But it is no ordinary carnival. It's The Dark Carnival.And when The Dark Carnival comes to town, there's no promise that anyone can leave...alive.Contributors include: Kristen Strassel, Meghan Schuler, Claire C. Riley, J. Elizabeth Hill, Jessi Esparza, Debra Kristi, Ryan Bartlett, Michelle Ceasar Davis, Brian LeTendre, Ken Mooney, Eli Constant, Mari Wells, Lucas Hargis, Kat Daemon, T.A. Brock, Calyn Morgan, Emily McKeon, Gregory Carrico, Kristin Hanson, Nicole R. Taylor, C. Elizabeth Vescio, Brian W. Taylor, Kate Michael, Ezekiel Conrad, Jamie Adams, Bobby Solomons, Mark Matthews, Jamie Corrigan, Kristin Rivers, Kristen Jett, Sheila Hall, Suzy G, Kim Culpepper, Ruth Shedwick, J.C. Michael, Wulf Francu Godgluck, Ashly Nagrant, Amy Trueblood, Vanessa Henderson, Tawney Bland, Julie Hutchings and Stevan Knapp.

    but we know that's not the truth. Dark tales of wicked tykes and dangerous kids playing vicious games that lead adults - sometimes their own parents - to their demise are a staple of frightening fiction. Beware the schoolyards and playgrounds, even the sanctity of the familial home, especially after dark. And don't be fooled by a trickle of tears or tiny hands reaching for you. These youngsters do not want to love or comfort - only to inflict pain! Bad Seeds: Evil Progeny offers twenty-seven tales of terrifying offspring by both masters of the genre and imaginative newcomers.

    CareyThe brightest names in horror showcase a ghastly collection of eighteen ghost stories that will have you watching over your shoulder, heart racing at every bump in the night. In “My Life in Politics” by M.R. Carey the spirits of those without a voice refuse to let a politician keep them silent. In “The Adjoining Room” by A.K. Benedict a woman finds her hotel neighbour trapped and screaming behind a door that doesn’t exist. George Mann’s “The Restoration” sees a young artist become obsessed with returning a forgotten painting to its former glory, even if it kills her. And Laura Purcell’s “Cameo” shows that the parting gift of a loved one can have far darker consequences than ever imagined…These unsettling tales from the some of the best modern horror writers will send a chill down your spine like someone has walked over your grave…or perhaps just woken up in their own.

    Not only that but she’s left trying to figure out her next move after a bomb is dropped on her. Trinity is trying to move on with her life after all the drama with Lucas but when his accident causes her to be by his side she sees moving on isn’t as easy as she thought. Now she has to try to maintain a new relationship while showing she’s still loyal to the ones that’s been there from the beginning. Will things work out in her favor? Brady and Trinity are getting ready for their new addition but when outside forces come in threatening to tear them apart they must show there love is strong enough to overcome them. Brady makes a decision that will not only affect him but his family as well, now he must deal with consequences, but will Renee be willing to stick by his side? Meanwhile, the DEA is still on the boys back, Trevor is still lurking in the shadows, and death is trying to knock on the crew's door. Will they be able to make it through this crazy ride or fall victim to the madness?

    Or that was the way it used to be. Three hot brothers enjoy their work and each other's company, taking advantage of nearby parks for camping and fishing expeditions. But things go awry on a camping trip for Christian, the eldest brother, and that sets off a chain of events that leads each brother on an adventure of keeping the town safe from the dark shifters and finding their mates! If you like paranormal romance with danger, action, and heart-pounding romance, then you won’t want to miss The Holbrook Brothers Shifters series. Grab your copy today! Wild Temptations When a trip to the great outdoors goes horribly wrong, a small-town ER nurse soon finds herself with more than she can handle. Christian Holbrook is looking forward to a quiet, relaxing weekend of fishing with his brothers, complete with their usual jokes about his lacklustre love life. But when he discovers a mysterious cave hidden deep among the trees, the creature that lurks within changes his life forever. Libby Grimes is an ER nurse in a small country town. Tasked with the stressful job of caring for her wheelchair-bound mother, her long days and sleepless nights are haunted by the strange disappearance of her father. She knows he wouldn’t abandon them – but all her clues led to dead-ends. When Christian checks into her hospital, her mystery takes a new turn. Libby soon finds herself drawn to him. As their feelings grow, can Libby she help Christian overcome the darkness forming inside him? Or will his new powers be her end? Finding the Wolf Two artists brought together by a dangerous world of wolf shifters. Eric Holbrook lived for the perfect shot. He dedicates his life to the moments when everything is flawless and the planets seem to align. But growing up in small-town America, he struggles to break from his future of hometown newspapers and an ex happily married to his boss. When his chase for the perfect picture drives him toward secrets he never thought possible, he soon ends up thrust into a dangerous world of shifters. Misty Miller finds herself once again in her hometown, miles away from her art career in Chicago. Finding refuge in clay, wire and metal, she hopes the country setting will breathe inspiration into her work. But when Eric lands on her front porch, her art soon falls to the sidelines. Through the fur and fangs, Misty finds herself clawing to keep him grounded – and struggling to make sense of the new reality that has revealed itself to her. As their bond strengthens, will lust and discovery be enough to see them through the fear and danger that the shifter world brings? Or will Eric’s drive end up being more than just the death of his career? A Dangerous Curiosity She’s a big-city girl with a dark secret. He’s a small-town guy destined to become a wolf shifter. Brighton Holbrook had everything planned for his future – a good education, a family company, and supportive brothers. But when his brothers begin acting strangely, he becomes determined to find out what they’re hiding. And when he discovers their secret, there’s no going back. Lily Tucker is a city girl, groomed to take over her family’s business. But when her grandmother falls ill, she’s forced to travel to a small country town to care for her – and to protect her family’s dark secrets. She expected a quiet, boring town, but it soon becomes anything but when Brighton walks into the bar. He’s handsome, wild, and the spark between them is instantaneous.

    * New Edition. * Includes a new translation of 'Fotikchand'.

    This third installment in the DOA series offers thirty stories from the originators of splatterpunk as well as the newest voices in extreme horror. You'll laugh...you'll cry...you'll vomit Don't say we didn't warn you.

    . . of horrors! Here are some of the stories that gave their own authors nightmares—things that go bump at night, hauntings that lurk in the back of the mind, skin-crawling moments between the realms of wakefulness and sleep. In this somnambulistic collection, award-winning editor Stephen Jones asks many of the biggest names in horror fiction to choose their own favorite stories and novellas which, for one reason or another, have been unjustly overlooked or ignored. From Hugh B. Cave’s 1930s “shudder pulp” tale to Ramsey Campbell’s stunning novella of barely concealed hysteria and grim black humor, these are the “forgotten” stories ripe for rediscovery, by such acclaimed authors as Poppy Z. Brite, Basil Copper, Harlan Ellison, Neil Gaiman, Caítlin R. Kiernan, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Tanith Lee, and Michael Marshall Smith. Be warned: do not try to read this book at night, because these superior horror stories—both supernatural and psychological—will leave a lasting chill down your spine long after you have put it down, shut off the lights, and ducked under the covers. As you try to get off to sleep, who knows what dreams may come . . .?

    Some are scary. Some are disturbing. Some are funny. Meet werewolves, vampires, zombies, psychopaths, aliens, cannibals, ghosts, and various things that go bump in the night. Previously published in dozens of anthologies and magazines, some of these tales are mild, but some are extreme. Let the reader beware... The stories include: Finicky Eater - It's after a nuclear war, and a mother and her son are in a fallout shelter, the food long long... The Screaming - Van Helsing and vampires, in 1960s England. Mr. Pull Ups - A body modification tale taken to the extreme. The Shed - Two burglars find the door to hell. Them’s Good Eats - Rednecks vs. aliens, on a spaceship ride of horrors. First Time - A coming of age tale where all may not be what it seems. Forgiveness - A dying serial killer asks for a priest to hear his last confession. Redux - Ghost story noir, about a private eye and a deadly haunting. The Bag - What's in the bag? You really don't want to know... Careful, He Bites - Lycanthrope flash fiction. Symbios - A sci-fi novella about man's first encounter with alien life, and how things can quickly turn bad. A Matter of Taste - Zombie flash fiction. Embrace - A bit of gothic horror. Trailer Sucks - Some trailer park jerks kidnap a vampire. Markey - Flash fiction, from a twisted point of view. Punishment Room - A horrific suspense tale about a not-so-distant future. The Confession - Terrible crimes, told entirely in dialog. Basketcase - Hardboiled noir with a horrific twist. The Agreement - A gambler pays the ultimate price to get out of a debt. Well Balanced Meal - The worst restaurant you've ever been in. S.A. - A werewolf novella about a Shapshifters Anonymous group that must battle Santa Claus. Dear Diary - A very twisted pom pon girl reveals the secret of her inner strength. Mr. Spaceman - We've come to mate with earth women. Appalachian Lullaby - What do you do with a radioactive monkey? This 70,000 word collection also includes an excerpt from Afraid by Jack Kilborn, and Truck Stop by J.A. Konrath and Jack Kilborn. It also features a navigable table of contents, optimized for Kindle. About the Author JA Konrath is the author of eight novels in the Jack Daniels thriller series. They do not have to be read in chronological order to be enjoyed, but for those who want to know it is: Whiskey Sour, Bloody Mary, Rusty Nail, Dirty Martini, Fuzzy Navel, Cherry Bomb, Shaken, and Stirred. Jack also appears in the novels Shot of Tequila, Flee, Spree, Three, Timecaster Supersymmetry, Banana Hammock, and Serial Killers Uncut, as well as the short story collection Jack Daniels Stories, and the novellas Floaters and Burners. Last Call, the ninth Jack Daniels novel, will be available in spring of 2013. Other novels include Origin, The List, Shot of Tequila, and Serial Killers Uncut. Konrath also writes horror under the name Jack Kilborn, including the bestsellers Afraid, Trapped, Endurance, and Draculas. Haunted House, the new Jack Kilborn novel of terror, will be available in mid 2013. He has sold over a million ebooks.

    With a dwindling army and an epic threat, he is forced to supplement his fighters with new-young-recruits. From thousands, four will be chosen to lead a special mission."Infidel"-Stretched to their limits, the heroic young Forest Guard recruits-Johnis, Silvie, Billos, and Darsal-face new dangers on their mission to secure the seven Lost Books of History. In the end, one will be revealed an Infidel. And nothing will be the same for the remaining Chosen."Renegade"-Turning his back on all he once believed, Billos does the forbidden and enters a Book of History. He lands in a reality as foreign to him as water is to oil-a place called Paradise, Colorado. He has strange new powers given to him courtesy of a mysterious figure-Marsuvees Black."Chaos"-Deep in the mountains of Romania stands a fortress. Within it lies a dark chamber where one Shataiki bat straight from the bowels of the Black Forest has been ruling the dead for over two thousand years. He seeks the final Book of History with which he will destroy the world. But there are four who stand in his way.

    No sign remains of any other structure around them, no ruins of long forgotten buildings. They look... wrong. They feel wrong. Bad things happen if you get too close. Horrible things.You must never, ever ever talk about them.Thirty-four of today's best up and coming writers provide wonderfully unique interpretations inspired by the urban legends of the Internet age. Tales range from science fiction to fantasy, horror to mystery, and one writer even penned a romance!But you must never tell anyone about the stairs!Containing the stories:* Nothing Ever Happens Here by Richard Paolinelli* Star Thistle by J. Comer* Let Him In by Josh Dygert* A New Trail Off Of Old King?s Highway by Michael Reyes* The Strange Stairs at the Aldebourne Estate by Kristen Brand* Exclusive Scoop by J. Trevor Robinson* The Flash-Back Stairs: A Story of Betrayal by Patrick T. Luce* The Peacock House by Matthew Pegg* Where The Wood Thrush Sings by NB Williams* The Refuge by Dawn Witzke* Upon The Stair by Daniel Humphreys* Grand Staircase to the Yellow Court by R.C. Mulhare* Another Dead Man?s Curve by Chris Ingram* Game Warden by Russell Newquist* Stepping Stones by Jarrett Mazza* Reap Dance by James G. Hancock* Descending Stairs, 1699 by Meghan Casey* Where Angels Fear to Tread by Michelle Mellon* Sobek's Staircase by Jeremy Megargee* The Curses We Carry by Russell Mahon* Stranger?s Wood by J.S. Arroyo* Stairway Back to Jonathan's Farm by Dan Allen* The Thirteenth Step by MJ Mars* Cajun Ray by S.D. McPhail* W/M by Isobel Horsburgh* The Sentinel by Richard W. Watts* Sleep, Child by A.G. Lopes* The Lost Ones by Karen Thrower* Ready For Seven More by Christopher Lansdown* Fire and Pine by Bethany C. Gotschall* Stairway to? Where? by William Lehman* The Dead Always by Darren Todd* Missing Persons by Jonathan Bronico* Cedar Road by Mocha Pennington

    This collection of delightfully twisted, supernatural short stories will captivate your imagination and entertain your darker side. A monster with a love of bakery, an old woman living in fear with her ex-con nephew, a widow with only one chance left, and a demon with a dark and powerful heart, are some of the characters wrestling with their darker selves in this enjoyable collection.

    See far-flung worlds, they said. Meet interesting creatures, and kill them all. Soldiers fighting aliens in unforgiving landscapes, where every breath could be their last. Featuring stories by Weston Ochse, Mike Resnick, and others. From near-future to far-future, featuring some of the best writers working in the field today.

    And it isn't over yet. Celebrating their friend's birthday with drunken debauchery and intoxicated antics they've just stumbled through a mini-wave of mindless vandalism and though they've wandered far out of the realms of civilization they are keen to keep the party vibe going. When they encounter a band of mysterious fugitive women who call a bizarre encampment deep in the woods their residence it appears a strong likelihood that continuing the party is on the cards. But it won't come without a price. The collective of unnerving lawless women are open to the suggestion but not without the threesome completing a request first, a seemingly straight forward barter proposition that will bring the boys face to face with something else that dwells in an unorthodox co-existence with the girls in the wilderness. These are the Plebs and the shocking violent encounter the trio are unwittingly pitched into with these freakish feral fiends may be their first but it won't be the last. As the shiftless young men become inextricably entwined and involved with the agenda driven dangerous women so too do their fates, with them unravelling killer secrets, duplicity, bloodshed and brutality along the way that encompasses not just them but more of their friends, new enemies and old enemies. A simple night of bad decisions escalates and snowballs into an expedition of terror spanning all the way home and beyond with Corey and his friends engulfed in a nightmare where the lines between man and monster blur. Depravity, death and destruction reign supreme and it isn't just the Plebs that want them all torn limb from limb.

    Lieske Sparks fly when Candice gets trapped in an elevator with her nemesis, Liam Russell. Can they learn to overcome their differences, and find love for the holidays? The Christmas Bodyguard By Tamie Dearen Mariah doesn't want a bodyguard... especially not Mack, her brother's super-hunky head of security. Then Mack gets mistaken for her boyfriend! What else could go wrong? A Fake Date for Christmas By Michelle Pennington Lane's food truck was the perfect place for Aubrey to hide from her matchmaking sister, but asking him to be her fake date to the Candy Cane Ball backfired. Falling for him was not part of the plan. Christmas Bet By Annie Houston Winning a Christmas bet will get Ben a brand new car. Will he be able to win Lilly over, and what will he do when he finds out she's the girl of his dreams? Get a FREE recipe with each story! 3 of them are Gluten-Free. Buy your copy today!