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Shallow Waters Vol.2: A Flash Fiction Anthology (A Series of Supernatural Stories) Kindle Edition
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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.
- A man fleeing a creature of pure evil gets unexpected help from a brave knight looking for redemption.
- It has been said that a writer bleeds ink onto the page, but no one knew how true that really was.
- What protects you while you sleep?
- Beneath the gaze of a giant, inflatable gorilla, a salesman makes a peculiar pitch to a sceptical customer.
- A young woman is resurrected like Lazarus, but cheating death doesn’t mean winning in life.
- Mankind has always wondered if there were others in the universe and if so, what would they share with us?
- The war between humans and zombies is coming to an end with only one kill left...
Proudly brought to you by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateJuly 26, 2019
- File size609 KB
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From the Publisher

Take a Deep Breath and Dive Beneath the Surface of Shallow Waters—Where Nothing Stays Buried.
This series includes over 100 flash fiction stories by the likes of Chad Lutzke, Armand Rosamilia, Tim Waggoner, Robert Ford, Jonathan Winn, Mark Allan Gunnells, Jezzy Wolfe, Mercedes M. Yardley, Dino Parenti, Kenneth W. Cain, John Boden, Matt Shaw, Jess Landry, Dan Weatherer, Theresa Derwin, Monique Snyman, Richard Thomas, Jennifer Loring, Lee Murray, Kevin Lucia, Ben Lathrop, Lori Michelle, Jason Parent, Dave Jeffery, AJ Franks, Jonathan Fortin, R.B. Wood, Jay Bechtol, Robert W. Walker, Denver Grenell, Tom Deady, Taylor Grant, William Meikle, and many more.

Editorial Reviews
Review
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ "This series of Flash fiction horror anthologies offers up bite size scare snacks that thrill, chill and ultimately disturb. A must read."—Theresa Derwin
Product details
- ASIN : B07T8RKGD9
- Publisher : Crystal Lake Publishing (July 26, 2019)
- Publication date : July 26, 2019
- Language : English
- File size : 609 KB
- Simultaneous device usage : Unlimited
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 87 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #900,051 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #617 in Horror Anthologies (Kindle Store)
- #1,489 in Horror Anthologies (Books)
- #1,642 in Horror Short Stories
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Kenneth W. Cain is the author of four novels, four short story collections, four novellas, and several children’s books among his body of work. He is the editor for the anthologies Tales From The Lake Volume 5, When the Clock Strikes 13, and Midnight in the Graveyard. The winner of the 2017 Silver Hammer Award, Cain is an Active member of the Horror Writers Association as well as chair for the membership committee and the Pennsylvania chapter. Cain resides in Chester County, Pennsylvania with his wife and two children.
Website:
http://kennethwcain.com
Facebook Author Page:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKennethWCain/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/KennethWCain
Get updates on forthcoming books, find about giveaways, and get free stories by signing up for my newsletter:
http://eepurl.com/caUofP
Mark Allan Gunnells loves to tell stories. He has since he was a kid, penning one-page tales that were Twilight Zone knockoffs. He likes to think he has gotten a little better since then. He loves reader feedback, and above all he loves telling stories. He lives in Greer, SC, with his husband Craig A. Metcalf.
Award-winning author Dan Weatherer was first published by Haunted Magazine in Spring, 2013.
Aside from the publication of numerous short stories with a multitude of presses, his next major project was a solo collection of short stories titled The Soul That Screamed (Winner of the Preditors & Editors™ Readers' Poll ‘Best Anthology 2013’).
A further two collections Only the Good Burn Bright (Spring 2015, James Ward Kirk Fiction) and Neverlight (Spring 2016, Spectral Press) quickly followed. His first non-fiction book titled ‘What Dwells Within’ was released in the Autumn of 2015.
In 2015, Dan was shortlisted for the prestigious position of Staffordshire Poet Laureate 2016-2018.
In 2017, Neverlight was shortlisted for the first annual Arnold Bennett Literary Prize. His fourth collection Just Eventide, was released in August 2017.
2017 also saw the release of Dan’s historical novella ‘Crippen’, courtesy again of Spectral Press.
An accomplished playwright, Dan was the winner of the 2017 Soundwork UK play competition, a finalist in the Blackshaw Showcase Award 2016, and a two-time finalist of the Congleton Players One Act Festival, 2016. Dan has had several of his plays appear at festivals and fringe events. The Dead Stage, a book detailing Dan’s experiences as a novice playwright was published courtesy of Crystal Lake Publishing in October, 2018
In 2019, Dan was nominated for a local Heroes award (The Sentinel) for his continued promotion of literacy and mental health issues in the city of Stoke on Trent.
2019 also saw the release of his non-fiction title Sounds of a Madman, where Dan discusses the issues surrounding living with Depression and Anxiety. The Necessary Evils was published late October (Demain Press), followed by The Tainted Isle, Dan's debut novel, courtesy of PS Publishing.
In 2020, Dan became a contributor for CreepyPastaStories and Chilling Tales For Dark Nights. 2020 also saw the release of his novella Cheslyn Myre, (Demain Publishing).
Presently, Dan contributes to the YouTube channel Chilling Tales For Dark Nights, and his stageplays continue to be sold and performed worldwide.
Jonah Buck divides his time between studying law at the University of Oregon, performing amateur stage magic, writing horror, and other disreputable pursuits. His interests include history, exotic poultry, paleontology, archery, and B-grade monster movies. He is easily distracted by shiny objects.
Mark Cassell lives on the south-east coast of the United Kingdom with his wife and many animals. His jobs have included baker, lab technician, driving instructor, actor, and was once a spotlight operator for an Elvis Presley impersonator.
As the author of the best-selling Shadow Fabric mythos, he’s written under several pen names with over 150 stories published in magazines and anthologies. Though his passion remains embedded in dark fantasy and horror, he’s written steampunk, fantasy and sci-fi, and regularly crosses the blurry lines between genres.
Most recently he’s seen publication in the children’s market. In particular, a Would You Rather game book series that has proven popular, and a successful range of pirate activity books. Mark often says how the “Pirate Thing” is a latent interest that will always astonish him.
A proud addition to his bibliography is through Caffeine Nights Publishing with the horror novel, Parasite Crop. Since signing that contract, he remains humbled in the knowledge he now shares the same publisher as one of his literary heroes from the late-1980s, a bygone time when he sneakily read novels at the back of school classrooms.
Incidentally, Mark never got caught.
~
More about the author can be found at www.MarkCassell.co.uk
Chad has written for Famous Monsters of Filmland, Rue Morgue, Cemetery Dance, and Scream magazine. He's had dozens of short stories published, and some of his books include: OF FOSTER HOMES & FLIES, STIRRING THE SHEETS, THE PALE WHITE, SKULLFACE BOY, THE NEON OWL and OUT BEHIND THE BARN co-written with John Boden. Lutzke's work has been praised by authors Jack Ketchum, Richard Chizmar, Joe Lansdale, Stephen Graham Jones and his own mother.
He can be found lurking the internet at www.chadlutzke.com
John Boden lives a stones throw from Three Mile Island with his wonderful wife and sons.
A baker by day, he spends his off time writing, working on Shock Totem or watching M*A*S*H re-runs.
He likes Diet Pepsi, cheeseburgers, heavy metal and sports ferocious sideburns.
While his output as a writer is fairly sporadic, it has a bit of a reputation for being unique.
Chad A. Clark is an author of dark-leaning fiction, born and raised in the middle of the United States. His road began in Illinois, along the banks of the Mississippi and from there he moved to Iowa, where he has lived ever since. From an early age, he was brined in the glory that is science fiction and horror, from the fantastical of George Lucas, Gene Roddenberry and Steven Spielberg to the dark and gritty tales of Stephen King and George Romero. The way from there to here has been littered with no shortage of books and movies, all of which have and continue to inform his narrative style to this day. Chad has written horror, science fiction and non-fiction. He has been published by Crystal Lake Publishing, Dark Minds Press, Shadow Work Publishing, EyeCue Productions, Darker Worlds Publishing and Sirens Call Publications. His books have received critical praise from the Ginger Nuts of Horror, Ink Heist, Confessions of a Reviewer, Horror DNA and This is Horror.
For more, check out www.cclarkfiction.net
Suitably labelled “The Queen of Filth”, extremist author Dani Brown’s style of dark and twisted writing and deeply disturbing stories has amassed a worrying sized cult following featuring horrifying tales such as “56 Seconds”, “Becoming” and the hugely popular “Ketamine Addicted Pandas”. Merging eroticism with horror, torture and other areas that most authors wouldn’t dare, each of Dani’s titles will crawl under your skin, burrow inside you, and make you question why you are coming back for more.
Pedro Iniguez is a speculative fiction writer and painter.
His fiction and poetry has appeared in Nightmare Magazine, Helios Quarterly, Worlds of Possibility, Tiny Nightmares, Star*Line, Space and Time Magazine, Speculative Fiction for Dreamers, and Hexagon Magazine, among others.
Apart from his personal work, he has also been a sensitivity reader and has ghostwritten for award-winning apps and online clients.
He resides in Los Angeles, where he is currently working on his second novel.
Steve Thompson is the author of 2 short and flash fiction collections. His First "Real Life, a Dream and a tall Tale" contains 4 non-fiction stories, one being a dream he had when he was 6 and his first fiction story. The second book "Forlorn" is a collection of Sci-Fi and horror.
Steve was born and still resides in Moncton New Brunswick Canada where he is currently working on publishing a horror anthology "When the Clock Strikes 13" from his In Your Face Books publication.
Austin James Hatch is a Wonderland Award finalist author of obscure and uncomfortable fiction/poetry.
Red Lagoe grew up on 80s horror and carried her paranoia of slashers and sewer creatures into adulthood.
When she’s not spewing her horror-ridden mind onto the page, or substituting at the elementary school like a normal upstanding citizen, Red enjoys amateur astronomy, and can be found lingering in the inky shadows among beasts for a better view of the stars.
Red's short story collection Lucid Screams released in February 2020. She is a staff writer for Crystal Lake Publishing's Still Water Bay series. Her stories have appeared in Dark Moon Digest, Sinister Smile Press's If I Die Before I Wake, volumes 1, 2, & 3, Crystal Lake Publishing’s Shallow Waters Volumes 1,2, 3&4, Trembling with Fear’s Year Two anthology, Owl Hollow Press’ Under the Full Moon’s Light anthology, and more. Her viral apocalypse novel Fair Haven released in 2017.
Praised by Robert Coover for being a “noir master” and Brian Evenson for writing “transgressive fiction at its uncomfortable best,” Michael Harris Cohen is a recipient of the New Century Writer’s Scholarship from Zoetrope: All-Story, a Fulbright grant for literary translation, and fellowships from the OMI International Arts Center for Writers, Atlantic Center for the Arts, The Djerassi Foundation, The Jentel Artist’s Residency, The Blue Mountain Center and the Künstlerdorf Schöppingen Foundation.
At Brown University he received the Weston Award for best graduate fiction manuscript. He’s also won the Modern Grimmoire Literary Prize as well as Mixer Publishing’s Sex, Violence and Satire prize.
Michael lives with his wife and two daughters in Sofia. He teaches creative writing and literature at the American University in Bulgaria. Occasionally he tweets @fictionknot
Read more at MichaelHarrisCohen.net
Joe X. Young is a freelance writer, artist, illustrator, and reviewer.
He lives in Frankfurt, Germany with a very forgiving fiancée whose flexibility enables him to concentrate on writing and illustrating full-time. She is happy that he still does chores but prefers that it's never at the expense of his creativity.
He is a member of the Horror Writers Association and his short fiction can be seen in an ever-expanding array of publications such as Phantasmagoria 9. Gruesome Grotesques 4 & 5. James Ward Kirk's: Sorrow anthology. Wolfgang Anthologies: Night of the Living Cure. Wolfgang Anthologies: Abandoned. Wordland 2. Non-Binary Review: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Haunted Waters Press. Kevin J.Kennedy's: Carnival of Horror. Something Remains: Joel Lane and friends. Dark Places, Evil Faces 2. & The Journal of the British Fantasy Society amongst other publications some of which are not available via Amazon.
He has also written three articles for Angel Leigh McCoy's Serling Award-winning Another Dimension anthology and has had reviews published in the Journal of the British Fantasy Society. As well over 100 reviews, articles and interviews across various media to his credit.
He is currently working on several solo projects and has many more short stories accepted to be published soon.
He loves his fiancée and his job to ridiculous degrees and he is always up for new challenges.
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more
Since its founding in August 2012, Crystal Lake Publishing has quickly become one of the world’s leading publishers of Dark Fiction and Horror books in print, eBook, and audio formats.
While we strive to present only the highest quality fiction and entertainment, we also endeavour to support authors along their writing journey. We offer our time and experience in non-fiction projects, as well as author mentoring and services, at competitive prices.
With several Bram Stoker Award wins and many other wins and nominations, Crystal Lake Publishing puts integrity, honor, and respect at the forefront of our publishing operations.
We strive for each book and outreach program we spearhead to not only entertain and touch or comment on issues that affect our readers, but also to strengthen and support the Dark Fiction field and its authors.
Not only do we find and publish authors we believe are destined for greatness, but we strive to work with men and woman who endeavour to be decent human beings who care more for others than themselves, while still being hard working, driven, and passionate artists and storytellers.
Crystal Lake Publishing is and will always be a beacon of what passion and dedication, combined with overwhelming teamwork and respect, can accomplish. We endeavour to know each and every one of our readers, while building personal relationships with our authors, reviewers, bloggers, podcasters, bookstores, and libraries.
We will be as trustworthy, forthright, and transparent as any business can be, while also keeping most of the headaches away from our authors, since it’s our job to solve the problems so they can stay in a creative mind. Which of course also means paying our authors.
We do not just publish books, we present to you worlds within your world, doors within your mind, from talented authors who sacrifice so much for a moment of your time.
There are some amazing small presses out there, and through collaboration and open forums we will continue to support other presses in the goal of helping authors and showing the world what quality small presses are capable of accomplishing. No one wins when a small press goes down, so we will always be there to support hardworking, legitimate presses and their authors. We don’t see Crystal Lake as the best press out there, but we will always strive to be the best, strive to be the most interactive and grateful, and even blessed press around. No matter what happens over time, we will also take our mission very seriously while appreciating where we are and enjoying the journey.
What do we offer our authors that they can’t do for themselves through self-publishing?
We are big supporters of self-publishing (especially hybrid publishing), if done with care, patience, and planning. However, not every author has the time or inclination to do market research, advertise, and set up book launch strategies. Although a lot of authors are successful in doing it all, strong small presses will always be there for the authors who just want to do what they do best: write.
What we offer is experience, industry knowledge, contacts and trust built up over years. And due to our strong brand and trusting fanbase, every Crystal Lake Publishing book comes with weight of respect. In time our fans begin to trust our judgment and will try a new author purely based on our support of said author.
To date we’ve published around 100 books, and with each launch we strive to fine-tune our approach, learn from our mistakes, and increase our reach. We continue to assure our authors that we’re here for them and that we’ll carry the weight of the launch and dealing with third parties while they focus on their strengths—be it writing, interviews, blogs, signings, etc.
We also offer several mentoring packages to authors that include knowledge and skills they can use in both traditional and self-publishing endeavours.
We look forward to launching many new careers.
This is what we believe in. What we stand for. This will be our legacy.
Welcome to Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.
Linsey Knerl is a mom of six who has been homeschooling since 2004. Her interest in small business and entrepreneurship led to a freelance writing career that complimented her own homeschool style. Linsey has been a trusted source for families since 2008. Her tips for families have appeared in various publications, including Time, Shape, Better Homes & Gardens, Reader’s Digest, Family Circle, All You, and Woman’s World. Her media company (Knerl Family Media) has grown to include her better half in life and business, Sam. Together Sam and Linsey work to educate and support their growing family.
Linsey is also working on several dark fiction projects. When she's not enjoying the beautiful Missouri River bottom landscape you can find her reading weird short stories, playing the piano, and recreating the Danish recipes her grandmother made long ago.
Four decades ago a black egg hatched and out sprang Tony Logan. Obsessed with horror stories and films, he devoured them all and eventually wanted to create his own. Now he twists and manipulates words intended to terrify. His hellhound Achilles and hellcat Stoker always at his side.
Diana is a West Australian writer of strange, dark short stories. A few have been published in Trembling With Fear collections, and she has micro fiction in the horror anthologies Shallow Waters Vol. 2 and Unravel. Night Parrot Press published three little oddities in the anthologies Once: A selection of short short stories and Twice Not Shy. She also writes children's stories. Balloons Lit. Journal published her story about a boy and his pet cockroach in its October 2021 issue. You can find her on Twitter: @ImaginaryGrove
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Top reviews from the United States
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As these are extremely short stories, my review of each will be short. I hope there aren't any spoilers.
Closure on a Bed of Nails - Chris Lutzke
WOW! I will never look at a bed of nails the same way again. And nightmares.
Fast Car - Tracy Fahey
This author will have you holding your breath. Fast car indeed!
Tears of Buddy - Patrick R. McDonouge
This is creepy. Good creepy. I cried.
Puzzle Pieces - Armand Rosamilia
The one before this was creepy. This one is also creepy. The end may shock you.
Pretty Like Butterflies - Tim Waggoner
A young woman learns too late why the old man told her she is pretty.
S1:E7 - Robert Ford
This really a season one, episode 7 type of story. You read it and have a feeling you have missed some of what happened earlier. Excellence in a very short story.
Pain Is Your Teacher - Michael Harris Cohen
A woman scorned and hurt gives back what she got.
Memory Lane - Red Lagoe
A photograph album really bothers an old drunk who doesn't drink anymore.
The Silence Of The Sirens - Loren Rhoads
Love does have limits.
It’s Me, Not You - Jonathan Winn
What's a lonely spinster suppose to do?
Sisters Of Loss - Mark Allan Gunnells
Boy, Howdy! Some women are just nuts!
The Melting Of Your Gods - Mercedes M. Yardley
Only Mercedes M. Yardley can make a fire so terrifying. Really.
Talisman - Jezzy Wolfe
Again with the creep factor. Only different.
Charms - Dino Parenti
A woman scorned gets revenge. Through her daughter.
Not Your Average Monster - Kenneth W. Cain
Kenneth W. Cain never fails. He does not fail here. Best I can do without a spoiler.
Where The Children Run In Darkness - Guy Medley
Just the title makes me shiver. I must say I am glad my children are out of school.
Tunnels - Tom Over
Sometimes you really don't want a one or two sentence review. Too creepy to know in advance.
The Truth About Dani - Joe Mercer
This seemed a one-off. Then comes the last sentence. It isn't a one-off. Everything in the past changes.
Baby Savannah - M.J. Sydney
Baby Savannah will break your heart. And make you scream.
Rats Scratched In The Linen Cupboard - Dani Brown
You read a sentence at the beginning of a paragraph. Then again, again. The sentence is innocuous until you read the, again, the last sentence. Then that quiet in your brain starts screaming. Do you? This is definitely a Prozin night.
Raining - John Boden
I used to live in Florida. I was landlocked, so we got a lot of rain, not like here.
Not really knowing where this takes place, rain is a bad omen.
The Death Experience - L.A. Story
Again, WOW! I love anthologies, and this one does not disappoint.
I have pre-ordered the next one. I think that says it all! Crystal Lake Publishing and Joe Mynhardt are forces to be reckoned with. They never disappoint.
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