25 of the best short stories published on the web in 2009/10--chosen by the editors of ChamberFour.com, a website dedicated to making reading more enjoyable and more rewarding. Includes a wide range of stories from great online lit mags. This anthology is DRM-free and free to download. Find a complete table of contents, a PDF version, author bios, interviews, and more at Chamber Four.
A novel told in short stories, The Affliction is an astounding fiction debut by an award-winning poet full of memorable characters across America and the Caribbean. Young beautifully weaves together the elaborate stories of many while holding together a clear focus: people are not always as they seem.
Enslaved by their own fears, the characters in this riveting collection are straining for redemption. Their choices reflect the well-worn patterns we carve for ourselves through our idiosyncrasies-our dominant traits. A basketball coach teaches moral ambiguity; a divorcee clutches at sanity; a mother struggles with her son's paternity; a childless man regrets his youthful onanism. Through their shared experiences these tangible characters undergo the sad, hilarious search for wholeness and security. Set in the stark isolated landscape of Southern Alberta, Eric Freeze's debut collection is a deftly-crafted study of desperate mortals careening through their liminal moments, grasping for certainty. "An honest record, a way to trace the passage of time and understand the little stories of our past"--Boston Review "Freeze Builds his sentences with the intricate grace of the snowflakes so often falling from the sky in these stories, all of them peculiarly sad and funny and beautiful."--Ben Percy "The fiction in Dominant Traits seems grounded in the quirkiness that is the everyday, that is where we learn about the human heart and its odd acts of defiance, generosity, courage, ineptitude."--Darrell Spencer "Excellent stories... Freeze produces realistic, believable people and delves deeply into their psyches to create truly enjoyable character studies."-Booklist
The armed conflict in the east of Ukraine brought about an emergence of a distinctive trend in contemporary Ukrainian poetry: the poetry of war. Directly and indirectly, the poems collected in this volume engage with the events and experiences of war, reflecting on the themes of alienation, loss, dislocation, and disability; as well as justice, heroism, courage, resilience, generosity, and forgiveness. In addressing these themes, the poems also raise questions about art, politics, citizenship, and moral responsibility. The anthology brings together some of the most compelling poetic voices from different regions of Ukraine. Young and old, female and male, somber and ironic, tragic and playful, filled with extraordinary terror and ordinary human delights, the voices recreate the human sounds of war in its tragic complexity.
If you're a fan of Dystopia, you've come to the right book. This collection has bleak visions of the future, intense military science fiction, several space adventures, stories set on Mars, alien abductions, grand, sweeping, Indiana Jones-styled epics, stories told from the perspectives of aliens, zombies, a dog and a snake. Enjoy reading about a space samurai, dragons, and mice-sized astronauts visiting Earth.
The Secret Agent: Ultimate Spy Collection brings together an unparalleled assembly of espionage narratives from the pens of some of the most prolific authors in the genre. This extensive anthology spans a wide array of styles, from the classic intrigue of Arthur Conan Doyle to the adventurous tales of John Buchan, and the psychological complexity of Joseph Conrad. Comprising a diverse suite of literary approaches, this collection offers readers a panoramic view of the evolution and thematic depth of spy fiction, from the suspenseful and the fantastical to the deeply introspective, reflecting the variegated scope of human intelligence and duplicity. The authors contributing to this colossal anthology are not only pioneers in the spy and adventure genres but have also been influential voices in shaping the literary landscape of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Through their collective works, this collection aligns with and contributes to a variety of historical, cultural, and literary movements, offering insights into the zeitgeist of their times. Distinct in their narrative voices, these authors together weave a rich tapestry that explores the nuances of espionage, loyalty, and moral ambiguity, enriching the readers understanding of the complexities involved in the world of international intrigue and covert operations. For enthusiasts of spy fiction, The Secret Agent: Ultimate Spy Collection is an indispensable tome, offering an unrivalled opportunity to explore the domain of espionage across different periods and perspectives. Readers are invited to delve into this comprehensive volume not only for its entertainment value but for its scholarly merit as well; providing insights into the evolution of spy fiction as a genre. This anthology stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of the spy narrative, engaging with themes of subterfuge, geopolitical stakes, and the perennial question of what it means to lead a double life. In navigating the shadows with these master storytellers, readers will find themselves on a thrilling journey through the annals of literary espionage.
It knows what scares you… A cursed mansion puts a curious house sitter’s free will to the ultimate test. An old polaroid camera holds a monster that yearns to be released. And two brothers encounter a demonic force in the caverns just beyond town… Enter a dreamscape of supernatural terror with Scare Street’s latest collection. This diabolical volume contains fifteen terrifying tales of fear and horror. And each story pulls you deeper into the realm of perpetual night. There’s something eerily familiar about the shadowy landscape you find yourself in. The crumbling old house on the hill, the pale fog rolling through the cemetery, the stone gargoyles perched above ancient tombs…you swear you’ve been here before. But as your breath quickens and your heart beats faster, you realize this is no déjà vu. Something has pierced your consciousness and delved into your darkest nightmares. The spirits have brought your greatest fears to life. And now, they’re hunting you through the darkness… This bone-chilling supernatural collection contains: 1. Down the Stairs by Lewis Brett Smiler 2. Polaroid by Tim Sturk 3. Feline Instinct by Justin Boote 4. Mother Spook by Elin Olausson 5. Review: The Let of Dark by Benjamin Gardner 6. Satan's Harley by Brian Malachy Quinn 7. Shadows of Time by Bradley Walker 8. The White Suits by Richard Beauchamp 9. The Moaning Caverns by Karl Melton 10. The Thing in the Dark by Faith Pierce 11. This Time of Night by Bill Davidson 12. The Black Pumpkin by Mike Weitz 13. The Lightning Dwellers by Michael Maguire 14. The Detective by J. M. White 15. Reading a New Book by Ron Ripley
Editorial Advisory Board: Sarah Park Dahlen, Associate Professor, School of Information Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Marianne Martens, Associate Professor, School of Information, Kent State University; Amy Pattee, Associate Professor and Co-coordinator of Dual-Degree MS LIS/MA Children’s Literature, School of Library and Information Science, Children’s Literature, Simmons University “Comprehensive and substantial ... a highly recommended resource," raved VOYA about the third edition. Now, to keep pace with changes in the field of publishing and realign itself to the newest generation of young adults, Cart returns with a sweeping update of his classic text. Relied upon by educators, LIS instructors and students, and practitioners for its insight and thoroughness, his book surveys the landscape of YA lit both past and present, sketching out its origins and showing how it has evolved to deal with subjects every bit as complex as its audience; closely examines teen demographics, literacy, audiobooks, the future of print, the role of literary criticism, and other key topics; provides updated coverage of perennially popular genre fiction, including horror, sci fi, and dystopian fiction; delves deeply into multicultural and LGBTQIA+ literature, substantially updated in this edition; features expansive interviews with best-selling authors like Eric Shanower, Jackie Woodson, and Bill Konigsberg as well as several publishers and leaders in the field; discusses the impact of the Printz Award, ALAN’s Walden Award, the National Book Award, The Los Angeles Times Book Award, and other honors; and features abundant bibliographic material to aid in readers' advisory and collection development.
