Spotlighting: Coach's Midnight Diner

There's a new kid on the Christian anthology block.

This kid has edge. So hang on to your chair, turn on the floodlights, and try not to get spooked.

Story Blurbs

Jesus Vs. Cthulhu

In R'lyeh, Jesus Walks--Chris Mikesell--Winner of the Jesus Vs. Cthulhu Category - Take a romp through space and time with Jesus and Lucifer to the sunken city of R'lyeh by way of a comic book convention. Filled with humor and poignancy, Mikesell puts a fascinating twist on the Cthulhu mythos that will keep you laughing and thinking the whole way through.

Work and Worship--Neil Riebe--Paul Carter's parents are so keen on making sure he grows up to be a devout man they abandon the harmful influences of city life to set up a wholesome homestead out west. What Paul and his parents don't realize is that this action has attracted the attention of forces from the Mythos universe, both good and evil. An authentic Lovecraftian tale, Riebe exposes conflicts within Christianity in a unique and graceful fashion, and adds a new facet to a familiar Dream Cycle hero.

Bavel--Jens Rushing--In the near future, asteroid mining becomes big business. A crew of miners discovers a peculiar asteroid that starts to affect them in strange and odd ways. Told through ship logs and transcriptions, Rushing's amazing prose will keep you guessing all the way to a shocking ending.

That One That Happens In A Diner

The Way Station--Kevin Lucia--Winner of the That One That Happens In A Diner - Author Andrew Slater has a problem- he's about to be dumped by his publisher. But problems he doesn't know about force him to make a choice that will determine his destiny. Featuring a cameo by everyone's favorite tentacled dreamer, Lucia's lucid storytelling brings out the choices that so often happen in those little out of the way places that have a reality all their own.

Sanctuary--Linda Gilmore--Ned has a favorite diner, but one night he discovers that this diner isn't what it seems to be on the surface. A story that could have very easily been showcased on the original Twilight Zone, Gilmore beautifully examines the synchronicity that can only happen in an all-night diner.

Elvis Lives--Jennifer Edwards--On her way back to Iowa, Celine just stopped in to grab a cup of coffee. But a conversation with an Elvis impersonator may change the course of history. Edwards dips into Rod Serling's sugar bowl of the possibilities and probabilities in life, and shows how easily we might alter the vectors a life may take.

Horror/Weird Fiction

Gargoyle--J. Mark Bertrand-- College students and professors start to behave strangely when a stone gargoyle shows up under mysterious circumstances at a campus art exhibit. A classic horror tale, Bertrand walks you right up to the edge-- and then gives a little push.

The Looking Glass--Melody Graves-- An Episcopal priest's obsession with an opera diva leads him to a dark realization after indulging in absinthe. An eerie, moody work, Graves' prose will command your senses and lead you straight into darkness and redemption.

The Water Rises--Nathan Knapp-- A man trapped in a white room experiences a series of beautiful and strange events, but is terrorized by an unseen tormentor. Knapp's surreal narrative will entrance you as he moves towards the horrific conclusion.

The Demon--Robert Jennings-- Otis starts visiting the town whore who moonlights as an exorcist when his wife Billie starts to become abusive. But when Otis leaves her, Billie decides to confront her nemesis. A twisted tale of failed redemption and horror, Jennings' gut-level writing style and unrelenting commitment to authentic dialog will thrill and surprise even the most jaded critic.

The Thief at the Altar--Caroline Misner-- A thief who has the intention of stealing from a church is apprehended by a most unusual guardian. Misner will delight fans of the mystical morality tale with her subtle prose and carefully placed twists.

Suspense/Intrigue

Night Train to Berlin--Suzan Robertson--Just prior to World War II, a reporter-turned-spy is assigned to follow a beautiful woman in order to discover her connection to the Nazis. But is she what she appears? Robertson's wonderfully voiced writing will call you back to the days of Bogart and Bacall in this romantic and suspenseful work.

Hardboiled/Mystery/Crime

Last Trip to Crystal Moon--R.M. Olivier--In the pursuit of an acquaintance who raped one of the dancers in his charge, a bouncer at a strip club finds a much bigger quarry. Blending hardboiled fiction with sensibility, Oliver's fiction helped to inspire the inception of Coach's Midnight Diner when it was first submitted to Relief.

Door to Door--Charles Browning-- When an evangelist falls off the edge of sanity, hilarity ensues as he accosts a random citizen with the gospel- and a gun. Browning will have you laughing and crying as he walks you through the mind of a misguided zealot in this first-person narrative.

Blind Dog Detective--S.J. Kessel--When two hottie sorority girls walk into P.I. Ace Jackson's office, he hoped they would just go away. But he needed the work, and they were willing to pay, and like always, the case is more complex than the hotties first let on. Kessel's debut work will keep you wondering who the real culprit is from start to finish.

Almost a Hero--Mike Dellosso--A young gas station attendant begins dreaming of a girl's demise, and is completely wrecked by the experience. But when he sees the girl show up at the gas station, he is faced with a choice that alters his destiny. Dellosso's terrific craft will keep you on the edge of your seat as he rockets you through a harsh reality.

American Angel--Mike Medina--In the near future, bounty hunter James Vega takes on a tough case- find the head of a child porn and trafficking operation. But this case hits closer to home than he realizes. Medina's hardboiled edge comes through in this satisfying tale that makes Dirty Harry look like Strawberry Shortcake.

The Paranormal/Archetypal Exploration

Polly's Muse--Mike Duran--What’s a demon gotta do for a promotion? For Brichard and his band of bumbling imps, it’s as simple as keeping a lid on Polly. With her muse imprisoned, this assignment should be a cakewalk. But little do they know, Inspiration is everywhere … and so is the Adversary. Duran's brilliant writing takes us back to the days of Screwtape as he illustrates some surprising truths.

The Salvation of Sancho--Robert Garbacz--In the pub in a place called the Abyss, where stories outlive their authors, a young man with a bullet wound stumbles in to tell his tale. With cameos by Lewis, Chesterton, and Chandler, Garbacz's wonderfully textured storytelling will suck you in to a reality just next to our own.

The Deluge--Matt Mikalatos--A missionary comes into contact with a reality outside of his belief, and is forced to confront a truth he is not ready to accept. Mikalatos weaves a tale of spiritual warfare that is both surprising and realistic in its scope.

The Gift of the Magi If The Magi Had Been Big Idiots--Paul Luikart--What would happen if a young, poor couple so stupidly in love took what each other had and made something completely- useless? A twist on the O'Henry classic, Luikart will have you laughing and banging your head against the table at the same time.

To read a sample edition and order your copy, click here: http://www.reliefjournal.com/SampleSizeCDiner.pdf