June sees us move the spotlight on to books filled with short stories – both single and multi-author. All the books featured this month fall into the horror genre, but cover a wide range of sub-genres. So, be brave, enjoy the terror, and perhaps discover some new talents.
Short Horror Stories: A Box Set by P.J. Blakey-Novis
18 short horror stories, 1 terrifying collection. A set including all of the short stories Embrace the Darkness, Tunnels, and The Artist in a single book.
Embrace the Darkness: Step into the mind of the unstable, where nightmares become reality and reality is not always what it seems. Embrace The Darkness is a collection of six terrifying tales, exploring the darker side of human nature and the blurred line between dreams and actuality.
Tunnels: From the author of Embrace the Darkness, Tunnels takes you on six terrifying journeys full of terror and suspense. Join a group of ghost-hunters, dare to visit the Monroe house on Halloween, peek inside the marble box, and feel the fear as you meet the creatures of the night.
The Artist: The nightmares continue in this third instalment of short horrors from P.J. Blakey-Novis. The Artist and Other Stories contains a terrifying mix of serial killers, sirens, ghosts, claustrophobia, supernatural powers, and revenge guaranteed to get your heart racing and set your nerves on edge. Buy here
Read an interview with P.J. Blakey-Novis here
Wakeful Children by S.P. Oldham
When you open the pages of Wakeful Children, you peer into the mind of a depraved killer who started out small; the panic-stricken thoughts of a recovering alcoholic, just trying to get to a group meeting; the anguished, silent prayers of a man whose only wish is to get a peaceful night’s sleep. You get a glimpse into the greediness of a collector of old, even ancient artifacts – just don’t ask how he came upon them; the idle thoughts of a girl, playing innocently in the grounds of her grandparent’s house, oblivious to what she really is; the calculating machinations of an apparently frail, beautiful woman who is not all she appears to be.
The thoughts and actions of all these beings and more, including entities too old to truly age, spirits too nebulous to name, make up eleven short, intriguing, unsettling stories by S P Oldham, every story fresh and original. Beautifully descriptive prose, sometimes shockingly brutal passages coupled with vividly imagined and clearly depicted storylines make Wakeful Children: A Collection of Horror and Supernatural Tales an intriguing, inventive debut for this author. Buy here
Read an interview with S.P. Oldham here
Read our review of Wakeful Children here
Fangtastic Tales of Werewolf Savagery by Toneye Eyenot
La Lluna Plena – the Full Moon – that beautiful and mysterious celestial body which stirs within us all those deep, dark emotions we do our best to subdue and control. For some of us, her influence runs deeper, much deeper. We all walk beneath her maddening rays, yet, while most may shrug off the notion that inside us all resides a beast – a savage wolf – there are those of us who embrace the monster within and ride that lunatic wave with abandon each time she casts her gaze upon us.
Some see it as a blessing, others…a curse. To be bitten, and fall prey to murderous urges beyond our control, or to have the good fortune to be born into the pack, or perhaps even to whisper words of spell in order to evoke the lycanthropic gift, there are more than a few ways to cast aside the human skin and let loose the wolf within. Those ways are explored throughout this collection of werewolf terrors.
Suspend disbelief, dear reader, because whether you care to admit it, or continue to live in ignorant bliss, we walk among you. We smell the blood as it courses through your veins and taste your fear on the breeze. We long to see the life drain from your quivering flesh as we gorge. Beware the Full Moon, as you are about to enter the world of the Werewolf. Buy here
Read an interview with Toneye Eyenot here
Read our review of Fangtastic Tales of Werewolf Savagery here
Under Rotting Sky by Matthew V. Brockmeyer
“Riveting. Your worst nightmares realized.”
–Scream Hard Reviews
Twenty unforgettable tales of transgression and horror by the award-winning author of KIND NEPENTHE.
In “Mine” a child hangs precariously between the isthmus of innocence and evil, shedding his humanity for the altar of a wolf pup.
A horrifying and ancient legend reveals itself with a shocking new twist in “A Dirty Winter Moon.”
“Have a Heart” teaches us that nature always prevails over the follies of man, sometimes in an extremely gruesome manner.
In “Rumpelstiltskin” the troll under the bridge is very real, and wants your children for unspeakable deeds.
In “The Gym Teacher” a boy’s obsession with serial killers leads him to discover the true nature of a monster.
These twenty stories traverse the outskirts of society to reveal the brutality of humanity in all its gory glory. Buy UK and US
Read our review of Under Rotting Sky here
19 Gates of Hell: A Horror Anthology
From the darkest places imaginable, both outside and inside the mind, comes 19 tales that will drag you into places you never dreamed of seeing, not even in your worst nightmares.
Come along as these tales open up 19 gates into hell and experience the supernatural, the darkness of night, and the unimaginable like never before. Authors such as Byron Craft, Matthew V. Brockmeyer, Rich Restucci and many more have come together to show you in. . .and they won’t let you leave until you’re crying out for mercy, begging to live to see one last sunset.
What are you waiting for? The gates are opening. Buy UK and US
Chaos Tales: Hell TV: Volume 2
Eternal damnation isn’t just about roasting over the flames. The damned live in Pandemonium, a sprawling metropolis of slums, skyscrapers and gated communities. The devious and evil forge new careers for themselves, rising through the ranks to positions of privilege and power—the misguided and unfortunate fight amongst themselves in the hope that tonight’s torment will be less than yesterday’s. Everyone works and, when they aren’t slaving, they watch television—thousands of channels covering every perversion and insanity. Fokst is the chief of the daytime schedule, one of the powerful. On the cusp of gaining access to the inner sanctums of depravity he must prove his worth, convince his boss that he is the best man for the job, prove that his shows are the best. Only thing is, he hates them all, never watches them if he can avoid it. With an audit in eight hours and a thousand shows to watch, Fokst knows today is going to be a long day in Hell. Chaos Tales II: Hell TV is another gut churning collection from Christopher Law. It really isn’t for children or the squeamish. Buy UK and US
Death, Infection, the Devil…and Jed by Howard Carlyle
Four different stories of horror, all with deadly outcomes. How would you handle a bullying co-worker? Brian did it perfectly!
What if a deadly virus left you as the last man standing… What would you do?
Would you make a deal with the devil to get everything you wanted… Martin had the chance and took it with horrific consequences.
How far would you go for your favorite dish of homemade soup… Jed went that one step further than normal. Buy here
100 Word Horrors Volume 2 compiled by Kevin J. Kennedy
A drabble is a short form of fiction that is exactly 100 words long (not including the title).
Kevin J. Kennedy has once again served up the best of the horror world to bring you an anthology that is packed with creepy tales.
Between these pages you will find over one hundred drabbles, written by a wealth of talented authors. From the best indie horror authors to Bram Stoker award winners and Amazon top sellers. We have monsters, mayhem and madness. Come join us. Buy UK and US
Read an interview with Kevin J. Kennedy here
Our spotlighted promotions for the coming months are listed below, so keep an eye out for those;
July – Audio Books
August – Books in a Series
September – Short Stories (under 10k words)
October – 31 Days of Horror
November – Fantasy Books
December – Children’s Books