Critiques en avant-premièreChristopher C. Payne

Fiction told primarily from a father's point of view, about the challenges of raising a troubled teenager (and other troubles).

From imaginary boyfriends to zombies of all kinds, submerge yourself into the warped minds of several of our twisted brethren. Join us while we relish in those who feast on the flesh and wallow in the pits. Watch as our fellow man is taunted and tormented into insanity. Witness murder through the eyes of victims forced to contemplate their impending bloody demise as they are forced to observe others meeting the same gory end. You will squirm in your chair as you contemplate which would be worse – being tortured and abused by your next-door neighbor or being eaten alive by the walking dead. Can you trust your own beautiful, perfect child, or is your mother a cold-blooded killer who haunts your nightmares? You might even begin to question whether the person sitting at the dinner table is actually human at all. Allow us to enlighten you on how gnarled and decayed the black hole of the human soul really is….. Welcome to JournalStone’s 2010 Anthology. Open our pages only if you dare to believe your sanity is firmly intact….

JournalStone is pleased to present its 2010 Short Story Anthology. We are excited to announce that our first anthology is exclusively filled with original pieces of work, and we were happy to find so many talented authors interested in participating. The included 14 stories are the winners of JournalStone’s first short story contest, and for some, this is their first published piece. We hope you enjoy the combined efforts from a wonderfully gifted group of authors as much as we did here at JournalStone Publications. --Christopher C. Payne, President JournalStone From imaginary boyfriends to zombies of all kinds, submerge yourself into the warped minds of several of our twisted brethren. Join us while we relish in those who feast on the flesh and wallow in the pits. Watch as our fellow man is taunted and tormented into insanity. Witness murder through the eyes of victims forced to contemplate their impending bloody demise as they are forced to observe others meeting the same gory end. You will squirm in your chair as you contemplate which would be worse – being tortured and abused by your next-door neighbor or being eaten alive by the walking dead. Can you trust your own beautiful, perfect child, or is your mother a cold-blooded killer who haunts your nightmares? You might even begin to question whether the person sitting at the dinner table is actually human at all. Allow us to enlighten you on how gnarled and decayed the black hole of the human soul really is….. Welcome to JournalStone’s 2010 Anthology. Open our pages only if you dare to believe your sanity is firmly intact….

With a tattered Raggedy Ann doll as her only companion, Stefani has spent her entire life immersed in self isolation. As a 10-year-old child she was the lone witness to her mother's murder. She vowed to find the man who robbed her of all she held dear in the world and ensure he suffers as she has before he takes his final breath. Her childhood is consumed with training in the hopes of one day finding the scar-faced killer. But her world up-ends as her 21st birthday looms when she discovers she isn't the hunter. She is the one being hunted, and her predators are not human. Stefani finally opens herself up for the first time, allowing Dennis into her life, revealing her emotions to her hopeful protector. But her fear and confusion mount when he reveals he is a gargoyle - and she is, as well. Dennis claims Stefani is the key to the future of the gargoyle world. She is the Chosen One, and she is in danger. Dark forces covet her imminent power and will use any means to steal it. Stefani's mind swims with peril she neither understands nor is sure she believes. She questions everything, including her grip on reality. As Stefani battles the damned across the globe, she searches for answers about her identity. Is she truly the savior of an inhuman race or has her solitude and the trauma of her mother's death finally infected her sanity?

The bond between a father and daughter is strong enough to weather the most violent storms, but it can also bring savage heartache. From the moment Melissa enters this world in a flurry of chaos and happiness, she holds and manipulates her father's love. There is no way to predict the roller-coaster ride they face. Almost overnight, Melissa's father loses his sweet, little girl. Left in her place is an erratic, unstable, deeply unhappy teenager who is hell-bent on obliterating boundaries and pushing her father, as well as her mother and sisters, to the breaking point. Caught in the middle of her parents' divorce, she doesn't hide her disdain for the rules. But she goes to great lengths to keep her father ignorant of just how far into trouble she falls or how she's trapped by three "friends" from whom there is no escape. Overwhelmed by the stress his crumbling marriage causes, Melissa's father struggles to keep his own life together while trying to save his daughter from the point of no return. He finds himself, alone, bound by his own four walls, drowning in loneliness and tears. Melissa's father, it seems, will have to lose it all to bring her back from the brink.

With a tattered Raggedy Ann doll as her only companion, Stefani has spent her entire life immersed in self isolation. As a 10-year-old child she was the lone witness to her mother's murder. She vowed to find the man who robbed her of all she held dear in the world and ensure he suffers as she has before he takes his final breath. Her childhood is consumed with training in the hopes of one day finding the scarred-face killer. But her world up-ends as her 21st birthday looms when she discovers she isn't the hunter. She is the one being hunted, and her predators are not human. Stefani finally opens herself up for the first time, allowing Dennis into her life and revealing her emotions to her hopeful protector. But her fear and confusion mount when he reveals he is a gargoyle - and she is, as well. Dennis claims Stefani is the key to the future of the gargoyle world. She is the Chosen One, and she is in danger. Dark forces covet her imminent power and will use any means to steal it. Stefani's mind swims with peril she neither understands nor is sure she believes. She questions everything, including her grip on reality. As Stefani battles the damned across the globe, she searches for answers about her identity. Is she truly the savior of an inhuman race or has her solitude and the trauma of her mother's death finally infected her sanity?

Duncan is in the throes of a mid-life crisis and searching for his own identity. His problems seem no different than other men facing the same issues, but as he struggles through a divorce and the challenges of co-parenting his children, Duncan soon realizes that he feels complete inside only when he begins to secretly explore a world of torture and death-a world that only he controls. Suddenly, Duncan's life is no longer normal at all. As Duncan deals with his newfound guilty pleasure of destruction and wickedness, his diary entries reflect a roller coaster psychological journey. Duncan grapples with the ramifications of what he is becoming, but at the same time, graphically describes the deaths of several of his victims. Clearly a man caught between his morals and an evil calling. Duncan leads a seemingly typical life during the day, but in the dark of night becomes a monster. Only one man suspects what Duncan is capable of-his best friend, Sudhir, a detective in the Palo Alto Police Department. Despite Duncan's cries for help penned on the pages of his diary, he becomes a master at hiding his transformation from "the guy next door" to a masterful serial killer.

The bond between a father and daughter is strong enough to weather the most violent storms, but it can also bring savage heartache. From the moment Melissa enters this world in a flurry of chaos and happiness, she holds and manipulates her father’s love. There is no way to predict the roller-coaster ride they face. Almost overnight, Melissa’s father loses his sweet, little girl. Left in her place is an erratic, unstable, deeply unhappy teenager who is hell-bent on obliterating boundaries and pushing her father, as well as her mother and sisters, to the breaking point. Caught in the middle of her parents’ divorce, she doesn’t hide her disdain for the rules. But she goes to great lengths to keep her father ignorant of just how far into trouble she falls or how she’s trapped by three “friends” from whom there is no escape. Overwhelmed by the stress his crumbling marriage causes, Melissa’s father struggles to keep his own life together while trying to save his daughter from the point of no return. He finds himself, alone, bound by his own four walls, drowning in loneliness and tears. Melissa’s father, it seems, will have to lose it all to bring her back from the brink.

Duncan is in the throes of a mid-life crisis and searching for his own identity. His problems seem no different than other men facing the same issues, but as he struggles through a divorce and the challenges of co-parenting his children, Duncan soon realizes that he feels complete inside only when he begins to secretly explore a world of torture and death-a world that only he controls. Suddenly, Duncan's life is no longer normal at all. As Duncan deals with his newfound guilty pleasure of destruction and wickedness, his diary entries reflect a roller coaster psychological journey. Duncan grapples with the ramifications of what he is becoming, but at the same time, graphically describes the deaths of several of his victims. Clearly a man caught between his morals and an evil calling, Duncan leads a seemingly typical life during the day, but in the dark of night becomes a monster. Only one man suspects what Duncan is capable of-his best friend, Sudhir, a detective in the Palo Alto Police Department. Despite Duncan's cries for help penned on the pages of his diary, he becomes a master at hiding his transformation from "the guy next door" to a masterful serial killer.