Wicked Shadow Press: “Flash of the Dead HALLOWEEN 2026…” – ANTHOLOGIES!

It’s October (aka spooky season), so that means I’m back in Wicked Shadow Press’s Flash of the Dead Halloween Anthology. This time for 2026, and they really went with a nice cover this year. As always, they’ve got a tremendous lineup. Most of the stories are what’s called “flash fiction,” and these are tales which usually run between 500 and 1,500 words in length. What I like to call small bites. While most of the stories are themed around All Hallows’ Eve, my tale is about the horrors of time travel. You know, like being stuck in a time period you can’t adapt to or like very much? Or being in quarantine. Or, even worse, the horrors of being forced to reside with somebody you don’t like… and ingest castor oil. Read my story in Flash of the Dead Halloween 26: “Nothing but Time and Oil.” Pictures and links will be below as usual.

Wicked Shadow Press presents…

Flash of the Dead Halloween 2026 – Flash Fiction Anthology

Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty

Featuring new Dagstine story: “Nothing but Time and Oil”

BUY THE BOOK IN USA (also available in India/Asia):

Paperback: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty/flash-of-the-dead-halloween-26/paperback/product-84qd997.html

Wicked Shadow Press on Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedshadowpress

Instagram: https://instagram.com/wickedshadowpress

Wicked Shadow Press New Website:

https://wickedshadowpress.induswords.in

Oh yeah, and Happy Halloween! 🙂

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

Wicked Shadow Press: “ACT OF GOD” – Natural Disaster Horror Anthology!

Been a few months but I’m back at Wicked Shadow Press with a 2000-word short story, and sharing a table of contents with an all-too-familiar lineup. This time in Act of God. This is an anthology of “natural disaster”-themed horror stories. Whether it’s a plague of locusts, a flash flood that drowns millions, a hurricane that wreaks havoc, a tsunami that leaves devastation in its wake, or an earthquake or volcanic eruption that leaves millions dead, there is sure to be thrills and chills nearby. It’s a regular Irwin Allen movie this time around. My story is told from the perspective of a young child during the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. But is this kid telling his tale while he’s alive, dying, or already dead? Find out in my earthquake story: “Beneath the Rubble.”

Wicked Shadow Press presents… ACT OF GOD Anthology

Edited by Rasiika Sen & Parth Sarathi Chakraborty

Featuring new Dagstine story: “Beneath the Rubble”

Available in USA and INDIA/ASIA

WHERE TO ORDER THIS DISASTROUS AND SCARY BOOK (links below):


ACT OF GOD paperback:https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen-and-parth-sarathi-chakraborty/act-of-god/paperback/product-95vw9wr.html

ACT OF GOD eBook: https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen-and-parth-sarathi-chakraborty/act-of-god/ebook/product-je86y74.html

WICKED SHADOW PRESS ON SOCIAL MEDIA (click below, be redirected):

Wicked Shadow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedshadowpress

Wicked Shadow on Instagram: https://instagram.com/wickedshadowpress

WICKED SHADOW PRESS NEW HEADQUARTERS/WEBSITE:

https://wickedshadowpress.induswords.in

More books with Dagstine stories coming this fall. So be sure to follow!

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

ANTHOLOGIES: “Not Your Grandma’s Fairy Tales” – Three Cousins Publishing!

I’m back with Three Cousins Publishing (in conjunction with editors Robert Lupton, Carol McConnell, and West Mesa Press). And for a fourth time in five years. I was invited to submit a short story to their “speculative fiction & horror” mashup anthology, “Not Your Grandma’s Fairy Tales.” This year’s theme is Mother Goose and Grimm’s fairy tales RETOLD. Think Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Hansel and Gretel. But the stories are remanufactured and told from outside the box. My story is about Prince Charming, returning from the underworld after a horrible car accident. He comes back in a zombified sort of way. And he has some recompense for his former lover. Check out my story in this latest fairy tale retold anthology: “Skin like Snow, Breath like Earth.” On Amazon AND Lulu, just scroll down.

Not Your Grandma’s Fairy Tales – Published by Three Cousins Publishing

Edited by Robert Lupton w. Carol McConnell

Featuring Dagstine story: “Skin like Snow, Breath like Earth”

WHERE TO ORDER THE BOOK (Amazon Kindle and paperback):

BUY IT ON LULU (different options available):

LULU PAPERBACK – 357 PAGES: https://www.lulu.com/shop/david-l-morris-and-carol-mcconnell-and-robert-allen-lupton-and-campbell-blaine/not-your-grandmas-fairy-tales/paperback/product-kv45786.html?q=not+your+grandma%27s+fairy+tales&page=1&pageSize=4

LULU EBOOK – EPUB $2.99: https://www.lulu.com/shop/david-l-morris-and-robert-allen-lupton-and-carol-mcconnell-and-campbell-blaine/not-your-grandmas-fairy-tales/ebook/product-m2vzdmp.html?q=not+your+grandma%27s+fairy+tales&page=1&pageSize=4

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

The Gathering: A Curated Collection Brought to You by Hollowpoint Press – LITERARY ANTHOLOGIES!

I forgot to advertise this book a while back. Just been so busy. Hollowpoint Press put out a curated literary anthology, which you can purchase right now on Amazon in print and Kindle formats, chock full of speculative fiction, mostly less than 2000 words in length. Great presentation. I think the press is Canada-based. What started as a contest (grand prize winner gets $100, and there’s a second and third place cash prize), became this big book with over forty-one authors making up the table of contents. My story, a flash fiction piece, almost made it into the top three winners for a cash prize. But they loved my tale so much they insisted on including it. It’s a futuristic story set in Dubai in a few decades from now, where forbidden afterlife science has been achieved and “you too” can live forever, staring down at your loved ones from the clouds. But is there more to this afterlife science the Saudis are offering than meets the eye? Read my flash fiction piece: “Long After the Surface.” I’ll leave any pictures, adverts, or links down below.

Added: Hollowpoint Press will also interview me in the next two, three weeks and post it on their website. When the time comes, you can find that interview here (click link right below, in just a few weeks): https://www.hollowpointpress.ca/portfolio

Hollowpoint Press presents…

The Gathering: A Curated Collection – featuring 41 Authors

Featuring new Dagstine story: “Long After the Surface”

SAMPLE OR BUY THE BOOK ON AMAZON:

HOLLOWPOINT PRESS MAIN WEBPAGE (and masthead):

https://www.hollowpointpress.ca

HOLLOWPOINT PRESS INTERVIEWS LAWRENCE DAGSTINE (coming soon):

https://www.hollowpointpress.ca/portfolio

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

FANTASY BOOKS: “Fantastic Schools Vol. 13” – New Anthologies, New Dagstine Story! Harry Potter-Style!

For my next story we have a lengthy fantasy piece about a blind witch to a Harry Potter-inspired anthology, edited and put out by Christopher G. Nuttall. This series has been around for a number of years, and it’s a pretty thick book. I’ll leave all available links and pictures down below, like I usually do the past 20+ years. Fantastic Schools is a series about magic users in or around learning environments. Fantasy that falls under the Harry Potter-style umbrella, mystical universities of wizardry, or video games like Fire Emblem Three Houses. Best way to describe it. If you’re a fan of J.K. Rowling, this will definitely be up your alley. Or maybe, just maybe, as a suitable replacement. The witch in my tale goes to a school for swordsmanship and magic, a curse was bestowed on her family, leaving pretty much everybody half-blind. And with the help of an animal companion, we see my protagonist overcome adversity, prejudice, and disability in the most amazing fashion. I really do recommend this book. It’s got a stellar lineup. Read my new fantasy piece in Fantastic Schools Volume #13: “The Myopic Witch and her Avian Attendant.”

FANTASTIC SCHOOLS VOLUME 13

Edited and published by Christopher G. Nuttall & L. Jagi Lamplighter

Fiction about Magic Learning Environments & Harry Potter-style characters

Featuring New Dagstine story: “The Myopic Witch and her Avian Attendant”

Available on Pubshare FIRST (click link, be redirected):

https://pubshare.com/books/fantastic-schools-volume-13

TABLE OF CONTENTS (in order):

The Battle of New Stains Castle by James Pyles

The Myopic Witch and her Avian Attendant by Lawrence Dagstine

The Sorceress’s Son by Peter Rhodan

The Mage and the Fox by Jasmine Lawrence

A Freshman’s First Quest by Steve Choquette

Robyn’s Story by William Lehman

The Staff Fighter by J.W. Logan

Green Flash Molten by Rhys Hughes

Forged By Starlight by Frank Luke

The Magics of Fae by J.L. Stevenson

The Chaperone’s Tale by Christopher G. Nuttall

As for Amazon, Volume 13 will EVENTUALLY find its way here:

(the whole book series – click and be redirected)

Or if you own a Kindle and just want a ONE-OFF, then go here:

ABOUT THE BOOK/SERIES: ‘Have you ever wanted to go to magic school? To cast spells and brew potions and fly on broomsticks and – perhaps – battle threats both common and supernatural? Come with us into worlds of magic, where students become magicians and teachers do everything in their power to ensure the kids survive long enough to graduate. Welcome to … Fantastic Schools.

Once again, students enter their schools of sorcery – sometimes willingly, sometimes not – and come face to face with the power, and the price, of magic. Come meet the son of a powerful and famous sorceress, trying to make his way out from under his mother’s shadow; come meet a blind witch making her way through a magical world, with the aid of her strange and powerful familiar. Or thrill to stories of student wizards fighting duels, some very real, and a lost girl who finds herself yanked into a world of magic. Or a young commoner who has to chaperone an aristocrat as the price of her schooling, a price she may not be willing to pay…

All this, and more, in the latest volume of Fantastic Schools.’

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos” and “Digital Credits”

Edited to Add: Pleased to wake up and find that Fantastic Schools Vol. #13 is in the TOP 200 on Amazon Kindle.

{ “@context”: “https://schema.org”, “@type”: “Book”, “name”: “Fantastic Schools Volume 13”, “editor”: [ { “@type”: “Person”, “name”: “Christopher G. Nuttall” }, { “@type”: “Person”, “name”: “L. Jagi Lamplighter” } ], “datePublished”: “2026-08-19”, “hasPart”: { “@type”: “ShortStory”, “name”: “The Myopic Witch and her Avian Attendant”, “author”: { “@type”: “Person”, “name”: “Lawrence Dagstine”, “url”: “https://lawrencedagstine.com” } } }

Red Polka Books: “Sibling Syndrome Anthology…” – BOOKS WORTH READING!

I have a story in an anthology from a press I published with a few years back, called Red Polka Books. The name of the anthology is Sibling Syndrome. It’s different. The theme here are stories about brothers and sisters who care about each other, or have some kind of connection that goes beyond the norm. Hence, the title. And no, my story is not one of incest but one of speculative fiction. Imagine a sister and brother, who would go to the ends of the earth for each other, who would have each other’s back through thick and thin, could one day perceive the same imagery. My story is one about “identity distortion” and, eventually, “identity collapse.” It also has a Stranger Things vibe to it. Read my tale, “Mirror Child.” In the latest anthology from Red Polka Books. Pics and links will be below, so be sure to scroll all the way down.

Red Polka Books presents…

Sibling Syndrome Anthology – Edited by Rasiika Sen

Featuring new Dagstine story: “Mirror Child”

WHERE TO ORDER THE BOOK – (click links, be redirected):


Buy the illustrated paperback: 

https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen/sibling-syndrome/paperback/product-e7n8zjj.html

Buy the minimal epub: https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen/sibling-syndrome/ebook/product-zmekgz6.html

RED POLKA BOOKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA – (click links, be redirected):

Follow Red Polka on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redpolkabooks

Follow Red Polka on Instagram: https://instagram.com/redpolkabooks

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

Wicked Shadow Press: “Small Town Shadows” – Horror in Small Towns!

Hello. I am back in a three-volume anthology series, from the wonderful book producers of spine-tingling terror themselves, Wicked Shadow Press. This time with a reprint from 2006 (yes, twenty years ago!). And it’s a zombie story. A kid’s zombie story. Something I am known the past two decades for writing. The name of the anthology is, ‘Small Town Shadows.’ The theme this time is horror set in small locales, densely populated cities, or areas. There are two other books in this series, entitled: ‘Small Town Secrets’ and ‘Small Town Silhouettes.’ A lot of authors contributed to these. I’m in Shadows, remember that. Book covers and clickable links will be below, as always. Just scroll down. A lot of times these books are illustrated throughout. So sit back, relax, and read my tale: “Thursday’s Children.” The theme is something that, twenty years ago, for the time period, nobody had ever touched upon too much in mainstream literature.

Wicked Shadow Press presents…

SMALL TOWN SHADOWS Horror Anthology

Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty & Rasiika Sen

Featuring old school Dagstine reprint: “Thursday’s Children”

WHERE TO ORDER SMALL TOWN SHADOWS:

Paperback Purchase Link (click, be redirected):

https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen-and-parth-sarathi-chakraborty/small-town-shadows/paperback/product-e7nrp2k.html

Wicked Shadow Press Socials – (click links, be redirected):

Follow Wicked Shadow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedshadowpress

Follow Wicked Shadow on Instagram: https://instagram.com/wickedshadowpress

Wicked Shadow Press New Website/Homepage – (click, be redirected):

https://wickedshadowpress.induswords.in/

I must confess, it’s weird seeing one of your very first zombie stories from twenty years ago fully illustrated. A lot of love went into the making of this book. It looks really good. I have PDFs on hand if anybody wants a review copy. All the authors’ tales are illustrated.

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

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Egyptian Anthologies: “Flash of the Dead Egypt” – Wicked Shadow Press!

I have a themed flash fiction piece in the latest horror anthology from Wicked Shadow Press. This time it’s geographical. Flash about horrors set in and around Egypt, and only Egypt. It could be a short about Mummies, the Pyramids of Giza, Undiscovered Tombs, the Pharaohs, Ancient Gods or Curses, and the like. My story is about two tourists (a couple), who find themselves caught in a storm that terrorizes Cairo once every hundred years. A sandstorm like no other. And with it, come mysterious flying monkeys. Hungry monkeys! The name of my tale is: “Sandstorm of the Han-Saba.” Lot of authors here. Available in the United States and India. I’ll leave clickable links below, so be sure and scroll down. Oh yeah, and there’s a color and B&W version.

Wicked Shadow Press presents…

Flash of the Dead Egypt – Egyptian Horror Flash Anthology

Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty

Featuring Dagstine short: “Sandstorm of the Han-Saba”

LINKS BELOW FOR ORDERING THE BOOK – (click, be redirected):

Illustrated FULL COLOUR edition:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty/flash-of-the-dead-egypt-full-colour-edition/paperback/product-95wy4ez.html

Standard illustrated BLACK & WHITE edition: 

https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty/flash-of-the-dead-egypt-standard-edition/paperback/product-95wyvnv.html

Minimal ePub version: 

https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty/flash-of-the-dead-egypt/ebook/product-kv7nvqq.html

WICKED SHADOW PRESS SOCIALS – (click, be redirected):

Like WSP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedshadowpress

Follow WSP on Instagram: https://instagram.com/wickedshadowpress

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

Wicked Shadow Press: “Dark Vigil Annihilate” – Anthology of Vigilante Fiction

I have a reprint (from 2008, polished) in the latest multi-volume anthology series from Wicked Shadow Press, entitled: Dark Vigil Annihilate. This is a big series (five, six hefty tomes total). I see that a lot of authors submitted to these, and each book focuses around dark vigilante fiction. Horror, speculative whodunits, and crime meets Charles Bronson (ala Death Wish), people bringing their own justice, and scary serial killers in-between. I’m in the volume Annihilate, so remember that. Not only that, there are two variant covers available, like you see in comic books. The first cover below, with the “masked woman” is the primary cover. The other with the “full-bleed” Akira effect (reds) is the variant edition. My story is called: ‘The Old Boy’s Club.’ It’s a classic tale about a 1920s-era Gentleman’s Society of paranormal purveyors and supernatural enthusiasts. But in order to get in to this society of ghost fans you will need to first become an initiate, and then use “female bait” to hunt down a restless spirit. That’s how you get in to this society. But what happens when that restless spirit is none other than Jack the Ripper himself? I’ll leave all links, covers, variants, stuff like that below. Scroll to the bottom, be redirected to any ordering pages, and enjoy my updated story: “The Old Boy’s Club”

Wicked Shadow Press presents…

DARK VIGIL: ANNIHILATE – two variant covers available

Edited by Rasiika Sen & Parth Sarathi Chakraborty

Featuring 2008 Dagstine reprint: “The Old Boy’s Club”

DARK VIGIL VARIANT COVER AVAILABLE BELOW (primary is above):

WHERE TO ORDER EITHER EDITION – (click links, be redirected):

DARK VIGIL: ANNIHILATE

Primary cover: https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen-and-parth-sarathi-chakraborty/dark-vigil-annihilate/paperback/product-7kwpk74.html

Variant cover: https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen-and-parth-sarathi-chakraborty/dark-vigil-annihilate/paperback/product-456pnv5.html

Wicked Shadow Press on Social Media – (click links, be redirected):

WSP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedshadowpress

WSP on Instagram: https://instagram.com/wickedshadowpress

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

Official Substack Newsletter updated: I’ve added to the Substack Newsletter for Feb-Mar 2026, “Carving a Niche for Yourself.” On creating a side hustle, creating a stream of income from your writing, creating a routine that works over time, building publishing clips and passive income. How I do it the past 30 years. It’s very informative. Consider subscribing. In the future I plan to post paying anthology calls there.

https://lawrencedagstinewrites.substack.com/p/lawrence-dagstine-carving-a-niche

Flash Fiction Anthologies: “Flash of the Flesh” – Wicked Shadow Press!

I’m back again at Wicked Shadow Press in one of their themed flash fiction anthologies. They release a couple of these volumes per year, and the theme is usually different each time, so long as it has its fair share of horror and speculative fiction. Not only that, they sell well in India. So if you’re looking to get read abroad, you might want to look them up. They also produce nice looking books (layout and design). And this in turn has led to me nabbing a few commercial writing gigs (print publishing clips). This time they’ve come out with Flash of the Flesh. This is all extreme horror. As in Rated R scares and up to 1500 words in length. My piece is about a serial killer in my hometown (Brooklyn), who collects the faces of his victims. And sometimes, these visages speak back to him. Introducing my latest flash fiction story: “Whispers from the Mantle.” Pictures and clickable links down below.

Wicked Shadow Press presents…

FLASH OF THE FLESH Extreme Horror Flash Anthology

Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty

Featuring new Dagstine piece: “Whispers from the Mantle”

There’s a LOT of great interior art this time around. Check out some of the illos.

WHERE TO ORDER THE BOOK – (click links, be redirected):

Paperback: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty/flash-of-the-flesh/paperback/product-nv6rpk6.html

ePub: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty/flash-of-the-flesh/ebook/product-rmwkdj9.html

Wicked Shadow Press on Social Media – (click links, be redirected):

WSP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedshadowpress

WSP on Instagram: https://instagram.com/wickedshadowpress

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

Campfire Publishing: “After Dark, Vol. #2” – ANTHOLOGIES!

Happy New Year. I’m back with horror stories in some new anthologies. This time with a novelette, and published by the fine folks at Campfire Publishing. The name of the book is: After Dark, Volume #2. This is the second book in a series, and much of it is filled with novelettes and short novellas. There is quite the stable of literary talent here. My tale falls under the “historical vampire” category. It takes place in a POW camp in 1960s Vietnam. I’d been sitting on it for a while, but thanks to the editorial filter of publisher Aaron Crocker, it’s ready to see the light of day. It’s a big book, with stories running the gamut of 7500 to 20,000 words in length. Read Campfire Publishing’s latest anthology, After Dark, Volume #2. And my new story for 2026: “The Code of Conduct.” I’ll provide book pics and clickable links below. There’s also a Hugo/Nebula nominee in here, and a Star Trek writer.

Campfire Publishing presents…

AFTER DARK, Volume. #2 – Edited by Aaron Crocker

Featuring new Dagstine novelette: “The Code of Conduct”

Sample it out on Amazon – Available in Kindle AND print formats

For Campfire Publishing’s OFFICIAL Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091552677939

Edited to Add: I am pleased to announce that, pre-order wise, After Dark Volume #2 is breaking Amazon Sales numbers. It’s moving up the algorithm in sales. The release date is January 27th for the ebook, February for big-and-thick print if physical media is your thing.

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos” and “Digital Credits”

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Savage Realms Press: “Necro-Sapiens (Anthologies of Horror Series)”

I’m in yet another horror anthology. They just keep flooding in. It’s available in ebook, paperback, and audiobook formats. The best of all worlds. This time from the fine folks at Savage Realms Press. They are known for their dark fiction anthologies that go all the way up to 500 pages in length. But that’s not all. They produce captivating gamebooks too. How awesome is that! Small press is hot right now, and you should check out Savage Realms’ latest production: Necro-Sapiens. It’s the third book in a series. I’m in it, along with some familiar names in horror: Bram Stoker nominee James Dorr, Troy Anthony Schermer, Matthew Hollis Damon, Angelique Fawns. The list goes on. My story this time around could best be described as one part cosmic horror, the other part dark fantasy. What happens when you take a highway accident, a creepy little girl with a balloon, and throw a distraught clown into the mix? You get my story, “Whatever Your Heart Desires.” I’ll leave all pictures and links down below.

Savage Realms Press presents: NECRO-SAPIENS (Anthologies of Horror Series)

Featuring new Dagstine story: “Whatever Your Heart Desires”

SAVAGE REALMS PRESS MAIN WEBSITE – (click link, be redirected):

https://www.savagerealmspress.com/

**Necro-Sapiens is on Amazon Kindle, in paperback, and audiobook**

I’m thrilled to share that, as of this post, Necro-Sapiens has officially broken into the TOP 100 on Amazon Kindle! This marks the third anthology featuring one of my stories in just the past few weeks to hit the TOP 100 in its category.

DESCRIPTION FROM AMAZON: From Savage Realms Press comes a truly unsettling assortment of tales about the undead guaranteed to haunt your dreams and stalk your waking hours!

  • A detective investigates the mysterious disappearance of a university professor
  • A sheriff and a pie-loving redneck must team up to end a string of gruesome murders
  • A professional thief is hired to recover the stolen urn of a dead rock star
  • Love is in the air with a modern day mummy romance
  • and many more

Necro-Sapiens features 23 delightfully dreadful stories of the macabre from authors Amanda M. Blake, Mark Silcox, K.M. Parker, Marie Lanza, Matthew Hollis Damon, M. Legree, Kevin Beckett, Angelique Fawns, Harding McFadden, Lawrence Dagstine, Arindam Kalita, Gordon Grice, TroyAnthony Schermer, Paul O’Neill, Rich Restucci, R.L. Blackburne, Jordan King-Lacroix, James Dorr, Shane Simmons, Jake McCormac, LJ Jacobs, and John A. DeLaughter.

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos” and “Digital Credits”

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Eldritch Cat Press: “Cemetery Songs Vol. 1” – NEW PRESSES, NEW ANTHOLOGIES!

Busy season for horror and dark fantasy. Pooped. Back again with yet another anthology appearance. This time for a new genre publisher, called: Eldritch Cat Press. The editor there is the talented Alanna Robertson-Webb. And for this press’s debut anthology they decided to go with something themed. Stories centered around three things: cemeteries, songs, and cats. The anthology includes all those things. That’s the recipe here. It got such an amazing turnout, it spawned TWO volumes. I was one of the lucky authors to make it into the first volume. Volume one. My story takes place in ancient times, Greater Assyria. It’s called: “Songs for the Unburied.” I’ll leave pictures and essential info below. Check it out on Amazon, in print or ebook formats.

Cemetery Songs Anthology – Volume #1

Published by Eldritch Cat Press – Edited by Alanna Robertson-Webb

Featuring Dagstine story: “Songs for the Unburied”

***Available on Amazon Kindle or in print paperback formats***

Company Logo Copyright Alanna Robertson-Webb, Eldritch Cat Press

DESCRIPTION FROM AMAZON: ‘Cemetery Songs Volume 1 is the first of two books featuring 20 fictional, short horror stories from a unique blend of authors. While each story is vastly different in tone, style and content they all have three elements in common: a cat, a song and a cemetery. Some stories will send chills down your spine, others will leave you with a quiet, unsettled feeling in the pit of your stomach and a few may even bring a tear to your eye. Come, pull up a seat with us as we dive into this incredible blend of entertaining tales fit for the living…and the dead.‘

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos” and “Digital Credits”

West Mesa Press: “Lurking in the Gene Pool” – 2025 ANTHOLOGY

Pleased to announce I have a 4000-word story in this year’s West Mesa Press anthology (in conjunction with Three Cousins Publishing), Lurking in the Gene Pool. This one is just in time for Halloween, and the theme for this year is “supernatural family members” — something I’m good at writing over the years — or anything in relation to such family members. Hence, the title. Lurking in the Gene Pool (genetically). I’m not sure, but there might even be an Audible audiobook and a hardcover coming from Amazon down the road. So it will be available in all presentations, all formats. My story is brand new and a “different” kind of lycanthropy tale. It take place with a backwards family and a visiting grandfather down in Appalachian country. So yes, technically, it’s Appalachian Horror. I’ll leave all pics and ordering info down below. Check out my tale: “Looking for Meteorites.”

Lurking in the Gene Pool Anthology – Edited by Robert Lupton

Published by West Mesa Press (Three Cousins Publishing)

Featuring new Dagstine story: “Looking for Meteorites”

***Available in EBook and Print Paperback formats***

Here are some other West Mesa Press titles (once again, in conjunction with Three Cousins Publishing), I appeared in a few years back. Witch Wizard Warlock features my story “Family Ties.” A witch’s tale. And it’s available at the usual online booksellers: Apple Books, Vivlio, Kobo, Barnes & Nobles, etc.

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos” and “Digital Credits”

HALLOWEEN BOOKS: “Halloweenthology Bad Pumpkin!” – Wicked Shadow Press

I have a Halloween-themed story about mummies (and housing discrimination related to them) in the latest paperback entry in the Wicked Shadow Press seasonal anthology series, HALLOWEENTHOLOGY 2025 – Bad Pumpkin! Every year Wicked Shadow puts out three beautiful looking tomes in the Halloweenthology franchise, all on the same horrific theme: Halloween. It’s become a tradition. They sell quite well here in the United States and India. This year it’s another three books. I’m in Bad Pumpkin, so remember that. The other books in the series are called “Blood Moon” and “Autumn Falls.” For my story, imagine being a mummy owner, trying to find your own apartment for you and your bandaged-up entourage to live. Imagine getting turned away wherever you tried, housing complex after housing complex, good credit and all. But finally you stumble upon a creepy mortician who rents out one of his apartments. Sometimes, on Halloween, your new landlord may not be who he seems to be. I’ll leave all pics and links below. Be sure to check out my 3800-word tale, “Living Arrangements.”

Halloweenthology 2025 – Bad Pumpkin!

Published by Wicked Shadow Press – Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty

Featuring Dagstine story: “Living Arrangements”

WHERE TO PICK UP “BAD PUMKPIN” – Click Links, Be Redirected:

Paperback purchase links:

Autumn Falls: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty-and-rasiika-sen/halloweenthology-autumn-falls/paperback/product-dyprnrz.html

Bad Pumpkin: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty-and-rasiika-sen/halloweenthology-bad-pumpkin/paperback/product-jej59qe.html

Blood Moon: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty-and-rasiika-sen/halloweenthology-blood-moon/paperback/product-95jmzzg.html

eBook purchase links: 

Autumn Falls: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty-and-rasiika-sen/halloweenthology-autumn-falls/ebook/product-kvjn88j.html

Bad Pumpkin: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty-and-rasiika-sen/halloweenthology-bad-pumpkin/ebook/product-m25d498.html

Blood Moon: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty-and-rasiika-sen/halloweenthology-blood-moon/ebook/product-dyprmgy.html

WICKED SHADOW PRESS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Like WSP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedshadowpress

Follow WSP on Instagram: https://instagram.com/wickedshadowpress

Join the Facebook group to get author-related info from Wicked Shadow and other amazing indie horror publishers: 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/7867933553277077/

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

Want more Halloween fun? Listen to my narrated story, The Children of the Barn, over at Creepy Podcast. Link: https://www.creepypod.com/episodes/2025/10/8/31-days-of-horror-2025-day-20-starved-amp-the-children-of-the-barn

“Pocket Full of Posies, Shadow Children” – CHILDREN’S HORROR ANTHOLOGY!

Pleased to announce I have a new novelette of gothic horror (a period piece) in the latest Wicked Shadow Press anthology, Pocket Full of Posies – Shadow Children! This is children’s horror, so it is themed. Think adolescent monsters. Think kid vampires. Think werewolf cubs. Think zombie teenagers. This anthology is all about horrific minors, and they’re not to be trifled with. There are actually three books in the Pocket Full of Posies series. The other anthologies are “Paper Tombs” and “Silent Cradle.” I’m in Shadow Children, so remember that. My story takes place in a monster hospital with nuns (and there’s more to this hospital than meets the eye). Read my lengthy tale, “The Nursery Floor.” Pictures and links to everything will be down below, as always.

Pocket Full of Posies – Shadow Children Anthology

Published by Wicked Shadow Press – Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty

Featuring Dagstine story: “The Nursery Floor”

Featuring work by Armand Rosamilia, Chad Anctil, Donovan Douglas Thiesson, MORE!

Where to order Pocket Full of Posies Shadow Children

Available in USA and India – Click links, be redirected:

Paperback: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty-and-rasiika-sen/pocket-full-of-posies-shadow-children/paperback/product-w47k78j.html

ePub: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty-and-rasiika-sen/pocket-full-of-posies-shadow-children/ebook/product-yvg5gdw.html

Wicked Shadow Press on social media:

Like WSP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedshadowpress

Follow WSP on Instagram: https://instagram.com/wickedshadowpress

Be a part of Wicked Shadow’s Facebook group to get regular author-related info: https://www.facebook.com/groups/7867933553277077/

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

Wicked Shadow Press: “Drop Dead Gorgeous” – DAMSELS OF DOOM!

It’s that time again. Wicked Shadow Press time. And I’m in one of their hauntingly beautiful (or should I say hideously ominous?) anthologies about supernatural women! That’s right, ghost girls! This time to a two-volume series in paperback and epub formats. Drop Dead Gorgeous: Damsels of Doom. So remember that. Damsels of Doom. My tale is brand new and inspired by Japanese folklore (Japan’s infamous suicide forest) and the video game series, Fatal Frame. There’s a lot of great stories in these two books, but if you decide to just check out the one I’m in (pictures and links down below), be sure to read: “The Bite of the Cherry Blossom.” You’re in for a tasty treat, I promise. Cheers.

Drop Dead Gorgeous: Damsels of Doom Anthology

Published by Wicked Shadow Press

Featuring Dagstine story: “The Bite of the Cherry Blossom”

Where to order this spooky tome (click links, be redirected):


Paperback: https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen-and-parth-sarathi-chakraborty/drop-dead-gorgeous-damsels-of-doom/paperback/product-e7w272k.html

ePub: https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen-and-parth-sarathi-chakraborty/drop-dead-gorgeous-damsels-of-doom/ebook/product-e7w27vn.html

Wicked Shadow Press on Social Media:


Like WSP on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/wickedshadowpress

Follow WSP on Instagram:https://instagram.com/wickedshadowpress

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

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Wicked Shadow Press: “Flash of the Dead – RELOADED!”

For my next anthology appearance it’s a flash fiction piece. A cyberpunk vampire tale. Something I’ve never done before, melding the two tropes. And it comes to Wicked Shadow Press’s latest offering, which has become somewhat of an annual thing (perhaps even celebratory): ‘Flash of the Dead – Reloaded!‘ I’ve been in about three or four of these Flash of the Dead-themed horror books the past four years. The tales are not half that bad. Wicked Shadow Press produces very beautiful books, books that have actually assisted me in nabbing other writing-related opportunities I wouldn’t normally get at my age (freelance stuff, non-genre related). People in India read them. Yes, India loves their horror just like we do here in the States. Flash fiction are bite-sized stories. They usually run between 500 to 1500 words in length, and they are considered quick reads. You can digest them in the time it takes you to get from one location to the next, say, on your daily commute to work. Anyway, without further ado, my 1400-word cyberpunk vampire tale: “The Lurker Code.”

Flash of the Dead RELOADED! – published by Wicked Shadow Press

Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty

Featuring Dagstine flash piece: “The Lurker Code”

Where to order Flash of the Dead Reloaded (click links, be redirected):

Paperback version: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty/flash-of-the-dead-reloaded/paperback/product-dy6zwzj.html

ePub version: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty/flash-of-the-dead-reloaded/ebook/product-nv9z8mr.html

Like WSP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedshadowpress

Follow WSP on Instagram: https://instagram.com/wickedshadowpress

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

Books about Genocide: “Genocidal” – An Anthology, by Culture Cult Press

For my next speculative piece it’s another new one, and we’re going into an anthology themed around a very controversial subject. And that’s genocide and The Holocaust. I was inspired to write this story after reading Elie Wiesel’s epic biography, Night. My story is dark science fiction meets horror meets alternate history. It features Adolf Hitler. And robots. These robots are known as The War Machines. Hitler and the robots are main characters in this dramatic tale. Because of the subject matter, a lot of editors didn’t want to read or take a chance on this piece (probably one of my most powerful in a long time; I have another powerful story written in the second person slated for later this year). The name of my story is: “Christmas along the Danube.” It is indeed a holiday story, it is a trigger warning story, there is death, and you can find it right now in the Culture Cult Press anthology, Genocidal. Every piece in Genocidal features some form of subject matter on genocide or the Holocaust. It might be poems, it might be essays or non-fiction, firsthand accounts, or in my case, dark science fiction. Though I suspect any firsthand stuff would have been passed down through the ages. Still, go check out my story, along with the other authors’ contributions. Ordering links will be further down below.

#GENOCIDAL – Published by Culture Cult Press

Featuring Dagstine story: “Christmas along the Danube”

Where to order your copy (click links, be redirected):

Paperback: https://www.lulu.com/shop/j-chakravarti/genocidal/paperback/product-7k6dy4j.html

ePub: https://www.lulu.com/shop/j-chakravarti/genocidal/ebook/product-jewmeq7.html

According to publisher info received, the April 2025 discount code BCORPBOOKS15 may be used for a 15% discount on Lulu on all purchases. 

Culture Cult Press Socials:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CultureCultPress

Instagram: https://instagram.com/culturecultpress

Visit at: https://CultureCult.co.in

Also check out my latest chapbook from Farthest Star Publishing,

SMALL FAVORS by Lawrence Dagstine

I would say if you want to get introduced to my more extreme forms of horror writing in 2025, and you’ve never read a Lawrence Dagstine piece before, then you want to start here: Small Favors, then follow up with Christmas along the Danube in Genocidal, and later this year (say, October) Inherited in the book, No Exit. Those three pieces. Trigger warning for each one.

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

NEW ANTHOLOGIES: “Who Let the Gods Out?!” – Wicked Shadow Press

My next story is yet another new one, and this time to a themed Wicked Shadow Press anthology again. The name of the anthology, part of a two-book series, is “Who Let the Gods Out?!” – Divine Wrath. I’m in Divine Wrath (that volume), keep that in mind. I’m sure there was no pun intended when naming these (**wink wink**), and while the books are primarily horror-focused, my story falls more under the umbrella of dark science fiction. The main protagonist is a Russian fisherman who has always had his eyes set on the stars, as far back as the fall of the Soviet Union and KGB. He’s in search of an alien probe with godly technology inside of it, but so is a very rich entrepreneur. This tycoon wants the quantum computing tech the aliens are traveling with, but at what price? What will he become once he gets his hands on it? Find out in: “Transcendence.”

WHO LET THE GODS OUT?! Anthology – Divine Wrath

Published by Wicked Shadow Press/Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty

Featuring new Dagstine story: “Transcendence”

ORDERING INFO (click links below, be redirected):

Who Let the Gods Out paperback: https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen-and-parth-sarathi-chakraborty/who-let-the-gods-out-divine-wrath/paperback/product-m2mzd9e.html

Who Let the Gods Out ePub: https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen-and-parth-sarathi-chakraborty/who-let-the-gods-out-divine-wrath/ebook/product-w4k74zj.html

Wicked Shadow Press on Social Media:

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedshadowpress

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wickedshadowpress

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”