Sinners & Sorcerers


S.M. Reine - 2014
    CRANE that you'll find only in SINNERS & SORCERERS! 4 full-length books by 5 bestselling authors ___________________ WITCH HUNT (Preternatural Affairs) - SM Reine Cesar Hawke wakes up with a dead waitress in his bathtub after a night of drunken partying, but he knows he didn't kill her. He works for the Office of Preternatural Affairs. He doesn't hurt people - he saves them. The cops disagree. Now he's running. He'll have to find Isobel Stonecrow, a witch that speaks to the dead, to clear his name and get his life back. He's bagged a dozen witches before. How hard can one more be? ___________________ CALLED (Southern Watch) - Robert J. Crane A local cop keeping order in Midian, Tennessee, Archibald "Arch" Stan lives a good but ultimately empty life. Until the drifter with a sword comes to town. Lafayette Hendricks fights things that don't die - even when shot. As demons, chaos and unspeakable evils threaten Arch's small town, he and Hendricks must join forces to keep watch on the darkness before it swallows Midian--and from there, the world. ___________________ FLAMING DOVE - Daniel Arenson A child of both angel and demon, Laila is outcast from Hell, banished from Heaven and lost on an Earth left in ruins. Yet the armies of Armageddon, ended now in an uneasy truce set to implode, both need her. She can become the ultimate spy...or ultimate soldier. As the armies of Heaven and Hell pursue her, Laila's forced to confront the struggle between her demonic and heavenly blood that battles within her heart. ___________________ CURSED! - Scott Nicholson & J.R. Rain Albert Shipway is an ordinary SoCal guy, an insurance negotiator who likes booze and women and never having to say he’s sorry. But a little old woman knows about the storm of broken things -- promises, hearts, families -- littering his past, and she has one heck of a recipe for supernatural revenge: a psychotic ex, a pinch of childhood fear, a life-stealing great-granddad and a notorious mass murderer who doesn't know he's dead. Albert's about to get a chance to right some wrongs.

The Riyria Sampler


Michael J. Sullivan - 2015
    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.

Magic City: Recent Spells


Paula GuranAmanda Downum - 2014
    magic spells, witchcraft, wizardry, fairies, devilry, and more. Urban living, at least in fantasy fiction, is full of both magical wonder and dark enchantment. Street kids may have supernatural beings to protect them or have such powers themselves. Brujeria may be part of your way of life. Crimes can be caused (and solved) with occult arts and even a losing sports team's "curse" can be lifted with wizardry. And be careful of what cab you call - it might take you on a journey beyond belief! Some of the best stories of urban enchantment from the last few years is gathered in one volume full of hex appeal and arcane arts.

Turned at Dark


C.C. Hunter - 2011
    She did not believe in vampires, until she turns into one. Should she follow her vampire cousin's lead and walk away from everything she knows, or join Shadow Falls, a camp for special teens?This short story from C.C. Hunter gives readers a look into Della's history.

The End is Nigh


John Joseph AdamsNancy Kress - 2014
    Death. War. Pestilence. These are the harbingers of the biblical apocalypse, of the End of the World. In science fiction, the end is triggered by less figurative means: nuclear holocaust, biological warfare/pandemic, ecological disaster, or cosmological cataclysm.But before any catastrophe, there are people who see it coming. During, there are heroes who fight against it. And after, there are the survivors who persevere and try to rebuild. THE APOCALYPSE TRIPTYCH will tell their stories.Edited by acclaimed anthologist John Joseph Adams and bestselling author Hugh Howey, THE APOCALYPSE TRIPTYCH is a series of three anthologies of apocalyptic fiction. THE END IS NIGH focuses on life before the apocalypse. THE END IS NOW turns its attention to life during the apocalypse. And THE END HAS COME focuses on life after the apocalypse.THE END IS NIGH features all-new, never-before-published works by Hugh Howey, Paolo Bacigalupi, Jamie Ford, Seanan McGuire, Tananarive Due, Jonathan Maberry, Robin Wasserman, Nancy Kress, Charlie Jane Anders, Ken Liu, and many others.

The Collected Kagan


Janet Kagan - 2016
    Janet Kagan was a unique voice in the business, bringing her witty sense of humor and refreshing outlook to stories that tackled political intrigue, murder mysteries, and ecological puzzles. Her stories are thought-provoking, often funny, and always entertaining.“Janet Kagan explores the interfaces of culture, language, intelligence, and what it means to be human.”—Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, coauthors of the best-selling Liaden Universe® series“An absolute delight.”—Mike ResnickAt the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

The Paranormal 13


C.J. ArcherChristine Pope - 2014
    Poe The Girl by Lola St Vil Rest For The Wicked by Cate Dean Drowning Mermaids by Nadia Scrieva I Bring the Fire: Part I Wolves by C. Gockel The Witch Hunter by Nicole R Taylor Beyond the Fortuneteller's Tent by Kristy Tate Nolander by Becca Mills The Medium by C.J. Archer Dream Student by J.J. DiBendetto Deception by Stacy Claflin The Black Parade by Kyoko M The Thought Readers by Dima Zales

Envy of Angels


Matt Wallace - 2015
    It's like I dropped a heroic dose of acid and turned on the Food Network for eight hours. It's funny and demented and sticks in you like a pinbone. Matt Wallace writes like someone just jammed a needle full of adrenaline in his heart - and then, in yours. From this point forward, I'll read anything this guy writes."-Chuck Wendig, author of BLACKBIRDS and ZER0ES"No one makes me think, 'Dammit, I should have thought of that!' like Matt Wallace. The Sin du Jour series is something I read with equal amounts of envy and delight." - Mur Lafferty, Campbell Award winning author of THE SHAMBLING GUIDE TO NEW YORK CITY

Stories of the Raksura, Volume 1: The Falling World & The Tale of Indigo and Cloud


Martha Wells - 2014
    When she fails to return, her consort Moon, along with Stone and a party of warriors and hunters, must track them down. Finding them turns out to be the easy part; freeing them from an ancient trap hidden in the depths of the Reaches is much more difficult.The Tale of Indigo and Cloud explores the history of the Indigo Cloud Court, long before Moon came to Court. In the distant past, Indigo stole Cloud from Emerald Twilight. But in doing so, the reigning Queen Cerise and Indigo are now poised for a conflict that could ruin everything.Stories of Moon and the shape changers of Raksura have delighted readers for years. This world is a dangerous place full of strange mysteries, where the future can never be taken for granted, and must always be fought for with wits and ingenuity, and often tooth and claw. With two brand-new novellas, Martha Wells shows that the world of Raksura has many more stories to tell...Contains: The Falling World #3.6The Tale of Indigo and Cloud #0.1The Forest Boy #0.2Adaptation #0.4Appendices

Unnatural Creatures


Neil GaimanGahan Wilson - 2013
    Nesbit, Diana Wynne Jones, Gahan Wilson, and other literary luminaries. Sales of Unnatural Creatures benefit 826DC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students in their creative and expository writing, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.

Girls' Night Out


Jenna Black - 2012
    She’s formed an alliance with the Erlking, atruce with the Queen of the Seelie Court, and best of all, no one’stried to kill her for weeks.Enter Althea - the teenage daughter of Mab, the Unseelie Queen. Danaknows from the moment she sets eyes on the wannabe Goth chick that Alis trouble, but she finds herself drawn to the wounded soul sheglimpses beneath the Faerie glamour.When Al asks Dana to take her into the mortal world to visit the humanboyfriend her mother has driven away, Dana refuses, knowing that QueenMab would hold her personally responsible if anything happened to herdaughter. But Al is a Faerie princess, and she’s not used to taking nofor an answer.Will Dana ignore her common sense and risk the Unseelie Queen’s wrathto help her new BFF? And if not, just how far is Al willing to go toget her own way?

Legends of Australian Fantasy


Jack DannD.M. Cornish - 2010
    These are the legends of Australian fantasy - eleven of Australia's best-loved and most widely read writers ... Gathered together by equally legendary editors Jack Dann and Jonathan Strahan to produce an entirely original compilation ...Celebrate the legends of Australian fantasy. Extraordinary voices ... extraordinary worlds. Come to Erith, to a faerie tale with a sting, or to Obernewtyn, long before the Seeker was born. Revisit a dark pocket of history for the Magician's Guild or get caught up in the confusion of an endlessly repeating day in the Citadel. Cross the wall, where Charter magic is all that lies between you and death. A trip with a graverobber can be gruesome, and it's hard to share the fear of a woman who must kill her husband if her child is to rule ... A mysterious tale plays out in Sevenwaters. Catch up with Ros and Adi as they prepare for the greatest change of all. Other twists in these fabulous tales bring us to demonic destiny and an alternate WWII. these eleven short novels will take you on amazing new journeys with favourite characters from the worlds you know and love ...

Out of Tune


Jonathan MaberryJeff Strand - 2014
    A song half-heard. The murmur of a voice singing in the dark. There it is again…a few words set to an old melody filled with mystery, heartbreak and horror. Out of Tune gathers a collection of original dark fantasy tales inspired by folk ballads. Here you’ll find stories of strange creatures and strangers humans, treachery and love, murder and monsters. Out of Tune brings together some of today’s most talented writers and sets them loose in that swirling darkness at the edge of town. NY Times bestselling author and editor Jonathan Maberry unleashes his own brand of dark forces with a line-up of bestsellers and award winners. Kelley Armstrong, Jack Ketchum, Simon R. Green, Seanan McGuire, Christopher Golden, David Liss, Gregory Frost, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Jeff Strand, Lisa Morton, Jeff Mariotte & Marsheila Rockwell, Nancy Holder, Del Howison, and Gary Braunbeck. With commentary on each source ballad by folklorist Nancy Keim Comley. Now get ready to dance to the music of the night.

Beyond the Woods: Fairy Tales Retold


Paula Guran - 2016
    But in truth, they have continued to prick the imaginations of readers at all ages.Over the years, authors have often borrowed bits and pieces from these stories, grafting them into their own writing, creating literature with both new meaning and age-old significance. In the last few decades or so, they’ve also intentionally retold and reinvented the tales in a variety of ways—delightful or dark, wistful or wicked, sweet or satirical—that forge new trails through the forests of fantastic fiction.This new anthology compiles some of the best modern fairy-tale retellings and reinventions from award-winning and bestselling authors, acclaimed storytellers, and exciting new talents, into an enchanting collection. Explore magical new realms by traveling with us, Beyond the Woods . . .

The Death of All Things


Laura Anne GilmanShaun Avery - 2017
    Cheat. Bargain. Fight. Accept. Bribe. Conquer. Evade. No matter what humanity tries, Death always wins. Or does it? Discover the answer in The Death of All Things, where twenty-two writers take their shot at the Grim Reaper with explorations of the mythical, fantastical, and futuristic bonds between life and death. Learn the cost of mortality, the perils—and joys—of the afterlife, and the potential pitfalls of immortality … Featuring stories from: K. M. Laney, Andrea Mullen, Faith Hunter, Kendra Leigh Speedling, Jason M. Hough, Julie Pitzel, Shaun Avery, Christie Golden, Leah Cutter, Aliette de Bodard, Andrew Dunlop, Juliet E. McKenna, A. Merc Rustad, Ville Meriläinen, Amanda Kespohl, Mack Moyer, Fran Wilde, Kathryn McBride, Andrija Popovic, Jim C. Hines, Stephen Blackmoore, and Kiya Nicoll. Introduction by Laura Anne Gilman & Kat Richardson“Raveling” by K. M. Laney“Death and Mrs. Morrison” by Andrea Mullen“Death and the Fashionista” by Faith Hunter“Awake, Awake” by Kendra Leigh Speedling“The End” by Jason M. Hough“The Dance” by Julie Pitzel“The Legend of John Barrett” by Shaun Avery“The Wolves of Lady Death” by Christie Golden“Wedding Vows” by Leah Cutter“Cicada Song, in a Country Since Long Gone” by Aliette de Bodard“Dying on Stage” by Andrew Dunlop“A Constant Companion” by Juliet E. McKenna“Thrice Remembered” by A. Merc Rustad“Charnel House” by Ville Meriläinen“How Death Came By His Soul” by Amanda Kespohl“The Tab” by Mack Moyer“Death and My Mentions” by Fran Wilde“A Shift in Mood” by Kathryn McBride“Finding the Dancer” by Andrija Popovic“The Fallow Grave of Dream” by Jim C. Hines“What Happens in Vegas” by Stephen Blackmoore“Delayed Exchange Deferred” by Kiya Nicoll