“In Vino Veritas,” the short story Michael West wrote with author Tim Waggoner, was just named to the Top 10 list of The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Short Stories of 2014 by voters in the annual P&E Readers’ Poll.

“Working with Tim Waggoner on this story was an amazing experience,” West commented.  “We were very happy with the tale, and to see that it was also liked by readers is very rewarding…Thank you all for your continued support!”

The story was originally published in the Streets of Shadows anthology, edited by Maurice Broaddus and Jerry Gordon for Alliteration Ink.  Get your copy here!

A longer, unedited version of the tale (think Director’s Cut) was also published in Michael West’s 2014 short fiction collection, Straightjacket Memories, published by Seventh Star Press.

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Seventh Star Press is proud to unveil the new cover art by Natasha Alterici for Michael West’s new short-story collection, Straightjacket Memories!

Featuring 10 tales of horror, including both previously published stories and brand new ones,Straightjacket Memories will be released Friday in eBook format with a print version in trade paperback to follow one week after. Straightjacket Memories is Michael’s second collection of short fiction, following the critically-acclaimed Skull Full of Kisses.

On the new release, Michael said, “I am just so crazy about this collection! Gathered from various magazines, anthologies, and eBooks–some in print for the very first time–these stories represent some of my best work to date. I’m very happy with the way in which Seventh Star Press has put them all together, and excited that my faithful readers will be able to share in more of my nightmares and slightly twisted imaginings!”

Straightjacket Memories includes the following stories:

“Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite”

“Flowers in Winter”

“The Grove”

“Sandwalkers”

“In Vino Veritas” (Written with Tim Waggoner)

“For the River is Wide”

“Masako’s Tale”

“Hell’s Hollow”

“Inner Goddess”

“Unknown Caller”

The new release continues a banner year for Michael that saw his novel Cinema of Shadowsbecome a national bestseller in horror on Amazon.com and his Legacy of the Gods series take the next step with the recently-released Hades Disciples. For further information on Michael and his work, please visit his site at www.bymichaelwest.com

Synopsis of Straightjacket Memories:

There is a fine line between love and madness, between insanity and pure evil.

This is Michael West at his terrifying best! From heart-stopping horror to the strangest of fantasies — these are tales from the darkest regions of his twisted imagination! All the usual tropes are here — vampires and shapeshifters, ghosts and witches, gods and monsters, mummies and zombies — but none of them are exactly what you would expect…

A dream vacation takes a nightmarish turn when a couple finds they did not come home alone…

A man agrees to a meeting with his estranged wife and learns the horrible, obscene truth of the old saying: “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned…”

An American platoon, cut off from the outside world, discovers an unbelievable enemy they were never trained to fight…

And a man struggling with depression and grief receives text messages from beyond the grave, messages that push him to the edge of sanity…and beyond…

Ten more reasons to say your prayers.

Ten more reasons to check beneath your bed.

Ten more reasons why you may never want to close your eyes again.

About Michael West:

Michael West is the bestselling author of Cinema of Shadows, The Wide Game, Spook House, Skull Full of Kisses, and the critically-acclaimed Legacy of the Gods series. He lives and works in the Indianapolis area with his wife, their two children, their turtle, Gamera, and their dog, King Seesar.

Writing keeps him sane.

I am thrilled to announce that my very first collaboration with another author, “In Vino Veritas,” which was written with Tim Waggoner, will be part of the upcoming Streets of Shadows anthology.  The book, published by Alliteration Ink and edited by Maurice Broaddus and Jerry Gordon, will debut at Context in September.  Here is the full ToC:

“What I Am” – Tom Piccirilli

“A Game of Cards” – A.C. Wise

“Shooting Aphrodite” – Gary Kloster

“Santa Muerte” – Lucy Snyder and Dan Robichaud

“Morrigan’s Girls” – Gerard Brennan

“Such Faces We Wear, Such Masks We Hide” – Damien Angelica Walters

“The Man Who Has Been Killing Kittens” – Douglas F. Warrick

“The Large Man” – Paul Tremblay

“Unfilial Child” – Laurie Tom

“Street Worm” – Nisi Shawl

“Der Kommissar’s In Town” – Nick Mamatas

“The Shadow People” – Brandon Massey

“Hand Fast” – Kristine Kathryn Rusch

“Beware of Dog” – Kevin J. Anderson

“Stay: A Tale of the Spellmason Chronicles” – Anton Strout

“God Needs Not the Future” – Jason Sizemore

“Relics” – Tim Lebbon

“Cold Fear” – Lucien Soulban

“In Vino Veritas” – Tim Waggoner and Michael West

“Best Served Cold” – Seanan McGuire

“Toby’s Closet” – Jonathan Maberry