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Showing posts with label Anthology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anthology. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Romance Feature: Bedtime Stories #romance #boxset #anthology #comingsoon #excerpt #rabtbooktours @changelingpress @RABTBookTours



Bedtime Stories (#1)


Romance Box Set -- brought to you by Bedtime Stories Publishing


Date Published: February 27, 2026

Publisher: Changeling Press



This story’s about how Sam saved Troll’s Blog by coming up with one of the coolest ideas ever. Bedtime Stories Publishing…

Shelby Morgen -- Troll’s Blog: Perfect skin, dusted a light powder blue. Bright burgundy Mohawk. 6’4”. Dark blue uniform. Big shiny gun. Yeah. I’m the Troll under the bridge. But if you’re reading my blog, you know that. That’s why I call it Troll’s Blog. Duh. But I digress. This story isn’t about me. Not exactly. It’s about my blog. And Sam. And another one of Sam’s great ideas. You’re gonna love it. Really.

Lena Austin -- Ugly Duckling: Jean-Paul, incubus editor for Bedtime Stories Press has been assigned a new author. Dominick may be a fantastic author, but when he gets aroused, the situation gets ugly. Literally. Jean-Paul is sure he can handle Dom. Maybe…

Anne Kane -- Pixie’s Playmates: “While the story had an engaging quality, I feel that the flavor of the sex was too vanilla for Bedtime Stories Press.” When Bedtime Stories Press review coordinator Pixie calls the reviewer into the office she finds out “B.J. Smith” is really two very drool-worthy males who want to demonstrate their toys. What’s a pixie to do?

Marteeka Karland -- Shut Up! As official kitty of the Bar and Grille for the Bedtime Stories readers and authors, Callie has the last say in everything she does and with everyone in her vicinity. Then Troll makes a proclamation that could very well get someone killed. Anyone who can get the last word in on Callie gets to have his way with her in bed. It’s a proposition Eli can’t refuse. Callie’s about to get all the loving from Eli she can stand. If she can just shut up.

Note: Bedtime Stories in no way represents any actual publishing company. Any resemblance to the staff and authors of Changeling Press is purely coincidental.

That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.



Excerpt from Troll's Blog


All rights reserved.

Copyright ©2026

 

I was so wrapped up watching the '50s vintage Harley coming toward me I didn't even notice he wasn't registering on my screen. As in 1950s. Well over a hundred years old, and still on the road. That machine was really flying. Well, no. Not really flying. That's an old euphemism for moving. Speeding.

God knows what he'd put in the tank. Probably running on moonshine. Nothing legal'd have it cranking like that. The sound of that motor purring down the road toward me had my blood heating up. I closed my eyes for a moment, ready to breathe in the scent of ancient exhaust.

Then it hit me. Sigh. No. Not literally hit me. My brain engaged -- enough to see the century-old motorcycle was not registering on my vid panel. Nothing. Flying completely under the radar. And he wasn't slowing down. In fact, the closer he got, the farther he laid himself out along that tank. Rider and cycle shot past me in one long black blur that had my mouth watering -- and my hand on my gun. He might be sexy as hell, all black leather stretched out long and lean over that tank, but nobody -- and I mean nobody -- runs the gate on my watch.

Alarms and sirens went off, and lights flashed down the next mile of bi-way, warning the felon that he'd best slow down and pull over before the Toll Collector caught up with him.

Not that he slowed in the least. In fact, I'd have bet a month's salary he gunned it about then.

Fine. If that's the way he wanted to play it, the chase was on.

Damn, but that view looked even better from behind.

I shook my head as I jumped into my patrol pod, a three-wheeled Flitter that was airborne at a safe hover of a half-meter or so by the time I got my Mohawk crammed into the cockpit and the door slammed shut. What the fuck was he thinking, trying to outrun a Toll Collector?

The bridge itself is a long, straight shot of highway with equally long approaches, spanning just under two kilometers of unquiet waters. This isn't just any bridge they've entrusted to me. No. It's the Golden Gate, linking Old San Francisco to Marin Co., California. One of the longest bridges in the world. One of the few still in constant operation. Sure, a lot of people use Flitters these days, rather than ground vehicles, but Flitters aren't exactly safe hovering over rough water, and the bay's never calm. So unless you've got a full pilot's license, and something jet propelled, if you're going south, you've got to pass over my bridge.

And pay my toll. Which this asshole had elected not to do.

I'm not exactly an inexperienced pilot. I know my bridge like she was my baby. She's 2.7 kilometers, from abutment to abutment, laid out straight and true as an arrow shot from a master's bow. We crossed her in just under one minute, and if I hadn't been so pissed off, I'd have been scared shitless.

Yeah, even a Troll can experience fear. Doesn't happen often, I'll admit, but chasing that leather-clad backside across that bridge through sheering winds high above some of the roughest, coldest water this side of hell at 200 KPH is more of a thrill than even a Troll is used to.

I could tell, too, from the way he hugged that tank, that he was really getting off on the chase. Every time the wind hit him he'd roll his shoulders, leaning back into it like he was riding a lover. He glanced back at me once, facemask lifted enough for me to see him grin. I'd bet my pension he had a boner the size of his ego. When I caught this idiot of a Human he was going to get a piece of a little more than my mind. I might even resort to police brutality -- before I friggin' killed him.

No Human scares a Troll and gets away with it.



About the Authors

Anne Kane: Anne Kane lives in the beautiful Okanagan Valley with a bouncy little rescue dog whose breed defies description and an Aussie Shepherd who’s too smart for her own good. Anne likes to write spicy stories with sassy heroines and protective, sexy male heroes who love those women. Her stories all have one thing in common: a happily ever after ending.

Lena Austin: Someone cursed Lena Austin with "may you have a life so full you'll have many tales to tell your grandchildren." Lena's a "fallen" society wench with a checkered past. She's been a licensed minister, hairdresser, Realtor, radio DJ, exotic dancer, telephone service tech, live-steel medievalist swordswoman, BDSM Mistress, and investment property manager. Not necessarily in that order. She never finished that degree in marine archaeology, but did learn to scuba -- she's got a lifetime of "Research material!"

Marteeka Karland: International bestselling author Marteeka Karland leads a double life as an action romance writer by evening and a semi-domesticated housewife by day. Known for her down and dirty MC romances, Marteeka takes pleasure in spinning tales of tenacious, protective heroes and spirited heroines. She staunchly advocates that every character deserves a blissful ending.

Shelby Morgen: Shelby Morgen loves writing offbeat tales that defy as many rules as possible.

She likes chocolate with her peanut butter, suspense with her romance, and kink with her sex, and she’s always had a hard time keeping murder, motorcycles, science fiction, fantasy and paranormal from mixing with her kink.

 

Find Anne on Facebook

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Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

Save 15% off any order at ChangelingPress.com with code RABT15

 

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Thursday, November 13, 2025

Horror Feature: The Exchange and Other Calamities by Mallory McCartney #bookreview #horror #giveaway #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours

 




Horror / Collection

Date Published: 07-22-2025

Publisher: Anuci Press



Evil lurks in the darkness, clawing its way towards unsuspecting victims . . .


A woman living with fibromyalgia finds an artifact that unleashes a reality she never thought possible . . . at a steep price.


Two high school seniors take part in a tradition that brings them face-to-face with the monstrous truth behind a haunting, dark urban legend.


The face behind a popular YouTube ghost hunting show travels to the scene of a horrific event to find fresh horrors there.


Fate takes a bite out of a young woman who ventures into the wilderness to grieve her mother.
Best-selling author, Theo Anderson, takes part in a sleep study that turns her into the very thing she fears.


Hold your breath as you immerse yourself in five harrowing stories written by bestselling author, Mallory McCartney. Fans of her gripping Black Dawn series will be kept on the edge of their seat by this horror collection inspired by real life events!




Review

Really great horror stories for those who enjoy suspense and horror. There are only a few stories, but I was surprised by how much different they are and how the author was able to give us something new in each one.

Ultimately this was a bone chilling collection with each of the stories bringing unique circumstances and surprises.



About the Author

 

 Mallory McCartney currently lives in Sarnia, Ontario with her husband, their dachshunds Link, and Leonard and their sphynx cats Luna, Legolas, Ivy and Lily. When she isn’t working on her next novel or reading, she can be found day dreaming about fantasy worlds or bingeing her favorite horror movies.

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Thursday, October 30, 2025

Horror Feature: Hush Little Baby - Anthology #releaseday #newbooks #horror #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours




Horror, Holiday Horror (various subgenres)

Release Date: October 31

 

 

Santa’s making a list. He's checking it twice. And if you've been naughty... run. Because Krampus is real...but the legend never told the whole story. In this eclectic anthology, multiple authors unleash the Alpine myth in unexpected ways. He's a monster. A protector. A lover. A nightmare. Sometimes charming, sometimes deadly, always unforgettable. From vivid poetry to spine-tingling terror to sinful spice, every story peels back another layer of the creature who passes judgment on the naughty ones...and what happens next. This multi-author collection features stories with varying tones and heat levels. Graphic content is clearly labeled for your reading pleasure.

ALL proceeds from the sale of this anthology go to Quill Cottage Wildlife, a 501c3 wildlife rehabilitation

 

Featuring Works By

Jodee Jean Daniels, Luna Nyx Frost, C.L. Hart, Spiros Katsaras, Jayce Maxwell, J. Noble, Jenna O’Malley, Kay Parquet, Melissa Power, Alyce Reads, E.L. Summers, Jason M. Spencer, Kyle Thomas, Cass Voit



Excerpt

Crimson Retribution by C. L. Hart

Hashim led Donata to a clear spot where a cluster of trees blocked the wind. After relieving herself, she returned to his side.

"All right, let's see the fabulous view you've been raving about."

"Would you like a pair of binoculars?"

"Certainly. I've always enjoyed pretending I was a bird flying above the world."

"Or an angel," Hashim proposed.

"I imagine I have a few more miles left in this aging body before God or whoever calls me home."

"Darling, you're always my angel."

"What are you angling for with all this flattery, Hashim?"

"I'm only trying to make things right, my love. I don't want a divorce. I love you, and even though Libby is biologically Javed's daughter, I've always thought of her as my own."

"No matter what happens between you and me, you will always be Libby's father. I'm open to working things out, but you need to understand that I will not put up with any more abuse, either verbal or physical, and I won't abide any more cheating."

Hashim handed Donata the binoculars.

"Gaze through your magic spectacles and tell me what appears to your wondering eyes, my snow queen."

"I believe this is what Santa sees from his sleigh as he swoops down on a quiet Christmas Eve night. There are fantastical decorations, and the multicolored lights make everything look festive."

"You always had an amazing imagination."

Hashim reached behind the seat of the sleigh, retrieving an axe.

"Picture being here with Libby on Christmas Eve. Imagine walking out on the deck with her to marvel at the lights and look for Santa flying overhead."

"Oh, there's a house with a life-size Santa on the roof! He and the reindeer seem so real. Rudolph's nose flashes bright red, and Santa is waving to the people below. I can almost hear Christmas carols playing and taste hot spiced cider."

 

About the Author


C. L. Hart, also known as The Terrible Old Woman, is an editor who writes. She enjoys creating holiday stories with a twist, usually in either the dark fantasy/horror or sweet romance genres. Her short stories have appeared in several anthologies, and she has self-published her own works as well, including four poetry volumes, a novella, a fix-up novel, and several short stories.

Ms. Hart lives in a tiny town on the Northeastern Colorado plains with her adult son, cat daughter, and cat grandson. She doesn't mind cooking, but she hopes one day to hire elves to do the housework for her.

Ms. Hart can be found online at naughtynetherworldpress.start.page

 

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Friday, October 24, 2025

Romance Horror Feature: Toil and Trouble Anthology #excerpt #romance #horror #anthology #rabtbooktours @DCLPublications @RABTBookTours



Romantic Horror Anthology

Date Published: 09-22-2025

Publisher: DCL Publications



The brew is hot and bubbling over with romance and terror in this twistedly beautiful anthology that welcomes the darkness of horror and the temptation of love's veiled promises. Six remarkable tales from six incredible authors fill this book of dark shadows and ancient whispers.

 

Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble - by Jennifer Patricia O'Keeffe: Enchanted pastries and spell-brewed coffee make Esmerelda's sugar-dusted counter the city's most coveted haunt—until a dangerously charming newcomer slips into her shop, immune to her magic and unraveling her carefully guarded world. As his witch-hunter heritage threatens to burn her legacy to ash, Esmerelda finds herself torn between the threat of revenge from the witch hunter's ancestors and the intoxicating truth of the connection that they share.

 

Silverwood - by Lynn Hubbard: A lonely rancher's daughter finds her isolated Wyoming homestead upended when an amber-eyed stranger ignites a mud-splattered passion that defies reason—until his supernatural secret and the vengeful ranch hands hunting her force her to choose between the man who saves her and the monster who might destroy her. Torn between fierce protectors and forbidden desire, she must trust the very darkness that could shatter her world to survive the wild frontier's deadliest threats.

 

Ivy, Lichens and Wallflowers - by James Ryan: Marketing executive Hilda finds solace from her stifling corporate life and overbearing past in the quiet companionship of Miriam, a mysterious 19th-century marble statue in a city micro-park, only to discover their connection transcends stone when Miriam begins answering her handwritten notes through cryptic poetry left in return. As their forbidden connection deepens into an intoxicating dream-bound romance, Hilda uncovers Miriam's supernatural secret: she's a cursed thaumaturge sustained by stolen life force, forcing Hilda to confront whether love can survive the devastating cost of keeping her alive.

 

A Mirror to Die For - by Cindy Lewis Smith: A desperate woman finds solace in an antique mirror that whisks her nightly to 1880s Arizona, where a charming outlaw named Johnny Ringo fulfills every fantasy—until her jealous fiancé shatters the glass and vanishes, leaving her trapped in an asylum screaming that he is the real monster, a man who shouldn't exist: Dr. John Henry Holliday, the gambler who killed Ringo a century ago. Now, with "MPR" carved into her cell walls and time itself unraveling, she'll stop at nothing to prove her sanity by proving time travel is real—even if it means unleashing the very darkness that destroyed her.

 

Flight 1031: Cosmic Turbulence - by Julian Christian: Diplomatic courier Sarah Martinez boards Flight 1031 expecting routine turbulence, not a Halloween dimensional rift that strands her at Germania International Airport—where the Greater German Reich has ruled since 1943 and perfected technology to harvest souls from parallel realities through consciousness-scanning machinery that pulses with seventeen-beat rhythms. Now trapped in a terminal that breathes like a living organism, Sarah must navigate a world where every passenger hides a secret and her resistance could either save her timeline or doom infinite versions of humanity to eternal enslavement in a Reich that spans all dimensions.

 

Dream a Little Dream - by Jae El Foster: After a near-death car crash rewires her brain, Sarah's nightmares bleed into reality: sugar on the counter forms glyphs, bats appear out of nowhere in broad daylight, and her own hands betray her—while the velvet-eyed stranger from her dreams appears in her waking hours, his urgency growing as Halloween's veil thins. Now, with her reality twisting into something surreal and an ancient language hijacking her voice, she must confront a dark truth: her soul isn't hers to keep, and the man who saved her in death is the very entity hunting her in life.

 

Excerpt


From ‘Dream a Little Dream’ by Jae El Foster

 

Sarah didn’t know where to run, where to hide, where to breathe. She drove until the city’s skyline dissolved into cornfields, until the morning thickened with minivans and convertibles carrying families on "ride in the country" escapes. Each passing car—a Jeep with muddy tires, a sedan with bike racks—anchored her to reality, the rubber soles of her sneakers still tingling with the phantom sensation of earth either holding her up or crushing her down.

A flash detonated behind her eyes: the muffled thud of dirt hitting wood, shovel after shovel, sealing her inside a coffin. She couldn’t see it, but she smelled it—the cloying stench of decay merging with rain-damp soil, the suffocating darkness pressing against her eyelids as the weight piled higher. The scent of worms and wet pine needles flooded her throat, thick as grave mold.

The vision snapped just as her car veered toward the shoulder. She wrenched the wheel hard left, tires screeching, a horn blaring from the sedan she’d nearly broadsided. Her hands locked on the steering wheel, knuckles bleaching bone-white, as she fought to drag air into her lungs. Slow. Nervous. Don’t die twice. The wreck’s ghost clawed at her ribs—she wouldn’t invite it back.

Ahead, a billboard loomed: MEMORY LANE. Beneath the town’s name, bold letters promised: Step into Memory Lane, where new memories are made! Sarah’s foot hovered over the brake pedal, ready to U-turn from the omen of that name, but her ankle refused to bend. Cemented. Her other foot slammed toward the brake—stuck. Panic surged as she crossed the town line, tires crunching over the painted border, but then the landscape unfolded: manicured lawns, white picket fences gleaming like fresh bone, and 1950s bungalows painted in cheerful pastels. A sigh escaped her—enchanted.

Chicanery, she thought, scanning the dollhouse-perfect homes. Porches draped in wisteria, hydrangeas bursting from flower beds, rocking chairs swaying in phantom breezes. It felt less like a town and more like a dream staged for tourists—a nostalgia trap with price tags hidden in the shutters. She gripped the wheel tighter, the vinyl seat sticky beneath her sweat-slicked thighs.

The yards deepened in their perfection: hedges trimmed to geometric precision, roses blooming in impossible symmetry, each white picket fence identical down to the last splinter. No cracks. No weeds. No life. The fences stood sentinel around empty yards, guarding homes with spotless windows that reflected nothing but sky.

She passed a brick schoolhouse with a rusted swing set, a park with a merry-go-round frozen mid-spin, a diner with "OPEN" glowing in neon, a barber pole coiled in red-white silence, a post office with mailboxes gleaming under noon sun. No children. No joggers. No bicycles leaning against fences. Since crossing into Memory Lane, she’d seen exactly one living thing: a crow pecking at a roadkill squirrel, its beak crimson.

"Where the hell is everyone?" she muttered, her voice raw as she scanned porches, windows, the empty stretch of road ahead. The only sound was the hum of her engine and the thump-thump-thump of her pulse in her ears.

Sarah’s hands left the steering wheel, fingers trembling as she tried to turn into a driveway for a U-turn. The wheel refused to budge—cemented. She settled back into the seat, watching it steer itself with unnatural precision. Her foot lifted from the accelerator, but the speed held steady, unwavering, until the car slowed on its own for a sharp right-hand turn onto University Boulevard. The road’s grip on her feet had vanished, yet the vehicle moved like a thing alive, hungry for the town square.

To her left, manicured university grounds sprawled beneath flowering trees, grand homes lining the boulevard like stage sets. Roses bloomed in impossible symmetry, hedges trimmed to razor edges. Sarah groaned at the street name—University Boulevard—its banality a slap in the face. Two blocks down, the car turned right onto Main Street, the tires whispering over asphalt that felt less like road and more like skin.

Ahead, the town square unfolded: businesses glowing with "Open" signs, windows spotless, a gazebo planted dead-center like a tombstone. No cars. No pedestrians. Not even a stray cat to break the silence. The air hung thick with the scent of cut grass and something sharper—ozone, like before a storm that never breaks.

Sarah’s car rolled into a parking spot near the gazebo. The seatbelt loosened with a hiss, the engine dying as the driver’s door swung open unbidden. "I don’t like anything about this…" she muttered, stepping onto pavement that felt unnaturally warm beneath her sneakers. The keys stayed in the ignition, but fear of theft never came—who would steal from a town with no one to steal?

The door shut behind her with a soft click, sealing her in the square’s suffocating quiet. She forced her breath slow, scanning the storefronts: two restaurants, a beauty parlor, a bank, antique shops, a used bookstore, and a theater dominating the square. Its marquee blazed in vintage bulbs: DREAM A LITTLE DREAM and SHE RISES AT NIGHT—titles she’d never heard, yet they hummed in her bones like half-remembered screams.

She turned toward the right-hand restaurant, heels clicking on the pavement. Instantly, its "Open" sign flickered and died. She froze, then pivoted toward the left restaurant—same result. The sign went dark as if snuffed by an invisible hand.

Sarah took a step forward, pulse hammering against her ribs. The air grew heavier, pressing into her lungs like wet soil. She didn’t need to test it again. The square wasn’t empty. It was waiting.

"What in the living hell…?"

Every storefront Sarah scanned flickered dark—the "Open" signs dying like snuffed candles—but the theater’s marquee blazed relentless: REEL AFTER REEL. Its sign burned bright despite the empty ticket booth, the glass doors yawning open onto blackness. Sarah’s skin prickled. Memory Lane felt wrong, but the theater pulsed with something hungrier, something that made her stomach drop like a stone in a well.

She stared at the theater, arms crossed tight against the chill. The marquee’s promise—DREAM A LITTLE DREAM / SHE RISES AT NIGHT—curdled in her gut. Of all places, this was where she never wanted to set foot. Yet the longer she stood frozen, the more the building breathed. Orchestra strings swelled—violins sawing a tune from silent-film days—though the theater’s modern facade held no projector room. Then came the chatter: phantom voices lining up for tickets, laughter echoing off empty pavement.

"Nope…" she muttered, squaring her shoulders. "Fuck this." She bolted for her car, sneakers slapping the pavement. The driver’s door handle wouldn’t budge—locked, keys glinting in the ignition like a taunt.


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Sunday, September 21, 2025

Horror Feature: The Fear Driver #excerpt #comingsoon #preorder #horror #anthology #collection #rabtbooktours @ReadersRoost RABTBooktours




Horror (various subgenres)

Date Published: September 23, 2025


 


 Bite-sized horror stories are brought to you by twenty-five authors. From creepy crawlies to the seemingly normal pets. From hideous monsters lurking in the dark to charismatic people showing their true colors.


Each tale is precisely 100 words and leaves a long-lasting chilling effect. Some will make you question the security of the world around you, and what's more terrifying than that?


Featuring drabbles by the following authors: Bernardo Villela, K.J. Watson, David J. Vowell, Joshua Ginsberg, A.L. Smith, Petina Strohmer, Zari Hunt, Paul Burgess, Diana Parrilla, Angel Zapata, Vanessa Bane, Marc Sorondo, Jacek Wilkos, Arvee Fantilagan, Jodie Francis, Alex Azar, Andreas Flögel, Jade Kalb, Andrew Buckner, Ken Whitson, Jãnis Bogužs, Andrea Tillmanns, C.L. Hart, S.F.J. Painter, Monica Wenzel, Dragan Ivanović, and J.E. Feldman.


Excerpt

One Moonlit Night
Copyright 2025 by C. L. Hart

As fourteen-year-old Nevil Teodoro climbed down the trellis near his bedroom window, a blood-curdling scream pierced the darkness, startling him so badly that he nearly fell. Juan Soto, the head groundskeeper, ran up from the gardens, his clothes covered in mud and his face pale as the moon.

“What’s goin’ on, Ese?” Nevil asked as he finished his descent. “You look like you seen a ghost!”

“Get back in the house, Chico, and call Mama Cecilia.”

“You trippin’, Juan Solo? You want me to call una bruja vieja and not la policia?”

“Ain’t no policia can stop a moon vampire!”

 

About the Author


C. L. Hart is an editor who writes or a writer who edits. She primarily pens dark fantasy (often Lovecraftian) and sweet romance. She resides in a tiny town on the Northeastern Colorado plains with her adult son, her cat daughter, and her cat grandson. When not editing, writing, or rehabilitating eldritch horrors, she enjoys coloring, crafts, and cooking things that she hopes will be palatable to someone besides the eldritch horrors.





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Thursday, May 1, 2025

Sci-Fi & Fantasy Feature: Writers of the Future: Volume 41 #scifi #fantasy #anthology #giveaway #rabtbooktours @WotFContest @RABTBookTours


Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Date Published: 04-22-2025

Publisher: Galaxy Press


 

This anthology blends science fiction, fantasy, and literary brilliance, showcasing thrilling adventures, fresh perspectives, and thought-provoking themes. Paired with stunning illustrations, each story immerses you in boundless imagination. Step outside the norm and explore worlds of wonder—order your copy today!

 



Authors


L. Ron Hubbard; Jody Lynn Nye; Tim Powers; Robert J. Sawyer; Sean Williams; Tom Wood; Seth Atwater Jr.; Randyn C. J. Bartholomew; Barlow Crassmont; Andrew Jackson; Ian Keith; Robert F. Lowell; Patrick MacPhee; Lauren McGuire; T.R. Naus; Joel C. Scoberg; Sandra Skalski; Jefferson Snow

Illustrators: Craig Elliott; John Barlow; Cam Collins; Haileigh Enriquez; CL Fors; Dwayne Harris; David Hoffrichter; Gigi Hooper; HeatherAnne Lee; Marianna Mester; Daniel Montifar; Breanda Petsch; Jordan Smajstrla; Tremani Sutcliffe

 

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Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Fantasy Feature: Beltane: an Anthology #fantasy #fantasybooks #anthology #fantasyanthology #excerpt #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours


Fantasy (various sub-genres)

Publication Date: March 31, 2025


 

 

The maypole has been adorned with ribbons and blossoms, the bonfire has been lit, and the music is calling you to dance the night away. Join 25 AuthorTubers as they explore the stories of Beltane in the second AuthorTube Anthology.

The magic of SPRING is in full bloom.

 

Including works by:

Rose Adam, Rachel D. Adams, Aisling Black, Sarah C. Brody, Michael Dawn Brooks, Brandy Bullock, Cassandra Byrnes, Jodee Jean Daniels, S.C. Dickinson, Robert Dorris, C.L. Hart, Katy Manz, Nil , J. Noble, Jenna O'Malley, Kay Parquet, Melissa Power, Alice Reads, Megan Ryan, E.L. Summers, Kyle Thomas, Nicole Ford Thomas, M.M. Ward, Christina Whisler, Sam Wicker

 

 

The Beltane Laundress

 

Contemporary Fantasy, Literary Fiction, Small Town

 

Ernst Veselá is so mired in memories of his lost wife and daughter that he strolls onto a dark, rain-slick county road without looking. He is nearly run down by Annie Ainsworth, a young woman driving erratically in her hurry to escape her abusive relationship with her child’s father.

Ernst and his son Jozef offer shelter to Annie and her daughter Lizzie. Will the magic of Beltane spark healing in these four broken-hearted souls?

 

 

Excerpt

The Beltane Laundress

by C. L. Hart

 

The rain pounded down on a father and son walking through the tiny town of Honeycomb Grove, Colorado.

“It will be a good Mayday celebration this year, Pop,” said the lanky teenage boy. Tufts of gamboge-golden hair stuck out from his dark orchid baseball cap.

The boy’s similarly built father had graying oxide-red hair and wore a faded red baseball cap. The weary expression on his face and the look of hopelessness in sad eyes the color of a John Deere tractor matched glum words spoken with a thick German accent.

“I don’t want to dim the light in those hopeful hazel eyes. I wish I still saw life with the eyes of a tiger conquering his jungle, but today, I view the world through the eyes of an undertaker.”

The teenager was horrified to see a car barrel out of the fog as his father started across the county road.

“Pop, look out!”

The pair lost their balance on the slippery grass as the son pulled his father out of the path of the speeding vehicle. The battered cherry-red mini-SUV that pulled into the parking lot of the abandoned Honey Wash Laundromat had seen better days. A young woman no older than eighteen stepped out, regarding the pair with eyes like blue marbles peering from behind a curtain of unkempt mouse-brown hair haphazardly pulled back into a ponytail.


About the Author

C. L. Hart, the owner and sole employee of Naughty Netherworld Press and Ornery Owl Ventures, is spoken of in hushed tones. She is an editor who writes or a writer who edits. She is also described as The Mad Scribe of the Northeastern Colorado Plains, The Terrible Old Woman, and The Author That Should Not Be. She is a member of ACES Editing Society, the Denver Horror Collective, First Coast Romance Writers, the H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society, Passionate Ink (writing as Lil DeVille), Regency Romance Writers, and Rocky Mountain Romance Writers.

Ms. Hart shares a home in a remote rural town of 134 souls with her adult son and three cats. Her sense of fashion is best described as Early Twenty-First Century Unmade Bed. This disabled former nurse can usually be found arguing with herself about subplots or rehabilitating eldritch horrors.

When not penning sanity-destroying works of dystopian fiction, Lovecraftian fantasy, or old-school horror with the occasional sweet romance thrown in to upset the cosmic apple cart, Ms. Hart enjoys creating baked goods she hopes will be considered palatable by someone besides eldritch horrors.


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Monday, February 24, 2025

Fantasy Feature: Dragon Flight - A Dragon Soul Press Anthology #fantasy #excerpt #anthology #rabtbooktours @ReadersRoost @RABTBookTours

 


Fantasy

Date Published: January 23, 2025

Publisher: Dragon Soul Press


 

Caution: Dragons ahead.

Prepare to delve into fiery worlds full of dragons. From hatchlings to ancients. From tame to wild. Many have their own goals, and most want to see the world reduced to ash. To reshape the world in their own reptilian image. Others struggle to survive, but heroes rise among them.

Which side will you choose?


Featuring 27 stories by the following authors: Vicki Erwin, Bruce Buchanan, Demi Michelle Schwartz, Sadie Lielle, Andreas Flögel, Desirae Gracyn, C.L. Hart, Kristen Argyres, Sandy R. Stuckless, Jessica Lee Minneci, Rae Evans, S.E. Reed, Larry Hodges, David O'Mahony, Mae Thorn, M.L. Quinn, Racquel Sims, Sierra Jackson, Daniel DiQuinzio, Ana Cordoba, Gabriella Balcom, D.J. Elton, Ann Stolinsky, Charles Barouch, Arwyn Sherman, Kiera Kearsey, Binod Dawadi, and J.E. Feldman.

 

 

 

A Night In the Magical Menagerie

 

Can creatures with radically different motivations get along?

In this fantastical tale a fox named Tod and a tortoise named Torte are brought to the Forest Environment of the Magical Menagerie of Celephaïs by the Outer God Nyarlathotep and his daughter. The friends encounter a wheelbarrow full of peculiar fruit and several exotic creatures. Will they enjoy a good life in their new home, or is this strange place as filled with peril as the one they escaped?

 

 

Excerpt

 

In the Forest Environment of the Magical Menagerie of Celephaïs, a fox and a tortoise gave one another a puzzled glance as they examined a wheelbarrow filled with strange yellow fruits.

"Before Nyarlathotep and his daughter left us here last night, they assured us that King Kuranes' gamekeepers would care for us," the fox said. "I am not sure the gamekeepers know what they are doing. What are these, and how is one meant to eat them? They are covered in spines like a hedgehog, and the green growth on the top poked me in my nose! Come to think of it, Torte, I'm not sure I trust Nyarlathotep or his daughter. After all, he is the great Cosmic Trickster, and surely, the apple does not fall far from the tree."

"This is only a name imparted to him by humans, Tod," Torte said. "Humans are a peculiar lot. Nyarlathotep was forthright with Captain Sammy, and he has been forthright with us."

"I defer to your intuition, my friend. You are slow to anger and take the time to thoroughly assess situations. Very well, rather than postulating malice on the part of Nyarlathotep, I postulate that he does not know what my kind eats and nor, apparently, do King Kuranes' gamekeepers."

"Perhaps these were left here for those animals that eat fruit," Torte said. "I have never before seen the like of them, but they have a pleasant scent. On the other hand, perhaps they were left here inadvertently. Upon discovering their mistake, the gamekeepers will return with the correct foodstuffs."

"If you believe they have a pleasant scent, I will knock one to the ground for you," Tod offered.


About the Author

C.L. Hart had a stormy start to her life. She was born at 6 A.M. the morning after Valentine’s Day in 1965 during a raging blizzard.

She has been a fan of horror and weird fiction for as long as she can remember. She used to read horror comics under the covers with a flashlight as a child.

She started reading Edgar Allan Poe when she was six years old. In her early teens, she discovered H.P. Lovecraft. She pretended to lose the copy of At the Mountains of Madness that she borrowed from the school library and paid the fine so she could keep the book.

Ms. Hart blames the team at Chaosium Role-Playing Games for renewing and strengthening her obsession with Lovecraft’s writing. She lives in a small town on the northeastern plains of Colorado in an appropriately old and storied house with her son and cats. She enjoys watching the normal people pass by as she records the happenings in the weird worlds of her imagination.

C.L. Hart writes poetry and nonfiction as Cara Hartley, and erotica as Lil DeVille.

 

http://naughtynetherworldpress.start.page

 

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Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Dark Fantasy / Horror Feature: Bog Hag Anthology #darkfantasy #supernatural #horror #anthology #rabtbooktours @ReadersRoost @RABTBookTours

 

Dark Fantasy, Lovecraftian Fantasy, Horror, Occult and Supernatural, Witchcraft and Magic

Publication Date: October 14, 2024


Whether she’s crawling across a sweltering bayou or swimming languidly through a swamp, the bog hag watches and waits.

Join sixteen AuthorTubers as they explore the allure and mystery of the Bog Hag, turning her from a villain to a gal with a social calendar, a vendetta, or even a need to be the best she can be.

Any and all proceeds from the sales of this anthology go to Quill Cottage Wildlife, a 501C3 nonprofit.

 

Featuring A Murky Reckoning

Garwick Greedgill is a fisherman desperate to become a legend in the realm where he dwells. When he pulls a horrific creature up from the polluted sea, he sacrifices it to the legendary sorceress who is said to live at the center of the bog near which he dwells.

Yadira of the Roots is said to be the daughter of Nyarlathotep, the Wish-Bringer From Beyond the Stars. Will Garwick’s actions earn favor from the storied Bog Hag, or does another fate await him?

 

 

 


Excerpt

An Aquatic Reckoning


Back at the dock, the fisherman hurried to the stables, paying the stable hand four Electrotokens to rent a cart and a pair of mules to haul his catch away. He promised to return the cart and the animals the next day.

Garwick Greedgill was thick around the midsection and had a sunken chest and narrow frame that belied the strength of his wiry arms. His leathery, tanned skin bore witness to many years spent on a boat's deck under the sun's harsh glare. His hair was a bristly mix of silver and gunmetal gray, poking through the many holes in a threadbare red cap embossed with the emblem of a long-forgotten fishing guild. A heavy forehead and scowling brow framed eyes a sickly shade of murky green, reminiscent of a polluted ocean. His broad nose bent slightly to one side courtesy of a mishap with the sail boom. Countless hours spent retrieving catch after catch left his calloused hands stained with fish scales and innards as he searched for the grand haul that always eluded him.

Garwick wore frayed puce trousers held up by a filthy, tattered flaxen rope belt. His once-bright cerise tunic, covered in various colored patches where he had mended it over the years, was threadbare. It hung loosely over his prominent belly. The soles of his scuffed brown boots were worn thin, leaving his feet vulnerable to the cold and damp. He wore a necklace of oddly shaped stones and bones that he believed would attract good luck. The longed-for luck seldom materialized.

Garwick drove the cart as close as possible to the bog extending beyond his property's edge. He lived in a ramshackle hut between the bog and a twisting, moss-covered path that led to a meandering creek. Near the hut was a dingy shed. Every corner held remnants of his profession—a collection of rusty hooks, tattered nets, and an old, cracked barrel filled with miscellaneous items of dubious worth. A box containing lucky tokens collected over the years sat on a dusty shelf. Best of all, there was a wondrous grimoire. An odor of decay emanated from the book's brown hide cover. Garwick did not mind the strange texture or unpleasant scent of the tome. Based on today's catch, the grimoire's magic had already begun to work.


About the Author

C. L. Hart, the owner and sole employee of Naughty Netherworld Press and Ornery Owl Ventures, is spoken of in hushed tones. She is an editor who writes or a writer who edits. She is also described as The Mad Scribe of the Northeastern Colorado Plains, The Terrible Old Woman, and The Author That Should Not Be. She is a member of ACES Editing Society, the Denver Horror Collective, First Coast Romance Writers, the H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society, Passionate Ink (writing as Lil DeVille), Regency Romance Writers, and Rocky Mountain Romance Writers.

Ms. Hart shares a home in a remote rural town of 134 souls with her adult son and three cats. Her sense of fashion is best described as Early Twenty-First Century Unmade Bed. This disabled former nurse can usually be found arguing with herself about subplots or rehabilitating eldritch horrors.

When not penning sanity-destroying works of dystopian fiction, Lovecraftian fantasy, or old-school horror with the occasional sweet romance thrown in to upset the cosmic apple cart, Ms. Hart enjoys creating baked goods she hopes will be considered palatable by someone besides eldritch horrors.

 

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Monday, May 13, 2024

Sci-Fi / Fantasy Feature: L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 40 #blogtour #scifi #fantasy #bookreview #giveaway #rabtbooktours @WotFContest @RABTBookTours

 

Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Short Stories

Date Published:  May 7, 2024

 

 

Spine-tingling

Breathtaking

Mind-blowing

Experience these powerful new voices—vivid, visceral, and visionary—as they explore uncharted worlds and reveal unlimited possibilities.

Open the Writers of the Future and be carried away by stories—and illustrations—that will make you think, make you laugh, and make you see the world in ways you never imagined.

Twelve captivating tales from the best new writers of the year as selected by Writers of the Future Contest judges accompanied by three more from L. Ron Hubbard, Nancy Kress, S.M. Stirling. Each is accompanied by a full-color illustration.

Plus Bonus Art and Writing Tips  from Gregory Benford, Bob Eggleton, L. Ron Hubbard, Dean Wesley Smith


“When her owner goes missing, a digital housecat must become more than simulation to find her dearest companion through the virtual world.—“The Edge of Where My Light Is Cast” by Sky McKinnon, art by Carina Zhang

No one came to his brother’s funeral. Not even the spirits. Étienne knew it was his fault.—“Son, Spirit, Snake” by Jack Nash, art by Pedro N.

Man overboard is a nightmare scenario for any sailor, but Lieutenant Susan Guidry is also running out of air—and the nearest help is light years away.—“Nonzero” by Tom Vandermolen, art by Jennifer Mellen

Mac wanted to invent a cocktail to burn itself upon the pages of history—but this one had some unexpected side effects.—“The Last Drop” by L. Ron Hubbard and L. Sprague de Camp, art by Chris Arias

Dementia has landed Dan Kennedy in Graydon Manor, and what’s left of his life ahead seems dismal, but a pair of impossible visitors bring unexpected hope.—“The Imagalisk” by Galen Westlake, art by Arthur Haywood

When a teenage swamp witch fears her mama will be killed, she utilizes her wits and the magic of the bayou—no matter the cost to her own soul.—“Life and Death and Love in the Bayou” by Stephannie Tallent, art by Ashley Cassaday

Our exodus family awoke on the new world—a paradise inexplicably teeming with Earth life, the Promise fulfilled. But 154 of us are missing.…—“Five Days Until Sunset” by Lance Robinson, art by Steve Bentley

Spirits were supposed to lurk beneath the Lake of Death, hungry and patient and hostile to all life.—“Shaman Dreams” by S.M. Stirling, art by Dan dos Santos

A new app lets users see through the eyes of any human in history, but it’s not long before the secrets of the past catch up with the present.—“The Wall Isn’t a Circle” by Rosalyn Robilliard, art by Guelly Rivera

In the shadows of Teddy Roosevelt’s wendigo hunt, a Native American boy resolves to turn the tables on his captors, setting his sights on the ultimate prey—America’s Great Chief.—“Da-ko-ta” by Amir Agoora, art by Connor Chamberlain

When squids from outer space take over, a punk-rock P.I. must crawl out of her own miserable existence to find her client’s daughter—and maybe a way out.—“Squiddy” by John Eric Schleicher, art by Tyler Vail

Another outbreak? This time it’s a virus with an eighty percent infection rate that affects personality changes … permanently.—“Halo” by Nancy Kress, art by Lucas Durham

Planet K2-18b is almost dead, humanity is enslaved, and it’s Rickard’s fault. Now in his twilight years, he’d give an arm and a leg for redemption. Literally.—“Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber” by James Davies, art by May Zheng

What if magic could undo the unthinkable, and undo Death itself? Would you use it no matter the cost? What would you sacrifice for love?—“Summer of Thirty Years” by Lisa Silverthorne, art by Gigi Hooper

Joe is a prospector tasked with exploring the cosmos on behalf of an all-powerful government. Breadna is a toaster. There have been weirder love stories, but that’s unlikely.—“Butter Side Down” by Kal M, art by Selena Meraki


 




Review

These collections are PERFECT for quick reads that are each different and each satisfies certain genres.

Escape into many different worlds with so many characters to love. I can't believe there have been 40 of these collections. It's a wonderful collection as always.


 

L. Ron Hubbard, Nancy Kress, S. M. Stirling, Gregory Benford, Bob Eggleton, Dean Amir Agoora, James Davies, Kal M, Sky McKinnon, Jack Nash, Rosalyn Robilliard, Lance Robinson, John Eric Schleicher, Lisa Silverthorne, Stephannie Tallent, Tom Vandermolen, and Galen Westlake.

Illustrators: Dan dos Santos, Ashley Cassaday, Gigi Hooper, Jennifer Mellen, Pedro Nascimento, Steve Bentley, Connor Chamberlain, Selena Meraki, Guelly Rivera, Tyler Vail, Carina Zhang, May Zheng, Lucas Durham, and Chris Arias.

 

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