Nerine Dorman

What is true evil? How do you fight it? Since she was little, Lada wanted to be part of the Order of Fennarin, one of the warrior-monks who are the last bastion in a war against the demons and insurgents that threaten her island home. Yet to achieve her dream, Lada turned blood traitor, her decision leading to the death and exile of her family. Her betrayal comes to haunt her now, ten years later, when her elders demand that she oversees her brother Ailas's trial. Lada feared him lost forever, thanks to his covenant with demons, which makes him anathema to her and her order. Will she deny her blood and uphold the order that's become her family? Or will she listen to the whispers of the demons? After all, they might just be telling the truth - though a truth that may make her question everything, even the organisation to which she's entrusted her very soul.

The Firebird

Alan Baxter

Ramsey Campbell

Christopher Golden

Stephen Graham Jones

Paul Tremblay

Damien Angelica Walters

Bracken MacLeod

Sarah Read

Karen Runge

Suspended in Dusk II

Tade Thompson

James Bennett

Nnedi Okorafor

Nick Wood

Dilman Dila

Jayne Bauling

Joe Vaz

Vianne Venter

Joan De La Haye

Chikodili Emelumadu

Dave De Burgh

Su Opperman

T.L. Huchu

S. Lotz

Toby Bennett

African Monsters (Fox Spirit Books of Monsters) (Volume 2)

“In a future society where various alien races mix with humans, twelve-year-old Nuri performs crimes for Vadith until the day she is called away from her home in the slums by an irresistible song only she can hear. Nuri ends up in a secret training facility with the cream of Terra’s youth, who are all competing for the ultimate prize.”--Publisher’s description.

Sing Down the Stars

Sarah Lotz

Autumn Christian

Liz Strange

Carrie Clevenger

Sonya Clark

Donn Webb

Rab Fulton

Amy Burgess

Anna Reith

D. C. Petterson

A whisper of butterflies' wings promises a lonely old man his heart's desire; mages draw upon music to work magic; and a fearful symmetry threatens an alien realm. Be it in our dreams or flights of fancy that take us into uncharted territory, our hopes and desires often birth twisted imaginings. This selection of tales, some devious or whimsical, others downright eerie and unsettling, offer glimpses into other, darker realities. Allow Amy Lee Burgess, Anna Reith, Autumn Christian, Carrie Clevenger, DC Petterson, Don Webb, Liz Strange, Nerine Dorman, Rab Fulton, Sarah Lotz, SL Schmitz, Sonya Clark and Toby Bennett to remove you from what's familiar - just for a short while - and bring you back changed.

Dark Harvest

The first time Lizzie dies is a learning experience. Then again, anyone new to an ancient Egyptian reincarnation cult would have no idea what to expect once they've made it past the Hall of Judgment.Now that she's been sent back to find out why her husband from her past life is missing, the last thing Lizzie expects is to wake up in the wrong body, stuck with the mess its previous tenant left behind. In fact, she's in agreement that whoever ran Ashton Kennedy over with a big shiny SUV did the world a massive favour.Some secrets, she soon discovers, are better left buried, especially in a world where enemies are eternal, and death does not offer a final solution.

Inkarna

Bloody Parchment: The Root Cellar and Other Stories brings a fresh crop of horror and dark literature from the most recent South African HorrorFest Bloody Parchment short story competition. From dreary subterranean chambers and angelic visitations to the many-legged horrors of alien invaders and a meeting with the Devil himself, this collection of tales offers readers the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the likes of Toby Bennett (winner), and runners-up Anna Reith and Chris Limb. Finalists include Diane Awerbuck, Simon Dewar, Zane Marc Gentis, Stephen Hewitt, Benjamin Knox, Lee Mather, Glen Mehn, S.A. Partridge, and Icy Sedgwick.

The Root Cellar and Other Stories

Bloody Parchment

Gwendolyn Kiste

Angela Slatter

Dan Rabarts

Letitia Trent

Paul Michael Anderson

Simon Dewar

Annie Neugebauer

JC Michael

Benjamin Knox

DUSK DEFENDS THE LIGHT FROM THE DARK. SOMETIMES… Life is nothing if not constant change. And these changes force us to make terrifying choices that will lead us into either the light or the dark. Dusk is this tipping point, where things go well, or where they go very, very bad. Suspended in Dusk II continues the legacy of editor Simon Dewar's anthology series. Volume II includes the disturbing work of seventeen extremely diverse voices from the horror and speculative fiction genres. -- Teenage boys navigate the Dark Web where diabolical games of life and death await… -- A woman stalked by shadows gets answers she doesn't want to hear… -- Ghost hunters commune with malevolent spirits seeking vengeance on the living... -- A family confronts a Maori legend that's less myth and far more terrifying truth… -- A young man explores a love that continues to gnaw long after it's gone… -- A group of adults encounter childhood fears that will not die… -- And so much more. Suspended in Dusk II is introduced by Angela Slatter and includes fiction from Ramsey Campbell, Stephen Graham Jones, Bracken MacLeod, Damien Angelica Walters, Alan Baxter, Paul Tremblay, Sarah Read, Christopher Golden, Nerine Dorman, Dan Rabarts, Gwendolyn Kiste, Benjamin Knox, Annie Neugebauer, J.C. Michael, Letitia Trent, Paul Michael Anderson and Karen Runge. Confront your change. But you must first survive dusk. Praise for Suspended in Dusk II: "Simon Dewar's second installment of the series really delivers. This collection has thrown together a multitude of quality writing that begs to be read. There is darkness in the margins of each page, smudges of black ink threatening to swallow the reader when they aren't expecting," – Brian Bogart, Kendall Reviews "Suspended in Dusk II grabs you by the throat from the very first story and does not let go. I honestly can't overstate how good this anthology was. There are some very heavy topics in the stories but…not a single one is played merely for shock value or cheap emotion." – Gracie Kat, Sci-Fi & Scary "I appreciated the large amount of diversity in this book; from the foreword it became clear that individuals of all shapes of life were given the chance to contribute, and I feel that's largely absent in anthologies these days." – Red Lace Reviews Proudly presented by Grey Matter Press, the home of multiple Bram Stoker Award-nominated volumes of horror. Grey Matter Press: Where Dark Thoughts Thrive

Available for a limited time — four complete works by Nerine Dorman. RAVEN KIN Silas is the last of a rare species of alchemical creature, and he’s quite content in his role as his mistress’s favoured companion. Anwyn is kind, and in his eyes a goddess. What more could a griffin ask for? Only all is not perfect in the city of Anfi, where unfortunates are considered chattel, and the shift from noble to slave can happen overnight. Mistresses, however kind, do not possess divine powers. And fate has other plans for Anwyn. Silas must learn all that there is about what it means to be raven kin. Pampered pets don’t live long when they’re left out in the cold. The might of the Janian Empire is great, yet when Silas finds himself embarking on a desperate mission, he discovers that there are things greater even than an empire. And empires crumble. ***** IN SOUTHERN DARKNESS A young woman will go to great lengths to discover the truth behind her ex-boyfriend’s supposed death, even if it means travelling into the unknown, with little or no resources. A vampire and a mortal share a passion for music, and a forbidden mutual fascination at the mercy of greater powers. These two novellas by Nerine Dorman have now been revised and re-released, this time as the In Southern Darkness duology, and reflect a dark vision for lovers of South African speculative fiction. ***** THE GUARDIAN'S WYRD Sometimes having a fairytale prince as a best friend can be a real pain. Jay didn't realise that sticking up for Rowan, the gangly new kid at school, would plunge him into the dangers and politics of the magical realm of Sunthyst. But if anyone is up for the challenge it's Jay September. With his trusty dog, Shadow, at his side, he braves the Watcher in the dark that guards the tunnels between the worlds, and undertakes a dangerous quest to rescue the prince. It's a race against time – can he sneak Prince Rowan away from under King Lessian's nose and bring him safely back home – all before the prince's sixteenth birthday? Or is Rowan's mother, the exiled Queen Persia, secretly trying to hold onto her power by denying her son his birthright? Jay is ready for anything, except, perhaps, the suffocating darkness of the tunnels. And that howling … ***** DAWN'S BRIGHT TALONS They are as night to day–but blood will tell when facing a common enemy. A sought-after dancer in the upmarket Moonlit Garden, Isabeau Letier, has not given her future much thought. All that matters is the art of dance, and charming wealthy patrons into parting with a few extra coins. She has her exotic good looks and her youth. What could possibly go wrong? When a mysterious nobleman pays her undue attention, Isabeau’s darker, bloodthirsty nature awakens and she kills him with her bare hands after he follows her home. Even worse, she drinks and enjoys his blood. Her brother, Eric, returns home to this disturbing tableau yet remains calm even as the corpse sifts to ash in the morning sun. Isabeau has no choice but to follow her sibling’s lead. Not many people know that Michel Roux, owner of a slightly down-at-heel theatre in the District of Paper Lanterns, is a vampire. He prefers to keep things that way and steer clear of the petty politicking of the city's vampiric subculture. When his estranged sire, Tomas, goes missing, and his grandsire sets him the task of solving the mystery, Michel is unwillingly dragged into all of the very dangerous games he thought he’d left behind him. Isabeau and Michel become unlikely allies as they try to wriggle their way out of being the pawns in a game where they don’t know the rules. Isabeau’s ancient heritage is a danger, not only to herself, but to the established hierarchies at odds with one another in the city of Ysul, and the elders are desperate to either control her — or kill her. As events unwind, it becomes increasingly difficult to separate friend from foe, and as the two flee for their lives they must also explore the true nature of the bond that they've forged and uncover the ages-old secrets that have pushed them onto this path. Warring factions are about to overturn centuries of custom, and two young people are marked to pay the price — in blood.

The Wayfarer: Four Tales

Silas is the last of a rare species of alchemical creature, and he’s quite content in his role as his mistress’s favoured companion. Anwyn is kind, and in his eyes a goddess. What more could a griffin ask for? Only all is not perfect in the city of Anfi, where unfortunates are considered chattel, and the shift from noble to slave can happen overnight. Mistresses, however kind, do not possess divine powers. And fate has other plans for Anwyn. Silas must learn all that there is about what it means to be raven kin. Pampered pets don’t live long when they’re left out in the cold. The might of the Janian Empire is great, yet when Silas finds himself embarking on a desperate mission, he discovers that there are things greater even than an empire. And empires crumble.

Raven Kin

A princess encounters an unspeakable amphibian horror in an abandoned garden. Swarms of killer bees produce a mysterious blue honey. Sometimes evil awakens in the hearts of innocents starving slowly in a snow-locked cabin. These are but a few of the stories contained within the South African Horrorfest’s Bloody Parchment: Blue Honey and The Valley of Shadow. The pick of 2014’s entries, edited by Nerine Dorman, includes Toby Bennett, Dave de Burgh, John Paul Davies, Elaine Dodge, EL Garcia, Abi Godsell, Benjamin Knox, Belinda Lewis, Austin Malone, Bernice Mills, Icy Sedgwick, Jason Mykl Snyman, and Nic Zav. This year’s winners were a joint number one, with Bernice Mills and Benjamin Knox sharing the honours for their tales. Stories included in this collection: "The Man with a House on his Back" — Elaine Dodge "Get out of Death Free?" — E Garcia "Bernard Gets a New Job" — Nic Zav "Mermaid" — Abi Godsell "Stolen Kisses" — Toby Bennett "Ignatius" — John Paul Davies "Exertion" — Dave de Burgh "Mastication (The Wendigo Children)" — Jason Mykl Snyman "Midnight Screams at Holborn" — Icy Sedgwick "Motherland" — Belinda Lewis "The Valley of Shadow" — Bernice Mills "Host" — Austin Malone "Blue Honey" — Benjamin Knox

Blue Honey and The Valley of Shadow

Sometimes gentrification brings with it unexpected, sinister results, or your neighbours harbour secrets. Social media has a darker side or maybe it’s your kitchen appliances that are plotting against you. Who knows? The South African HorrorFest Bloody Parchment anthology, Beachfront Starter Home, Good Bones and Other Stories, offers you a selection of tales that will take you from the comfort of your home to deeper, disturbing destinations drawn from its 2013 competition finalists. Step inside, draw up a chair near the fire, and discover the dark visions of these authors.

Beachfront Starter Home, Good Bones and Other Stories

Ciara Ballintyne

Suah Joo

Six months ago, the disgraced wizard, Alloran, sacrificed his hand and risked his life and soul to rescue the woman he loves from his traitorous friend. Despite saving the city from a demon, his reputation remains ruined, and the council of wizards has punished him severely for practicing banned magic. Now he learns his desperate attempt to banish the demon was a mistake that threatens to send the whole world to hell. To unravel the damage he has done, Alloran is compelled to break the rules and venture into forbidden places against the order of the council. Alloran must choose between saving himself and everything he holds dear.

Stalking the Demon

Icy Sedgwick

Though Jyximus Faire lives in a crumbling tenement in the Underground City, he escapes the squalor daily to attend lessons in magic and sorcery at the prestigious Academy in the City Above. But the pace isn't fast enough for Jyx. He wants to learn everything - and he wants to learn it now. Then the dread necromancer general Eufame Delsenza sets her sights on Jyx; she needs a new apprentice, and Jyx fits the bill. When she tasks him with helping to prepare royal mummies for an all-important procession, he realises this might be a chance of a lifetime. Will Jyx's impatience lead to him taking his education into his own inexperienced hands, and can a necromancer's apprentice really learn to raise the dead - and control them?

The Necromancer's Apprentice

Nerine Dorman

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