Welcome to the second year's-worth of stories from the online magazine ZNB Presents published by the small press Zombies Need Brains. In these pages, you will find original science fiction and fantasy stories of awe and wonder, darkness and light, ranging through all of the subgenres, including urban fantasy, alternate history, space opera, future fairy tales, and more. They come from the most talented authors in the field today—new voices as well as trusted and familiar names. Join us as we explore visions of the past, present, and future, as we encounter strange new creatures, both in our own backyard, in the depths of space, and our own imagination. Here you will: —Search for a cryptid in the mean streets of the city that tricks you into walking into its mouth —Scavenge in a world where AI has passed the singularity —Relive the scents of a recently lost world at a near-future carnival —Fleece the rich in a South African suborbirail —Hunt vampires in the crypts beneath the Kremlin with a saint by your side —Bargain with the sentient plants in a precarious alliance on a colonized world —Uncover the alternate assassin of Abraham Lincoln —Concoct potions as an apprentice with just a touch too much flare —Become an AI struggling to complete its mission after crashlanding on an alien world And so much more! Twenty-four stories written by Daniel Roman, Ty Lazar, L.P. Melling, Nathan W. Toronto, Caias Ward, Jonathan Robbins Leon, Marie Vibbert, Rob Cornell, Mike Jack Stoumbos, J.L. George, Brian Hugenbruch, Andrew Gudgel, Alicia Cay, Elektra Hammond, Derrick Boden, Alma Alexander, Melinda Brasher, Louis Evans, Niall Spain, Brian Crenshaw, S.C. Butler, Sam Robb, Liam Hogan, and Christine Lucas, each with its own illustration by artists Kat D'Andrea, Ariel Guzman, or Greg Uchrin. Welcome to the multifaceted worlds of ZNB Presents . Find us on Patreon at: http://www.patreon.com/zombiesneedbrains

The Cannon High Caliber Awards are an annual contest for new writers. In it we ask them to submit a novella length story of Science Fiction, Military or Fantasy genre to challenge their skills. Out of twenty seven entries we picked nine top ones and here they are! 1st Prize: Kevin Harris - Mightier than the Pen A retired soldier turned monk sets out to protect a book of his people's history, dogged by barbarians intent on claiming the books' magic. When it comes down to it though, is the pen he had taken up mightier than the sword he had put down? 2nd Prize: Sam Robb - Blue as Sky, Black as Sin A young travelling judge on the road with an Imperial Magus struggles to keep his own magical talent hidden while investigating a series of crimes that look to be the work of a powerful necromancer. 3rd Prize: Brian Gifford - Specialist Lieu Saves the World What's an ordinary American grunt in power armor supposed to do when aliens drop into his battlefield and try to take over the Earth? Why, start laying down fire, kicking alien ass, and maybe just save the world. 4th Prize: SC Visel - Troll Hunt Cullen was a young man tasked to defend his tribe against the raids of the trolls from across the way. Badly wounded in combat with one of the creatures, he leaves his village to rescue a friend who had been captured, risking his own life in the process.. And five more stories that earned honorable mention, from military thrillers to magical duels and far ranging adventure!

One story every night, born from a drawing. Fantasy, science fiction, mystery, this collection has it all. Come for the night and see what you find, because it's never boring here in October. Stories by Sam Robb, following the drawings by Cedar Sanderson.