Bones of the Woods: A Collection of Short Stories ~ Paperback ~ Rachelle Reese

Bones of the Woods is a collection of 8 short stories that will make your skin crawl, even as you ponder the power of the forces around us, both natural and supernatural. The stories included in the book are: The Bones of the Forest -- A young girl leaves the safety net that was erected around the cities after an uprising. She finds a journal and discovers not only what happened in the past, but also raises fears about the present. The Hangman's Tree -- Bill has been Death for many years. During that time, he's judged people the best way he knew how. Now he's tired. When Tom decides to kill himself, Bill figure's he's a good a candidate as any to take over the noose. His Last Shot -- Lance Corporal has been an assassin for many years and he is one of the best. One night he can't pull the trigger and ends up at a diner, watching people come and go, reflecting on the events that made him "Coldsnap." Immortal -- A meeting between a psychiatrist and a patient turns the tables on what is real and what isn't. Is the patient delusional? Or has he found the key to immortality? In the Air Tonight -- Robbie lives a sheltered life with his Aunt and Uncle. A video game competition provides him with the chance to realize his dream -- traveling to space. Is the prize worth the price of competition? The Leaf Man -- An artist is haunted by a face that stares back from the canvas even when she tries to paint him out. Just who is Leafman? And can she trust him? The Protectors -- Two shapeshifters recall their lives together, including how they met during the Holocaust, as they race to find a lost soul before it's too late. The Thaw -- An amnesiac's past unravels. But will she remember in time to keep the same thing from happening to another girl? "Finger Fear"Author BiographyRachelle Reese has been making up stories for over 40 years. Her earliest stories were acted out by Barbie, Skipper, and Ken. Now her stories are acted out by the voices in her head. She has an MA in English from San Jose State University, where she wrote poetry and fiction. She ran the Art @ 8 open poetry readings and performed frequently at galleries and other venues. She is a self-taught programmer and was the first student at SJSU to complete her thesis as an interactive work of fiction. After meeting her husband and co-author, John E. Miller, she began role-playing. Many of their story ideas and characters emerge during a game of Dungeons and Dragons, Call of Cthulhu, or World of Darkness. However, the mythos of their world is their own. Rachelle writes fantasy, paranormal urban fantasy, and a bit of horror. She and John are the authors of two short story collections: Bones of the Woods and Mind of a Mad Man. They are also the authors of the Dime Store Novel urban fantasy series. Rachelle has published several short stories in anthologies. Her latest was "The Rescue," published in The Bitter End: Tales of Nautical Terror. Rachelle also writes training courses and certification prep materials for programmers, network administrators, and computer support professionals. Rachelle lives with her husband in rural Missouri. They raise cattle and donkeys. They are devoted to their dogs...who pretty much run the household. She enjoys a good dry wine, immersing herself in a book, dancing, and long walks in the woods. She has recently taken up quilting. She blogs at http: //rachelleandjohn.blogspot.com. The Dime Store Novel characters blog at http: //dimestorenovel.blogspot.com. John is a student of 3D animation and directing. A veteran role player, he has been writing role playing scenarios for over 30 years.