When is a short story collection not a short story collection? A. When it is an exercise in extreme horror metafiction… Helen Clarke finds a book on her bookshelf that she has never seen before, simply entitled, ‘The Collection’. Intrigued, she begins to read. At first, the slim book appears to be nothing more than just a collection of short horror stories. But as the secrets that lie within the pages of the book are slowly revealed, her life turns into a waking nightmare. From Gypsy curses, to flesh-eating maniacs and creatures from the depths of Hell, Sam West invites you to take a road-trip through his messed-up head. But please be warned, there is strong sex, blood and innards.

    

    From the painted faces of a child's nightmare to discovering what we really put in our bodies in the name of health. Here are 10 tales to read with the light on.TALE #1 - "Roll up, Roll up"TALE #2 - "Late Shift"TALE #3 - "You call that music?"TALE #4 - "Whose face is this anyway?"TALE #5 - "Pink Bow"TALE #6 - "Careful what you wish for"TALE #7 - "Recycling can be hazardous to your health"TALE #8 - "Mommy's little soldier"TALE #9 - "Trick or Treat"TALE #10 - "You are what you eat"

    Also included are stories of ghost animals, haunted houses, vengeful spirits, guardian angels and much, much more. Many of the stories you are about to read will warm your heart, while others will leave you in a cold sweat. Sit back and relax. Make sure you are locked in safe and sound as you settle in for a scary read. Oh, and if you hear a strange noise in the hallway, don't worry, it's probably just the house settling. Well, maybe not.

    The author has put together promising stories for every alphabet that are guaranteed to scare you out of your wits and question the presence of the supernatural.Pick up the book as the night crawls by for feeling those chills creeping up your skin and your heart beating out of your chest.

    . . and other horrors that lurk in the water’s shivery depths. And tension shimmers in the sweltering heat of the Nevada desert as a faceless trucker finds himself caught in a sinister dance with a tribe of motorcycle outlaws in “Throttle,” co-written with Stephen King.

    Some call it the witching hour. Others call it the devil’s hour. Here in the graveyard, midnight is a very special time. It is a time when ghostly spirits are at their strongest, when the veil between our world and theirs is at its thinnest. Legend has it, that while most of the world is asleep, the lack of prayers allow the spirits to communicate under the cover of darkness, among the headstones, their whispers rustling in the leaves of the old oak trees. But if you’re here in the graveyard, you can tell yourself it’s just the wind, that the moonlight is playing tricks on your eyes, that it's only the swirling mist you see. But when you hear the graveyard gate clang shut, the dead have something to say. Here are their stories…

    Foreword: Reggie OliverIntroduction: Christopher Barker**'Beside The Shrill Sea''Feng Shui''In Arcadia''The Evil Eye''Miss Marchant’s Cause''Tiger In The Snow''Gardens Gods''The Black Cathedral''The Boy in Green Velvet''The Golden Basilica''Death Mask''A Warning To The Antiquary''The Seventeenth Sister''The Copper Wig''The Dreams Of Cardinal Vittorini'

    Masquerading as a substitute teacher, he tracks down the killer – a high school senior – and methodically builds a web to entrap him. Teacher does not desire simple justice or death for the killer; he wants the killer to endure what his son endured. But Teacher’s plan takes a life-shattering turn when he must save his son’s former girlfriend from the clutches of the brutal MS-13 gang. A taut, suspenseful thriller, Red Rider explores the depths of revenge and the strength of human bonds.

    A long forgotten oath. A town with a deadly secret. Something evil is at work in Hyde River, an isolated mining town in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.Under the cover of darkness, a predator strikes without warning—taking life in the most chilling and savage fashion.The community of Hyde River watches in terror as residents suddenly vanish. Yet, the more locals are pressed for information, the more they close ranks, sworn to secrecy by their forefathers’ hidden sins.Only when Hyde River’s secrets are exposed is the true extent of the danger fully revealed. What the town discovers is something far more deadly than anything they’d imagined. Something that doesn’t just stalk its victims, but has the power to turn hearts black with decay as it slowly fills their souls with darkness.  The Visitation The sleepy, eastern Washington wheat town of Antioch has become a gateway for the supernatural—from sightings of angels and a weeping crucifix to a self-proclaimed prophet with an astounding message. The national media and the curious all flock to the little town—a great boon for local business but not for Travis Jordan. The burned-out former pastor has been trying to hide his past in Antioch. Now the whole world is headed to his backyard to find the Messiah, and in the process, every spiritual assumption he has ever held will be challenged. The startling secret behind this visitation ultimately pushes one man into a supernatural confrontation that has eternal consequences.  Monster Some monsters are real. Miles away from the hectic city, Reed and Rebecca hike into the beautiful Northwester woods. They are surrounded by gorgeous mountains, waterfalls, and hundreds of acres of unspoiled wilderness.During their first night camping, an unearthly wail pierces the calm of the forest. Then something emerges from the dense woods. Everything that follows is a blur to Reed—except the unforgettable image of a huge creature carrying his wife into the darkness.Enter into deep wilderness where the rules of civilization no longer apply. A world where strange shadows lurk. Where creatures long attributed to overactive imaginations and nightmares are the hunters . . .and people are the hunted.

    Laughter, romance, calamity and tears.“Annette Blair is a master artist in the world of romantic fiction. A strong plot provides the canvas for her compelling characters. Vivid settings and engaging minor characters beautifully augment the portrait. Fascinating subplots add depth. Spicy sexual encounters supply bold strokes . . .” MyShelf.comBio: A New York Times Bestselling author, Annette Blair left her job as a Development Director and Journalism Advisor at a private New England prep school to become a full time writer. At forty books and counting, she’s added cozy mysteries and bewitching romantic comedies to her award-winning Historical Romances.The Rogues Club Awards at First Printing:UNDENIABLE ROGUE2003 Laurel Wreath Award Winner, VCRW 2002 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award Nominee2003 Holt Medallion Award Finalist, VRW 2003 Barclay Gold Top Ten Favorite, LCRW 2003 Aspen Gold Finalist, HODRW 2003 Winter Rose Winner, Yellow Rose RW 2003 A Lories Best Overall Award of Excellence Winner UNFORGETTABLE ROGUE2003 Booksellers Best Award, GDRW 2003 Laurel Wreath Award Winner, VCRW 2003 Orange Rose Finalist, Orange County RWA 2003 Aspen Gold Finalist, HODRW 2003 Blue Boa Award of Excellence Winner, Peninsular Chapter RWA 2002 Romantic Times K.I.S.S., Knight In Shining Silver AwardUNMISTAKABLE ROGUE2003 Booksellers Best Award, GDRW 2005 Gallant Rogue of the Year Nominee, Reed Gilbride, HRC2004 Readers' Poll Favorite, Best Regency [Historical], AdC2003 Most Exciting Start to a Story, Romance Reviews 1996 Hook, Line & Sinker Winner, Hudson Valley RWA1996 RWA Golden Heart Finalist as Act of CharityUNTAMABLE ROGUE, Formerly A Christmas Baby2005 Aspen Gold Winner, HODRW 2004 A Reviewers' International Organization Winner 2005 Regency Romance of the Year Nominee, HRC 2005 Bravest Heroine of the Year Award Winner, Larkin McAdams 2005 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence Finalist, S Magic RWA 2005 Top Ten Reads for 2004, Lynda Lukow, MyShelf 2004 #1 Top Pick, October, ARR 2004 Top Pick Award, RRAH

    . . or not.Joining these haunting works are stories linked to Tremblay’s previous novels. The tour de force metafictional novella Notes from the Dog Walkers deconstructs horror and publishing, possibly bringing in a character from A Head Full of Ghosts, all while serving as a prequel to Disappearance at Devil’s Rock. “The Thirteenth Temple” follows another character from A Head Full of Ghosts—Merry, who has published a tell-all memoir written years after the events of the novel. And the title story, Growing Things, a shivery tale loosely shared between the sisters in A Head Full of Ghosts, is told here in full.From global catastrophe to the demons inside our heads, Tremblay illuminates our primal fears and darkest dreams in startlingly original fiction that leaves us unmoored. As he lowers the sky and yanks the ground from beneath our feet, we are compelled to contemplate the darkness inside our own hearts and minds.Growing things --Swim wants to know if it's as bad as swim thinks --Something about birds --The getaway --Nineteen snapshots of Dennisport --Where we all will be --The teacher --Notes for "The Barn in the Wild" --_______ --Our town's monster --A haunted house is a wheel upon which some are broken --It won't go away --Notes from the dog walkers --Further questions for the somnambulist --The ice tower --The society of the monsterhood --Her red right hand --It's against the law to feed the ducks --The thirteenth temple --Notes --Acknowledgments --Credits

    Rafter lights spilled from the barn doors and Davey saw an arm fall from the canvas-wrapped parcel. He smiled.“She got someone!”Both children grinned and settled in their beds, eyes fixed to the ceiling.This was family growth.

    And then there are the dark and disturbing creepypasta stories that will leave you seriously freaked out. The Creepypasta Collection is an unsettling anthology of terror, full of nightmares and dangerous creatures—from unearthly supernatural beings to the murderously disturbed. So, lock the doors, check under the bed, turn up the lights, and get ready for an unforgettable, up-all-night journey into the heart of darkness.

    It's the promise of heaven on earth, but the hell that follows is a constant hunger, a cold emptiness. The craving to get high is an intense yearning not unlike that of any other blood-thirsty monster.The best way to tell the truths of addiction is through a story, and dark truths such as these need a piece of horror to do them justice.The stories inside feature the insidious nature of addiction told with compassion yet searing honesty. Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of accidental deaths, and some of the most incredible names in horror fiction have tackled this modern day epidemic. A WICKED THIRST, by Kealan Patrick BurkeTHE ONE IN THE MIDDLE, by Jessica McHughEVERYWHERE YOU'VE BLED AND EVERYWHERE YOU WILL, by Max Booth IIIFIRST, JUST BITE A FINGER, by Johann ThorssonLAST CALL, by John FD TaffTORMENT OF THE FALLEN, by Glen KrischGARDEN OF FIENDS, by Mark MatthewsRETURNS, by Jack Ketchum