Sperring's brilliant new novel is set several hundred years after her OenthrallingO ("Midwest Book Review") debut, "Living with Ghosts, " in a different part of the amazing, atmospheric, magical world she created. Original.

The dazzling debut from a brilliant new fantasy talent. This highly original, darkly atmospheric fantasy novel immerses readers in a world where ghosts and other malevolent spirits seek entry into mortal realms—invisible to all but those who are not entirely human themselves. Drawn into the ancient city of Merafi, yet barred from entering by an ancient pact sealed in blood, these hungry haunts await their opportunity to break through the magical border and wreak havoc on the city’s innocent denizens. And as a priestess and prince weave a sorcerous plot to shatter the pact and bring ruin on Merafi, only a failed assassin-priest who is now a courtesan, a noble lord married into the ruling family of Merafi, an officer of the city guard, a woman warrior who was the former lover of a now-dead lord, and the ghost of that lord himself stand between Merafi and the tidal wave of magic that may soon bring ruin flooding down upon the city.

Alternate histories. Alternate realities. It's said that every choice creates multiple timelines, each one exploring what could have happened if a different decision had been made. Most of these alternate histories stem from different outcomes to a pivotal battle, or to an assassination attempt, or to the ending or escalation of a war. All violent, all bloody, all brutal. But what about those choices made during peacetime, when there was no monumental, ongoing conflict? After all, everyone knows how significant the flutter of a butterfly's wings can be, how far-reaching its effects can be felt. In these pages you will find fifteen new branches of history written by some of today's greatest science fiction and fantasy writers, including Elektra Hammond, Dale Cozort, Harry Turtledove, C.W. Briar, Rick Wilber, Juliet E. McKenna, Michael Robertson, Kat Otis, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Brian Hugenbruch, Stephen Leigh, Elizabeth Kite, Ian R. MacLeod, Mike Barretta, and Kari Sperring, all stemming from a peaceful divergence in our past. Join them as they wander down familiar paths...and then swerve down roads not taken.

Who Needs a Friend, When You Have a Familiar? Animals have been our companions since the dawn of time, but in science fiction and fantasy, often that bond is taken one magical—or technological—step further. In Familiars we asked authors to put their own unique spin on this idea, resulting in this collection of fifteen stories that explore the range of familiar bonds—from cats to caterpillars, squids to squirrels, and everything in between. With settings from fantasy to science fiction, and stories ranging from humor to horror, there's something to appeal to everyone! Featuring stories by Brian Hugenbruch, Lawrence Harding, Jean Marie Ward, Jordan Bricco, Alexander G.R. Gideon, Gini Koch & Bebe Bayliss, Russell Hugh McConnell, Kari Sperring, Alicia Cay, Jim C. Hines, Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, Shanna Germain, Jacey Bedford, A. Katherine Black, and Jason Palmatier. The buddy system is back, baby!

A military attack drone turned shepherd. A train on the London Underground evolving into something new and wondrous. A troupe of robotic actors struggling to find meaning when the audience has disappeared. Explore the myriad ideas of what happens when out-of-date and abandoned technologies are given a second life—one that takes them in a new direction, far outside their intended programming and beyond their original purpose. My Battery Is Low And It Is Getting Dark features fourteen stories of quiet hope, heartbreak, creation, and death from fantasy and science fiction authors Dana Berube, Merc Fenn Wolfmoor, Jacey Bedford, Anthony Lowe, Chris Kocher, Brian Hugenbruch, William Leisner, José Pablo Iriarte, Alethea Kontis, Kari Sperring, Edward Willett, John G. Hartness, Alexander Gideon, and Stephen Leigh. You may never look at your smart speaker the same way again.

For thousands of years the immortal Gilgamesh has presided over the legendary Ur-Bar, witnessing history unfold from within its walls. Some days it is a rural tavern, others a fashionable wine shop. It may appear as a hidden speakeasy or take on the form of your neighborhood local. For most patrons it is simply a place to quench their thirst, but for a rare few the Ur-Bar is where they will meet their destiny. Join R.K. Nickel, Rachel Atwood, Kari Sperring, Jean Marie Ward, Gini Koch, Jacey Bedford, William Leisner, Garth Nix, Diana Pharaoh Francis, David Keener, Mike Marcus, Kristine Smith, Aaron M. Roth, and Juliet E. McKenna as they recount all new tales from the Ur-Bar. From humor to horror, from the Roman Empire to Martian Colonies, there's something to please everyone. Just remember to beware when the mysterious bartender offers you the house special ...

The old gods are still with us. The world is constantly changing, evolving, growing. In order to stay relevant, deities must change with the times as well. In this anthology, fifteen science fiction and fantasy authors tackle how gods and goddesses have adapted to the surge in technology and the mercurial beliefs of humanity. So sit back and watch Hera try her hand at marriage counseling, while Macuilxochitl conquers the world of online gaming. Buy a ticket to Anubis' magic act or roam the back tents at the local carnival and catch Doc Saturday's medicine show. Take a sip of wine at Dionysus' winery or grab some potato pancakes at Baba Yaga's café. Whatever your taste, here you will find interesting twists on how deities have found their way in our modern world from Crystal Sarakas, Juliet E. McKenna, Tanya Huff, Edward Willett, Daniel Roman, Jennifer Dunne, Jean Marie Ward, Mike Marcus, A.L. Tompkins, Daryl Marcus, Alma Alexander, Kari Sperring, A.J. Cunder, Irene Radford, and N.R. Lambert. And remember to beware. You never know who...or what...you will meet next. And don't miss The Modern Fae's Guide To Surviving Humanity!

Magic, Swords, and Romance... Want a taste of romance in your swashbuckling adventure? Sparkling verbal repartee in your heroic quest? A lover swain spun of dreams and moonlight? A rescue from an Algerian brothel? Swords that would rather make love than fight duels? A woodland god in the guise of a wounded stag? A stowaway on a pirate ship? Between waking and dreams, 'twixt mortal lands and Faerie, the old world and the new, lies an enchanted realm. Here lovers duel with wits as well as swords, swords have souls, and swordsmen rouse from their garden graves. Master storytellers offer a sumptuous feast of lovers and rivals, ghosts and paladins, danger and daring, wit and wizardry, for your reading delight.

Historian and award-winning fantasy author Kari Sperring delivers a powerful, richly textured novella featuring some of the lesser known members of King Arthur's court. The sons of Lot, the Orkney royal family. Following the violent death of their mother, Gaheris finds himself the reluctant focus of sibling tensions and squabbles; the suspicion of guilt hangs over him, not least because he will offer no explanation or defence. When Gaheris is tasked with escorting his brother's wife, Llinos, home from court, neither suspect the tragic consequences that will result, as they lose their way and become stranded within an enchanting and beguiling forest. Told by Llinos of Kinkenadron, wife to Sir Gareth of Orkney, this is a gripping saga of love, infidelity, loyalty, misguided intentions and the price of nobility.

No one remembers Gaheris when they talk about the Orkney clan, and he likes it that way. But then, without any intent on his part, that all changes. Against every expectation, Gaheris finds himself up to his neck in intrigue, deception, violence, murder, and old secrets. Clouds gather over Camelot, threatening to destroy all that Arthur and Guinever have built, and Gaheris may be all that stands between Arthur's noble kingdom and disaster. Award-winning fantasy author and mediaeval historian Kari Sperring has woven a powerful tale of passion and intrigue featuring some of the lesser known members of King Arthur's court.