Hope It's Fiction

Throughout the world is found myriad out-of-the-way places, unsettling vistas that travelers pass through quickly, if unable to avoid entirely. Sometimes, the fears dredged up by such places are unfounded, a mere symptom of an unfamiliar road. Of course, there are actual places to be feared too. Masked by vagaries and altered names, a careful listener may find some clue - subtle to the uninitiated, bold elsewise - that a macabre tale comes from such a place, one stranger and to be feared beyond all others. Shiver at the revelation and hope someone similarly knowledgeable has merely latched onto the rumors, deciding by their own twisted purview to attach a lie to something so horribly true. In short, Hope It's Fiction. That Old, Misty Country is a collection of twelve stories centered in the titular region, each drenched in horrific implications. This first book in the Hope It's Fiction series focuses on the three cities therein - Passerport, Esterton, and Brickwood - as well as the dense, impassable woods that surround the area. There are terrible things lurking under the sky-blotting canopy, hidden in the fog that rises each night. And what of Mr. Brightmore, the philanthropist? Begin to uncover the strange mysteries that permeate throughout the night as thickly as the mist itself. Learn why you should be off the roads before night falls in stories like "Breakdown" and "Oh, How I Hate The Trees." Even some distance from the tree line may prove unsafe, as in "Settle, Ye Wanderer," "Rat-Catcher," and "The Anderson Plight." Not even the towns are altogether free from risk, as shown by "An Awkward Conversation," "Mimiko," and "The Thirsty Man." Know that others are investigating the strange occurrences - "A Ribbon of Text," "That Old, Misty Country," and "Bits and Pieces" - but how successful their efforts, or how comforting the existence of those forces are, are open to interpretation. Do not be overly entranced by these tales of unsettling and thought-provoking horror, even with their subtle suggestions toward even grander terrors. All you need to do is Hope It's Fiction.

Throughout the world is found myriad out-of-the-way places, unsettling vistas that travelers pass through quickly, if unable to avoid entirely. Sometimes, the fears dredged up by such places are unfounded, a mere symptom of an unfamiliar road. Of course, there are actual places to be feared too. Masked by vagaries and altered names, a careful listener may find some clue - subtle to the uninitiated, bold elsewise, that a macabre tale comes from such a place, one stranger and to be feared beyond all others. Shiver at the revelation and hope someone similarly knowledgeable has merely latched onto the rumors, deciding by their own twisted purview to attach a lie to something so horribly true. In short, Hope It's Fiction. Melancholies & Wanderlust adds twelve more stories to the Hope It's Fiction series. At the heart of that old, misty country, hidden among the towering trees and the enshrouding mists lies a lake with no name. It is a place of surreal stillness, a place that seems untouched by time, untrodden by mortal feet. A place where thoughts are left to wander. This second book forgoes active scares for a creeping existential worry that may see the end of one, many, or all. Tread near the smooth-stoned shores of that unnamed lake in "The Sailor of No Sea I Know" and "The Beauty of the Lake." Uncover more of the secret of Brickwood in "New Neighbor." See characters return, as in "Another Day," "A Matter of Trust," "Coincidence," and "Degenerate." And see that mist-shrouded world expand further in "Cat Person," Trash," and "The Flooding of Mr. Fitz's Cellar." These stories and more await those ready for some circumspection. Do not be overly entranced by these tales of unsettling and thought-provoking horror, even with their subtle suggestions toward even grander terrors. All you need to do is Hope It's Fiction.

Throughout the world is found myriad out-of-the-way places, unsettling vistas that travelers pass through quickly, if unable to avoid entirely. Sometimes, the fears dredged up by such places are unfounded, a mere symptom of an unfamiliar road. Of course, there are actual places to be feared too. Masked by vagaries and altered names, a careful listener may find some clue - subtle to the uninitiated, bold elsewise - that a macabre tale comes from such a place, one stranger and to be feared beyond all others. Shiver at the revelation and hope someone similarly knowledgeable has merely latched onto the rumors, deciding by their own twisted purview to attach a lie to something so horribly true. In short, Hope It's Fiction. Thirteen more stories widen the scope of the Hope It's Fiction series, featuring worlds removed by distance from that old, misty country. Distance but not danger. That forest-choked region is not the only place where you might find strange creatures lurking, fear mounting, and sanity waning. Night falls, in its time, over every land. You must not think yourself safe merely because you think that old, misty country far from your own. You might be surprised how far its influence extends. Discover the ordinary experiences of "The Last Days at Orville's Forest Emporium," "Fingertip," and "Once in a Lifetime," where no twists of fate lie in wait. See worlds much removed from our own, some even closer than that depicted in "Dreaming of Far Away." Worse places than our own, such as "A Gnawing Notion," "Routine," and "The Contestant." Struggles with sanity, as in "Trendsetter," "That Knocking Will Soon End," and "No Way to Get Ahead." And, finally seek out answers, how it is all connected in "Load-Bearing Wall." Don't bother taking a map, for it will not help you where you are going. Do not be overly entranced by these tales of unsettling and thought-provoking horror, even with their subtle suggestions toward even grander terrors. All you need to do is Hope It's Fiction.

If one were to tell you of a particular room, modestly furnished with a table, a chair, a lamp offering some scant lighting, you would think little of such a place. Surely, you would not. Even with much of the room draped in deep shadows, such that the concrete walls, the concrete floor, the concrete ceiling, each can hardly be seen at all, you would think little of it. Even with one whole side a deep abyss, impenetrable, you might not think twice. You may wonder at such a place, its purpose, the fear it instills, but only temporarily. What would strike you is the thick line of reflective tape, a white line that stands out brilliantly within its dim surroundings, begging the question of what might happen if you cross it. But such a place cannot be real, can it? In short, Hope It's Fiction. Here is the mysterious novel mentioned in previous stories from that old, misty country - a tale that explores the titular name and the horrors that occur within. Why is there such a room? What is its purpose? And, perhaps most importantly of all, what does this obscure novel have to do with the strange occurrences happening throughout that distant, forest-shrouded area. Everyone calls it merely fiction, but how often can such a simple explanation be true? Enjoy this single story that can be read on its own or with a plethora of hints toward that old, misty country and the denizens throughout.

There is a place held far from the world, secreted away within a prodigious and twisted wilderness, cupped by a perilous mountain range, and accessible by only the most remote turn-offs, far from any significant landmarks; a place known to the locals as that old, misty country. Every night, an inexplicable mist seeps from between the trees bringing for untold terrors, horrid and strange and deadly all. It is best to shun the place, best to leave it undisturbed, for otherwise... Well, it's best to Hope It's Fiction. That old, misty country is seen (by those initiated to its deeper secrets) as the dominion of that mysterious family, the Brightmores. The current patriarch, Mr. Artorius Brightmore, the kind philanthropist, certainly knows something about the unusual occurrences taking place. Whether a merciful protector or a malicious tyrant, he manipulates information and hides away the worst tragedies to befall the region. But ominous signs are mounting, perhaps foretelling some impending damnation, be it local or global in scale, and there are others rising up, competitors that seek to claim some crowns for themselves. Cynthia Walker, the reporter infamously called the "Public's Assassin," is on her way to expose Mr. Brightmore for the monstrous dictator/cult leader she assumes him to be. But just how right are her wicked suppositions? Follow Cynthia's travels through that old, misty country in "Cometh," "The Drive In," "Out and About," and "Time to Leave." Learn too of the worries Sergeant Jeremy Lowe and Ms. Talzman face in "Something You Cannot Touch," "That Invincible Age," and "Just A Phase." And see the situation worsen in "Enemy of My Enemy," "Due Diligence," "Ain't Nothing to Worry About," and many more. The second act begins and a happy ending is starting to look less and less likely. But you don't have worry: you only need to Hope It's Fiction.

There is a place held far from the world, secreted away within a prodigious and twisted wilderness, cupped by a perilous mountain range, and accessible by only the most remote turn-offs, far from any significant landmarks; a place known to the locals as that old, misty country. Every night, an inexplicable mist seeps from between the trees bringing for untold terrors, horrid and strange and deadly all. It is best to shun the place, best to leave it undisturbed, for otherwise... Well, it's best to Hope It's Fiction. While that remote collection of towns known locally as that old, misty country has always held a threat of danger lurking within the dimmest corners of its encroaching forest - monsters and phenomena beyond measure or understanding - the people who live there have always managed to survive (to varying degrees). Keep a light on and shun what bumps might be heard in the night. Outside of a few mysterious tragedies, most can live in relative peace; some might not even believe the rumors of their more experienced neighbors. Call it all superstition. Dare to laugh. Less so now. Regardless of how optimistic or sheltered one might be, it is hard to ignore that things are growing worse. More and more strange occurrences are breaking through, to the point that even the landscape itself seems to be bristling against some looming catastrophe. Most turn to Mr. Brightmore, the renown philanthropist and unofficial heart of the area. He has downplayed things - acknowledged an unusual number of disquieting events but promises that everything will get better soon. Reciting that old proverb: "It's always darkest before the dawn." He has a plan, though whether it proves a boon or a bane to those terrified constituents remains to be seen. How does his young daughter, Theodora Brightmore, fit into his scheme? And others are making a move too. The ruthless holdover, George Walter Michaels, seeks to reclaim a power once lost, using the poor Mimiko Talzman as a vessel to enact his bloody schemes. The enigmatic "Young Master" is dragging the unsuspecting Tully closer to the conflict. Alliances are forming. Machinations rumble to life. Blasphemous spells are being chanted aloud after untold ages. Featuring 20 new stories set within and around that old, misty country, ALWAYS DARKEST prepares the reader for a collision of terrible forces and apocalyptic powers. Mr. Brightmore assures us that everything will turn out alright in the end. But even if that promised dawn never comes, you only need to Hope It's Fiction.