Stefanie Barnfather

A first-year student moves into a cheap housing complex at the start of the school year. Even though her apartment came with a grisly disclaimer, she feels lucky she's found a place close to the university - until her roommate, a ghost named Joshua, makes her pay for her privileged proximity.This humble horror celebrates the spooky season with an unexpected friendship that starts with death.

Collin is clever, calm, and kind; qualities that serve him well living under an oppressive regime. But after he meets Rose - the stunning symbol of the Utopian Shroud - he decides to fight for love while fighting for his life. As Rose, Collin, and the Utopian Shroud try to stop the tyrannical rule of the Complot, Collin realizes there's more to romantically-ever-after than he thought. If he wants to hold the heart of Rose, Collin has to give up knowing the truth - because Rose's true identity must remain a secret for the Shroud to save Canuckia.

Layla never wondered if Ollivier loved her. The second they met, she knew they belonged together. And she knew Ollivier knew it, too. Layla saw it in his eyes. The eyes she instantly adored. The eyes everyone else feared. After the AI Bot war of 2099, Layla and Ollivier fall in love - but can they stay in love when their bond is tested by a handsome renegade, an ambitious family, and a covert killer who twists the truth? Layla thinks so. With her community connections - and attunement with nature - Layla knows her love for Ollivier can continue to grow. But, despite her certainty, something is pulling them apart. And Layla has to find out what it is.

Ben Brown wants to get rid of the hedges at his new house. A woman is taught to play pretend when she's in distress. And a young boy asks a sand dollar for closure after the death of his father. But what do these people really need? Help.These surrealist summertime short stories challenge readers assumptions about monsters - and the human forms they take.