Havok Publishing

Archive - April 2020

Just Like Once Upon a Time

“And with one mighty swing of his ax, the woodsman split the wolf in two, and Red Riding Hood and her grandmother came tumbling out!”
I stood and began clearing away the dishes, warmed by the familiar tale. Happy endings were always my favorite. “The last time you told me that one,

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Season Two Themes Featured Image

Cover Reveal for Season Two: Stories That Sing!

We are excited to announce that our second anthology will release April 30th! The Season Two: Stories That Sing anthology includes: 31 winning stories from our second season (July-December 2019) exclusive stories by our Featured Authors: Carla Hoch, Morgan L. Busse, Kat Heckenbach, and Jill Williamson exclusive stories by our Featured Staff: Andrew Winch, Teddi Deppner, Lisa Godfrees, Ronnell

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SS - Staff Saturday featured image

Threat Level: Dolphin

The jungle island loomed ahead, a silhouette against the rising sun. I hurtled across the tips of the waves in my best tuxedo. Six of the most accomplished and highly trained Navy SEALs to ever swim for Uncle Sam followed close behind.
We made for a cave hidden at the back of a narrow cove,

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Aliens and Anxiety

It’s not the end of the world.
That’s what her brother would have said if he were here.
But he wasn’t.
Corbin had been called in to work a late shift at the warehouse thirteen miles away. Nora knew because the GPS locator on her phone told her.
If only her phone could pinpoint the monsters, too.

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Why God Made Beer

The stout at the Crown is frothy and just a bit sweet. Not sure how many I’ve drunk, but tonight isn’t the night for counting. If I was sure there’d be beer in heaven, I might be elsewhere.
Aliens. The outer-space sort. Came down from beyond months ago and decided last week they’d play

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To Look at the Stars Again

“Y’know, it’s still pretty cool to look at,” Gil said, as another solar flare flickered out across the night sky. “You can see splendid patterns, roiling changes that resemble wind direction, and a fantastic purple-orange hue to the sky. It’s a bit like the Northern Lights, I think.”
He turned and pointed upwards

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The Boy with the Crows

I found him by accident as I stumbled through the forest, cloaked in shadows.
The child was crouched in a patch of light, bare feet dusty against the packed earth. He was feeding the crows. They hopped about him, nipping at his clothing, brushing his face with their wings. He laughed.

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Top Stories from February 2020… so far

February–the month of love! Ooo-la-la. Just the idea makes me want to speak in French. We loved us some stories from February! A lot of great additions to our Bingeworthy theme! Let’s check out the stories that YOU gave the most love. Here are the February Readers’ Favorites (to date). Remember: if you don’t agree,

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Flames of Vengeance

Heat tickled in Ivraeldu’s veins. Rage swam in his heart. A passion to set their world aflame.
Cold air brushed his eyes as his wings sailed the wind. A sea of stars twinkled against the infinite night sky. Below, acres of farmland stretched between snow-capped mountains and a glassy river.

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Average Joe

A small bell rang, and Joe looked up from his cup of coffee to the front door of Bob’s Stellar Diner. Darcy and Ben Jackson had stopped at the hostess’s desk, and Lucy smiled before leading them to the same booth they occupied at 7 a.m. every Saturday. As the elderly couple moved past,

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Milk Abduction

Why, oh why, did the baby and the aliens have to come on the same night?
Joey crouched on the bathroom counter, heart racing. Purple light from the crocodile-shaped spaceship outside bathed the house in an eerie glow. Glass shattered in the kitchen. A scaled figure ripped open the refrigerator and hissed at its contents.

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