Mia Dalia
Author
Complete Bibliography
In print and online, my fiction can be found in the wild here.
Estate Sale
It has been said that every small town has a house on a hill, the one the witch lives in.
But what if there is more to the story? The devil, after all, is in the details.
The old lady of the Koshmaroff estate is finally gone. In life, she was a mystery; in death, she leaves behind a house full of strange, yet seemingly ordinary objects. Objects, which the curiosity-driven locals rush in to buy, only to see their lives take nightmarish turns as a result.
No one knew the old lady's husband dabbled in dark magic. No one knew the two of them traversed decades and continents, hobnobbing with the most famous occultists of the 20th century and building their collection. They have acquired such terrible treasures along the way.
Come, see for yourself.
Step inside for the bargain of a lifetime.
Estate Sale - Kindle edition by Dalia, Mia. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Smile So Red
It was only supposed to be a walk in the woods. Just something to do for a recently unemployed man with too much time on his hands. He never expected to find the house.
But now, he can’t let it go. And, terrifyingly, it won’t let go of him either.
The strange graffitied walls, the shadow figure lurking in the woods, and, worst of all, that smile. The one that follows him, day and night. The one that gnaws at him, that lives inside his nightmares.
Killing time can kill you.
Be careful what you wish for.
Beware the smile so red…
This edition includes the novelette, Smile So Red, and an exclusive preview of Mia Dalia's upcoming novel, Estate Sale.
The Trunk
All Bogdan ever wanted was an easy life. He left his past behind and crossed an ocean to start anew. Now, decades later, with a purchase of a new home, he finally feels like he has achieved his American Dream. Only the thing about dreams is they can go either way, toward the light or the dark.
Bogdan’s new place has a basement storage unit. In it, there is an old trunk. Inside that trunk is Bogdan’s worst nightmare. And it is hungry ...
Spindel
When a twelve-year-old Johnny Walker becomes convinced that a local banker is the boogeyman of their small town responsible for the disappearances of young local girls, his obsession leads him down a path darker than he could have ever imagined.
Spindel is a twisted tale of secrets, lies, and monsters that hide in plain sight.
This novelette also includes a preview of Mia Dalia’s upcoming debut novel, Estate Sale.
Tell Me a Story
What if the truth is nothing but a story we tell ourselves? Welcome to Mr. B's bookstore. A place of stories and second changes. For Jared, a young man down on his luck, it seems like a perfect refuge when he is taken in the store's elderly owner and offered a home and a job.
Only something isn't quite right. Dark secrets lurking around. Ghosts visiting at night, whispering of terrible things. Nightmares coming to life. It's enough to make Jared question his sanity, his benefactor's past, and the very fabric of reality.
Sometimes, the only thing to do is strike a match, light a candle, and see what tales the shadows hide.
That Darkened Doorstep
Print debut for my story Primal Scream!
When faced with a darkened doorstep, think before you walk through. Feel our dread, grief, anxiety, and fear at an unopened door. A chilling collection that encompasses diverse viewpoints and a wide interpretation of the theme. This horror anthology is inspired by (reimagined) true events! ​
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING::
"That Darkened Doorstep is a powerful collection of chilling stories. The uneasy wonder and visceral terror in these tales will haunt me for some time. What a range of uncanny, alluring, unsettling dark fiction." —Richard Thomas, author of Spontaneous Human Combustion, and Bram Stoker Award® nominee
“With haunted houses, curses and spells, and a cohort of long-lost souls, That Darkened Doorstep features twenty uncanny tales of the unwary and the unexpected, editor Catherine Jordan bringing together emerging and established writers in a delightful cornucopia of creepiness.”—Lee Murray, USA Today Bestselling author and four-time Bram Stoker Award® winner.
“Thrilling and frightful and filled with dark wonders, THAT DARKENED DOORSTEP is the type of horror anthology that leaves readers wishing for more.” —Eric J. Guignard, award-winning author and editor, including That Which Grows Wild and Doorways to the Deadeye
LOLcraft: A Compendium of Eldritch Humor
My story, What are the Odds? appears in this delightful collection.
Horror and Humor.
Mythos and Mirth.
Lovecraft and Laughter.
Each creates tension, then releases it with explosive results.
Still, Cthulhu and Comedy? Is that even possible?
We’ve collected 36 stories that answer that question with a resounding yes. Each blends an aspect of the Cthulhu Mythos and humor. Prepare to stare into the face of madness inducing situations and come out screaming with laughter.
Or just screaming.
The Call of the Sea
My story, The Edge of the World, is the closing act in this exciting collection.
Take to the high seas as 16 international authors share scintillating tales of swash-buckling adventures. The twist? The mateys are taking center stage instead of the infamous captains we have all read about. Prepare for krakens, revenge, treasure hunts, and more in the previously untold stories of the surly crews of notorious scallywags.
Mystery Magazine: January 2023 (Mystery Weekly Magazine Issues Book 89)
Making my Noir debut with Neon City.
At the cutting edge of crime fiction, Mystery Magazine presents original short stories by the world’s best-known and emerging mystery writers. The stories we feature in our monthly issues span every imaginable subgenre, including cozy, police procedural, noir, whodunit, supernatural, hardboiled, humor, and historical mysteries. Evocative writing and a compelling story are the only certainty.
Get ready to be surprised, challenged, and entertained--whether you enjoy the style of the Golden Age of mystery (e.g., Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle), the glorious pulp digests of the early twentieth century (e.g., Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler), or contemporary masters of mystery.
“Neon City” by Mia Dalia delivers a classic noir with a twist. Movie industry, jealously, lookalikes, and one private detective caught up in it all.
Dracula Beyond Stoker Issue 1.5
My first Dracula (or any vampire) published story!
Two stories to hold you over until the next full issue of Dracula Beyond Stoker!
Mia Dalia's In Ink, In Blood - a frightening tale about the power of books.
Jessica Gleason's Renfield in America: A Blog - a humorous and heartbreaking followup to The Night Museum from Issue 1.
Bang!: an anthology of modern noir fiction
My print anthology Noir debut, The Last Best Thing, arrives with a Bang!
In this anthology of twenty-two crime stories there are crooks and crooked cops, lost and missing persons, those running and those hiding, femme fatales, avocados, downbeat PIs, deadbeat insurance investigators, hotel detectives and unsavory gangs, those doing wrong and those done wrong by, fated lovers and failed robberies; even Inspector Maigret at the infamous château in Roissy. Why not take a shot?
Still of Winter: An Unsettling Reads Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi Anthology (An Unsettling Reads Anthology)
My story, The Last Dance, celebrates winter in this themed collection.
In winter, there’s a stillness—a silence. As wet snowflakes fall, sounds are muffled. A hush lingers in the air. Bare trees reach upward from the frozen ground, grasping with their spindly branches. Swaying in the frigid breeze, brittle bark creaks and moans as the trees whisper ancient secrets to one another. Sentries, standing in the stillness. Watching. Learning new stories to share with each other long after we have gone.
This winter, we want to celebrate these majestic beings and what happens when the stillness is disturbed.
Within these pages are works by authors, poets, and photographers from around the world, each with a unique perspective on fantasy, horror, and sci-fi genres. We are humbled by the pieces we received from so many talented people, and we are proud of the works we are sharing with you. It is our sincere hope when you’ve finished reading, you’ll add a few new creative individuals to your arsenal.
Kids are Hell!
Echoing King with one of my first published tales, The Dangers of Reading.
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Whether it’s Legos left on the floor, small, sticky handprints literally everywhere, or refusing to eat anything remotely green, our children have been a constant source of angst since time began.
And yet, driven by that innate, primal instinct to replicate our DNA, we still have them - despite all warnings to the contrary.
We’ve compiled 22 terrifying stories of young hellions and kids out of control to keep you wide awake in the small hours and watching over your shoulder...
Here we have echoes of John Wyndham’s Midwich Cuckoos, Stephen King’s Children of the Corn, and so many more tales of child-driven terror - all of which serve as tales so cautionary against procreating, the Catholic church might just try to ban Kids are Hell!
Heavy Metal Nightmares: A Phobica Books Anthology
For a tune to rock your work, check out my story, Metal Bones, in Phobica Books's debut anthology!
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Twenty twisted and terrifying tales of headbanging heavy metal horror by the genre’s most talented writers. Stories to shock, scare, and haunt you with Heavy Metal Nightmares.
Power metal, black metal, death metal, doom metal, stoner, thrash and hard rock; within these pages you’ll find twenty short sharp shocks of frightening fiction based on every subgenre of the world’s greatest music.
So get in the mosh pit, rock your head, throw those devil horns in the air and get ready to turn your fear up to eleven!
Bang!: an anthology of modern noir fiction
Probably my most visceral published story to date, Project Y, camn be found in this collection.
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Games. Sometimes they are more than just Monopoly or Chess. Sometimes, all you have to put up is your life. Let The Die Be Cast presents 7 tales of games, challenges, and risk. Come with the PsychoToxin Press team as we let the dice fall where they may, and let the games begin.
Moon: The Lunar Book of Horror and Dark Fiction
A lunar twist of my story, Primal Scream, appears in this rare collection.
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Moon is a collection of fifteen stories that take place on and below the moon, from new authors and award-winners alike: tales of alienation, punishment, or transformation.
​Moon: The Lunar Book of Horror and Dark Fiction by Mia Dalia, Elana Gomel, Carlton Herzog, Liam Hogan | eBook | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)
Tumbled Tales: An Anthology of Unconventional Stories
My first venture into WEIRD with a lovely and rather romantic tale, A Brand-New Morning, that finally answers the question: What do you do when you wake up to find your wife grew tentacles overnight?
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The Best of 2023 Stories that Upend Genre Conventions
This anthology showcases 21 genre-busting stories to surprise even the most avid reader. Discover what talented authors can do with urban fantasy, westerns, romance, horror, sci-fi, mysteries, thrillers, and dystopian fiction. This collection proves that genre fiction doesn’t need to stay in one lane.
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Crazy from the Heat!
My story, Seaside, is featured in this online-only free anthology from PsychoToxin Press.
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I'm always amused by the juxtaposition of the quiet, creepy, slow-burn tone and style of my story and this wild and crazy cover!
My social satire/science fiction dark comedy story, Mistakes Were Made, is featured in this issue and by NonBinary's Alphanumeric Podcast (3) Mistakes Were Made - YouTube
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We've all made mistakes, but there's a yawning gulf between a mistake and epic fail. Epic fail doesn't happen in an instant - it's a series of cascading misjudgments that ultimately lead to disaster. Epic fail can be hilarious, tragic, or confusing, but it's always instructive.
Bullet Points 3
My story, Forget Me Not, opens this wonderful and thoughtful collection about the dangers of war.
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The Bullet Points anthology offers classic stories alongside stories from up-and-coming authors, including: Harry Turtledove, "The Phantom Tolbukhin"; George Tomkyns Chesney, "The Battle of Dorking"; Mia Dalia, "Forget Me Not"; A. P. Howell, "Used Armor Smell"; M. V. Melcer, "Ships Made of Guns"; and Marc A. Criley, "The Golden Rays of the Morning Sun." This is an anthology based on Bullet Points, an online military science fiction magazine. Bullet Point Press publishes fiction that contributes to a deeper understanding of war and warfare and builds bridges between military professionals and civilians. We believe that fiction can contribute to a more just and peaceful world.
The Monsters Next Door
If you were ever curious about what my take on the Classic Universal Monsters might be, grab this gorgeous, illustrated collection, read my tale, Midnight Deli, and wonder no more!
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We all have them.
The odd one. The creepy one. The one who keeps weird hours or who engages in the obscure hobby.
Neighbors. Perhaps the one right next door to you.
But what if they're something... more?
What if they are...
THE MONSTERS NEXT DOOR?
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Discordant
From Mia Dalia, author of Estate Sale, Smile so Red, and Tell Me a Story comes a new nightmare of rock and roll dreams and Faustian bargains.
Never settle for less.
Never stop dreaming.
Never meet your heroes.
Never bargain recklessly.
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Available now on Amazon Amazon.com: Discordant eBook : Dalia, Mia: Books
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or get a signed and numbered edition with an exclusive soundtrack from the publisher's website at Discordant Signed and Numbered Limited Edition with Exclusive Soundtrack | PsychoToxin Press
Terrors from the Toybox
The second collection from Phobica Books featuring my story, Uncanny, is available now.
Because let's face it: dolls are creepy!
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If I Smile Before I Wake, Volume 9
This awesome collection contains a rare gem: my very unique spin on a zombie story, Grin and Bear It :)
Smile So Red and Other Tales of Madness
My first-ever collection!!! From the author of Estate Sale and many other literary nightmares, comes a collection of dark psychological fiction like no other, featuring novelettes and shorter stories that range from horror to suspense to mystery to coming-of-age to thrillers.
Smile So Red - a man down on his luck finds a strange graffitied house on his hike, and can't quite seem to leave it behind.
Spindel - a twelve-year-old boy suspects that one of the neighbors on his paper route might be a local serial killer and sets off to investigate.
Blues for the Soul - a library worker tries to help a troubled young boy and uncovers a terrible truth about his family.
Devil's Chord - return to the world of Smile So Red with a meta journey set to the earworm tune of your worst nightmares.
Stump - a bullied young boy and a downtrodden family man from the same apartment complex unwittingly find solace in the same area of the local woods, trusting their secrets to the same remnant of an old tree.
Flamingos - two sisters must confront their troubled past when a buried memory is triggered by the seemingly innocuous plastic lawn birds.
The Trunk - a first-generation immigrant from a war-torn country striving to achieve the American Dream finds something in the basement of his new home that has other ideas for him.
Reddest - another return to the world of Smile So Red, albeit from a very different perspective.
Go on. Turn the page. Pick a nightmare. I dare you.
Bigfoot Country
I've always loved a good Bigfoot story, so I went and wrote one. And you can find it in this fun collection!
Tell Me a Story
(reissue)
I loved it so much the first time around, I thought I'd do it all over again :)
This edition has been re-edited, reformatted, and given a new cover by yours truly. Enjoy :)
DISCORDANT
(reissue)
Another new edition from Anuci Press. Re-edited, reformatted and given a new cover by me. Rock on!
​Discordant - Kindle edition by Dalia, Mia. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
ARROKOTH
The Earth is dying.
A generation of geniuses born to it might be its only hope. They have been chosen. They have been shunned. Loathed and praised. But the people who save you aren't always as you'd imagined.
It's time for the new kind of superheroes. The ones smart enough, driven enough, and daring enough to take us to the farthest reaches of the outer space.
Exhaustion: Limited Reserves
My story, So Happy Together, is featured in this delightful chapbook from Off Topic Publishing.
TWO FOR THE SHOW
One of my earlier and personal favorite stories, Condign Justice, is featured in this new anthology from rebellion LIT Press.
Dastardly Damsels
Edited by the wonderful Suzie Lockhart, this terrific collection features an all-star lineup and my story, The Final Girl, as the closer!
Available now from Crystal Lake Publishing wherever good books are sold!
Ethereal Nightmares:
The Second Sleep
My nightmare titled Summer Friends, is featured in this exciting new anthology from Dark Holme Publishing.
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Should children play with dead things? Read on and find out.
Summer friendships can haunt you for a lifetime!
The House Built Between the Branches
One of my earlier stories, In the Woods, is featured in this new anthology from Nightshade Publishing.
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It's a dark and rather sweet fairy tale, because, yes, I also do that :)
Vampire Survival Guide:
An Anthology for Cautious Immortals (Monstrous Guidebook Book 1)
This terrific collection features an all-star lineup and my story, Stakes, as the closer!
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Available now from WonderBird Press!
Arkham Institutions:
Where the Mythos Meet the Mundane
My short story, Books of the Dead, is featured in the latest Lovecraftian-themed anthology from Dragon's Roost Press.
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Travel to the lands of gambrel roofs and unspeakable terror with Dragon’s Roost Press. Join us and 26 authors as we once again explore Arkham, Dunwhich, Innsmouth, and the surrounding areas to explore how the people who run these towns and their institutions deal with the eldritch abominations of Lovecraftian horror.
Take a tour of the Mythos mainstays and visit schools and libraries, morgues and museums, banks and businesses, and even the cat sanctuary and the public pool. See how the citizens of these horrifying New England towns cope with Cthulhu and the other Eldritch monstrosities which are part of their everyday lives.
Hotel Macabre Vol.1: Tales of Horror
My flash fiction story, A Clown at Midnight, is featured in this gorgeous new anthology from Crystal Lake Publishing.
​One reviewer said it has "tantalizing Twilight Zone vibes." Gotta love it!
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Step into the halls of Hotel Macabre, where horror meets innovation.
Where horror knows no bounds…
And every turn reveals a new nightmare.
Hotel Macabre Vol.1 is not your typical horror anthology. It’s an immersive experience that breaks the boundaries of conventional storytelling. This one-of-a-kind collection gathers the chilling voices of horror’s most imaginative minds, presenting a rich blend of flash fiction, short stories, poetry, a suspenseful play, a novella, and even an illustrated comic book section, guaranteeing a diverse feast for horror fans like never before.
Whether you crave the suspense of flash horror, the depth of a full-bodied short story, or the haunting rhythm of dark poetry, Hotel Macabre Vol.1 has it all. And for those looking for something truly unique, this anthology includes a link to an exclusive dramatic reading, bringing the terror to life in a way you’ve never heard before. Each story and poem opens a door to new terrors, while the comic and play sections add a visual and theatrical thrill, making this anthology a must-read for fans of horror anthologies and short horror stories alike.
Dare to enter Hotel Macabre and discover a groundbreaking anthology that will redefine your expectations of horror.
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