Terror Reigns in Sherwood Forest ...

From acclaimed author Chelsea Quinn Yarbro (writing as Trystam Kith) comes the second book in the Trouble in the Forest duology, a medieval fantasy that turns legend into horror. Deep in the forest, trouble is brewing. No one is safe in the thick, dark forest—no peasant, monk, minstrel, merchant, traveler, forester, or King's man may go into the forest without taking his life and his soul in his hands. Those who dare the deep green are found dead soon after, or worse–disappear. Only former Crusader Hugh deSteny is prepared to lead the fight against the bloodthirsty denizens of the forest, and he knows that the enemy he faces could damn him eternally if he loses the battle. Armed with precious knowledge, deSteny must undertake the fight of his life to preserve the forest and all who live within it from certain catastrophe - and a fearsome enemy the likes of which none save him have ever faced before.

Demons of the Night:

... dangerous undead creatures roamed the forest, preying on good Christians and turning them into worse than devils, lost to salvation and redemption. It was all very well to praise the Virgin, and to eat bread and meat, but what good would that do if the outlaws and all their fell brotherhood were allowed to go unchecked, until all of England was in their sway? She managed to keep these thoughts to herself, but discovered she had lost her appetite.

Dutifully she ate, for it would insult the Prince to refuse his food, but it was as tasteless as rags, and the wine she drank might have been sour milk for all the lift it gave to her heart. The thought of another journey through the forest filled her with dread, but she did her best to steel herself for the ordeal to come.

Terror Stalks the King’s Woods ...

From acclaimed author Chelsea Quinn Yarbro (writing as Trystam Kith) comes the first book in the Trouble in the Forest duology, a medieval fantasy that turns all too quickly to terror. Deep in the forest, trouble is brewing. No one is safe in the thick, dark forest—no peasant, monk, minstrel, merchant, traveler, forester, or King's man may go into the forest without taking his life and his soul in his hands. Those who dare the deep green are found dead soon after, or worse–disappear.

Only former Crusader Hugh deSteny is prepared to lead the fight against the bloodthirsty denizens of the forest, and he knows that the enemy he faces could damn him eternally if he loses the battle. Armed with precious knowledge, deSteny must undertake the fight of his life to preserve the forest and all who live within it from certain catastrophe - and a fearsome enemy the likes of which none save him have ever faced before.

Fact vs. Legend:

FACT: Richard Lionheart bankrupted England twice in his thirteen year reign.

FACT: Prince John was left with the job of bailing England out of his brother’s profligacy the only way he could—by raising taxes.

FACT: Prince John possessed over 300 books and had read them all.

FACT: Unlike the Norman rulers before him, or the next four to come after, Prince John actually spoke the language of the common English people, as well as French, Latin, Greek, and Roman Vulgate (early Italian).

FACT: There were outlaw bands all over England.

The rest is myth, legend, speculation,
fictional devices, and outright lies.

Although Chelsea Quinn Yarbro is best known for her novels that chronicle the many adventures of her suave, world-traveling vampire protagonist, Count Saint-Germain, she is also an accomplished and masterful creator of short fiction.

Apprehensions and Other Delusions collects the 13 absolute best of her dark fantasy and horror short stories in one volume. Each tale contained herein is a unique gift of terror and delight, wrapped in Yarbro’s inimitable prose. Introduced by noted editor Patrick LoBrutto, this anthology is a feast of psychological thrills and chills that readers may enjoy for many dark nights to come.

AN EMPIRE OF FOUR THOUSAND WORLDS The Pact of Mankind is a dinosaur lumbering toward oblivion; hedged about by alien enemies, rotten with decadence and corruption, run by competing oligarchies of criminal corporations, but ruled by a single man – the High Secretary of the Pact.

If the High Secretary should die, the contest to succeed him would draw in:

• The head of the armed services, using the Fleet as a tool of his political will;
• Powerful corporations, acting with calculated ruthlessness to loose alien enemies into the heart of the empire;
• The High Secretary's children and his faithless widow, pawns in a struggle which only one need survive;
• A secret cabal among the non-human races enslaved to do Mankind's labor, now ready to supplant their masters; and
• Rebellious troops from the empire's borders, determined to place one of their own sort in the High Secretary's chair.

If the High Secretary should die, it would be feeding time in the piranha tank.

And the High Secretary is dead!

In ancient Rome, set in the universe of Saint Germain ...

Tishtry is a slave girl with only one goal in her heart -- to buy freedom for her family and for herself. It is no easy task, even for someone with her exceptional talents. She may well be the best stunt rider her family has ever produced, but how much money can she earn, far away from the rich arenae of Rome? Only when Tishtry's master lets her try her skills in some of the finer arenae of the Empire does she dare to believe she might one day be free.

But greater rewards bring greater risks. Tishtry must learn flashy but dangerous stunts to please new and critical crowds. She must deal with corruption and incompetence at every turn. And for the first time, she faces the jealousy of other competitors -- jealousy that threatens her life as well as the realization of her dream.

Perfect Landing ...

As the big dapple mare came out of the turn at a gallop, the girl crouched on her back braced her feet and carefully straightened up. Together they flashed around the practice arena, the mare galloping steadily, the girl standing on her rump, arms raised. With a whoop, she vaulted into the air, did a somersault, and landed on her feet.