Shallow Waters—where nothing stays buried.

With twenty-two dark tales diving beneath the surface of loss, love, and life.

Shallow Waters is the official monthly flash fiction challenge hosted by the award-winning Crystal Lake Publishing. Every month a new challenge is posted online, with authors submitting via email. The best submissions are then posted on Crystal Lake’s Patreon page, where patrons read daily entries and vote for the winner. What you’ll find in these Shallow Waters anthologies include the most popular of our finalists.

Stay tuned for more volumes in this series, or find Crystal Lake Publishing on Patreon to enter or vote on future challenges.

Volume one includes horror, thrillers, suspense, and stories of love lost, death, 2nd chances, the monsters within, and the beauty beneath it all.

Introduction by Joe Mynhardt
“Closure on a Bed of Nails” by Chad Lutzke
“Fast Car” by Tracy Fahey
“Tears of Buddy” by Patrick R. McDonough
“Puzzle Pieces” by Armand Rosamilia
“Pretty Like Butterflies” by Tim Waggoner
“S1:E7” by Robert Ford
“Pain is Your Teacher” by Michael Harris Cohen
“Memory Lane” by Red Lagoe
“The Silence of the Sirens” by Loren Rhoads
“It’s Me Not You” by Jonathan Winn
“Sisters of Loss” by Mark Allan Gunnells
“Talisman” by Jezzy Wolfe
“The Melting of Your Gods” by Mercedes M. Yardley
“Charms” by Dino Parenti
“Not Your Average Monster” by Kenneth W. Cain
“Where the Children Run in Darkness” by Guy Medley
“Tunnels” by Tom Over (winner)
“The Truth about Dani” by Joe Mercer
“Baby Savannah” by M.J. Sydney
“Rats Scratched in the Linen Cupboard” by Dani Brown
“Raining” by John Boden
“The Death Experience” by L.A. Story

In this volume…

• Taunted by a cactus, a man copes with grief after the loss of his wife.
• Alondra DeCourval visits Franz Kafka’s grave to think about death.
• A lovestruck woman strives to connect with a man she’s convinced is The One.
• The perfect funeral for a child—all according to a Mother’s well-crafted plan. The exception is one small, unexpected development no one could have ever prepared for.
• A short meditation on the haunting nature of love and loss, and the aftermath of both.
• Victor’s sanity has been threaded together by the memory of his daughter’s voice, until now, when her laughter falls silent.
• An adrenaline junkie believes he can take on the ultimate challenge—coming back from the dead.
• Sisters share everything. The good...and the bad.
• Sometimes being a hoarder is dangerous...
• In our ever-changing world, what we view as a monster is constantly evolving…but at what cost?
• Buddy's heart aches for his family’s arrival.
• Bright colors may be beautiful, but sometimes they can be dangerous.
• Sometimes the darkness we harbor within is best left behind closed doors.
• Rats scratch in the children's ward.
• A surprise wedding present from daughter to father, built over a lifetime, reveals his true nature to all his guests.

This is Writers on Writing – An Author’s Guide where your favorite authors share their ultimate secrets in becoming and being an author. 

Learn the craft of writing from those who know it best.

Line-up:

• How to Write Killer Poetry by Stephanie M. Wytovich
• Happy Little Trees by Michael Knost
• In Lieu of Patience Bring Diversity by Kenneth W. Cain
• Networking is Scary, but Essential by Doug Murano
• Are You In The Mood? by Sheldon Higdon
• What if Every Novel is a Horror Novel? by Steve Diamond
• Description by Patrick Freivald
• A First-Time Novelist’s Odyssey by William Gorman
• I Am Setting by J.S. Breukelaar
• Finding Your Voice by Lynda E. Rucker

The Writers on Writing series gives young authors the guidance they need, but has advice for all authors, from the interested newbie to the seasoned veteran. 

Are you ready to unleash the author in you?

Proudly brough to you by Crystal Lake Publishing - Tales from the Darkest Depths

Interview with the Authors:

So what makes Writers on Writing so special?

Kenneth W. Cain: What makes a compilation like this so great is getting advice from many different writers at all levels in their career. 

Tell us more about your essay in Writers on Writing.

Stephanie M. Wytovich: My essay “Blunt Force Trauma: How to Write Killer Poetry” talks about the catharsis of writing poetry, but does so in a step-by-step guide to plotting a good murder…and a great stanza or two. Readers will experience the emotional attachment that goes along with inserting mood and tone into their work, as well as watch the physical and mental binding that the poet/killer has with their poem/victim. Together we’ll plot and we’ll execute, and in the end, we’ll see what consequences we’ve reaped.

Why should authors read Writers on Writing?

Kenneth W. Cain: If you’re like me, you’re always looking for ways to produce a stronger story. It’s not a preference, but a need, as I constantly evolve and reshape my words in different and new ways, all the while trying to retain a particular voice within my work. It’s about growth, and there’s no better source for this development than utilizing the experiences of your peers and colleagues. So when an opportunity like this comes about, to read of the experiences of so many great authors, I’m quite anxious to digest every bit of what they have to offer. It’s a great opportunity to grow as a writer, an education which I feel has no boundaries or conclusion.

Do you have other non-fiction books authors should try out?

Stephanie M. Wytovich: I’m currently reading Horror 101: The Way Forward: Career advice by Seasoned Professionals and I read Many Genres, One Craft, while I was in graduate school and found it really helpful because it comes at writing from all genre perspectives rather than just horror, and as someone who firmly believes that it’s crucial to read and study outside of one’s genre, I think this is a great book to have at the writing desk.

Crystal Lake Publishing (Tales from the Darkest Depths) proudly presents this Bram Stoker Award-nominated non-fiction anthology, Horror 101: The Way Forward.

Horror 101: The Way Forward – a comprehensive overview of the Horror fiction genre and career opportunities available to established and aspiring authors.

Ever wanted to be a writer? Make money online? Perhaps you’ve already realized that dream and you’re looking to expand your repertoire. Writing comic books sounds nice, right? Or how about screenplays?

Covering aspects such as movies, comics, short stories, ghost-writing, audiobooks, editing, publishing, self-publishing, blogging, writer’s block, YA horror, dark poetry, networking, collaborations, eBooks, podcasts, conventions, formatting, web serials, artwork, social media, agents, and career advice from seasoned professionals and up-and-coming talents, Horror 101 is just what you need to kick your career into high gear.

Horror 101, although written by horror authors, is a must read for any person interested in becoming a writer, be it writing for a hobby or a career. 

Horror 101 is not your average On Writing guide. Horror 101 focuses on the career of an author. It covers not only insights into the horror genre, but the people who successfully make a living from it.

Horror 101: The Way Forward is perfect for people who:

• are starting their writing careers
• are planning on infiltrating a different field in horror writing
• are looking to pay more bills with their art
• are trying to establish a name brand
• are looking to get published
• are looking for motivation and/or inspiration

Here are just a few of the great articles and essays you can expect:

• Making Contact by Jack Ketchum
• What is Horror by Graham Masterton
• Avoiding What’s Been Done to Death by Ramsey Campbell
• What a Short Story Editor Does by Ellen Datlow
• Bitten by the Horror Bug by Edward Lee
• 12 Tips on Making a Career of It by Steve Rasnic Tem
• Screamplays! Writing the Horror Film by Lisa Morton
• Balancing Art and Commerce by Taylor Grant
• From Prose to Scripts by Shane McKenzie
• Writing About Films and for Film by Paul Kane
• Screenplay Writing by Dean M. Drinkel
• Audiobooks by Chet Williamson
• Ghost-writing by Thomas Smith
• Self-Publishing: Making Your Own Dreams by Iain Rob Wright
• The Pros and Cons of Collaborations by Michael McCarty
• A beginner’s guide to setting up and running a website by Michael Wilson
• Poetry and Horror by Blaze McRob
• So you want to write comic books… by C.E.L. Welsh
• Writing the Series by Armand Rosamilia
• Running a Web serial by Tonia Brown
• The 7 Signs that make Agents and Editors say, "Yes!" by Anonymous
• Filthy Habits – Writing and Routine by Jasper Bark
• Ten Short Story Endings to Avoid by William Meikle
• Editing and Proofreading by Diane Parkin

Roxanne Dent: Each story is unique, different, and very well written.

Sergio Pereira: It’s an anthology series that promotes both established and upcoming authors, without ever compromising on the quality of the stories. The fact that Jack freakin’ Ketchum has a story in Volume 2 tells you enough: it’s an anthology series every horror writer should want to be a part of.

Harper Hull: The whole concept behind the series is a fascinating one - brand new scary campfire stories written by today's authors. Within this idea the range of stories varies wildly and each volume in the series takes the reader on a wild and creepy ride across all manner of places. I'd also add pay attention to the wonderful covers as they seem to be telling a story themselves.

Q: Why should readers give this series a try?
Mark Allan Gunnells: Because it's a lot of talented authors telling entertaining tales. Enough said.

Sumiko Saulson: It's an essential series of gripping horror tales in the classic camping trip fireside story telling tradition that will scare your socks off. The stories are written in diverse voices by an impressive array of authors from established masters like Graham Masterton to relative newcomers such as myself. I hope you'll check them out and give us a chance.

Sergio Pereira: In case you haven’t realised, Crystal Lake Publishing is taking over the horror scene. Not only is it attracting the new breed, but it’s also brought in the legends. Tales from the Lake is the perfect amalgamation, showcasing the classic, the new and the absolute best. To quote horror punk icon Wednesday 13: “Hey, you. Don’t be late. Till death do us party right here on Crystal Lake.

Shallow Waters—where nothing stays buried.

With 25 dark tales diving beneath the surface of life, death, and the pain between them.

Shallow Waters is the official monthly flash fiction challenge hosted by the award-winning Crystal Lake Publishing. Every month a new challenge is posted online, with authors submitting via email. The best submissions are then posted on Crystal Lake’s Patreon page, where patrons read daily entries and vote for the winner. What you’ll find in these Shallow Waters anthologies include the most popular of our finalists.

Stay tuned for more volumes in this series, or find Crystal Lake Publishing on Patreon to enter or vote on future challenges.

Volume two includes horror, thrillers, suspense, and stories of life after death, the supernatural, murder, and the beauty beneath it all.

Introduction by Joe Mynhardt
“Night Swimming” by Michael O’Brien
“Hush Little Baby” by Matt Shaw
“The Vessel” by Mark Allan Gunnells
“The Southland” by Pedro Iniguez
“Biter of Dust” by Austin James (winner)
“Gently Used” by Jonah Buck
“Ollie Visits Grandma” by Mark Cassell
“The Water Tower Ghost” by Darryl Foster
“Standing Tall” by Kenneth W. Cain
“The Only Thing That Remains” by Jess Landry
“(Almost) Joined at The Hip” by Dan Weatherer
“Remy and the Elephant” by Linsey Knerl
“She Fluttered” by Andrew Garvey
“Just A Cup of Coffee” by Theresa Derwin
“Malignant” by Steve Thompson & Kenneth W. Cain
“Welcome to the Future” by Diana Grove
“Makes Three” by Michael Harris Cohen & Mark Allan Gunnells (winner)
“A Tea Party for the Dead” by Dani Brown & David Charlesworth
“A Game of Hide and Seek” by Joe X Young
“The Allotment” by Theresa Derwin
“Hourglass” by Chad Lutzke & John Boden
“The End of the War” by Joseph Mulak
“Long Distance Cull” by Tony Logan & Red Lagoe
“To Stop Further Slaughter” by Raymond Gates
“Baited” by Chad A. Clark
“Curtain Call” by Raven Dane (winner)

In this volume…

• A man is visited by his wife the night before her funeral.
• A tale of brotherly love turns sour.
• What happens when the ghosts of our past refuse to forget?
• A man contemplates the sacrifice he must make to stop a killer.
• When popping in to see a grandparent, don't always expect biscuits and tea.
• She rose from the dead, but by cheating death she must gamble again with life.
• A grieving mother preserves the memory of her son in a very curious manner.
• During an interrogation in the sweltering summer heat, a Los Angeles detective struggles as he loses his grasp between reality and madness.
• A bizarre black mold problem leads to the most extreme of solutions.
• Dawn comes for the dead locked in a forgotten room inside the Neon Dream.
• An ancient soul finds himself and his people threatened by an ever-growing hostile race.

The Legend Continues…

In the spirit of popular Dark Fiction and Horror anthologies such as Gutted: Beautiful Horror Stories and Behold: Oddities, Curiosities and Undefinable Wonders, and the best of Stephen King’s short fiction, comes the Tales from The Lake anthologies.

This 5th and final volume includes:

• “Always After Three” by Gemma Files - A young couple discovers that in a downtown condo you almost never know who your neighbours are, or what they might be doing.
• “In the Family” by Lucy A. Snyder - A former child actress reveals dark family secrets to her long-lost niece.
• “Voices Like Barbed Wire” by Tim Waggoner - Sometimes forgetting is more painful than remembering.
• “The Flutter of Silent Wings” by Gene O’Neill - A heartbreaking tribute to a Shirley Jackson classic.
• “Guardian” by Paul Michael Anderson - Even creatures beyond time and space need friendship.
• “Farewell Valencia” by Craig Wallwork - When you’ve got no reason to live, there’s a hotel that can give you every reason to die. So book in, unpack, and prepare to be checked out, forever.
• “A Dream Most Ancient and Alone” by Allison Pang - A lake mermaid with a penchant for eating children forms a tenuous friendship with an abused girl trying to escape her past.
• “The Monster Told Me To” by Stephanie M. Wytovich - In order for Bria to deal with her past, she must confront the ghosts of her present.
• “Dead Bodies Don’t Scream” by Michelle Ann King - If the universe won’t give her a miracle, Allie will make one for herself. But dark magic has a price.
• “The Boy” by Cory Cone - Grief-stricken from the loss of her husband, a young woman fears she may lose her son as well, if she hasn’t already.
• “Starve a Fever” by Jonah Buck - Fleeing down a bayou highway with a sick criminal in the backseat, a getaway driver must sate his passenger’s horrifying needs while evading the police.
• “Umbilicus” by Lucy Taylor - A father becomes involved in a scheme to rescue a friend’s lost son—with terrifying results.
• “Nonpareil” by Laura Blackwell - Maisie’s wedding cake business needs every client it can get—but between the groom’s unpleasant family and the mysterious bride’s strange requests, Maisie has a tough job baking a cake that will please everyone.
• “The Weeds and the Wildness Yet” by Robert Stahl - Reeling over the death of his wife, Charlie stumbles across a mysterious object—the legendary monkey’s paw. Despite the terrible events that befall that fictional family, he can’t help but give it a try.
• “The Color of Loss and Love” by Jason Sizemore - A couple set out to rescue an unfamiliar couple, only to face an airborne disease.
• “A Bathtub at the End of the World” by Lane Waldman - A little girl plays with her toys in a locked bathroom. Everything is fine, except for the zombies outside.