Publisher's Synopsis
Rituals have always been a powerful part of human life, from the ancient Aztec nation's human sacrifices to the simple act of brushing one's teeth in the morning. They can impart a sense of history, comfort, community, stability and at other times, power, mystery and horror. Some are grounded in centuries of tradition or superstition, while others are unique, individual creations. In this collection of 22 stories, you'll find the darker side of ritual in all the various forms you can imagine-from the ancient and ceremonial to the simple and homegrown. Some have real power, while others simply exist in the convoluted recesses of someone's mind. Some produce the desired effect, while others have an entirely different result. What binds them all together is the simple truth of any good ritual. Their practitioners - and you, the reader - just might forever be changed by them. CONTENTS "Sa fe lontan / Long Time, No See" by Sarah Hans "Young Girls Are Coming to Ajo" by Ken Goldman "Into the Mirror Black" by Tim Marquitz "Severed" by Brandon Ford "Afflicted" by A.J. Brown "A Little Bit of Soul" by Craig Cook "Coughs and Sneezes" by James K. Isaac "Secret Suicide" by Amy Braun "Wounds" by Greg Chapman "Sturm und Drang" by Jeff C. Carter "Shades of Hades" by E.J. Alexander "For Love" by DJ Tyrer "Gingerbread Man" by Rose Strickman "Thy Just Punishments" by Edward M. Erdelac "Johnny Two Places" by Mark Mellon "The Seed" by N.X. Sharps "Late Payment" by Jake Elliot "Masquerade" by C.A. Rowland "Lessons from a Victory Garden" by Jason Andrew "The Projectionist" by Timothy Baker "The Right Hand Man" by J.S. Reinhardt "Paper Craft" by Leigh Saunders"
