Book excerpt: The Story by Nathaniel FarcasA young man comes home, but home is not what he thought it was... and I guess it is a supernatural tale.A Royal Pain in the Ear by Lauren LangRoyal earaches are no laughing matter for a court jester.Uprooted by Jon Fain A Hollywood location manager goes to a place he thought he' d never see again — his hometown — to deal with unpleasant memories and the complex needs of his estranged family.Open House by Elizabeth S. DevecchiA young realtor is assigned her first open house, a step toward independence and escape from an abusive husband. The mysterious inhabitants of the little fixer-upper have different plans for her.The Kipling Lamp by Eric D. LehmanA young man buys a magical lamp that belonged to Rudyard Kipling in order to become a famous writer, but it does not go as smoothly as he hopes.Copper by Brittany BellA lonely girl befriends her elderly neighbor one summer after her parents cut ties with her best friend' s family for undisclosed reasons.All For You, Sara Sue by Ken GoldmanMeet Darcy and Elliot, a childless couple who desperately want a baby of their own but find they are unable to conceive. Together they discover a most unusual way to make that birth happen — and Sara Sue is born! But at what cost..?Basement Bob by Brittany BellAn eleven-year-old girl undergoes a formative experience while trying to impress an older boy by spying on the town' s enigmatic recluse, akin to Boo Radley.The Weeping Scimitar by Vincent Czyz“ The Weeping Scimitar,” set in the hinterlands of an unnamed Eastern European country in the 19th century, is the tale of a judgment, a blood debt, and a small band of brigands bent on escaping a gulag. The Geisha in the Attic by Dalton MireA ” Southern Belle” is exiled by missionaries to a House of Geisha in 1860s Japan, and her letters inspire a woman in the 21st Century.Statute of Limitations by Gary ZenkerThe long arm of the law has an even longer reach than one might guess.People on the Roads and in the Gardens by Mykyta RyzhykhA story about war, people, roads, cities.The Fisherman by Kim RansleyWhat if the sea is your only friend?Ricochet by Mark WilliamsTeenage banjo prodigy, Harlan Dillbeck, goes to Bardstown, Kentucky, where, after giving up his dreams of banjo stardom, he becomes a master bourbon taster. Years later, with help from his former banjo-playing nemesis, Sam Boone, Harlan hopes to rescue his son from a nine-fingered hitman, Duke Earl.The Memory Bench by Beck ErixsonCraving a memory' s soul makes hot chocolate bittersweet. Begin Again by Ibtisam ShahbazThis story captures the tale of two lovers as melodies echoing in different corners of the world, whose soundwaves have collided at last.Respite by Jennifer CinguinaThe Audition by Brittany BellA talented musician confronts guilt over his younger sister' s death while auditioning for Julliard.Never Enough by Caroline Shannon DavenportAbundant Accumulations and Acquirements. A game? A need?Schmeared Reputation by Gary ZenkerLife dishes out a serving of the darker side of people, with a side of irony.The Results by Joseph A. SchillerOur future no longer holds any secrets from us. We may wish it did.As My Father Was Dying by Caroline Shannon DavenportBeing pulled away but painfully, slowly, slowly, being pulled toward... Last Kiss by Gary ZenkerIf you know the secret being hidden, is it still a secret?Art Project by John TavaresMonster by Jerry PurdonA man is disappointed in his quest to assert his authority and making others disappointed. As his plans unravel, with his main target' s death, he sets is