The March Wind – Davin Ireland

The nightly illuminations had proven trying enough under clear skies. Beneath a dense layer of storm clouds, the eerie displays felt like a threat. At first, Vic and Penny had stayed in together to watch the nightly spectacles unfold from the minimal comfort of the flat. But as time progressed and Pen’s judgement deteriorated, Vic had taken to slipping off alone to join the chanting masses gathered on the sand…

The Waltz of the Thief and the Vampire – by Drew C. Jade

She was a feather, floating across the stage and defying gravity with every leap through the air. With each vibrato of the violin and every quaver of the flute, she grew an invisible pair of wings, convincing the audience she was a real sylph fluttering with ethereal grace.

Little did the audience know that beneath the layers of white tulle and behind her willowy arms was a fierce dragon on the hunt. Neither for flesh nor blood but for gold to fill her trove…

The Price of Creation – by Jeffrey C. Sims

“How can I make this any clearer… you’re not supposed to be talking!” Shira practically screamed the last part. Antinous is coming to kill me, and all I have to protect me is a Golem that talks! 

She let herself slide to the floor. Above her, the observatory windows twinkled with soft warmth from the lights of the street below, the occasional burble of people’s voices echoed weakly through the thin walls.

Brushstrokes – By Tara Calaby

It was nine months and thirteen days since Gia had emptied her side of the wardrobe and left a three-line note on the bed. For the first six months, Violet’s friends had been sympathetic, but since then they had been doing their best to drag her back into the world. In March, she had returned to her phone after a trip to the bathroom to find a screen full of dating apps, courtesy of her best friend, Lou

The Latest Reviews of The Best Walking Tours of Faerie on ElusiveBooks.com – by Amanda Cook

“I found the book when I was digging up an old flower bed in my backyard. I think maybe the previous owners left it there. It’s a good read. I took one short walk to Butterfly Waterfall, but the height made me dizzy and I had to go back. I think I only lost a week or two. The pictures are nice, but they don’t do the real Faerie justice. I’d recommend it to people who like nature. I’ll probably try another one of the walks someday, when I have more time.”

The Tolling of the Bell – by Zachary Torres

“You can try again Mr. Bridges, I know you can.” She dared a glance at his left arm, and her skin came alive with goosebumps.

The limb had been severed below the elbow, and a hardened stump poked out of his shirtsleeve. “Just talk to them. Tell them you can go back to the cannery. Ask to see the Timekeeper if you must! I know you’re better than—”

Author Interview – Nicholas Eames

“…which is to say books wherein the main characters could and would die at any moment. While this is a great tool for fostering tension and keeping the stakes high, I think it’s possible to do so while not killing off characters for shock value alone. That said, the death of one character can be a very useful tool for motivating another, which is why—Well, I suppose I’d better stop there…” 

Indie Author Interview – Carrie Harris

“I’ve been a comic book fan since I was a kid, and I never dreamed that I’d get a chance to write these characters and contribute to the lore that meant so much to me. But there’s also a certain amount of pressure that comes with writing in a licensed property like this, and especially one that’s so beloved. I don’t want to be the person who mucks it up, you know?” 

One Thong Left on the Beach – by Scott Hudson

“Greg wasn’t happy with his assignment. When he’d arrived in hell, it had been going for far too long and all the good jobs had been snatched up. By the time he’d become a Demon, it’d been longer still. The lesser of the lesser demons were given busy work: prepare a soul for collection, light torture, maybe the odd pet possession—they were borderline poltergeists…”

The Halophyte – by Katie McIvor

“When the dust from their lightweight desert boots had settled, Mano was still standing there. He wasn’t the only one: up and down the line, uncertain faces peered back at him…”

A Fairytale, Ending – by Marissa James

“The fairies couldn’t agree on how this Ever After began—perhaps a mirror was involved, perhaps a spindle; maybe a frog, possibly a shoe. Other folk supposed it was simply a matter of too many fairies getting involved in the first place. These things tended to be hard to keep track of.”

Author Interview – Matthew Reilly

“…So when it came to the last novel, it had to be the biggest, baddest, most dangerous one of them all. Hence, the impossible labyrinth, a maze of mazes, some of which are simply fantastically colossal!” 

Indie Author Interview – Tabatha Wood

“… A great short story has to make me feel something. That might seem obvious, but sometimes a story can be technically brilliant but emotionally forgettable. I have to be invested in the characters in some way, even if that means I hate them. I know when something is good when I get lost in it…”

Tending to Echo – by Jane Brown

“5… 4… 3…”

Katie clenched her fists and glanced along the start line. The other groups of three, spaced fifty feet apart, stood eerily still. All fixated on the thick ten-foot-high bramble that would be their first obstacle. Beyond that was anyone’s guess in this hostile wilderness.

“… 2… 1 – The trial commences. Prove you are fit to be a parent. Twenty-four hours begins now,”

Karl, I Hope You Don’t Read This Letter – By Robert Bagnall

Karl,

I hope you don’t read this letter. I hope you just throw it away without opening it. I hope you know it’s me—you—that’s written it. And what it says.

But… if you’re reading this for what feels like the first time, then it means something’s gone wrong. Or, at least, not as right as it could. I only have a few minutes to scribble this note, so let me explain.

Author Interview – Fiona McIntosh

“…the internet has changed publishing forever. There used to be an enormous exchange of ‘foul material’ as we all jokingly called it…huge manuscripts back and forth. Now there’s none of that. We do everything on line to the final edit and then there’s one set of galleys to approve in hard copy. That’s a huge shift. I remember the days of sending off a manuscript of 500 pages all bound up in a box and lugging it to the post office to be sent up to Sydney, taking days…”

In Space No-One Can Hear You Clean – by Scott Steensma

I really didn’t I really didn’t want to be awake. I closed my eyes tightly and imagined I was curled up underneath crisp, tastefully coloured bedclothes with a slight smile on my face, the star of my own personal mattress commercial. I slowed my breathing, and was just edging a toe over the precipice of slumber when a sharp pain shot through my head. Ignoring it, I focused on convincing my body that really, it should leave me alone and go to sleep…

Inheritance – by Alexander Funk

Sally was staring at a bright green wall full of motivational quotes. Or were they company slogans? She was not quite sure. The place did not feel like the medical clinics she had been to before. The decorations were certainly top notch, and the waiting room oozed calmness and comfort. Bright colors, round corners. Somehow, the cheery feel put Sally even more on edge.