Cirrus@Austlit

'Come closer, let me tell you a tale or three. Sit nearer the firelight and if you notice the folk in the shadows, best not garner their attention. Beware the gifts, treasures and promises you make along this journey. There are temptations and curses too, plenty of those. From the tricks of jinn, vengeful Ancient Mesopotamian goddesses, the Hidden People and shadowy deals with demons & devils— many. In our journey through fairy tales reimagined, legends and folklore, and alternate histories, beware the uncanny folk who prey on unwary travellers. Mind your step now, keep your senses sharp, take nothing offered and you might evade those beings hidden just beyond the reach of the firelight.' (Publication summary)

'Be careful what you wish for... We've all heard childhood fairy tales and hearthside stories passed from generation to generation warning us of unseen dangers lurking in the dark forest, the glimpse of a future in watery reflections and to be wary of objects and people offering impossible gifts. The Fae are ageless beings dwelling between light and shadow, stalking the moonlit nights and wielding powerful gifts and curses. Welcome to Cursed Shards, a collection of dark fantasy stories inspired by folklore, legends, fairy tales and mythology. Ten authors spin ten different tales ranging from deserts, icy mountains and dark forests to legendary warriors to the mythical Fae. A realm where the landscape is as volatile as the rulers and an ancient cursed mirror, a once-powerful magical artefact created with blood magic was shattered before it could be used against the realm. A cursed mirror broken but never destroyed. Ten shards remain: now disguised and repurposed into ordinary items that are traded, stolen, and sold between rulers, common folk and the Fae. Whenever a shard re-appears its curse influences the decisions of all who come within reach threatening Fae and mortal kingdoms alike. Here, the ancient adage ‘ be careful what you wish for' is true.' (Publication summary)

'1917, Australia.

'In the aftermath of an alternate ending to the First World War, mass frontline casualties and a mysterious pandemic have decimated governments and the environment across much of Europe and the world, Australia included.

'Anna Baylon lives with her parents, scraping a meagre living in the drought-ridden, abandoned, and mostly isolated town of Berrima near Sydney, waiting for news of her older brother, Peter, who enlisted years before.

'The arrival of a handsome, mysterious stranger, Nicolas de Laon, her brother's lover, turns her world upside down.

'Anna's strength is tested when she follows Nicolas-a vampire-from the safety of her home, determined to learn Peter's fate.

'But Nicolas's darkness isn't confined to his vampiric hereditary. And when Anna learns the darker truth, can she forgive him?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In the tight, emotionally draining medieval fantasy ‘She Who Walks Behind You’, Leanbh Pearson transforms sword-and-spirit into a fresh tale of lost loves and loneliness.'

Source: https://clarerhoden.com/from-the-wasteland-the-writers/from-the-waste-land-meet-the-stories/

'11 Stories. 11 Australian authors. One theme: Revolutions.

'While on a remote placement, a teacher gets caught up in a war that changes Australia.

'A bounty hunter pursues a rebel with his sights on taking down the Galactic Council.

'The only thing worse that what the Fortitute's crew discover in the depths of space is their return journey.

'Read about valiant heroes, cyborgs, luddites, and more in this exciting anthology from Australian Speculative Fiction.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.