Author

Alan Baxter

BIO: Alan Baxter is a Ditmar Award-nominated British-Australian author living on the south coast of NSW, Australia. He writes dark fantasy, sci-fi, and horror, rides a motorcycle and loves his dog. He also teaches Kung Fu. He is the author of the dark fantasy novels RealmShift and MageSign and of around forty short stories in a variety of journals and anthologies in Australia, the US, the UK, and France, including the Year�s Best Australian Fantasy & Horror. Alan is currently working on more novels, more short fiction and a videogame. Read extracts from his novels, a novella, and short stories at his website--alanbaxteronline.com--or find him on Twitter @AlanBaxter, and feel free to tell him what you think. About anything.

http://www.alanbaxteronline.com/

Mephisto

***Editor's Warning: Adult Tale*** "I need a volunteer!" Mephisto scanned the crowd, one hand shielding his eyes as if from a bright sun. His red-lined black cape whipped around as he strode from one side of the stage to the other. Dozens of hands shot up, clamoring to be…

Tiny Lives

I twist the tiny cog into place, my old-too-soon fingers gnarled, golden brown, and cracked, but true. Complete, I turn the miniature dog over in my hands, the brass and copper of its construction shining in the late afternoon sun. I lift it to my lips, breathe softly into its…