Seriously, this basket gets heavier every time. I enter grandmother’s cottage without knocking. Ten years ago, when I started bringing her food, she told me to just come in. I don’t argue with grandma, and it’s a good thing, considering what happened with the wolf. “Grandma.” I place the basket on the kitchen table. The…
Throwback Thursday | An UNDERWATER Excerpt: “Diluvium” by Anthony S. Buoni
“How deep is it?” “Here it’s about…seventeen—maybe twenty feet. As we get closer to Canal Street, that number decreases. New Orleans is…was shaped like a cereal bowel. The Vieux Carré was built on the high ground before the levee system, better protecting the French Quarter from floodwaters. Problem is the city is constantly sinking, even…
Throwback Thursday | A DISTORTED Excerpt: “Apotheosis” by Rebecca Lynch
The moment Dominick Chance opened his eyes he understood that he numbered among the dead. A slight twinge echoed in his neck; a remnant of his fatal injury. He shot half off the plush bed he reclined in, looked around in a panic, and prayed Sophie survived the wreck. Not seeing her anywhere went halfway…
Throwback Thursday | An ON FIRE Excerpt: “Fire Night” by J. Lee Strickland
I’ll go now to the well. That’s next, like every day. Water no less wet that William’s gone, and drinking no less necessary that no pleasure gives. That plate there on the sideboard needs a rinse and, too, the spoon, like every day. Tiarella takes the two oak buckets and their yoke from the low shelf…
Throwback Thursday | An AFTER THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER Excerpt: “Ten Days After the Happily Ever After” by Amelia Steiner
I smacked my knight in shining armor on the head with a heavy skillet. He wasn’t wearing his armor at the time so he grimaced, but I digress. On our wedding day, my father, the king, gave us a ton of gold, a full two thousand pounds worth. He also gave us a castle in a neighboring…
Throwback Thursday | An UNDERWATER Excerpt: “Beached” by M . Howard
Sal woke up to the raucous “hellos” of his pet raven, Ruben, which meant that the tide was out and that it was time to make the rounds. It was a bit cool, but not cool enough to induce him to put on anything over the singlet and boxer shorts he’d worn to bed. He…
Throwback Thursday | A DISTORTED Excerpt: “The Lady of the Flames” by Autumn Lishky
Loowit’s spirit flames dissipated, shrinking her, wrapping her in the cage of squishy flesh before the god Takhoma deposited her halfway down her mountain. She tumbled the rest of the way into the blood spilled from the dark maiden, staining Lootwit’s pale skin and white hair red. Her hands grew wrinkled, lined with blue and…
Throwback Thursday | An ON FIRE Excerpt: “A Solstice Memory” by Sean Padraic McCarthy
June 18, 2016 The corpse was on the front porch when I pulled in from work. He sat in one of the white rocking chairs that Cheryl bought at Ocean State Job Lot, staring at the house across the street. At least with the one eye he still had left. Despite being after six, the…
Throwback Thursday | An AFTER THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER Excerpt: “That Time He Had to Make Decisions” by Amanda Iles
Prince Phillip’s life used to be filled with action, adventure, heroism, and focused passion—all things he excelled at. He used to think himself the most fortunate prince. Then he made the mistake of finding the princess he’d spent years looking for, releasing her from a wicked enchantment with a one-sided kiss that felt pretty creepy,…
Throwback Thursday | An UNDERWATER Excerpt: “Baiting the Hook” by R. Judas Brown
When the catch dries up, you move upstream, inland through the rivers and creeks, until you find fresher waters. Teddy guided his flat-bottomed boat through the shallow channel, checking his juglines and limblines. A couple sets of tags under his and family members’ names let him run as many lines as he wanted. State limits…
Throwback Thursday | A DISTORTED Excerpt: “Your Name is Leda” by Catherine Edmunds
You’ve always been afraid of tunnels, turnings where you can’t see what’s round the bend—it might be a man with a flame thrower, or it might be Swanny Fred from Mr. Robertson’s class; Swanny Fred who throws chalk at you and lifts your skirt, and you hate him, especially today when the boys have dared…
Why I Write Mysteries by Madison Estes
One day, I was out walking my dog around the neighborhood, and a young boy approached me and started talking to me about his family and pets. Once the sun began to set, I told him we should go and asked him if he’d like me to walk him home. He said no, but my…
