GEORGE CLAYTON JOHNSON (Ocean's Eleven, Logan's Run) joins the print edition of Drastic Measures anthology of short fiction, volume I, to help spin tales of where the human mind goes when its cornered. New discovery MELISSA LYONS is the most powerful new voice in suspense since Dean Koontz with her story, "Snow." Editor BEN PARRIS adds two stories of his own edited by Fantasy & Science Fiction contributor KEN ALTABEF. In "Murder in Songjiang" All Brian wanted to do was teach English in China. All the U.S. State Department wanted of the CIA was a quiet investigation of how Brian got killed...

Sarah gasped. She picked up the only thing close at hand, a large wooden stirring spoon, and braced herself for his entrance. Hearing footsteps. One, two, three... Jo Jo discovered Sarah shivering and cornered in the kitchen. He took in the situation with aplomb, dropping a handful of wet mail on the counter next to her keys. "Wull ain't you the dutiful housewife an' such?" He hefted a metal digging shovel from somewhere, possibly their own garage. Sarah didn't glance back at the swinging door or shout for help. No matter what, she was determined not to reveal that Brenda was in the house. No...

The time: 1950, the start of the Korean War. The place: Fort Bliss TX, where the 245th Infantry Battalion, a National Guard Unit, is training before deployment. The problem: Private John Gault MacKenna is actually a full Colonel in the Army's Criminal Investigation Department, sent to investigate the unit. He discovers that this battalion is unlike any other in the army. In fact, it operates as a club whose members have close ties to the Mafia. MacKenna's presence activates old feuds and ignites new ones, sparks romances, and leads to a host of impossible events that will thrill and entertain...

TODAY YOU WRITE THE BOOK: The Keys to Start Your Novel, 2nd Edition, is the quick-read, no-nonsense guide to survey all aspects of novel writing. Not only does this bold text cover story elements; it also provides invaluable advice about the enormous benefits and occasional pitfalls of contact with the writing community. Get unique information about The Word Count Paradox, The Idea Factory, The Hammer Method, and more. Note: It takes about one hour to read this book straight through. It takes six hours to absorb the information and work through the exercises properly. It is NOT a book that...