Mark Leslie

The echo of screams haunt the night in this fourth collection in a series of short horror tales from the dark mind of Mark Leslie. SPIRITS: People who haven't died can still leave their spirit behind, tied to a place. Sally and Rob, two young lovers, are caught up in the legend of The Phoenix Baby, the ghostly crying that haunts a repertory cinema in Ottawa and, as they unravel the mystery they find themselves becoming inextricably entangled with the old abandoned building. FALL SPECTACLE: In the midst of a small northern community spiraling into the depths of fear and panic over an elusive dark figure rumored to be stalking the night, a young man attempts to reclaim both his innocence and the passion of his youthful first love. LESS OF A MAN: The horror of losing a loved one to a vicious wasting disease can lead a person to try almost anything to bring them back. If you're looking for three quick jaunts into worlds reminiscent of an episode of Black Mirror or The Twilight Zone, you'll want to crack open the pages and start listening for the nocturnal screams. The stories and accompanying "behind the screams" notes from the author come to approximately 14,300 words.

6 Speculative Tales by 3 Sudbury Authors Sudbury is not only in our blood, but it also courses through our veins, is a part of the very breaths we inhale and exhale, the way that those deposits of nickel, gold, copper, and platinum, which slammed into the earth via a crashing meteorite some 1.8 million years ago enrich the very bedrock of the grounds that formed the Sudbury basin. Something else courses through the veins of authors Sean Costello, Mark Leslie, and Scott Overton. A seemingly supernatural connection to the strange; a penchant for exploring speculative tales: Stories that do not turn away from the shadows, but, instead, explore them, embrace them. Stories that consider science or the paranormal, and wonder "what if?" Stories that dig deep into the darkness. If you dare, come with all three authors as they dig below the surface, a veritable mining operation of fear, speculation, and strange wonder.

Something Strange This Way Comes We have been told, from the earliest days of our childhood, to be wary of strangers. From a fear of strangers who stalk their prey in their homes as darkness descends, and one mother's valiant attempt to protect her family, to an eerie encounter of two strangers in a seemingly innocent chance meeting on a lonely rural bus stop bench, and to an awkward transient who needs to avoid eye contact with the strangers he encounters lest they fall victim to his death curse, all three stand-alone shorts in this collection involve unexpected strangers meeting. Join Mark Leslie as he introduces you to Mary, to Rupert and to Peter; three people that he calls friends, but folks that are still strangers to you, and you should be weary of. At the end of the ficional jaunt, he also shares the inspiration and story behind each tale. If you enjoy weird and strange Twilight Zone, Outer Limits or Black Mirror styled dark and eerie tales, then you're sure to enjoy this collection of short tales that run about 12,000 words.

THERE IS NO ESCAPING YOUR OWN SHADOW Dark shadows hide some of the horrors, but not all of the screams in this third collection in a series of short horror tales from the dark mind of Mark Leslie. THE SHADOW MEN: The bogeymen of the New Hampshire wilderness known as "The Shadow Men" lurk in the shadows of the trees and only come out at night in order to lure and trick children into their clutches. FOLLOW THE SHADOW: Isn't it funny how a person's shadow follows every single movement a person makes? Or could it perhaps be the other way around? What if a person was forced to follow the lead of their shadow? A MURDER OF SCARECROWS: A small east coast community becomes over-run in the middle of the night by a growing army of scarecrows that seem to appear out of nowhere. If you're looking for three quick jaunts into worlds where darkness mingles with the echoes of cries in the night, you'll want to crack open the pages and start listening for the nocturnal screams. The stories and accompanying "behind the screams" notes from the author come to approximately 14,000 words.

HOW DO YOU KEEP AN INNOCENT CHILD SAFE FROM A PREDATOR WHEN YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE BEAST THAT ASSUMES CONTROL OF YOU? A train bound for Vermont leaves Manhattan at 11:35 AM. It takes approximately 9 hours to arrive. Sunset at the arrival destination occurs at 8:20 PM. How does Michael Andrews, a man on that train who is afflicted with a werewolf curse, resolve the fact that the math just doesn't work out in his favor? Or in favor of the young girl who is trapped, and cornered? Michael's unequivocal desire to help usually thrusts him into the middle of tight spots. And though he has never been good at math, he is consistently good at compounding the peril in his day. On an urgent and last minute trip to help a dear friend in need, he finds someone else to help along the way. Can Michael figure out how he'll be able to protect his young, innocent traveling companion as she tries to make her own cross-country escape from the predator who relentlessly stalks her? And does this curious child hold her own answers that can, in turn, help Michael? In a tale that has been described as Logan meets Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Mark Leslie has crafted a thrill-ride that explores Michael Andrews, Alpha Wolf and Beta Human as he embarks on a life-altering road trip that sends him hurtling towards his own psyche as it brings him miles away from his familiar home territory.

ALPHA WOLFBETA HUMANBIG APPLEMichael Andrews seems to have it all. He's a successful author and a minor celebrity living in Manhattan. It's a pretty big step up from his humble Canadian upbringing. Of course, his lycanthropy poses a bit of a challenge. After waking up from his latest night of howling at the moon, he's naked, he's got a bullet hole in his leg, and he has a sneaking suspicion he ran into another wolf last night. A wolf that was stomping all over his home turf. If he's going to make an evening talk show appearance to promote his latest book, he'll need to figure out what happened the previous night without letting his occasional heroics sidetrack him. Standing in his way are an agent, an ex-girlfriend, a variety of goons, and a fellow wolf encroaching on his territory. It's just another day in the life of a polite, small-town Canadian trying to stay alive in the Big Apple. A Canadian Werewolf in New York is a humorous thriller about an ordinary man dealing with extraordinary circumstances. If you like seeing an everyman try to "do right" no matter the odds, then you'll love this suspenseful and comedic tale of a Canadian bumpkin who happens to be part wolf.

THE MOST TERRIFYING THINGS HAPPEN IN THE DARK Screams echo through the thick darkness of night in this collection of three short horror tales from the dark mind of Mark Leslie. Taste of Darkness: Sensory deprivation takes on a new meaning when you let the darkness completely consume your senses of sight, sound, touch and smell, leaving you with the bitter taste of the encroaching darkness. And you'll be surprised what you find lurking there just beneath the surface and the cold, clear light of day. The Pizza Man: A group of students keep getting pizza deliveries that they never ordered. Is it a strange prank, or is there something more to the mysterious stranger who keeps showing up at their door? Little Things: Strange little creatures appear in the middle of the night, but Daniel is the only one who can see them. His wife, Joy, becomes distraught at the bizarre way her husband is acting, but, more horrifying is what the tiny little things are doing to her. If you're looking for three quick jaunts into worlds where darkness mingles with the echoes of cries in the night, you'll want to crack open the pages and start listening for the nocturnal screams. The stories and accompanying "behind the screams" notes from the author come to approximately 16,000 words.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO SCREAM? These screams you hear echoing through the thick darkness of night are an ode to the classic masters of short fiction and horrific tales. MEMENTO MORI: A CURIOUS NIGHTMARE: Inspired by the short story "A Curious Dream" this tale draws from the same sentiment Twain was projecting regarding the ill regard the living have with "taking of the deceased." Only, in this tale, the repercussions of such neglect are far more serious. THE RITUAL OF THE DRAWING: Inspired by the small-town rituals that made Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" such a memorably chilling tale, this tale explores how a town might attempt to survive in peace and prosperity with a monster in their midst. PROSPERO'S GHOST: When, decades after his death, university employees begin to digitally replicate the precious copy of Shakespeare's 1861 folio edition, renowned scholar Dr. Marshall Emerson returns from beyond the grave to put a stop to the blasphemy. Volume 2 of Nocturnal Screams contains three short tales of terror designed to both send a chill down your spine as well as allow you to reflect upon the original texts and storytellers who helped inspire them. The stories and the accompanying "behind the screams" notes from the author comprise approximately 15,000 words.

ALPHA WOLFBETA HUMANBIG APPLE Michael Andrews seems to have it all. He's a successful author and a minor celebrity living in Manhattan. It's a pretty big step up from his humble Canadian upbringing. Of course, his lycanthropy poses a bit of a challenge. After waking up from his latest night of howling at the moon, he's naked, he's got a bullet hole in his leg, and he has a sneaking suspicion he ran into another wolf last night. A wolf that was stomping all over his home turf. If he's going to make an evening talk show appearance to promote his latest book, he'll need to figure out what happened the previous night without letting his occasional heroics sidetrack him. Standing in his way are an agent, an ex-girlfriend, a variety of goons, and a fellow wolf encroaching on his territory. It's just another day in the life of a polite, small-town Canadian trying to stay alive in the Big Apple. A Canadian Werewolf in New York is a humorous thriller about an ordinary man dealing with extraordinary circumstances. If you like seeing an everyman try to "do right" no matter the odds, then you'll love this suspenseful and comedic tale of a Canadian bumpkin who happens to be part wolf.

You might never build another snowman again If you ever cast an uncomfortable glance over your shoulder when passing the silent snowy sentinels that stand looking at you as you pass on the icy sidewalk, if you've ever questioned what might really happen if the old silk hat placed on Frosty the Snowman's head was truly magic, then these two dark humor snowman tales by Mark Leslie are for you. This eBook contains two short stories, author's notes about the writing of the stories, a look at anthropomorphic snow sculptures in history and popular culture, as well as the history of this digital chapbook. This is a mini digital collection. The stories and the articles can each likely be read on a quick coffee break.

Some are born to save the world. Most of us just dream about it. What makes a hero? Is a hero someone who puts on a mask and costume and rushes to the rescue? Is a hero someone who lands a crippled airplane? Is a hero someone who finds a cure to a wasting disease? Is a hero someone who uses their supernatural powers to help others? Is a hero someone who loves another person so much they put their needs ahead of their own? Is a hero someone who stops in the hustle and bustle of life just to listen to those who no longer have a voice? Heroes comes in all shapes, sizes, and personas. And that it what this short story collection is about. Seven stories that explore heroes and heroic activities. Some Are Born to Save the World Collateral Damage The Zombie Whisperer This Time Around A Murder of Scarecrows Memento Mori From Out of the Night If you like stories reminiscent of The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits or Black Mirror, then you'll love this themed collection of short tales from Mark Leslie.

Superstitions pervade every culture and belief system. Often, the origins of such superstitions elude their practitioners. The seventeen authors in this latest volume of Fiction River create their own superstitious tales in fascinating stories ranging from dark and moody to light and fun, from introspective and thought-provoking to high-ratcheted tension. Distinct and realistic elements of humanity, love, fear, family, friendship, life, and death provide unforgettable experiences that prove we all practice some form of superstition, whether we admit it or not. "...fertile imaginations take these ideas to wild and wonderful directions."-Astro Guyz

A collection of ghost stories, eerie encounters, and gruesome tales from one of Canada’s most interesting cities. Montreal is a city steeped in history and culture, but just beneath the pristine surface of this world-class city lie unsettling tales of uncanny phenomena, dark deeds, haunted buildings, and forgotten graveyards. The dark of night reveals buried secrets, alleyways that echo with the footsteps of ghostly spectres, and memories of ghastly murders and unspeakable acts that will make your blood run cold. Read, if you dare, about the ghost that wanders Griffintown in search of her missing head, top-secret experiments conducted on unwitting subjects at McGill University, and the mysterious gunshot deaths of a mother and son in their mansion, among other terrifying stories.

A look inside the hospitals, asylums, and sanatoriums in which formal spectral residents refuse to move on. Hospitals are supposed to be places of healing, places of birth, and places of hope. But with all of the varying highs and lows that are experienced in these buildings, is it any wonder when echoes linger indefinitely? How about asylums, which house some of society’s worst offenders and troubled inmates, or sanatoriums, places where the mentally and physically ill find themselves trapped, even after death? Journey inside the history of these macabre settings and learn about the horrors from the past that live on in these frighteningly eerie tales from Canada, the United States, and around the world.

A supernatural tour of the Ottawa region with ghostwatcher Mark Leslie as your guide. Come along with paranormal raconteur Mark Leslie as he uncovers first-person accounts of ghostly happenings throughout Ottawa and the surrounding towns — the whole region is rife with ghostly encounters and creepy locales. Discover the doomed financier who may be haunting the Château Laurier. Experience the eerie shadows and sounds at the Bytown Museum. Listen to the echoing howls of former prison inmates at the Nicholas St. Hostel. And feel the bitter sadness of the ghost of Watson’s Mill in Manotick. You’ll marvel at the multitude of ghosts that walk the streets and historic landmarks of Canada’s capital.