We are fortunate enough to be witnessing a lush flowering of horror. From New Weird to throwback splatterpunk, the modes and expressions of the genre these days are as diverse as its writers. Whether you’re intimately familiar with the contemporary horror field, or just looking to dip your toe in a very deep—and monster-infested—pond, this bundle of horror novels and collections from sensational independent publisher Word Horde is not to be missed. You’re sure to find something strange, something scary, something transgressive, something that jumps out at you and demands to be reckoned with.

Word Horde’s list is eclectic, in the best way. Readers will find plenty of cosmic horror here, such as Brian Hauser’s Memento Mori, nestled alongside literary works such as John Langan’s The Fisherman, and lighter fare such as my own weird western Vermilion. You’ll also find a lot of music-inspired horror such as David Peak’s Corpsepaint, Tony McMillen’s An Augmented Fourth, and Carrie Laben’s A Hawk in the Woods. If you like your horror shorter, if not necessarily sweeter, we have a few stand-out collections, too. Orrin Grey’s Guignol & Other Sardonic Tales will dazzle you, Nadia Bulkin’s She Said Destroy will rebuke you, and Livia Llewellyn’s Furnace will incinerate you from within. As you can see, every book in this bundle has been selected because it’s essential reading for the up-to-date reader of modern horror fiction.

Like all speculative fiction, horror serves as a lens; as a mirror, really. When we read horror, we read about ourselves. That’s why it makes us shiver and squirm. So, enjoy seeing yourself reflected throughout the Horror Bundle from Word Horde. Only you’ll know if you’re seeing yourself in the heroes—or the monsters.

–Molly Tanzer

For StoryBundle, you decide what price you want to pay. For $5 (or more, if you’re feeling generous), you’ll get the basic bundle of five books in any ebook format—WORLDWIDE.
• Corpsepaint by David Peak
• A Sick Gray Laugh by Nicole Cushing
• A Hawk in the Woods by Carrie Laben
• The Fisherman by John Langan
• She Said Destroy by Nadia Bulkin

If you pay at least the bonus price of just $15, you get all five of the regular books, plus TEN more books, for a total of fifteen!
• Beneath by Kristi DeMeester
• An Augmented Fourth by Tony McMillen
• Memento Mori – The Fathomless Shadows by Brian Hauser
• Stonefish by Scott R. Jones
• Furnace by Livia Llewellyn
• Guignol & Other Sardonic Tales by Orrin Grey
• The Human Alchemy by Michael Griffin
• The Raven’s Table by Christine Morgan
• The Unnamed Country by Jeffrey Thomas
• Vermilion by Molly Tanzer

This bundle is available only for a limited time via http://www.storybundle.com

From the earliest depictions of winged goddesses to the delicate, paperwinged fairies of the Victorians, from valiant Valkyries to cliff-dwelling harpies, from record-setting pilots to fearless astronauts, women have long since claimed their place in the skies, among the clouds and beyond.

Word Horde presents Fright Into Flight, the debut anthology from Amber Fallon (The Terminal, The Warblers), in which women take wing. In these stories connected by the unifying thread of flight, authors including Damien Angelica Walters, Christine Morgan, and Nadia Bulkin have spread their wings and created terrifying visions of real life angels, mystical journeys, and the demons that lurk inside us all. Whether you like your horror quiet and chilling or more in-your-face and terrifying, there’s something here for every horror fan to enjoy.

You’re in for a bumpy ride… So fasten your seatbelt, take note of the emergency exits, hold on to your airsick bag, and remember that this book may be used as a flotation device in the event of a crash landing.

Order from: Amazon, B & N, Kobo, Weightless, Word Horde

“Enter this freakishly inventive cabinet of curiosities if you will, every story providing a redly drippy skull-window straight into the id-vortex of a modern horror master–gape in awe, laugh out loud, feel your mental mouth start to water.” –Gemma Files, from the introduction

Orrin Grey has a knack for cruel stories.

Contes Cruel, to be exact.

Sardonic Tales like the fourteen collected here, ready to wrench the reader’s emotions, tantalize, and terrify. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Roger Corman, Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, the Theatre de Grand Guignol, Universal’s monster movies, Hammer horror, kaiju flicks, and more, all while creating something unique, intoxicating, and, yes, cruel.

Guignol & Other Sardonic Tales has something for everyone… even the most jaded readers.

Order your copy of Guignol & Other Sardonic Tales today!

Cover art by everyone’s favorite art creep, Nick “The Hat” Gucker.

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We’re coming up on the fifth anniversary of our first book, Tales of Jack the Ripper, so here’s a special offer: the Jack Pack. Add Tales of Jack the Ripper & Alan M. Clark’s A Brutal Chill in August to your cart, get them both for $25 with coupon code jackpack. Ends 8/31/18!

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We received a few returns last week, and Elinor says it’s better to sell them than to count them, so we’ve added a few things to our Scratch & Dent Sale page. Take a look and save a few bucks!

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Finally, Amber Fallon’s anthology Fright Into Flight will be shipping very soon, but there’s still time to place your preorder. Publishers Weekly says, “Fallon has collected some true gems that will be perfect for fans of horror stories centered on female power and dangerous women.” And, with this lineup, you know you’re in for something awesome: Damien Angelica Walters, Izzy Lee, Letitia Trent, Christine Morgan, Desirina Boskovich, Nancy Baker, Kathryn Ptacek, Nancy Kilpatrick, Shannon Lawrence, Gemma Files, Leza Cantoral, Martel Sardina, Allyson Bird, Rebecca Gomez Farrell, Pamela Jeffs, and Nadia Bulkin. Order your copy of Fright Into Flight today!

In the spirit of Shirley Jackson, we’d like to celebrate our finalists by offering you a 20% off coupon, good on both She Said Destroy and Tales from a Talking Board, through Wednesday, July 18. Just use coupon code igotarock on checkout and save.

From the earliest depictions of winged goddesses to the delicate, paperwinged fairies of the Victorians, from valiant Valkyries to cliff-dwelling harpies, from record-setting pilots to fearless astronauts, women have long since claimed their place in the skies, among the clouds and beyond.

Word Horde presents Fright Into Flight, the debut anthology from Amber Fallon (The Terminal, The Warblers), in which women take wing. In these stories connected by the unifying thread of flight, authors including Damien Angelica Walters, Christine Morgan, and Nadia Bulkin have spread their wings and created terrifying visions of real life angels, mystical journeys, and the demons that lurk inside us all. Whether you like your horror quiet and chilling or more in-your-face and terrifying, there’s something here for every horror fan to enjoy.

You’re in for a bumpy ride… So fasten your seatbelt, take note of the emergency exits, hold on to your airsick bag, and remember that this book may be used as a flotation device in the event of a crash landing.

Table of Contents:
Introduction – Amber Fallon
The Floating Girls: A Documentary — Damien Angelica Walters
I Did it for the Art – Izzy Lee
Wilderness – Letitia Trent
The Silk Angel – Christine Morgan
Cargo – Desirina Boskovich
Consent – Nancy Baker
Bruja – Kathryn Ptacek
I am No Longer – Nancy Kilpatrick
Faceless – Shannon Lawrence
Every Angel – Gemma Files
Cosmic Bruja – Leza Cantoral
With the Beating of Their Wings – Martel Sardina
Deathside – Allyson Bird
Thlush-a-lum – Rebecca Gomez Farrell
The Fallen – Pamela Jeffs
And When She Was Bad – Nadia Bulkin

Preorder your copy of Fright Into Flight today. Only from Word Horde.

In other news, David Peak’s black metal novel Corpsepaint has been reviewed by This Is Horror, who say, “Bleak is a word used to describe so many releases within the horror and dark fiction worlds… With Corpsepaint, David Peak seeks to raise the bar in the reader’s understanding of what bleak really means.” Read the full review at this link.

And an interview with David Peak is featured this week at Hellnotes, where he talks about the origins of Corpsepaint, black metal, misanthropy, and Romanticism (among other things). Read the full interview here.

http://www.wordhorde.com

This year, we published five books: The Raven’s Table, by Christine Morgan; Beneath, by Kristi DeMeester; An Augmented Fourth, by Tony McMillen, She Said Destroy, by Nadia Bulkin; and Tales from a Talking Board, edited by Ross E. Lockhart, featuring fourteen all-new stories of the strange and supernatural by Matthew M. Bartlett, Nadia Bulkin, Nathan Carson, Kristi DeMeester, Orrin Grey, Scott R Jones, David James Keaton, Anya Martin, J. M. McDermott, S.P. Miskowski, Amber-Rose Reed, Tiffany Scandal, David Templeton, and Wendy N. Wagner.

We also picked up a few awards, with Word Horde selected as Publisher of the Year 2016, Livia Llewellyn’s Furnace receiving Short Story Collection of the Year 2016, and John Langan’s The Fisherman landing Novel of the Year 2016 in the This Is Horror Awards, and John Langan’s The Fisherman capturing the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Novel. Don’t forget to nominate your favorite 2017 Word Horde titles in your favorite genre awards!

Here’s just some of the critical acclaim our 2017 titles have received (so far):

“These works have the sure, solid feel of a talented author deeply engaged with her source material and genre. They’re an excellent read for those who enjoy myths and legends of all kinds.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Raven’s Table

“The Raven’s Table is a must-have for anyone with an interest in stories based on Nordic mythology and lore.” —GreyDogTales on The Raven’s Table

“This novel is going to propel DeMeester onto that list of authors you’ll want to follow.” —John Boden, Ginger Nuts of Horror on Beneath

“…one of the most upsetting and horrifying tomes of dark fiction in recent memory.” —This Is Horror on Beneath

“Tony McMillen’s An Augmented Fourth (2017) is heavy metal rock and roll horror at its wailing-guitar best. Set in 1980, the point of transition from heavy metal to punk, An Augmented Fourth blends inter-dimensional eldritch horror, David-Cronenberg-movie grotesquerie, and psychedelia in a thrash-metal twenty-minute-guitar-solo of a story.” —Fantasy Literature

“This is a wildly entertaining novel that is both a hilarious deconstruction and a tender love letter to rock and roll. McMillen has a knack for dialogue and that helps the action and the story move forward at breackneck speed. […] If you think you’d dig watching a psychedelia-infused version of The Thing while blasting awesome tunes and having a great acid trip, then you need to pick this one up.” —LitReactor on An Augmented Fourth

“Weird fiction has been stuck in the era of new-fangled radio sets and fifteen-cent pulp magazines for ninety years. Finally, Nadia Bulkin has come to drag us kicking and screaming into the horrors of The Endless Now with a collection of hip, ultracontemporary, politically astute, and chilling stories.” —Nick Mamatas, author of I Am Providence on She Said Destroy

“Bulkin delivers a dose of delicious darkness with her debut collection.” —World Fantasy Award-winning editor Silvia Moreno-Garcia on She Said Destroy

“Striking debut collection” —The New York Times on She Said Destroy

“Tales from a Talking Board (Word Horde) is a brilliant collection of 14 short stories by some of today’s greatest authors, centered around the theme of the Ouija board, in its various forms and incarnations […] It’s an eerie compilation of tales that belongs in the personal libraries and/or Kindles of everyone who loves the macabre.” —Douglas Cobb, What’s New in Book Reviews

“Tales from a Talking Board is a seasonal treat meant for crackling fires in the fireplace and dark spooky evenings. Enjoy.” —Marion Deeds, Fantasy Literature

“A blast to read.” —TheShadesofOrange on Tales from a Talking Board

Remember: Use coupon code word2017, and save 30% on all Word Horde books (excluding Scratch-and-Dent titles). Here’s where to order:

http://www.wordhorde.com

If you read and enjoyed any (or all) of these Word Horde books in 2017, we ask that you consider nominating those books in their respective categories in the Hugos, Locus Awards, Nebulas, Bram Stoker Awards, This Is Horror Awards, or similar awards. Likewise, the Novellas, Novelettes, and Short Stories we published this year that are eligible for your awards consideration. Plus, we’ve included a list of Related Works you may have otherwise missed. Thanks for your consideration, it means the world to us!

Best Collection:
The Raven’s Table, by Christine Morgan
She Said Destroy, by Nadia Bulkin

Best Novel:
Beneath, by Kristi DeMeester
An Augmented Fourth, by Tony McMillen

Best First Novel:
Beneath, by Kristi DeMeester

Best Anthology:
Tales from a Talking Board, edited by Ross E. Lockhart

Best Short Story:
“Deep Into the Skin” by Matthew M. Bartlett (5215 words, Tales from a Talking Board)
“May You Live In Interesting Times” by Nadia Bulkin (5431 words, Tales from a Talking Board)
“When the Evil Days Come Not” by Nathan Carson (5229 words, Tales from a Talking Board)
“YesNoGoodbye” by Kristi DeMeester (3013 words, Tales from a Talking Board)
“Harupscate or Scry” by Orrin Grey (5300 words, Tales from a Talking Board)
“Worse than Demons” by Scott R Jones (4170 words, Tales from a Talking Board)
“Spin the Throttle” by David James Keaton (4900 words, Tales from a Talking Board)
“Weegee Weegee, Tell Me Do” by Anya Martin (6664 words, Tales from a Talking Board)
“The Devil and the Bugle Boys” by J. M. McDermott (3784 words, Tales from a Talking Board)
“Pins” by S.P. Miskowski (2618 words, Tales from a Talking Board)
“The Empress and the Three of Swords” by Amber-Rose Reed (2200 words, Tales from a Talking Board)
“Grief” by Tiffany Scandal (3259 words, Tales from a Talking Board)
“Questions and Answers” by David Templeton (5000 words, Tales from a Talking Board)
“The Burnt Sugar Stench” by Wendy N. Wagner (4100 words, Tales from a Talking Board)
“The Seven Ravens” by Christine Morgan (5010 words, The Raven’s Table)

Best Novelette
“Brynja’s Beacon” by Christine Morgan (9600 words, The Raven’s Table)

Best Novella
“No Gods, No Masters” by Nadia Bulkin (11900 words, She Said Destroy)

Best Poem
“The Shield-Wall” by Christine Morgan (480 words, The Raven’s Table)
“As We Drown and Die” by Christine Morgan (2070 words, The Raven’s Table)

Best Publisher:
Word Horde

Best Editor, Short Form:
Ross E. Lockhart

Best Editor, Long Form:
Ross E. Lockhart

Best Original Cover Art:
An Augmented Fourth, Alan M. Clark
Tales from a Talking Board, Yves Tourigny

Related Works:
Music from the Novel An Augmented Fourth: “Beyond This Sleepless Dream”/”Frivilous Black” by Frivilous Black/Tony McMillen

Can we speak with the spirits of the dead? Is it possible to know the future? Are our dreams harbingers of things to come? Do auspicious omens and cautionary portents affect our lives?

Edited by Ross E. Lockhart, Tales from a Talking Board examines these questions–and more–with tales of auguries, divination, and fortune telling, through devices like Ouija boards, tarot cards, and stranger things.

So dim the lights, place your hands upon the planchette, and ask the spirits to guide you as we present fourteen stories of the strange and supernatural by Matthew M. Bartlett, Nadia Bulkin, Nathan Carson, Kristi DeMeester, Orrin Grey, Scott R Jones, David James Keaton, Anya Martin, J. M. McDermott, S.P. Miskowski, Amber-Rose Reed, Tiffany Scandal, David Templeton, and Wendy N. Wagner.

Here’s just some of the praise Tales from a Talking Board has received so far:

“Tales from a Talking Board (Word Horde) is a brilliant collection of 14 short stories by some of today’s greatest authors, centered around the theme of the Ouija board, in its various forms and incarnations […] It’s an eerie compilation of tales that belongs in the personal libraries and/or Kindles of everyone who loves the macabre.” –Douglas Cobb, What’s New in Book Reviews

“Tales from a Talking Board is a seasonal treat meant for crackling fires in the fireplace and dark spooky evenings. Enjoy.” –Marion Deeds, Fantasy Literature

“A blast to read.” –Rachel @ TheShadesofOrange

Don’t miss the Tales from a Talking Board launch party, this Friday night, October 27, at 7 pm at Copperfield’s Books in Petaluma, CA. RSVP and details at Copperfield’s Books.

In other news, Nadia Bulkin’s She Said Destroy has just received a mention in The New York Times. In “A Roundup of New Horror, All Indebted to an Early Master,” Terrence Rafferty calls She Said Destroy a “striking debut collection,” praising the way Bulkin’s stories “examine political oppression and the terrible choices it imposes,” and, singling out story “Endless Life”, the way “Bulkin sketches a deft portrait of a wounded society.” Read the full review and round-up here.