Anthologies & Short Stories

In the twelve stories of Heart Lamp, Banu Mushtaq exquisitely captures the everyday lives of women and girls in Muslim communities in southern India. Published originally in the Kannada language between 1990 and 2023, praised for their dry and gentle humor, these portraits of family and community tensions testify to Mushtaq’s years as a journalist and lawyer, in which she tirelessly championed women’s rights and protested all forms of caste and religious oppression.

When vandals destroy beach hut 512 on Brighton’s iconic seafront, they reveal a dead body that has apparently lain undisturbed for two months. But according to the hut’s owner, Sims, its locks rusted shut three months ago and she hasn’t had access to it since. So how could the man have got in, and why is there no evidence of the murderer?

Motive. Means. Opportunity. Without proof of all three, the guilty can walk free. But even with an alibi, the innocent can still be condemned. For six award-winning, bestselling authors of psychological suspense, truth and lies weave together in a tangle of conflicting loyalties, hidden crimes, and dark secrets. Pull one thread, and there’s no telling what will unravel.

It’s a New Jersey summer in 1967, and thirteen-year-old Ravi Ramanathan has the makings of a tennis prodigy. His surgeon father encourages his ambition, while his mother dreams of their only child following his father’s path. Surrounded by his parents’ love, Ravi chafes a bit at their daily routines and little traditions. Then one unexpected day, everything changes. Realizing how much he took for granted, Ravi must grow up overnight and find a new role in the life of his family.

The Irish Classics Collection is a wide-ranging collection of 10 classic works of fiction and poetry by Irish authors, read by an award-winning cast of narrators. Included here are stories by some of the greatest writers of all time, including James Joyce; Bram Stoker; Oscar Wilde; W.B. Yeats; Elizabeth Bowen; and more.

A man awakens in silence, surrounded by darkness. He believes he has died—but the truth is far more haunting. Unclaimed is a literary short story exploring memory, mortality, and the invisible thread that binds us to others. Told in lyrical, intimate prose, it reflects on the relationships we build—and what remains of us in the silence after we're gone.

Isn't it strange that the registering of life's most important moments happens in a sterile municipal office? Everyone's got a story to tell about how they got there. Listen for the first time to this spectacular collection of six funny, quirky and moving plays that start in a Register Office and end in a birth, marriage or death.

A young archer bent on revenge against the knight who impoverished his family encounters an enigmatic stranger who promises him a far more potent form of retribution. But when Thomas finds himself hurled by magic to fight battles in faraway lands, he soon discovers that the vengeance his mysterious benefactor offers could change not only one archer’s destiny, but that of the entire world.

Jeremy Jumper isn’t like normal people. Jeremy has a medical condition which causes a large mass to grow on the end of his nose. It starts as a red mark and, over the following days, balloons to ridiculous size. Strangers stop and stare while others dive for cover, worried it’s about to explode.

結婚は「始まり」に過ぎない。今も昔も――

Good or bad. Right or wrong. The choice is yours ... Josslyn has a problem. A big problem. Not only is she fed up with her loser boyfriend hitting her, but she also has Alicia to deal with … and Alicia wants to kill the said boyfriend. Alicia is the psychotic voice in her head who seems to have her own personality and can take over her body at will, resulting in blackouts and memory loss. Josslyn has never told anyone about Alicia and isn’t about to start now. But can she deal with her abusive boyfriend on her own … or will Alicia need to step in and save the day?

In the void of space, alien creatures puppet dead flesh through darkened corridors. A simple date becomes a dance with a shapeshifting horror, while shadow creatures stalk forgotten towns. And in quiet suburban homes, doors to nightmare realms appear in ordinary basements.

Twelve years ago, Wolff Mannheim was afraid. Afraid to admit he was gay but also in love. He broke up with his boyfriend, Gage Norton, in the most heinous of ways. When Wolff accepts his dream job, he finds out his ex not only works there but is also his superior. Memories of the last time he saw him come rushing back and bring a deep level of shame. Now, older, wiser, and definitely out and proud, Wolff reaches out, through social media, to explain to Gage. All he gets is a resounding “no.” Gage can’t believe his ears. He is filled with happiness as he’s finally made partner.

In this terrifying novella from Tyler Jones, a young musician receives a custom, otherworldly guitar pedal created by a mysterious recluse with an unusual skill.

Welcome to FhCon. An event unlike any other, hosted by ancient and secret masters of fandom. They're insanely happy you're here. Nineteen popular, best-selling, and award-winning authors bring you stories of a convention experience only the Old Gods will make you forget.

"A Pail of Air” by Fritz Leiber is a haunting and poetic science fiction short story set in a frozen, post-apocalyptic Earth where the sun has gone dark. Written in the early 1950s, this atmospheric tale follows a resilient family struggling to survive in a world turned to eternal night, where even breathable air must be collected by hand. Told through the eyes of a young boy, the story captures the stark beauty of isolation, the desperation of survival, and the enduring hope that flickers in humanity’s darkest hours.

Author Henry Elder came to Alta Novis to learn more about the fabled battle lord and his lady. But rather than re-tell the tales of their already well-known exploits, he wants to hear about the couple from the people who really know them. The people who live, love, interact, and fight alongside with them. He wants to hear those personal anecdotes in order to discover a side of Yulen and Atty that few people know.

One of the last true classics of Russian literature and 1933 Nobel Laureate for literature, Ivan Bunin brings you a series of relationship tales as diverse as the seasons and far more engrossing.

One Man’s Poison by Robert Sheckley is a witty and suspenseful science fiction short story from the early 1950s that explores alien life and survival with a darkly comedic twist.

"Nightshade" by Dashiell Hammett is a short story appearing in "Mystery League Magazine, October 1933" featuring Jack Bye, who encounters a young woman, Helen Warner, stranded near Piney Falls bridge. Helen urgently asks for a ride into town, escaping from two men, Tony Forrest and Fred Barnes, who seem wary of Jack. Jack helps Helen and drives her into town, where they stop at a speakeasy for drinks. Their interaction is lighthearted but tinged with tension.

The popular THINLY VEILED collection from the Castle of Horror continues with this anthology of horror stories in the world of Saturday morning pop culture, from the Smurfs to Soul Train-- but every one of these brands is "thinly veiled." This time we feature stories from P. J. Hoover, Jeremiah Dylan Cook, Dennis K. Crosby, Alethea Kontis, Joy Preble, Steven Philip Jones, Heath W. Shelby, Tony Jones, Bryan Young, Scott Pearson, Will McDermott, and Katya de Becerra. See if you can recognize them all!

First published in the early 1950s, the story follows beings from across the universe—especially Morran and Lingman—as they seek out the enigmatic Answerer, a near-omniscient entity designed to reveal the answers to any question. But as the seekers discover, the quality of the answer depends entirely on the quality of the question.

Quando la protagonista, chiamata semplicemente la Scrittrice, ha un aborto spontaneo, nel mezzo di un periodo già turbolento della sua vita caratterizzato da relazioni sbagliate e lotte professionali, perde del tutto non solo la capacità di parlare e scrivere ma anche quella di comprendere il proprio posto nel mondo. In questo scenario di smarrimento interiore, dal Dipartimento di Ricerca Celeste viene inviato sul posto uno Spirito Guida per aiutarla.

Step into the witty, unsettling, and delightfully ironic world of Saki (H.H. Munro), one of the sharpest voices in Edwardian literature. This classic collection gathers his most memorable and darkly humorous short stories, including The Music on the Hill, The Unrest-Cure, Gabriel-Ernest, and the widely loved The Open Window. Saki's tales are known for their unexpected twists, elegant prose, and subtle satire of British society, often exposing the absurdities behind genteel manners and upper-class conventions.

She’s almost got the recipe for success, but love might be the missing ingredient. Callie Jones thought she had everything figured out with her booming bakery and close-knit friends in Peachwood Grove—until her first love, Macon Everette, rolls back into town. The surprise isn't just that he's back, but he's a father now, with an adorable daughter who's as charming as he is. Callie’s world starts to crumble faster than day-old scones. As Callie and Macon reignite a connection that's hotter than her ovens, they must navigate the surprises and secrets of their past.