Ashen Lands by Tess Manchester centers on Randall Colt, a seasoned military veteran who must travel across a civil war-ravaged America. Bombardments have fragmented and reduced it into chaotic regions characterized by mass burial grounds, burnt-out woodlands, and ruthless armed groups. He must deliver a...

The Lighthouse of Fools by Stephen Wayne begins with the collapse of Bradford-Wellington, which pushes Thomas Harker into relocating his family to desert land, where he starts the construction of a lighthouse. While the family starts anew, Thomas’s vision draws a small circle of unexpected...

Some of the most meaningful moments arrive when we least expect them. In Summer Evenings by Nathan Nicolau, life for Christina seems to be just passing by. She’s a recent high school graduate who isn’t looking forward to choosing or attending college. She’s on vacation...

Valerie Allen’s Holiday Prankster is a short story that follows Alissa and her boyfriend, Randy, as they head to a holiday dinner with his family. It’s the first time she’ll be meeting them, and she’s nervous because it’s important. On the way over, she becomes...

Time heals all wounds (or at least that’s what we all want). That’s exactly what the characters in Unpacking the Truth by N. de Bruijn are hoping for. It’s the story of a 12-year-old girl, Lily, who disappeared six years ago. Having never stopped searching...

Peanut Butter Cookies by Catina Noble is a short story told through the eyes of Camila, as she navigates the difficult last months of her mom Gina’s life. It chronicles her weekly visits to see her mom, who is battling illness in the hospital. Camila,...

Last call came, but fate had other plans. In The Game of Life by Eleanor Wells, readers meet Imogen, a bartender in Milwaukee, who’s working late one hot summer night. She’s tired and ready to go home when an unexpected handsome customer, Luca, sits down...

Slax by Robert E. Kearns is set in a secondary school in north Dublin during the mid-1980s. The story unfolds among a group of students who find their Wednesday half-days filled with both spirited minor rebelling and companionship, especially after starting an informal film club....

In Case Files from the Nightfall Detective Agency: Fury of the Vampire by David Alyn Gordon, Abraham had tried to build a holy tower to the heavens, but El had struck it down. From then on, the people shunned Abraham. He wandered aimlessly and became...

Caribbean Adventures by Fred G. Baker is a riveting collection of modern pirate tales set mainly in the Caribbean. The stories follow the daring exploits of Alex and his crew, opening with the audacious theft of the luxury yacht Caribbean Queen, which Alex’s crew swiftly...