Strange things exist on the periphery of our existence, haunting us from the darkness looming beyond our firelight. Black magic, weird cults and worse things loom in the shadows. The Children of Old Leech have been with us from time immemorial. And they love us... Donald Miller, geologist and academic, has walked along the edge of a chasm for most of his nearly eighty years, leading a charmed life between endearing absent-mindedness and sanity-shattering realization. Now, all things must converge. Donald will discover the dark secrets along the edges, unearthing savage truths about his wife Michelle, their adult twins, and all he knows and trusts. For Donald is about to stumble on the secret... ...of The Croning. From Laird Barron, Shirley Jackson Award-winning author of The Imago Sequence and Occultation, comes The Croning, a debut novel of cosmic horror. Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors.

Seventeen-year-old Randy is a witch, a natural born witch. Only, she doesn't know it, until she and her mother are killed in a car crash. But when Randy comes back from the dead, she has recollections of an experience in the "in-between" where she is told about the witchcraft that runs in her family. Desperate to find out more she visits her mother's sister, who may be the only key to unlocking this hidden door into another world. This is just the start of Randy's journey into some of the amazing powers she possesses and those around her, including her friend Daniel to whom she is hopelessly attracted. However she is also confused about her feelings for the mysterious Ethan who has traveled back with her from the in-between seeking her help. While the love trio alone is plenty to deal with, Randy's powers also make her susceptible to evil forces, some of which are a lot closer to her than she realizes. As Randy, her aunt, Daniel and friends battle these forces, lives, love and friendships are ultimately tested. And sadly, it may not be until she loses everything that Randy finally works out with whom her heart truly lies.

Langdale & Pike Hardback edition. Stories by Richard Straw