"The joy of fiction is the joy of the imagination. . . ." The best stories pull readers in and keep them turning the pages, eager to discover more—to find the answer to the question: "And then what happened?" The true hallmark of great literature is great imagination, and as Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio prove with this outstanding collection, when it comes to great fiction, all genres are equal. Stories is a groundbreaking anthology that reinvigorates, expands, and redefines the limits of imaginative fiction and affords some of the best writers in the world—from Peter Straub and Chuck Palahniuk to Roddy Doyle and Diana Wynne Jones, Stewart O'Nan and Joyce Carol Oates to Walter Mosley and Jodi Picoult—the opportunity to work together, defend their craft, and realign misconceptions. Gaiman, a literary magician whose acclaimed work defies easy categorization and transcends all boundaries, and "master anthologist" (Booklist) Sarrantonio personally invited, read, and selected all the stories in this collection, and their standard for this "new literature of the imagination" is high. "We wanted to read stories that used a lightning-flash of magic as a way of showing us something we have already seen a thousand times as if we have never seen it at all." Joe Hill boldly aligns theme and form in his disturbing tale of a man's descent into evil in "Devil on the Staircase." In "Catch and Release," Lawrence Block tells of a seasoned fisherman with a talent for catching a bite of another sort. Carolyn Parkhurst adds a dark twist to sibling rivalry in "Unwell." Joanne Harris weaves a tale of ancient gods in modern New York in "Wildfire in Manhattan." Vengeance is the heart of Richard Adams's "The Knife." Jeffery Deaver introduces a dedicated psychologist whose mission in life is to save people in "The Therapist." A chilling punishment befitting an unspeakable crime is at the dark heart of Neil Gaiman's novelette "The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains." As it transforms your view of the world, this brilliant and visionary volume—sure to become a classic—will ignite a new appreciation for the limitless realm of exceptional fiction.

Product Description: Presenting twelve bedtime stories for adult reading that capture those moments of deep emotional significance that return to us in our dreams. This nocturnal collection reveals intimate insights into individual fantasy, the pursuit of our deepest desires, the urge to escape, the pull of love, the debris of days...read more

Product Description: A new anthology of short stories delving into the secret history of the Horus Heresy.After the betrayal at Isstvan, Horus begins his campaign against the Emperor, a galaxy-wide war that can lead only to Terra. But the road to the final confrontation between father and son is a long one – seven years filled with secrecy and silence, plans and foundations being formed across distant stars...read more

Forty-five short stories that span the entire history of the Irish short story, feature works by such masters as James Joyce and Elizabeth Bowen, as well as new voices, including Bernard McLaverty and Desmond Hogan

Product Description: This collection of stories from some of horror fiction’s best authors will glue you to the page, but watch out; it may leave you too afraid to take the metro to work.This collection of stories from some of horror fiction’s best authors will glue you to the page, but watch out; it may leave you too afraid to take the metro to work...read more

Product Description: A collection of fiction short stories by leading teen writers about losing your virginityIncluding Melvin Burgess, Keith Gray, Patrick Ness, Sophie McKenzie, Bali Rai, Jenny Valentine, and Mary Hooper, some of today's leading writers for teens are gathered here in a wonderful collection of original stories—some funny, some moving, some haunting, but all revolving around the same subject—having sex for the first time! You never forget your first time and you'll never forget this book...read more

Product Description: Ireland has been called a nation of story-tellers. "Stories of one kind or another have a way of pressing themselves into Irish conversation, both as entertainment and as a form of communication," writes William Trevor. "For centuries they have been offered to strangers, almost as hospitality is: tall stories, simple stories, stories of extraordinary deeds, of mysteries and wonders, of gentleness, love, cruelty, and violence...read more

Product Description: This collection of witty, sexually-charged stories takes the reader through four decades of world events, including our present day banking crisis. In stories that are at times surreal, Martin Bax introduces us to the private world of a variety of memorable characters who find themselves in often bizarre and compromising circumstances: copulating couples and naked wrestlers weave their unforgettable tales alongside the heartbreaking experience of Jewish childhood evacuation...read more

Product Description: Do daughters step into their mothers' shoes? How does this central relationship color women's lives? The tales in this anthology address these questions with honesty and vigor, weaving humor and warmth into the telling of small but significant tragedies...read more

Product Description: There's nothing like a good spanking - customers have proved that this is a bestselling theme. Xcite editor Miranda Forbes has selected 20 more bottom-tingling stories to make your buttocks blush in this third volume of naughty treats! Spanking has never been so popular...read more