Tagged: Flash Fiction

Trembling With Fear

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A Trembling With Fear Special Edition: Halloween 2024

The nights are closing in. The veil between worlds is thinning. The dead are getting ready to cross over to our streets for one night only…. Yes, ’tis that time of year when even the normals get spooky and go all-in for Halloween. And in amongst the trick-or-treating and the parties and the dressing up, there’s a very real message that’s often forgotten: not everything is always as it seems, and just in the corner of your eye, something sinister lurks. 

This year’s Halloween special has been a massive team effort by all at TWF Towers, so my big thanks to Vicky Brewster (who usually looks after our serials) and Sarah Elliott (queen of unholy trinities) for stepping up and helping while the bossman was crazy busy and our specials editor Lynn was unable to steer the ship for personal reasons. And let us tell you: there were so many great stories this year! We had to make a lot of very tough calls, so please don’t be disheartened if you didn’t make it in. You might have come closer than you realise. 

Importantly, a lot of those stories who didn’t make the cut just weren’t Halloween themed. Remember that these special editions are a chance to go all-in and camp it up. We were looking for jack o’lanterns and urban myths that take place on 31 October; we have our other sections for those stories that are merely dark, spooky, featuring zombies or vampires or curses. This Halloween edition presents those stories that could ONLY take place around Samhain, and we hope you enjoy them. 

Much spooky love,
Lauren, Sarah, Vicky, Stuart & all at TWF Towers

Trembling With Fear Team

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Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear – Summer 2024 Edition

What a wild summer it’s been! Lucky for us, it’s not over yet.

This is undoubtedly my favorite season because summer brings a whole slew of activity. Whether you’re going on vacation, barbecuing in the backyard, tanning at the beach or just trying to escape the heat, there are endless things to do, making it one of the most vibrant times of year. It is also a great theme for our writers because they have a variety of ideas to play with. I am always pleased and surprised by the stories we get for our Summer Edition. While we had a lot of great submissions this year, we narrowed it down to a few that really encapsulate the thrills of summer. And yes, by thrills I do mean thrills.

Happy Reading!

Shalini

Shalini Bethala

Editor, Trembling With Fear

As the sun blazes overhead, casting long shadows that stretch across deserted streets and sun-soaked beaches, we find ourselves at the zenith of summer. It’s that time of year when the world seems to sizzle, both with heat and with the promise of things lurking just beyond the golden glow of daylight. But before the fireflies fade and the ice cream melts, we invite you to dive into something a little darker, a little more sinister—our Summer Edition of Trembling With Fear.

This year, we’re turning up the heat in ways that will leave you sweating more than the August sun. Think of this collection as the ice cream truck of terror, where each story is a frozen treat with a center that’s just a little too cold, a little too sweet, and definitely too eerie to forget. We’ve gathered tales that capture the essence of summer—the good, the bad, and the downright terrifying. From sun-drenched nightmares to the mysteries that stir when the last beachgoer packs up and leaves, these stories will remind you that the warmth of summer can hide the coldest fears.

Now, because no edition is complete without a little humor, here’s a dad joke to keep things light… or at least lighter than the stories you’re about to read: Why don’t skeletons fight each other in the summer? Because they don’t have the guts!

So, pull up a lounge chair, slather on the sunscreen, and get ready to be scorched by tales that will make your blood run cold. This summer, Trembling With Fear has something special in store, and we hope you savor every bone-chilling moment.

Happy reading… and remember, in the heat of summer, no one can hear you scream.

Stuart Conover

Editor-in-Chief, Horror Tree

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Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear – Valentine’s Day 2024 Edition

Happy Valentine’s Day! Welcome to our special edition of Trembling With Fear. What a selection this year! I always love seeing how our writers take the themes of the holiday and incorporate them into an intriguing story, a enigmatic encounter, a twisting tale, and this year did not disappoint! Love, sweet treats, romantic dinners, meet-cutes – this Special Edition has everything that makes a great Valentine’s Day story. It also has a little extra – that special something that makes it just right for our Valentine’s Special Edition at Trembling With Fear. From deep love to rejection, this edition covers all the many facets of love and just as many of horror.

We really hope you enjoy this Valentine’s Day Special Edition of Trembling With Fear!

Happy Reading!

Shalini

Shalini Bethala

Editor, Trembling With Fear

Love is in the air, and we’re all about celebrating things getting a little… mushy. This year’s Valentine’s edition is really a return to form that shares all kinds of horror that really hits you like a stake to the heart (sorry, my vampiric friends!). As the twilight shadows stretch and the full moon blushes red, we invite you to a rendezvous with the macabre, where every heartbeat is a drumroll for the next chilling sentence.

In this collection, love isn’t just blind—it’s bound, gagged, and haunting the corridors of the brokenhearted. Prepare for tales where passion bleeds into obsession, and affection veers into the abyss of madness. These stories will entwine you in the arms of the forbidden, kiss your neck with a breath of the eternal, and leave love bites that linger beyond the grave.

So, light the candles and let the scent of roses fill the air, but beware the thorns among the petals and the shadows that move when you’re not looking. For in these pages, the only thing more terrifying than a broken heart is one that refuses to die.

Welcome to a Valentine’s celebration like no other, where we hope that you’ll fall in love with some new stories… or die trying.

Stuart Conover

Editor-in-Chief, Horror Tree

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Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear – Christmas 2023 Edition!

Welcome to our special Christmas Edition of Trembling With Fear! Whether you celebrate the holidays or not, there is so much to enjoy about this time of year. Whether it’s the festive lights, the presents, the warm cups of cocoa, the snow or delicious food, the holidays are filled with so much to see and do. That also means that there is so much to inspire new tales and new takes on well-known stories. 

I am always amazed and delighted to see what our writers do with the themes of each holiday, and this edition did not disappoint. We’ve had excellent submissions this year, and we’ve selected the best to be a part of our holiday collection. It was a joy to put together, I hope you enjoy our little gift to you.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Shalini

Shalini Bethala

Editor, Trembling With Fear

It’s cold outside, so we’ve got some great tales to warm your soul with terror to celebrate the howl-i-days. I hope that you’re having a great time no matter what you celebrate (or don’t celebrate) this season, and I really am thrilled that we’ve got this present of fantastic fiction to deliver to you. For once, I’m feeling a bit more like St. Nick and not Krampus… I’m sure none of you have been naughty this year and deserve presents instead, right?

Have a great one, and I truly hope that you enjoy all of the stories that have been submitted for your enjoyment! (Remember, if you love a story, give the gift of thanks to the author in either comments or on social media.)

Stuart Conover

Editor-in-Chief, Horror Tree

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Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear – Halloween 2023 Edition

It’s one of my favorite times of year! Halloween is upon us, and if you have been unable to enjoy all the fun of this holiday, you’ll get a chance to catch up with the stories in this special edition.

This has been an especially fun edition for me because our writers have a plethora of topics and ideas to choose from. This holiday is associated with so many things from ghosts to vampires; haunting people to tricks and treats. This is a time where our writers get to stretch their creative muscles and run wild. While we had a lot of submissions this year, we’ve selected a few of our favorites. Happy Halloween!

 

Happy Reading!

Shalini

Shalini Bethala

Editor, Trembling With Fear

As the veil between worlds thins and the shadows grow bolder, we find ourselves standing on the threshold of Halloween—a day rich with history, mystique, and a touch of the macabre. It’s Stu here, one of your curators of curiosities and teller of tales, ready to embark on a journey through the fantastical and the frightening with this special edition of ‘Trembling With Fear.’

I’ve always believed that Halloween is more than just a day on the calendar; it’s a portal to the parts of our imagination that lie dormant, waiting for permission to come alive. The stories we’ve gathered for you this year are a testament to the power of this hallowed holiday. They weave a tapestry of terror and wonder, inviting you to suspend disbelief and embrace the unknown.

Did you know that Halloween has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, a time when the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead was believed to be at its thinnest? It’s a tradition that speaks to our deepest yearnings to connect with something greater than ourselves, and it’s the perfect backdrop for our literary adventure.

So, dear reader, I invite you to join me in celebrating the allure of All Hallows’ Eve. Let’s revel in the magic and mystery of the stories that await, and perhaps, just perhaps, we’ll discover that the line between fiction and reality is not as clear-cut as it seems.

Welcome to the Halloween special of ‘Trembling With Fear.’ The shadows are waiting, and the tales are ready to be told. Are you?

Lauren McMenemy

Editor-in-Chief, Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear – Summer 2023 Edition!

Summer is coming to a close…but it’s not over yet! We still have plenty of time for sun, water, cool drinks- oh, and all the wild and crazy things that can happen on a summer getaway. Not sure what I’m talking about? Well, dive into our Summer Edition to find out!

This year’s writers crafted engaging tales that cover many different types of summer experiences. Whether you’re camping, enjoying the beach, or attending afternoon at a festival, these stories will have you see your experiences in a new way. These tales have monsters, love and a bit of fun, so pull up your beach chair or gather around a campfire and dive into our Summer 2023 Edition of Trembling With Fear!

Happy Reading!

Shalini

Shalini Bethala

Editor, Trembling With Fear

The clouds are circling, the air is cooling, and summer is officially coming to its close. Halloween might be just around the corner, but we want to go for one last tyre-swing-over-the-river! And so, TWF is proud to present the 2023 Summer Special. Shalini has chosen some absolute crackers for you, and I hope you enjoy them all. 

Remember, we do four special editions every year, and we’d love to feature you in these pages some time. Yes, YOU. Get the details over here, and then get those darkly seasonal cogs whirring for your next terrific speculative opus. 

Lauren McMenemy

Editor-in-Chief, Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear – Valentine’s 2023 Edition!

It’s that time of year again! When February rolls around, its the season for love, for passion, and for all the creepy twists and turns where love can take you. 

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Sure, it’s not a holiday that most people would associate with “spine-chilling”, but that didn’t stop our writers from crafting bewitching tales that will have you thinking twice about a “bad” date. From long lost loves to wishes gone bad, other worldly experiences to characters blinded by love (or lust), this collection of short stories and drabbles will leave you never seeing Cupid’s Day the same again. 

Come with me as we dive into these illustrious works of fiction that explore all the ways love can take a turn for the worst. 

Happy Valentine’s!

Shalini

Shalini Bethala

Editor, Trembling With Fear

Love is in the air!
Of course, what some might consider love isn’t shared by the rest of us.
Today, we have a fantastic mix of stories from wanting to bring love to us no matter what the cost to what happens when we let love fade away.
As always, we hope you enjoy!

Stuart Conover

Editor, Horror Tree

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Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear – Halloween 2022 Edition!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Happy Halloween! Monsters and slashers and ghosts… oh my. We sure do have a horrific collection this year that doesn’t shy away from the wicked and the macabre. There are stories of dilapidated houses and the evil things that haunt within, tales of people whose true forms are revealed on All Hallow’s eve, and lore of the tricksters who were never able get their treat.

On this Halloween, follow me and let’s immerse ourselves in this realm of fiction where the horror lurks only upon these written pages… or does it?

We at the Horror Tree wish you all a safe and happy Halloween. 

Thanks!

Amanda

Amanda Headlee

Editor, Trembling With Fear

As the chorus to one of my favorite songs of the season states, “This is Halloween, this is Halloween,” At the time we’re posting this, it IS Halloween! 

We’ve got a great mix of stories for you this year, and hope you enjoy reading them as much as we have published them. Fun statistics. We’re printing the same amount of shorts and three less drabbles than last year. However, we received twice as many shorts AND drabbles as we had last year. So, we had to be a bit pickier to give you the quality that we want. I’d like to stress that not all of those rejected were by any means bad stories. Some just didn’t feel “Halloween-centric” enough, some needed edits that there just wasn’t enough time to pull off with how close to the holiday that they were submitted, and a couple were a bit too graphic that, while enjoyable, weren’t ‘right’ for a public-facing website.

I’d like to thank all of those who submitted. I hope you all had a blast and again, I hope you all enjoy reading these as much as we did! 

Stuart Conover

Editor, Horror Tree

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