Let's Play White

Let's Play White by Chesya Burke builds dark fantasy and horror short stories on African and African American history and legend, while playing with what it means to be human. 

Gritty and sublime, the stories of Let's Play White feature real people facing the worlds they're given, bringing out the best and the worst of what it means to be human. If you're ready to slip into someone else's skin for a while, then it's time to come play white.

There Is No Death, There Are No Dead

There Is No Death, There Are No Dead is a horror anthology that tackles all aspects of the spiritualist movement: from the true believers to the nay-sayers, the hoaxes to hauntings, the real mediums to the scam artists. From ghosts to possessions, from profound loss to insurmountable grief, these short stories explore limitless genres (historical fiction, Gaslamp mystery, modern horror, and everything in between) with a diverse cast of characters challenged at every corner.

Year's Best Young Adult Speculative Fiction 2015

Dark Stars: New Tales of Darkest Horror

Our goal is to uncover the best young adult short fiction of the year published in the anthologies dedicated to the form, the occasional special edition of a magazine, and individual pieces appearing in otherwise "adult" anthologies and magazines, and bring them together in one accessible collection. Teaching Notes are available for this title.

Within this book, you’ll find tales of dead men walking, an insidious secret summer fling, an island harboring unspeakable power, and a dark hallway that beckons. You’ll encounter terrible monsters - both human and supernatural - and be forever changed. The stories in Dark Stars run the gamut from traditional to modern, from dark fantasy to neo-noir, from explorations of beloved horror tropes to the unknown - possibly unknowable - threats.

Short Stories Avalable Online

I Make People Do Bad Things

“Excellent short story about the transgression of a supernatural force into two young women’s lives... or is it merely the manifestation of unchecked mental illness? Beautifully disturbing imagery and a surprisingly subtle sense of play with the unreliable narrator trope. Highly recommended.”

The story follows two young girls whose mother is possessed by a spiritual parasite.

Please Momma

Say, She Toy

CUE: Change

Great use of voice in this story that features a strange and malevolent creature trying to steal the soul from one of a pair of twins. The story is almost mythic of fable-esque in its use of names and titles, the sisters being Sissy and Baby and the mother being Momma. – Quick Sip Reviews

Centering a Black female android who is created to alleviate racism in society, the character must endure physically, sexually and emotionally abuse for the supposed benefit of humanity. Say, She Toy was chosen as story of the week by Longform Fiction, while critics say that it “is a brilliant and gut-wrenching science fiction story about violence, racism, and what happens to people and society when we decide that some individuals are worth less than others. It’s the kind of story that cuts like a knife, and it is also thoroughly compelling. A must-read.”

For Sale: Fantasy Coffins (Ababuo Need Not Apply)

“This is a chilling look a the reciprocity between life and death, made all the more chilling because the agent is a child. Seeing a child reduced to a tool in this way made my stomach churn, but I can’t deny that this is a powerful story. Just not a comfortable one. If you’re anything like me, expect to take some time to let this story settle after you’ve finished.”

Zombies. Of change? What would you be willing to give up for humanity