Twisted Realities: Of
Myth and Monstrosity from Sirens Call Publications…
Where does your mind wander when asked what
would happen if modern man were to encounter the creatures or lore of old? Do
you see Gods from mythology destroying mankind for having ravaged the world?
Would you wonder if a trinket could call down the wrath of a vile demon upon
you? Would you dream of having your every wish granted by a mystical object,
only to realize the price too late?
We asked the twelve authors of the stories
included in Twisted Realities: Of Myth
and Monstrosity to do just that. Reach back into time, pull forward a myth,
and spin a tale that would not only captivate today’s readers, but perchance
capture them as well.
Myth or reality…
Explore the twelve tales of horror
and intrigue in Twisted Realities: Of Myth and Monstrosity and ask
yourself, what would you consider a fair price to pay for life immortal... or
the chance of life at all?
Would a young woman pass up a shiny
bauble if she believed it to be nothing more than a harmless trinket? What
transpires once a year in a peaceful and remote village that no one will ever
speak of? What better way for a broken man to honor a crippled existence than
with a memorial of blood and vengeance? How could a disfigured woman ever dream
of chancing across an object that would restore her beauty - and at what cost?
Follow the twists and turns of each
writer as they delve into the legends of days gone by, as well as the
consequences that are wrought when myths and monstrosities collide with our
world.
Contributing Authors include:
Thomas James Brown, Nina D'Arcangela,
K. Trap Jones, Amber Keller, Lisamarie Lamb, Edward Lorn, Alexa Muir, Kate
Monroe, Joseph A. Pinto, J. Marie Ravenshaw, Julianne Snow, and Jonathan
Templar
Pick up a copy of Twisted Realities: Of Myth
and Monstrosity and delve inside. Available in print and digital version from:
eBook: Amazon, Amazon.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.it, Amazon.es, Smashwords (Nook, Kobo, Sony and Kindle
eReaders)
Excerpts from three of
the twelve stories contained within Twisted Realities: Of Myth and Monstrosity. For a preview of all 12 stories, please go to SirensCallPublications.com
Voices – Kate Monroe
No one believed in the gods of old. Maeve blamed the internet for
the birth of the new wave of cynicism that had pervaded throughout the world
she restlessly roamed. No one accepted anything at face value these days.
Magic was once widely acknowledged and respected; witches and
warlocks were a common feature of every village that she cast her net over. Now
it was no more than a child’s fairytale and literary escapism for those who
quietly rebelled against the skepticism of the twenty first century. Even the
lore of old was dismissed as old wives’ tales and uninformed mumbo-jumbo. What
chance did the gods stand when to almost everyone they were intangible,
inexplicable; and, in the truest sense of the word, incredible?
Maeve, though – or the being that wore the name of Maeve Regan –
was a goddess. She had reveled, once, secure and resplendent in the soothing
embrace of unfailing belief in who she was and what she stood for. Entire
armies would fall at her feet and sing her praises, lifting their voices to the
heavens in exaltation and fear. Oh, yes; fear!
She shuddered in delight as she allowed herself a moment’s somber recollection.
A Fair Price – Alexa Muir
A splash sounded to Hannah’s left. She
swung her head, her copper hair cascading over her neck, but saw only ripples
in the water by the side of the pool. Puzzled, she got up from her comfortable
perch and walked over to the pool’s edge. Though she peered intently into the
pool’s depths, she saw nothing; the water was clear and sparkling all the way
to the mosaic bottom. With an internal shrug, she decided to seek out Matt for
herself.
Studying her nails as she wandered past
the lounger, Hannah reached down one handed to pick up her book, only for her
fingers to meet the wooden tabletop with a scrape. It wasn’t there. Grumbling,
she went onto one knee and peered under the table, and then under the lounger.
Still no book. She could have sworn she put it there. A little worm of unease
slinked into her guts, but she decided to ignore it and continued her way
around the house. She could hear Matt laughing and knew that Jess would be the
source of the amusement.
“Jess, stop, get off, stop it!” The
words came fractured between Matt’s laughter, and when Hannah came round the
corner she saw that he was having a tug of war with Jess for the hose he’d been
washing the paving with. It looked like Jess was winning.
Riddle Me Real – Lisamarie Lamb
She ignores me. It’s a curious tactic for a therapist. If she
expects me to speak first, she will be disappointed. I can wait for her.
Waiting. It’s what I’ve done for millennia. There’s no reason why I should rush
anything now. We sit opposite one another, both outwardly relaxed in our
matching leather chairs. Strangely, I can’t read her, or I would know whether
this was an act or not. It is for me. I am nervous. I know what I want to say
and yet I don’t know how to say it. I wonder if she can section me. I wonder if
she should. She’s not a priest - she’s not bound by the confessional - so I
have no idea whether she would tell on me. Of course, she would have to believe
me first, and there’s the sticking point. I don’t think she will.
“So, why are you here?”
Her voice is as I thought it would be. Smooth, velvet. It is
calming and cajoling, and I think I will tell her everything, despite my
misgivings. Surely the worst that could happen would be a lifetime – many
lifetimes – spent in a white walled hospital where I could rest and be at
peace? That doesn’t sound so bad. I clear my throat.
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