If someone happened to be paying attention, they might recognize the title ‘The Beasts We Are.’

This was going to be the title for book two of our main series but we changed it on the same day we commissioned our cover to ‘The Ways We Err.’

‘The Beasts We Are’ became lonely and lost its job, but it was still a great title.

Enter my crazy idea to release a collection of short stories for fall!

I had the perfect title in my pocket. And it fit so nicely with the themes of the stories too.

The Beasts We Are: Terror of the false-kin

This is a collection of three stand-alone short stories. Reading our main series is not required. Each story has its own content and trigger warning page. This book is available on Amazon here for free on Kindle Unlimited, or e-book for$2.99, and on paperback for $5.

Here is a sneak peek at what’s inside:

Of Rats and Fauns is a pied piper retelling. It was covered by the Brothers Grimm and many others. Who did it best? I’m not sure. I’m a little biased.

Walk with Peter through his descent into madness as he struggles with confronting his greatest fear.

This story takes a sharp, dark turn when Peter finds out just how the town is dealing with their rat infestation. And an even darker turn when the mayor refuses to pay for services rendered.

Wraith of the West has been described by early readers as “Blazing Saddles x Danny Phantom.” (I also say there is a dash of Henry Cavil as the Witcher in there, too.)

A man dressed in all black, who has been run out of every other town he’s been in, rides into a dusty town only to discover they are having a problem. He’s grumpy. He’s cocky. But he is not the monster. He’s just looking for a place to settle down. And he’s way too clever with a boot.

This story isn’t scary, but it does leave the reader questioning the true meaning of “monster.”

In my biased opinion, this is the star of the collection. The Nightmare Nurse is packed with psychological and paranormal horror and has a trigger warning list an entire page long for a 8000 word short story.

Join Mazuki on her first night shift on a crisis stabilization unit. She has the secret ability to consume nightmares, and she is excited to help patients get a great night’s sleep. Except she’s not the only one with secrets. And at night, surrounded by people in their most vulnerable states, maybe isn’t the easiest time for them to keep their own secrets.

Mazuki has to face all her fears as the reader explores topics such as: what is a drug? Do nightmares serve a psychological purpose? And where is that gray area in ethics? None of these answers are easy for anybody.

In the end, does Mazuki maintain the status quo? Or does she break?