Tales of Dreams: A Short Story Collection of Hope, Resilience, Humanity, & Magic

A zombie apocalypse.
The lost memories of a shapeshifter from another world.
One small act in the middle of a war.
A dream held deep inside one’s heart.

Tales of Dreams: Stories of Hope, Resilience, Humanity, & Magic is a collection of four short stories that celebrate what it means to be human, to have dreams, and the hard—sometimes bitter—fight to hold onto hope no matter the circumstance. From a zombie apocalypse to the hopes of a young boy seeking escape, dreams are a powerful force that feed hope and steel resilience.

About the Stories:

The Light Keepers

The New York City skyline is crumbling. For all she knows, Rae and her family are the only ones alive, but even that becomes questionable as she finds herself broken and shattered. The city that had given her so much hope from a distance now stands as a symbol of a world in ruins. The only survivors? They’re dead, but walking the earth as if they forgot to lie down. And they’re getting closer to Rae and her family. Are they really safe in the lighthouse? Or have they survived this long only to be infected?

Creature of Unknown Origin

Ava remembers nothing, except for the nightmares that plague her every night. Spencer says he’s protecting her and makes really good pancakes. Ava knows she shouldn’t trust him, but she does. It’s that simple…until it isn’t.

When both the monster from Ava’s nightmares and the people Spencer has been hiding her from finally catch up to them, the pair is forced to abandon the secluded life they’d built for themselves and rely on Spencer’s team to keep them safe. Thrust into complete chaos, Ava struggles to reconcile with her returned memories and the existence of the creature from her nightmares. Overwhelmed by emotion and homesickness, Ava must choose: her life with Spencer or chancing a perilous return to her reality. Can she trust those around her to get her home safely? Does she want to return home? Or is the life she’s found herself in here too good to give up?

With every day proving to be a battle, Ava must realize she can only fight herself for so long.

Shining Wings & Tarnished Armor

Morals collide when a wingless half-fae, a disgraced mage, a former Rowan Knight, and three do-good faeries join forces.

Hired to save the daughter of Duke Calburg, Cara and her friends must balance difference of opinions, mounting opposition, and the delicate balance between Fate and free will. Finding parts of herself reflected back at her as they fight the Ornthosi army, Cara grapples with their quest and the uneasy feeling of displacement that has followed her all her life. Pushed to their limits, will the Cloaked Ones and the Oakland faeries save the duke’s daughter, or will the debt owed to the deadly Nightshade Guild go unpaid?

The Prisoner

Punished for stealing bread, young Kai turns to his dreams in order to escape his troubles, finding comfort in the company of his own mind. Orphaned and left alone in the world, Kai takes solace in the few precious memories he has of the ocean and the magnificent ships he’d seen only a handful of times. Fighting to banish the nightmares lurking in the shadows, Kai turns his efforts to nurturing the unyielding hope budding in his heart.

Things Readers Should Know Before Reading/Content Advisory

This guide is to help give readers an idea of the content within this anthology and is not intended to be a warning, parental guide, or other means of disclosure to help avoid topics or triggers that may be harmful to them as individuals. Please use the information below as a general guide to help make the best decision for your reading preferences and level of comfort.

The Light Keepers

Zombies

Survival situation

Death, loss, & grief

Anxiety

Hallucinations

Graphic violence, blood

 

Creature of Unknown Origin

Kidnapping

Inaccurate scientific endeavors & jargon

Murder

Graphic violence

Lying, deceit, & manipulation

 

Shining Wings & Tarnished Armor

Kidnapping

Battle, reference to war

Technically, murder

Magic mining

Depictions of blood (as a result of the whole war, battle, and murder thing)

 

The Prisoner

Abandonment

Child neglect

Brief/implied drunkenness, alcoholism

Grief

Imprisonment