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):
For my next publication I’m appearing in a literary book series/journal series based out of Sydney, Australia. They are themed. In past editions they covered such story themes as Las Vegas, Amusement Parks, Devils, and Birds Have Teeth. What they mean is stories set in or around those subjects. So long as the story is speculative in nature, too. The theme this time is bears. From Gypsum Sound Tales Down Under comes THUGGISH ITCH – BEAR. I will leave links below, where to order and read a copy. My story is about a relic hunter and a mystical bear. It takes place post-World War 2. Oh yeah, and the Nazis are in it. If you’re into Indiana Jones-type fare, this lengthy tale might be up your alley. Read: “Bear of the Hidden Monastery.”
GYPSUM SOUND TALES in Australia presents…
Thuggish Itch: BEAR – Anthology Collection Series
Featuring Dagstine novelette:“Bear of the Hidden Monastery”
SAMPLE OR BUY ON AMAZON (on Kindle and in paperback):
DETAILS ABOUT THUGGISH ITCH BEAR (copy-pasted from Amazon): “In Thuggish Itch: Bear, every story begins with one simple requirement: somewhere in there, there has to be a bear. From ordinary situations that gradually become unsettling to encounters that veer into horror, science fiction and somewhere in between, these stories explore what happens when something familiar suddenly changes the rules. Sometimes the bear is recognisably a bear. Sometimes it becomes something else entirely. And sometimes the bear is barely the problem at all. Dark, strange and often funny, this collection is filled with people trying to deal with impossible situations while still worrying about work, cars, relationships and the ordinary mechanics of everyday life. Because when reality starts to come apart, your first thought probably won’t be profound. It will be something more like: What the hell is that? Welcome to Thuggish Itch: Bear, where sometimes the bear is the least of your worries.“
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):
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”
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):
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.
I’m back in the popular selling Flash of the Dead series from Wicked Shadow Press. This time in a themed anthology of horror and dark science fiction set in outer space. Pieces less than 2000 words in length. And this time with a reprint from a few years back. While my story is set in a low gravity atmosphere, I would call this next one “humorous space horror.” Ask yourself this question. What if after mankind died out, extinct, dogs were the next in line to rule the cosmos. And what if one dog’s biggest threat…biggest horror…was a smart-alecky cat? Read my tale in FLASH OF THE DEAD – SPACE:“Every Cosmos has a Ruling Class.” All links and pictures will be below, so just scroll down. It’s 280+ pages. I believe my story is the final one. I end the book in epic fashion.
Wicked Shadow Press presents…
Flash of the Dead: Space! – Anthology of Flash Horrors set in Space.
Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty & Rasiika Sen
Featuring Dagstine reprint:“Every Cosmos has a Ruling Class.”
Hello, fellow readers. I’ve got a brand new “pulp sci-fi” story to greet you with this month. And it’s being showcased at the long-running Alien Buddha Press. They publish a lot of short story collections and poetry chapbooks, along with a monthly zine. This particular acceptance comes to a themed edition: The Alien Buddha’s Got Beef. What this means is all stories or poems contained within the book has some sort of character or scenario where a BEEF is involved. I’m appearing beside some familiar small press names, like Christopher Dabrowksi, J. Rocky Colavito, and Jacek Wilkos. And Bram Stoker nominee, James Dorr. I’ve appeared with these guys about a dozen times, shared tables of contents before. My story takes place in an interplanetary bar with some interesting regulars, and the beef is in regards to a very important “space race.” A competitive beef. The name of my story is: “The Drinking Man’s Race.” I’ll leave all the necessary photos and clickable links below, along with a pic of the lineup. If you’re into leisurely reading and pulp sf or horror, the Alien Buddha’s got some enjoyable stuff. Great poetry too! 231 beefy pages!
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):
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):
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.
I’m pleased to announce I have a short story of generational horror (along with parenting gone mad!), in the latest anthology from Farthest Star Publishing. This would be my third time published by Farthest Star (they’re the publisher of my novella, The Paraplegic). The name of the book is Acid and Ultra Violence. Fourteen authors are featured. The theme of the book is “violent objects” and “violent people” in science fiction and horror. Those two genres. Hence the title, Ultra Violence. It is edited by D. A. D’Amico. And it is available in paperback and Amazon Kindle formats. I’ll copy and paste all the usual pictures and links down below, any necessary details. The name of my story is, “The One to Keep.” And it’s a new tale.
Acid and Ultra Violence Anthology – Edited by D. A. D’Amico
Published by Farthest Star Publishing
Featuring Dagstine story:“The One to Keep”
***Sample it out now on Amazon Kindle***
DESCRIPTION FROM AMAZON:Welcome to fourteen stories where nothing is what it seems, and every answer unlocks darker questions. Step through shattered futures, cursed realms, and surreal battlegrounds crafted by both seasoned and emerging writers. These tales don’t just shock—they invite you to cry, scream, and bleed with the characters. And to enjoy a good helping of… Acid and Ultra Violence.
These stories don’t comfort. They hurl you into worlds where rage sparks revolutions, grief becomes a weapon, and nothing—whether futuristic, arcane, or infernal—survives untouched. Heroes are forged from trauma, villains born from love, and survival demands a brutal price. Every tale hits hard, burns deep, and leaves its mark—and nothing returns unchanged.
Some highlights…
In a brutal future where body parts are currency, arrogance and desperation clash in a high stakes game of chance. Tech-enhanced Polimi triumphs over the desperate Carmuia, winning a horrific payment of flesh. But Polimi’s victory is cut short… leaving her with only the cruel, ironic sting of absolute loss.
In a world ruled by monsters, a desperate hunter carries a horrific secret bargain. Driven by this desperate promise, she is compelled to lure others into an alien trap. But when her own family becomes part of the creatures’ cruel game, Jill must make an agonizing final choice that will determine the fate of them all.
In a kingdom of chains, a captive witch is forced on a quest for the mythical Pin of Light. Surrounded by deceit and ancient wards, Ja’ala must navigate a spoiled Prince’s arrogance, unforgiving terrain, and dark, evil magic as she prepares to pay the ultimate price of the artifact—a price that may be higher than she could ever imagine.
A scavenging crew risks everything to breach a colossal, ancient starship trapped near a black hole. But the ancient vessel’s opulent halls quickly become a prison of cold terror. Isolated and surrounded by betrayal, the crew begins to turn on itself, unaware of the ship’s deepest secret—a terrifying reality that warps the very nature of time.
Stories:
“Gray Rock Method” by Lauren C. Teffeau “Crossing the Line” by Andrew Akers “Mr. Mongo’s Fanciful Elixir” by Glenn Dungan “The Curator” by Elese Mathis “The Widow and the Rain” by Paul Martz “Just 35 Percent” by Adam Stone “The Pin of Light” by Dean N. D’Amico “Skin in the Game” by C. J. Erick “The One to Keep” by Lawrence Dagstine “Obliterating The Olive” by Shane Porteous “When the Music Stops” by C.J. Taylor “Black Segments” by John Leahy “The Fold” by Jeremy Zentner “Vector Victoria” by D. A. D’Amico
Edited by: D. A. D’Amico
Other New Entries:“Books & Anthos” and “Digital Credits”
I’m thrilled to announce that I have a stunner of a horror story featured in the new regional-based anthology from Timber Ghost Press, NO EXIT – A Collection of Utah Horror. Every story in this hefty volume either takes place in Utah or is penned by Utah-based authors. The book is one of my top recommendations for 2025. Not just for the quality of the collection, but because it includes the first horror piece I’ve ever had accepted that’s written in second-person POV. I chose this narrative style deliberately, to put you—the reader—directly in the shoes of the protagonist: a cannibalistic girl who has inherited a horrific trait from her deceased father. I’d even go so far as to say this is one of the three best horror stories I’ve ever written—right up there with Thursday’s Children and The Paraplegic. The book promises to deliver endless nightmares and features a talented lineup of short story writers. Timber Ghost Press, though relatively new, is a publisher worth checking out. It’s run by the very talented C.R. Langille. The name of my creepy tale: “Inherited.” Pictures and links below.
NO EXIT – A Collection of Utah Horror
Published by Timber Ghost Press – Edited by C.R. Langille
Featuring new Dagstine story:“Inherited”
TABLE OF CONTENTS/FEATURE AUTHORS:
Timber Ghost Press Main Website – (all links, click, and be redirected):
Edited to Add: I’m pleased to announce that NO EXIT (the paperback) has hit Number One in American Horror. Kudos to everybody who picked up a copy. Much love.
Other New Entries:“Books & Anthos” and “Digital Credits”
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “Book”,
“name”: “No Exit: A Collection of Utah Horror”,
“editor”: {
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “C.R. Langille”
},
“publisher”: {
“@type”: “Organization”,
“name”: “Timber Ghost Press”,
“url”: “https://timberghostpress.com”
},
“datePublished”: “2025-10-31”,
“bookFormat”: [
“https://schema.org”,
“https://schema.org”
],
“genre”: [
“Horror”,
“Regional Horror”,
“Travel Horror”,
“Speculative Fiction”
],
“description”: “A dark regional anthology of travel and road-trip horror stories themed around the stark landscapes of Utah.”,
“hasPart”: {
“@type”: “ShortStory”,
“name”: “Inherited”,
“author”: {
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Lawrence Dagstine”,
“url”: “https://lawrencedagstine.com/”
},
“description”: “A second-person perspective horror story centering on a cannibalistic girl who struggles with a terrifying trait left behind by her deceased father.”,
“genre”: “Cannibal Horror”,
“contentLocation”: {
“@type”: “Place”,
“name”: “Utah”
}
}
}
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”
I’m pleased to announce I have a 2000-word piece set during the time of the original Star Wars trilogy in the latest release from Altitude Press: “Whatever – A Generation X Flash Anthology” Most of the stories in the book run the gamut of 1000 to 1500 words in length, with mine probably being the longest of them all. Edited by Nicole McInnes, this would be my second time published by Altitude Press (I was in a themed anthology of theirs a year ago, centered around dogs). There are 22 authors in all, many nationalities, from all over the world. And each of them have experienced Gen-X in some way that is nostalgic (those, at least, born between 1965 to 1980). Whether it’s staying out all night till the break of dawn. Maybe watching MTV. Being alive when Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan were president. Or realizing the very real threat of a Third World War. For me, it was going to the cinema at a young age and watching Luke Skywalker fight Darth Vader. Check out my story, “Movie Night.”
Whatever: A Generation X Flash Fiction Anthology
Published by Altitude Press – Edited by Nicole McInnes
Featuring Dagstine story:“Movie Night”
***Available on Amazon Kindle and SOON in print paperback format***
I’m also pleased to announce that, as of the writing of this post, WHATEVER! has broken the TOP 100 for fiction anthologies on Amazon Kindle…
Other New Entries:“Books & Anthos” and “Digital Credits”
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “Book”,
“name”: “Whatever: A Gen X Flash Fiction Anthology”,
“isbn”: “978-1957027104”,
“editor”: {
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Nicole McInnes”
},
“publisher”: {
“@type”: “Organization”,
“name”: “Altitude Press”
},
“datePublished”: “2025-10-29”,
“bookFormat”: [
“https://schema.org”,
“https://schema.org”
],
“genre”: [
“Fiction”,
“Flash Fiction”,
“Anthology”,
“Speculative Fiction”
],
“description”: “Flash fiction stories by 22 authors from around the world celebrating Generation X experiences, from the Cold War to MTV, blending dry wit and speculative themes.”,
“hasPart”: {
“@type”: “ShortStory”,
“name”: “Movie Night”,
“author”: {
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Lawrence Dagstine”,
“url”: “https://lawrencedagstine.com/”
},
“description”: “A Gen-X flash fiction short story tracking cinematic nostalgia and growing up during the original Star Wars trilogy era.”,
“genre”: “Flash Fiction”
}
}
Pleased to announce I have a 4000-word story in this year’s West Mesa Press anthology (inconjunction 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”
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:
I have a novelette out in the recently released anthology from Critical Blast Publishing, Gods and Services NewLocation. I’m appearing beside 9 or 10 other authors, with stories on the subject of objects related to mythological gods or deities that you might acquire from a curiosity shop. They could be a good deity, or a bad deity. The presence of these gods could be related to statues, chandeliers, ancient artifacts, books. Hence the title and theme. Imagine walking into an antique dealer and finding an object for your home that once belonged to a god. The book is edited by R.J. Carter, and Critical Blast Publishing does a lot of these themed anthologies. They also do a lot of comics, graphic novels, and some illustrated genre fare and their products can be found at vendor tables at various conventions around the country. The name of my story is The Barn Cupid, and it’s about a possessed Cupid statue. It’s a horror-love story, obviously. It is available in paperback, on Amazon or Barnes & Nobles. I will provide all links and pics below.
GODS AND SERVICES NEW LOCATION
Published by Critical Blast Publishing – Edited by R.J. Carter
Featuring Dagstine story:“The Barn Cupid”
On Amazon (sample it, buy in print paperback):
Or buy it at Barnes & Nobles (click link, be redirected):
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):
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.
My next story is also a newbie. And while the anthology it is being featured in is holiday oriented (one of Christmas-themed horror)… My short story could best be described as dark, dystopic science fiction. It is a tale of warning. With DeepSeek and humanoid robots a reality, the future if we are not careful. A tale of man versus machine. A tale of one prisoner explaining Christmas and yuletide blessings to his captor. A tale of human versus AI. Or, just perhaps, if we are not careful, what AGI might become. There are a lot of great holiday stories in this book. The layout and presentation from Wicked Shadow Press is nothing short of excellent, and these books are hot in India. Prepare yourself for my brand new story of what generative AI might evolve into in a few decades: “For my Enemy on Christmas.” Ordering details at the bottom.
Merry Creepsmas – The Green Book(Xmas themed Horror)
Published by Wicked Shadow Press – Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty
Featuring new Dagstine story:“For my Enemy on Christmas”
ORDER BOTH VOLUMES (I’m in the Green Book/Edition):
THE GREEN BOOK (availability in USA – click below):
I have a reprint (appeared in DASH Literary Journal about two years ago), that matches the theme of the following anthology. Chaotic or haphazard stories about New Years, and similar celebratory fiction fare to go along with the once-a-year holiday. And what better way to ring in 2025 than with Alien Buddha Press (the publisher), and sharing a table of contents with the likes of NJ Gallegos, Dawn DeBraal, April Ridge, and Bram Stoker-nominee James Dorr. My New Years-themed story has elements of speculative fiction, steampunk, and magic realism in it. Oh, and angel doctors! It’s called Before Measured Time. It takes place right before midnight on December 31st 1899, and the 20th century and universe is at stake! Check out Alien Buddha’s Chaos Countdowns Anthology now on Amazon. Pictures and info down below. Most of all, Happy New Years!
Alien Buddha’s New Years Chaos Countdowns Anthology
Published by Alien Buddha Press
Featuring Lawrence Dagstine reprint:“Before Measured Time”
Available in paperback on Amazon (click preview box below):
Are you a keeper of canines? Are you a poodle person or pitbull enthusiast? Do you carry your pooch around with you everywhere you go? Are you a dog lover at heart? Then you’re definitely going to want to check out the latest fiction anthology from Altitude Press, and Editor Nicole McInnes, entitled, To The Dogs: 31 Very Short Stories About Man’s Best Friend. Featuring thirty-one authors of flash fiction (and slightly longer) about canines. Most of the stories in this book fall in the 1000 to 2000-word range, and they are entirely devoted to everybody’s favorite pet. There’s fantasy, popular, literary, and a brand new scifi story by yours truly about dogs of the future and space travel (and one pesky cat!). Read my story set aboard a spaceship, “Every Cosmos Has A Ruling Class.” Links and details below.
TO THE DOGS: 31 VERY SHORT STORIES ABOUT MAN’S BEST FRIEND
Edited and Compiled by Nicole McInnes – Published by Altitude Press
Featuring Dagstine story:“Every Cosmos has a Ruling Class”
Author Lineup and Details (copy-pasted from Amazon)
Celebrate humanity’s canine companions with To the Dogs, a collection of 31 dog-themed stories written by authors from all over the world. Whether it’s literary fiction, speculative fiction, science fiction, mystery/suspense, spooky/paranormal, or myth/folklore/allegory you love most, you’re sure to find plenty of short tales (tails?) within this anthology to enjoy and share. Woof!
Stories by: Hidayat Adams, Chad Anctil, Marie Anderson, Dominic Andres, Diana Ashman, Phil Barnard, Juliette Beauchamp, Anthony Boulanger, R.C. Capasso, Gemma Church, Michael A. Clark, Lawrence Dagstine, Wendy Eiben, Zary Fekete, E. Florian Gludovacz, Jenna Hanan Moore, Laurie Herlich, Robert D. Hill, Valerie Hunter, Fiona M. Jones, Shashi Kadapa, Richard Lau, Angela M McCann, Harding McFadden, Bob Smith, Victor Sootho, Mariah Southworth, Jake Stein, Lisa Timpf, Sue Walsh, and John Weagly
AVAILABLE ON KINDLE OR PAPERBACK FORMAT
ALTITUDE PRESS SOCIALS/WEBSITE (for further info):
You must be logged in to post a comment.