Screams echo through the thick darkness of night in this collection of three short horror tales from the dark mind of Mark Leslie. TASTE OF DARKNESS: Sensory deprivation takes on a new meaning when you let the darkness completely consume your senses of sight, sound, touch and smell, leaving you with the bitter taste of the encroaching darkness. And you'll be surprised what you find lurking there just beneath the surface and the cold, clear light of day. THE PIZZA MAN: A group of students keep getting pizza deliveries that they never ordered. Is it a strange prank, or is there something more to the mysterious man who keeps showing up at their door? LITTLE THINGS: Strange little creatures appear in the middle of the night, but Daniel is the only one who can see them. His wife, Joy, becomes distraught at the bizarre way her husband is acting, but, more horrifying is what the tiny little things are doing to her. If you're looking for three quick jaunts into worlds where darkness mingles with the echoes of cries in the night, you'll want to crack open the pages and start listening for the nocturnal screams. The stories and accompanying "behind the screams" notes from the author come to approximately 15,700 words.

Screams echo through the thick darkness of night in this second short collection of three horror tales from the dark mind of Mark Leslie. This time the screams are an ode to the classic masters of short fiction and horrific tales. MEMENTO MORI: A CURIOUS NIGHTMARE: Inspired by the short story "A Curious Dream" this tale draws from the same sentiment Twain was projecting regarding the ill regard the living have with "taking of the deceased." Only, in this tale, the repercussions of such neglect are far more serious. THE RITUAL OF THE DRAWING: Inspired by the small-town rituals that made Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" such a memorably chilling tale, this tale explores how a town might attempt to survive in peace and prosperity with a monster in their midst. PROSPERO'S GHOST: When, decades after his death, university employees begin to digitally replicate the precious copy of Shakespeare's 1861 folio edition, renowned scholar Dr. Marshall Emerson returns from beyond the grave to put a stop to the blasphemy. Volume 2 of Nocturnal Screams contains three short tales of terror designed to both send a chill down your spine as well as allow you to reflect upon the original texts and storytellers who helped inspire them. The stories and the accompanying "behind the screams" notes from the author comprise approximately 13,500 words.

THERE IS NO ESCAPING YOUR OWN SHADOW Dark shadows hide some of the horrors, but not all of the screams in this third collection in a series of short horror tales from the dark mind of Mark Leslie. THE SHADOW MEN : The bogeymen of the New Hampshire wilderness known as "The Shadow Men" lurk in the shadows of the trees and only come out at night in order to lure and trick children into their clutches. FOLLOW THE SHADOW : Isn't it funny how a person's shadow follows every single movement a person makes? Or could it perhaps be the other way around? What if a person was forced to follow the lead of their shadow? A MURDER OF SCARECROWS : A small east coast community becomes over-run in the middle of the night by a growing army of scarecrows that seem to appear out of nowhere. If you're looking for three quick jaunts into worlds where darkness mingles with the echoes of cries in the night, you'll want to crack open the pages and start listening for the nocturnal screams. The stories and accompanying "behind the screams" notes from the author come to approximately 14,000 words.

The echo of screams haunt the night in this fourth collection in a series of short horror tales from the dark mind of Mark Leslie. SPIRITS : People who haven't died can still leave their spirit behind, tied to a place. Sally and Rob, two young lovers, are caught up in the legend of The Phoenix Baby, the ghostly crying that haunts a repertory cinema in Ottawa and, as they unravel the mystery they find themselves becoming inextricably entangled with the old abandoned building. FALL SPECTACLE : In the midst of a small northern community spiraling into the depths of fear and panic over an elusive dark figure rumored to be stalking the night, a young man attempts to reclaim both his innocence and the passion of his youthful first love. LESS OF A MAN : The horror of losing a loved one to a vicious wasting disease can lead a person to try almost anything to bring them back. If you're looking for three quick jaunts into worlds reminiscent of an episode of Black Mirror or The Twilight Zone, you'll want to crack open the pages and start listening for the nocturnal screams. The stories and accompanying "behind the screams" author notes come to approximately 14,300 words.

Something Strange This Way Comes! We have been told, from the earliest days of our childhood, to be wary of strangers. From a fear of strangers who stalk their prey in their homes as darkness descends, and one mother's valiant attempt to protect her family, to an eerie encounter of two strangers in a seemingly innocent chance meeting on a lonely rural bus stop bench, and to an awkward transient who needs to avoid eye contact with the strangers he encounters lest they fall victim to his death curse, all three stand-alone shorts in this collection involve unexpected strangers meeting. Join Mark Leslie as he introduces you to Mary, to Rupert and to Peter; three people that he calls friends, but folks that are still strangers to you, and you should be weary of. At the end of the ficional jaunt, he also shares the inspiration and story behind each tale. If you enjoy weird and strange Twilight Zone, Outer Limits or Black Mirror styled dark and eerie tales, then you're sure to enjoy this collection of short tales that run about 12,000 words.