Desperate times call for desperate measures, and with everything going on right now, it will be months before I am able to write the last two stories I wanted to add to the collection. With ten additions complete and an added bonus story not published as part of the collection, the electronic compilation includes twelve short stories ranging from science fiction and horror to dark fantasy and suspense.

The whole collection has brand new cover art and an 8,600 zombie apocalypse story called “Two Weeks,” which was originally published in Book of the Dead: A Zombie Anthology last July.

As of tonight, you can order a PDF version of Dark Journeys: A Short Story Collection for just $2.99 right here on my website.

After ordering the PDF version directly from me, I will email you the PDF within 24 hours.

For those with electronic readers like the Kindle and the Sony eReader, it is also NOW AVAILABLE on Amazon.com and Smashwords.com in a much wider variety of formats.

Thank you to all who have supported this Dark Journey from beginning to end. With James and I facing some tough times right now, it’s really meant a lot to both of us to have our friends gather around to support us.

I hope you enjoy the full collection as a whole.

Remember back in the month of June when I spent several blogs and an entire episode of Podcaturday complaining about Charlaine Harris’s Southern Vampire Mysteries novels? No? You don’t remember? Well in that case, you can refresh your memory here and here if you’d like. I’m not planning on delving too deeply into the same old complaints.

I will tell you that after taking an entire month to read Dead Until Dark, I tentatively started reading book two in the series: Living Dead in Dallas. I managed to read the first ninety pages of the book before I decided no more. If I’m going to waste my time reading fluffy stuff, I want to at least get some kind of enjoyment out of it. That’s not happening.
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As most of you know, we released From the Dark Side: A Charity Anthology yesterday on Amazon and Smashwords. The anthology contains twenty pieces of fiction and poetry, generously donated by nineteen authors and poets. Our goal: to raise money to donate to The Office of Letters and Light, the people who bring us NaNoWriMo, ScriptFrenzy and host Young Writers online boot camps to foster creativity in today’s youth.

Being the ambitious minx I am, I set a lofty goal to sell 100 copies on our first day out, which would have yielded a day one donation to our charity of just around $386.00. A couple of my closest friends said, “Jenny, you’re setting your sights too high and you will wind up disappointed.”
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Goooood morning everyone. The day is finally upon us, after nearly two weeks of suspense-building madness and excerpts. It’s release day, and I am incredibly excited. I know the writers are as well, so the news is going to hit the ‘Net like a ten-pound hammer.

Everyone who contributed to this collection worked so very hard, and they did it out of the kindness of their hearts. Donating their work to the anthology knowing they would not get paid did not cause any bellyaching or fretting. They all seemed to love the idea of being paid in recognition and gratitude.

So, if the writers aren’t getting paid, who is? And why should you buy an anthology that’s not going to pay its writers?

As I’ve said before, all proceeds earned From the Dark Side will be donated to The Office of Letters and Light, you know the people responsible for bringing us awesome programs like NaNoWriMo and Script Frenzy. And that’s why you should buy that anthology, aside from the fact that it’s filled to the rim with some really great work, the proceeds are going to an incredibly worthwhile cause.

So, after you buy a copy, please help us spread the word to your friends and family. And remember: You don’t need an eReader or Kindle to read the electronic story. You can download the Kindle software for use on your computer or Mac, there are several apps for the iTouch, iPhone, Palm Pre and more that you can use to download eBook or you can simply read it as a PDF or HTML file right on your computer.

Now, were can you buy it? On Amazon and Smashwords for just $4.99.

The final excerpt from the From the Dark Side anthology is Mark BurningHawk Baxter’s “Exo.” “Exo” is an interesting story with an incredible twist, but no matter how I sliced it into excerpt form, it’s tough to give you an accurate preview of what to expect without giving the ending away. So this little introductory snippet will have to suffice until you can grab the anthology and read the rest.

You can also find out more about Mark by visiting his official website.

Don’t forget, From the Dark Side goes on sale tomorrow, Friday July 9, 2010, for $4.99 on Amazon and Smashwords. All proceeds go to The Letters and Light Organization.
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And you thought there were only going to be two excerpts today… How else can we be expected to celebrate tomorrow’s grand release date than by sharing more excerpts? The third Thursday excerpt is from Pearce Kilgour’s “Reflected Dreams.” To find out more about Pearce, including some of his most fabulous flash fiction, visit his website.
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Our second sneaky peek at From the Dark Side comes to you from author Keith Dugger. Dugger is an avid writer of bizarro and dark fiction, and you can find out more about him at his official website. For now, please enjoy this little clip from his story: “The Viewing Room.”

I’m thinking two more excerpts might be the order of the day, since tomorrow is release day, after all. Muahahahahahaha, stay tuned…
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Tomorrow is the big day for the From the Dark Side Anthology to hit Amazon and Smashwords! I am so excited, I woke up at 7 a.m. this morning with butterflies. I have a feeling it’s not going to be easy to sleep tonight either.

The first of today’s short excerpts comes to you from ShadowCastAudio editor, Jason Warden, and it’s titled “Assimilation.” Warden has such a great descriptive sense, I loved reading this, and so will you. So much so, you’ll feel compelled to pick up the anthology just to find out what happens next.

No… I’m not trying to hypnotize and brainwash you. (but you’re getting very sleepy…)
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The second of Wednesday’s excerpts comes to you from author Jacqueline Roth. The story is titles Shadow’s Embrace, and you can check out more about her and her novels by visiting her official website. She is an amazing writer I have worked with on so many projects in the past, it was an honor to be able to work with her again. Don’t forget to check back tomorrow for two more excerpts, and the anthology goes on sale Friday morning!
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I announced on Twitter this morning that instead of just one excerpt today and tomorrow, there will be two. TWO EXCERPTS! Squee. The first excerpt comes to you from Canadian author, Nicole Godin, and it’s titled “Reptilian.” Enjoy, and check back later for excerpt number two.
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