5 Best Short Story Collections or Anthologies I’ve Read so Far

Some of the best authors I have ever read I read first in anthologies. They were the underrated or the up and comers I never would have heard of otherwise. Some, in this shortlist, are big names that were and are at the top of their game.

There is a certain art to being able to write a short story. Stephen King said, “A short story is a different thing altogether – a short story is like a kiss in the dark from a stranger.”  I believe every one of my picks on this list is ready to give you a big fat smooch.

Let’s begin.

5) Stories: All-New Tales, Edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio

If you want a little bit of everything, this book has it for you, from the scary to the touching. Two of my favorites in this anthology, were Weights and Measures, by Jodi Picoult and Goblin Lake, by Michael Swanwick.

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4) Selected Stories Philip K Dick, by Philip K Dick, Jonathan Lethem Introduction

If you are new to PKD this is a good place to start. From the man who inspired a whole new genre of SciFi and fantasy, this is PKD at his finest. Are you ready to find yourself in the mind of this original and thought-provoking author?

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3) Tales from the Canyons of the Damned, edited by Daniel Arthur Smith

Not only did my writing appear in this series five times, but I am also an uber fan of every installment that Daniel Smith puts out. There is no better place to find your next favorite indie author than the Tales from the Canyons of the Damned series.

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2) Skeleton Crew, by Stephen King

Master of writing the longest novels you have ever seen. Master of writing short stories. There really isn’t anything the man can’t write. My favorite and one that inspired me to write is The Jaunt. It is one that disturbed me and stuck with me to this day.

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1) Machine Learning, by Hugh Howey

If Stephen King inspired me to write, Hugh Howey inspired me to do it independently. One of the most successful indie writers in the world writes some of the best short fiction I have ever read.

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Honorable Mentions

Anything by Ray Bradbury

Any of Samuel Peralta’s anthologies

And of course my Night Portals series 🙂

Ernie Howard’s 5 picks for Horror Fiction

The other day I was reading a blog post that had the title, Top 10 Horror books of all time, and it made me a little mad. You can’t say that a group of books are the best that genre ever had to offer or ever will have to offer. Not to mention, I didn’t agree with much of the person’s picks.

So, because I am the kind of reader who likes to tell everyone good books to read. Here are my picks right now, for best horror written. These picks could change with the coming years.

5) The Hunger, by Alma Katsu

We have all heard of The Donner Party and the lovely buffet that they rolled out at their party. This is the author supernatural take on that ill-fated trip. This book is everything you’d expect from it. Cannibalism is always scary business. This is what Stephen King said about the book, “Deeply, deeply disturbing, hard to put down, not recommended reading after dark.”–Stephen King

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4) Communion: A True Story, by Whitey Strieber

I remember when I was a kid, my mom came home from the video store (when they still had those places), with this video called communion. My parents didn’t censor much from me and my sisters, so they let me watch it with them. Well, I ended up under a blanket on the living room floor for much of the movie. I read the book later in life and I think it scared me even more. If you believe that aliens have visited us or if you are still skeptical you will love this book.

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3) Song of Kali, Dan Simmons

Dan Simmons is known for his SciFi books the most, at least that is what genre I first read him in. But some of his best fiction is horror. Song of Kali is a disturbing book, that will stick in your mind for a very long time. The ending is one of those that makes you take a hard intake of air that you forget you’re holding only realizing after you get dizzy that you were holding your breath. This book is not for the faint of heart.

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2) House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski

If there was ever a book that when someone said, just give it a chance, this is it. This book starts out normal then gets weird. Before you know it you are immersed in the madness and the house has you. Yes, I said house. This isn’t a book. It is an experience.

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1) IT, by Stephen King

You knew I was going to pick this. I know everyone says that this is the scariest book. Picture this. It’s the summer of 1994. I’m seventeen years old, everyone in my house is asleep except me. I have decided to read IT. I am scared, I’m listening to every sound in the house and thinking the worse, and I am completely hooked. I read this book in two sittings. No, not one, it’s over a thousand pages! This probably one of the only books that I can read over and over and it still scares the crap out of me.

Get IT

There are my picks. Read all of these with the lights on. If you would like to check out my books, find me HERE. Happy Reading my friends!

My Newsletter for this week is out

In this newsletter we hear from Chris Fried, and what he thinks about Melody 8 Book Two, The Musical Witch of the South. And I tell you what I'm reading.

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Night Portals Boxed Set, 8 books for the price of two

I released all 8 of my Night Portals books in a boxed set for 4.99.

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Night Portals is a metaphysical series that explores the hidden secrets and sometimes darkness of life.

AIDA

Love is a many splendid thing. It can make you blind. It can make you feel like you're floating on a cloud. It can make you go crazy. In this fast-paced romantic thriller, we see that love can be the end of all things. A kiss can contain eternal bliss or eternal madness. What would you do for Love? George would do anything.

THE OLD COUPLE

Pete checks on his elderly parents at least once a week. The countless visits all melt into one, but it doesn't matter how many boring visits he has with his parents. He makes these visits with a sense of foreboding. Will this be the last time? Pete and his wife have a different visit this time around. One that is far worse than death.
IMMUNE

Jakob the motel clerk opened a door one day. A door that should have stayed closed. Being immune to a virus that will kill off most of the world's population seems like winning the lottery at first. That is until you realize you killed most of the people you loved just by being around them. Sometimes the virus is in your mind. What would you do if you were the last person on Earth?

EARTHBASE

Loneliness creeps up on Burk as she floats miles above the Earth. The small blue dot in her field of vision is starting to annoy her and worry her. Scared she is losing her vision, she calls home and learns something bigger than she could ever imagine. Something that will change reality.

BIKE RIDE

An idyllic summer bike ride takes a turn into darkness.
Ryan is excited about the first day of school, he is even more excited about seeing his best friend and his crush, Jen. Sometimes the road less traveled shouldn't be taken.

NURSE DOE

Jeff's cancer has metastasized, and he is preparing himself for death. He has never married, and he has no children. At thirty-five years old he's never found the one. Until he meets Nurse Madison. A mysterious woman whom no one knows anything about. Jeff is smitten. This is the woman of his dreams. The best part is she can cure Jeff. But in doing so could make her have to leave his reality.

FRESH

His wife and newborn died in childbirth. Max's life is hollow until he meets himself at a bar one night. His other self looks fresh. Max wants his life.

LEAP

In Charlotte's world there are no happy days only dreary moments. A world that used to be wonderful, that is what the old ones say.
Sometimes death is the only way out.
Her tribe is one of love. Their lives are ones of misery. They exist by constantly foraging for food. Once a week one of the tribe gets the sweet release. They get to take the leap into another world. Sometimes dying is the only way to happiness. Would you take the leap?

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Writing a Series of Books

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First paragraph to my new book series

This is the first paragraph of my Melody 8 series. This is going to be good. Maybe a flagship book series to let me finally write for a living. Who knows! Remember this is unedited. First draft, no one but me has seen this up until now. So have a read, and let me know what you think my friend. Pre Order this book!!!! The Link to get it is in the comments

My mother used to sing to me when I was scared at night. When shadows, in corners turned into drooling creatures who wanted to eat me. When the wind wasn’t just benign air, but a drooling demon bent on eating my soul, and my body, bit by sweet bit. I’d lay my head on her chest to feel the vibration of her singing. The song would come out in low tones and hurried breaths, and just slightly off-key. I always thought my mother’s inability to hold a perfect tune made the song better. It was as if mom had put her own touch on the song she’d chosen to sing. Her voice made pleasing chills go down my spine, and make my skin turn to goose pimples. I’d burrow deeper into the blankets smiling into my pillow. Mama would end the song and ask if I wanted to hear another one. If I was asleep she would plant a kiss on my head. The moisture and the soft smack of my mother’s lips would wake me up just enough to see her walking out of my room. Most times I wasn’t asleep, and I’d answer with a muffled yes that came deep from my pillows and blankets. Mama would answer with the same response every time. “Okay smart one.” I never knew why she called me this, and it’s funny to look back now and realize, I’d never asked her why she called me smart one. 

I loved the sound of my mother’s voice. 

All the way up to the day she was put to death because of it.

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