Category Archives: Fantasy/SF

Leave a Candle Burning: romantic fantasy

By DayleAugust 18, 2014Dayle A. Dermatis, Fantasy/SF, Romance, Short Stories, Soul's Road Press

I’m not sure if this one is a romantic fantasy, or a paranormal romance, or… What do you think?

Claudia lives a vagabond life, crisscrossing the country doing research for a reality show about American myths and legends. Christmas finds her in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, at a small hotel allegedly haunted by the Lady in White, who leaves a candle burning for her husband, lost in the snow. The ghost might not be real, but Claudia’s attraction to the mysterious Reese, who once lived in the Victorian house, definitely is. Will he be what it takes for Claudia to change her wandering ways?

“Leave a Candle Burning” originally appeared in Fantasy Adrift (Fiction River, 2014).

Available at many online retailers:
Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Omnilit | Smashwords
And coming soon from iBooks as well!

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Free story! “The Madness of Survival”

By DayleAugust 1, 2014Dayle A. Dermatis, Fantasy/SF, Free Story!, Short Stories, Uncollected Anthology

As part of the Uncollected Anthology series project, all the authors will be publishing their stories for free on their websites, each one for two weeks only!

“The Madness of Survival” appeared in Issue 1, Magical Motorcycles.

Available from these fine retailers:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Omnilit | Smashwords

The Faerie Folk come when the veil between the worlds is thin, spinning their sticky-sweet glamour and stealing children away. The only thing standing in their way: a motorcycle gang made up of broken, lost people who managed to escape from the Faerie Realm after their own abductions.

Riding her enchanted steed, sworn to protect children, Alis mourns the loss of her own daughter, taken by the Fae. Abandoned by her husband, shunned by her friends, Alis now knows no family but her fellow riders, knows no joy except when she’s riding.

But freedom comes with a price…

This free story was available for two week only. If you missed this one, click on the links above. And please check out the Uncollected Anthology website (and maybe sign up for the newsletter!) to find out when the next issue will be available!

Two new fantasy stories now available!

By DayleJuly 18, 2014Dayle A. Dermatis, Fantasy/SF, Short Stories, Soul's Road Press

Looking for some short fantasy to read? May I recommend these?

If you’re hankering for the scent of the ocean, or want to read something a bit dark but ultimately uplifting, you might like “I Sing a Song of Mourning”:

Trapped on an island with an abusive husband, Selene struggles with her fear of the sea every day. But when her husband abandons her to drown, the mermaids give Selene the power to exact her revenge. How she chooses to use that power—and how she faces her fear—will change her life forever. The haunting “I Sing a Song of Mourning” originally appeared in the Breaking Waves: An Anthology for Gulf Coast Relief charity anthology (Book View Café, 2010).

Available at many online retailers:
Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Omnilit | Smashwords
And coming soon from iBooks as well!

If you’re looking for something a little more lighthearted, get your oven mitts on “Matchmaker”:

“What does a computer know about love? Have an authentic Gypsy Matchmaker work her magic instead!” The matchmaking magic was passed on through each generation, and my gran, who had raised me from a toddler after my parents died, certainly had the talent.

It wasn’t her fault she’d forgotten to tell me I was adopted….

“Matchmaker” originally appeared in More Scary Kisses (Ticonderoga Publications, 2011).

Available at many online retailers:
Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Omnilit | Smashwords
And coming soon from iBooks as well!

I hope you enjoy these…if you do, please let me know, whether by a review, a recommendation to a friend, or a quick note. I’d love to hear from you!

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Three sales in two days!

By DayleJune 3, 2014Andrea Dale, Dayle A. Dermatis, Erotica, Fantasy/SF, Sales, WritingCleis Press, Crossed Genres, sales, short stories, writing

June has started out with a lovely bang! in the form of three story sales in two days!

Crossed Genres accepted my short fantasy “The Pumpkin-Carving Contest” for their Flash Fiction issue, which I believe comes out in July. CG is an online magazine, and you can find more info here.

Then, not one, but two acceptances from the utterly lovely Kristina Wright, for two different erotic romance anthologies. Here are the tables of contents for both; I don’t yet have covers or publication dates. For Play will probably be out in Spring 2015, though.

Passionate Kisses
Introduction: The Story is Just Beginning
Friends and Benefits, Christine d’Abo
The Scent of Her, Sommer Marsden
House Full of Dreams, Andrea Dale
A Happy Anniversary, Jade Melisande
A Job Well Done, Donna George Storey
The Dinner Decision, Jade A. Waters
Our Second First Date, Victoria Blisse
The Merger, Tahira Iqbal
Back for Good, Lucy Felthouse
Reminder, Jeremy Edwards
The Business of Pleasure, T.G. Haynes
The Happiest Place, Lily K. Cho
Flipping the Switch, Rowan Loquer
Celebration, Kathleen Tudor
A Series of Understandings, F. Fox
Peach Season, Anja Vikarma
The Gift, Tamsin Flowers Henry Lee
Came Home, Kristina Wright
Kissing Lessons, Rachel Kramer Bussel

For Play
Introduction: Anticipation is Everything
The Morning After, Annabeth Leong
Playing in the Middle, Kathleen Tudor
Tomato Season, Jade A. Waters
To Do List, Heidi Champa
It’s Been Awhile, Lady Cheeky
Telling Bedtime Stories, R. Ann Sawyer
Rings, Andrea Dale
Touring with Tina, Jeremy Edwards
Paradise Past, T.G. Haynes
Must Have Been Something I Read, Tamara Blush
An Indecent Proposal, Lisette Ashton
Off Days, Giselle Renarde
Amuse-bouches, Carla Jaffari
Conducting Love Letters, Victoria Blisse
Only Kiss, Louise Nimble
The Dark Horse, Tamsin Flowers
From Two To Three, Maggie Morton
Tanked, Lynn Townsend
Honeysuckle, Kristina Wright

The Sound of My Own Voice now available!

By DayleMay 7, 2014Dayle A. Dermatis, Fantasy/SF, Short Stories, Soul's Road Press

I know, I know, I always say that I’m chuffed or delighted or excited, or whatever, but really, one of the best parts of my job is saying “Lookie here! I made this! Squee!”

And that’s how I feel about this latest story available for sale, “The Sound of My Own Voice.”

I had a blast writing this story. I wrote it at a workshop, and it was the first time in a long time that I just flat out had fun writing a story. And then Kerrie L. Hughes accepted it for publication in Hex in the City, and being the astute editor she is, she pushed me to make the story even better.

When I went to publish it through Soul’s Road Press, I had the joy of finding the perfect cover art—and the whole experience made me relive how much fun the story was to write.

Yeah, Annalee will get her own novel someday. Maybe a series of them, even. Because she’s a siren, and she’s a snarky, opinionated one at that…she’s unlikely to shut up anytime soon.

I hope you all enjoy “The Sound of My Own Voice.”

Her parents taught Annalee to never sing, that she had no talent, despite her pop star half-sister. Then a drunken night of karaoke releases Annalee’s power—a power her parents had desperately sought to contain…a power that causes government agencies to perk up and take notice. Dammit.

Originally published in Hex in the City, “The Sound of My Own Voice” shows why USA Today bestselling author Dean Wesley Smith calls Dayle A. Dermatis “one of the best writers working today.”

Available at many online retailers:
Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Omnilit | Smashwords

And coming soon from iBooks as well!

The most wonderful time of the year!

By DayleOctober 15, 2013Dayle A. Dermatis, Fantasy/SF, Soul's Road Press

It’s October, and you know what that means? It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Well, it is if you turn into a crazy woman because of Halloween. I love me some Halloween, baby.

It surprises me that I don’t have any stories set at Halloween, something my creative brain is trying to rectify as I type. But I do have some fantasy stories with vampires and ghosts and Old Scratch himself, so if you’re looking for some holiday-themed reading, here are my suggestions!

(Note: None of these are super-spooky, and all of them have some level of humor. Because, well, it’s me we’re talking about.)

“Blood Relations”

The woman known as the “Vegan Martha Stewart” learns who her infamous father really is…and their relationship threatens to ruin their respective empires. A funny fantasy short story—with a bite!

Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble Nook | Smashwords

“The Devil Went Down to the Sunset Strip”

Angrrr Management were four talented guys. (They really were. I wasn’t just some starry-eyed groupie; I knew decent music and I knew stage presence.) Talented, yes, and awfully pretty, all of them. And every last one of them was dumber than a post. Had they never HEARD of Robert Johnson?

“The Devil Went Down to the Sunset Strip” is a hilarious urban fantasy short story about 80s hair metal and selling your soul to Satan.

Includes bonus short story “Hell’s Belles”!

Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble Nook | Smashwords

“Feline Design”

Even Satan needs a vacation once in awhile. But perhaps taking the form of a fuzzy kitten wasn’t the smartest of ideas…. A Miranda Contreau paranormal short story.

Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble Nook | Smashwords

“Hell’s Belles”

Teaching etiquette to a spoiled debutante can be hell…literally. A funny fantasy with a wicked Southern twang.

Includes bonus story “The Devil Went Down to the Sunset Strip”!

Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble Nook | Smashwords

“Some Old Lover’s Ghost”

Helena runs Paranormal Manifestation Services–PMS for short. When she’s hired by Beth and Marguerite to find out why a ghost is bothering Marguerite, she doesn’t expect to get a crush on Beth…which makes things especially awkward when she learns who the ghost is. Rainbow Reviews called this short story “unexpectedly romantic [and] heart-wrenching.”

Includes a bonus interview with the author about the writing of the story, her own paranormal experiences, and more.

Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble Nook | Smashwords

Euphoric

By DayleJuly 30, 2012Dayle A. Dermatis, Fantasy/SF, Sales

I’ve signed the contract, so now I can announce the very, very exciting news!

I’ve had a short story accepted for a Mercedes Lackey-edited anthology of stories based in her awesome Elemental Masters universe!

::runs around in small circles, hands flapping::

I’ve been reading Misty’s work since…well, let’s just say math would be involved in figuring it out. A long time. And I love the Elemental Masters series. It’s mostly set in Britain (although our stories didn’t have to be), pre-WWII, and the premise is that there are people who have elemental magic, the ability to work magic based on the four elements and to interact with the attendant elemental creatures (water magicians commune with sylphs and naiads, etc.). Additionally, each book is based loosely on a fairy tale or legend.

I set my story in and around Castle Coch in south Wales, a place I’ve been to several times. It’s truly a fairy tale/fantasy castle, with conical-roofed towers and incredible decorations. Unsurprisingly, my underlying fairy tale is Rapunzel. (See also below.)

I love writing romance and erotica (obviously), but fantasy was my first love, and any opportunity I get to write fantasy makes me happy. To be a part of this project makes me insanely joyous.

I have to thank a few people for helping me on this journey:

Ken, for putting up with me every time I thought I couldn’t do it, thought the idea was stupid. I haven’t had much faith in my writing ability lately, and he’s done nothing but prop me up and say all the right things I needed to hear.
Kris & Dean and the Oregon Writers Network, for not only holding so many workshops that have helped me grow as a writer, but for making it possible for me to be in the right place at the right time for this opportunity.
Lee Rebennack, for immediately saying “Rapunzel” when I asked those in our hotel room at Phoenix Comicon what their favorite fairy tale was. That smashed into the idea of using Castle Coch and my brain did that wonderful writerly “OoooOOOoooh!” that happens when the right ideas come together.

I’m probably overreacting to this—I mean, hell, I’ve sold more than a hundred short stories—but given how hard it’s been to even finish a short story lately, much less how I’ve questioned whether I should be even doing this, I’m going to go with the euphoria.

Is it magic…or madness?

By DayleMarch 12, 2012Dayle A. Dermatis, Fantasy/SF

“Berengere” by Dayle A. Dermatis

When Berengere’s husband, the king of Coraise, goes away crusade, his brother Jean assumes the role of Regent—and makes Berengere, her sister, her husband’s grandmother, and her closest servants “guests” in his chateau. Berengere knows they’re really prisoners, but there’s nothing she can do except try to make their appartements more pleasing by painting murals of the outside world. Are the murals a means of escape…or is Berengere slipping into madness?

Available in a variety of electronic formats
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

A sassy, light-hearted ghostly romance

By DayleMarch 11, 2012Dayle A. Dermatis, Fantasy/SF, Soul's Road Press

“Some Old Lover’s Ghost” by Dayle A. Dermatis

Helena runs Paranormal Manifestation Services—PMS for short. When she’s hired by Beth and Marguerite to find out why a ghost is bothering Marguerite, she doesn’t expect to get a crush on Beth…which makes things especially awkward when she learns who the ghost is. Rainbow Reviews called this short story “unexpectedly romantic [and] heart-wrenching.” BONUS: Includes an interview with the author about the writing of the story, her own paranormal experiences, and more.

“Definitely a light-hearted read – kind of a lesbian Ghostbusters. What makes this story stand out is the strong narrator – she’s smart, funny and definitely opinionated. For some reason or other, the word ‘sassy’ comes to mind when I think of this story – and that’s a good thing.”
— Megan, goodreads.com

“unexpectedly romantic [and] heart-wrenching”
—Rainbow Reviews

“Some Old Lover’s Ghost was nominated for a 2008 Romance Erotica Connection Award for Best F/F Romance Short Story and for a 2010 Gaylactic Spectrum Awardfor Best Short Fiction.

“Some Old Lover’s Ghost” originally appeared in Haunted Hearths and Sapphic Shades: Lesbian Ghost Stories (Lethe Press, 2008).

Available in a variety of electronic formats
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords