For my next piece, I have a brand new speculative tale in a flash fiction anthology. Flash fiction is a kind of story you can read quickly before bed, maybe if you’re on the subway on your way to work, or just waiting in a doctor’s office. They’re not time-consuming, you could say, due to their length. I am featured alongside seventy-four—yes, that’s right, a whopping 74—authors of quick stories falling between 500 and 1500 words in length. My tale is about a woman trapped inside a mysterious marble covered in dark matter. And there’s no way out, or is there? Blink of an Eye Dark Flash Fictions Anthology is the latest release from Culture Cult/Pulp Cult Press, edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty, and sold in the US via Lulu, and also in India. Enjoy my flash piece: “The Girl in the Malignant Marble.”
Blink of an Eye Flash Fiction Anthology – from Culture Cult Press
Featuring Dagstine story: “The Girl in the Malignant Marble”
FULL ORDERING DETAILS (click links, be redirected):
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 flash fiction piece in the latest seasonal/Halloween-themed anthology from Wicked Shadow Press. And the book features well over 60-plus authors, with short works ranging from 500 to 1500 words in length; my short is exactly 1000 words. And that’s what flash fiction pretty much is. It’s a very quick snippet of writing, a very short and concise piece of literature, something maybe to consume when in a doctor’s office, or on a daily commute, or when falling asleep in bed. Flash of the Dead Halloween 2024 is actually a sequel of sorts to the original (and successful) Flash of the Dead Anthology from back in 2022. I had a story in that entry as well, called Saving the Dead. This time, however, for Halloweeen 2024, my miniature tale is called, “Angel Hunter.”
FLASH OF THE DEAD Halloween ’24 – Flash Fiction Anthology
Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty & Rasiika Sen
Published by Wicked Shadow Press
Featuring Dagstine flash piece:“Angel Hunter”
Flash of the Dead Halloween ’24 Ordering Links and WSP Socials:
Pleased to announce I have a horror story about zombie children (a theme I’m known for writing since 2005) in the latest Wicked Shadow Press anthology for adult and young adult alike. Well, maybe teenager and up. It’s part of a two-book title series, and I’m in the first volume: ‘Children of the Dead – Lost Lullabies.’ What a beautiful cover spread. Wicked Shadow Press books are available through Lulu here in the US, but they are available all over India. There are some familiar short fiction names if you look at the back cover. It even has a tale by Tom Moran! If you’re from the 2000s like me, you’ll remember Tom Moran from Black Ink Horror. Generally speaking, fans of Stephen King’s Pet Semetary will feel right at home with this thick book. It’s got everything youthful and scary but the kitchen sink. I’ll post all pictures and links to ordering pages, with relevant social media info down below. And also in the Books & Anthos section of this website.
Oh, and it’s illustrated throughout. Like a scary children’s book. Beautiful art too.
Children of the Dead – The Lost Lullabies
Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty & Rasiika Sen of Wicked Shadow Press
Featuring Lawrence Dagstine and many other talented names
Ordering Info and Wicked Shadow Press Socials HERE (click links below):
I haven’t written weird fiction or what I call the “Weird Tale” in a hot minute. Probably since around 2008 to 2010, the days of The Willows Magazine, when I was headlining magazine covers. And the next book I’m in can definitely be considered weird, and inspired by none other than H.P. Lovecraft and many of his tales set around oceanic settings, abyssmal sea gods, waterside cults, and ominous places like Innsmouth and Dunwich. The name of the Culture Cult Press anthology is, “Eldritch Encore– The Innsmouth Volume.” It is a two volume book set. I’m in the first book, Innsmouth (the other volume is called Dunwich). Many of the stories are Eldritch Tales, by definition, but mine is a weird tale set at sea about a Fish-Woman and a Sea Captain caught in a horrible storm. It’s also part love story and, I suppose, in some ways a mermaid tale in disguise. Read my brand new short story, Ocean’s Return, in Eldritch Encore Innsmouth.
Eldritch Encore: Innsmouth Volume – published by Culture Cult Press India
H.P. Lovecraft inspired – Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty
Featuring Lawrence Dagstine weird tale: “Ocean’s Return”
Available to order HERE, by clicking the direct links below:
I’ll try to have a few print copies of Eldritch Encore Innsmouth on hand at my book table when I do my signing in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. No guarantees. Here are some of the books I will have on hand. It’s mostly a meet and greet. Two days.
Other New Entries:“Books & Anthos”
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The next book I’m in, and I believe this is my 6th anthology acceptance of 2024, is time travel themed. I have a lot of stuff floating out at time travel markets at the moment. It seems like every few years the subject of time, the mechanics and physics surrounding it, being able to travel backwards and forwards to a specific era and meet somebody historically important, becomes popular again. However, for Culture Cult Press’s latest book, A Stitch in Space Time, I decided to submit a fairy tale-style “mashup,” where Lewis Carroll (aka Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), uses H.G. Wells time machine and tech to travel through a surreal but alternative version of Wonderland. And from a scientific point of view, it involves the Queen of Hearts. What I like most about Culture Cult Press — besides their stellar covers, immaculate interior design, and major distribution throughout India — is that a portion of the proceeds goes to help street animals without owners in Kolkata. Be sure to check out my time travel-themed story in A Stitch in Space Time Anthology, entitled: “Lewis Carroll and the Time Machine.” Links and pics below, and in the side column just to the right.
A STITCH IN SPACE TIME Anthology – published by Culture Cult Press
Edited by Jay Chakravarti – 22 Stories revolving around time travel
Featuring Dagstine Story: “Lewis Carroll and the Time Machine”
AVAILABLE IN PRINT PAPERBACK or as a DIGITAL EPUB (direct links):
Let it be said Wicked Shadow Press is slowly dominating the horror anthology market! Their anthologies focus on a particular theme, keep to that theme, they make their books beautiful both inside and outside, some times with art, give each title collectible value (I saw one book fetching $95.00 on Ebay few months back), and they have heavy exposure in India. The next title is no exception, and I have a story within its pages which I first wrote in early 2004. Twenty years ago, and it’s nice to see my tale within this next book. Wicked Shadow Press presents: “Masks of Sanity The Monster Within: Stories of Secret Psychopaths”
This is the perfect year for psychopath stories too, with Joker 2 due out in the Fall with Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga. My tale is called, “The Scourge of Nine-Rah.” It’s about an investigative writer who gets mixed up in an whole underground cult of psychopaths who do the most horrific things. Think Charles Manson mentality. Heavy on the horror, just as uneasy on the suspense, be sure to check out Masks ofSanity: The Monster Within. Pictures and links below or off to the side (scroll down).
MASKS OF SANITY – THE MONSTER WITHIN
STORIES OF SECRET PSYCHOPATHS
Featuring Dagstine Cult-Psychopath story: “The Scourge of Nine-Rah”
My latest short story appearance comes to a “cursed book.” Not just one volume, but two… I’m in the first. Book One is where my story can be found, but I recommend both. I will supply pictures and info below, as well as little book photos to the right-hand side. Culture Cult Press (imprint of Pulp Cult) presents: “An Ancient Curse.” – An anthology featuring stories about ancient curses. My tale, as I said, is in Volume One, and it is a different kind of story about vampires and vampiric curses. If you enjoy horror stories involving strange phenomena, horror, and curses turned into fiction form, why not check it out? My story is, “The Curse of San Guadeloupe.” – 220 pages, available in paperback. Direct links at the bottom of this post.
An Ancient Curse – Anthology of Ancient Curse Stories
Edited by Jay Chakravarti – Culture Cult/Pulp Cult Press
VOLUME ONE CONTENT:
MALEDICTUS by Andre Schuck
SHETANI by J. Agombar
SPEAK OF THE DEVIL, AND THE DEVIL APPEARS by Frederick Pangbourne
SÉANCE AT PATHARUGHAT by Arun Hariharan
ELISA by Fariel Shafee
BRING OUT THE DEAD by Gina Easton
MALEDICTIO ANTIQUA by Fernando E. Silva
BURIED by Josh Poole
KITAB AL-EANAKIB by Dwain Campbell
AT THE ALTAR by Dibyasree Nandy
THE BLACK VALLEY by David Crerand
STITCHED by Ashley Cooke
SEA HAGS OF EL CALEUCHE by Maggie D Brace
THE CURSE OF SAN GUADELOUPE by Lawrence Dagstine
A CURIOUS CASE OF COLONIAL CANNIBALISM by Con Chapman
It is with great pleasure to announce that I’ve nabbed my fifth “Zombie-themed fiction” acceptance in the last year, and it goes to the new publishing outfit Red Polka Books. The name of the anthology this time is called QUARANTINE, and it is a book of short stories featuring many different authors from many diverse backgrounds. I am headlining the book (I’m actually the first short story as soon as you open it up). And it is a book centered around deadly viruses, pathogens, and pandemics. Even worse than Covid-19. It will be available in the States on platforms such as Lulu (Amazon later), should you want a print or digital copy for your daily commute to work, and will eventually creep its way into other countries such as the UK and India. My story is based off a deadly pathogen, and military scientists have to actually shut down a school with kids inside. Undead children who have become victim to HOS (a hostile pathogen with a science behind it, and yeah, some goofiness as well). Read my short story in Quarantine today, entitled, “Classroom of the Dead.”
QUARANTINE – Anthology of Modern Pandemic/Horror Tales
Featuring Lawrence Dagstine’s: “Classroom of the Dead”
QUARANTINE – DARK LOCKDOWN TALES for the 21st Century
Edited by Simon Dubois & Rasiika Sen – for RED POLKA BOOKS
Pleased to announce I have a flash fiction piece, along with 52 other authors, in the new Wicked Shadow Press anthology: FLASH OF THE DEAD. All the pieces contained within this book are “micro tales” under 1500 words in length. Also known as the short-short, in story form, that is what flash fiction essentially is. Small, QUICK stories, that you can read on the bus or subway on your daily commute to work, especially when you are getting off in a few stops, or from the comfort of bed while drifting off to sleep. My mini tale is zombie-themed (obviously), and it is called, “Saving the Dead.”
I’m pleased to announce that I am in yet another genre anthology for 2022. Keep them coming. This time it’s not horror, or even body horror, but hard crime and whodunits. Tales of unspeakable crimes and unforgettable ones, from the eyes of detectives AND murderers. There was such a good reception with this one, it actually garnered TWO thick volumes, rather than one. UNSPEAKABLE: Volumes 1 & 2. From Culture Cult Press. Edited by Jay Chakravarti, and available in the US, UK, and even India. My short story features Detective Harry Folsom, whose character underwent many edits over the years, and was originally called Ted Wolgast. I had written a series of stories on Ted Wolgast, even a novel on this futuristic Kolchak the Night Stalker character in the 2000s, but it never panned out to anything. Now Ted Wolgast has become Detective Harry Folsom in this day and age.
My UNSPEAKABLE story has elements of cyberpunk, but I wouldn’t really call it that. I would call this tale “futuristic noir.” That is the best way to describe it. The name of the tale is: “The Curious Case of the Gene Pool Victim.” It takes place in a rather dark, grim unlikely future. One where a grizzly murder takes place. I am in Volume 1. Remember, there are two books, two volumes. I’m in the first one. Promotional material and pics down below.
Complete lineup of other authors are just above. I’ve put smaller book links on the right-hand side for your convenience.
If you are a fan of zombies, then I am pleased to announce that I have a brand new undead tale about parenthood, life after death, belonging, and unrequited love, in Wicked Shadow Press’s debut anthology: “RISE: Stories of the Undead.” Interesting lineup of authors here, and some really interesting and original zombie stories. 250 Pages, Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty, and available in paperback and in digital format (Second Printing is exclusive to Lulu). It’s available worldwide. Wicked Shadow Press is a new small press publisher mostly specializing in horror. Links and pics below with info.
I have a science fiction story in Left Hand Publishers speculative fiction anthology, titled: CLASSICSREMIXED. Edited by Karen T. Newman. This is a big beefy book, chock full of imaginative stories of characters we know from past fairy tales, novels, and folklore. What happens when you take famous story characters and put them in different scenarios, speculative situations, or twist around a fairy tale? You get Classics Remixed. An anthology of classic characters REMIXED and REIMAGINED into something new and different. It has beautiful cover art, and as always when I update my website, I will leave pictures of book covers, a lineup of the author talent (Table of Contents), and links to the publisher’s website and places like Amazon, where you can order this book in trade paperback form.
Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother Tells All by Jill Hand
The inside story behind one of our favorite fables
Sailor’s Saga by Steve Rouse
Old Man and the Sea meets Moby Dick meet 20,000 Leagues
Not a Single Soul by Tom Howard
A good witch, a wicked witch, but which witch is which?
The Maze Under the Clouds by Blake Jessop
A sci-fi spin on the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur
The Upper Hand by A.P. Sessler
In a spin on “The Monkey’s Paw,” be careful what you wish for…
Of House and Home by Eric Andrews-Katz
Were Hansel and Gretel the victims? Not so much.
Solomon’s Moon by Kevin M. Folliard
Not all invisible men are created equal. Some are just bad.
A Taste of Wonderland by Gregory L. Norris
Starvation twists Alice, Wonderland, and all its inhabitants
Gluttony by Henry Herz
What happens below decks, stays below decks in this biblical misadventure.
Moby n’ Queegs by William Ade
This ain’t your daddy’s Moby Dick
Follicles, Fables & Follies by Paul K. Metheney
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down … never mind
Jane, Designed to Love by Brandon L. Summers
Jane Eyre or A.I.? Do androids dream of electric love?
Ding Dong the Pitch is Deadly by Jonathan Shipley
There’s no place like home plate
Catcher in the Crawlspace by Jay Seate
Catcher in the Rye or Stalker in the Crawlspace?
Curse of Avalon by Anthony Regolino
That’s no Lady of the Lake…
Treasure Moon by Robert Allen Lupton
Treasure Island with a sci-fi twisted sense of humor
Noah from Mars by Lawrence Dagstine
Science fictions versus one family’s faith
Strike the Match by Robert Petyo
The Three Musketeers go bowling. Seriously.
Handsome and Greedy by Katherine Brown
Hansel and Gretel like you’ve never seen them before
Copper County Fair by Cheryl Stevens Clark
The story of the Minotaur comes to Copper County
Mermaid by Karen Janowsky
The Little Mermaid in modern day prose
A Novel Gathering by Neil Childs
A band of fictional rogues who attempt to rob the poor to feather their own nests
It appears I’ve not only been shortlisted but accepted by a half-dozen or more print anthologies by various presses with themes over the next twelve months. Some of these themes range from werewolves and vampires to dark speculative fiction and the Apocalypse. One of these anthologies, and it’s a pretty thick one at that, is by the fairly new Pill Hill Press (www.pillhillpress.com). I’m not quite sure, but I think I’m headlining a 25-author anthology of tales about these furry, fanged beasts who come out whenever there is a full moon. I even recognize a few names, like Rob Rosen, Scott Sandridge, and Matthew Dent. Still, this is a MUST HAVE Collection!
Edited by Jessica A. Weiss ISBN-13: 978-0984261093
Werewolves… Werewolves… Werewolves… MORE Werewolves…!
Well over 110,000 words worth of Werewolves
Just check the “Books & Anthos” section; or click on the picture/link
The Adopted–Lawrence R. Dagstine
The Beast Within–Frank Summers
Rise of the Animal–Carl Hose
Twin Moons–Christopher Jacobsmeyer
Grandma, What Big Teeth You Have– Rob Rosen
Exodus–Jessy Marie Roberts
Running With The Pack-Mark Souza
Shilak’s Gift–Scott Sandridge
Roadkill–D. Nathan Hilliard
Forces of Evil–Edward Mckeown
Blood Drops and Mercury–Stephanie Morrell
Arcadia–Donald Jacob Uitvlugt
The Mystery of St. Mary’s Morgue–Matthew Dent
The Werewolf Spell–Kiki Howell
The Trojan Plushy–David Bernstein
The Bane of Existence–Marianne Halbert
Caffeine Fix–Fiona Titchenell
The In Crowd–Patricia Puckett
Uninvited–Kelly Metz
By The Cycle Of The Moon–Dylan J. Morgan
Runaway–J.Leigh Bailey
Once Upon A Crime–Jay Raven
Azieran: The Templar’s Chalice–Christopher Heath
Without Remorse–Ben Langhinrichs
Springing The Wolf–Dale Carothers
Author’s Note: Available on Kindle and all other digital readers come Late September 2010.
The Adopted–Lawrence R. Dagstine
The Beast Within–Frank Summers
Rise of the Animal–Carl Hose
Twin Moons–Christopher Jacobsmeyer
Grandma, What Big Teeth You Have– Rob Rosen
Exodus–Jessy Marie Roberts
Running With The Pack-Mark Souza
Shilak’s Gift–Scott Sandridge
Roadkill–D. Nathan Hilliard
Forces of Evil–Edward Mckeown
Blood Drops and Mercury–Stephanie Morrell
Arcadia–Donald Jacob Uitvlugt
The Mystery of St. Mary’s Morgue–Matthew Dent
The Werewolf Spell–Kiki Howell
The Trojan Plushy–David Bernstein
The Bane of Existence–Marianne Halbert
Caffeine Fix–Fiona Titchenell
The In Crowd–Patricia Puckett
Uninvited–Kelly Metz
By The Cycle Of The Moon–Dylan J. Morgan
Runaway–J.Leigh Bailey
Once Upon A Crime–Jay Raven
Azieran: The Templar’s Chalice–Christopher Heath
Without Remorse–Ben Langhinrichs
Springing The Wolf–Dale Carothers
The 2010 edition of The Random Eye is now up — an annual e-Zine dedicated to alternatives, communication that breaks the mold, universes or altiverses that are parallel in nature, and where, for the new decade, tea is the ongoing theme. Edited by Melissa Jones, The Random Eye is also The Random Radio. Published annually. Come, click, and have a cup.
Author Line-Up: John C. Mannone, Mark Wolf, James P. Wagner, Shells Walter, Lawrence R. Dagstine, Kristin Aune, Kyle Hemmings, Ralph Greco, Pete Carter, Deborah Walker, Albert Melear, Sam S. Kepfield, John F. D. Taff, Lawrence Barker, Terence Kuch, Jo Thomas, Andrew Males, Edward A. Rodosek, David C. Pinnt, Michael C. Pennington, R.H. Reese, Christopher Jacobsmeyer, Joseph Carfagno, Sean Monaghan, John X. Grey, Mark Robinson, Jamie K. Schmidt, and Ken Head.
For the second year in a row, I’ll be appearing in the annual eZine, The Random Eye. The Random Eye is about parallel universes, alternate history, alternative fiction, and stories which break the boundaries of communication. Edited by Melissa Jones, the Random Eye is also The Random Radio. My second acceptance is coming in early 2010, Volume #2. It can best be described as a weird tale with a dash of steampunk, a dash of the historical, part fairy tale and part science fiction. Oh yeah, and the 2010 theme is… TEA!
By the way, they’re still actively seeking fiction until January 2010.
THE RANDOM EYE: An eZine Dedicated to Alternatives
This is probably one of my favorite covers to anything I’ve ever been in. You can find an almost novelette-length story of mine in the very popular COVER OF DARKNESS, November 2009. Published twice a year, it’s a magazine-anthology of lengthy horror, urban fantasy, speculative fiction and other dark tales in-between. Edited by Tyree Campbell and published by Sam’s Dot. For this issue, an entire town is destroyed… Dagstine-style. And that officially ends the Fall 2009 year on Vampires, Werewolves, and Zombies. This magazine’s a thick one.
Dark stories and poems by: Linda L. Donahue, Ferrel D. Moore, Michelle D. Sonnier, Tyree Campbell, Julie Serroul, Cathy Buburuz, Lawrence Dagstine, David Sullivan, Hillary Bartholomew, Holly Day, Jene Erick Beardsley, Thomas P. Feeny, Miguel de Leon, Stephen J. Williams, and Vanessa Watters.
Cowboy Logic Press’s 400+ page post-apocalyptic, scifi blockbuster of an anthology, featuring such talented writers as Steven J. Dines, Bill Housley, Jason K. Chapman, Roger Haller, Gary Cuba, Mike Philbin, Lawrence Dagstine, and various others have been nominated for an IPPY award. Stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed.
Satirica Anthology
Published by Cowboy Logic Press; Edited by Roy Dudgeon
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