Elizabeth Alsobrooks

They say the veil between the realm of the living and dead is thinnest on one particular night of the year. Depending on your location or beliefs you may call that night All Hallows Eve or Samhain or Halloween. Whatever you call it, what would you do if you found yourself suddenly dead, but not gone? As in, you are still in your body, but your body is now a cadaver. Or what if you died, but you kept coming back, alive and well, over and over? This year, the Tell-Tale authors have conjured up some horrific tales of life and death and somewhere in between. So curl up in your favorite chair and be sure to bring a big fluffy blanket, because you're going to need something for these chills.

If you like witches, ghosts, vampires, werewolves and things that go bump in the night, you will love what the authors from Tell-Tale Publishing have dished up for this year's horror feast. From the dead, the undead, and those beings who linger somewhere in between, they have left no tombstone unturned. So curl up in a comfy chair and get ready for a long night, because you won't want to close your eyes after reading this. Or will you?

Ever see one of those seedy-looking hotels in the middle of nowhere and get reminded of Psycho, even as you wonder who might actually stay or work there? Or perhaps you've traveled on business and found yourself in the wrong part of town--and the natives are restless. Perhaps you're from one of those families where tradition is everything, and you just accept it as the norm. But what if it suddenly becomes obvious that it's not normal at all? What would you do? Legends are handed down from childhood, and they're almost always based on facts. Do you remember any of those urban legends? The kids of James Buchanan are about to experience an ancient Native American legend for themselves. Why not join them . . . if you dare? Welcome to Tell-Tale's 4th Annual Horror Anthology. We think the ancient and more modern legends explored in this edition will make you sleep with the lights on for days.

Dare to journey through the bloody mind of a madwoman, or escape, if you can, from an underground military compound, where secret experiments may land you on the menu. ​Perhaps you'd like to see what the witches in Salem are doing this Halloween, or what really happened to Hansel and Gretel. Scared of clowns, vampires or puppets? Sit down and curl up with this unique collection of horror stories. You'll sleep with the lights on for weeks.

"Secret Santa" by Marcus Mattern: If you think you have problems at work, you will change your mind and think it's the magic kingdom after reading about Darren Young's day. One just never knows their coworkers as well as they think they do. Do you have a Secret Santa activity where you work? You may not want to participate after you read this edge-of-your-seat, hand-over-your-eyes tale. Marcus starts his story off with a bang, and the thrills never end until the surprising conclusion. "The Long Dark Veil" & "In the Night" by Ric Wasley: The Long Dark Veil is an Appalachian legend about love, revenge, and betrayal. No wonder it must be true Ric Wasley will have you believing it by the time you finish reading about this love affair gone horribly wrong. In the Night will make you believe in love that knows no boundaries of time or . . . anything else. It's a chilling tale about love and loss that asks some hard questions. "Shadow Walkers" by Elizabeth Alsobrooks: Are you afraid of things that creep in dark shadows? What if the shadows themselves were what you needed to fear? In this tale, a kidnapped little girl must be rescued and protected from a nest of diabolical creatures as old as time, and more dangerous than demons set on stealing souls to send them to hell. This clutch of Jinn is ruled by a soul-eater, the most powerful and diabolical creature on earth. With an insatiable addiction to soul-eating, these monsters will be hard to stop. Only the help of a sorceress, a priest, and an immortal prince can save Lydia and her mother, Tessa, from the dark forces determined to use them for their nefarious ends. "Mr. Rumples" by George Larson: If you like Stephen King's "It" you will love Mr. Rumples. Who doesn't love a clown that makes kids laugh and clap. But when they start to die . . . and their bodies disappear from their graves . . . it's not so funny. Harry Balt, the only detective in a small town's police department, is done clowning around. This party has to end, hopefully before Mr. Rumples drives him crazy. "What Lies Beneath Wraithfall Ruins?" by Daniel Hunter: Will the Black Knight be able to solve the riddles and enter the secret chambers beneath Wraithfall Ruins in time to save the princess from what lurks in the bowels of history, or will the lady in white bring destruction to them both? This tale is full of twists and turns of fate and history. With true Gothic overtones, this is a story that will keep you wondering until the last mystery is solved. "Funhouse" by P. Mattern: Only a chicken is afraid to go into a funhouse. Right? Maybe not. If these kids hadn't gone into this funhouse on this particular night, they might all still be alive. What evil lurks in the hall of mirrors, and why does it know their heart's desires? Take a walk through this horrifying funhouse with P. Mattern and you may never want to go to a carnival again.