Call Me Israel

      R.P. Bezuidenhout
     Call Me Israel

Call me Israel is a short story about strange accidental deaths at a university. The main character is a typical student that stumbles across a terrible truth that forces him into circumstances that he cannot change.When a strange tarot card appears in a friend's deck, Jason assumes it's just a prank done in poor taste. But, when terrible events befall those around him, he must face the possibility that something sinister is afoot.Death is closing in, along with a suspicious detective who believes that Jason may be the killer he's stalking. With his life turned upside down, Jason finds that there are worse things to be hunted by than the authorities.This 4,500 word short is a supernatural horror story in the spirit of the pulp era, but with a modern feel.

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    Monster

      William Young
     Monster

Nick Case has been pursued by a hulking, Sasquatch-like monster his whole life - in a recurring series of nightmares. But a chance encounter with a retired concert violinist reveals that the nightmares might be something more than just bad dreams, and that he might be the monster he's been running from.Humanity lies in ruin. Our once invincible empire has crumbled, and refugees struggle to survive on backwater colonies and broken ghettos on the fringes of the galaxy. Worst of all, any child born with a spark of psychic potential is hunted down by elite telepathic operatives of the ruling alien government. But now, with the entire species on the brink of extinction, everything is about to change…For nearly ten years Jenavian Vale has faithfully served the Convectorate as a Spider, tracking down and capturing potential telepaths before their powers grow out of control. But when she finally catches up to her latest target, she realizes he is more than just another rogue “Fly”— he is none other than Markus Coveri, her former partner and the only Spider that has ever defected. And he holds the key to an ancient secret that could change the course of human history.As the chase begins, Jen must pit her loyalty for the Convectorate against the fate of her own beleaguered species…and her loyalty to the Spiders against the life of her only friend. THE SPIDER AND THE FLY is an action-packed adventure full of colorful characters, dazzling space battles, and galaxy-spanning conspiracies—in other words, the consummate Space Opera (160,000 words).Spiderverse Novels:The Spider and the FlyRebellionPhoenix RisingHomeworldRebirth (2016)

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    Dead Sleep

      Greg Iles
     Dead Sleep

Jordan Glass, a photojournalist on a well-earned vacation, wanders into a Hong Kong art museum and is puzzled to find fellow patrons eyeing her with curiosity. Minutes later, she stumbles upon a gallery containing a one-artist exhibition called "The Sleeping Women," a mysterious series of paintings that has caused a sensation in the world of modern art. Collectors have come to believe that the canvases depict female nudes not in sleep but in death, and they command millions at auction. When Jordan approaches the last work in the series, she freezes. The face in the painting seems to be her own. This unsettling event hurls her back into a nightmare she has fought desperately to put behind her-for, in fact, the face in the painting belongs not to Jordan but to her twin sister, murdered one year ago. At the urging of the FBI, Jordan becomes both hunter and hunted in a duel with the anonymous artist, a gifted murderer who knows the secret history of Jordan's family, and truths that even she has never had the courage to face.

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    Veniss Underground

      Jeff VanderMeer
     Veniss Underground

In his debut novel, literary alchemist Jeff VanderMeer takes us on an unforgettable journey, a triumph of the imagination that reveals the magical and mysterious city of Veniss through three intertwined voices. First, Nicholas, a would-be Living Artist, seeks to escape his demons in the shadowy underground–but in doing so makes a deal with the devil himself. In her fevered search for him, his twin sister, Nicola, spins her own unusual and hypnotic tale as she discovers the hidden secrets of the city. And finally, haunted by Nicola’s sudden, mysterious disappearance and gripped by despair, Shadrach, Nicola’s lover, embarks on a mythic journey to the nightmarish levels deep beneath the surface of the city to bring his love back to light. There he will find wonders beyond imagining…and horrors greater than the heart can bear. By turns beautiful, horrifying, delicate, and powerful, Veniss Underground explores the limits of love, memory, and obsession in a landscape that defies the boundaries of the imagination. This special edition includes the short stories “The Sea, Mendeho, and Moonlight”; “Detectives and Cadavers”; and “A Heart for Lucretia” and the novella Balzac’s War, offering a complete tour of the fantastic world of Veniss.

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    The Graves of Saints

      Christopher Golden
     The Graves of Saints

For centuries, Vatican sorcerers kept demons and monsters out of our world with the magic found in a grimoire called The Gospel of Shadows. Years ago, to save his people from madmen, Peter Octavian defeated those sorcerers and the Gospel of Shadows itself was banished from the Earth. Ever since, the evils and monstrosities lurking in parallel worlds have been waking to the realization that our magical defences are down – the barriers keeping them out of our world are crumbling. With massive demonic incursions in locations around the world, Octavian should be focused on using his own sorcery to drive the evil out and rebuild our defences. But a renegade vampire named Cortez has murdered the person Octavian loves the most and, even with his friends and allies around him, he is so lost in grief that he can think of nothing but revenge. There are others who can fight the darkness – mages, Shadows, witches, Reapers and vampire samurai – but only the warrior-mage, Peter Octavian, can defeat it. If he will answer the call.

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    The Gig

      Greg M. Hall
     The Gig

A bar band crosses the state to play at a strange club they've never heard of. The big payday and prospect of new women to charm have them licking their chops--until they start playing!Revolving peacefully around an alien sun lies the planet Xavier997, a final flicker of hope for the resource starved human race. With miraculous advances in technology, the product of the ruthless Great War, reaching this planet is suddenly a feat that mankind is able to achieve. Upon their arrival, however, they quickly learn that Xavier will not give up her treasures without a fight. Inhabited by five indigenous tribes—creatures whose merciless evolution has sharpened them into the universe’s most efficient killers—this treacherous planet proves at every turn to be mankind’s final downfall rather than their savior. Yet when a lost explorer stumbles upon a startling discovery at the planet’s North Pole, their situation turns even worse. In order to shed light on the ominous secrets of Xavier997, Captain Michael Dawn must lead a joint-operations mission across its globe in search of five ancient relics. Relics that would appear to hold the key to the mystery of the explorer and the chain of events that his find set into motion. Yet these relics, known as the Scrolls, are guarded by the very teeth of Xavier. To retrieve them, Captain Dawn must risk everything, including his love, his career, and his life. Without the Scrolls, mankind’s final hope is lost. With them, it might be even worse.

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    Joyride

      Jack Ketchum
     Joyride

Carole and her lover thought they had committed the perfect crime, murdering Carole's abusive husband and making it look like an accident. Unfortunately there was a witness, someone far more twisted than they are, with plans for a killing spree of his own.

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    The Stygian's Eye (Shadow Stalkers 1)

      G. J. Winters
     The Stygian's Eye (Shadow Stalkers 1)

Darian Lane moved into a small town from a busy city life. Finally free from the chaos, being thrown in the middle of a robbery was the last thing he wanted. And he sees a glimpse of evil that changes his life forever.He ends up in a coma and wakes up unable to recall anything. Dark dreams haunt him and shadows lurk at the corner of his eye. What are they? What could they possibly want from him?From the Publisher that brought you popular short story series Witching Call, Hostile Hearts, Earthbound Angels, The January Morrison Files Psychic Series, Ralph's Gift, Seasons of Love, The Taken, Requiem for a Dream, In the Blood, A Halloween Awakening, Friend Zone, The Magaram Legends, and now, The Shadow Stalkers Series...MYSTERIOUS SHADOWS ARE LURKINGONE CANNOT UNSEE THE FACE OF DEATHDarian Lane moved into a small town after growing up in a fast-paced city life. Finally away from the vices of the city, being thrown in the middle of a robbery was the last thing Darian wished for. But as he finds himself in this unfortunate incident, he sees a glimpse of evil that changes his life forever.Darian ends up in a coma and wakes up unable to recall anything. Dark dreams start haunting him as visions of his last memories slowly come back. Mysterious shadows lurk at the corner of his eye. Inescapable nightmares start to feel too real. Lines between reality and dreams are blurred.On his way to recovery, Darian meets Jennifer, his physical therapist who is assigned to work on getting him to walk again. There is an unmistakable attraction that binds them together, and the two cannot help but give in to an inevitable tryst.But as Darian struggles to resolve his nightmares, these shadows seem to linger. What are they and what could they possibly want from him?If you wish to read more, download now!***READER ADVISORY: This series contains content that readers may find objectionable, including explicit language, sex, abuse, violence, and erotic themes.BONUS PREVIEW IF YOU BUY THIS BOOK!EXCERPTThe man with the gun stood still and glared at Darian. His eyes were a twisted combination of ice blue and black, swirling around the iris like water draining out of the bathtub. Darian stood shocked for a moment and blinked his own eyes a couple of times to make sure he was seeing what was really there and not some figment of his imagination. The man turned back to yell at Lacey one more time and then stared into Darian’s eyes again.“You did this to yourself, you little bitch.”The man said this in the calmest and most collected voice Darian had ever heard. He stared directly at Darian as he lifted the gun up to shoulder height and pulled the trigger.The sound of the gun was deafening in the small gas station. The muzzle flash briefly blinded Darian as he tried his best to fall to the ground for cover.Three more shots rang in the distance as his ears tried to recover from the first gun shot, and Darian could feel the spray of some kind of liquid as it hit his face and hands. He imagined a bottle or water or something sitting on the counter being hit by one of the bullets and hoped that Lacey had moved back enough to not be hit by a ricochet.There was a momentary scream and then a sharp pain on the top of Darian’s head before the blackness set in.Download and discover why readers are raving about G.J. Winters.Scroll up and get the book now!

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    The Somber Shoe

      Stacy Kingsley
     The Somber Shoe

Find out what happened to Charlie from the book ZOMBIES ARE PEOPLE TOO!Charlie was Valerie's best friend, until something happened to separate them forever. He awoke to find himself in a busted car with only woods around him. His best friend, Valerie, was unconscious in the driver's seat. He needed help. What he found was chaos and death. Find out what happened to Charlie before Valerie was reunited with him. This may contain a spoiler to the book ZOMBIES ARE PEOPLE TOO!

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    Frozen Dinner

      Andre Farant
     Frozen Dinner

Lost in the Greenland desert, a man comes across a downed plane and is forced to make a decision that truly bites.Got an e-reader? Why not feed it some Frozen Dinner?Lost in the Greenland desert, a man comes across a downed plane and is forced to make a decision that truly bites.A short story that blends humour with horror, Frozen Dinner is ready to serve in seconds and best enjoyed with a dark ale or California red.

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    Pick Your Poison

      F.C. Schaefer
     Pick Your Poison

It is true, no matter how bad things get, they can always get worse. For a handful of survivors the worst is not a virulent superflu which has killed 99% of the earth's population. No, the worst comes when they learn they are not the only ones to live through the end of civilization; the creatures of the night have survived just fine and they are ravenously hungry now.It is true, no matter how bad things get, they can always get worse. For a handful of survivors the worst is not a virulent superflu which has killed 99% of the earth's population. No, the worst comes when they learn they are not the only ones to live through the end of civilization; the creatures of the night have survived just fine, but with their food supply greatly diminished, they are ravenously hungry for human flesh and blood.And it's also true that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. In a desperate move, the survivors attempt to pit one predator against the other; knowing full well that in the end, the last people on earth will have to pick their poison.

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    The Lost Graveyard.

      David Thomas
     The Lost Graveyard.

What if you came back from the dead,came back to life.What would you do?What really makes one human, is it a fact of birth, the right of passage that is growing up, is it societies' influence on young impressionable minds, or is it something else? Is Humanity and all that goes with it in fact programmed into our DNA?These are questions that have plagued Shiva all her life. For most people, for Normal people, these are questions with easy answers, after all they were born human, raised human, and have always been 'Human'. But Shiva is not 'Normal', she might not in fact be 'Human'. She is or perhaps was a Weapon, she was created as a weapon, trained to be a weapon, and she sees the world as a weapon. But all that changes one day when she meets a girl and for the very first time, she feels something that defies all logic and all reason. Can a weapon fall in love, or this something reserved only for those who are humans?But there are those in her world who have never doubted these answers, to them she is a powerful tool created for a war not yet fought, and they cannot allow that tool to slip from their grasp. So from the shadows they strike at the very thing that threatens to take that weapon from their grasp, that person who might be the key to unlocking the heart within the weapon.

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    Words

      Mike Ramon
     Words

A short story. Our narrator lies in a hospital bed. He was told a secret, and now he can't forget it.The Kraken - Chapters 1 & 2 FREEThe Melville Files 0 "Where other authors give us the trappings of steampunk without real substance, Jonas Cobos infuses his world thoroughly with the substance and spirit of the genre, 110% full of steampunk ideas and motivations. And he did something few other writers have done...made steampunk goggles actually functional tools rather than mere fashion statements." Ralph E. Vaughan "After reading this, I felt I definitely got a tempting taste of what Cobos has to offer as an author, and I can't wait to see where this series heads next. Whatever the destination, I'm definitely on board for the journey. Highly recommended." Sam G. "People that have enjoyed the work of Jules Verne or H.G.Wells will take to Jonas' writing style. His clear, bold writing is well paced and consistent throughout, a well structured read. Although it is short, it sets up what could be a great series, filled with more of the same twists and characters." Tom Condal City. 1871. The private detective John Melville Salas receives news of the murder of his friend and mentor Domingo Badía, better known as “Alí Bey”. All the clues seem to point towards a mysterious secret society called “The Custodians of God”. The investigation will lead the detective to the Hungarian capital city, Varós Buda, where he will discover a terrible secret related to the Lost Ones in Time and the incident that chained them to such a disastrous destiny. An old manuscript hides the keys that can lead to the ruins of an ancient civilization. Deep in its belly lies a powerful weapon and the key that could lead to the rescue of his daughter Sara and the rest of those frozen in the time.

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    Left-handed Luck

      Rod Michalchuk
     Left-handed Luck

If you accused Leo of being lucky, he’d deny it. He’d tell you his life is a disaster and, truth be told, it is. He’s burned every bridge. Still, he’s never been hurt, never been homeless, and things have always pretty much gone his way. Except for now. He’s fallen prey to the Tattooed Woman and her goon, Gary, and the only thing that’ll save him is blind, inexplicably fabulous, left-handed luck.Leo’s scamming free drinks at The Nugget, one of the old-school casinos off Freemont Street in Las Vegas, when the Tattooed Woman cuts him out of the herd. She plays him—like Hendrix played the guitar—chatting him up and touching his forehead, doing a mind reading act that looks like a trick, but isn’t. It’s a true thing wherein she learns everything she needs to know: he has enough ready cash to make him worthwhile prey and he’s all alone. No one, anywhere in the world, will care if he just ups and disappears. He’s soured every relationship—burned every bridge. Leo surprises her. He wants to do it back—read her mind in return—and it’s something the Tattooed Woman doesn’t see coming: a blind spot in her future-sense. Generally, she sees everything coming—everything that’s going to happen in the next few minutes—and this is not on her radar. This is an alarming anomaly.And, to make matters worse, Leo’s mind reading actually works. It’s the first bona fide paranormal thing that’s ever happened to him. He has a vision of something so unspeakably horrible it blacks him out, leaving him confused and weak—easy to manage. It’s a tooth-and-nail contest that can only end badly, one way or another. Leo doesn’t even suspect, but he can change things—what’s supposed to have happened, the set future, to something else, something it wouldn’t normally be. In his general vicinity, probability does not behave as it should. Chains of events rearrange themselves for his benefit. It’s something he does unknowingly, without any degree of skill, an alternate universe in the making beyond conscious control. That’s the difference between them. She knows what she’s doing. She’s as accomplished a sorceress as there has ever been. Compared to her, Leo is easy meat. Unless something really unreasonable happens, something beyond cause and effect, her and her goon, Gary, will kneel him down in the desert, in a lonely place somewhere, and shoot him in the back of the head, execution-style.

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