The aliens have landed, and this time they're not hostile. They're just rude. Coming in waves of rocket ships, the aliens not only refuse to acknowledge the existence of Earth's cultures. They refuse to acknowledge the existence of humanity itself. The aliens by means of their bulk block entry into cars, grocery stores, even elevators...without malice or even purpose. No one knows what it's like to be ignored by the aliens more than Craig Mencken, an amateur journalist who writes inane copy for a magazine tycoon. A pair of aliens have invaded his home, abused his furniture, and disrupted his life. Who thought first contact could be such a nuisance? But when Mencken's employer demands the story of the century, a fictional interview with an alien, the sinister truth about the invasion is accidentally revealed. Soon Mencken's ex-boyfriend is dropping hints about a mysterious cabal that promises to rid the aliens from neighborhoods like exterminators do with vermin. Then a narcissistic federal agent wants Mencken to spy on the cabal for the sake of his country. As if life weren't already hard enough, the "dozers"--cubic machines capable of demolishing skyscrapers in minutes--start landing across the globe, and it does not seem likely the aliens will ignore mankind for much longer.

The end of everything is here. But which apocalypse will be the worst? Find out in Equilibrium Overturned from Bram Stoker Award-nominated editors of acclaimed indie horror anthologies Peel Back the Skin and Dark Visions, Anthony Rivera and Sharon Lawson. From alien civilizations bent on human destruction, to demonic incursions from beyond the event horizon, to the dangerous malevolence that lives within us all, Equilibrium Overturned drags you into the heart of darkness to explore brutal personal and worldwide apocalypses and the lives wavering on the brink. Survive destroyed worlds and brutal dystopian societies. Experience a prison of the future and the whitewashing of a horrifying past that threatens our very existence. From preventable transgressions, unavoidable doomsdays and personal calamities both near and far, Equilibrium Overturned offers a glimpse into what life may be like at the end of all things. Featuring: "The Final Testimony of Molly Ryder" by Jeff Hemenway - In the future prisoners serve sentences in drug-induced comas. An investigator journeys into the mind of a killer to reveal terrifying repercussions for humanity. "Amnion" by John Everson - A scientist developing a fountain of youth stops at nothing to test his theories with dire consequences for his life and those around him. "Martial Law" by JG Faherty - The United States is in chaos as mysterious invaders turning the streets in a small town into rivers of blood. "Through the Ghostlands" by Rose Blackthorn - Survivors of a global calamity scavange a dead world while pursued by a menacing force that threatens their survival. "The Collected Sylvia, Volume 1 to 1388" by Geoffrey W. Cole - A routine scouting mission to an alien world maroons a couple unwilling to give up hope against terrifying odds. "Perfect Soldiers" by S.G. Larner - An evil that feeds on the hatred and fear of humankind has the armies of Earth resorting to unspeakable measures to fight the planet's last war. "Wombie" by Martin Slag - A small-town veterinarian caring for a sick animal inadvertently uncovers an unimaginable worldwide conspiracy. "No-Man's Land" by Roger Jackson - A regiment of English soldiers battling the Nazi war machine are exposed to an iunimaginable horror. "The Alamo Incident" by Sean Eads - A man investigating the murders of soldiers stationed at the legendary outpost shines a new light into the darkness of Manifest Destiny. "The Butcher of Gad Street" by Stephen T. Vessels - A man with a mysterious purpose sparks a citywide cataclysm, revealing the horrifying nature of mankind. "Queen of Thermodynamic Equilibrium" by Josh Vogt - A revolutionary believing Death is a cleansing force takes her quest to the wreckage of a derelict intergalactic battleship where she aims to breathe new life into old death. "Compartmental" by Jay Caselberg - Human memories bleed unleashes one man's personal apocalypse. "This is Not a Horror Story" by Tim Waggoner - In a surveillance state run amok, a young woman is horrified to learn how much her government knows about her. "Sunrise" by Tony Knighton - Battling oppression, a healthcare nightmare, black market criminals and environmental collapse, a father faces insurmountable odds to save his dying son as the world collapses. Grey Matter Press, the multiple Bram Stoker Award-nominated independent publisher, is proud to present the third installment in one of the best supernatural thriller series ever imagined. Grey Matter Press: Where Dark Thoughts Thrive

Kathy Barrister's life has never been better. Owner of a thriving massage school, Kathy loves passing on her knowledge of a healing profession to others. But when one of her students is murdered, Kathy must face a darker world than she ever knew existed.

"Lambda Literary and Shirley Jackson Award finalist Eads's first collection of surreal and dark fantastical fiction promises to caress the hackles raised while reading about a ruthless Eva Braun's obsession with Rosie the Riveter, zombies can be fascinated by reciting the plays of William Shakespeare, and troubled young men taken for "correction" at an institute discover the shocking truth behind the promise of healing"--

A collection of haunting short stories that delve into the darker sides of the human soul, this horror book explores raw emotions of desire, despair, and obsession. Each tale is set in an atmospheric world where shadows loom large, and the pursuit of unattainable goals leads characters to face terrifying consequences. Whether it's the unsettling grip of supernatural forces, the harrowing effects of self-destruction, or the chilling embrace of violence, these stories invite readers to explore the depths of horror, grief, and madness. With unique and frightening twists, these tales will keep you on edge long after the last page is turned. Step into the unknown, if you dare!

Lord Byron is troubled. Is his new poem a catharsis of self-loathing at being attracted to other men or an incantation that turns him into an incubus that seeks such sins? Or perhaps something much worse: an apocalyptic prophecy. Present-day Professor Adam Fane is beginning to suffer from what he believes is dementia, which causes him to have the same visions Byron experienced centuries ago. A closeted gay man, Professor Fane interprets these visions to be products of guilt. He's lived for decades with a terrible guilt over the fate of his childhood friend, George, with whom he was in love. His only son, Gordon has grown into more than a passing resemblance of George. Gordon, a star college basketball player, is unaware of his father's past. His heart belongs to a young English professor named Amber, who is a colleague of his father's. As Gordon pursues a relationship with her, he suddenly starts to experience visions similar to those of Byron, as well as a crawling sensation under his skin that makes him fearful of being touched. The interlocking stories of three characters leading parallel lives tells a dark tale of impending personal--and perhaps even global--doom, is written by Sean Eads, a stunning new voice in speculative fiction, whose first novel, The Survivors, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award.

THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR CUTS BACK Welcome to a macabre cinema for the imagination, to screenings of twisted tales projected not on a movie screen but on the page. In Reel Dark you'll find stories and poems by authors ranging from new voices to bestsellers to Bram Stoker Award finalists. From the battle for recognition between a child actress and a vengeful, long-forgotten film star in "Whatever Happened to Peggy...Who?" to a madman controlling a student a la The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari in "Caligarisme," to a hapless Dreamist, whose talent propels him into a nightmare of jealousy and revenge in "The Dreamist," the authors have created worlds filled with madness, twisted desires, and broken dreams. The genres inside include suspense, horror, science fiction, and fantasy. You'll meet a lone deputy whose pursuit of justice harkens back to the wild West (complete with a gunfight), a director who literally puts himself into his film, a young woman haunted by a mysterious stranger who warns her of her impending demise, and an aging actress who may have been a little too good at playing her roles. In a world where the lines between reality and fantasy blur, where film frames flicker at 24 frames per second, we catch a glimpse of strangers' dreams and nightmares. As David Lynch puts it, "This whole world is wild at heart and weird on top." As Karen Head writes in her poem responding to Lynch, "In the movies / everything is illusion." But in a world with cameras everywhere, how do you know whether you're in a movie?"

"Fans of Clive Barker will relish this slow and steady descent into Hell." -Andrew Hunt, Raven Banner Entertainment "Stolen Pallor is a darkly profound novella that explores the dangerous power of art." - Joseph Sale, author of The Claw of Craving A painting ruined Cole Sharpe's life. When Cole was a boy, he survived an art gallery fire that killed his father and other dignitaries during the unveiling of a mysterious work called Gone By Morning. In the aftermath, Cole became a detective specializing in bizarre mysteries with the help of a mischievous psychic named Mikey. Cole's newest case exposes him to a dark force that is infecting the art galleries of New Florence, a city so devoted to art that even street buskers can produce paintings worthy of Michaelangelo. A force which causes random patrons to freeze in place for hours and then disappear into the night. As Cole investigates further, unrelenting nightmares threaten his sanity. Meanwhile, in a bleak counterpart to New Florence called Midnight Village, whose citizens are just as devoted to their own macabre artistic expression, the dark master who created Gone By Morning is preparing his final masterpiece-and plans on making Cole its finishing touch.

Nathan Ashcraft knew this morning wasn't going to be easy. After all, he's the town funeral director, and he's coming to work early to meet two grieving parents whose baby was stillborn. The meeting fills him with dread and anticipation because the baby's father, Steve, was his high school crush, and they haven't seen each other in almost thirty years. What Nathan doesn't know is how the child's death connects him to other people in town, especially Tim Sawyer, the local dentist and Nathan's recent infatuation, and Sarah Lawrence, a retired high school biology teacher whose good intentions almost destroyed his life decades ago. These three people will face their own moment of crisis today, sparking self-reflection and self-doubt, despair and regret that drive them toward their own drastic resolutions and confessions. But in the end, is confession really good for the soul?

Oscar Wilde is pulled into a dark conspiracy led by followers of an ancient Egyptian deity seeking to reestablish her terrifying religion-and she wants Wilde to be her new high priest. But Wilde does not stand alone, and as the coming conflict reveals stunning secrets about those closest to him, he realizes his greatest ally happens to be his fiercest nemesis-the Marquess of Queensberry. Originally from Kentucky, Sean Eads is a writer and librarian living in Denver, CO. His first novel, The Survivors, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. His third novel, Lord Byron's Prophecy, was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and the Colorado Book Award.