Stories from the Stacks

INTRODUCTION by Julianne Tillis - For one to see a galaxy firsthand, look no further than your library. Thousands of universes housed within the walls of a single building. Miraculous, is it not? Libraries present us the opportunity to travel through time and space and have experiences one could only dream of, simply by picking a book from the shelves. The atmosphere of the library has its own allure - its history, its mystery, its limitless wisdom. A library can have many tales of its own to tell, if only we listen carefully. Within these pages, you will find libraries of all varieties - those from a distant past, a recognizable present, and even a possible future. The libraries serve as the framework for these stories - tales of romance, intrigue, death, destruction, and adventure - and they will transport you among the stacks to share in their stories. The Wicked Wordsmiths of the West have an affinity for libraries, as that is where we began our own story. Our group of ambitious writers met four years ago in the meeting room of a branch of the Cabell County Public Library in West Virginia to participate in National Novel Writing Month. Afterwards, we called ourselves Wicked Wordsmiths of the West, and we've been meeting at the library ever since. Our first anthology, Wicked Words, was published in October 2014, and includes an assortment of spooky tales from the horror genre. In Stories from the Stacks, libraries are explored as settings that are mystical, dark, enlightening, seductive, and even sometimes frightening. And if you look hard enough, you may even find a familiar thread that serves as homage to our own Cabell County Public Library. Enjoy, and never forget the wonders your local library can offer you. STORY CONTENTS: Potential by Brent McGuffin The Royal Library by Teddy T. Claypool The Book of Carly by Nikki Gladwell Tallulah's Choice by M. J. Ferguson Saturday Librarians by Julianne Tillis Chemistry Final by Marsha Blevins A Novel Change by Julianne Tillis Library Lovin' by Rebecca Barray Hidden Libraries by Teddy T. Claypool Master of the Stacks by J. Schlenker The Summer Job by Stacy Lucas Mysterious Ways by Olivia Ferguson The Lily in the Library by Stacy Atkins The Library Books by Brent McGuffin The Wickham by J. Schlenker Closing the Library by Marsha Blevins All We Have Ever Imagined by Melissa Cuppett Bitten by Brent McGuffin Last Moments by Sarah Davis Grailman by Jon C. Cook **ALL proceeds go directly to Wicked Wordsmiths of the West, a nonprofit organization in Huntington, WV, dedicated to promoting an interest in writing and furthering the skills of local writers.**