The Midnight Vault II is here!

As promised on Friday, here’s the link to The Midnight Vault II. It’s a collection of 22 short stories loosely inspired by The Twilight Zone. It includes my own sci-fi tale, “NPCs.” How would you feel if a mysterious being appeared, claiming your entire universe is a simulation he created, and that you’re merely a “non-player character” within it? That’s the conundrum Captain Helena Draven of the Sol Navy faces in this sci-fi adventure. How will she and her crew react?

When you go to the link, make sure you choose Volume II to read “NPCs.” Or order both volumes I and II! It’s available in hardback right now, but I’m told that other formats are coming. I’ll keep you updated.

Many of you had the opportunity to read “NPCs” back when it appeared here on my Substack last fall. So instead of hyping it any further, let me give you an idea of what else is in store for you in this collection.

First up is Andy Futuro’s “Achievement Unlocked.” And is one of my favorite Substack writers I never read. That’s because he mainly writes horror, which I don’t care for. But his contribution to this collection, was a hilarious and unsettling projection of today’s health and lifestyle monitoring devices. Here’s a sample:

Those achievements become progressively unhinged and dire as the story progresses. I just got a Fitbit, which now has an aggressively peppy Gemini-based “coach,” so I could relate.

Then there’s S.E. Reid’s “The Perfect Guest,” which is deliciously creepy, and set in a deceptively quaint Oregon town.

And finally, there’s the Editors’ Choice Award winner, Ian Patterson’s “Manufactured Absence.” The editors called it “Timely, well-crafted, and an overall favorite… a fantastically executed piece… The surreality of it carries. Loved this one.”

I’d say those three are worth the price of admission.

I’ll keep you posted when other formats of The Midnight Vault II appear. If you haven’t already subscribed to my Substack, you can do so below.