dark horse /ˈdärk ˈˌhôrs/ noun 1. a candidate or competitor about whom little is known but who unexpectedly wins or succeeds. "a dark-horse candidate" Join us for a monthly tour of writers who give as good as they get. From hard science-fiction to stark, melancholic apocalypses; from Lovecraftian horror to zombies and horror comedy; from whimsical interludes to tales of unlikely compassion--whatever it is, if it's weird, it's here. So grab a seat before the starting gun fires, pour yourself a glass of strange wine, and get ready for the running of the dark horses. In this issue: BAGGAGE Brian Hogan CROWDIDDLY Stephan Mcquiggan ETERNAL Sheldon Woodbury THE WINE-DARK EARTH Wayne Kyle Spitzer KALEIDOSCOPE T.K. Howell NIGHT SWIMMING Matthew Fries THE SHADOW BOX Frederick Pangbourne THE BAT AND THE CRESCENT MOON Bill Link THE WOMAN AND THE MAZE DC Mallery TO CATCH A GOD Daniel Lidman

dark horse /ˈdärk ˈˌhôrs/ noun 1. a candidate or competitor about whom little is known but who unexpectedly wins or succeeds. "a dark-horse candidate" Join us for a monthly tour of writers who give as good as they get. From hard science-fiction to stark, melancholic apocalypses; from Lovecraftian horror to zombies and horror comedy; from whimsical interludes to tales of unlikely compassion--whatever it is, if it's weird, it's here. So grab a seat before the starting gun fires, pour yourself a glass of strange wine, and get ready for the running of the dark horses. In this issue: ANOTHER MAN’S POISON Marlin Bressi FEAR AND LOATHING IN ALPHA CENTAURI Colby Woodland LEGACY William Jensen RAIN Rod Marsden SPIDERS, SPIDERS, EVERYWHERE! Bill Link SUBSCRIBED Mikel J. Wisler THE HAND COLLECTOR Christian Riley THE SCARECROW Kurt Newton THE SOUND A.S. Remland KINGS OF THE ROAD Wayne Kyle Spitzer

dark horse /ˈdärk ˈˌhôrs/ noun 1. a candidate or competitor about whom little is known but who unexpectedly wins or succeeds. "a dark-horse candidate" Join us for a monthly tour of writers who give as good as they get. From hard science-fiction to stark, melancholic apocalypses; from Lovecraftian horror to zombies and horror comedy; from whimsical interludes to tales of unlikely compassion--whatever it is, if it's weird, it's here. So grab a seat before the starting gun fires, pour yourself a glass of strange wine, and get ready for the running of the dark horses. In this issue: BAGGAGE Brian Hogan CROWDIDDLY Stephan Mcquiggan ETERNAL Sheldon Woodbury THE WINE-DARK EARTH Wayne Kyle Spitzer KALEIDOSCOPE T.K. Howell NIGHT SWIMMING Matthew Fries THE SHADOW BOX Frederick Pangbourne THE BAT AND THE CRESCENT MOON Bill Link THE WOMAN AND THE MAZE DC Mallery TO CATCH A GOD Daniel Lidman

"In the murky London gloom, a knife-wielding gentleman prowls the midnight streets with his faithful watchdog Snuff - gathering together the grisly ingredients they will need for an upcoming ancient and unearthly rite. And all manner of players, both human and undead, are preparing to participate."--Publisher.

Double, double toil and trouble... Shakespeare began the tense apprehension with his melodic yet warning phrase. Ray Bradbury continued the dark and ominous foreboding that oozes between the words. Now, it has come to the North American Old West, a world with its severe terrain and hardened residents. The rules were harsher out here, the ethics and morals changed, the fight for life and liberty quite different than anything these pioneers, these outlaws, these six-shooters and rebel rousers, these unquestionably brave men and women had bargained for. For them, something wicked certainly rode. Like a hell-broth boil and bubble... In this anthology, we explore the Old West with a skewed view, showcasing the weird western genre through stories that explore the peculiar and the fantastic, the wicked that was and could have been. You'll experience spiritual nightmares, mythical monsters, cosmic outlaws, discerning gods, and science run amok. Even the North Pole Security division isn't immune to the supernatural strangeness that stalks the late 1800s. In the tradition of the pulp and western stories of a bygone era, these are thirty tales to intrigue, amaze, and perhaps down right spook you right out of your boots. So brew up some coffee, head out to the rocking chair on the porch, and tilt your hat to shade your eyes so you can read real close. Just be sure you keep one eye on the horizon and one hand near your holster. For... With dark intentions and creatures astride, Something wicked this way rides. Enjoy stories from these talented authors Gustavo Bondoni - Marilyn "Mattie" Brahen - Kenneth Bykerk - Dwain Campbell - Gregg Chamberlain - Vonnie Winslow Crist - Stuart Croskell - Lawrence Dagstine - J.B. Dane - Kevin M. Folliard - John A. Frochio - Steve Gladwin - L.L. Hill - Adrian Ludens - Stefan Markos - Jonathon Mast - Jason J. McCuiston - Gregory L. Norris - Q Parker - Peter Prellwitz - John B. Rosenman - Alistair Rey - Darrell Schweitzer - Bradley H. Sinor - Matias Travieso-Diaz - Charles Wilkinson - Martin Zeigler

The son of a convicted bank robber and con artist describes their complicated relationship, relating how his father, while in jail, sent the author letters throughout his childhood and turned up in a Boston homeless shelter where the author was a caseworker.

Every year, WEIRDBOOK Magazine publishes a collection of short stories to thrill and delight readers worldwide. This year, we challenged authors to come up with memorable takes on the zombie theme, and the result is this fantastic collection of 34 original stories. Included are: The Meddler, by Matthew John Tiger Girls vs. the Zombies, by Lucy A. Snyder Dead Between the Eyes, by Adrian Cole Alive Again, by Franklyn Searight The Night Hans Kroeger Came Back, by Kenneth Bykerk The Marching Dead, by Andrew Darlington I Wished for Zombies, by D.C. Lozar O Mary Don’t You Mourn, by Mike Chinn To Die, To Sleep, No More, by Erica Ruppert Run, Monster, Run, by Teasha Seitz Another Night in Bayou Sauvage, by Chad Hensley Kifaro, by Dilman Dila But I Love Him, by Scott Wheelock Who Wants to Live Forever?, by Angela Yuriko Smith The Dead Are Always Hungry, by Christopher Alex Ray Zen Zombies, by R. A. Smith Cassius Max, by KT Morley A Nanotech Samsara, by J.N. Cameron Pine in the Soul, by John Linwood Grant “Welcome Home”, by Craig E. Sawyer Papa Hanco, by Ed Reyes They Shall Eat Dust, by Josh Reynolds In Shadow Valley, by Nick Swain Devil’s Bargain, by by J.F. Le Roux Right for You Now, by Andrew Jennings E’Zunguth, the Zombie God, by Maxwell I. Gold Lazy River, by Kelly Piner The New Human, by Shayne K. Keen This Little Piggy, by EV Knight Life Unworthy of Life, by Stephanie Ellis More Blood, by Carson Ray This Creeping Cold, by Kevin Rees The Body I Used to Be, by Scott Edelman Queen of Hearts, by S.E. Lindberg Plus poetry by Ashley Dioses, Avra Margariti, Josh Maybrook, Darrell Schweitzer, Lori R. Lopez, Allan Rozinski, K.A. Opperman, Gregg Chamberlain, Robert Borski, David C. Kopaska-Merkel, Colleen Anderson, and David C. Kopaska-Merkel.

The beloved New York Times bestselling author reflects on home, family, friendships and writing in this deeply personal collection of essays. "The elegance of Patchett’s prose is seductive and inviting: with Patchett as a guide, readers will really get to grips with the power of struggles, failures, and triumphs alike." —Publisher's Weekly “Any story that starts will also end.” As a writer, Ann Patchett knows what the outcome of her fiction will be. Life, however, often takes turns we do not see coming. Patchett ponders this truth in these wise essays that afford a fresh and intimate look into her mind and heart. At the center of These Precious Days is the title essay, a surprising and moving meditation on an unexpected friendship that explores “what it means to be seen, to find someone with whom you can be your best and most complete self.” When Patchett chose an early galley of actor and producer Tom Hanks’ short story collection to read one night before bed, she had no idea that this single choice would be life changing. It would introduce her to a remarkable woman—Tom’s brilliant assistant Sooki—with whom she would form a profound bond that held monumental consequences for them both. A literary alchemist, Patchett plumbs the depths of her experiences to create gold: engaging and moving pieces that are both self-portrait and landscape, each vibrant with emotion and rich in insight. Turning her writer’s eye on her own experiences, she transforms the private into the universal, providing us all a way to look at our own worlds anew, and reminds how fleeting and enigmatic life can be. From the enchantments of Kate DiCamillo’s children’s books (author of The Beatryce Prophecy) to youthful memories of Paris; the cherished life gifts given by her three fathers to the unexpected influence of Charles Schultz’s Snoopy; the expansive vision of Eudora Welty to the importance of knitting, Patchett connects life and art as she illuminates what matters most. Infused with the author’s grace, wit, and warmth, the pieces in These Precious Days resonate deep in the soul, leaving an indelible mark—and demonstrate why Ann Patchett is one of the most celebrated writers of our time.

Praise for Alistair Rennie and BleakWarrior "Transgressive and hard-edged" - Jeff VanderMeer, Nebula award winning author of the Southern Reach trilogy "Flabbergasting Black Metal New Weird" - Edward Morris, author of the Blackguard series "Death, violence, and inappropriate sex" - Neil Williamson, author of The Moon King For eons, the ancient and powerful Meta-Warriors have betrayed, despoiled, and slain each other in a relentless pursuit of total mutual destruction. Who they are, what they are, what purposes they serve-none can tell. As they exact their dismal retributions against one another, with whatever skulduggery proves necessary for achieving those ends, they do not care to wonder why. Except for one. And he will kill all who stand in the way of him discovering who-and what-he is. Or die trying. They call him BleakWarrior. Descend into a world of dark metaphysics, ultra-violence, senseless mayhem, and transgressive sex with a simultaneously brutal and brilliant fantasy novel unlike any other.