"An old-school creature thriller told with crisp pacing and kick-ass set pieces, Steve Stred's Mastodon is a monster-in-the-woods tale with some choice surprises and plenty of rampaging fun."

- Andrew Pyper, author of The Residence, The Damned and The Demonologist

17 years ago, Tyler Barton was born in the Rocky Mountains, while his parents were on a hike.

On that day, his mother disappeared, never to be seen again.

Now, history repeats itself.

On the 17th anniversary of her disappearance, Tyler’s father is flying home when the plane he’s on disappears – in the same area where his mother was last seen.

Undeterred by officials, Tyler decides to hike into the area in search of his father, hoping to find him alive and bring him back to safety.

But there’s a reason that area is prohibited to enter and even though Tyler doesn’t care, he’ll soon find out that the wilderness can hide some of the deepest, darkest fears known to man.

From the author of ‘Incarnate,’ ‘The Window In the Ground’ and ‘Ritual’ comes a new novel that’ll make you rethink your Summer hiking trip.

“Steve Stred's Mastodon reads like a cross between Gary Paulson's Hatchet and Jeff Vandermeer's Southern Reach Trilogy: a big-hearted adventure yarn with a dark and compelling mystery at its core.”

- Shaun Hamill, author of A Cosmology of Monsters

 “Mysterious. Gripping. High-octane. Mastodon is not the typical creature feature.”

- Eddie Generous, author of Rawr and Behemoth Risen

 “Mastodon is a jaw-dropping trek into a heart of darkness. Full of emotion, yet rife with grotesque imagery that only Stred can deliver.”

- David Sodergren, author of The Forgotten Island and Maggie’s Grave

“Mastodon is another tour de force from Canada’s master of dread. The journey into a forbidden wilderness cordoned off by the military is reminiscent of Jeff Vandermeer’s Annihilation, but as bleak, daring, and darkly comic as Harlan Ellison. The pace of the story never relents, its emotional highs are spectacular, and its lows will rip your guts out: a voyage and return epic with the balls-to-the-wall horror shows of S. C. Mendes’s The City thrown in. Stred should be held in the same regard as Straub and King.”

- Joseph Sale, author of Save Game and Gods of the Black Gate

“Mastodon is a compelling read that will leave you blistered and broken as you join a young man’s rescue mission into the Canadian wilderness inhabited by unspeakable horrors. Steve Stred masterfully delivers a story exploring the physical and emotional limits we push through in order to save the people we hold most dear.”

- J. A. Sullivan, horror writer and contributor to Kendall Reviews.

They say that third time’s a charm and for the third installment of the Books of Horror community Anthology, it’s a fact. With well over seventy stories submitted, there was just too much content for a single book. Volume 3 is being brought to you in two parts. You’ll find the book(s) you’re about to read filled with tales of horror that span the genre, crafted by veteran authors, as well as first time writers.

Matthew A. Clarke

Scott Deegan

Paul Lubaczewski

M Ennenbach

Jason Myers

Marina Schnierer

Edward J Spock

Andrew Bell

Justin Boote

RJ Meldrum

P.J. Blakey-Novis

James Harper

Lisa Vasquez

James Seamone

Dustin Ekman

Eddie Davies

David Watkins

Drew Nicks

Nicole Henning

Jesssica Raney

Matthew Cash

Stephen Cannon

Ruthann Jagge

John J. Hardic

Shea Herlihy-Abba

Steve Stred

Patrick Flaherty

Eugene C. McLean Jr

Catherine Kenwell
Chris Kosarich

Micah Castle

Jae Mazer

Charles Welch

C.M. Saunders

Brian McNatt

Sidney Shiv

What flavor is your nightmare?
Forty-nine authors have come together to tell us theirs. Each story is unique in its horror but all should be read with the lights on and the shadows kept at bay, because some stories tend to stay with you even after the book is closed.
From established authors, to people putting pen to paper for the first time.
Books of Horror presents its inaugural Community Anthology.

EXTREME CONTENT WARNING!

This book contains scenes of extreme violence and sexual content. Do not purchase this book if you are easily offended or require trigger warnings!

Beginning in October, 2019, Steve Stred released three of the darkest, most depraved novellas – Ritual, COMMUNION, and Sacrament (**Nominated for a 2022 Splatterpunk Award for Best Novella!**).

These three novellas completed the ‘Father of Lies’ trilogy, telling the story of a disturbed man trying to open the cosmic gates and enter the Black Heavens to live forever. Inspired by Steve Stred’s research acquired while joining a real cult, the stories from the trilogy have already become favorites within the horror world.

Now, here for the first time, is the complete and definitive ‘The Complete Father of Lies Series.’

Featuring;

- All three novellas

- An exclusive foreword by Sonora Taylor

- An exclusive essay by cover artist Mason McDonald

- A bonus fourth story ‘Eucharist.’

- ‘The Battle Raged On and On’ essay from the author, answering reader questions about the trilogy

Not to be missed, this Omnibus will be available in ebook, paperback and hardcover!

Summer, 1976.

For Ryan, turning thirteen is a big deal.

Turning thirteen while staying at a haunted house?

Amazing.

After pleading with his parents to stay in The Matthews House, they’ve agreed.

This summer will be the best vacation they’ve ever had.

Too bad something still claims the house as its own.

Something Lillian Matthews accidently called forth all those years ago.

Ryan and his parents will have to fight to survive this summer,

When they meet evil Incarnate in the flesh.

‘In Incarnate, Stred brings us face to snout with evil in the
flesh. Once you've gazed into its eyes, there's no putting this
book down until you've turned the last page. Only then can
you sit back and try to catch your breath, all while telling
yourself that it's just a book. And a damn good one.’
- Tim McWhorter, author of The Opening and Bone White

‘Packed with demons, parallel worlds, and some truly
chilling moments, Incarnate is another crowd pleaser from
Stred that you won't want to put down.’
– D.W. Gillespie, author of The Toy Thief and One By One

‘Hear the hooves. Fear the clues. Incarnate will please horror
readers. A disturbing, wicked, and haunting tale from the
mind of Steve Stred.’
- Calvin Demmer, author of The Sea Was a Fair Master
and Dark Celebrations

"An immensely readable and original coming-of-age horror tale" - Duncan Ralston, author of Ghostland.

On the outskirts of town, hides a secret.

If you follow a path through the trees, read the rules (always twice) on the sign post, go up a hill and across a grassy clearing, that secret will reveal itself.

You see, for hundreds of years, this seemingly normal town has done its part, kept the balance.

But on this day, a rule will be broken.

You might have heard the rumors shared in whispers.

You may have been told about someone who’d seen it with their own eyes.
But now, on this day, you’ll join us.

You’ll come for a car ride and we’ll park.

Then we’ll walk along a path, read some rules (always twice), and go up a hill and arrive at a clearing.

Across the grass, you’ll see just what the town’s been hiding, protecting for centuries.

Then you’ll feel a pull.
And we’ll make our way over to it.

Over to the window in the ground.
“I looked at the mound and could see that a light was shining up from the under, from inside the window. Something was happening below.”

Steve Stred is the author of a number of novels, novellas and collections. He has appeared in anthologies with some of Horror's heaviest hitters. 

He lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with his wife, son and their dog OJ.

Ahhh… nothing like the annual summer family camping trip, right?

Malcolm, his wife Sam and their two kids have been staying at the same cabin, at the same campground for years now. Heck, Malcolm’s been coming to the campground since he was a kid.

Miles and miles of groomed trails, hiking, kayaking on the pristine lake. What’s not to like?

But this year… well this year’s different. You see, roof repairs have caused them to have to change their plans. Now they’re staying at the cabin at the end of season, in fact they’re the last campers before it closes for the winter.

While happy to be spending time with the family, Malcolm feels a shift.

The caretaker next door makes it known he hates him.

The trees… move and dance, as though calling him, beckoning him.

Then on a seemingly normal kayaking trip, the family makes a discovery.

YOU TAKE FROM ME

I TAKE FROM YOU

Something’s out there, just on the other side of the fence. Malcolm’s positive it’s just the caretaker trying to scare him, teach the family a lesson.

But what if it’s not…

What if there is something out there?


The Stranger is the second novel from Steve Stred and 9th release overall. The Stranger is another offering following in the footsteps of similar books Invisible, YURI and The Girl Who Hid in the Trees. As Steve describes his works; “dark, bleak horror.”

With this release, Steve has decided to look deeper into what makes humans tick. He confronts two key elements of mankind; bigotry and our environmental footprint.

Featuring stunning cover art by Chadwick St. John (www.inkshadows.com), The Stranger will be a story that will leave you feeling uneasy and have you looking at the trees differently.

Maybe it’s not the wind making the branches sway…

Maybe…

It’s…

The Stranger.