The Beast doesn't always wait for Beauty. Sometimes, Beauty is the Beast. A sorcerer transforms Princess Mirabella into a frightening creature. While she revels in the power at her fingertips, she will die unless she can find a cure. She has three years to outwit the sorcerer, change the future of magic, and discover the meaning of love.

The Fairfield Scribes worked with WestportWRITES to release an anthology of short stories written by authors local to Fairfield County, Connecticut. These pieces are in celebration of the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley's classic novel. The original challenge to the authors for this collection was to follow in Shelley's legendary footsteps, when Lord Byron told his guests in the summer of 1816 to "each write a ghost story." Authors include Edward Ahern, Elizabeth Chatsworth, Gabi Coatsworth, Cody Daigle-Orians, Dave D'Alessio, Alex Giannini, Roman Godzich, Sheryl Kayne, P.C. Keeler, Alison McBain, V.P. Morris, Marc Sirkin, Corrine "Mitzy Sky" Taylor, and D.J. Whitney. The stories range in theme from literary reimaginings of Mary Shelley's life, to a horror story about a woman transforming herself into a termite queen, and everything else in between. These stories are truly haunting! So crank up your alchemical machines and look out for the next thunderstorm...

In the alternate history novel The New Empire, the world undergoes a drastic change in the 14th century when Chinese ships land on the west coast of what we know as the Bay Area of California. Fast forward four hundred years to a much different America than we've read about in the history books, a land dominated by a cross-continental tribal confederacy grown out of a strong alliance with Beijing. This new empire has been built on the backs of enslaved Chinese political prisoners and a profitable trading partnership overseas. Into the mix comes Jiangxi, youngest son of the last Chinese Emperor. When he arrives from across the ocean as a boy, he is purchased by Onas, a renowned tribal Elder of both the Haudenosaunee and Mutsun tribes. As Jiangxi grows up, he's caught between the two worlds of his past and present, forced into choosing between opposing ideas of freedom. Told from the main perspective of a Chinese slave in a Native American world, The New Empire paints a vibrant picture that draws strongly on a non-Eurocentric worldview.

Winter is not coming. Winter is here. As unique and beautifully formed as a snowflake, each of these fifteen stories spins a brand new take or offers a fresh take on an old favorite like Jack Frost, The Snow Queen, or The Frof King. From a drafty castle to a blustery Japanese villiage, from a snow-packed road to the cozy hearth of a frammhouse, from an empty coffee house in Buffalo, New York, to a cold night outside a university library, these stories fully explore the perils and possibilities of the snow, wind, ice, and bone-chilling cold that traditional fairy tale characters seldom encounter. In the bleak midwinter, heed the irresistible call of fairy tales. Just open these pages, snuggle down, and wait for an icy blast of fantasy to carry you away. With all new stories of love, adventure, sorrow, and triumph.

In this issue we've got a tale loosely based on the legend of Yennenga of Burkina Faso. What happens when the prophesied warrior wants something more out of life than warfare? When the palace guards stage a coup against the royal family, will the young daughter of the family escape to a new world or stay where her home and heart are? What happens when a small town calls out to the evil that dwells in dark places, and the evil answers? Can a small contingent of warriors hold back the villainous forces of Kagan Kadir, whose lieutenants are each more horrific than the last? Stranded on a planet, can a frontier space man escape? If he leaves, what will he be forced to leave behind? A man can't remember how he got on the train. He doesn't know the other passengers, but each has a story to tell. What kind of destination is Oblivion anyway? And finally, our cover story-to what ends will an emperor go to become a god, and what might it cost a man to oppose him?

An anthology of all the surreal, shadowy, sensual, and satirical lit included in FLAPPERHOUSE issues #5 - 8. Including poetry & prose about surveillance, survival, magic, many-worlds, meta-fiction, blood, braille, booze, beauty, birth, rebirth, summertime torture, feminist fairy tales, wayward placentas, fugitive robots, Hot Pockets, fashion wars, flying women, dangerous art, temporal decay, sentient playgrounds, swampy Southern Gothic, Wendigos, witches, demons, insects, P.J. Harvey, purity, parenthood, patahistorians, paraphernalia, purgatory, phosphorescent skywriting, and more.

Alien Dimensions is a monthly anthology of science fiction, fantasy and metaphysical short stories by new and established authors. In this 1st anniversary extra long issue: Aura Who by Aric Merchant One to the Left by Isaac Teile Charger Nine by K. L. Hallam One Chance by Sam Honour Under the Surface by Alison McBain Rejuvenation by Neil A. Hogan Promises Kept by Patrick S. Baker Sacrifice by Nicky Martin The Ghost Haunter by Martin Roy Hill Tiara and the Comet Apocalypse Part 6 by Neil A. Hogan This issue is paying tribute to the 13th Doctor in Doctor Who by containing stories featuring strong, female characters. Being the 13th issue, and being released in October, also included are a couple of stories to help you celebrate Halloween! Many thanks to all our contributors and readers for helping us make it to this auspicious milestone. We hope you enjoy this extra special release of Alien Dimensions.

Pterodactyls, copulating hyenas, multicolored blood, an alcoholic medium, a meditative model, human redwoods, a post-punk serial killer, an Antarctic elegy, a poison house, a cursed cabin, a mischievous store, an imaginary novel, post-apocalyptic pie, Joan of Arc, Frida Kahlo's monkeys, and a deer with the head of Emily Dickinson-- all covered in the chilling rime of wintry discontent.