Fractured Realms: A charity Anthology in Aid of the Autism Trust By Horrified Press

Fractured Realms: A charity Anthology in Aid of the Autism Trust includes a poem written by me, titled "If I Had One Wish".  The poem strays from my usual horror and fantasy roots.  Then again, what is more horrifying than finding out a child will suffer from autism for the rest of his or her life?

"Extraordinary people marked ‘not normal’ come from all different walks of life. For far too long, a shroud of darkness was thrown over those who’ve had boundless potential to transcend greatness; shunned and cast out through the misjudgment forced upon them. People enduring isolation from being trapped inside their own minds. People labeled with an ASD-Autism Spectrum Disorder. Seeds of greatness cannot be cultivated through judgment and condemnation. Imagine a world never having heard the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? Never seeing the extraordinary art of Michelangelo? What if Sir Isaac Newton hadn’t discovered gravity, and laws of motion that would be relevant 300 years later? And for all the writers out there…were you aware that Lewis Carroll—author of ‘Alice in Wonderland’—fell under the umbrella of Autism? So to all of you, who are reading this, ask yourself… “Is Autism a disorder, or is it a gift?” Through their short stories and poetry, a collection of talented authors have tackled that question."

Horrified Press, at the direction of Suzie and Bruce Lockhart, compiled an amazing collection in this book. I am proud to be part of this collection and the cause that it supports.

Product Details

ISBN

9781291913705

Copyright

Horrified Press (Standard Copyright License)

Edition

1st

Publisher

Horrified Press

Published

June 14, 2014

Language

English

Pages

195

Binding

Perfect-bound Paperback

Interior Ink

Black & white

Weight

0.77 lbs.

Dimensions (inches)

5.83 wide x 8.26 tall

Demonic Possessions, by JWK Fiction

In Demonic Possessions, my story "Wicked Possession" takes a witchier approach to possession. 

Beware demons. They live amongst us and within us.

• Print Length: 218 pages
• Publisher: James Ward Kirk Publishing (July 1, 2014)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00LGWQH1M

Final Reverie, published by J. Ellington Ashton Press

After many changes, Final Reverie is finally released! This book became a part of me quite quickly, and I have been in love with it since the beginning.  As my first full novel, I could not wait to share it with the world!

My debut novel, Final Reverie, is now available on kindle and paperback. Join in on the adventures of Franklyn and Chij as they embark on an epic journey and battle true evil.
"Mother Nature’s shrieks were heard across the realm when man’s technological burden ushered Armageddon upon her flesh. The malevolent urges within her magical aura escaped with a vengeance upon the lands, much of it finding solace in a concentration of power within the nefarious vessel of Nafets. Her only hope for a future of peace was to release her own virtuous magical aura upon the land, spreading it far into the hidden reaches of her peaks and valleys.
Two heroes, Franklyn – an adolescent boy, and Chij – his wolf brother, travel the land with a sole purpose of helping those that cannot defend themselves from the creatures that lurk and feed upon the weak. In a twist of fate, their carefree days come to an end when tasked to search out Nafets and destroy his hold upon the world, and once again balance out the yin and yang of magical existence.
Throughout their journey, Franklyn and Chij encounter heroes of the past that guide them toward the final battle, as well as Atrin - an aspiring adversary that wishes to overthrow Nafets and claim his seat upon the throne of malevolence.
Franklyn and Chij endure an emotional journey filled with blood, tears, and self-discovery as they encounter the unexpected and become entangled in an expedition that will test their abilities and emotions further than ever before."

Available now:

Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/Final-Reverie-Essel-Pratt-ebook/dp/B00LCFLB3M/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1403908281&sr=1-1&keywords=Final+Reverie
 
Paperback:
https://www.createspace.com/4864203

Misunderstood: An Anthology for Those Hiding Behind a Mask of Hope

Misunderstood: An Anthology for Those Hiding Behind a Mask of Hope is a special project I have been working on.  Although I have one poem included within, this book is the sum of some fantastic up and coming writers.  Each was brave enough to share their inner feelings in both poem and story form.  The editing may be rough in parts, the grammar may not be perfect.  It isn't meant to be.  Instead, I allowed the raw nature of the submissions to shine through the feelings that were emitted onto the page. 

"Being a misunderstood youth in today's society can mean many things to many people. For a parent, it can be a confusing time. We often attribute misunderstandings to their use of technology, in lieu of the imagination that we expressed at their ages. For our children, it can be a frustrating experience. They desire relief form the pains they endure each and every day, whether emotionally, physically, or in secret, yet they fear the stigma of a drug induced cure. This book is about the frustrations, fears, facades, and frailties that our youth is faced with each and every day. It is an attempt to express the power of hope and desire for relief. The contributors within have agreed to share their bravery in the form of pictures and words, reveling the reality behind the mask that our youths wear each and every day."

The contributors to this project are each new to the writing business, but their passion that is shared within is unmatched.  Please feel free to review the book, not on the overall visual content, but on the emotional content that is within.  After reading each piece, I urge you to then read their bios at the end to get a feel for the people that were brave enough to share their innermost thoughts.

BATTLE BEHIND THE MASK. 2

Co-Written by Mike McSurdy and Andrew Buttillo

THE EARTH BENEATH MY BODY WANTS TO BE BETTER ACQUAINTED.. 6

Michelle Haynes

NOTHING IS GETTING BETTER. 8

Peyton Pratt

ONE MORE DAY. 10

Franklin K. Johnson

SCARS. 12

Jordan Smith

PRETEND.. 14

Elektra Schubert

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER. 17

Andrew Buttillo

BLACK HOLE. 21

D. Souza

CHANGE IS GOOD.. 22

Jordan Baxter

My CORNER. 25

D. Souza

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. 27

Andrew Buttillo

OUR LAST NIGHT. 30

D. Souza

THE ADDICT. 40

Jordan Smith

DETRIMENTAL PERMANENCE. 41

Essel Pratt

YOU ARE DIFFERENT. 45

D. Souza

FATHERLESS. 47

Jordan Smith

LOVE SUCKS. 49

D. Souza

DROWNING.. 56

Mike McSurdy

THE VICTIM... 58

Jordan Smith

YOU’RE NOT ALONE. 60

Mike McSurdy

. 65 

Undead War: Tales of the Zombie Apocalypse (Dead Guns Press) (Volume 2)

The Undead War: Tales of the Zombie Apocalypse, vol. 2 is a collection about those hat should not have survived.  Those that our society claims are abnormal in comparison to normalcy.  My story, "XMB3", was originally written for a charity anthology that sadly never happened.  However, I kept it in a safe place as I waited for the perfect opportunity to submit.  Luckily, this anthology came along. 

"The Undead War means a battle of survival for the remaining pockets of humanity. It's the only thing that matters these days. Survive and win at all cost. The old ways of life mean nothing anymore. Those God-forsaken 9-to-5 jobs, the bills, the corporate empires, politicians bickering over stupid crap, all those laws on the books and everything that meant anything were swept aside. That includes those nice big screens televisions, computers, jewelry, gold, those fancy cars and the money that everyone slaved their asses off to get - it don't mean a damn thing anymore. When those things came back to life, the governments said they were going to eradicate the undead, the zombies, zekes, ferals, walkers or whatever those damned things are being called these days, but instead the governments the world over just collapsed. There's nothing left of the old ways of life just the surviving and dying. Everyone here has got a story of the horror of the old days, the days after and everything in between. Everyone here survived, or maybe they didn't but this book might help you survive the hordes and remember those dark days. All you gotta do is just get to reading and maybe you'll learn something. Read the tales from the Undead War from these survivors: Tim Tobin, John L. Thompson, Joseph Rubas, Dave Fragments, Kameryn James, Ryan Neil Falcone, Chris Limb, Matthew Wilson, Kenneth James Crist, Greg McWhorter, M. Leon Smith, Jordan Mierek, Cindy Rosmus, Matthew Howe, John X. Grey, T. Fox Dunham, Paul Dick, Richard A. Becker, Gary Murphy, Essel Pratt, David S. Pointer, Ginny Bowman and Shane DeMink."

• Series: Dead Guns Press
• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (June 20, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 149477030X
• ISBN-13: 978-1494770303
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches

Silent Scream

Silent Scream is "a brilliant collection of short stories from a group of very talented indie authors" and includes my short titled, "Canopic Servitude".  I originally wrote the story for another anthology,  however it was rejected due to the abundance of fantastic submissions.  I was a little saddened by the rejection but used the upbeat tone of the rejection to rework the piece.  It wasn't long before Silent Scream came along and I submitted.  I was ecstatic to see the piece was accepted. 

"A collection of short terrors from the minds of various talented Indie Authors. Sit a spell and discover what happens when a storekeeper decides to change locations and realizes she has to move more than boxes. Then discover what happens to a young lad dying to shed his boyhood only to discover a most unimaginable horror. Also, discover a world where ferocious felines with a hidden agenda over power two local residents and resurrect their mighty king and queen. With much more to explore, Silent Scream has something for everyone."

We Are Dust and Shadow, published by JWK Fiction

We Are Dust and Shadow, published by JWK Fiction, includes my short story titled, "Journey of Self Through Purgatory Fields".  The story follows a recently deceased woman that traverses her way through purgatory while searching for the light at the end or the darkness that will consume. 

When I decided to write something for this, I had many ideas but none seemed to stick with me.  So, I just wrote and this story was born. There a a lot of fabulous writers within and I am humbled to share the pages with them.

"A group of wonderful horror poets and writers collaborated to bring you this anthology about life, death and being dead. We all die."

• Print Length: 244 pages
• Publisher: James Ward Kirk Publishing (May 25, 2014)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00KKQSLIW

Vignettes From The End Of The World, published by Apokrupha

Vignettes From The End Of The World, published by Apokrupha and edited by Jacob Hadon, features my short story, titled "My Father's Flannel".  This collection limited all submissions to only 500 words with a theme, as I am sure you guessed, focusing on the last minutes of the world.  With so many submissions, it is fantastic to see the various visions of the end. 

This Anthology is quite special to me, as it marks the 16th book that  have been published in, as well as the first that my step-son, Cameron Shifflet, has been published in.  Along with others, such as KZ Morano, T. Fox Dunham, Guy Anthony Demarco, Terry M. West, Kenneth W. Cain, and others, this has turned out to be a fantastic collection!

As always, if and when you read this, please leave a review on Amazon and please tell everyone about your favorite story within.



This is how the world ends.
This is how the world ends.
This is how the world ends.
Not in a bang, but in a book.
58 flash fiction stories of the final hours. Passion, pain and horror of the end of days, all in short vignettes.
Featuring stories from:
Christine Morga, Essel Pratt, Cameron Suey, T. Fox Dunham, Guy Anthony De Marco, Mandy DeGeit, Jessica McHugh, Kristopher Kelly, E. Catherine Tobler, Jamie Lackey, George Cotronis, William R.D. Wood, Lee Clark Zumpe, Lincoln Crisler, Eryk Pruitt, Michael H. Antonio, Kallirroe Agelopoulou, Steve Calvert, Rebecca J. Allred, Darcie Little Badger, Erik B. Scott, Terry M. West, Glenn Rolfe, Josh Strnad, J.A. Martin, Darryl Dawson, DJ Tyrer, Joana Eça de Queiroz, Lex T. Lindsay, Arno Hurter, Cameron Shifflet, J.P. Freeman, Marie DesJardin, Dusty Wallace, Doug Murano, Ken MacGregor, Victoria Dalpe, Kelda Crich, Pedro Iniguez, Joey Capora, S.R. Mastrantone, Damir Salkovic, Sylvia Spruck Wrigley, Jason Sharp, Leslianne Wilder, Jennifer Loring, Bryce Hughes, L.C. Mortimer, Rebecca Barbee, E. E. King, David Turnbull, Richard Thomas, Rose Blackthorn, K.Z. Morano, Adrian Ludens, Kenneth W. Cain, Michael Haynes, Michael Penkas

• Print Length: 131 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00JXMQAH8

Serial Killers Quattuor, Published by JWK Fiction

Serial Killers Quattuor, published by JWK Fiction, features my short story titled, "Thus is Life".  I have been interested in the minds of serial killers for as long as I can remember.  This isn't the first serial killer story that I have written, but is the only one written specifically for a book that revolves around the breed.

The entire book is fantastic, and I strongly urge everyone to check it out.  Once finished, please leave a review on Amazon, and be sure to share you favorite tale.

"You, me, the general public, have a fascination for true crime accounts of people like Bundy, and fictional depictions of similar characters in television shows such as Criminal Minds and Dexter. We have a macabre interest in real life serial killers and can't comprehend the pure lack of remorse of these monsters. But yet we can't get enough. So we watch these shows and buy these books and read about these abhorrent yet fascinating criminals. Serial Killers Quattuor is one such work that fulfils our insatiable obsession with serial killers in this terrifying and bloodcurdling short story collection."



Authors: 
Vekah McKeown
William Cook
Dan Weatherer
Carl Fox
Sheldon Woodbury
DJ Tyrer
Eric Nash
Paul Mannering
Michelle Augello-Page
Jonathan R. Daniels
Essel Pratt
Dona Fox
T.S.Woolard
S. MacLeod

• Print Length: 173 pages
• Publisher: James Ward Kirk Publishing (April 8, 2014)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00JK4KV06

Memento Mori: Remember that you Will Die, published by JWK Fiction

Memento Mori, published by JWK Fiction, is an anthology that presented a look into why we must remember that we will die.  Whether it be to plan for the future of our children and grandchildren, or simply to keep us in check, we must remember that it will all end someday.  The story I contributed, "Melancholia Mourning of Self" is a reflective piece that explores a man's final moments as he ponders his life.  We then see a glimpse of his afterlife, and experience his pain due to lack of preparation.

"Death is inevitable. This collection of art, poetry, flash fiction and short storiesaddresses the fact that death is inevitable. The manner of death and the why is important, as is the consequences, before and during the process of death. And what happens after death? Nothing? Everything? Or is it somewhere in between? Remember that we will die. Death is inevitable. More than twenty authors, poets and artists show us our mortality"

• 
  
• Print Length: 219 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: James Ward Kirk Publishing (March 31, 2014)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00JEM076C