerpt, not a short story. It’s the opening scene to my new novel, which will be coming out before the end of 2015. It hasn’t yet been copy edited (I’m still writing the novel), so please forgive any minor mistakes you may find. I do think it’s in pretty good shape, but I often find my opinion and my editor’s opinion are two different things.

     Embark on a deeper dive into the mermaid lore of Born of Water, An Elemental Origins novel. New mermaid, Targa MacAuley, has just sat down to read the diary of an ancestor, join her as she uncovers secrets from the past resulting in a tragic shipwreck. More than one-hundred-fifty years later, the wreck gives up her secrets.Born of Water is the first book in The Elemental Origins, a series of captivating YA urban fantasy novels. If you like new twists on mermaid lore, simmering romance, and close-knit mother-daughter bonds, then you’ll love A.L. Knorr’s nautical adventure. Embark on a deeper dive into the story's lore with The Wreck of Sybellen, a companion novelette. Read Born of Water and The Wreck of Sybellen to submerge yourself in an enchanting coming-of-age tale today.

    They're shocked to find it's been so long that they don't recognise her at all. While they're there, they try to help her with her computer. They try first to fix her iTunes account, and then her internet banking - after all it's the least they can do! However everything they touch turns to dust. They end up getting her cut off from the internet, the gas and the electricity, and reduced to a World War II-style privations - that is until the toddler from next door comes in and fixes everything. They return home somewhat with their tails between their legs, only to discover that with their help Gran has learned to make videos, and has become an internet sensation.