Then we ask a team of ruthless judges to scour that ore and pick out the gems. The result is All These Shiny Worlds II:A world of today where cosplay and stagecraft are bright lights hiding dark shadowsA world of tomorrow, where kitchen appliances fend for themselves and take solace in each other's arms, refugees from indifferent ownersA world of little cogs in big machines, where the humble trash collector is the unsung hero of getting evil doneA world of small magics and big hearts, where a little chaos can go a long, long wayFrom the brutal curators at ImmerseOrDie.com comes another collection of indie short stories, each a distinct jewel forged in the fires of judgment, and all continuing to carry our one simple promise:Guaranteed not to suck.

    Jarvis Mann is a private detective, whose business thrived on the mundanePaying the bills by shadowing cheating spousesGetting in the middle of messy divorcesAnd working for the fat-cat insurance companies running down false claimsOn a Winter’s Sunday afternoon, a young man graces his office stepsHis words coaxing with the simple declaration of “Please”Convincing Jarvis to help find a valuable missing Ernie Banks rookie baseball cardWith a dry sense of humor, Jarvis tours the Denver neighborhood with the ladDoor to door, friend to friend, until a clue leads to a surprising discoveryA young man’s personal pain revealedWitnessing a friend’s act of self-sacrificeBoth teenagers teaching Jarvis a life lessonThat will shape him with new hope and resolve

    There’s only one way she can escape, and she’s worked hard to ensure that it happens.Sam is waiting: waiting to take his place in the world, waiting for a chance to shine. Until then, he has one mission: protect the girl.But in a town filled with trouble, one weekend could ruin everything.Dead town Angel is a short story, novelette, prequel to the Foxblood young adult fantasy series, and is approximately 11,000 words.Contains mild sexual content that may not be suitable for readers under 15.

    A sweet holiday short story about opening yourself up to magical possibilities. Natalie is new to town, and feels invisible and painfully alone...until a mysterious stranger in a cemetery changes everything.Come December is part of the Forever Finley Short Story Cycle, a series of stand-alone short stories releasing once a month throughout 2016.

    Part Two begins where this story ends. *** Spending senior year with the father who abandoned her is the last thing seventeen-year-old Esme wanted. But when her guardian grandmother dies, she has no choice. The only thing she has left of her once happy life is her grandmother’s antique vase—until she discovers it comes with a bowler-hatted genie. Jin guarantees he’ll do whatever it takes to make her happy again. Esme soon realizes hiding a genie isn’t easy, so she gives Jin a modern makeover and stashes him in the school library. One tiny hiccup—her dad’s the principal. When word spreads that Esme is spending all her free time with a cute British guy, she’s busted, and her dad uses his all-powerful parental authority to ground her. If that's not enough, she learns her father plans to marry a woman who could win evil-stepmother-of-the-year, and her daughter is the top mean girl at Esme's new high school. Esme hopes to turn her luck around now that she has a genie to help her deal with her problems. But she realizes ten wishes aren’t so awesome after all, when she finds out they are powered by Victorian-era magic. And she thought having a genie would be fun.

    I was something wild and wanton, with no inhibitions.Daphne doesn’t want love, or romance, or sex, or even a relationship. She wants some time alone without casual sex with guys whose names she can’t be bothered to remember in the morning–a temporary period of celibacy.Too bad her new roommate’s brother is hot, insanely hot. Like...melt your panties and spread your legs kind of hot. From the moment she sets eyes on Jason Wild, Daphne can’t stop craving the sensual delight she knows she will find in his arms. Her self-imposed celibacy is no match for his blatant sexuality and all the naughty things he promises to do to her.Jason is not interested in commitment, and Daphne is done with hookups, but it’s only a matter of time before they indulge in their naughty fantasies about each other. Only, what happens after, when it’s time to walk away?This is the first installment of Serena Grey’s Wild Sexy Series. If you like hot men, steamy scenes and panty-melting heat, don’t miss this series.

     Step beyond the veil with twenty-one spooky tales of TRUE supernatural encounters by some of today's hottest paranormal authors. Between these pages, you'll witness a pair of disembodied legs cross the street and wake up beside ghostly felines; you'll experience visits from deceased family members and be haunted by terrifying shadow people. But be forewarned: these strange tales will send shivers down your spine and make you certain you're not alone, even when you are. The old saying is true: real life is stranger (and scarier!) than fiction. Stories included: Heather Marie Adkins - Residual Darkness Alex Owens - Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner Rick Gualtieri - A Ghost Cat, Broken Crystal, and No Body in Sight Karin Cox - Paws For Thought Jennifer Rainey - Up Close and Personal: A Visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum Candace Osmond - Nightmares Lily Luchesi - The Man in the Black Hat Alyssa Breck - Wicked Game Michelle Hughes - A Haunting on North Street Kim Cleary - Uplifting Real Life Paranormal Lindsey R. Loucks - Just Curious Ann Gimpel - The Benson Hut Ghost Shannon McRoberts - Precognition Caia Daniels - We See Dead People Tanya Dawson - My Paranormal Experiences Brea Viragh - Poppy's Coming Debra Kristi - A Ghostly Research Trip LA Kirk - Gravity in Reverse Selene Kallan - The Chase Bria Lexor - Encounter with the Devil in Mexico S K Gregory - A Ghostly Encounter and a bonus novella from Caroline Peckham - A Game of Vampires (A Vampire Games Prequel Novella)

    Tony the Town Terror). Now he’s back as the town’s pediatrician and the single ladies find him terrifying in a whole new way: He’s gorgeous, he’s good with kids, and he knows exactly what he wants out of life. Tony isn’t too surprised to discover he still has feelings for his long-ago babysitter. What’s a four-year age difference to a man who knew his heart at the tender age of eight? But Samantha won’t take him seriously. Just when Samantha is ready to take an important new step in her life Tony, the spirited boy she used to babysit, and her ex-husband Brad come back to teach her about old dreams and new realities. Short Read; about 50 pages (reduced cast of secondary characters and faster resolution)

    Like the flaming projectiles his protagonists often launch into the sky, these stories crackle with energy and violence and a furious beauty. Benjamin Percy is a force. -- Anthony Doerr

    Grab a mug of hot chocolate, sit back and enjoy a fairytale New York Christmas.... When Londoner Penny decides to visit her best friend Kate in New York for the festive season, the surprise appearance of a previous suitor sends her plans for a relaxing, carefree visit into complete disarray. When she and Mike last saw each other, the timing couldn't have been worse. But when Mike decides to show Penny the very best of what a snowy, festive, New York has to offer - resolving to make it a fairytale Christmas - will she be able to resist his charms this time round? And will finding one other again turn out to be the greatest Christmas gift?

    Vegas blunder? Check. Best way to start a vacation? Probably not. Best way to introduce yourself? Up for debate. When the lights go out all bets are off. The current of our attraction is amplified in the dark. The only electricity in a city-wide blackout. When the blackout is over, do I brush it off as just another vacation romance? Or is it more? One thing is for sure, it’s one first date I’ll never forget.

    She sees her own tough upbringing in the face of a poverty stricken child and she's willing to do whatever it takes to make things better. At the same time, she finds herself torn between a commitment-phobic doctor and Phillipsburg’s widowed deputy sheriff, a complicated man who is still angry with God. As the stakes grow higher and the characters’ lives intersect in unexpected ways, each will face a true test of faith—and come face to face with indisputable evidence of God’s love.

    The Goon Squad 2014 Summer Special contains an introduction to the Squad, and four short stories: "Red Wolf, Red Wolf, Does Whatever a Red Wolf Can," "Changes," "No-No Dojo," and "Tale of Terror." Join Puppet Girl, the Revenant, Red Wolf, and Talos as they protect the fairly innocent, are sharply critical about modern newspapers, talk to a door in Salford, and recount the day the city nearly blew up.

    Soon, I’m being hunted and with my life in danger, I need help from the one source I never thought I would turn to—a vampire.I might have to trust Tomas with my life, but can I trust him with my heart?

    After all, she barely passed high school, flunked the driving test four times, and fell into a pool at her sister's wedding. Marcy is keen to continue her literary success, but she cannot think of a single idea for her next book. Hounded by her agent, family, and friends, she decides to sequester herself in a rustic cabin in the mountains. There, she finds herself face-to-snout with a surprise visitor—a rascally black dog who must have escaped from his owner at a nearby campground. Enter hunky cowboy Jackson Parker, who runs the stables for the campground and helps Marcy survive the antics of the ill-behaved, zany dog. There's something tender and gentle about this man, who could easily grace the cover of any romance novel. Soon Jackson has Marcy rethinking her own beliefs about what heroes are really made of...and what God intends for her life. It's cowboys, canines, and capers galore in this charming novella for animal lovers.