Below the pale orb of a full moon, a lone boat navigates the dark channels of the Louisiana bayou, moving between ancient cypress and the heave mats of Spanish moss that dangle from their gnarled limbs. Who are the two who brave the swamp at night? One is a lanky Cajun man by the name of Pierre, while the other is his visiting cousin from Tennessee. The man folks call... THE OLD STORYTELLER. Take a seat and join him as he shares ten terrifying tales on a midnight boat ride across black waters where no man should dare to go! It is dark and dangerous down on the bayou; a place full of horrifying critters and plenty of haints and spirits, too! See those mausoleums on the bank yonder? Listen closely, for that is where the dead tell their frightening stories! Be deathly silent and listen. Listen to the bonechilling: TALES FROM THE SOUTHERN-FRIED CRYPT! Stories included in this collection: Beneath Black Bayou Oh, Sordid Shame! The Web of La Sanguinaire N’awlins Haunted Crypt Tour Suckers! Saturday Night at Mee-Maw’s Cat Daddy Fever Mojo Mama The Final Feature Embrace

The Old Storyteller knows the darkness that dwells in folks’ hearts. He’s aware that evil and depravity comes in all shapes and sizes. Men, women, even young’uns. Some lurk in the dead of night or walk, undetected, in broad daylight. They could be watching you from the shadows of an alleyway or a dense growth of forest… or they could be standing right behind you in line at the hamburger joint or grocery store, trading small talk, sizing you up, spinning their web. They could even be hiding in the back seat of your car in a dark parking lot… or sitting in the pew right next to you at church. Murderers, maniacs, serial killers… human monsters who walk the streets among us. Some have a motive for what they do, while some don’t. Most do it for the sheer thrill of the kill. And, more than likely, their victims never know it’s coming. They soon find themselves at the mercy of brutal hands or sharply honed steel. And when the dastardly deed is over and done, the unfortunate prey ends up in a drainage ditch or trash dumpster… or part of them go home with their killer as grisly souvenirs and mementos. There’s no time to waste! The Storyteller can hear them now; skulking through the woods, growing nearer and nearer, with malice and ill intentions on their twisted minds. Join him in the sanctuary of his backwoods hideaway, locked away from those who would do him – and you – harm. While he sharpens an axe on the ol’ grinding wheel, along with a handy knife or two, he’ll spin some disturbing yarns to pass the time. So, sit back and listen to some spine-tingling tales of corruption and chaos, deep in the… VAULT OF SOUTHERN-FRIED HORROR!

As a young girl, Laura Locke ignored the warnings of local superstition and played among the burnt-out ruins of Magnolia; a Tennessee plantation that had been forcibly occupied by the Union Army and then laid to waste during the bloody Battle of Franklin in 1864. She had always thought the ghost stories and tall tales to be untrue… until the night when she witnessed it for herself. High among the blackened columns of the old mansion, upon a balcony with no floor, stood the forlorn specter of Jessica Heller. Rather than fright or horror, Laura had felt empathy for the lost soul, along with a strange kinship. She told herself, then and there, that she would someday own the old house and discover the truth concerning the violent scourge of Magnolia and what had truly become of its lonesome mistress, who had mysteriously vanished without a trace. Years later, as a bestselling author of steamy romance novels, Laura’s dream of owning the deserted plantation became a reality. After much construction and remodeling, the old mansion was every bit as majestic as it had been during the prosperous years of the Old South before the devastation of the Civil War. She thought life for her and her husband, Rick, would be peaceful and idyllic. But then strange and disturbing occurrences began to take place. A weeping woman in the garden. A haggard man digging feverishly by the light of a coal oil lantern. The horrifying shadow of a man hanging from the limb of an ancient oak tree. And, worst of all, a malevolent and destructive poltergeist that seemed particularly resentful of her husband’s presence. When a world-renowned ghost hunter, a man in search of his ancestral heritage, and two local historians arrive at Magnolia, Laura hopes that the terror that stalks Magnolia will finally be put to rest. Instead, things begin to spiral out of control, leading toward a violent and bloody confrontation that somehow mirrors the deadly events that took place there over a century before.

After his family is killed by a pack of rabid wolves, Jefferson Gray survives the horrid disease himself, with the aid of a Cherokee medicine man. But, unfortunately, he can not banish the hatred that dwells within him. An animosity toward dangerous game, particularly timber wolves. Fifteen years have passed. Timber Gray is known throughout the western territories as a seasoned tracker and hunter: a man who can conquer any threat for the right price, be it grizzly, mountain lion, or, his specialty, wolves. But can Timber tackle his greatest challenge… a pack of fifty wolves led by the legendary Cripplefoot? Such insurmountable odds, combined with an approaching blizzard and a band of renegade bounty hunters, would seem to be certain death to most men. But, to Timber Gray, it is only another reason for staying alive…

Includes the bonus short story "Last of the Chupacabra" BLOOD SPORT They were called diablos hoyos. Vicious black-furred beasts that fought in the pit with the raw fury and savage ferocity of Satan himself. For their owners, they were a lucrative investment. For the people of Sulphur Springs, Texas, they were the best entertainment they'd had in a long while. For Bowie Kane, they were his darkest nightmare come true. He alone recognized the dark and ravenous evil that his Apache ancestors had foretold. But Bowie Kane was an outsider in Sulphur Springs. No one would listen to his warnings. And now it was too late to avert the rampage of carnage and terror unleashed on an unsuspecting town.

Deep Fried Southern Tales: Short Stories A Summary A. Everette James, Jr., ScM, JD, MD There are certain truths that are universal, and then there are regional truths of great validity. Deep Fried Southern Tales are among those with impeccable veracity and are so compelling one can even share them with their best canine friend. In this instance it is a large Labrador retriever whose moniker is Mr. Grady. (A.K.A. Mr. Gravy) These tales are largely related in the Southern vernacular, a universal form of communication understood and appreciated by most of the realm. The subjects and stories are neither profound nor profanejust interesting flashes of everyday life in a rural construct. Sometime the protagonist talks directly to Mr. Gravy while others he speaks to hear the sound of his own voice. Each tale stands on its own. Thus the reader has a broad-spectrum selection opportunity to choose any sequence they wish. We hope you read them all but read what you like.

In Southern Fried Pride, writer and journalist Art Greenwald shares his “best of,” a collected works of comical, serious and sometimes bittersweet essays, in-depth features and thought-provoking interviews. Part autobiographical, the ex-Pennsylvanian showcases some of the legends, personalities, places and events that have transformed South Florida into a thrilling, thriving, and vibrant gay mecca. Greenwald serves up a mixed bag of stories, first chronicling his life in “Tales from the Gayborhood.” He reveals his hormone-drenched player days in the ever-changing gay club scene while coping with aging in a youth-centric culture. He takes readers on a wild, nostalgic trip with his candid Club Copa confessional and tribute to a bygone era. Toss in an endless love story among friends, a horrifying dance with death at a stripper bar, a cocaine addict’s struggle to stay clean, and a famed collector with his lifelong love and devotion for Judy Garland. The author also profiles community activists and leaders who have carved out powerful legacies, making a difference and inspiring pride with their courage, sacrifice, and perseverance. Greenwald additionally pens his chaotic struggle for the self-acceptance of his sexuality from his time in his native Altoona, Pennsylvania, through his college days at Penn State, and then, as he finally settles in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His opinion pieces and gay-intensive quotes tackle taboo topics with straight, in-your-face honesty, shattering stereotypes while exposing rank hypocrisy. Reading his quirky, tongue-in-cheek pieces will sometimes lighten your daily load, and other times provoke you, but will always invigorate you. Southern Fried Pride will leave both gay and straight readers laughing, smiling, feeling nostalgic and occasionally sad, though hopefully with a more humane understanding of the gay experience and its joys, triumphs, heartbreaks, and struggles.