Short Stories

In Her Body and Other Parties, Carmen Maria Machado blithely demolishes the arbitrary borders between psychological realism and science fiction, comedy and horror, fantasy and fabulism. While her work has earned her comparisons to Karen Russell and Kelly Link, she has a voice that is all her own. In this electric and provocative debut, Machado bends genre to shape startling narratives that map the realities of women's lives and the violence visited upon their bodies.

Have you ever wondered how lone wolf Clayton Danvers finally got bitten by the last thing he ever expected: love? Or how the hot-blooded bad-girl witch Eve Levine managed to ensnare the cold, ruthless corporate sorcerer, Kristof Nast in one of the Otherworld’s most unlikely pairings? Now, Otherworld readers can share these moments with some of their favorite characters—as well as catching welcome glimpses into the minds of some of the lesser-known players

Dashiell Hammett is best known as both pioneer and master of American hard-boiled detective fiction, but these dozen and a half stories both affirm that reputation and present him in a different light. Along with the full-length treatments On the Make and The Kiss-Off, this collection includes never before and rarely published stories that explore failed romance, courage in the face of uncertainty, hypocrisy, and crass opportunism.

Who would suspect that the same mind that created the most famous literary detective of all time also took on the eternally popular genre of vampires? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a contemporary of Bram Stoker, gave us some fascinating works of vampire fiction. From the bloodsucking plant in "The American's Tale" to the bloodsucking wife in "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire," he reveled in the horror created by creatures who survived on the blood of men and women.

Relive the tale of Sleeping Beauty, a beautiful princess hidden away, a witch's curse, her fairy godmothers, a handsome prince, and the magic of true love's kiss, in this collection of classic tales from Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm.

Mosley presents distinct characters as they struggle to move through the world in each of these stories - heroes who are awkward, nerdy, self-defeating, self-involved, and, on the whole, odd. He overturns the stereotypes that corral black male characters and paints a subtle, powerful portrait of each of these unique individuals.

Mikey hopes he won't find his alpha for a long, long time. The young jaguar omega is too busy finishing his screenplay to settle down - even if his need for a mate becomes unbearable every time he goes into heat. When Mikey returns to his small hometown, the last thing he expects is to find that fated connection. But when a chance encounter with the devastatingly handsome tiger alpha makes him go into heat, he knows Lukas is his mate. Will Mikey's independence come between him and his mate? Or is he ready to get pregnant for the alpha? (Pregnant for the Alpha is an M/M paranormal romance ...

Four Books, One Unifying Vision: Spanish Mastery...Each story is not just a lesson in language but a closer step towards fluency, making learning both effective and deeply enjoyable.

Short Stories for Kids : A Magical Adventure of Jayden in the Secret Garden of Feelings Children's Bedtime Story About Anxiety, Courage & Emotional Growth /Mindfulness Story for Kids Age 4-8 A magical bedtime story for kids ages 4-8 that helps with worry and big feelings - perfect for your nighttime reading! Looking for bedtime stories that help children sleep better? Discover this magical garden adventure that teaches kids about feelings! In this beautifully illustrated bedtime story book, meet Jayden, a child who finds a secret garden where feelings grow as colorful flowers. This ...

In Lace and Lies, the knitting shop's been chosen to appear on TV with celebrity knitting designer Teddy Lamont, but things go wrong on and off the camera, and somebody doesn't make it to the final credits.

Even as a child, Serenity Jones knew she possessed unusual psychic gifts. Now, decades later, she’s an acclaimed medium and host of her own widely viewed TV show, where she delivers messages to the living from loved ones who have passed. Lately, though, her efforts to boost ratings and garner fame have compromised her clairvoyant instincts. When Serenity books a young war widow to appear as a guest, the episode quickly unravels, stirring up a troubling controversy.

🎁 Now with 1 Exclusive BONUS Chapter Inside! 🎁 ⭐ Empower the Amazing Young Boy in Your Life to Believe in Himself with Just 5 Minutes a Day!⭐ What if 5 minutes each day could help him overcome fears, believe in himself, and dream big? 🔥 Does he sometimes doubt himself, hesitate to act or fear making mistakes? 🔥 Do you want to inspire him to recognize his strengths and confidently tackle challenges? Then this book is just what he needs! 📖 INSPIRING STORIES FOR AMAZING BOYS WHO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES by inspirational author Sati Siroda is packed with uplifting stories that ...

Welcome to Newford: to the music clubs, the waterfront, and the alleyways where ancient myths and magic spill into the modern world. Gemmins live in abandoned cars and skells traverse the tunnels below, while mermaids swim in the gray harbor waters and fill the cold night with their song. Come meet Jilly, painting wonders in the rough city streets; and Geordie, playing fiddle while he dreams of a ghost; and the Angel of Grasso Street gathering the fey and the wild and the poor and the lost.

A rugged mountain man who thinks he can boss me around? Not on my watch… Marco thinks he can waltz into my coffee shop and change everything. His broad chest and intense eyes are distracting, but I won’t let him ruin what I’ve built. He’s stubborn and infuriating, but I can’t deny the chemistry between us. I’m determined to keep him at arm’s length. But what if I don’t want to fight him forever? Can I resist falling for the man I’m supposed to hate? Author's Note: My Bossy Mountain Man Enemy is a short instalove story that can be read in about an hour.

The last in the Afrolit Now series, The Sins of The Fathers by Zukiswa Wanner is narrated by a man dealing with immense grief. When he’s unable to heal from the trauma of loss, Akani begins to question his and his father’s role as a parent and, in doing so, awakens to the patterns between them. In trying to avoid being like his father as a husband and as a parent, did he inadvertently become exactly the man he wished not to be? And what secrets lie untold? As he grieves, he wonders whether he was ill-advised to keep secrets that may unwittingly hurt his family.

The best-selling Extinction Cycle series by Nicholas Sansbury Smith first introduced listeners to a world ravaged by an engineered virus that turned men into monsters. Now, for the first time ever, comes a collection of Extinction Cycle short stories that explore the human spirit and the fight for survival in the face of overwhelming odds from some of the leading voices in the post-apocalyptic genre.

Armed camps of eco-survivalists battle purveyors of technology in this exclusive, original production featuring five sci-fi masters and five all-star narrators.

A man dies with his hand on a radio dial. A distinguished aristocrat finds murder at the opening night of a play. A cryptogram produces death in an English churchyard. Death on the Air and Other Stories serves as the perfect introduction to Ngaio Marsh and her creation, Inspector Roderick Alleyn, or as a nostalgic journey for her many fans.

I thought moving here would keep my family safe. But the danger we left behind has nothing on the darkness in these woods. After a messy divorce and years of putting my career before my kids, I was desperate for a fresh start. A quiet cabin in the Vermont wilderness seemed like the perfect place to rebuild what we’d lost. But the peace I was hoping for didn’t last long. It started with the howls at night. The claw marks on the trees. The eerie sense that something—or someone—was watching us. Then I met Jack Whitman. Tall, rugged, with piercing blue eyes and a beard that makes my ...

Let’s step beyond the grey zone and dive into the tantalizing world of BDSM! Alexandra Noir has spent over a decade exploring the pleasures of submission and domination, and now she’s inviting you to join her. This collection of 15 explicit stories will take you on a journey through history, fantasy, and modern-day encounters that push boundaries and ignite desires. From ancient Egypt to modern sororities, and even into the depths of vacation escapades, these stories are packed with passion, power, and play. Whether you’re curious about bondage, discipline, submission, threesomes, or ...