Ten Tales Fantasy & Horror Stories Series

Ten exciting stories - frightening, thoughtful and funny - about dragons by ten authors, edited by Rayne Hall. Wherever humans live, they tell stories of dragons. Cultures on every continent in every era have dragon myths and dragon art – from the Mesopotamian creation myth of the dragon Tiamat around 5,000 BCE to Fafnir in the Icelandic Volsungasaga, and Saint George and Saint Michael slaying dragons in early medieval legends. In China, pictures of dragons date back as far as the Stone Age. Yet dragons don't really exist. With their reptilian, serpentine or mammalian torsos, four legs, giant mouths, long tails, scaly skin and bat-like wings, they resemble no real living creature. Artists' and storytellers imaginations may have been fired by lizards, snakes and crocodiles, as well as by humankind's instinctual fear of big cats, reptiles and giant birds – but how come these fantasy creatures have found their way into the imagination of every culture? Could it be a residual memory from the days when dinosaurs walked on earth? But scientists tell us that by the time the first humans appeared, the last dinosaurs were already extinct. Or were they? What if some dinosaurs survived longer than current science assumes? What if the early stories about dragons were based on fact? What if Jason's fight with the Colchian dragon for possession of the Golden Fleece, Beowulf's epic combat of the monster Grendel and St. Margaret's encounter with the dragon are inspired by actual events? What if the prehistoric people who painted dragons on cave walls had seen dinosaurs or plesiosaurs, or heard reports passed down from their ancestors? The Bible mentions two monstrous creatures – Behemoth and Leviathan – whose description fits no known animal, but is a surprisingly close match to the brachiosaurus and elasmosaurus. Is it possible that, contrary to current scientific thought, those species were not yet extinct in Bible times? Taking this speculation one step further, we can wonder if some of those ancient creatures are still alive on earth today. This thought is not as far-fetched as it first seems. Oceolanths, ancient water creatures, were believed to have died out 65 million years ago – until one was caught in 1938. The Loch Ness Monster in Scotland might be a surviving plesiosaur, and who knows what ancient creatures might lurk on the seabed of the Pacific Ocean and in caves of the Barberton Mountains. Ten authors invite you to suspend your disbelief and join them on journeys into a world where humans live side-by-side with dragons. The stories  selected for this book have different writing styles, from tongue-in-cheek humour to exciting frights, and they present ten different kinds of dragon. Some of these dragons are evil, some are kind, and others just want to be left in peace. But they all are dangerous, and they are formidable foes when their ire is roused. The authors hail from different parts of the world and have set their stories in China, Japan, Russia, America and Britain as well as in fantasy lands. Leave your disbelief behind and travel with us to lands where dragons roam.

Ten Fantasy Stories by Ten Authors.  Of all paranormal creatures, demons are the most dangerous. Intelligent and deceitful, they are masters of disguise and crafty manipulation. They stir evil desires, exploit moral weaknesses, disguise the boundaries between right and wrong, plant convictions in the victim's mind, and persuade humans that they want the thing the demon aims to bring about.  Every culture in the world has demons, but their shape, nature and purpose varies so much that it would be impossible to give a single definition.  In this anthology, ten authors share their vision of demons, some drawing from their ethnic and cultural backgrounds, others inspired by observations from real life, all blended with the writers' vivid imagination. Their stories span a wide spectrum of styles – scary, funny, disturbing and thought-provoking.  1. THIEF AND DEMON by Jake Elwood  A gutter rat gets an offer she can't refuse.  2. DISTURBED by Mark Cassell  A deep-rooted evil awakens and the camping trip turns sour.  3. NINE RINGS OF SILVER AND ONE OF BRONZE by Rayne Hall  Time has come for Mourad to face his fear and atone for his guilt.  4. DETRITUS AT THE CHURCH FÊTE by Heide Goody and Iain Grant  A demon is sent to earth to disrupt the harmless pleasures of English rural life.  5. NON-DISCLOSURE by Mitch Sebourn  An ailing lawyer investigates a potential lawsuit involving a demon of Native American tradition.  6. INNER DEMON by Pamela Turner  Desperate to break his curse, a hemophobic serial killer confronts his inner demon.  7. NEREZZA by Debbie Christiana  In the end, who's the real demon?  8. THE DEVIL NEVER TAKES A VACATION... AND NEITHER DO I by Douglas Kolacki  A man whose profession is all things spiritual, ought to have known...  9. THE TOUCH OF THE TANIWHA by Tracie McBride  The Taniwha. Protector? Monster? Or something else entirely? The four perspectives presented in this tale may not bring you any closer to the truth.  10. STONE CITY, OLD AS IMMEASURABLE TIME by Kelda Crich  An ancient voice speaks across continents; a mother hears the call.

Exciting, spooky and scary stories for everyone, edited by Rayne Hall. Ten authors spin creepy yarns, each with a different writing style and a different way of telling a story. Allow these fantasy and horror stories to haunt you, and see which story resonates most with you. 1. GHOSTS CAN BLEED by Tracie McBride Ghosts can bleed. Maurice knows, because he is one. 2. DANCERS by William Meikle A country graveyard in winter can be made warm. 3. BREAKWATER BEACH by Carole Ann Moleti Ever felt that you've been somewhere before? Perhaps you have. 4. THE PIANO MAN by Kiersten Hartrim No one has played the old upright piano in the bar since the Lady Pianist died. 5. TAKE ME TO ST ROCH'S by Rayne Hall Never pick up hitchhikers. 6. THE EXPLANATION FOR GHOSTS by Douglas Kolacki Forget everything you've ever heard about what they are. 7. MOTHER MINE by April Grey A mother's love never dies. 8. THE MINE SHAFT by Sera Hayes Curiosity leading superstition digs an early grave. 9. DARK REUNION by Jonathan Broughton Love sours when you commit murder. 10. A PUDDLE OF DEAD by Grayson Bray Morris Her long-lost love is back... or is he? To preserve the authors' individual voices, the stories preserve the British, American and Australian spellings, grammar and punctuation. Some stories have been previously published in magazines, e-zines, story collections and anthologies.

Ten stories of spine-tingling suspense, edited by Rayne Hall. In this collection, you'll find scary stories for almost every taste, each penned by a different author with a different writing style and a different taste in horror. This allows you to explore your own preferences. Which story gives you the most delicious frights? The authors have played with "What if" scenarios: What if the safe world we take for granted is changing and we don't know? What if a seemingly harmless object grows into a menace? What if an everyday occurrence turns into something nasty? What if a minor irritation is actually a sign that something big is underfoot? What if threats are outside our control? Picking up the phone, going to the toilet on the train or buying a birthday gift may be the start of a nightmare. These stories don't seek to shock you with chainsaw massacres or to gross you out with mounds of gore. Rather, the authors aim to scare you in subtle ways, creating the kind of fear which creeps up on you, grabs you by the throat, and sometimes lingers long after you've finished reading. To preserve the authors' individual voices, some of the stories are in American English, others in British. Enjoy the goose-pimples, the clammy hands, the creeping chills, and the pounding heart. When you've finished reading, you can return to the real world and know you'll be safe. Or will you? 1.OUT OF ORDER by Karen Heard What do you do when the lights go out and the screaming starts? 2. OUR LADY OF THE TOADS by Deborah J. Ross writing as Deborah Wheeler The large, ugly toad perched in front of the gate was truly worthy of being a witch's familiar. 3. FAMILY HEIRLOOM by Pamela Turner This weapon has a mind of its own. 4. RING OF STONES by Donna Johnson Jake Barnes seeks revenge on the cursed creature living in the abandoned well. 5. DEATH COMES FOR MAGGIE MCDANIEL by Grayson Bray Morris A bully's cruel hand grants Maggie's dearest wish. 6. CREATURES OF THE NIGHT by William Meikle What if intense fantasies create a different reality? 7. DRUID STONES by Rayne Hall Modern druids enact an ancient ritual, and a woman watches in secret. 8. THE LOFT by Liv Rancourt Three women from the church choir learn that evil is everywhere. 9. LIFE IN MINIATURE by Tracie McBride Street kid Michael thinks it's his lucky day when a do-gooder picks him up off the street. 10. YOU HAVE ONE MESSAGE by Jonathan Broughton Press * for connection. Some of these stories have been previously published in magazines, ezines, story collections and anthologies. They may not be suitable for young readers.