Neal F. Litherland

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About Neal F. Litherland
Neal Litherland is a Northwest Indiana author who works primarily in science fiction, fantasy, and horror. He started his career as a freelancer and ghostwriter in 2008, and it took until 2012 for his fiction to see the light of day under his own name.
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Blog postI've written fairly often about what people would term "social justice" issues in fiction. From Asexual Awareness in Fiction, to What Would A Woman Do?, or even my fairly recent post from late last year Avoid Back-Handed Inclusion in Your Book, I've had a lot to say about representation in fiction. While a lot of the response has been positive, there has been one, consistent complaint used as a push-back whenever I (or someone else) talks about these topics. A line of reasoning that thYesterday Read more
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Blog postWhile I may not talk about them as much on this particular platform, I greatly enjoy White Wolf's games. While I have a preference for Chronicles of Darkness games like Changeling: The Lost (whose second edition just came out not too long ago, by the by), I'm still more than happy to roll some 10-siders in old world Werewolf or Vampire with the right crew.
However, one thing that always frustrated me was that the d10 system seemed so inherently tied to those games. While it was poss3 days ago Read more -
Blog postOur characters are often different from us in a lot of ways. But while a lot of players have no trouble with characters who are stronger, tougher, or quicker than they are in real life, it's those more ephemeral attributes that can sometimes cause a problem. How do you portray a character with an 18 in Intelligence if you don't have a degree in higher sciences? Can you believably act out an 18 Wisdom while knowing all those bad decisions you'd make in this situation? And what the hell does some5 days ago Read more
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Blog postDespite the fact that authors deal in words, it is numbers that rule our lives. Everything from page count, to margin size, to cover image dimensions, to how many re-tweets our book release announcement gets are the determining factors in whether our careers rise or fall.
That's bad enough, but I've talked about this before in posts like Authors Live Under The Tyranny of Numbers (Here's How You Can Help!). Today I'd like to talk about something else, though. Namely about how fr1 week ago Read more -
Blog postYou ever seen Quigley Down Under? Aside from being the best Western that doesn't even pretend to be set in the Wild West, it is filled with memorable performances. Perhaps no scene is more famous than the ending, though, where it turns out our hero (who prefers the range and power of his rifle) is significantly more accomplished with a pistol than the villain would ever have believed.
If you haven't seen the scene, somehow, this is the one I'm talking about.
Sometimes I1 week ago Read more -
Blog postOne of the first questions players in RPGs often ask is how they can do a lot of damage. After all, there are few things as satisfying as the one-shot-kill.
Boom! Head shot.There are generally two choices you have when it comes to finding a solution to this problem, and if you approach the game and all of its associated material with these things in mind you'll do fine. You either need to stack a lot of bonuses on your side (which ensures you always do a respectable amount of damage2 weeks ago Read more -
Blog postFolks who've been following this blog for the past few years know that, until fairly recently, most of my published fiction was short stories. In fact, I spent the first few years of this latest leg of my writing career doing nothing by churning out short fiction to get into as many collections and anthologies as I could. And while I feel I learned a lot during that period, as I said in What I Learned Writing Short Stories For Two Years, I did pick up one, tiny, problematic habit.
I2 weeks ago Read more -
Blog postAnother Monday has rolled around, and like so many Mondays before it I'd like to take a moment to big-up the signal for a fellow creator. And not just any fellow creator... today I'd like to talk about my friend Nick Tockert's debut release that's now available on Amazon.
The minis game/RPG Big Stompy Robots... or BSR for short.
Good times all around.I'd like to talk the good, the bad, and the ugly regarding this game. Though, if you just want a solid thumbs up or2 weeks ago Read more -
Blog postAfter uncovering a cult of madmen, and finding their leader was a prominent judge in Magnimar, our heroes might be in hot water. If they can stop the cult's plans before they come to fruition, though, they may find themselves on the right side of the law when all is said and done. Can they do it in time?
If you're just now joining us, here's what's happened up till this point.
- Chapter 1: Blood and Butterflies
- Chapter 2: Murder and Glass
- Chapt2 weeks ago Read more -
Blog postA few weeks ago I put together a list of 10 Things You Can Do To Sell More Books. However, that list is pretty much only talking to the authors out there about all the things they can personally do to increase their sales... problem is, that's only half the equation.
The other half is your readers, and the actions they take on your behalf.
Every, single one of you beautiful people.Authors get a lot of credit for their hustle, but the truth is that without readers d3 weeks ago Read more -
Blog postToday I want to talk about a particular way of describing games that I heard in a discussion a few weeks back. It neatly encapsulates a lot of the things I've been trying to say pretty much since I started this blog, and for all the other folks out there who haven't come across this term I want to take a moment to share it with you.
That term is mechanical freedom.
Freedom...
Story Freedom
Before we talk about mechanical freedom, you need to understand what story freedom3 weeks ago Read more -
Blog postA murmur went through the crowd as the young man stepped into the circle. He was tall and rangy, with the dark hair and craggy face of a northerner. Though he was dressed in leather, it was the soft, supple sort worn by scholars and chieftains, rather than the rough hides of warriors. There was no mistaking the ax in his hand, though. It was old, and though marred from hard use, the runes along the steel were etched with acid, and scarred dark with fire.
"And who is this, that3 weeks ago Read more -
Blog postMost authors out there are under the impression that a book must be flawless if it is going to be for sale. From plot holes, to spelling errors, to aberrant commas, everything needs to be ship-shape and squared away before the readers lay eyes on the work. Because if they spot so much as a single semicolon where it isn't supposed to be, then that's it for you. You had your chance, and now you've been condemned to the bin, written off as a hack for all eternity.
Ah, but then the twist!Have4 weeks ago Read more -
Blog postAs most folks who follow my blog know, in addition to creating gaming content, I'm also an author and a regular convention participant. So when a friend of mine from con invited me to do a reading from my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife at the Gumbo Fiction Salon hosted at the Galway Arms in Chicago, I really couldn't say no.
If you're wondering what I read, check out the free sample!The reading went beautifully, and when I and my fellow readers had closed our covers, I s1 month ago Read more -
Blog postSomething I've repeated time and time again on this blog is that your character class is just a word that describes a certain package of skills your character possesses. Those skills and abilities are neutral regarding your story, provided your story in no way goes against the description of your skills.
What does that mean in plain English? Well, just because your character is a monk, that doesn't mean you are required to play a fantasy Shaolin monk, or even have studied at a monastery. Y1 month ago Read more -
Blog postIf you're an author, then you have two goals in life; write books, and sell books. As you've no doubt noticed the first is usually a lot easier to do. So if you're one of those authors who has books on the market, but you simply aren't selling as many copies as you'd like to, here are some concrete things you can do to start increasing your numbers today!
#10: Get An Eye-Catching Cover
Not to toot my own horn, or anything.As I said back in Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover (Even1 month ago Read more -
Blog postWe've all had to deal with that one social event that just ended up becoming too much of a chore to handle. You know, like when you first met up with this group of folks down at the local bar. They got together every Thursday, and had a good time. Then Brian decided to join you. He was Sharon's friend, and you figured you'd give him a chance, but you just don't like him. From the way he drinks too much, to how he can't hold his temper, to how he always expects someone else to cover his tab, he'1 month ago Read more
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Blog postFolks who stop by my blog know that Improved Initiative is more of a place to remix concepts and builds with existing rules than a place where I brew up totally new stuff. However, when it comes to 5th Edition, barely a session of the campaign I'm in goes by where I don't notice a big gap that is just calling out to be filled in with fresh content.
So this week I thought I'd present something I'm going to try out that other folks might like as well. I call it Vile Bile, in honor of1 month ago Read more -
Blog postThere is no faster way to start a fight on a writer's forum than to talk about the rules of writing. Whether it was stuff we learned when we were kids in school (never start a sentence with "and" or "but" for example), or it's a little more complex (questions of whether the three-act structure is superior, or if Chekhov's Gun is ironclad, or simply a matter of opinion), there are few things writers love to argue about more than someone else supposedly telling them how to writ1 month ago Read more
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Blog postThe Internet is full of crafty people who make strange, unusual, striking, and downright awesome stuff. The problem is that most of the time you only find them by accident. You happen to be scrolling through a group you don't go to much, or a friend shares a link, or the random numbers of the algorithm give you a brief glimpse at someone's work, and show you a door you could step through if you were intrigued enough.
Today, I'd like to be that door for folks who haven't heard of Tor2 months ago Read more -
Blog postThe undead plague appears to have been contained, for the time being, but Foxglove Manor is a problem beyond the powers of Sandpoint's heroes to cleanse on their own. They decided to venture south to Magnimar to enlist the help of a priest, but also to investigate the strange letters found in the den of the creature that had once been Aldern Foxglove. Something is brewing in Magnimar... but what?
- Chapter 1: Blood and Butterflies
- Chapter 2: Murder and Glass
2 months ago Read more -
Blog postI've noticed something over the past few years; anytime I talk to someone who isn't a writer about all the projects I'm currently working on, they immediately think that I'm exaggerating how broke I am. After all, how could I possibly be broke if I'm actively writing a new novel, working on one client's game world, writing a new DM supplement every month for another client, maintaining two blogs, building an archive on Vocal, and ghostwriting blogs for a bevy of other customers? Especially2 months ago Read more
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Blog postThere are few things more annoying than your dice making a break for it when you're in the middle of a tense situation. Whether your dice go wild, knocking over PC and monster minis on the map, or they fall off the table entirely, leading to the whole table shining their cell phones down into the shadows while you try to retrieve your fallen soldier, that can break the spell you're all collectively weaving.
Maybe you don't have a lot of room at your gaming table, or maybe you just want a n2 months ago Read more -
Blog post"Look, fellas, is this really necessary?" Lunk asked, holding his big hands out to show they were empty. "I get you're mad, but we're grown men. Let's just pull a few pints, and see if we can figure this out. My treat, what do you say?"
"I'll tell you what I say," Crandle snarled, snatching his dagger off of his belt. "I say the time for talk is past."
Crandle strode across the room, his face twisted in fury, but Lunk didn't seem2 months ago Read more -
Blog postAs the year draws to a close, so many of us are looking toward 2019 and making promises. New year, new me, and you know the usual suspects on that list. I want to finally sign up for those classes, I want to get a better job, I want to get in shape and lose some weight, and so on, and so forth. By the by, if you haven't seen my How I Lost 40 Pounds By Eating More Taco Bell, I'd recommend checking it out if that's one of your goals.
I'm not typically one for resolutions, but I though2 months ago Read more -
Blog postAs I've alluded to before, I spend a lot of time on social media and on various boards talking about games. I share my work, I answer questions when I feel my knowledge is worthwhile, and I do my best to help where I can. However, I've noticed this thing that happens a lot in the digital world of game conversations, and it confuses me.
The scenario goes like this. Someone, either in the main body of a post or in a comment, will talk about how their table has changed a particular rul2 months ago Read more -
Blog postHargrave sat nervously at the table in the rear of the tavern. He'd been told to wait, and wait he had, nursing a tarred jack of sour wine and trying not to grimace. When the man in the black hood entered, Hargrave pretended not to notice him. The man didn't speak, but Hargrave told him what he'd seen in a low whisper. When he'd told everything he knew, the man nodded, stood, and went the way he'd come. Sitting on the scarred tabletop, gleaming dully in the firelight, was a single, thick co2 months ago Read more
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Blog postIn this day and age, we're all familiar with trailers. However, a lot of us forget that they aren't just for movies. From short infomercials about unbreakable pans, to sneak previews of plays, concerts, and festivals, it's possible to make a trailer for damn near anything. All you need to do is put together a video appetizer, and throw it out there to get people interested in what you're trying to sell.
As an example, thanks to Dungeon Keeper Radio, my novel Crier's Knife now h2 months ago Read more -
Blog postThere is something satisfying about victory when it comes after the end of a lot of hard effort. When your last spell tips the balance, your final sword stroke lays low the villain, or that saved-for-a-rainy-day enchanted arrow finds its mark, that swelling feeling of satisfaction can cement that campaign forever into the stories you tell when you reminisce against games of yesteryear.
He thought he had me, but he didn't know I had one more shocking grasp left for the day...As a dun2 months ago Read more -
Blog postStaying on your feet long enough to finish the fight is a challenge, even for groups that field a cleric, warpriest, or oracle. That goes double if you find yourself in a time crunch, or can't take a moment to catch your breath and refresh your spells between battles. While most of us carry a plethora of wands to take care of incidental damage when the dust settles, and holdout potions for when we really need a quick infusion, there are a lot of wonderful, mystical solutions out there you s2 months ago Read more
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Blog postInclusion is one of those things that is becoming something of a buzzword in today's author circles. Everyone seems to be falling over each other to add it into their work, and to use it as an additional point in their favor when it comes time to move copies. The idea is pretty sound. If you have a more diverse cast, and you include elements like underrepresented ethnicities, cultures, sexualities, then you are both going to stand out from your competitors, and make your book more appealing to2 months ago Read more
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Blog postAs anyone who reads my Monday updates knows, when I'm not giving my thoughts on improving your performance behind the DM screen, I'm typically trying to big up a signal for other creators. And since I recently released my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, I figured I'd take a moment to share with you the work of some other authors who should be on your shelf as well.
The following will be particularly useful if you're in the market for Christmas presents (and you want your frie2 months ago Read more -
Blog postThe undead are roaming Sandpoint's countryside, threatening not just the town, but also their ability to feed themselves. If the ghouls aren't killed soon, and the ghast that created them stopped, then it could spiral out of control to threaten Magnimar, Riddleport, and the other prominent cities of Varisia. It was after slaying a pack of the creatures that our heroes found a key... a key that might unlock what's been going on out in the farmlands.
If you need to get up to speed, th2 months ago Read more -
Blog postThe deer had run for miles, until it finally collapsed into an exhausted, shuddering heap. The hunters were far away now, and it was out of danger. It had fled time and time again, but now it was sure. They were gone. They had to be gone. It slept, but when it woke they had returned. The strange, dark shapes smelling of death and saltpeter. It could have run again, but it was so tired. It managed to stand, but before it had taken three steps, the guns rang out, and it fell down dead.
3 months ago Read more -
Blog postIf you're a dungeon master, then you know exactly how expensive miniatures can get. While there's nothing wrong with using tokens or cardboard minis (the sort you could download from Paper Forge, for example), there is something a little more real about using three-dimensional miniatures for your beasties. Especially if you want to assemble a small army of zombies at one end of the table, or you want to make it abundantly clear that the entire deck of the opposing ship is swarming with pira3 months ago Read more
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Blog post"Is he secure?" Walden asked.
"Yes, sir," Durgen said. "I turned the locks on his cage myself."
"Good, that's good," Walden said, relaxing noticeably. The warden turned the book around to face Durgen. "If you'll just make your mark here, the transfer will be complete."
"Of course," Durgen said. He reached into his pocket, and frowned. "Strange..."
"Strange?" Walden3 months ago Read more -
Blog postHow many of us remember the dark and gritty decade that was the genre fiction landscape of the 1990s? It was the era where we loved things like The Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen, The Crow, and Warhammer 40,000 without a single ounce of irony. It was when all of our vampires wore floor-length leather trench coats, everyone smoked unfiltered cigs, and no one had happy endings.
And every comic was hand-painted with expended gun powder taken from crime scenes.We picked up a lot of3 months ago Read more -
Blog postMost of us who know what it's like to sit in that big chair at the head of the table have experience one of those moments. Whether it was just after you made a tough call, or while pondering the next arc of your campaign, you've wondered if you're really cut out to be a dungeon master. If you are providing the experience your players want, or if you're making big mistakes and ruining everything.
Well, every table's experiences are going to be different. However, these are the five b3 months ago Read more -
Blog postWe all know we're not supposed to judge a book by its cover... but let's be honest, we do. Everything from the quality of the art, to the font choice of the title, to how it all comes together is indicative of skill and investment. If someone has a professional-looking cover, then someone is likely to assume the same level of care and attention to detail was also taken with the story behind that cover.
And if your cover sends a different message? Well, readers pick up on that, too.
T3 months ago Read more -
Blog postI'd like to start this entry off with a bit of good news. I recently put out my first novel! Crier's Knife is a sword and sorcery tale, with all the flashing blades and fell magic you'd expect from something in the genre. Our protagonist is Dirk Crier, a mountain boy from a witchbred clan, and one day his grandmother sets him the task of fetching his cousin Teller. Teller has a knack for getting into trouble, but this time he's up to his neck in real darkness; the kind you don't walk out of wit3 months ago Read more
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Blog postSocial media is, on the surface, one of the greatest blessings a professional creator could ask for. It costs you nothing to sign up, you can immediately join all kinds of communities, and with zero impact on your marketing budget tell everyone about your latest project. All it takes is starting a conversation, and from that point you've got it made in the shade!
The problem most folks run into, though, is they don't know how to break the ice... or if you're looking for a more3 months ago Read more -
Blog postIf you're a fan of fantasy, chances are good you've noticed how crowded the field of the divine can be. This can be particularly problematic in this genre because deities are assumed to be real forces in a lot of fantasy stories (particularly when their servants are the ones standing in as heroes or villains, and drawing their power from that divine source), and thus they represent a major force within the world.
There is an old trick regarding the divine, though, that you can use t4 months ago Read more -
Blog postOne thing I hear from a lot of writers is that they're worried their books might be too controversial. This might sound like a polite version of that too-edgy-for-you storyteller we've all seen in our writing circles, but sometimes it is a genuine concern. They're worried that, if certain aspects of their story remain how they are, that it could turn off potential readers. That's a legitimate concern, but I'd like to take a moment to ask you something.
Do you know what Assault on Pr4 months ago Read more -
Blog postFirst things first, I wanted to share a spooky little side project I've been working on for a bit. I've recently put together 50 Two-Sentence Horror Stories over on Horror.Media, and I wanted to make that my Halloween season gift to all my regular readers.
Now, for your regularly-schedule post!
An Editor That Works For You
As technology grows more sophisticated, it becomes an ever-more-useful tool in allowing artists to do more with less. While it's still a good i4 months ago Read more -
Blog postWe're all familiar with the idea of Schrodinger's Cat, right? We live on the Internet, this is a thing we've heard of? Well, for those who need a refresher it's essentially a thought experiment. You place a cat in a box with a source of radiation, and a flask of poison. When a Geiger counter detects radioactivity, the poison is opened, and it should kill the cat. However, the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics says that as long as you cannot observe the results the cat may exist in4 months ago Read more
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Blog postHow many times have you been reading a book, and come across what sounds like a really unique fantasy race? They're mysterious, they seem to be powerful, and there are whispers about fallen empires and hidden civilizations that might provide a clue to the current plot. Maybe you start getting excited, wondering when the big reveal for the Gethredgi is going to happen. Then, when our heroes find themselves in the depths of a darkened forest, they're suddenly surrounded by strange, shadowy shapes5 months ago Read more
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Blog postRegular viewers know that something I like to do during Business weeks is to offer some advice on different platforms you can use to start earning money from the content you produce. One of the oldest recommendations I made was detailed in Make Money Writing (By Joining InfoBarrel), and it was joined by the more recent coverage on Want To Make Money Writing? Check Out Vocal! that I added earlier this year. Both of which are still solid examples for text-based income, by the by.
Howe5 months ago Read more -
Blog postHow many times have you read a modern fantasy story where an entire supernatural world is kept completely in the shadows? Whether it's vampires in their ivory towers making secret deals with politicians, cabals of wizards waging war on werewolves, or eldritch beings whose stirrings send ripples through space and time, the general population doesn't know about these things. And most folks, if you tried to tell them, would look at you as if you were a crazy person.
Cynthia, James isn't a vam5 months ago Read more -
Blog postIt takes a colossal amount of time, effort, energy, and luck to get someone hooked on a piece of content you made. Whether it was a blog entry, a gaming guide, a short story, a video, a novel, whatever you made, people don't seem to appreciate the sheer amount of Predator-like hunting savvy you need to have in order to sink that hook.
But sinking that hook is only the first step. Once you have someone's attention, you need to reel them in so they'll check out more of the stuff5 months ago Read more -
Blog postBeneath the skin of every story there is complicated machinery at work. Villainous machinations, misunderstandings, motivations, desires, dreams, and needs are the cogs and gears that turn the mechanism. All these parts and pieces are what fit together, fire your characters' synapses, and keep things moving forward.
Scene 1, Act One: The Gun Goes OffWhile there are no universal rules for writing, there is language we can use to talk about these nuts and bolts. Our protagonist, for e5 months ago Read more
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Books By Neal F. Litherland
Crier's Knife
Nov 2, 2018
$2.99$299
$13.00$1300
Get it by Monday, Feb 18
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$12.77
(7 Used & New offers)
Pathfinder Player Companion: Blood of the Sea
Aug 15, 2017
by
Paizo Staff
$8.75$875
$14.99
Get it by Monday, Feb 18
Only 7 left in stock (more on the way).
Only 7 left in stock (more on the way).
More Buying Choices
$4.75
(102 Used & New offers)
SNAFU: Survival of the Fittest
Aug 21, 2015
by
Jeremy Robinson ,
Kane Gilmour ,
S.D. Perry ,
Matt Hilton ,
Tim Marquitz ,
Alan Baxter ,
Jack Hanson ,
Geoff Brown ,
Amanda J. Spedding
$3.99$399
$869.56$86956
More Buying Choices
$869.56
(2 Used & New offers)
by
Robin Praytor ,
Charlotte Platt ,
Frances Pauli ,
Isobel Horsburgh ,
Jaleta Clegg ,
Jean Graham ,
Jennifer Loring ,
Jennifer Lee Rossman ,
Jeremy Megargee ,
Karen Ovér
$4.99$499
$14.95$1495
Get it by Monday, Feb 18
More Buying Choices
$14.95
(2 Used & New offers)
Pathfinder Player Companion: Bastards of Golarion
Mar 25, 2014
$10.99$1099
$12.99
Get it by Monday, Feb 18
Only 3 left in stock - order soon.
Only 3 left in stock - order soon.
More Buying Choices
$4.63
(45 Used & New offers)
Feats Reforged IV: The Magic Feats
Aug 6, 2015
$9.99$999
Get it by Monday, Feb 18
More Buying Choices
$9.98
(12 Used & New offers)
American Nightmare
Mar 13, 2014
by
Max Booth III ,
Tim Marquitz ,
T. Fox Dunham ,
W. P. Johnson ,
Neal Litherland ,
Ian Welke ,
Chris Thorndycroft ,
Madeleine Swann ,
Rachel Anding ,
George Cotronis
$4.99$499
$15.00$1500
Get it by Monday, Feb 18
More Buying Choices
$14.99
(2 Used & New offers)
The Big Bad II
Feb 24, 2015
$2.99$299
$29.73$2973
Get it by Monday, Feb 25
More Buying Choices
$23.85
(11 Used & New offers)
$15.95$1595
Get it by Thursday, Feb 21
More Buying Choices
$13.07
(15 Used & New offers)
New Avalon: Love and Loss in The City of Steam
Mar 19, 2015
$2.99$299
$9.83$983
Get it by Monday, Feb 18
More Buying Choices
$8.84
(8 Used & New offers)
SIDEKICKS!
Mar 10, 2013
by
Alex Beldsoe ,
Donald Bingle ,
Matt Betts ,
Alana Lorens ,
Patrick Tomlinson ,
Kelly Swails ,
Neal Litherland ,
Chante McCoy ,
KW Taylor ,
Sarah Hans
$4.99$499
$15.99$1599
Get it by Monday, Feb 18
More Buying Choices
$12.50
(15 Used & New offers)
Noir Carnival
Jul 9, 2013
$4.99$499
$11.00$1100
Get it by Monday, Feb 18
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$7.01
(3 Used & New offers)
Snafu: An Anthology of Military Horror
Jul 11, 2014
$100.00$10000
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$100.00
(2 Used & New offers)
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