A heart that's a building, a dog that's a program, a woman who's sinking irretrievably - stories about love, loss, and motion. A collection of speculative stories from author and editor B. Morris Allen. Chambers of the Heart – it's hard, living in someone's heart Building on Sand – how to choose between children Blush – when everyone else wears a mask, what's it like to bare your face? Minstrel Boy Howling at the Moon – magic, music, and ... buffalo? Fetch – she may be a simulation, but out on the edge, she’s one man’s best friend The Humblebract Expedition – even dying children like to play When Dooryards First in the Lilac Bloomed – a doorway to opportunity and change, if only humans can understand it Some Sun and Delilah – a sunny island, an abandoned temple, and thoug Crying in the Salt House – the house is built from tears, or so they say Full of Stars – jar half empty, jar half full Memory and Faded Ink – the aliens are perfectly human ... and just as flawed Fountainhead – arranged meetings never work, especially with different species Adaptations to Coastal Erosion – when your spouse is literally falling away from you Outburst – Earth is dead, except for a few teens on a decaying orbital The Irrigation Ditch – they came to hide, but didn’t realize it was from each other Dragons I Have Slain – take hope where you find it Cover art by Bonnie Leeman

Are you living someone else’s life? Should you be? Karen was a runaway who had survived the streets but finally run aground. The Existential Society offered a way out – a path to another life. But what would their offer cost her?

Fourteen Ways to Change the Planet Income inequality is worse than it was in the Roaring Twenties. Corporations are moving fast and breaking things, and the social contract seems to be falling apart, aided by social media disruption and division on steroids. There has to be a better way. We asked fourteen sci-fi writers to come up with innovative ways the world could work better. Universal basic income, smaller communities, AI voting, and learning to live in harmony with nature are just a few of the ideas explored inside these pages. So buckle up and settle in for a look at the world of the future. The world’s not going to transform itself.

NovoPulp: The Speculative Fiction Anthology - Volume 2 The NovoPulp Anthology is back with it's second volume of speculative fiction, written by and for those who love the genre. Pushing boundaries, asking questions, demanding answers, and even providing some. Bringing back the best of Pulp! "NovoPulp is an exciting and promising initiative." - Himmelskibet Magazine "The good old days are back. NovoPulp deserves our attention." - Dr. Edwin Thomasson "An excellent example of what speculative fiction is all about." - Paul Pavlinovich This is the second NovoPulp anthology to be published by Hermit Studio. Learn more at: http://www.NovoPulp.com http://www.HermitStudio.com

This issue has more of a fantasy focus than usual—just the way the stories lined up, not a permanent trend—but it really showcases the strengths of modern fantasy writers, as none of the stories is anything like the others. On the mystery front, we have a new Capitán Ernesto Guillén story from Tom Larsen, for those who have been following the Ecuador-set series with interest. Our mystery novel is by Henry Kitchell Webster, and our fantasy novel is a Victorian-era feminist allegory from Edith Allonby. Don’t skip the introductions for some interesting insights into both books and their authors. Here’s the complete lineup— Cover Art: Stephen Hickman NOVELS The Corbin Necklace, by Henry Kitchell Webster A wedding, a missing pearl necklace, and family secrets collide. Jewel Sowers, by Edith Allonby On planet Lucifram, a mute girl seeks her voice. SOLVE-IT-YOURSELF MYSTERY “A Walk in the Park,” by Hal Charles Can you solve the mystery before the detective? All the clues are there! SHORT STORIES “The Mailbox Murders,” by Mary Angela Honerman When red dots appear on calendars, residents of Green Meadows start dying. “El Sicario (The Hit Man),” by Tom Larsen [Capitán Ernesto Guillén series] A corrupt cop uses an elaborate sting to catch a killer he can't forget. “Last Call at the Gasping Banshee,” by Devin James Leonard A wife thinks her husband's been replaced. The bartender knows better. “Skipjack,” by Gary Earl Ross A boy discovers he can time travel through photos—but he's not alone. “Gods in Reduced Circumstances,” by B. Morris Allen Retired gods crash at Prometheus's cottage until he can find them a home. “The Elves Stole Her Away,” is by J.A. Prentice Can a witch rescue a girl who chose love with an elf over safety? “The Black Kiss,” by Robert Bloch and Henry Kuttner An artist inherits a cursed house where dreams of sea monsters come alive…

Speculative stories of love and disaster. A quarter century of science fiction and fantasy from B. Morris Allen. Includes the complete contents of the collections Metaphorosis, Start With Stones, and Tocsin, plus a few others, and author's notes for each story.

No evil sorceress is born evil. Iskra wants magic and a home, but her magic keeps killing the people she loves. Just when happiness is finally with in her grasp, another wizard intervenes. Now, she needs to choose: rebuild her life again, or channel her destructive power into bloody revenge.

No evil sorceress is born evil. Iskra wants magic and a home, but her magic keeps killing the people she loves. And just when happiness is in her grasp, another wizard intervenes. Now, she needs to choose: rebuild her life again, or channel her destructive power into bloody revenge.

The inaugural volume of the Hyperion & Theia anthology series features stories, poetry, and art that encapsulate festive revelry and otherworldly reversal: Gods and Goddesses of old prepare for destruction. A demonic circus delivers a haunting finale. The Shebeast lurks in the forest and pulls at heartstrings. Alien diet supplements wreak havoc in near-future San Francisco. Three women conspire to break an oath with a wicked witch. The Herculaneum Scrolls reveal the role of ancient aliens. A Roman warrior and a warrior turned slave venture into the territory of a Queen of ancient Egypt. Two cowboys track dark magic in the Wild Wild West. Ghosts stuck in the mortal realm high off drugs. You are a lone radio jockey after the apocalypse.

HOPE: The Thing With Feathers Stories to bring hope in dark times. Inspired by Emily Dickinson's famous poem, these stories each have a feather motif and a hopeful, positive ending. We all go through hardship from time to time, and hope is the ineffable force that keeps us going despite it all. In a time when there seem to be more shadows in the world than we remember, these are stories to rekindle the light and help us find our path to a better, happier future. Stories of strange invention As well as being hopeful in tone, these stories from talented science fiction and fantasy writers will bring you to weird and wonderful worlds of imagination - and feathers! Contents Epigraphs Dedication Strange Inventions (foreword) The Letter Writers - Chloe Smith Pitstop at the Lunar Station - Veda Villiers When an Angel Molts - H.L. Fullerton Birdcalls of the Carpathian Mountains - Sam Ruhmkorff The Lay-by-rinth - Anna Orridge The City That Listened - Jade Scardham Echo of the Desert in the Sky - Erin Darrow What We Had Left - Gabrielle Contelmo Blood Feathers - S. J. Fry Queen of Crows - Rachel Ayers The Song Lives On - Louie Sullivan The Trash King - Maggie Slater Magic is Given - Jacy Morris Shiver Soft Feathers - L'Erin Ogle A Touch of the Wind - Frances Pauli The Sky was Made for Wings - Michael Reed Going Home - Martin Westlake For All That Is And Still Lives - Lisa Fransson A Bird Afraid of Feathers - B. Morris Allen