A 50-page, digital-only novella set in the world of Bethany Griffin's dark and haunting retelling of the classic Edgar Allan Poe story Masque of the Red Death. When a rich teenage girl who spends her nights in the most desirable club and a smart, young inventor meet, they might have more in common than they know.April, niece to the dying city's cruel dictator, is Araby Worth's glittery and frivolous best friend. But she's more than she appears. And when she disappeared in Masque of the Red Death, where did she go? This short novella answers that question, taking us deep underneath the crumbling city, where April crosses paths with Kent, the serious young inventor who is key to rebellion. Glitter & Doom is a story of chilling action, of spies, and of surprising love. Can love be anything but doomed is a city that's burning down around its survivors?A dark, unnerving story about two of the most fascinating characters from Masque... Views: 34
A 4MK Thriller Detective Porter and the team have been pulled from the hunt for Anson Bishop, the Four Monkey Killer, by the feds. When the body of a young girl is found beneath the frozen waters of Jackson Park Lagoon, she is quickly identified as Ella Reynolds, missing three weeks. But how did she get there? The lagoon froze months earlier. More baffling? She's found wearing the clothes of another girl, missing less than two days. While the detectives of Chicago Metro try to make sense of the quickly developing case, Porter secretly continues his pursuit of 4MK, knowing the best way to find Bishop is to track down his mother. When the captain finds out about Porter's activities, he's suspended, leaving his partners Clair and Nash to continue the search for the new killer alone. Obsessed with catching Bishop, Porter follows a single grainy photograph from Chicago to the streets of New Orleans and stumbles into a world darker than he could have possibly... Views: 34
RetailAmiable Dr. Oliver Reece gives all to his patients, living a lonely life until he must do CPR on a man on a London underground train late one night. He suspects the only other person on the platform, an intriguing young woman, perpetrated the ailment but he cannot prove how or why. Although she justifies her occupation by keeping the mental distance between her involvement and the result of the poison, recluse Sophie Newton panics when she notices the doctor too late, performing CPR on her victim. Both speculate about the other until their paths cross again coincidentally when Sophie is attacked in an alley by a homeless man. Oliver sets out to befriend Sophie and appease his curiosity to confirm his suspicions but Sophie’s secrets are locked until he becomes the first friend she has had in years. For every secret revealed to him, more secrets become apparent and threaten his own. Sophie, however, is resistant to having a relationship, calling the poison her only friend and the “jobs” to be endowments from an unknown source that saved her from a life of destitution. At the same time Oliver appears in her life so does a mysterious photo of twin girls, Sophie and Sydney, a sister she doesn’t remember but who apparently knows Sophie and yet stays in the shadows. While he empathizes with Sophie without questioning her moral stand point, Oliver learns that the woman on the train and the woman he befriends are somewhat contradictory. He walks the fine line between accusation and revelation to be a part of her life by showing her how to have the ‘normality’ she covets most. Meanwhile, he is confronted by Jacki, a nurse, who accuses him of “playing God” prodding him to reveal his secrets by claiming to already know them but he doesn’t fall into her trap unable to determine if she really knows the truth or not. He also receives valuable love advice from Mariella, a terminal patient, and as much as he wants to help her she is resistant and bitter. Oliver will do what it takes to get answers from Sophie and Mariella even if it means integrating himself in both their lives, justifying his methods in order to help them. Sophie is overwhelmed as Oliver's interest and hope for her future, Sydney lurking in her present, and the reconciliation of a painful past start to converge as Sophie and Oliver become aware they are players in someone else’s game. As events unfold, her profession starts to pose more and more risk as Sophie and Sydney’s lives start to converge in a labyrinth of mistaken identity, sex, and blackmail. Identities are revealed, coincidences are found to be deliberate, and confrontation ensues. Views: 34
When Sam hears that the storms along Scotland's east coast, there's only one thing he wants to do - catch the surf. Missing out is not an option. Taking his board out to sea is full of risk.The storms are even heavier than Sam expects and he doesn't escape unscathed. Nor do the local towns and beaches which are left battered, damaged and covered in the detritus of the sea, including some rather strange looking rocks the likes of which nobody has ever seen before.It becomes clear that the local councils will need help in tidying up and the Surfers Against Sewage step forward to restore normality.In the storm's aftermath, however, there are a series of unusual events.First of all, there are the missing dogs, followed closely by the disappearence of some young children who were last seen playing on the sand. Not to mention the unusual noises that have been keeping people awake at night.Talk on the streets of Dunbar is that it's Black Agnes returned to take revenge. Others fear environmental catastrophe. Still more cite ancient visions of the end of the world.The Rocks Below is a tale suitable for adults, young adults and older children. It contains a subtle yet powerful message relating to environmental issues. Fusing elements of crime fiction, science fiction and adventure stories, this is a book that entertains and stimulates thought in one exciting read.About the AuthorFrom lowly beginnings as the co-editor and producer of The Rue Bella magazine, I've been able to grow as a writer and extend my efforts to short-stories, novellas and a novel. My work has been included in some of the biggest and best anthologies and magazines around (Mammoth's Best British Crime; Crimespree; Protectors; Speedloader; Crimefactory; True Brit Grit; Both Barrels; Off The Record; Grimm Tales) In those collections, I've appeared alongside such greats as George Pelecanos; Kate Atkinson; Stuart MacBride; Alexander McCall Smith; Bateman; Val McDermid; Peter James; Mark Billingham; Seamus Heaney; Ian Rankin; Joe Lansdale; Scott Wolven; Zoe Sharp; Allan Guthrie; Reed Farrel Coleman; Ray Banks and a list of other notables that have me pinch myself when I think our work is considered related in any way, shape or form. As well as writing, I'm a Support For Learning Teacher and am the proud father of 3 young children. The bulk of my work is listed below: Bibliography As Editor: 2012 Pulp Ink 2 published by Snubnose Press (co-edited by Chris Rhatigan) 2011 Pulp Ink published by Needle Press (co-edited by Chris Rhatigan) 2011 Where The Wild Things Were (The Best Of The Rue Bella) Novels: 2012 In Loco Parentis Novellas: 2013 The Rocks Below 2012 Mr Suit 2012 Smoke Short Story Anthologies: 2013 Lee (the Lee Marvin anthology) published by Crime Factory 2012 Nightfalls (story Greene Day) published by Dark Valentine Press 2012 Both Barrels (story, The Rhythm Of Life)published by Shotgun Honey 2012 Protectors (Stories To Benefit Protect) (story, Baby's In Blue) published by Goombah Gumbo Press 2012 Crimefactory 11 (story, Horse) published by Crime Factory 2011 True Brit Grit (story, Stones In Me Pockets) published by Guilty Conscience 2011 Off The Record (story, Super Trouper) published by Guilty Conscience 2011 Grimm Tales (story, Sing A Song Of Sixpence) published by Untreed Reads 2011 Pulp Ink (story, A Whole Lot Of Rosie) published by Needle Publications 2011 Speedloader (story, You Dirty Rat) published by Snubnose Press 2011 Mammoth Best British Crime 9 (story, Sisterhood) published by Robinson 2011 Mammoth Best British Crime 8 (story, An Arm And A Leg) published by Robinson Short Story Collections (Individual) 2011 With Love And Squalor 2011 Beat On The Brat (and other stories) 2011 Dirty Old Town (and other stories) Poetry Collections (Individual) 2011 The Day My Coat Stuck On My Head 2011 Busted Flat Views: 34
In the tradition of Roger Zelazny's classic Amber novels, the second volume of Charles Stross's thrill-a-minute saga of multiple worlds. Miriam, a hip tech journalist from Boston, discovered her alternate world relatives in The Family Trade , and with them an elite identity she didn't know was hers. Now, in order to avoid a slippery slope down to an unmarked grave, Miriam, known as Lady Helge to the Family, starts applying modern business practices and scientific knowledge to a trade dominated by mercantilists -- with unexpected consequences for three different timelines, including the quasi-Victorian one exploited by the hidden family. Charles Stross is one of the big new SF writers of the 21st century, and the saga of The Merchant Princes is his most ambitious work yet. Views: 34
It will take some "spirited" discussion to bring these two together...Lawyer Alexis O'Hara is tired of the dating, mating, then hating game. She wants to settle down, and this time she's not letting her heart get involved. So when her mentor Vincent Cathardy offers her everything she's ever wanted, she agrees to marry him. And by having the wedding at the world-famous Inn at Maiden Falls, she can almost guarantee her own happy ending. Only, it might not be the ending she's expecting....Lawyer Dylan Greene thinks he's negotiating just another prenuptial agreement--until he learns that the bride-to-be is his first and only love, Alexis. And it's soon obvious that the chemistry between them is just as explosive as ever. Even after years apart, they can't keep their hands off each other. So why is Alexis so determined to go through with the wedding? And will Dylan be able to seduce her into saying no to Vincent-- and yes to him? Views: 34
When Natasha Fennell's mother was diagnosed with a progressive illness, she wasn't ready to do deal with the inevitability of what this would bring. Sitting outside the hospital after visiting one day, Natasha wondered how she would cope when her mother was gone. There started a panic and self-scrutiny. Had she been a good enough daughter? Would she have enough time to do all the things she wanted to do with her mother before she died? Natasha knew that she couldn't be the only one feeling this way. She began her research and quickly learned that other daughters had similar fears and had never spoken about them before. Love for their mothers, regret for opportunities missed, resentments and emotional complexities all bubbled to the surface. Through these conversations, a friendship blossomed with Róisín Ingle, popular columnist at the Irish Times. After a call out in Róisín's column, hundreds of responses poured in and there The Daughterhood was formed. ... Views: 34
