Settle in for a long winter's night with stories from holiday seasons of days gone by.Drift away on the muted, sepia tones of memory, through stories layered with tradition and nostalgia.Contains stories by Melissa McShane, Anthea Lawson, Lauryn Christopher, Rebecca M. Senese, Susan J. Kroupa, Brenda Carre, M.J. Stoumbos, Kat Farrow, Chrissy Wissler, and Pamela Love. Edited by Lyn Worthen.

Secrets hide behind those peacefully shuttered windows...Deception awaits around the next curve in the road. Rumors spread over garden hedges, fishing ponds, and knitting circles. Neighborhood cats discover a boneyard.And when Death strolls through the tranquil countryside or checks into the quaint village inn for the weekend, it's the intrepid - and often accidental - investigators who must find and decipher clues, unravel mysteries, and bring the killer to justice.

The works of Poe were dark and often disturbing. From dismembered corpses, rivals bricked behind cellar walls, murders in back alleys, laments for lost loves, obsessions that drive men - and women! - to madness, his stories have had a profound impact on both the horror and mystery genres to this day.In Quoth the Raven, we invite you to answer the call of the raven and revisit Poe's work, re-imagined for the twenty-first century. Here, the lover of mystery and Gothic horror will fin...

Take stories detailing all the nastiest parts of human behavior, from theft to murder to mayhem, throw in some of the "lesser" darkness that humans can provide during the holidays, and assemble them into one volume—welcome to Bloody Christmas.These stories, dark and vicious, form the perfect antidote to the holiday season's sugary sweetness. So, consider this the savory part of the holidays for those whose reading tastes get darker in the darkest part of the year.As Alfred ...

Tired of superheroes? Those folks with perfect hair and eight-pack abs?These are stories of everyday women. Humble women. Not the ones endowed with god-like talents. These women have ordinary jobs. Take care of their families. Their friends.Until something happens. It may be terrible. It may be a light-hearted crime.It isn't the expected heroes or heroines who save the day.But rather, these unexpected heroines who no one has even noticed before.They ...

Some jobs just need to be done - even if nobody's paying...When a friend is accused of murdering her deadbeat ex-husband - a man Meg had on her hit-list for reasons of her own - Meg Harrison sets aside her usual paid assassin's role and takes it on herself to discover what really happened.But what begins as a routine inquiry dredges up long-buried memories, forcing Meg to deal with her own demons while simultaneously hunt for a man her instincts tell her migh...

Deadly mushrooms in the souffle, toxic leaves in the tea... villains have been killing in culinary ways for as long as there have been knives in kitchens. And when Death dons the chef's hat, your first bite might be your last!In COOKING UP DEATH, we've whipped up a menu of sixteen cozy mysteries featuring toxic treats and lethal luncheons sure to leave the other characters worrying about the contents of their own plates while the amateur sleuths search for clues.As a specia...

A collection of short, historical fiction. Includes:Memory at LascauxWith the world covered in ash and clouded in despair, there are only two choices: lie down in the ash, or find a way to survive. And perhaps, a way to thrive...Stolen MomentsIn the long-ago days, when the Old Gods walked freely among the men of Midgard, Eirik Alreksson gained their attention and favor....

Fear. The word alone evokes a powerful response. And in Feel the Fear, editor Mark Leslie takes readers on a haunting tour of the many ways fear presents itself. From genuine horror stories filled with frightening monsters to the real-life horror of losing a loved one to the terrifying idea of losing one’s own mind, these tales run not only the genre gamut but also the emotional gamut. With each fearful twist, the sixteen talented writers in this volume prove why ...

Twenty published authors share tips, tricks, advice, and encouragement for other writers. They talk about working through the rough times, making their first sales, and finding success in the publishing industry.Whether you’re traditional, indie, or hybrid; a journalist, novelist, or blogger, we hope their stories provide encouragement for you, wherever you are in your journey toward publication.

A collection of the year's best fiction, poetry, and personal essays, featuring thirty-seven recipients of the Olive Woolley Burt and Typewriter Awards: Linda Allison, Alice M. Batzel, Joseph A. Batzel, Lauryn Christopher, Emily Robyn Clark, Megan Condie, Vince Font, Gina G, Alexis Hansen, Jo Lynne Harline, Danielle Harward, Amanda Hill, Lorraine Jeffery, Rachelle Knapp, L. S. Kunz, Caryn Larrinaga, C. H. Lindsay, Terra Luft, Inna V. Lyon, Wm David Mallery, Paula Murcia, Eve Oeme, John M. ...

Laugh at holiday escapades that go from bad to worse and shenanigans that just might land these characters on Santa's "naughty" list.Contains stories by Annie Reed, Rebecca M. Senese, L.D.B. Taylor, Lauryn Christopher, C.J. Mattison, Katharina Gerlach, Kelly Zimmer, Michele Bazan Reed, R.W. Wallace, and Sarah Czarnecki. Edited by Lyn Worthen.