What do you think?
Rate this book
Shallow Waters: Special Halloween Edition
Nothing stays buried this Halloween!
Not with 18 scary tales of flash fiction filled with Halloween goodness.
Shallow Waters is an official monthly flash fiction contest hosted by Crystal Lake Publishing, with different themes each month. The best submissions every month are then posted on Crystal Lake’s Patreon page (an exclusive behind the scenes community of readers and authors), where patrons read daily entries and vote for the winner (you don’t have to be a patron to enter). Come find Crystal Lake Publishing on Patreon to vote in future contests (or gain access to our Still Water Bay series and so much more). Be sure to check out the Shallow Waters series page here on Amazon, where you’ll find volume 1 for free.
This Halloween Horror Anthology
Introduction by Joe Mynhardt
“Mummy’s Boy” by Karen Bayly
“Tumshie” by William Meikle
“Arts and Crafts” by Madison McSweeney
“The Halloween House” by Sheldon Woodbury
“West Pennfield Township Newsletter, October 2021” by Tom Coombe
“I Want Candy by Larry Hinkle
“Let the Darkness In” by Ricki Whatley
“Soul Cake” by Anthony D. Redden
“The Pumpkin Fetch" by Tom Deady
“Wishing” by Jay Bechtol
“One Parent Survives” by Wil Dalton
“Don’t Eat the Candy” by Matt Bliss
“The Red Scarf” by Rhea Rose
“Shackled to the Shadows” by Richard Thomas
“Apple Tree Man” by Roxie Voorhees
“Smooth Man” by Kim Mannix
“Sleepy Hallowed” by Joseph VanBuren
“How to Create the Perfect Pumpkin” by Francesca Maria
This anthology is perfect for fans of Halloween books, flash fiction, scary stories, classic horror tropes, horror books, mystery thrillers, horror anthologies, and mystery and suspense flash fiction stories. With a bit of dark humor and candy sprinkled over the top.
Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.
Not with 18 scary tales of flash fiction filled with Halloween goodness.
Shallow Waters is an official monthly flash fiction contest hosted by Crystal Lake Publishing, with different themes each month. The best submissions every month are then posted on Crystal Lake’s Patreon page (an exclusive behind the scenes community of readers and authors), where patrons read daily entries and vote for the winner (you don’t have to be a patron to enter). Come find Crystal Lake Publishing on Patreon to vote in future contests (or gain access to our Still Water Bay series and so much more). Be sure to check out the Shallow Waters series page here on Amazon, where you’ll find volume 1 for free.
This Halloween Horror Anthology
Introduction by Joe Mynhardt
“Mummy’s Boy” by Karen Bayly
“Tumshie” by William Meikle
“Arts and Crafts” by Madison McSweeney
“The Halloween House” by Sheldon Woodbury
“West Pennfield Township Newsletter, October 2021” by Tom Coombe
“I Want Candy by Larry Hinkle
“Let the Darkness In” by Ricki Whatley
“Soul Cake” by Anthony D. Redden
“The Pumpkin Fetch" by Tom Deady
“Wishing” by Jay Bechtol
“One Parent Survives” by Wil Dalton
“Don’t Eat the Candy” by Matt Bliss
“The Red Scarf” by Rhea Rose
“Shackled to the Shadows” by Richard Thomas
“Apple Tree Man” by Roxie Voorhees
“Smooth Man” by Kim Mannix
“Sleepy Hallowed” by Joseph VanBuren
“How to Create the Perfect Pumpkin” by Francesca Maria
This anthology is perfect for fans of Halloween books, flash fiction, scary stories, classic horror tropes, horror books, mystery thrillers, horror anthologies, and mystery and suspense flash fiction stories. With a bit of dark humor and candy sprinkled over the top.
Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.
98 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2022
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 30, 2023
What a FANTASTIC Hallowe'en anthology from the amazing Crystal Lake Publishing House!
The respected and talented Joe Mynhardt has pulled out all the stops, in editing this superb collection of Flash Fiction, putting together a total melange of something for everyone with a love of all things Hallowe'en.
Firstly, I should confess to something - I was a Flash Fiction virgin until I dived into the dark depths of Crystal Lake's Flash Fiction offerings, and now I am completely addicted to this very special way of delivering a story. I have usually read (huge!) novels, and yes, of course my fair share of novellas and short story collections, but I admit that I didn't even know what Flash Fiction was! Oh, boy, am I so glad that I do, now - just think of it as a quick horror fix whenever you need one, and here you have it!
What a truly memorable book this is. I know that I am going to be getting it back out every Hallowe'en, to relish the darkest, most wonderful selection of stories that are in this anthology. As ever, I try not to give spoilers in my reviews, because I really don't want to spoil the (dark!) surprises awaiting a new reader, so I will simply say there are some real stand-out stories to be discovered here.
The extraordinary talented William Meikle gives us "Tumshie", which I am old enough to admit took me right back to my childhood, before we got pumpkins to carve here in Britain, for Hallowe'en. Then there's the completely unforgettable "I Want Candy" by Larry Hinkle. That will be in my head for a long, long time!
So many others I could (and probably should) give a shout out to, like Matt Bliss's "Don't Eat The Candy", "Smooth Man" by Kim Mannix, "Apple Tree Man" from Roxie Voorhees, and so so many more. Just let me warn you, you'll NEVER forget the final story - "How to Create the Perfect Pumpkin" by Francesca Maria.
I honestly can't think of a collection of Hallowe'en tales, in this fantastic format, that I would recommend more highly! Every respect to Joe Mynhardt for his work in bringing us this stunning collection of Flash Fiction. As ever, I am in awe.
If you want everything Hallowe'en, look no further than "Shallow Waters Special Halloween Edition", from the darkest depths of the multi award-winning Crystal Lake Publishing House. You won't be disappointed!
(I should finally add, this review is an honest and genuine one, in return for the ARC of this book, which I have been privileged to be given. Thanks, Joe, you rock everything horror!)
The respected and talented Joe Mynhardt has pulled out all the stops, in editing this superb collection of Flash Fiction, putting together a total melange of something for everyone with a love of all things Hallowe'en.
Firstly, I should confess to something - I was a Flash Fiction virgin until I dived into the dark depths of Crystal Lake's Flash Fiction offerings, and now I am completely addicted to this very special way of delivering a story. I have usually read (huge!) novels, and yes, of course my fair share of novellas and short story collections, but I admit that I didn't even know what Flash Fiction was! Oh, boy, am I so glad that I do, now - just think of it as a quick horror fix whenever you need one, and here you have it!
What a truly memorable book this is. I know that I am going to be getting it back out every Hallowe'en, to relish the darkest, most wonderful selection of stories that are in this anthology. As ever, I try not to give spoilers in my reviews, because I really don't want to spoil the (dark!) surprises awaiting a new reader, so I will simply say there are some real stand-out stories to be discovered here.
The extraordinary talented William Meikle gives us "Tumshie", which I am old enough to admit took me right back to my childhood, before we got pumpkins to carve here in Britain, for Hallowe'en. Then there's the completely unforgettable "I Want Candy" by Larry Hinkle. That will be in my head for a long, long time!
So many others I could (and probably should) give a shout out to, like Matt Bliss's "Don't Eat The Candy", "Smooth Man" by Kim Mannix, "Apple Tree Man" from Roxie Voorhees, and so so many more. Just let me warn you, you'll NEVER forget the final story - "How to Create the Perfect Pumpkin" by Francesca Maria.
I honestly can't think of a collection of Hallowe'en tales, in this fantastic format, that I would recommend more highly! Every respect to Joe Mynhardt for his work in bringing us this stunning collection of Flash Fiction. As ever, I am in awe.
If you want everything Hallowe'en, look no further than "Shallow Waters Special Halloween Edition", from the darkest depths of the multi award-winning Crystal Lake Publishing House. You won't be disappointed!
(I should finally add, this review is an honest and genuine one, in return for the ARC of this book, which I have been privileged to be given. Thanks, Joe, you rock everything horror!)
November 1, 2022
Shallow Waters Special Halloween Edition anthology is perfect for Halloween and beyond.
Chock full of seasonal flash fiction, by a mixture of new and established writers, there's a nice variety of themes and story types in here.
The 'newsletter' by Tom Coombe - a new writer to me - was a unique piece nicely done. I particularly liked the opening mummy story by Karen Bayly, Tumshie by William Meikle, One Parent Survives by Wil Dalton and The Halloween House by Sheldon Woodbury.
A perfect bite size horror anthology for autumn nights.
Chock full of seasonal flash fiction, by a mixture of new and established writers, there's a nice variety of themes and story types in here.
The 'newsletter' by Tom Coombe - a new writer to me - was a unique piece nicely done. I particularly liked the opening mummy story by Karen Bayly, Tumshie by William Meikle, One Parent Survives by Wil Dalton and The Halloween House by Sheldon Woodbury.
A perfect bite size horror anthology for autumn nights.
October 31, 2022
This is the ninth entry in the SHALLOW WATERS series of flash fiction horror tales. In addition to the very appropriate release date the selection of Halloween-themed tales is spot on with eleven of these eighteen stories meeting or exceeding expectations, earning this a four-star rating (out of a possible five stars).
Writing a horror tale within the slim word count requirements of flash fiction is no easy task, and all these authors are to be commended. As expected of flash fiction within the horror genre, many of these stories finish with a twist or surprise ending. Surprisingly, several even manage to build suspense and/or character empathy within that short limitation.
The story that succeeds best at all of these, and my favorite of the collection, is “Shackled To The Shadows” by Richard Thomas, a tale of campfire truth or dare that is gripping, disturbing and worthy of multiple reads (Five Stars).
Five other standout tales exceeded expectations.
“Mummys” by Karen Bayly tells of an introverted inventor of a transformative process who meets an unlikely partner.
Turnips seem an odd replacement for the Halloween pumpkin, but it works effectively in “Tumshie” by William Meikle.
Be careful what you wish for, especially on Halloween night in “Wishing” by Jay Bechtol.
Runner-up to Thomas’ story in the disturbing category is “The Pumpkin Fetch” by Tom Deadly, detailing a dangerous Halloween prank.
In “Apple Tree Man” by Roxie Voorhees those tall ancient trees have a history, not all of it good.
Despite all eighteen stories sharing the Halloween theme there is enough diversity within the content here to keep readers engaged and not bored.
Crystal Lake Publishing sponsors a horror flash fiction writing challenge every month, centered around different themes. Their Patreon supporters read each of them and vote for the best, which are then published in the SHALLOW WATERS anthologies.
I received an advance digital review copy from the publisher without obligation. The decision to write a review is mine alone.
Writing a horror tale within the slim word count requirements of flash fiction is no easy task, and all these authors are to be commended. As expected of flash fiction within the horror genre, many of these stories finish with a twist or surprise ending. Surprisingly, several even manage to build suspense and/or character empathy within that short limitation.
The story that succeeds best at all of these, and my favorite of the collection, is “Shackled To The Shadows” by Richard Thomas, a tale of campfire truth or dare that is gripping, disturbing and worthy of multiple reads (Five Stars).
Five other standout tales exceeded expectations.
“Mummys” by Karen Bayly tells of an introverted inventor of a transformative process who meets an unlikely partner.
Turnips seem an odd replacement for the Halloween pumpkin, but it works effectively in “Tumshie” by William Meikle.
Be careful what you wish for, especially on Halloween night in “Wishing” by Jay Bechtol.
Runner-up to Thomas’ story in the disturbing category is “The Pumpkin Fetch” by Tom Deadly, detailing a dangerous Halloween prank.
In “Apple Tree Man” by Roxie Voorhees those tall ancient trees have a history, not all of it good.
Despite all eighteen stories sharing the Halloween theme there is enough diversity within the content here to keep readers engaged and not bored.
Crystal Lake Publishing sponsors a horror flash fiction writing challenge every month, centered around different themes. Their Patreon supporters read each of them and vote for the best, which are then published in the SHALLOW WATERS anthologies.
I received an advance digital review copy from the publisher without obligation. The decision to write a review is mine alone.
November 14, 2022
Fantastic reads for Halloween or anytime you want a quick scare
Quality short-short fiction. I was impressed with how frequently I found myself caring about the characters in such concise telling. Good variety of stories, written in a variety of styles and hitting different aspects of the holiday. Some have terrifying takes on Trick or Treating (like the creeping out of the shadows terror in ‘The Halloween House’ or the devilish appetite in ‘I Want Candy’); costumes (the nostalgia and blood-soaked ‘Wishing’); traditions (like the dangerous decoration in ‘Arts and Crafts’ or monkey’s paw menace of ‘Soul Cake’); pranks (the unexpected just desserts of ‘The Pumpkin Fetch’); and the jack o’lanterns gone wild tale (like in the historical ‘Tumshie’ and the sinister and nasty ‘How to Create the Perfect Pumpkin’). ‘Don’t Eat the Candy’ was wildly inventive and unexpected and impressed me with the emotional up and down journey it took me on (with feelings of unease, awe, shock, disgust, and sorrow!) Speaking of sadness, ‘Let the Darkness In’ broke my heart a little with its tragic misperspectives. Overall, I highly recommend this collection!
Quality short-short fiction. I was impressed with how frequently I found myself caring about the characters in such concise telling. Good variety of stories, written in a variety of styles and hitting different aspects of the holiday. Some have terrifying takes on Trick or Treating (like the creeping out of the shadows terror in ‘The Halloween House’ or the devilish appetite in ‘I Want Candy’); costumes (the nostalgia and blood-soaked ‘Wishing’); traditions (like the dangerous decoration in ‘Arts and Crafts’ or monkey’s paw menace of ‘Soul Cake’); pranks (the unexpected just desserts of ‘The Pumpkin Fetch’); and the jack o’lanterns gone wild tale (like in the historical ‘Tumshie’ and the sinister and nasty ‘How to Create the Perfect Pumpkin’). ‘Don’t Eat the Candy’ was wildly inventive and unexpected and impressed me with the emotional up and down journey it took me on (with feelings of unease, awe, shock, disgust, and sorrow!) Speaking of sadness, ‘Let the Darkness In’ broke my heart a little with its tragic misperspectives. Overall, I highly recommend this collection!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2022
This series is always fun!! The stories are very short but leave you with the thought, ' uhm...What?!'
Great mix that will allow you to find your own favorites!!
Pub allowed me to read this as an ARC but my review is my own.
Great mix that will allow you to find your own favorites!!
Pub allowed me to read this as an ARC but my review is my own.
January 4, 2023
Solid collection of Halloween themed Flash Fiction stories. Most of the stories were pretty good, a few really good, and the rest just kind of average. Definitely recommended for a quick and fun seasonal read.
November 1, 2022
This is not your run of the mill Halloween stories. Grest author line up, fantastic stories. I really enjoyed Halloween House.
December 19, 2023
A fun seasonal themed collection from Crystal Lake. Pumpkins and all sorts of spooky goings on. This is a slim volume of short stories (on the short side of short) which makes it perfect for an easy one sit read on a dark October evening.
Most of the authors are unknown, new, etc. The quality is uniformly decent but no real standouts except for the town bulletin story. Ultimately, a quick and reasonably entertaining but forgettable read. I’ve read the first volume of this series once upon a time – same impression. Many thanks to the publisher for providing a free copy for review purposes.
Re-read: I've somehow completely forgotten I've read this one already. Thought the first story sounded familiar. Anyway, now I've read it twice. Both times not on October 31st as it ought to be. Both times only mildly impressed at best. A bit too schlocky for my taste, but some decent tales in the mix, too. And such a quick read.
Most of the authors are unknown, new, etc. The quality is uniformly decent but no real standouts except for the town bulletin story. Ultimately, a quick and reasonably entertaining but forgettable read. I’ve read the first volume of this series once upon a time – same impression. Many thanks to the publisher for providing a free copy for review purposes.
Re-read: I've somehow completely forgotten I've read this one already. Thought the first story sounded familiar. Anyway, now I've read it twice. Both times not on October 31st as it ought to be. Both times only mildly impressed at best. A bit too schlocky for my taste, but some decent tales in the mix, too. And such a quick read.
November 10, 2022
Another solid horror anthology from Crystal Lake Publishing! Review for Monster Librarian forthcoming.
Want to Read
April 18, 2023Contains my creepy little piece, "Apple Tree Man"
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews