Rape: A Love Story


Joyce Carol Oates - 2003
    Not after midnight, not through Rocky Point Park. Not the way she was dressed in a tank top, denim cutoffs, and high-heeled sandals. Not with her twelve-year-old daughter Bethie. Not with packs of local guys running loose on hormones, rage, and alcohol. A victim of gang rape, left for dead in the park boathouse, the once vivacious Teena can now only regret that she has survived. At a relentlessly compelling pace punctuated by lonely cries in the night and the whisper of terror in the afternoon, Joyce Carol Oates unfolds the story of Teena and Bethie, their assailants, and their unexpected, silent champion, a man who knows the meaning of justice. And love.

The Bird


Willow Rose - 2017
    Her mother is reluctant. She is terrified of birds. As she rightfully should be...The Bird is a short story from The Queen of Scream. A quick and scary read, as only Willow Rose can deliver it.

Knock Knock


Chuck Palahniuk - 2010
    The story “Knock Knock” is about a boy who grows up with his dad always telling these horrible jokes.

A Sexy Journey


Jasinda Wilder - 2012
    I grew up in a small town, dated my high school sweetheart all the way through college, and married him. I even waited until our wedding night for my first time. Yeah, that kind of good girl. Finding my husband in bed with the church secretary came as quite a shock, needless to say. Finding out he'd slept with just about every female in town was an even bigger shock.Discovering those dirty little secrets is what sent me on a journey that I will never forget. ** This erotic romance novella is for adults only! Contains super hot, one-on-one sex between two great characters.**

Outta the Bag


MaryJanice Davidson - 2010
    In Outta the Bag, Clive Better—the better-than-best plumber in town—attends a speed dating event where—instead of attempting to score phone numbers—he recounts his recent run-in with a freaked-out cat and a sexy-but-psychotic woman that has left him confused, scratched up, and rather aroused.

Snow


Howard Odentz - 2016
    . . in October. A dangerous man is stalking the hallways, and three teens harbor a secret that may get everyone killed if they don't figure out how to stop the snow and the rampage. Epic Award nominated author Howard Odentz is the author of the Dead (A Lot) Trilogy, the stand-alone horror novel Bloody Bloody Apple, and the short story collection Little Killers A to Z.

Sleeping Handsome


Jean Haus - 2011
    Reading to a boy in a coma is just plain creepy, but her English teacher somehow thinks her acting skills make it the perfect community service match.But when she finds the boy’s journal hidden among his books, things turn from creepy to interesting.

The Wedding Dress


Ellie Keaton - 2012
    And nothing would stop her. Not the fact that she’d be the youngest one in the history of the company. Or the fact that she’d be the first female Director. And especially not a man.Then she met Tyler, and everything changed. It was like they were destined to be together. The attraction was immediate, and the follow-through was more passionate and amazing than she could have ever hoped for.But Tyler was gone now. She could barely bring herself to think about their brief time together. As she stared at her wedding dress, she reflected on the fact that almost everything would be in place: a perfect gown, a perfect venue, a perfect ceremony. But not her perfect groom.15% of profits donated to Tuesdayschildren.org to help kids affected by 9/11 and other acts of terrorism.

The River: A Christopher Radcliff Short Story


A.D. Swanston - 2018
    . . Cambridge on the morning of a day in April, the year of Our Lord 1569.And Christopher Radcliff, Doctor of Civil Laws at Pembroke Hall and recruiter of clever young men to the service of the Earl of Leicester, is amongst a crowd of excited townsfolk and university scholars gathered on a field to watch a game of foot ball. It is to be played between the apprentices of the town and pupils of the colleges and it is hoped it will reconcile differences between town and gown. Bets are placed, wagers made. On the field long-standing animosities surface and violence breaks out but not before the college team is victorious, thanks to the skill of a Pembroke Hall man, John Groom.Later that day, Radcliff is summoned to the senior tutor’s rooms. It transpires that John Groom has been locked up on a serious charge of assault – he’d nearly caused a cobbler’s apprentice to drown. If found guilty, Groom would be expelled from college and face imprisonment. But Christopher smells a rat. He believes the charge to be the fabrication of someone with a serious grudge against the young man, and yet it does seem as if Groom is hiding something. Enlisting the help of his friend Edward Allington and his wife Katherine, Dr Radcliff knows the truth lies somewhere within the infamous den that is Slegge’s gaming house…

Out of Control


Kate Kelly - 2012
    Until Serena McGregor finally walked away from undercover FBI agent Nick Demarco. Six months later, her elusive scent still haunting him, Nick is ready to risk his career to prove Serena is innocent of a five million dollar heist.As an archivist, Serena likes tidy things, filed away in an orderly fashion. Too bad the only category Nick falls under is a heartache waiting to happen. He’s too much. Too passionate, too beautiful, and he definitely won’t stick around after he discovers all her secrets. But as a suspect in the robbery of the century, Serena can’t refuse his help. That’s not all she can’t refuse. Will this mismatched couple discover they have more in common than they imagine?

The Breathing Method


John Escott - 1982
    The years pass but no one looks any older. One night a doctor tells the story of a young woman who gives birth to a baby in the most horrible way! Evil psychic powers, obsession and the supernatural in the most ordinary, everyday places. A spine-chiller from the master of horror.

Dead Man Stalking


Rachel Caine - 2010
    Cast.Living in West Texas is sort of like living in Hell, but without the favorable climate and charming people. Living in Morganville, Texas, is all that and a takeout bag of worse. I should know. My name is Shane Collins, and I was born here, left here, came back here—none of which I had much choice about.This story was first published in the BenBella Books anthology Immortal, edited by none other than P. C. Cast, so if you want to read some other killer YA vampire tales, go in search of it! You won’t be disappointed.I decided to do an action-oriented story from Shane’s point of view. There was a running joke at the time that I should throw some zombies into Morganville, and while I didn’t succumb to the temptation in the books, I veered into it here … in a way. We get to visit some great Morganville locations, fight some zombies, and find out where Michael has disappeared to … and what Shane’s father has been doing just beyond the town’s borders that might change everything.This story is set sometime after Michael’s transformation to full vampire, but not long after; Shane’s still getting used to the idea that his best not-a-vamp friend has switched sides. There’s a little bromance, and a lot of Frank Collins.I might have been thinking just a little bit about the iconic Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode ‘The Zeppo’ … but only in the undead football player sense. And yes, I quoted the eighties movie Buckaroo Banzai. Guilty as charged.

The Caper


Janet Evanovich - 2013
    Later published online via Janet's email newsletter (August 2015).

Steel and Lace


Adriane Leigh - 2012
    His dangerous good looks and seductive charm gets him whatever he wants— whenever he wants it. That is until he meets Eva. When Carter locks eyes with smart and spirited fashion editor Eva Austin, sparks fly and worlds collide. He's drawn to her quiet beauty and independent spirit, and she can't deny the overwhelming effect he has on her. Her every instinct tells her to run, but he won't take no for an answer. They embark on a passionately physical affair and discover that learning to love won't be easy. This novella is intended for mature audiences. Approx. 12,000 words.

Twittering from the Circus of the Dead


Joe Hill - 2013
    The show's about to begin. Step right up for the Circus of the Dead: where YOU are the concessions. #CircusoftheDead