It's here! You can now purchase the full color hardcover edition of the complete trilogy -- A Mother's Love--An Anthology of Murder and Mayhem, Fatherly Instincts--An Anthology of Murder and Malice, and Family Memories--An Anthology of Murder and Mischief. Available in the US and UK!
Ten years ago, three editors (Thomas Kleaton, McKenzie Johnston Winberry and myself) got together on Facebook to host a three-part series of flash fiction writing events, each one honoring family (with a murder, of course!). The challenge was (not-so) simple: create a complete story in 300(ish) words incorporating the theme… and most of all, have fun!
The three anthologies are combined here in this full color hardcover with additional content including a history of each holiday, personal essays from the winners, relevant quotes from every author, artwork by Luke Spooner added to the winning stories and a special message from Craig Spector. The original ebook cover images (representing the necklace, plaque and scrapbook given to the winning stories) are included as well.
A MOTHER’S LOVE—AN ANTHOLOGY OF MURDER AND MAYHEM
A mother's love has no boundaries. In every species, mothers risk their own lives and sacrifice themselves to save their children. Throughout the animal kingdom, even the most gentle of creatures attack and kill to protect their young.
We hear news stories of children who commit unthinkable acts of murder in order to protect their mothers, stories of mothers who hire hit men to eliminate bullies or stalkers, stories of both mother and child who die protecting the other.
The bond between a mother and her children is like no other. It is a bond so strong that it can turn love and nurturing into homicidal frenzy. And sometimes it leads to the ultimate sacrifice. It is a bond that cannot be broken by fear, by separation or even by death.
In honor of Mother's Day, 23 writers came together to create stories around the theme of A Mother's Love – stories of mothers protecting their children, stories of children protecting their mothers and stories of mother and child protecting each other – all in 300 words or less.
- Salt ♥ MERCEDES MURDOCK YARDLEY (Contest Winner)
- Story Time ♥ MCKENZIE JOHNSTON WINBERRY (Contest Winner)
- Conspiracy of Ravens ♥ ROSE BLACKTHORN
- A Moment of Vanity ♥ JEFFREY L. BUFORD, JR.
- No Safe Place ♥ CANDY BURKE
- Mistaken Identity ♥ TAYE CARROL
- Ghost of Christmas Past ♥ LISA DABROWSKI
- Lioness ♥ WENDY S. DELMATER
- B&E Gone Bad ♥ RON GILLESPIE
- This Corrosion ♥ MORGAN GRIFFITH
- A Dish Best Served Wet ♥ CYNTHIA A. HUDSON
- Lack of Evidence ♥ JIM HUTCHINSON
- Dead Man's Switch ♥ THOMAS KLEATON
- Carousel ♥ WAYNE LEMMONS
- Dog Gone Cold ♥ D.K. MASON
- You Shouldn't Have ♥ TERRY MICHAELS
- Ballad of a Mother and Slave ♥ DONNA J. W. MUNRO
- Sudden Vengeance ♥ JOHN ROSSMAN
- Mama ♥ JO-ANNE RUSSELL
- In the Kitchen ♥ SHELLY SCHULZ
- Leave My Mother Alone ♥ M.J. SYDNEY
- Brutus and Tank ♥ PEGGY A. WHEELER
- Sibling Rivalry ♥ MATT WINBERRY
FATHERLY INSTINCTS—AN ANTHOLOGY OF MURDER AND MALICE
Fatherly Instincts are often ignored by society and mistakenly lumped in with general parental instincts or pushed aside without a second thought. In some ways, a father's instincts are similar to motherly instincts, but there are essential differences that shouldn't be ignored because, despite all political correctness, mothers and fathers are different.
The term 'fatherly instincts' isn't easily defined as a specific set of characteristics but generally include protector, problem-solver, nurturer and other characteristics. Every father is different and so are his natural instincts. But when those instincts kick in, nothing can stop them, not even death.
In honor of Father's Day, 25 writers and artists came together to create stories around the theme of Fatherly Instincts – stories of fathers protecting their children, stories of a father's revenge, stories of men going above and beyond for children not their own and stories of men exhibiting other fatherly instincts in unexpected ways – all in 350 words or less.
- ✰ Ipecacuanha ✰ MCKENZIE WINBERRY (Contest Winner)
- ✰ Endsong ✰ JAY FAULKNER (Contest Winner)
- ✰ Megachiroptera Echolocation ✰ STEPHEN COONEY (Artist)
- ✰ Villains ✰ ROSE BLACKTHORN
- ✰ Vengeance is Mine I Will Repay ✰ TAYE CARROL
- ✰ Asshole Season ✰ LISA DABROWSKI
- ✰ Judge Not ✰ DUSTY DAVIS
- ✰ Like Father, Like Son ✰ CLAIRE DAVON
- ✰ Insure Us With Grace ✰ SK DELPH
- ✰ Grave Robbing ✰ RONALD GILLESPIE
- ✰ The Confession ✰ JIM HUTCHINSON
- ✰ Like Fireflies in the Dead of Winter ✰ THOMAS KLEATON
- ✰ Where Are They Now? ✰ D.K. MASON
- ✰ Not Today ✰ EILEEN MATSUMURO
- ✰ Our Little Alice ✰ RICK BENFORD (Photographer)
- ✰ Termination ✰ JOHN MCACHREN
- ✰ Father Dog ✰ PETE MESLING
- ✰ Last Stand ✰ TERRY MICHAELS
- ✰ Daddy’s Girl ✰ DONNA J. W. MUNRO
- ✰ Spaced ✰ JOHN ROSSMAN
- ✰ Catch of the Season ✰ JO-ANNE RUSSELL & RICK BENFORD
- ✰ Psicografia de Papai ✰ M.J. SYDNEY
- ✰ Poppy Flower ✰ PEGGY WHEELER
- ✰ The Funeral ✰ SHERI WHITE
- ✰ Mr Jones’s Dog Died ✰ VAL WILLIAMSON
FAMILY MEMORIES—AN ANTHOLOGY OF MURDER AND MISCHIEF
National Grandparents Day -- in the US and around the world -- is a day to acknowledge, recognize and honor the generations that came before us; to share their stories and create lasting memories. Without the older generations, the younger generations would not exist.
In honor of National Grandparents Day, 32 writers came together to create stories around the theme of Family Memories -- stories of deeply buried family secrets, stories of murder and revenge, stories of mischievous (and murderous) grandparents and grandchildren -- all in 450 words or less.
As the final anthology in The Family Murders Trilogy, this anthology quickly became something much more -- a reminder that living isn't just about being alive and that family bond runs deeper than blood...life is about creating Family Memories.
- ❧ Grandparents Day 1978 – Present ☙ A BRIEF HISTORY
- ❧ The Adventure of the Unburied Hatchet ☙ MICHAEL ALBRIGHT QUINN (Contest Winner)
- ❧ Grandfather and The Storm ☙ JAY FAULKNER (Contest Winner)
- ❧ A Storm’s A-Comin’ ☙ JERROD BALZER
- ❧ Facing Reality ☙ ANTON CANCRE
- ❧ The Silver Lining ☙ TAYE CARROL
- ❧ Blackjack Solitaire During a Stand-Off Against Crazy People ☙ JAMES KISTEFER CHAMBLISS
- ❧ Hag-Ridden ☙ DUSTY DAVIS
- ❧ Get Off My Lawn ☙ CLAIRE DAVON
- ❧ Chicago Waterfall ☙ SK DELPH
- ❧ Snorting Cancer Meds ☙ MATTHEW DEXTER
- ❧ Big Jack ☙ PETER N. DUDAR
- ❧ The Family Secret ☙ RONALD W. GILLESPIE
- ❧ The Nick of Time ☙ ROB HOUGLAN
- ❧ Grandchildren To Die For ☙ CYNTHIA A. HUDSON
- ❧ Dear Emily ☙ CARL R. JENNINGS
- ❧ Toadstools ☙ THOMAS KLEATON
- ❧ Wedding Day ☙ D.K. MASON
- ❧ Grandpa’s Pistol ☙ TERRY MICHAELS
- ❧ Raknad ☙ N.L. MUNN
- ❧ The Crone’s Jule ☙ DONNA J. W. MUNRO
- ❧ Appearances ☙ W. K. POMEROY
- ❧ The Devil and His Grandson ☙ JAMES PYNE
- ❧ Legacy, Deep ☙ JOE ALBRIGHT QUINN
- ❧ Killer Grandpa ☙ CICA REIFSCHNEIDER
- ❧ The Vicar and the Orange Tree ☙ ELISA REIFSCHNEIDER
- ❧ Grandpa Ivan ☙ JOHN ROSSMAN
- ❧ Survivor ☙ JO-ANNE RUSSELL
- ❧ Surviving Riley ☙ LYLE STAFFORD
- ❧ The Midnight Train ☙ M.J. SYDNEY
- ❧ My Grandma Mimi and My Other Grandma Mimi ☙ PEGGY WHEELER
- ❧ They Thought of Everything ☙ SHERI WHITE
- ❧ Kept ☙ MCKENZIE JOHNSTON WINBERRY
- ❧ Craig Spector on Living and The ART of NOT Dying ☙ CRAIG SPECTOR
The original cover art, submitted artwork and photograph, and artwork by Luke Spooner are included in full color. The 80 stories presented here are much more than short flash fiction pieces. They represent a legacy of mothers, fathers, grandparents and memories for life. Purchase the hardcover edition here. The individual ebook editions can be purchased on Amazon through the links in the titles.
***Unfortunately, friend and writer Jay Faulkner is no longer with us, May his memory live on through his stories and words. Rest in Peace, dear friend.***
