Book picks similar to
Wilted Lilies by Kelli Owen


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The Last Blog


Rob Blackwell - 2015
    14, 2010, and was never seen again. The only clues to his fate were a series of blog posts he left behind, allegedly recounting his final hours inside one of the most haunted houses in the world. But what started as an investigation into the mysterious occurrences inside Madison Manor also revealed shocking truths about Sean’s own past. “The Last Blog” is a 10,000-word short story that includes Sean’s final blog postings, as well as additional analysis and insight provided by noted supernatural expert Soren Chase. It’s the perfect treat for Halloween!

Spalding's Scary Shorts


Nick Spalding - 2010
    Keating the vampire used to love the stories that humans would write about his species. They had endlessly amused him.Madeline De Martine had changed all that though. From terrifying, bloodthirsty creatures of the night... to maudlin, effeminate idiots obsessed with adolescent American girls, De Martine's blockbuster romances had irrevocably ruined the image of the vampire as far as Keating was concerned.So tonight he's paying the multi-millionaire writer a visit to offer some constructive feedback, and show her the error of her ways... Dogs Of War Giving interactive gameplay a whole new meaning. Disaster... Epic. Huge. Unmitigated. Disaster. Zack Hampton's beloved Gamestation console has just committed electronic suicide - right in the middle of a hectic multiplayer Dogs Of War game.Where the hell is he supposed to find another one the week before Christmas? All the shops have sold out! Imagine Zack's delight when he stumbles on a quaint Christmas shop, run by the enigmatic Mister Fix... and discovers a unique 'special edition' Gamestation on sale for a bargain price. Following a very strange conversation with the old shopkeeper, Zack buys the console and rushes home to rejoin the online mayhem as quickly as possible. This Gamestation is very special though, and Zack is about to take part in a game of Dogs Of War he is never going to forget. I, Zombie A story of the thinking dead. 'My name is Jim Monroe and I am a zombie. My natural life on this planet has ceased and I've been re-animated to stalk the world as a pale, grotesque imitation of my former self. I'm different from my undead brethren though... I'm a zombie with a brain. This is the short, shocking story of how I came to be this way.'Spine Slaughter When hedgehogs attack! On a warm summer's day, the village of Wincing On Thames is attacked by the most unlikely of blood thirsty monsters.Hoards of deadly hedgehogs are on the loose, with a taste for human flesh. Can hockey stick wielding Jason, Scab the punk and their friends survive the onslaught? And what turned these normally placid little animals into creatures from the darkest of nightmares?

The Cottage: A True Haunted House Story


Jess Breitling - 2017
    But before long they can’t deny something is very wrong with their new residence, and they find themselves trying to make sense of the unexplainable. After a year of coping with disembodied voices, flying objects, phantom footsteps, and apparitions of red eyes, the family moves away. But things will get even stranger at their new house. The Cottage details the true paranormal experiences of a real family in Southern California. If you enjoy The Cottage, please look for its sequel, The Bungalow.

Grave Decisions


Stephen R. King - 2016
    Follow the terror and drama in five short stories that will bring you gravely close to your fears. The winds are howling, can you hear the screams? WARNING: Not the famous Stephen King from Maine.

The Damned Season


Shani Struthers - 2021
    It’s a loneliness she nurtures, finds comfort in even, except at Christmas, a time of dread.Then comes an invite, an offer from an old friend, to join him for ‘The Damned Season’ at his house on an island off the coast of Anglesey, for Christmas with a difference. Intrigued as well as desperate, Beth accepts, arriving there a few days before Christmas Eve.She’s not the only one invited, however, there are four others, all strangers to each other, all crossing murky, choppy waters to meet their host, a much changed man that seems not only surprised to see them, but dismayed, and weary too. Who is nothing but a husk.With the boatman gone and the mists closing in, Beth finds herself in a solitary house of ever-changing rooms and never-ending corridors, of people disappearing and then reappearing, of feasts and famine. And then there are the doors, constantly multiplying, and locked…aren’t they?The Damned Season. It’s coming.

Sticky Fingers 3 (Sticky Fingers Collection)


J.T. Lawrence - 2018
    Humorous, touching, creepy, but most of all entertaining, this collection is superb." — Tracy Michelle Anderson *** If you're a fan of Roald Dahl or Gillian Flynn you'll love these unsettling stories with a twist in the tale.  Click now to start reading. ​

Petrified Women


Jeremy Ray - 2021
    This one could be deadly.Harley has the perfect boyfriend. Why can’t her best friend see that? He’s nothing like the others, especially the one who still haunts her memories. She’s finally picked a “keeper” with Aiden.Sure, he’s a bit eccentric. His wood carving hobby is a little odd. His need for isolation while he carves his life-size female figurines is strange. And maybe his obsession with pranks, or "scares" on Harley goes a little too far. But what do you expect? Aiden’s an artist.Harley has finally picked the perfect boyfriend. That’s why this year, Harley ignores all her best friend’s warnings. She has the ultimate surprise planned for Aiden’s birthday, one that’s going to help her get even in their battle to out-prank each other.She hides in his apartment, excitedly waiting to pull off the scare of a lifetime…But then he comes home, and Harley witnesses a different side of her boyfriend. The side that exists behind closed doors when he doesn’t know anyone’s watching.Is this just one of his scares? Or is there something more sinister lurking behind his playful nature? Harley’s about to find out.CONTENT WARNING:Sexual AssaultViolenceBody HorrorStrong LanguageReader discretion advised

More Ghost Stories of Shimla Hills


Minakshi Chaudhry - 2012
    Stories from the colonial era will both entertain and enthral readers. The author is very well-known in the Himachal as a prolific and an entertaining writer. About the Book: More Ghost Stories of Shimla Hills A collection of sixteen stories about the supernatural, originating from Shimla folklore and the days of the Raj. The haunted foothills of Himalayas present the perfect setting for the dark and sinister world of phantoms and apparitions. Many spirits wander about these hills-the English nurse, the theatre manager, the English lord and his sister, even a family of local ghosts Many of these are real encounters narrated by the inhabitants. With thrilling twists and turns, each story recreates the horror of the victims and the fear of the unknown. Get ready to be spooked! About the Author: Minakshi Chaudhry Minakshi Chaudhry, an author and former journalist, lives in Shimla with her husband. She is a keen observer of people, cultures, lifestyles, and loves trekking and travelling. Minakshi has authored several books-Sunshine: My Encounter with Cancer, Love Stories of Shimla Hills, Whispering Deodars: Writings from Shimla Hills, Destination Himachal: 132 Offbeat and 12 Popular Getaways, Ghost Stories of Shimla Hills, 65 Treks and Over 100 Destinations: A Guide to Trekking in Himachal, and Exploring Pangi Himalaya: A World Beyond Civilization. She is currently working on her next book and can be contacted at minakshi_kanwar@yahoo.com

In the Tall Grass


Stephen King - 2012
    in this e-book collaboration between Stephen King and Joe Hill.In the Tall Grass begins with a sister and brother who pull off to the side of the road after hearing a young boy crying for help from beyond the tall grass. Within minutes they are disoriented, in deeper than seems possible, and they’ve lost one another. The boy’s cries are more and more desperate. What follows is a terrifying, entertaining, and masterfully told tale, as only Stephen King and Joe Hill can deliver.In the Tall Grass was originally published in two parts in the June/July and August 2012 issues of Esquire magazine. This is their second collaboration since the novella Throttle, published in 2009.

The Mourning House


Ronald Malfi - 2012
    Sam Hatch is a shadow of his former self. He travels the byroads of America, running away from a past he cannot escape. There is no salvation for him.And then he sees the house. Like a siren, it calls to him. Yet the house is not what it appears to be. Is it a blessing, a gift...or a curse?

The Pretty Ones


Ania Ahlborn - 2015
    The sweltering height of the Summer of Sam. The entire city is gripped with fear, but all Nell Sullivan worries about is whether or not she’ll ever make a friend. The self-proclaimed “Plain Jane” does her best to fit in with the girls at work, but Nell’s brother, Barrett, assures her that she’ll never be like them. When Nell manages to finally garner some much-yearned-for attention, the unthinkable happens to her newfound friend. The office pool blames Son of Sam, but Nell knows the awful truth…because doing the devil’s work is easy when there’s already a serial killer on the loose.

The Mole People Beneath the City


Evans Light - 2012
    It will be a ride they never forget.

Hold On Until Your Fingers Break (Tales of the Unusual, #1)


Luke Smitherd - 2015
    what happens when you never let go of the ones you love?

On the Lips of Children


Mark Matthews - 2013
    Tattoo artist. Athlete. Family man. He's planning to run a marathon, but the event becomes something terrible. During a warm-up run, Macon falls prey to a bizarre man and his wife who dwell in an underground drug-smuggling tunnel. They raise their twin children in a way Macon couldn't imagine: skinning unexpecting victims for food and money. And Macon, and his family, are next.

Lost Highways: Dark Fictions From the Road


D. Alexander WardRachel Autumn Deering - 2018
    Moms and dads making long commutes. Teenagers headed to the beach. Bands on their way to the next gig. Truckers pulling long hauls. Families driving cross country to visit their kin.But there are others, too. The desperate and the lost. The cruel and the criminal.Theirs is a world of roadside honky-tonks, truck stops, motels, and the empty miles between destinations. The unseen spaces.And there are even stranger things. Places that aren’t on any map. Wayfaring terrors and haunted legends about which seasoned and road-weary travelers only whisper.But those are just stories. Aren’t they?Find out for yourself as you get behind the wheel with some of today’s finest authors of the dark and horrific as they bring you these harrowing tales from the road.Tales that could only be spawned by the endless miles of America’s lost highways.So go ahead and hop in. Let’s take a ride.Line-up: Introduction by Brian Keene doungjai gam & Ed Kurtz — “Crossroads of Opportunity” Matt Hayward — “Where the Wild Winds Blow” Joe R. Lansdale — “Not from Detroit” Kristi DeMeester — “A Life That is Not Mine” Robert Ford — “Mr. Hugsy” Lisa Kröger — “Swamp Dog” Orrin Grey — “No Exit” Michael Bailey — “The Long White Line” Kelli Owen — “Jim’s Meats” Bracken MacLeod — “Back Seat” Jess Landry — “The Heart Stops at the End of Laurel Lane” Jonathan Janz — “Titan, Tyger” Nick Kolakowski — “Your Pound of Flesh” Richard Thomas — “Requital” Damien Angelica Walters — “That Pilgrims’ Hands Do Touch” Cullen Bunn — “Outrunning the End” Christopher Buehlman — “Motel Nine” Rachel Autumn Deering — “Dew Upon the Wing” Josh Malerman — “Room 4 at the Haymaker” Rio Youers — “The Widow” Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths. Interview with the editor:So what makes Lost Highways: Dark Fictions From the Road so special?Lost Highways comes at the theme of road stories with the desire to push the boundaries of what that theme means. Because of that, it collects authors of diverse levels of experience and notoriety in the worlds of horror and dark fiction. This brings together voices like Joe R. Lansdale, Cullen Bunn, Josh Malerman, Damien Angelica Walters, Rio Youers, Bracken MacLeod, Rachel Autumn Deering, Matt Hayward, doungjai gam with Ed Kurtz, and Kristi DeMeester. All of these unique voices bring a fresh and often unexpected take on the theme.What made you think of this theme for the anthology?Road trips can be fun but they can also be long and boring.