FULL DARK: An Anthology

by Melissa Maygrove (Editor), Loni Townsend, David Powers King

What happens in the dark will come to light.

FULL DARK is a collection of eleven short works with impressive depth and range. Twisted tales of ghosts, villains, and the paranormal await you—mystery, heinous fantasy, and pure suspense. Acclaimed and award-winning authors as well as a few talented newcomers have joined forces to be your guide. Venture into the dark if you dare.

Just A Matter of Time by Loni Townsend
Forerunner by David Powers King
Taking Care of You by Carrie Butler
The Apartment by Lisa Buie-Collard
The Caricature by Nick Wilford
Shifting Sands by Elizabeth Seckman
Shadows Falling on Rainbows by Celeste Holloway
Meringue, Murder or Marzipan by Tonja Drecker
Haunted Lake by Michelle Athy
Soul Coin by Laura Rich
Retribution by Melissa Maygrove

FULL DARK is a benefit anthology. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Gary Sinise Foundation, an organization that does many wonderful things for our country's active military, its veterans, and the countless first responders who sacrifice so much to keep us safe.

Genres: Anthologies, Paranormal

198 pages, Paperback

Published October 25, 2017

About the author

Named one of Houston's 100 Creatives for 2014 by the Houston Press and mentioned in 'Who's Who Among Texas Authors'

Native Texan Melissa Maygrove is a mother, nurse, freelance editor, and romance author. When she's not busy caring for her tiny NICU patients, she's hunched over her laptop, complicating the lives of her imaginary friends and playing matchmaker. Melissa loves books with unpretentious characters and unforgettable romance, and she strives to create those same kinds of stories for her readers.

Reviews

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, seriously. I really enjoyed the crap out of this! Out of 11 stories, I only really didn't take too much to three. None of them were bad in the least, I think it's just personal taste. Just about all of them were super enjoyable and super fun. And for an anthology promising dark stories, it definitely delivered!

I took some notes as I read, so here are my thoughts about each story. I didn't mention the plots because it's so hard with short stories to mention anything specific without giving something away, and I couldn't do that, because of a lot of these were really surprising!

Just A Matter of Time (Loni Townsend) - Great start! When someone promises a girl darkness, this is exactly what I want! Great twist. Very fun.

Forerunner (David Powers King) - Absolutely loved the vibe of this. This was freaking fantastic. Totally wigged me out. So obsessed with this. (insert slow clap here)

Taking Care of You (Carrie Butler) - Dude! What a ride! LOVE this. The twists!!

The Apartment (Lisa Buie-Collard) - This was interesting. Great omniscient narration. Loved the characters.

The Caricature (Nick Wilford) - Oh my. LOL! Honestly, I'd love to read a whole book of stories in this same vein.

Shifting Sands (Elizabeth Seckman) - Crazy girl is very crazy. It's good, but I'm not sure how I feel about this one.

Shadows Falling On Rainbows (Celeste Holloway) - Kind of thriller-ish. Not the kind of dark I usually read - it felt VERY real (haha) - but that's the fun part of anthologies - I get to read something different.

Meringue, Murder or Marzipan (Tonja Drecker) - Great characters. Fun. Mysterious. Freaking love that ending!

Haunted Lake (Michelle Athy) - Creepy awesomeness. Great imagery! Gave me chills in broad daylight. Well done.

Soul Coin (Laura Rich) - "Some evil won't surrender to fists." - Great tagline! That said, this is my least favorite of the bunch. Everything was way too obvious.

Retribution (Melissa Maygrove) - This was too short! I don't quite understand as much as I'd like, but the imagery was fantastic.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know what I really loved about this collection? The stories were diverse... and not of the blood and gore variety but more creepy and thought-provoking, leaving you wondering about the plot or character for a while thereafter.
When it comes to horror, I'm a scaredy cat. But this collection has me eager to read more of this brand of dark tales.
... there's hope for me yet.

[Crystal Collier · Rating 5 out of 5]

With an anthology, you never know what you're going to get. You may love one story, only to hate the next. You may smile and chuckle, then turn the page and cringe in disgust. I suppose that's what makes an anthology so much fun, and this one definitely sparked a full spectrum of emotional reactions. Without reservation, I can say this is a collection I would recommend. It's a quick, easy read with everything from moments of laughter to horror, magic to murder, sweetness to surprises. I enjoyed every piece enough I thought I'd share my thoughts on them all:

Just a Matter of Time - Loni Townsend: This was a cute piece that intrigued and kept me guessing. The first line left me with a question that wasn't answered until the last second, and wow. Loved it!

Forerunner - David King Powers: A very down-to-earth character in a feels-like-reality setting, but something is going sideways. Very interesting.

Taking Care of You - Carried Butler: This was one of my favorites because it took me so much by surprise. It goes on the "super cool" shelf.

The Apartment - Lisa Buie-Collard: I loved the concept of this story so much that I wanted it to continue. I wanted more, especially the history of the apartment and how it came about, but I didn't need more. A great read.

The Caricature - Nick Wilford: I had to pause after this one and look back at my life, wondering if there were any moments I might (in this fictional realm) regret. An awesome angle.

Shifting Sands - Elizabeth Seckman: This character, she's something. Angel...such a great name for a memorable person--one I had to like even if I wouldn't like her in reality. There's a sign of great storytelling.

Shadows Falling on Rainbows - Celeste Holloway: I'm a sucker for a happy ending, and this story, while a bit longer, was worth it for that conclusion.

Meringue, Murder or Marzipan - Tonja Drecker: Are you in for a touch of the unexpected? This did not go the way I'd anticipated it would--the way the author leads the reader intentionally. What a great sleight of hand!

Haunted Lake - Michelle Athy: Language warning on this one, but what an interesting trip through time. It took me back to my days working at a camp lodge in the mountains with some of its own legends.

Soul Coin - Laura Rich: This was the most unique tale in the collection. Super fun to dive into a whole different culture for an unexpected tale. Easily one of my favorites.

Retribution - Melissa Maygrove: This story was a great tease, because I want to see more of this character. Whew! Talk about awesome.

All in all, there were many dark moments, some tales that ended as true horror does (without a happy ending), and some that just left me thinking. This was a perfect Halloween read, but a book lovers of the paranormal genre would appreciate all year round.

Content warning: Some language, dark themes, minimal gore, etc. Recommended for mature readers.

* I received a free copy of this anthology from the publisher*

[C. McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Dark is an anthology of short stories for a wide reading audience. The eleven tales range from urban fantasy to sci-fi to contemporary realistic.

Since each author has a style of his own and each story is unique, it’s difficult to evaluate them as a whole. Some stories I enjoyed more than others, and I imagine each reader will choose a different set of favorites.

Loni Townsend’s Just A Matter of Time has an upbeat and spunky MC with a mission that’s very familiar as is the theme, but her take on it freshened a very old story.

In Forerunner, David Powers intrigues the reader with the idea that time might not be as simple as present, past, future. How confusing and dangerous that can be, especially to the character who is forever just behind himself. No escape.

Taking Care of You is a flash fiction piece by Carrie Butler that ends with the taste of grim humor you have to appreciate.

When the suicide of their spouses brings them together, they discover they have another connection to death—The Apartment. They might have a possibility of a new life, but Lisa Buie-Collard only suggests that, then leaves you to knit together the rest of the story.

Nick Wilford’s, The Caricaturist, makes his MC, Jack the hapless victim of an artist unappreciated and ready to take revenge. You feel for Jack whose nature is to accommodate, and only gets him into serious trouble.

Elizabeth Seckman does a bang-up job on Shifting Sands. Her lead in to an Angel too soon is riveting, and sticks to your ribs after you reach the end.

Shadows Falling on Rainbows is a longer tale of a chance meeting that could well wind up in disaster for both people. It’s not until the end that you discover what will happen.

How unfortunate that Mariah chooses to offer her boyfriend, Joe one of her perfect cupcakes in Tonja Drecker’s Meringue, Murder or Marzipan. If only she’d paid attention to what Nana was doing. Light with a touch of dark underpinnings, this story has a surprise ending.

Kimiko is a Boston girl, and once at the wooded Haunted Lake, she wishes she were still in that city. However, she becomes intrigued, then scared by the appearance of a strange man who vanishes as quickly as he appears. Michelle Athy weaves a story of long ago into one with a modern couple with emerging issues.

Laura Rich’s Soul Coin shines in this anthology. Indira Valaithan is only fifteen years old but charged with some serious tasks. For the first time, she might discover who she really is. Unfortunately, once she does, she has a much more challenging job and that involves a demon. It’s fairly straightforward until the end, then the final twist is startling.

Another short, but spine-tingling story is Retribution by Melissa Maygrove. In this one, fire fights fire and when you discover why, it’s satisfying.

Overall, I enjoy the time spent and would recommend the book. The proceeds go to the Gary Sinise Foundation, so all of the authors have given their talent to a worthwhile cause.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I looooove the dark, eerie, creepy and mysterious. This anthology did not disappoint, giving us stories that fulfill these qualities at all areas of the spectrum. I honestly got chills reading some of these stories. Others stayed with me long after I read them and I kept bringing them up to my fiance. This is a really good read if you want a little "ah!" every now and then. Or all at once.

[Annalisa Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastically creepy, lingering collection of stories by eleven brilliant authors - several made me shudder at the end and the twists were unexpected. Only in a couple did I guess where the author was taking me. There is a good mix of adventure, dark, light and flat out scary!

All of these stories were rounded and absorbing, but the two that stood out for me were Forerunner and Taking Care of You - stunning pieces, in very different ways.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a contributing author, I'm obviously thrilled by the release of this anthology.
As a reader, I enjoyed it immensely. Each story offers something completely different, but each has a dark twist of some kind. Some left me thinking, and others were a complete surprise. Some were dark and chilling, others more light. A few stories are very short (can be read within a few minutes), while others are great for a short read before bed. In other words, there's something for everyone and the range is so wide that there's no risk of plots feeling repetitive.

The writing is solid all the way through. . .but then, this is an amazing group of authors whose works I've enjoyed reading before. Of course, I have my favorite stories but I really enjoyed reading all of them, and can only recommend picking it up.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anthologies are a like cocktail parties where you get to mix and mingle, meet new authors, and have interesting conversations. You know that you've been to a good party, when your head is buzzing afterwards and you hope to meet your fellow guests again soon. In the case of 'Full Dark,' the party was a complete success. All of the authors are extremely talented, their stories kept me engaged and left me wanting more. The anthology consists of eleven haunting stories, each with their own unique twist. All of the stories lingered in my consciousness, long after finishing the collection. Not only is this a good read, it's also for a good cause, with the proceeds going to support the Gary Sinise Foundation.

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Dark is an anthology with a cause. It starts with a date and ends with retribution. Loni Townsend’s short story caused me to gasp with the twist, and several of the other stories draw me into their worlds. Many I would like to read as beefed up novellas or novels. Did I love every story? No, but there are enough in this that I’d read again. For the short story lover and supporter of Gary Sinise’s activities, this anthology is worth it!

[Susan Swiderski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a terrific smorgasbord of fast-reading stories guaranteed to please even the pickiest of readers. Will every single reader love every single story? Of course not, but that's no reflection on the writing. Just as some people reach for the chicken and steak on the buffet line and turn up their noses at lobster and crab, (For Heaven's sake!) readers will naturally gravitate toward some stories more than others. But every single one of these stories is well-written and engaging. (And for those of you concerned about the "dark," this isn't an over-the-top creepy kinda book meant to scare you away or give you nightmares. I'd describe it as more clever and thought-provoking.)

Still not convinced? All proceeds from the sales of this book are being donated to an organization benefiting active military members, veterans, and first responders. Kudos for the authors for donating their time and talent.

[D.A. Cairns · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty much flawless collection of horror tales ranging from the lightweight with a twist, like Meringue, Murder or Marzipan (one one of my favourites) to the very heavy such as Shadows Falling on Rainbows (not one of my favourites but a good well written story nonetheless).

I would have enjoyed this collection more if it was themed, and if more of the stories had punch. I didn't really feel anything much when reading the stories except for Soul Coin, (my number one pick from this anthology).

Soul Coin was exotic, suspenseful and humourous.

It was nevertheless a haunting collection which I would recommend for horror fans or people like me who have eclectic reading tastes.

[Sarah Brentyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore this kind of dark fiction…not gory horror, just delicious darkness.

Although these short stories all share a theme, each one has its own flavor (most with a fun twist). My favorites were Just a Matter of Time, Taking Care of You, and Retribution. However, these are all well-written, engaging stories.

I highly recommended this anthology. (As a bonus, the proceeds go to charity. Win-win.)

[Lynda Dietz · Rating 5 out of 5]

You never know what you're getting with an anthology. At the very least, you will get one great story everyone loves and the rest are so-so. Full Dark has all winners. The best of the stories had me wanting more, and wanting to look up that author's other books, and the least of the stories still left me satisfied. Well worth the read!

[Juneta Key · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed these sci-fi and fantasy stories. They were varied and different. I like some better than others but enjoyed them all. Great reading if you have a short amount of time or waiting like at a doctors office. Definitely, recommend.