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Celebrate a decade of Critical Role with this anthology featuring the perspectives of ten characters who fought alongside—and against—Vox Machina, with a foreword by cast member Liam O'Brien. In these ten stories, see the legendary adventuring party anew through the eyes of some of the most memorable characters whose lives were touched by Vox Machina. Within its pages:• Shaun Gilmore reflects on the life he has chosen, as told by Aabria Iyengar.• Raishan, racked by a pestilent curse, plots to release the Cinder King from his fiery prison, as told by Rory Power.• Trinket the Wonder Bear accompanies the next generation of Vox Machina on their first adventure, as told by Sarah Glenn Marsh.• Plus seven more hilarious, heartbreaking, and heroic tales featuring Kaylie, Doty, Kevdak, and more! The adventure began in 2015 with a group of friends sitting down in front of a camera to roll some dice, bring their characters to life, and tell a story that would become immortalized in their livestream tabletop roleplaying game: Critical Role. What started as a humble home game eventually grew into a worldwide phenomenon that has touched countless people with its poignant, larger-than-life storytelling—and in that same vein, this collection celebrates the characters whose lives were touched by Vox Machina but whose stories are yet to be told. Contributors: Foreword by Liam O'Brien • Jess Barber Martin Cahill • Rebecca Coffindaffer • Aabria Iyengar • Sam Maggs • Sarah Glenn Marsh • Rory Power • Nibedita Sen • Izzy Wasserstein • Kendra Wells

Edited by The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman, a celebratory selection from one hundred years of short stories in the magazine which has been the most influential and important showcase for the form and has launched dozens of stellar careers in fictionThere is simply no A–Z like the alphabet of fiction writers who have appeared in the pages of The New Yorker in the last hundred years. The book boasts inarguable classics like Salinger's “A Perfect Day for Bananafish,” Annie Proulx's “Brokeback Mountain,” and Shirley Jackson's “The Lottery” alongside stunners to be rediscovered. Some stories defined a moment or a now-lost world (Isaac Bashevis Singer's “The Cafeteria”); others showed us a whole new way fiction could sound and feel (“The Red Girl,” by Jamaica Kincaid). With this vivid selection, Treisman showcases how our fiction has changed over time, and reminds us that past literary fashions continue to ripple outward in the fiction we love today. What does a Donald Barthelme mean to the craft of short fiction now? What will a Yiyun Li mean to the next generation of readers and writers? This exquisite tour of the form as practiced at its highest level will leap directly into the hearts of readers of all ages, all stripes, and is a beautiful tribute to the magazine's influence on our literary culture over the last century.

Moving between power plants and pirate ships, remote caves and suburban strip malls, Maggie Cooper's The Theme Park of Women's Bodies takes readers on a tour of worlds built by, for, or around women. By turns darkly satirical and almost utopian, Cooper's fierce, fabulist stories explore the power and promise of these spaces as sanctuaries and strongholds, places of connection and creation. Yet at the same time, they point to the ways that a narrowly defined femininity feeds exploitation and violence, inviting readers to consider the breadth of'woman'as a category with a wide-ranging history, present, and future. Grappling with the role of gender and the body in creating and maintaining communities, these stories dream of worlds where we can all escape our narrow orbits.

Like walking onto the set of your favorite Hallmark Christmas movie, Mistletoe Season invites readers to fall in love alongside three couples, featuring old flames, opposites attract, and even a royal romance.Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila RobertsMistletoe is Hailey Fairchild's kryptonite. Every time she's kissed someone under the mistletoe it's led to love disaster. Not a good thing for a romance writer! When she was a gawky high school girl, her hunky neighbor, Carwyn Davies, star of the basketball team (and her dreams), kissed her under the mistletoe on a dare. But the kiss wasn't a dream come true. It was a mortifying moment she's never forgotten, and now she's about to go home for the holidays, unengaged and... determined to say no to mistletoe. Especially if Carwyn is anywhere around.Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen FullerEmmy Banks has always loved Christmas. How could she not when she lives in Mistletoe, Missouri? Kieran O'Neill has spent years abroad, renovating an old Irish castle, but returns to Mistletoe for his mother's seventieth birthday. He reconnects with Emmy, his sister's close friend, and spends time with her in her charming antique shop. When the weather turns colder, things start to warm up between Emmy and Kieran. But can Emmy risk her heart when she knows he'll never stay in Mistletoe and she'll never leave?The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper BashamPrince Arran St. Clare has lost his freedom and fairytale life in exchange for a three-month'punishment'in the small town of Ransom, North Carolina. To prove he is ready for the royal life for which he was born, Arran must engage in the Christmas charity fundraiser, The Mistletoe Wish. But when kindness, authenticity, and hard work prove more appreciated in Appalachia than a royal pedigree, Arran must face the mirror and find out who he is beyond the crown. Add a beautiful and intelligent woman who doesn't recognize her own worth, some mistletoe, and a little Christmas magic, and it all might be enough to help the rebel-prince understand what truly matters most.Featuring three separate stories, Mistletoe Season is the perfect escape from a bustling Christmas season. Pull up a cozy blanket, fix yourself a warm drink, and set yourself up by the fire to enjoy three delightful, low-spice romances.

A collection of award-winning short stories, including the viral “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” by Harlan Ellison, an eight-time Hugo Award winner, five-time Bram Stoker Award winner, and four-time Nebula Award winner. As one of the great writers of speculative fiction of the twentieth century, Harlan Ellison shaped the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres. This inventive and provocative collection of his best-known and most-acclaimed stories is a perfect treasury for old Ellison fans as well as readers discovering this zany, polyphonic writer for the first time. Featuring these stories and many more: “‘Repent, Harlequin,'Said the Ticktockman” — Hugo Award winner “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” — Bram Stoker Award winner “Mefisto in Onyx” — Bram Stoker Award winner “Jeffty Is Five” — British Fantasy Award winner “Shatterday” — Twilight Zone episode “The Whimper of Whipped Dogs” — Edgar Allan Poe Award winner “Paladin of the Lost Hour” — Hugo Award winner, Twilight Zone episode A must-read for sci-fi book lovers and fans of Ray Bradbury, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Isaac Asimov, this career-spanning compilation of classic short stories is also perfect for readers who enjoyed Dangerous Visions, A Boy and His Dog, or other Harlan Ellison books.

A collection of stories that are off center in some way and range from the comic to the absurd to the relentlessly tragic.

This 18th anthology of short stories set in the beloved Valdemar high fantasy universe features tales by debut and established authors and a brand-new novella from Mercedes Lackey.The Heralds of Valdemar are the kingdom's ancient order of protectors. They are drawn from all across the land, from all walks of life, and at all ages—and all are Gifted with abilities beyond those of normal men and women. They are Mindspeakers, FarSeers, Empaths, ForeSeers, Firestarters, FarSpeakers, and more. These inborn talents—combined with training as emissaries, spies, judges, diplomats, scouts, counselors, warriors, and more—make them indispensable to their monarch and realm. Sought and Chosen by mysterious horse-like Companions, they are bonded for life to these telepathic, enigmatic creatures. The Heralds of Valdemar and their Companions ride circuit throughout the kingdom, protecting the peace and, when necessary, defending their land and monarch.Now, twenty-two authors ride with Mercedes Lackey to the beloved land of Valdemar, where feuds—large and small, devastating and comic, longstanding and fresh—are brewing. Familiar faces await: in her brand-new novella Mercedes Lackey brings fan-favorite Vanyel back to the page, along with his aunt, the indomitable Herald Savil. So come explore Valdemar in these fantastical tales where:Vanyel is enlisted in a clandestine mission, but when his investigation into two squabbling noble families reveals a pair of lifebonded lovers, he and Savil find themselves scrambling to prevent an all-out war—and the King himself is watching…A duel between two small town bards abruptly crosses a line, and their battle of wits explodes beyond verbal showmanship…A student of the Bardic college is increasingly frustrated by a peer's insistence that she's seeing ghosts, but as her visions escalate she begins to wonder and to worry…

Inspired by Victoria Kelly's experiences as the wife of a fighter pilot during three wartime deployments, this collection follows women whose lives have been impacted by war and military service as they struggle with their fragile ideas of home. In “Prayers of an American Wife,” a Navy wife grapples with loneliness when she discovers that her neighbor, also a Navy wife, is having an affair while their husbands are deployed on the same aircraft carrier. Tensions rise in “The Strangers of Dubai” as a soldier on leave tries to buy his wife a souvenir from an Afghan vendor. After attending eight funerals with fellow military wives whose husbands died in the Iraq war, the protagonist in “Finding the Good Light” divorces her Navy husband and tries to start a new life as a movie star. These, along with the eleven other stories in this collection, explore the emotional landscape of the resilient women who remain on the homefront. Kelly's stories offer readers an intimate, eye-opening look into the sacrifices and steadfastness of military family members.

The trailblazing book that influenced a generation of writers, and proves that mature reflection needn't be lacking in attitude.In the beginning when everything was very sexual we talked about our fantasies. She thought about having a guy for some of it. She thought about having a gun. I had gone through a lot to get away from guys so I admit that the thought of going back to them, even for a little adventure, was surprising and disconcerting …Ann Rower's first book, If You're a Girl, published by Semiotext(e)'s Native Agents series in 1991 in tandem with Cookie Mueller's Walking Through Clear Water in a Pool Painted Black, cemented her reputation as the Eve Babitz of lower Manhattan.Rower was fifty-three years old at the time. Her stories—urtexts of female autofiction—had long been circulating within the poetry and postpunk music scenes. They were unlike anyone else's: disarming, embarrassing, psuedoconfessional tales of everyday life dizzily told and laced with dry humor. In If You're a Girl, she recounts her adventures as Timothy Leary's babysitter, her artistic romance with actor Ron Vawter, and her attempts to evade a schizophrenic stalker.Rower went on to publish two novels: Armed Response (1995) and Lee & Elaine (2002). After the 2002 suicide of her partner, the writer Heather Lewis, Rower stopped writing for almost two decades. And then she picked up where If You're a Girl left off. No longer a girl, she produced dozens of stories from her life in New York as an octogenarian.This new, expanded edition includes most of the original book, together with selections from both her novels and her recent writings. If You're a Girl is a trailblazing book that manifests Rower's influence on a generation of writers, and proves that mature reflection needn't be lacking in attitude.

Fun and spooky stories for everyone to read togetherMake any night in more exciting with this thrilling collection of 16 tales that are creepy, funny, mysterious, and strange. Feel shivers down your spine as you read about ringing bells in a cemetery, ghostly underpants, fairies that create dreams, and more!Perfect for story time—These stories are short, simple, and easy to read aloud at a sleepover, in the car, around the campfire, or anytime!A terrific range of tales—Explore updated retellings of all the classic stories, like The Hook'and'The Ghost of the Bloody Finger.'Not too scary— Each story is written to be fun and silly for kids as young as 6, with just enough detail to make them spooky, but not too spooky!From a mysterious fog to two heads in a suitcase, these stories are sure to excite and delight kids and adults of all ages.

Gathered for the first time: one of America's great humorists revisits the books and movies from his youth—often with some embarrassment—in this complete, 22-piece collectionFrom October 1948 to October 1953, The New Yorker published humorist S. J. Perelman's “Cloudland Revisited” series: 22 reviews of once-popular books and silent films whose expiration dates had passed. All but forgotten even at the time, they were nonetheless part of Perelman's youth and made an indelible mark on him.In the comic genius's biting satire they live once again:Gertrude Atherton's sensationalist fantasy Black OxenSax Rohmer's supervillain blockbuster The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchuthe “underwater” silent film adaptation of Twenty Thousand Leagues under the SeaEdgar Rice Burrough's 1914 novel Tarzan of the Apesand George Barr McCutcheon's 1901 historical fantasy novel Graustark—the Game of Thrones of its era—which launched numerous sequels and film adaptations The complete series is collected here for the first time. With self-deprecating humor and frequent embarrassment, Perelman reflects on how rereading and rewatching brings us in contact with how we, like an old book or film, have both changed and remained the same. This paperback includes a tribute to Perelman's art by another beloved New Yorker writer, Adam Gopnik.

When a member of the dangerous Damakoi race comes to warn about an assassin from his planet targeting the Galactic Capitol, agent Cameron must decide whether to trust him. Suspicious at every turn, Cameron sets up a complex trap to root out the real killer. But the Damakoi have their own devious plans involving invisible walls and deadly radiation. Cameron races to uncover the truth before the Capitol and thousands of lives go up in smoke.

As the dying Sun sputters its last rays of light over a frozen Earth, young astronomers Kuila and Ramo join the remaining humans descending underground. Though their people decayed into complacency as resources dwindled, Kuila and Ramo found companionship admiring the stars and dreaming of worlds with warmth and light. Now facing a dark future burrowed deep below the ice, they cling to hopes of rediscovering their ancestors'knowledge and one day traveling to a new home planet orbiting a brilliant new Sun. Will their vision spur humanity's rebirth or fade to black like the guttering Sun that once nurtured their dying Earth?

Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke award-winner Ann Leckie is a modern master of the SFF genre, forever changing its landscape with her groundbreaking ideas and powerful voice. Now, available for the first time comes the complete collection of Leckie's short fiction, including a brand new novelette, “Lake of Souls.” Journey across the stars of the Imperial Radch universe. Listen to the words of the Old Gods that ruled the Raven Tower. Learn the secrets of the mysterious Lake of Souls. And so much more, in this masterfully wide-ranging and immersive short fiction collection from award-winning author Ann Leckie.

A tribute to the author's mother Kitty, the gritty Chicago landscape of his youth, and the'ghost years, that time in your life you don't know won't never come again.'Barry Gifford has been writing the story of America in acclaimed novel after acclaimed novel for the last half-century. Almost all of the stories in Ghost Years takes place in the 1950s, examining the lives of women in that period—the suppression, the lack of opportunities, the dependency on men. Following his story collection, Roy's World, which inspired the documentary directed by Rob Christopher, narrated by Lili Taylor, Matt Dillon and Willem Dafoe, these stories show a childhood in mid-century America filled with innocence, grief, joy and wonder in equal measure.

A feast of great literature—12 Classic Christmas Stories all in one volume!Celebrate this magical season with some of the greatest literary figures in history. The wisdom and warmth of Christmas are wrapped in the stories of beloved and gifted authors such as Charles Dickens, Louisa May Alcott, O. Henry, G. K. Chesterton, Willa Cather, Conan Doyle, Washington Irving, George MacDonald, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anthony Trollope, and other classic storytellers.Not only will you be immersed in the Christmas spirit, but you will draw from the insight of historian Dr. Timothy Larsen who introduces each tale, sharing with readers the history, background, and inspiration behind the literature.This collection invites us to contemplate and savor all that is good and true about God's redemptive story and our call to be Christ-like. The stories call us to generosity, reconciliation, and sacrifice. They encourage us to live with joy and gratitude. Hope and wonder abound as you gather your family around the fire and read aloud the Twelve Classic Christmas Stories.Increasing our love for great tales and for Christmas, this beautiful hardcover book is the perfect gift.

'Cuadros died of AIDS in 1996, two years after chronicling the disease in City of God, a book of poems and stories about queer Los Angeles. His belated follow-up takes the same form, with the same bracing urgency.'—The New York Times'Without doubt one of the sexiest and most important writers I've ever read.'—Justin Torres, author of Blackouts'My Body Is Paper is a testament to the unrelenting literary magic of Gil Cuadros. Through poetry and prose, Cuadros holds a mirror up to California, reflecting this land of dualities back at us. He gives us sunshine and sickness, ecstasy and drudgery, eros and death. I am so very grateful for his work.'—Myriam Gurba, author of Creep: Accusations and ConfessionsSince City of God (1994) by Gil Cuadros was published 30 years ago, it has become an unlikely classic (an'essential book of Los Angeles'according to the LA Times), touching readers and writers who find in his work a singular evocation of Chicanx life in Los Angeles during and leading up to the AIDS epidemic, which took his life in 1996. Little did we know, Cuadros continued writing exuberant prose and poems in the period between his one published book and his untimely death at the age of 34. This recently discovered treasure, My Body Is Paper, is a stunning portrait of sex, family, religion, culture of origin, and the betrayals of the body. Tender and blistering, erotic and spiritual—Cuadros dives into these complexities which we grapple with today, showing us how to survive these times, and beyond.

One of The Millions Most Anticipated Books for Spring!Set in the uncanny valley between Bugs Bunny and Franz Kafka, Cartoons is an explosive series of outrageous, absurdist tales.“The true surrealist is unblinking, convulsive, and cheerfully open to the mysterious flow, into their texts, of mythic and archetypal elements operating beyond their conscious control. In Cartoons, Kit Schluter vaults into the zone of Julio Cortázar, Richard Brautigan, and late Giorgio di Chirico, where the reader breaths the air of pure freedom attained rattling inside the chains of self.”—Jonathan Lethem, author of Motherless Brooklyn More than simply a book, Cartoons proposes itself as a genre of imaginary writing in opposition to the realism of most contemporary U.S. fiction, aligning itself with the French symbolism and Latin American fabulism its author is known to translate. A giant cricket with a tiny Kit Schluter in a jar, The Girl Who Is a Piece of Paper, an umbrella who confuses the words porpoise and purpose in its quest for self-fulfillment, these are just a few denizens of its pages, suffused with a fairy tale-like animism. A pair of slugs go on a bender. A microwave oven decries microaggressions. A beer bottle is filled with regret. An escalator mechanic's shoe conceals a terrible secret. As befits its title, Cartoons defies the laws of physics and fiction alike, eschewing tonal consistency in favor of a simultaneity of joy and horror, ecstasy and disgust, wrapped in an extravagant layer of black humor. The stories blur the boundary between microfiction and poet's prose, featuring impossible transformations and surrealistic events, even as they wrestle with urgent psychic and moral dilemmas. Heightening the atmosphere of pervasive unreality are a number of drawings by the author, which don't so much illustrate as parallel the tales with their own fantastic scenarios.

Together for the first time, all 5 standalone novels from the Hugo and Nebula award–winning writer who reinvented science fiction, including one restored to printSpans from the 1971 classic The Lathe of Heaven to her career-crowning 2008 masterpiece LaviniaThis 7th volume in the definitive Library of America edition of Ursula K. Le Guin's works presents 5 remarkable standalone novels that showcase her boundless creativity and literary range.In the Locus Award–winning The Lathe of Heaven (1971), one of Le Guin's most admired works of science fiction, George Orr begins have effective dreams: dreams that change reality itself. But when he turns to the sleep researcher William Haber for help, the doctor sees an opportunity to use Orr's strange gift for his own ends.A former Terran prison colony on the planet Victoria seems destined for revolution in The Eye of the Heron (1978), when the authoritarian leaders in the City try to assert control over the peaceful farmers who have been sent to live around them.The Beginning Place (1980) is a parable-like story in which Hugh and Irena have both found their way to the Beginning Place, a gateway to another world. The two initially become enemies, but must learn to work together when the utopia they've found turns out to have a shadow.The long out-of-print Searoad: Chronicles of Klatsand (1991) is a Winesburg, Ohio-like series of linked stories set in a small vacation town on the Oregon coast, where some of the characters have come for a weekend and some for longer, but all are pilgrims in the grip of inexpressible longings.And Le Guin's final, powerfully feminist novel, Lavinia (2008), reimagines Virgil's Aeneid from the perspective of a woman who, in poet's telling, never speaks a word. Special features include an appendix presenting three essays by Le Guin related to the novels, previously unseen hand-drawn maps by author herself, helpful annotation, and a chronology of Le Guin's life and career.Brought together here for the first time, these 5 remarkable standalone novels showcase a Hugo and Nebula Award–winning master at her very best.

ONE OF NPR'S 2024'BOOKS WE LOVE'From the author of Sea Change comes a short story collection that explores Korean American womanhood, bodies, animals, and transformation as a means of survival.'The stories hit, each one, and land with such seeming perfection. Chung's book sits next to my all-time favorite story collections by masters of the craft: Karen Russell, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, George Saunders, and Ted Chiang.'—Morgan Talty, award-winning author of Night of the Living RezEqual parts fantastical—a pair of talking dolls help twins escape a stifling home, a heart boils on the stove as part of an elaborate cure for melancholy, a fox demon contemplates avenging her sister's death—and true to life—a mother and daughter try to heal their rift when the daughter falls unexpectedly pregnant, a woman reexamines her father's legacy after his death—the stories in this collection are hopeful and heartbreaking, full of danger and full of joy. Chung is a master at capturing emotion, and her characters—human and otherwise—will claw their way into your heart and make themselves at home.

Finalist for the CHIRBy AwardsLonglisted for The Story PrizeLonglisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize The long-awaited new book from the critically acclaimed author of The Lightkeepers and The Wildlands: an intense and insightful collection that celebrates the horrors and joys of inhabiting our bodiesThe body cannot tell any lies. From birth to death, and through all the transitions in between, the body stores our knowledge and history, our feelings and experiences. Our betrayals. These insightful and empathetic stories, from the critically acclaimed author of The Last Animal, shine new light on our physical vessels set against our physical world, two landscapes irretrievably connected and altered over time.An entomologist solves cold cases and upholds a sense of justice by studying the decay of corpses in a field and the insect life they develop. A caregiver obsesses over a stained-glass lampshade to deal with the elegiac losses of Alzheimer's. A sister with webbed fingers highlights the often-universal belief that our siblings just might be creatures brought forth from the deep. The memory of a scent evokes the haunting legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic.These eleven stories display Abby Geni's great capacity to take us into the lives and experiences of others to scrutinize the physical self: birth, childhood, transition, mental health, trauma, aging, illness, love, sex, and death.

Diane Williams, “godmother of flash fiction” (The Paris Review), returns with 33 short, brilliant stories.In Williams'stories, life is newly alive and dangerous; whether she is writing about an affair, a request for money, an afternoon in a garden, or the simple act of carrying a cake from one room to the next, she offers us beautiful and unsettling new ways of seeing everyday life. In perfectly honed sentences, with a sly and occasionally wild wit, Williams shows us how any moment of any day can open onto disappointment, pleasure, and possibility.

Mixed Faces is a collection of short stories by Roy Norton. The stories focus on characters from various walks of life, including a doctor, a professor, a social worker, and a detective. The stories are all connected by the theme of identity, and each story explores how characters navigate and negotiate their sense of self in different contexts. Some of the stories involve the characters struggling with their own identity, while others deal with issues of perception and misperception. Overall,'Mixed Faces'offers a thought-provoking examination of the complexities of human identity.

For the first time on Earth a human child had been born who could summon us! He was eight years old now, but wise beyond his years and he had summoned us deliberately across space. He had sat, hunched and shivering, in his own small room, staring up at the far-flung constellations. Then, abruptly, he had thrown out his arms and called to us.

Winner of the 2024 Michael L. Printz AwardA National BestsellerFrom Michael L. Printz Award winner A.S. King and an all-star team of contributors including Anna-Marie McLemore and Jason Reynolds, an anthology of stories about remarkable people and their strange and surprising collections.From David Levithan's story about a non-binary kid collecting pieces of other people's collections to Jenny Torres Sanchez's tale of a girl gathering types of fire while trying not to get burned to G. Neri's piece about 1970's skaters seeking opportunities to go vertical—anything can be collected and in the hands of these award-winning and bestselling authors, any collection can tell a story. Nine of the best YA novelists working today have written fiction based on a prompt from Printz-winner A.S. King (who also contributes a story) and the result is itself an extraordinary collection.M. T. Anderson, e. E. Charlton-Trujillo, A.S. King, David Levithan, Cory McCarthy, Anna-Marie McLemore, G. Neri, Jason Reynolds, Randy Ribay, and Jenny Torres Sanchez have each penned a surprising and provocative tale.(Cover art may vary.)

A mother struggles with what it means to be Chicana as she searches for her son at a powwow. A delivery driver has a fateful encounter with a voracious customer at the end of the world. A grieving father learns the true identity of the hummingbird that hovers outside his kitchen window. A Mexican cowboy— who might or might not be the Messiah— orders a pepperoni pizza on a Friday night. And a troubled young man develops an unexpected bond with his neighbor's racist yard ornament. In his debut collection, Tomá s Hulick Baiza explores the poetic and mythic spaces between light and dark, where Aztec gods and more contemporary obsessions fight for dominance. With characters who jump off the page, A Purpose to Our Savagery takes readers on a journey through tragi-comic, hallucinatory, and even nightmarish landscapes where he exalts the resilience of outsiders in a world inclined to leave them behind. In the end, Baiza's stories highlight the extraordinary and mundane challenges that we overcome to make it to the next day.

Named a Public Picks 2023 by Public Books Long List for the 2024 PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Winner of the Raz/Shumaker Prairie Schooner Book Prize in Fiction, Boundless Deep, and Other Stories is a portrait of a family that holds together despite everything. By turns introspective, surreal, and bitingly funny, this collection of linked short stories spans seven decades across Japan and the United States and shows the tenacity of relationships fractured by language and distance. At the funeral of her old boss, a grandmother confronts the legacy of the draft letters she delivered as a girl during World War II. Facing the loss of his job, a father becomes the caricature strangers have always believed him to be. A graduate student living far from home is worn down by the reality of what it takes to save even a small piece of the world. Along the way, we meet communist revolutionary Shigenobu Fusako hiding out in a Tokyo hotel, submariner and war criminal Nishina Sekio in his tortured dreams, and Edwin, a half-dolphin friend, wreaking havoc in a public pool. Written in the compressed style of Amy Hempel and Lucia Berlin, these stories examine characters whose struggles submerge them, weighing them down from every angle, until they can finally float free.

Dive into'Amazing Tales Volume 148', an anthology that explores the intricate themes of identity, aspiration, and the human spirit's unyielding quest for meaning across diverse worlds and realities. In'Dead World'by Jack Douglas, Commander Red Stone and his Free Companions embark on a daring journey across a frozen planet. As they chase a slim chance at redemption, they confront their pasts and the harsh realities of intergalactic prejudice, weaving a narrative rich in sacrifice and the relentless pursuit of dreams. Transitioning to'Shatter the Wall'by Sydney Van Scyoc, we meet Amanda, who struggles against her daughter Kathryn's fixation on the mysterious Wall idol, Bass McDowall. As Kathryn aspires to become like her idol, Amanda battles to reclaim her daughter's lost identity, presenting a poignant exploration of family and self-discovery. In another tale by Sydney Van Scyoc,'Bimmie Says', the quirky dynamics of marriage and ambition take center stage. Bimmie's extravagant experiments clash with his wife's expectations, while their pets bring chaos and charm, offering a light-hearted yet insightful look at love and dreams.'A Fall of Glass'by Stanley R. Lee invites readers into the world of Humphrey Fownes, a man lost in contemplation of the weather within a domed city. This story captures a unique introspection, immersing readers in the subtle complexities of a mind absorbed in seemingly mundane musings. Finally,'Pollony Undiverted'by Sydney Van Scyoc delves into unfulfilled dreams and domestic unrest. Pollony navigates a world of potential, yet feels trapped in a cycle of late-night arguments and elusive desires, poignantly portraying the struggle for fulfillment amidst life's chaos. Each story in this anthology offers a captivating glimpse into the human condition, urging readers to reflect on their own journeys and aspirations.

Dive into the enthralling pages of'Amazing Tales Volume 147', where the boundary between reality and imagination shimmers with intrigue and adventure. This anthology brings together captivating stories that explore the complexities of identity, culture, and survival. In'Imitation of Death'by Lester del Rey, the line between man and machine blurs as Councilman Curtis confronts Max Fleigh's sinister ambitions. A perfect duplicate emerges, obedient to Fleigh's commands, challenging the essence of humanity and autonomy. Transitioning to interstellar law and cultural clash,'License to Steal'by Louis Newman introduces Skrrgck, an alien from a society where theft is celebrated. His arrival on Earth sparks a legal whirlwind, as misunderstandings with local customs lead to unexpected consequences. Lester del Rey returns with'And there was light', where Johann Volcek faces personal loss and societal pressures during a critical moment of post-war tension. As a powerful visitor looms, this story delves into themes of hope and resilience, capturing the spirit of a world poised for a brighter future. Finally,'Call Him Savage'by John Pollard immerses readers in the rising tensions as the Sioux prepare to reclaim their land. Reporter Sam Quinlan becomes entwined in this conflict, navigating the complexities of his professional and personal life while honoring the rich narratives of America's original inhabitants. Together, these stories in'Amazing Tales Volume 147'promise a riveting journey through diverse worlds and thought-provoking themes, drawing readers into the heart of each tale.

Excerpt: “That night, the sounds that came from the metal stamping plant of Weedham Industries, Incorporated, might have been prophetic of the immediate and ugly future, for they were like the rattle of machine guns. But Joseph, the keeper of the south gate, was blissfully ignorant of a Thompson gun and its deadly chatter so that he drew no such comparison. His only worry at the time lay in the dark sky above and the blue-white stabs of lightning that promised an electrical storm. He hated storms. Probably he hated the idea of being murdered or would have if it ever occurred to him. But then he didn't know that he was going to be murdered, and he did know it was going to storm. The thunder was the tocsin of the storm, but those who came to rob and kill moved unheralded in swift silence. The night shift had clocked in over an hour ago, and there should be no passing through the gate for at least six hours. Joseph tilted his chair back against the steel fence and kindled his cob pipe. The air was hot and still, so that blobs of pipe smoke clung like earth-bound ghosts about him. In spite of the impending storm, Joseph was happy. In his mind was a kindly thought for William'Old Bill'Weedham, principal owner of Weedham Industries. That was because of the bonus Joseph was anticipating. Within the next twenty-four hours, Joseph knew, seventy-five thousand dollars would be distributed as cash bonuses to the employees of the metal stamping division. Joseph had mentally spent his tiny fraction of the money a dozen times or more. He did a lot of dreaming, Joseph did. But about pleasant things. He had never dreamed of those who rob and kill.'

Welcome to'Amazing Tales Volume 138', a collection that explores the boundaries of human experience and the infinite possibilities of the universe. This anthology delves into themes of freedom, survival, and the pursuit of immortality, inviting readers to question the very essence of humanity through narratives that traverse both familiar and alien landscapes. In'The Disciplinary Circuit', Murray Leinster introduces us to a future where the paradox of freedom as law reigns supreme. Kim Rendell, a lone dissenter in a society that prides itself on progress, becomes an outcast. Set against the remnants of space exploration, this thought-provoking story challenges readers to consider the cost of civilization and the true meaning of liberty. Transitioning from societal scrutiny to cosmic exploration,'The Manless Worlds'by Murray Leinster takes us on a thrilling journey into the Second Galaxy. Here, Kim Rendell's fight for survival on the remote planet Terranova unfolds under the gaze of strange stars. With the clock ticking, Kim's negotiation with unforeseen visitors becomes a tense quest for the precious fuel needed to escape the clutches of the unknown. Finally, Margaret St. Clair's'Piety'offers a contemplative look at the age-old human desire for immortality. This story examines the clash between eternal life and the inherent limitations of human nature, weaving a narrative that questions the price of eternal existence and the sacrifices it demands. Each story in'Amazing Tales Volume 138'is a doorway to a universe where the stakes are high and the outcomes uncertain. Readers are invited to embark on an unforgettable journey through these imaginative tales, each one leaving a lasting impression long after the final page is turned.

This “gorgeous, electric” collection of short stories is about the inner lives of young women during their transformative twenties, navigating relationships, nostalgia for the past, and the uncertainty of the future (Mary-Beth Hughes, author of The Ocean House). With this sharp and witty debut collection, author Kate Doyle captures precisely that time of life when so many young women are caught in between, pre-occupied by nostalgia for past relationships—with friends, roommates, siblings—while trying to move forward into an uncertain future. In “That Is Shocking,” a college student relates a darkly funny story of romantic humiliation, one that skirts the parallel story of a friend she betrayed. In others, young women long for friends who have moved away, or moved on. In “Cinnamon Baseball Coyote” and other linked stories about siblings Helen, Evan, and Grace, their years of inside jokes and brutal tensions simmer over as the three spend a holiday season in an amusing whirl of rivalry and mutual attachment, and a generational gulf widens between them and their parents. Throughout, in stories both lyrical and haunting, young women search for ways to break free from the expectations of others and find a way to be in the world. Written with crystalline prose and sly humor, the stories in I Meant It Once build to complete a profoundly recognizable portrait of early adulthood and the ways in which seemingly incidental moments can come to define the stories we tell ourselves. For fans of Elif Batuman, Ottessa Moshfegh, Patricia Lockwood, and Melissa Bank, these stories about being young and adrift in today's world go down easy and pack a big punch.

This award-winning short story collection brings us moments of tenuousness, in which characters seek out or struggle to hold on to what's most precious in the face of change and loss.The stories take us from suburban New Jersey to prewar Vienna to Western Oregon, chronicling the lives of, among others, a suburban teenage boy taking revenge with a stolen Revolutionary War bayonet; a woman adrift, literally and figuratively, amid a workplace affair; a nearly forgotten and destitute musician attempting to reclaim his creative spark; and a young Mark Rothko finding his way after several early failures.While It Lasts speaks to how we are all bound by limited time to achieve what we must despite our own knowledge of how everything is fleeting.

Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author's brain, their soul and heart. A few pages can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere.In this series we try to offer up tried and trusted ‘Top Tens'across many different themes and authors. But any anthology will immediately throw up the questions – Why that story? Why that author? The theme itself will form the boundaries for our stories which range from well-known classics, newly told, to stories that modern times have overlooked but perfectly exemplify the theme. Throughout the volume our authors whether of instant recognition or new to you are all leviathans of literature.Some you may disagree with but they will get you thinking; about our choices and about those you would have made. If this volume takes you on a path to discover more of these miniature masterpieces then we have all gained something.Within these ten stories our authors including Edgar Allan Poe, H G Wells, Guy de Maupassant and a host of others demonstrate the power and the motivation that revenge demands. Yes, the pen is mightier and more brutal than the sword.01 - The Top 10 - Revenge - An Introduction02 - Bernice Bobs Her Hair by F Scott Fitzgerald03 - The Cone by H G Wells04 - The Hand by Guy de Maupassant05 - The Cask of Amontillardo by Edgar Allan Poe06 - The Signal by Vsevolod Garshin07 - The Caballero's Way by O Henry08 - The Cold Embrace by Mary Elizabeth Braddon09 - The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky by Stephen Crane10 - The Scapegoat by Paul Laurence Dunbar11 - A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell

Welcome to'Amazing Tales Volume 142', a captivating collection where mystery, creativity, and adventure intertwine to transport readers beyond the ordinary. Each story in this anthology explores the depths of human experience through the lens of science fiction and fantasy, promising a journey that is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. In'Moon Dust'by Oliver Saari, delve into the suspenseful mystery of astronaut Jessup. Awaking in a shadowy, enclosed space with no recollection of his mission's end, Jessup is surrounded by an oppressive silence and the disorienting expanse of space. As he struggles to piece together his fragmented memories, he embarks on a gripping quest to reconnect with reality, confronting the unknown that lies within and beyond. Transitioning from the cosmic to the creative, Bill Venable's'Theft'introduces us to Thompson, a beleaguered author whose imagination has run dry. His unexpected saviors come in the form of four peculiar little green men, whose bizarre yet inspiring presence rekindles his creative spark. This whimsical tale explores the mysterious sources of inspiration and the unusual paths they may take. Finally, in'The Trans-Galactic Twins'by George O. Smith, readers are whisked away on a journey of ambition and cosmic adventure. The story unfolds with two protagonists whose intertwined destinies span galaxies, challenging them to navigate the vastness of space and the complexities of their own ambitions. Smith's narrative captures the essence of exploration and the relentless pursuit of one's dreams. Each story in'Amazing Tales Volume 142'is a portal to a different world, inviting readers to explore the limitless possibilities of the universe. With its blend of mystery, creativity, and adventure, this anthology promises to captivate and inspire, leaving an indelible mark on the imagination.

Introducing'Amazing Tales Volume 144', a captivating anthology that delves into the extraordinary and the unknown. From heartwarming quests for companionship to cosmic adventures, these tales weave a tapestry of imagination and wonder. In'The Marrying Monster'by Claus Stamm, Goro longs for a partner to fill the emptiness left by his late wife. As he navigates his culinary experiments, a mysterious woman appears from the forest, challenging his solitude and beliefs. Transitioning to the cosmic realm,'Image of Splendor'by Lu Kella takes readers on a thrilling ride from Venus to Earth. Apprentice Burnerman O'Rielly must confront a rogue control threatening his ship's orbit. Amidst the chaos, his courage and ingenuity are put to the ultimate test. From the stars to the shadows,'The Perverse Erse'by Adrien Coblentz transports us to Moriarty's, a dimly lit bar in South Bend. Here, a gaunt stranger unveils a secret capable of shaking Ireland's core, drawing the regulars into a web of intrigue and tension. Suspense continues in'Beast of Prey'by Jay Williams, set in a Planet Biological Survey Station. As mysterious tragedies strike, the crew battles fear and survival, unraveling a chilling mystery that threatens them all. Concluding this anthology,'The Dreamers'by Lu Kella invites us into a whimsical roadside diner, where dreams blend with reality. Under the neon glow of'Frankie's Frankie', meet the dreamer behind the counter and the enigmatic woman who adds mystery to his life. Each story in'Amazing Tales Volume 144'offers a unique journey, promising readers an unforgettable exploration of the extraordinary.

Step into the extraordinary universe of'Amazing Tales Volume 145', where each story beckons readers into realms of suspense, intrigue, and otherworldly adventures. This anthology promises a captivating journey through the imaginative landscapes crafted by our talented authors. In'Reel Life Films'by Sam Merwin, the tension is palpable as Cyril Bezdek, the genius behind Gigantic Studios, engages in a high-stakes negotiation with E. Carter Dorwin, the powerful banker whose decision could seal the studio's fate. Merwin weaves a tale of ambition and power plays that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Flowing seamlessly into the next thrilling narrative,'Murderer's Chain'by Wenzell Brown explores the dark alleys of desperation and greed. When a man finds himself entangled in a web of ambition and familial tension, the question arises: how far is he willing to go to gain his mother-in-law Maudie's fortune? Set against the vast backdrop of interplanetary intrigue, Brown's tale is a riveting exploration of moral conflict and cosmic secrets. In'Time for Survival'by George O. Smith, the turbulent waves of time threaten to engulf a historian aboard the legendary Mary Celeste. Smith masterfully blends elements of historical mystery and science fiction, crafting a suspenseful narrative where the past and future collide in a fight for survival. Finally,'Sibling'by Leslie Waltham transports readers to the enchanting, azure landscapes of Venus. Here, Andro, a liaison officer, wrestles with identity and belonging, while his wife, Mya, confronts an inner struggle of her own. Amidst the silver-eyed gaze of Venus's inhabitants, Waltham explores themes of alienation and acceptance, painting a vivid picture of a world both strange and beautiful.'Amazing Tales Volume 145'invites you to immerse yourself in stories where human desire, cosmic intrigue, and existential dilemmas come to life in spectacular fashion. Each tale is a doorway to another world, waiting to be explored.

Four action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'by Sam Merwin. Featured here:'The Final Figure','Judas Ram','The Admiral's Walk', and'Arbiter'.

A new collection from the author of Nebula Award winning A Song for a New Day and Philip K Dick Award winning Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea. A half-remembered children's TV show. A hotel that shouldn't exist. A mysterious ballad. A living flag. Nebula and Hugo Award-winning author Sarah Pinsker's second collection brings together a seemingly eclectic group of stories that unite behind certain themes: her touchstones of music and memory are joined by stories about secret subversions and hidden messages in art. Her stories span and transcend genre labels, looking for the truth in strange situations from possible futures to impossible pasts.

Emma Pérez's collection of stories and essays explores issues of gender, race and class.

'Better Than Life'is a short story by Louis Bromfield (1896–1956), an American author and conservationist who gained international recognition, winning the Pulitzer Prize and pioneering innovative scientific farming concepts.

Between the years of 1886 and 1939, the world saw the first automobiles, rapid urbanization, the decay of empires, vast economic inequality, the first airplanes and the terrifying secrets of the atom. It was a time of cataclysmic cultural and technological transformation, and spawned the rise of the literary genres of science fiction, fantasy and horror. This work assembles gems of late nineteenth and early twentieth century genre literature, including stories by such literary giants as H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, C. L. Moore, A. Merritt and E. M. Forster, as well as smaller authors like Clare Winger Harris, Marie Corelli, William Hope Hodgson and others. An array of incisive nonfiction pieces on cultural and scientific advances of the time period provides a context for the anthology's stories.

The Collected Short Stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne is a compendium that encapsulates the rich tapestry of 19th-century American literature, marked by its exploration of moral complexity, human psychology, and the shadows of Puritanism. Hawthorne's signature literary style employs allegory and symbolism, weaving themes of guilt, sin, and redemption through tales like'The Birthmark'and'Young Goodman Brown.” Each story is a profound inquiry into the human condition, set against a backdrop of New England landscapes that further enhances their ethereal quality. Through meticulous prose and masterful narrative structure, Hawthorne invites readers to delve into the darker aspects of existence, often leaving them questioning their own moral compass. Nathaniel Hawthorne, a contemporary of Edgar Allan Poe and Herman Melville, drew inspiration from his New England roots and personal experiences with ancestry, especially concerning his Puritan forebears. This deep-seated connection to the past informed his exploration of themes related to identity and the intrinsic struggle between good and evil. His works often reflect a preoccupation with the consequences of sin and the intertwining of personal fate with societal expectations, offering a unique lens through which to view the spirit of his age. For readers seeking to explore the depth of American literature, The Collected Short Stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne stands as an essential tome. This collection not only showcases Hawthorne's prowess in crafting hauntingly beautiful narratives but also serves as a significant reflection on the psychological and moral quandaries of humanity. It is highly recommended for those who appreciate literary richness, as well as for anyone wishing to engage deeply with the American literary canon.

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's'The Popular Girl,'readers are immersed in the dazzling yet turbulent world of the 1920s American elite, encapsulated through Fitzgerald's signature lyrical prose and incisive social commentary. The narrative deftly explores themes of love, ambition, and the pursuit of identity against a backdrop of moral decay and the allure of fame. With its richly detailed characterizations and sharp observations, the novel serves as both a critique and celebration of the era's cultural zeitgeist, reflecting the complexities of youth and desire amidst the opulence of the Jazz Age. Fitzgerald, a chronicler of the American Dream, drew inspiration from his own experiences as a writer navigating the highs and lows of societal expectations. His fascination with the flapper culture and the rise of consumerism informed his keen insights into the costs of popularity and the fragility of human connection, which are poignantly explored in this work. Fitzgerald's struggles with personal identity, wealth, and romantic entanglements further inform the narrative's depth and emotional resonance. For anyone captivated by the glitz and glamour of the Roaring Twenties or interested in the poignant exploration of societal values,'The Popular Girl'is an essential read. It invites readers to examine the often painful dichotomy between public persona and private reality, making it a timeless commentary on the human condition.

The Leigh Brackett Science Fiction MEGAPACK® presents 13 classic science fiction works -- 2 novels and 13 shorter stories -- by an acclaimed master of the genre, dubbed the'Queen of Space Opera'by her legion of fans. Included in this volume are: THE STELLAR LEGIONA WORLD IS BORNTHE DRAGON-QUEEN OF JUPITEROUTPOST ON IOTHRALLS OF THE ENDLESS NIGHTCITADEL OF LOST SHIPSTHE BLUE BEHEMOTHTERROR OUT OF SPACETHE JEWEL OF BASTHE VANISHING VENUSIANSBLACK AMAZON OF MARSTHE STARMENLAST CALL FOR SECTOR 9G If you enjoy this ebook, check out the hundreds of others in the MEGAPACK® series, covering science fiction, fantasy, horror, mysteries, westerns, and much, much more. Search your favorite ebook store for'Wildside Press Megapack'to see available titles.

Art and life. Each the mirror of the other. This then is the classic definition of what ‘Realism'as a writing form really is. Some might call it a fancy term for the mundane day to day pursuits but in the hands of an author it comes alive. We are drawn into characters and landscapes that we can empathize with, we can, metaphorically speaking, help shoulder their burden, be on the long trail with them whatever the landscapes, the hurdles, incidents and other people may place in their literary way. In this volume such luminaries as Jack London, Kate Chopin, O Henry, Bret Harte and many others bring their talents to this remarkable volume.Genius has many names.

A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF THE YEAR • An emotionally rich collection of short stories, painting a fascinating portrait of contemporary India and its diaspora and a yearning rendering of the people and places we call home, from a major new literary talent.“A full-hearted, brilliant debut of necessary beauty.” —Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, author of Chain-Gang All-Stars and New York Times bestseller Friday Black'Injam's stories made me want to cast all else aside and return home.” —Megha Majumdar, author of A BurningVivid, vibrant, and unwaveringly affecting, The Best Possible Experience brings us intimate, impeccably realized accounts of individuals living in one of the most populous countries in the world and in its American diaspora—all haunted, in every sense of the word, by a loss of home. Classically elegant in prose and consistently modern in outlook, Nishanth Injam's stories ques­tion what it means to have a home and to return home, and show, above all, that home is not a place so much as it is people who are ready to accept you as you are. We see a young man trapped on a bus on the way to visit his parents as his fellow pas­sengers vanish into the restroom. A family, newly in America, determined to host a perfect luncheon for their son's white classmate—with no idea what to serve him. A woman who returns to a small vil­lage in India every summer to visit the grandfather who raised her, a man who lives with the ghosts of his son and his wife. And a man preparing for his green card interview with the American woman he has paid to marry him. A sui generis talent, Injam first started writing after coming to the United States from India in his twenties. The Best Possible Experience, his profoundly personal debut collection, delivers a universal in­quiry into the idea of belonging and preserves in writing the home he left behind, before it was lost

“A powerful and provocative debut collection” (The New York Times Book Review) by “a startling talent who can seemingly do anything” (Anthony Marra) that explores the lives of ordinary people in Turkey to reveal how even individual acts of resistance have extraordinary repercussions.“I Am My Country employs many different literary styles and voices to dazzling effect.”—The AtlanticFINALIST FOR THE PEN/ROBERT W. BINGHAM PRIZE • LONGLISTED FOR THE STORY PRIZE • AN ELECTRIC LIT AND LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR Spanning decades and landscapes, from the forests along the Black Sea to the streets of Istanbul, Kenan Orhan's ​playful stories ​conjure dreamlike worlds—of talking animals, flying houses, and omniscient prayer-callers—to ​examine humanity's unfaltering pursuit of hope in even the darkest circumstances.A determined florist trains a neighborhood stray dog to blow up a corrupt president. A garbage collector finds banned instruments—and later, musicians—in the trash and takes them home to form a clandestine orchestra in her attic. A smuggler risks his life to bring a young woman claiming to be pregnant via immaculate conception across the border with Syria. A poor cage-maker tries to use his ability to talk to birds to woo his childhood love just before the 1955 Istanbul pogrom. These characters are united by a desperate yearning to break free from the volatile realities they face: rising authoritarianism, cultural and political turmoil, and staggering violence.Ranging from the absurd to the tenderhearted, the stories in I Am My Country illuminate the constant force amid one country's history of rampant oppression and revolutionary progress: the impulse to survive.

These dazzling stories show a crime fiction veteran at the height of his career.In his first-ever collection, the award-winning author of the Billy Boyle World War II mysteries presents an eclectic mix of new and previously published mystery stories rife with historical detail and riveting wartime storytelling.“The Horse Chestnut Tree” explores betrayal and murder during the American Revolution. In the speculative work “Glass,” an atomic supercollider and the breakdown of the time-space continuum change the lives of two cousins devoured by greed. “Vengeance Weapon,” a historical thriller about an enslaved Jewish laborer working at the Dora concentration camp, looks at how far someone will go to get revenge. And for his Billy Boyle fans, Benn delivers “Irish Tommy,” a police procedural set in 1944 Boston featuring Billy's father and uncle.Full of terror, action, amusement, and bliss, The Refusal Camp is a must-have collection from a crime fiction veteran at the height of his career.