Collection of 23 short stories--from classic horror to vampire thrillers, imitations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Raymond Chandler, a teleplay, and a non-fiction bonus, a heartfelt little piece on Little League baseball.

A Collection of Dreamscapes by Christina Sng is an exploration of the darkness inside us, the shadow-self that screams and begs, forever fighting to claw itself out. It's a siren song of transformation, an uncovered diary that bleeds fairy tales and dystopias, and it reads like a grimoire full of spells and curses that bring monsters and madmen to life. Between these pages, readers will meet women who hide behind the taste of poisoned apples, who set themselves on fire, who weep at riverbanks, the taste of freedom too much to swallow, too heavy to bear. They will be whisked away to faraway lands and unimaginable worlds, the drip of fog-soaked dreams a steady flow down their throats while they choke on betrayal and bathe in the waters of tears twice cried. Sng's poems are a blend of dark fantasy and science fiction, a changeling's whisper and an ogre's cry. They are both subtle and violent, and they weave themes of empowerment and strength through stars and earthquakes, forcing us to push away the rubble and look at what we've had to do to survive. They are the sacrifice in the forest and the haunting in the house, every gasp and ancient fear a reflection of the violence we've had to bury deep inside ourselves, all those battle cries and reimagined dreams we desperately try to forget. Here, Sng marries blood and magic, forever walking hand-in-hand with scar and ash, their imprints both a nightmare and a blessing, a dream and the truth. Swallow them carefully. Once they're inside you, there's no getting them out.

Bring a Fantasy World of Enchanting Beings to Life! Angels, faeries and mermaids have engaged the imaginations and enchanted the brushes of artists for centuries. Now you can evoke the spirit of these mythical creatures and create fantastic works of ethereal art in watercolor. Step by inspired step, Stephanie Pui-Mun Law shows you how to paint the otherworlds' most marvelous creatures and exquisite settings. Twenty step-by-step projects show you how to create fantastic scenes that are elegantly styled, brilliantly colored, and alive with a sense of wonder. Fabulous Realms! Create strange and lovely backgrounds, such as the meandering oak branches of faery folk, the celestial surrounding of angels, and the seascapes where mermaids dwell. Delightful Details! From angel wings to mermaid tails, from flowing robes to faery gowns, learn to paint an imaginative variety of features, clothing and other details that ensure one-of-a-kind results. Mystical Effects! Discover special watercolor techniques for adding magic and mystery to your paintings. You'll begin by learning about essential materials, including brushes, paints, paper, then will move on to important techniques such as planning and sketching; figure proportions; specific characteristics of angels, faeries and mermaids (including clothing); developing backgrounds; and finishing techniques that add an air of magic.

Dreamscapes is a stunning collection of over sixty of the world's most beautiful gardens from across the globe, photographed by internationally renowned and awarded photographer Claire Takacs. Dreamscapes includes gardens designed by well-known designers such as Brandon Tyson, Paul Bangay, and Spanish designer Fernando Martos among others, with photographed locations including Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA, Europe and Asia. This book will astound and delight you with the diversity and creativity of the gardens featured, all portrayed at that rare moment when they are at their most stunning. Iconic gardens included are the stunning Welsh garden Dyffryn Fernant; Australia's Cloudehill; Martha Stewart's private garden, Skylands; the beautiful Edwardian idyll of Bryan's Ground in Herefordshire; the former home of Vita Sackville-West, Long Barn in Kent; the naturalistic French garden of Le Jardin Plume in Normandy; Piet Oudolf's Hummelo in the Netherlands; Hermannshof in Germany at the forefront of planting design; and Kenrokuen one of Japan's most beautiful public gardens.

Breathe Life Into Your Fantasy Worlds! Heroes and heroines seek their fortunes in mysterious forests. Towering castles are built into the sides of mountains. Dragons and fairies soar through the sky and among the stars. And bestselling author Stephanie Pui-Mun Law is here to lead you, step-by-step, through the process of creating the forests, mountains, skies, stars and vistas in which these grand fantasy adventures occur. • Follow along with tips, techniques and 20 step-by-step demonstrations to create the dark shadows of an enchanted forest, the twisting branches of an Elven home, the glowing light of a magic portal and more! • From basic watercolor techniques to beautiful finished pieces, learn how to pick the right paper and tools, how to paint many different watercolor effects and how to put it all together to bring your fantasy settings to life. • Get inspired by Stephanie's signature style and beautiful images. Imagine the stories behind each piece, then create your own!

"In the Book of Dreams I just continue the same story but in the dreams I had of the real-life characters I always write about." Excerpt: WALKING THROUGH SLUM SUBURBS of Mexico City I'm stopped by smiling threesome of cats who've disengaged themselves from the general fairly crowded evening street of brown lights, coke stands, tortillas-Unmistakably going to steal my bag-I struggled a little, gave up-Begin communicating with them my distress and in fact do so well they end up just stealing parts of my stuff…. We walk off leaving the bag with someone-arm in arm like a gang to the downtown lights of Letran, across a field- Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) was a principal actor in the Beat Generation, a companion of Allen Ginsberg and Neal Cassady in that great adventure. His books include On the Roa, The Dharma Bums, Mexico City Blues, Lonesome Traveler, Scattered Poems, Visions of Cody, Pomes All Sizes, and Scripture of the Golden Eternity.