Totally Amazing Spider Tales

By Rogena Mitchell-Jones, Fiona Woodhead, Ian C Douglas and 6 more

EIGHT authors join together to create 'Totally Amazing Spider Tales.' The question is... Do you have what it takes to read it?

Authors: Fiona Woodhead, Lee Richards, Ian C. Douglas, Lynette Teachout, John Ferris, Misha Herwin, Simon W. Best, Tracey Deming. Illustrated by Fiona Woodhead of Fi & Becs Design and Marketing. Edited & Published by Rogena Mitchell-Jones.

Settle down, boys and girls, and prepare for twisted tales of fun delights!
We have here a selection of scary stories to keep you up all night!
EIGHT fantastic, spine-tingling short stories from the hairiest and scariest writers who have given you something to sink your teeth into!
Dare you read it?
Make sure the lights are on and that you are ready for a hairy-legged ride!
(No spiders were harmed in this work of fiction.)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rogena Mitchell-Jones
• Release date: Aug 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310961182

Rogena Mitchell-Jones

Rogena Mitchell-Jones lives in the U.S. and loves spending time on the beach or at home with her cats. Editing full time for independent authors internationally has been a dream. Working with the likes of authors included in this anthology has been a pleasure and an honor.Rogena Mitchell-Jones Manuscript Service offers concise literary editing including technical, substantive, and mechanical editing. Rogena, a Copy Editor and Literary Agent, offers expertise line-by-line manuscript analysis while focusing on both Rules-Based and Analysis-Based editing. Issues corrected include spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors, inconsistencies within the story, awkwardness, logic flaws, and sentences that may be confusing to the reader.Working with independent authors internationally, Rogena offers editing in US, UK, AU, and British English. Also, offering low, competitive rates. Formatting & Publishing is also available.To contact Rogena Mitchell-Jones, Literary Agent & Copy Editor, check out her website or find her on Facebook.Website: www.rogenamitchell.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/rogenamitchelleditor

Book preview

The Storyteller

By Tracey Deming © 2014

Come along, children! Gather ‘round. It’s story time, my grandmother cooed at us as she herded her young progeny into a circle beneath our favorite tree. Once everyone calmed, and she was sure of their attention, she began.

Long ago, our people settled in this forest and for a time it was paradise, until the day the Devourers came. They swept across the mountains like a plague and forced their way into our quiet forest. Nesting, breeding, and spreading their ilk in every direction. No one was safe from their invasion. Whole communities of our people were wiped from existence in the wake of their destruction, nothing but empty carcasses dotting the landscape to mark their passing.

My brothers puffed up bravely, but my sisters cried together in smaller huddles as our grandmother wove the tale of the Devourers. No one fidgeted or shied away from listening to her. Every eye trained upon her and every ear strained to hear her words. Our grandmother was legend, being the oldest of our Clan, possibly even our kind, in existence. Her word was law, and her warnings dire. Even the smallest of my cousins revered and treasured these story times.

I remember the first time I had heard her weave the tale of the Devourers. My mother had to calm me from nightmares for weeks. Now, nearly grown myself, I still enjoyed these times with her and never missed an afternoon.

I noticed Sam out of the corner of my left eye and I blinked, swiveling my head a notch to better see him. Sam was just a bit older than I was and we had grown closer of late. He sidled up next to me, smiled, and then focused on Grandmother.

The Devourers come mostly in the day. The creatures fear the dark, you see, but don’t let that fear fool you into thinking them weak. No, they are fearsome and strong. Hardy and tough to kill, and killing one will only bring more to its nest. They destroy our homes, decimate our food sources, and poison the land. The only way to deal with the Devourers is to move away once they begin to infest the land near you. There is no defense that our Clan has ever devised to be effective other than running. Therefore, I warn you now, my children, if ever you see a Devourer, you take your family and run! Do not try to stand and fight, or you will lose.

Sam poked me with an elbow.

What is it? I hissed in a whisper.

Our Clan is large. Don’t you think we could take them?

Take who? The Devourers? Sam, what are you saying?

"I’m saying, if any Devourer came stalking through my forest, I would kill it!" Sam puffed up bravely, bared his teeth, and leered in my direction.

Sam, if a Devourer comes to this forest, you will promptly take Izzy and every other member of our Clan to safety, no hesitation, do you understand me? Grandmother’s voice sliced through our conversation causing every child around us to gasp.

Yes, Grandmother. Sam would never disrespect Grandmother, but he did poke me one more time as he got up to leave.

Our afternoon lesson done, everyone scattered to his or her own homes and chores. I stayed after to walk with Grandmother to her cozy abode, it was an older structure, and boasted many additions compared to the single-roomed homes most of us lived in. She had even expanded it underground, making a dry and warm basement for all kinds of weather. When the fat rain flooded the trails of the forest, many would shelter with her there.

Grandmother? Have you ever seen a Devourer? I asked her on our way to her home.

My grandmother crept along slowly, age slowing her joints. Yes, Izzy, I have. I was just a girl when they came to our village. I barely made it out alive. Just I and a couple of other children managed to hide while the Devourers systematically went from home to home and executed our families. They knew no mercy, felt no remorse, and skittered across their broken bodies as they moved on. I can still hear my mother’s screams sometimes at night when I dream. She was so scared, Izzy, and there were so many of them, she had no chance.

I gulped. She had never told us her personal account in the stories before. I had no idea that my grandmother, the matriarch of our entire Clan, had almost been killed by a Devourer infestation. My blood ran cold as I hurried our footsteps a bit more.

Sam is a good boy, Izzy. He will make a good husband to you and your little ones.

I jumped in astonishment! What? We aren’t... Sam and I... we’re too young, Grandmother!

Grandmother smiled and just crept on at her normal speed. Her house came into view and I swear it still sparkled with the morning dew. She invited me in and together we nestled down in her cozy basement.

Izzy, someday, the Devourers will come here too, and you mustn’t let Sam lead a raiding force. He will lose and he will die. I have seen what they can do, and no matter our numbers, we cannot fight them. Take Sam as yours, and start a family, you aren’t much younger than I was when I married your Grandfather, god rest his soul.

Grandmother, what aren’t you telling me? Her tone had been too serious, too ominous for me not to notice.

She sighed and patted my right leg. Izzy, Izzy, Izzy always sees and hears more than is revealed. That will be your saving grace someday. Do you remember all the stories I have told you?

Yes, of course, why?

Tomorrow afternoon, I want you to start leading story time.

Grandmother? I don’t understand, why me?

Because, girl, I see myself in you, and I am getting too old to venture out every day. You will be responsible from now on to teach our young ones. Will you do this for me?

Of course, I will. I am honored.

I spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening with my grandmother cuddled in her cozy home before I left for mine. Darkness shrouded the